Polynesian., 1850-09-28
For the Polynesian.

For the Polynesian.
Los GRINGos: An Inside Tie,c of .Mer;co andI
California, ,cith ,caaderings IN Peru, Chill
and Polynesia. By Lieut.. Wise, U. S. "
Continued
I am neither blind nor Indifferent Mr. Ed
itor, to the low state of morals among the
people of the islands, mourn over their ig-
norance degradation and consequent wretch
edness which every where meet our eye. II
have no apology to make for the sins of Ha-
waiians As l am able, and have opportu-
nifty, declare to them their danger and be-
seech them by timely repentance to avert
the judgments of holy God. Still, l see no
reason to accuse Mr.. Judd of mendacity
when he asserts, as quoted by Mr.. Bingham
the moral condition of the islands
may compare favorably with that Of any 9TH
er country" "Moral condition." c, con-
formed TO the moral law, conformed to rules
of right, virtuous.-Webster. Compare
farorably." ] regard this as a modest claim
in behalf of a people who till 1920 had never
heard of the moral law. 1t does not claim
for them extensive knowledge, or high de-
gree Of refinement; but it simply claims that
in relation to the law of God the nation will
compare favorably with any other country.
And this claim can be substantiated in my
opinion, by reference to stubborn facts. In
every country, christian country, | mean,
there are two classes, those who profess to
be influenced by religious considerations
to take the law of God as the rule of their
life, and those who have little regard to this
rule. No one will hesitate to admit that
there is as great a proportion of Hawaiians
who are professedly religious as can be found
in any country under Heaven. Nearly one
half of the population are either members of
the church or are desirous of becoming such.
The great number of converts at the Islands
was one thing that offended our author, and
he disposed oft, as some others have done,
by pronouncing them nearly all spurious,
though he gave no reason whateverfor this
Judgment in The case How shahwe make
the comparison in the case of Hawaiian
christians with christians of more favored
Iandss Shall we compare them with those
members of the church of Christ whom'we
see on these shores? | would not shrink a
moment from such a comparison. Mf.
Cheever, who spent many months among US,
visited every station | think, and took much
pains to qualify himself for making just
estimate Of the character of the people, said,
ssAs to Hawaiian piety, it may as well be
said, now, once for all, that both absolutely
and relatively, it is brighter, purer, and lrears
| better than the most Of that which is imported
round the Cape or struggles across the rocky
mountains. :"
| do not deny that there are many unwor-
thy members Of the church among us, many
apostates and, formal, hypocritical profess
ors, many who are reproach to the chris
tian name; still | would ask, where is the
church uncursed and unscathed by the IN
fiuence of such characters: | know of none
There is no one am fully of the opinion
that the morality of the Hawaiian church is
on the whole much more pure than that o
many church in Christendom, and that i
will not suffer in a comparison with the
churches Of Scotland or New England.
As to the morality of the nation as such
compared with that of other countries, i think
the balance is altogether Oh the side of the
Hawaiians. How shall this be decideds By
reference to the records of criminal courts
am not near enough to examine these re-
cords lust now, but dare hazard the opin
ion that the Hawaians are not so deeply
read in these records as most other nations
Jarves, in IS47, remarked in his history o
the islands, that ssthere had been but fiv'
executions for three murders, for ten years.
| think no one has since that time, been con
victed of murder More than half the crime
for which punishment has been inflicted arr
connected with the breach of the 9TH com
mand ofthe decalogue, and were this the place
it could be shown that men from christian
lands, have, as David Malo of Lahaina sol
emnly declares--''lent their whole influence
to make the Hawaiian Islands one grea
brothrel'' The day God Mr.. Editor, vii
make disclosures on this subject which WI
be appalling. Let the actors in scenes o
pollution which have been acted from TIM
to time especially at our ports of entry, lool
to it that they be not copfounded on tha
!; fearful day. In other respects it does m,
: heart good to institute comparison oil ou
poor people with any nation of the earth. A
a nation the Hawaiians are temperate
Rarely have seen a native intoxicated: ant
but for foreign interference, spirituou
liquors would long ere this have been ban
ished from the group. As nation, they oh
serve the sabbath, and attend upon the means
of grace; read the bible, and seek God will
their families / am aware that much o
their familiar conversation is low and degrad
inu. and our author questions &c whether
would not be advisable, even at this late day
TO do away entirely with the native dialect
pen up the children, and substitute SOM
other idiom having fewer words to express
vice, and more the higher attributes OF moral
ity and virtue. PIP. $3.50. Can you tel
/ me. Mr.. Editor, what idiom our author woul'
find, where there are fewer words to express
vice than the Hawaiian! Not the Engllsi
II am sure, and the French is notorious TO
its richness in whatever is vile and dohasIng
The Hawaiians are low in thei ant
Language, but think of a profane t5S5de wei
versed in Saxon English. AT one sitting
! that impious tongue will wag more of.the dl
aIect OF the pit, will throw off more God pro
voking, lnd man corruptng matter than
hundred Hawaiians could do in month";
-.