Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1852-01-24

.oty as wei as ule trlDe OF Levi but besides beng
holy the latter had the special care of the Ark the
Tabernacle, and of the sacrifices. were supported
| oy tthes and were exempted firm the performance
OF duties incompatible with the more important
which they owed to God. So believe it TO be in
the christian -dispensation. We are ali command
ed to be holy, but the ministers of Christ are not
only to be holy themselves but to make others
hoty, by hoiy teaching, and holy example and by
the administration of holy sacraments, and to give
strict account OF every soul committed to their
charge. ind nothing in the whole of revelation
that would justify any christian pastor to consider
himself guiltless for the loss of a single soul,
upon the plea of his attendance at an election or
his legislative duties, in Parliament, or presence
In any other mere worldly assembly, in the exer-
else OF his individual and personal rights, as a
citizen of the state.
If have rightly understood the instructions of
the Missionary Board in Boston, they do not en-
courage any such intermeddling with politics, and
can see no good reason why clergymen who do
not depend upon the Board should covet as a pri-
ritege, not to be bound by its good and salutary
rules, as much as those who depend upon it.
However lightly others may think of those instruc-
tions, and of sticking to the sacred work ON these
islands of " Introducing and perpetuating the re-
hgion of our Lord and Sdrior Jesus Christ.
,cith all ats accomp panying blessings cirH Hterory
and retgious"-l know well they were viewed in
different light by the late lamented Mr. Richards.
who up to his last moments used frequently to ex
press great doubts whether he had done right in
yielding to the pressing instances of the king and
chiefs to enter the government service, and give
up the work Of the christian ministry to which he
had been devoted. | know well that it cost much
earnest persuasion and the exerton of much influ-
ence, of the highest rank and most moral characte-
to subdue the great and long continued reluctance
OF Mr.. Armstrong, the present worthy successor of
Mr.. Richards, to abandon his church and take the
Portfolio OF Minister of Public Instruction. And
OF nothing am more assured than this, that with
Mr.. Castle HIMSELF though not a preacher of the
gospel his heart and soul are much with the
great work of its propag CATION, ON these Islands
that not even the offer of the Office OF minister
of state, land know of NJ ministry under the XII
which he could not discharge, with honor to him.
self and benefit to his Majesty would tempt him.
to abandon that secular agency, by holding which,
he adds greatly to the efficiency of the missionary
body, IN things spiritual
If any dependence is to be put on what the late
Rev. Sheldon Dibble states in the 9TH chapter of his
History, from page 256, to 277 and to the replies
OF MISSIONARIES. to my queries of 9th Nav 1876
enclosed to me on the 9th of March, 1913, bya
committee of which Mr. Castle himself was
member (which replies were printedl the labor of
propa eating the gospel with its becoming virtues is
more than what all the missionaries on the islands
can properly perform even though they should de-
vote their whole time and energies to the task
Therefore, contend that no encouragement should
be given them to abandon that labor. 1t is impos-
slble that they can do so much honorto themselves
and SO much good to the state, as by sticking sed-
ulously to their own proper duties, by praying for
wisdom from above to the king, his counsellors and
his parliament, by teaching the natives to pray for
them, IN like manner, and by limiting their political
disquisitions with the latter to the advice of St
Peter: Subject yourselves to every ordinance
of man for the Lords sake; whether it be to the
king as supreme or unto governors as unto them
| 81 ht-h -,
doers, and for the praise, of them that do WELL For
so IS the Will of God, that with well doing We NAV
put to silence the ignorance of foolish men; as
free, and not using your liberty for cloak of ma
lclousness, but as the servants of God. Honor all
men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God Honor
the king"
Mr.. Castle himself has had some trouble in en-
deavoring to "put to silence the Ignorance of
foolish men" as any will find by referring to his
very able and temperately argued paper
IN the second volume of the Ha,raiian
Spectator from page 447 to aga inclusive am
cognizant of the fact that he had prepared other
papers, equally Sputtng to silence" the IGNORANCE
OF foolish men" and stripping them of their cloak
fmaliciousness, (which papers unfortunately never
saw the light. And there is no who, than him. is
better acquainted with the great labor of the less
effective defence of the preachers of the gospel,
from the same ignorance" and " maliciousness,'
which, with equal zeal but less talent, attempted
Io44-and IN my published correspondence with
NJ. Dillon, and M. Perrin, of lS49 and 1851. Like
MIR. Castle himself, have labored in that good
cause, to an extent, yet unknown, as can bs
proved by my private letters addressed to the Hon
orable Captain John Gordon, the late U. S. Com
missioner, Mr.. Ten Eyck, Captain Courtenay Of
III. B. Ms S. Constance, and others, all of which
am quite willing to make public.
For the defence made by Mr.. Castle, and that
attempted by me- the clerical body US no favor,
because we both only uttered our true CONVICTIONS
and every owes it to himself to speak the truth
in defence of his neighbor. But 1T is not desirable
that from year to year, of my chief official IA
bours should be, to receive charges of secret ard
improper clerical interference IN matters which
concern the kings government, and then to attempt
to refute them. The labor would be one I. of
love" to me, so long my health and time might
suffice for Its performance, and so long as neither
knew nor saw any such clerical interference, as
the with me, at the periods above referred
to. But if things should change-if clergymen
should forsake their focks, and canvass at the
hustings. saying you cote for this man, or for
that man, you rofe against ftis man, or that
man-or if they should send men to parliament
selected By thenselves-elccted through their in
fuence-and instructed to vote for measures pre-
pared by themselves; or if they should get into
parliament and manage the votes of the native
members upon every measure, so as to make de-
liberation mere farce-reports of committees
mere voting of documents prepared out of doors,
before discussion had taken place. and the national
representation should become not the represen-
tation of public opinion but of clerical suggestion
then neither Mr.. Castle nor / could would
deny that things really were so, and that Ka-
iii had become the most Pnest-ndden
Sovereign of the 18th century.
In Illustration of my meaning, it would be inyid
nous to refer to what passed during the last legis
Iature but apprehend what Mr.. Dbble wrote in
1913 Of the serse Difference of the natives to the
is not much less true N 1852. What
he wrote was the following 80 There are instan-
= ces of individuals, even at this late period, who
seem to act under the belief that if they can
Z ceed in pleasing the missionaries, something ma
|. terial Is gained towards the favor Of God. The