The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-08-06
Farewell Missionary Meeting In BROOKLYN

DEPARTURE OF MISSIONARIES TO THE aARQUEsAs.
A meeting was held last evening in Rev. Henry Ward
Reecher's church. preparatory the departure to-day of
eyeral missionaries TO the Marquesas Istals. The edi
ice crowded, and the exercises OF most IN
reresting character The missionaries are Mr. and Mrs.
seymour, Or. Coke and Miss Platt, Mr.. and Mrs.
Mills Mr. Mills has been for many years resident OF one
Of those islands, Of which Mrs. Mills hsr-clf native
appearances he bears such striking
ndian that she might easily be mistaken Cor The
expression Of her face is rather pleasing th otherwise,
and indicates greater degree OF intelligence than
generally accord TO the inhabitants of The maraucsas
She neatly dressed, and in her presented
difference from that of her white sisters Her husband
sailor, and was wrecked on the Marloesas but we
must let him tell his story Mr.. Lewis Tappan pre-
sided and Rev. Mr. Jocelyn opened the exercises with
prayer The choir then sung appropriate hymn after
which the President stated the objects Of The meeting
He said that this the FIRST movement which had been
made for the conversion Of the Marquesas With the pro-
mise Of success. Efforts had already been made but
they had failed. Mr. Mills, lie continued formerly a
sailor and born the north Of Ireland He came to
this country when quite lad, and has becn living about
sixteen years the Marquesas. He has done much Tor
the improvement Of the condition of its people, and he
comes 70 this country in quest Of missionaries aid
him IN his efforts for the promotion Of civilization among
them He married the eldest daughter OF OF the prin
hereditary chief Or. Coke is from Ohio, and will be
united 10 marriage before his departure aith Miss Plat,
wl.o companies him. They expect TO leave
their distant mission by way Of Califor.
mia. We assemble with thcm said Mr.. T. in con.
cusion to give them opportunity of taking leave OF
their Christian friends, and to join with them in appro
pirate religious exercises.
Mr. Tappan introduced Mr.. Mills, who gave a plain
statement his experience among the natives the Mar
Jte enid he 81 {bara ,xI;
whaling voyage with tive of his shipmates. The repu,a
ton Of the natives he continued not such a. To i'm
press him with the most favorable opinions toward thc
for they we're known - be cannibais. However they
determined 10 try their fortunes among them and landed
the island Of Dominique which was the worst of the
vhoegrou con'ained about tx thousand Inhabitants
while the Of the Marques is estmat-
Cd u forty thousand Upon landing, they hal very diff
ieient reception from what they expected they we're
treated most Hospitality. They lived with them time
leore Opportunity offered Of their leaving the island
they finally resolved making their escape There
had he said at time existed sort of tfadc between
tho eole and yesses bat the whites had often cheat
Cd aud abused them that they would trade with them
and Tie visits OF the vessels had become cs frequent
ths account Several massacrcs both Of the natives aud
The whites had also taten place. and these erved to
bitter the feelings that existed between them. plan
formed among the .hipwfecked sailors get AMY
from the island and all Of them succeeded in making
her ecaIe out me speaker who Vas lett behind by his
shI mates Ia their haste 10 get oil the island After this.
Mr. Mills attempted several times 10 escape, and
night be walked 10 the western side Of the land di.-
lance 81 about twenty-five miles, where h taken
under the protection q chief Here no Told the poo
pe that, there n considerable number OF
vessels stopped there, they would put him board Of
Of them he would persuade he to put in aud deal
with hem airly Some time after this he proydentaly
got on beard Of q ship, OF which relative II his
master. BY this vessel lie left the island and came 70
his country where he eudeav0rcd to get hc people II
New BEDFORD aid in the conversion a the Narqueas
This they refused TO do, alleging . that the
ssndwch Islands great deal worse Ses they
visited by the missionaries than before and that this
was attributable 10 them. This however, said Mr.. NJ
not the fact, for Il attributable "a New England
um. Notwithstanding the dHiculties hoH ever, under
which he labored he succeeded In estlh hing amcaule
citations between the natives and the whites IL would
not do he said to Instruct the Inhabitants that they
must rot do wrong on purely religious cr0nnas-they
should be impressed with the idea that worldly point
Of view II would have q very bad eject upon them.
There was some truth after ALL in the charge that much
injury had been done by The missionaries but this
produced by the opposition Of the Protestant ministers
and the Catholic priests each Of whom told The people
net TO listen 10 the other and thus the people dtrustcd
them both ProYdcutiay tie Catholics da not succeed
IN getting any TO listen TO them and they could not
procure OF the natives TO act servants 10 them.
They attempted 90 convert by imprsonng thcm but the
people would not be driven 70 accept religion which
forced upon them. He thought would be well 10 intro
duce the English lang rs much as possible among
them but he did hns any good would be effected by
ordanng native cicrgy for they very stead
fast in their religious convictions, and 10
lapse on the slightest temptation They had a religion OF
their own. They believed IN a supreme Being WIN
communicated through prophets ny dreams Theae
prophets Vel them wnsa tLsy s-s 10 20 ,...S.y.s