Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1857-03-21


after the unucky gate appeared in the prohibited
condition. Meeting his colored boy, Peter he said
l." Well, Peter, and who has left open the garden
gate now?" Peter hung his head. Mr.. s. urged
his question, till Peter answered. don't love to
tell, Sir" Mr.. S. insisted, when Peter summoned
up courage to say, 1t was you, Sir" "Me! are
you sure? When?" When you come out of
the garden" at such a time "you left it OPEN"
Wei, Peter" said Mr.. s., 60 and cut some
sticks and lay them hard over your masters shoul-
ders. The boy begged to be excused, but the
master insisted, and it was done as required.
One OF the finest specimens of the old school of
manners that the New England pulpit ever saw
was IN the person of the Rev. Samuel Eaton, Of
HarPswell, Maine. Professor Packard, of Bowdoin
College, says of hin. He was little above the
average stature, of large muscular Frame of full
habit and was dignifed and courteous in his man.
ners. tils entrunce into the church on the Sab
bath, and his somewhat stately progress up the
broad aise-bowing, was the custom Of the
time, to the sitters each side-always attracted
attention, and was impressive. Invest an aged
man, OF hls form and manner, in the dress of sixty
years since-a spacious, broadskirted coat heavily
cuifed, with wide pOcket-faps and large square
collar, wastcoat faring in front and falling to the
knees, breeches, high shoes with large plated
buckles, the whole surmounted with a capacious
white wig and cooked hat-and you have a figure
which, IN those days, men looked at second time,
ohu nOuiu uO" Oc IOIOWeu dnu SdZeQ dIIeT.
AS he was once coming up to Brunswick, in full
dress, magsterally on horseback and with the slow
trot beftting his station and calling, an Irishman,
not long from the Emerald Isle, who was at work
by the roadside, caught sight of him as he emerg-
ed from the pines south Of the College. Never
having seen snch an array, except on the Justices
OF his father-lond, and having, perhaps, some of
his own misdeeds brought to remembrance by the
sudden apparition, the poor fellow was sadly af-
frighted. He took to his heels, and ran into the
house, with staring eyes, exclaiming /" The Judges
are coming! just saw one riding in with wig,
big shape"
Samuel j. Mills is a name that is honored by the
friends of Foreign Missions, for he was in n man
ner, not surpassed by any other man, the prime
mover IN the work in this country. 1t is Of the
father of this Mills, bearing the same name with
the son, that we have few pleasaDiries to relate
Mr.. Mills was noble man his person was large,
elegant, and commanding; on horseback he made
such splendid appearance as 10 be called by the
boys the generaiSsimo of Connecticut clergymen.
In him. says his bograPher, combined strength
of intellect, comic power, and deep sensibility.
Drollery undesigned and perhaps sometimes de- |
signed, which would have marred the public ser
vices of any other man, in his were not merely
effective but turned to serious account. People |
who, hearing his ordinary discourses inadvertently
laughed inside or out, often wept before he closed
He dhcays Craze his hearers could not always
conceal their amusement His brethren some |
times admonished him that his sayings were too
ludicrous for the pulpit; yet they all reverenced
him a lover Of truth and of souls, and as a dex-
ferrous, faithful. and powerful preacher. The pious
Jeremiah Halleck denominated him I" the godly |
Mr.. Mills.
Yet this man, so holy that he gave his son John
to be foreign missionary with so much pleasure |
that one of his brethren prayed he might not be I
unduly lifted up with the honor, this man was so l
much the victim of his propensity to the ludcrous
that he could not help it even on the most solemn
occasions. He had lost one of his children, and !
on the death of the second some female friends
called IN to express their sympathy. One OF the
number commenced,
Sc You lost your first child"
"Yes," he replied, sand now the fat is all in
the FIRE again"
One autumn the boys stole his peaches. In
sermon after he reported visit which he had ]
made in a neighboring town where the people COM
planned that the boys stole peaches Hearing
this, he expressed his surprise and his adherence
of such conduct. But he said they replied,
''Mr Mills, don't the boys steal peaches in your
town? ?"
"Dear me,'' said he, what could do?
couldn't lie; | was obliged to answer Yes!'
His iIlustrious son. Samuel J. Mills, died at sea,
and was buried in its mysterious bosom. The !,
father standing in the street of his own village
when a horseman rode up and handed him letter.
He broke the seal and read few lines stopped (;
and, with the letter in hand and spectacles in
the other, his face filed with astonishment and
he said, I" Samuel is dead. This
beats all! When 0bookiah died, | thought that
beat everything; but this beats that" At this in
slant the rider took out watch and handed him, {
saying, "This was his watch" The patron of mis- !
sions gave place to the father He took the watch,
and with streaming tears and voice choked with
Of lauank hrOka foPth-t Samuel iS dead =
shall never see Samuel again; he is in the bottom {
Of the sea-" Ii
Nathaniel Emmons, D. D., was not only one Of ,
the greatest intellectual divines of modern times
but was himself the father and founder of school II
Of theology called after his name. He was phi '
losopher, metaphysician, and, IN many ct the e
traits of his character he must have strongly re-
sembled the Puritans of two hundred years ago $
he died in 1910, aged nnety-hve years. Z
1t was interesting to be with him and to listen '
to his words of wisdom wherever he went; cut no q
Dne could appreciate him, who had not witnessed G
The play Of his sensibities and the electric flashes
Of his genius, among those whom he admitted TO I
MS friendship. His study was his home. There q
he ate and worked. There he girded himself to q
yrapple with the severe problems in Philosophy T
and Theology and there he unbent his mind to @
meet and entertain those whom he loved. he had
everything arranged to suit himself. His chair
must be in the same spot, and a stranger could
easily see where that spot vas, by the four lndent-
atoms which had gradually appeared nnder the
mild abrasions of its four legs. His writing desk
with its case of books must be Just near 10 him.
and all its fixtures and furnishings in the same {
order There was the peg for his surtout, and I
here another for his .hree-corne:ed hat. There
was place on the right side Of the fire for the 5
longs, and ON the left side for the shovel. Pre- S
cisey so must the wood be laid on the fire, and G
the ready hearth-brush must almost instlnciivey r
do its duty in keeping dust and ashes IN Their Pa-
res At such a time must the wood-box be re- Z
Dionishnd the faithful servant must know enough Z