The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-01-07
Extracts from DIR. AndersOn's
speech.

meeting of 4. B. c. F. NJ. in Rochester, y. Y,
in October last
The Rev. DIR. Anderson said he proposed. with
the permission of the Board, to make a familiar
statement of the results OF bis observations on his
recent visit 10 the sandwich Islands. 1t had been
supposed that the churches of the Islands should
by this time have become capable of self-control
and self-support. But the case of these churches
was without precedent, and it was felt that it was
wisest that these should be visited by some mem
bers of the Board. Reluctantly he had himself
consented TO 90. accompanied lat his own ex-
pense,) by his wife and daughter. He reached
his destination in February.
DIR. Anderson spoke OF the favorable prospects
of the Hawaiian College, and q recent contribu-
ton of $4,000 to its endowment. He spoke of
his rough journey of over 400 miles over the Is
lands and OF their natural aspects. Sugar plan
tations, recently commenced, are now the hope of
the Islands for the future. DIR. Anderson said
he was cordially welcomed as a representative of
the Board. He had addressed. and exchanged
the aloha with, some 1000 OF the natives.
The subject of his addresses was, for the most
part, the missions of the Board in other parts of
the world. The audiences varied from 600 To
200. Some came with their ho-rses-sometimes
500 on a single Occasion-from a great distance.
They always ride at a gallop-the females in the
SANE style as the men. They are bold riders, and
the people are a bold people.
The large stone church of Honolulu will hold
5000 people. 1t was filled at the ordination of
Mr.. Parker. There were $500 present in this
house at the farewell meeting. A native Judge
made a most appropriate speech on the occasion,
no less so than might have been expected from a
judge in this country. The appearance of the
audience contrasted remarkably with what it was
80 years ago. Then the people were almost max
ed; now they are well dressed from head to foot.
DR.. 4. said he had a list of more than 100 meet
ing houses in the Islands, built mostly by the
people, at an expense of about $780, 600. The
Il,-al ~, 4 = L-,lr n 1.- - ILL
stand for ages. Other churches are, many of
them, quite elegant. Large numbers of them
have bells, of which the people are very fond.
OF church members SO 900 have from the first,
been received. % 900 of these are dead. Those
who survive sustain, rs a general thing, a good
character. DIR. A. found things better than he
expected. HIS opportunities of observation were
better than those Of the missionaries generally.
Compared with our churches, those of the Is
lands differed more in eXternals than in substan-
tails. The difficulty with them is the difficulty
Paul had at Corinth. The missionary who has
spoken most severely Of Hawaiian character ad-
mitted, after reading Conybeare's account of the
Corinthians. that the Hawaiians would not be
classed below them.
The evidences of interest and sympathy on tile
occasions when DIR. A. addressed the people were
sometimes affecting. They listened with deep
and Christian emotion. The pcrsistency OF the
members in Christian life and character has been
remarkable. A large share of them are advanced
in years-monuments of grace. Many of the
people can read and write. Most families have
the Bible all. with scarcely an exception, Testa-
ments. They read the papers with intense inter-
est, especially news from this country. Family
worship is generally maintained. Congregation
al singing, in some cases, Is admirable. The
morning prayer meetings present some interest
ing features. Prayer houses are erected in many
sometimes solitary-places, and here, at the
call of the morning hour, the people meet, and
the meetings are well sustained. One of the
most important has been kept up steadily for
more than a quarter Of a century. Is there no
piety at the Sandwich Islands?
DIR. A. mentioned some cases of most relnarka-
BILE devotion. He spoke of the simple views of
prayer which prevailed among the people, which
he illustrated by appropriate anecdotes. On the
hardships, self-denial, and sufferings of the mis-
sionaries, he dwelt with some emotion. Their
mode of life was appropriate to their circumstan-
ces. AS a body, they are as little open to exccp-
ton as their brother eIergymen in this country.
He then proceeded TO speak of the social
changes of the people. The first marked change
has been in their civil condition. Originally the
King was a despot, with the power of life and
death. He owned the land and everything else.
The people were slaves. Through the influence
of Mr.. Richards and others, he was led to grant
the people a Bill of Rights Magma Chartd.
Successive changes followed. till u constitutional
monarchy, with laws :! founded on the word of
God, > was established. Personal security is full
ly enjoyed. DR.. a. never felt any fear while on
the Islands. A we'll regulated civil community
has been fully established. The work was per-
iected in 1852. Previously the Islands were di-
yided into districts. \ church occupied a dis
trict. Some were thus very large. That of Mr..
Coan had 4 800 members. IL was time that Il
change should be introduced. The people should
be fitted for Observation-Disclosures to fol-
low in it's own time. The latter has not yet
been attained. The former has. This is the case
in our own West. During the year, by unani-
nous action, the representatives of the churches
of the Islands have assumed the burden of self
government. The churches are TO be divided and
native pastors to be introduced. The control of
the churches is to be with native ecclesiastical
bodies. The laity are to be represented by dele
gates. A Board, having charge of Missions, Ed
ucation and Publication, has been devised-to be
approved by the American Board, if this is seen
fit. The Hawaiian Evangelical Association will
embrace the Presbyterian and Congregational
ministers on the Islands. and will be in eorrespon-
dence with the American Board. The English
language, in correspondence, will no longer be
used, but only the Hawaiian.
DIR. A. then drew a striking contrast between
the condition of the Islands forty years ago and
at the present time. The nation is 4 Protestant
nation. The government is a Christian govern
ment. The institutions OF the gospel are common
throughout the islands. All this some of the
early missionaries have survived to witness.
Whatever the future, the past is sure. Yet there
is occasion for apprehension. The Missionaries
are nearly all over fifty years of age. How will
their children, and the rising generation of the
islands meet the emergencies that may arise!
The decline in the native population has not yet
been arrested. Romanism is active. The leaders
of Episcopacy are extreme High Church, and the
King and Queen are with them. Success in their
case would be disastrous to the islands. Indus
trial changes threaten, the results of which none