The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1865-05-27
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
SATURDA Y, MAY 81.
(For the Pacific Commercial Advertiser.)
Bj-hop StaIey's Pastoral Address.
IC9ntinued from . previous issue.l

- there was less OF the feariu! practice OF polyandry
and the corruption Of girls in the heather than in the
Christian days Of this people" As for the evidence
on this subject procured by Mr.. wyllie from a ven
cradle native of Kauai, in 1863, it would be prepos-
ferrous to allow it to outweigh the concurrent testi-
mony Of both the natives and foreigners who were
on the Islands in 1920. These have always testi-
fed, with hardly sn exception. that both ~polygamy
and polyandry were very common, and that licen.
tiOusness was universal aud unblushing. in open
day. Facts are related by eyewitness in proof of
this, which will not bear description here. 1t is
probably true that under the ancient isbu system
there were some slight restrictions on this vice.
There is some truth in the statement that young girls
were guarded until they had arrived at the age Of
puberty. but for what purpose they were reserved
the Bishop can ascertain from the old natives. And
1t must he remembered that even these barriers had
been swept away before the arrival Of the first mis-
sionaries. Let the candid inquirer obtain from any
intelligent old native an account Of the favorite ma
tional games called ume and kiln, of their customs
relating TO hospitality, to friendship and courtship,
let him study their ancient Kdaos and then judge
whether any chastity could exist III such q state Of
society. In fact, instead of being considered q virtue
at all, it vas regarded as something n~iggsrdly and
unsocisble, a sentiment which the missionaries found
it extremely difficult to eradicate from the minds Of
the people.
l ALL free to admit that there were grave defects
in the laws first enacted TO repress this vice, and |
rejoice that they have since been amended. 1t would
have been strange if the first attempts Of 4 barbarous
people to frame q criminal code had not been imper-
feet. And yet, with oil its faults. their first printed
code was more humane and liberal than the Criminal
Law OF England was until reformed by he efforts Of
Sir Samuel Romilly and Sir Robert Peel. l will only
mention thar lv the EugliSh laWs- 6ftv Years 400.
there were nearly three hundred offences punishable
with death. And yet these Draconian laws were
sanctioned "by men Of liberal education" The
system Of legislation adopted here was substantially
the same as that adopted in most Of the groups of
Southern Polynesia. Nor is it true that these laws
are considered unjust and cruel by the people. On
the contrary. they will tell you that though such
laws may not be suited to enlightened countries,
they are necessary for them. To make such crimes
punishable merely by q civil suit for damages, as has
been suggested, would have been perfectly absurd, IN
legislating for u people in the social condition of the
Hswaiians. 1t was necessary that such deels should
be branded by the law as crimes. But, even on the
false supposition that the missionaries framed these
laws, if their moral effect has been neutralized BY
the example OF foreigners and of Government ottlcials
appointed to execute them, l do not see how the mis-
sionaries are to be held responsible. As for infanti-
eide, according to Mr.. Ellis and others. who were
here in 1920, nearly two thirds of the children were
buried alive or destroyed i'll other ways. AT present
that crime is probably less frequent here than IN
England.
We are told that belief in the old heather gods is
the rule rather than the exception. While denying,
emphatically, the truth of this statement, l would
not underrate the superstitions which are still linger-
ing among the natives. 1t would be contrary to all
l.-.-:ol ,rooajan,a - Such did not exist. When
the races of Northern Europe embraced Christianity.
their ancient religious ideas survived for centuries.
and some of them to the present time. AS Mr.. Lo-
gan saws. in his "Ethnology of Eastern ASIA"
:" Observances are more easily abandoned than ideas,
and even when all the external forms of the alien
faith have been put on, and few vestiges OF the in
digenous one remain. the latter still retains its vi.
tality in the mind, and powerfully colors or corrup,s
the former.'' The writings of Sir Walter Scott and
of Hugh Miller show how true this was even OF the
: Scotch people a century ago. The remaining super
stitions of the Hswaiians are chiefly connected with
the practices of the native doctors and the belief in
witchcraft, which latter is very similar to the dread
full superstition of the "evil eye" so prevalent among
the Italian peasantry. The modern deluslon OF
"Spirituslism,' so-called, is closely akin to 1t, be-
ing founded on the same fundamental principles OF
human nature, and yet prevails extensively in the
most enliphtened countries. II there has been any
thing Of a reaction here Of late years towards the
ancient superstitions, it has been promoted by the
system Of licensing the hGhunds, or sorcerers, and
by the encouragement given TO the huidhuid. which
is simply a part of their ancient idolstrous system
We need not dwell on facts which are already so well
understood by the public.
IL I am not mistaken, the American missionaries
would rather glory i'll the simplicity Of their mode Of
worship than deny it. They believe it TO be both
scriptural, aud contormed to the practice OF the
primitive Christians. The system of Divine worship
described by Justin Martyr, in the middle OF the
second century, seems to me quite as simple and IN,
imnosine as the '. exercises in Hawaiian Churches
Although Mr.. Dana's description was rather over
drawn, vet his criticisms were in q measure just, and
were made in such q spirit as to give no offence,
vbicb cannot be said Of the Bishops remarks on the
subject. 1t might be expected that q half-civilized
people like the Haw aiians would be deficient in some
Of the external proprieties of public worship. Al
that can be looked for is q gradual improvement II
this respect. The statement that 81 kneeling is dis,
couraged as Popish" vii! provoke a smile from those
q, whom it is aimed. l am not aware Of any prelu
dice existing against it, and if that attitude Is no
preferred TO standing IN prayer, 1t IS for other sne
obvious reasons. The assertion that " the principles
of teeto,alism held by the missionaries have led then
10 discard the use of wine in the Lords Supper" II
a gross H~isstatement, as any one can easily ascertain
for himself. The plain dress of some OF the mission
aries seems TO have given great offence, and MT
Hopkin.' mind seems TO be haunted by the idea o
their " alpaca coats" Now, does he or the Bishop
suppose that Paul and Barnabas carried a set o
.caponicals'' with them on their journey 10 Lystr'