The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1868-07-04

AIE taAAAN ~ u AAhb iWC AtF
who have been urged 10 take secular positions in
the Government. in times when there were fewer
trustworthy and competent men available for the
purp0se than now. have in some instances refused,
in Others reluctantly asSentet. and in no instance
have they sought these positions or accepted them
(Savc perhaps IN a single instance) with the hearty
approval of their brethren
/ do not mention this either TO approve or con-
denim those who reluctantly accepted those posi-
tiOns and faithfully served the kingdom in them /;
nor to approve or condemn the general tone of
feeling and opinion in the mission against demit-
ting the ministry for any secular service. / only
mention IL n Il fact which the history of the ISL
ands establishes. and which ten years of intimate
acquaintance with the sentiments of the mission
aries confirms. Those who anne hither also as
been oficiOus intermedlers with the political at
missionaries OF the cross have as a class never
fairs Of the kingdom, least of all have they been
revolutionists turning the world up side down.
liz is my honest conviction that the kingdom
stands firm to-day more because of the unwaver-
ing LOYALTY of the missionaries and their children
than because of the amiable disposition of the
people or the strength of military defences or the
discretion of those who are set over them In au-
thority. There was indeed n sort of loyalty, an
abject submission of the Hawaiians TO their chiefs
before the incoming of christianity. But this
was very far removed from that intelligent loyalty
to compaets and constitutions as well as to per-
sons in power which now characteristics this pecu-
liarly peaceable people.
Let none blame that venerable band of Mis-
sionary Fathers who must by the great statute of
Limitation all soon close their earthly career, be-
cause they have made it no part of their work to
intrigue against existing authorities or violently
to overturn existing forms. They came hither
for purely spiritual purposes. If at any time,
past, present or future. they could truthfully be
charged with conspiring by violence to ALLEVIATE
the sovereignty of these Islands without the ma
tional consent, there were cause to dread the
SAINT fatal reaction of the native population
against the mission which resulted fIom such eff
forts in New Zealand and other lands where some
of the missionaries have become imprudent parti-
zans in transferring the dominion of the chief to
the sovereignty of their own native land.
But lest 1 should myself be charged with preach
ing politics i pass to another topic and remark
secondly, Tn American missionaries came moi
hither 10 orerturn The language of the people, TO
bring their rernGcuIdr mo contempt and 10 rob
them of Meir mother tongue. On the contrary
they set themselves at once TO work with self de-
nying patience, reducing their language to writ
ing, acquainting themselves with its idioms and
printing spelling books, examiners and lexicons,
50 making themselves familiar with all the
thoughts of the people that could be expressed In
words. They thus placed themselves at once in
contact with the native mind and gained a knowl-
edge of their modes of thought and feeling such
as could have been gained in no other way. They
were practical philosophers enough to know that
while n favored few, If taken young, may be
taught to think in a foreign tongue, even they
will most likely feel in the language which their
mothers taught them. Hence it is true even of
those HawaIians who have learned English that
they are much less likely to be touched in their
hearts and converted to Christ under English than
under native preaching. This was the primary
and immediate object of all missionary effort TO
save the then present generation and through
them to reach their children. They had that
great boon the Bible To convey 10 this perishing
people. How could it be made accessible i'm the
shortest time to the greatest number. They had
come with that priceless treasure the gospel,
should they make signs TO the people that they
could have this treasure opened To them only ON
condition that they would take the trouble to
learn the hard English language or should they
prove their anxiety to bestow this good gift upon
every man by printing it in a language they could
comprehend? Obviously there was but one CON
sistant course for professionals who hold that the
Bible is not the exclusive possession of u hierar-
chy, a governing class, n priestly order in the
church, but the heritage of the common people,
Code word To every man. If a favored few were
to DC instructed IN certain mysteries locked up in
an unknown tongue, it might have been human
policy to number the few elect ones and devote
their attention To teaching them English. But if
a, whole generation were to be saved, they must,
as soon rs possible, be placed in possession of that
source and sum of ali spiritual truth which is
able to make them wise unto salvation. All
could learn the way of salvation i'm their own
tongue, but few could ever have been converted
through any other medium. And in this respect,
as in that already dweit upon, the missionaries
wa lo " N"S ot'AN Va hbho lSc
pie. For there is no quicker way to blot out
national existence than to erase the language of
the people. !
Thirdly, l might also remark that the early !
missionary teachers did not think it important TO
turn upside down the modes of culture and the
dictetic habits of those to whom they ministered.
They found them cultivating taro and eating poi
and fish and they have not deemed it essential to
their temporal or their eternal well being that
they should be taught by new methods to cult
ate less hln N that rhav SbnulI no
constrained to adopt Il more expensive and less
healthful diet. They came hither specially to
teach them the way of salvation, not TO instruct
them i'll agriculture and the mechanic arts, IN the
laws of trade or the latest fashions.
But there are rdrious respects IN trhich The
charge IS true that those tChO as missionaries hare
come hither also hare turned this part Of the icOrld
y His rirsa and f..- rhiS best Of all reasons, that
supr4Gng side mp. Though when they
came, tue work of abolishing idols had been begun
the way was wonderfully prepared for their
coming, yet were the ideas of all classes essentially
and n dread of the gods prevailed on
every hand. Ignorance is everywhere the mother
of superstition, and Ignorance still brooded over
the land as it were n darkness that might be felt.
To diSsipafe this darkness, 10 change The prerdiE-
ing habits IF thought, to root out error and sup
plant ~ irifh the mOSi important truths was the
great work given them to do. And so diligently
and with such success did they prosecute their
work that In a single generation ii could truth
fully be said that a far larger proportion of them
could read and write than of any other people
even those accounted the most enlightened. But
they were not mere teachers. Their commission
was to disciple the nation. And to this end all
their labor must be blessed of tie Holy spirit or
one soul had been truly converted to Christ
through their ministrations. They were men of
prayer and they taught the people to pray. And
Tor nothing are Hawaiian converts more remark
able than for a seemingly natural aptitude for the
pouring forth of their desires in earnest supplica-
lion. 1t may uniformly he said of the Hawaiian
christian, Behold he prayeth. There are no
silent partners in this fellowship: None whose
only prayer is, . I pray thee have me excused"
Nor is this religion with them a mere surface ,
show of gifts and graces. False PROFESSORS,
rs elsewhere, doubtless there are. But if
any people were practical in their piety if
opyuhare raIi1inn reached the life and effact-