The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1869-05-05

Hawaiian people. But, with all this, they
are human and not infallible. They have
made mistakes, as is the case with the wisest
and the best of men. And though these
mistakes have been committed with the very
best intentions and wishes,-the ardent desire
for the good of the cause to which they had
devoted their liyes-they were nevertheless
grave mistakes.
Among these mistakes, none is more grave,
than the tenacity with which some insist
upon having controlling voice in the civil
administration of the country, simply be-
cause of their sacerdotal functions Bit
terly complaining when they see their in
huence declining, in that respect. They
have even resorted to denunciations, which
sound, at times, like faint limitations of the
thunders of that Church which claims to
be infallible, and which we have seen, for
the past few years. so tenaciously holding on
TO its temporal authority as to seriously en-
danger its spiritual and legitimate power.
There is a striking similarity between the
anathemas of the Church of Rome against
the Government and people of the Kingdom
of Italy, when they were struggling to emsn-
cipate themselves from the temporal author
ity of that Church, and the anathemas of
those who do the writing and talking for
the Hawaiian Evangelical Association, in
this country; persons, by the way, whose
conduct and language is such, on all occa-
sions, that it can not be surprising to those
who we're actually Missionaries of the Cos
pei in this country, and who still survive, and
who have themselves proved the efficacy of
Christian forbearance, and patience if their
cOuusels are not of much value to anyone
Within the past few months, we have seen
a case Of more striking similarity, in that
of Austria, the Eldest Daughter of the
Church, which has even taken from her
the management of the schools and the
education of the peoplel with a result
for good which is a cause of exultation TO
all, who have the welfare of mankind at
heart, and inasmuch as the matter there, per-
tains TO another Church, most especially so
to these gentlemen to whom have Just now
alluded. Now, let anyone read the COM
plants, the anathemas, the prophecies of evil
which that Church has hurled against Aus
tria, and then read the complaints, the auath-
emas, and the prophecies of evil which have
been hurled at this Government, and he can
not but see that the ideas and even the Ian
of he ft-r
the same. 1t has been, in both cases, "cor-
rupt and corrupting officials, assisted by tie
evil one himself, who are striving, for their
own corrupt ends" to overthrow tie
children of God, and lead the people to per-
dition. All this proves that being "wise
unto salvation" is not, necessarily, being
worldly wise" 1t proves, also, that one
Church makes just the same struggle, and
uses the same arguments and threats to sus-
tain its temporal power that another Church
does. Experience has proven, that it is better
for the Church, and better for the people,
that governments should not be in priestly
hands. The Kingdom of the Church ais not
of this world, +" and those who devote them
selves TO it, can, it would appear, do it better
service BY not attempting to engage in the
turmoils and contentious of this world.
Again, repeating my admiration for those de-
voted men who have done so much for this
people, still, 1 can not but think that the
great mistake of their lives is, that they are
unable to see that the time has come, for them
to leave the conduct of secular affairs to those
whom they themselves have educated for
that duty, and still continue the pious and de-
voted spiritual teachers of the people, again
conquering, in their old age, that natural am
bition of man for worldly honors, which they
had undoubtedly thrown behind them when
they left their native shores, in the days of
their youth, to battle for the Good Cause,
among the heathen, and in which cause they
have labored with such glorious results-and,
that they will permit younger men, who have
not shared with them the burthen of the
labor, and who by no means stand before the
people, or the world, in the same light that
they do, to speak in their name, bitter
words of reviling and taunt, and, it may be
added, misrepresentation.
am, Sir, A NATIVE AMERICAN, and
Tuoporcu ppoTrsr,Nr