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

| Mr. EDIToR.-The following, and much
more TO the same effect, can be found on the
96th page of the annual report of the Ameri-
can Board of Commissioners for Foreign
missions, for the year 1865.
The Christianity of the Islands (meaning
the Hawaiian Islands) has had yet severer
trials from the attitude of the government,
and the opposition of corrupt and corrupting
officials. y y 1t is matter of profound
regret that, after all the sacrifices and labors
of more than one hundred and fifty devoted
Christian men and women, and the expendi-
ture of hundreds Of thousands of dollars from
this country, and after all the benefcent re-
suits achieved in the social and moral eleva-
ton of the people, the councils of those
whose only motives have been Of the most
pure aud unselfsh character, and whose only
aim still is, the best interest of the govern
ment and of the people, should be ignored,
disregarded, or opposed"
The above is the deliberate expression,
on the affairs of the church, of most res
pectable body of gentlemen, who met at
Norwich, Connecticut, in October last, to
discuss and deliberate upon the progress
made during the year then passed, in pro-
pagating the gospel in the dark places of
the earth, by the Missionaries of the Great
American Board, above referred to. 1t is
taken from the report of that organization,
made by them to inform the hundreds of
thousands, who had contributed to sustain
the cause, how the work was progressing in
different portions of the earth. 1t is a
melancholy reflection for us Hawaiians to
make, upon reading this report, that al
though the Board have had missionaries at
work in the good cause, in almost every part
of the world, where missionaries are re-
quired; among the fetch worshippers of
Africa; the almost or quite savage islands of
the Pacific; the intolerant, jealous and fana-
teal Mahommedans the more jealous and
exclusive Bhudist, and in fact among the
most be-nighted and barbarous idolaters of
the earth; there is but one place where their
labors have been impeded by the Civil
Authorities, and that place is Hawaii mel
Yes, right here, where "hundred and fifty
Christian men and women" have made all
the sacrifices, they hare made. All this evil
work of corrupt and corrupting" officials
has been done under our-the peoples
noses, and we have known nothing about it,
although some one of the "hundred and
fifty" must have known it, and informed
the Board of the melancholy fact Indeed,
while all this wickedness has been going on,
we have all been congratulating ourselves
upon the steady and happy advance of all
classes of the people, and have fattered our
selves that the present earnest labors of the
veteran missionaries of the American Board,
who have dwelt so long among us, was meet
ing with present reward, which was only
less glorious than that great reward, which
they are sure TO receive when their earthly
labors shall have ended We thought the
struggle had passed, and that we should not
have occasion TO think of them again, but as
the venerable and worthy spiritual teachers
of the people. 1t seems, however, that We
have been mistaken; it seems, that even yet,
some look back with regret TO the time when
their power in this country was not only in
spiritual things, but every thing. Now. no
one can admire more than do, the earnest
ness and zeal of these pious missionaries,
who have devoted their lives to the regenera-
ton of this people. They have been the
means of great good. They have done many
wise things. They deserve, and will no
doubt receive, the eternal gratitude of the