The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-06-25

not take Others in their place, nor were in
4 fuenced thereto by the messengers OF gospeI truIn,
for az vet the missionaries had not landed on THESE
shores, and it was not known that they were on
their voyage hither. "Hath a nation changed tpeT
To orsmiah He did not ask, Hath a nation cast
aside their gods ?' Here was a heather ana savage
nnS ;lo,eted from all The other nations of the earth,
which was led by some mysterious lbnuence . q,
gage in a transaction totally unlike Ten nnY ot itself.b is
the oft-quoted saying, but in this instance history
presents no parallel. n,..or;oa, stand
point, without reference to a Divine influence, why
were the Hawaiians led TO abolish their lapnsys,en 7
and cast their idols to the Inoles ana pats: L
will mention the following among inc causes con-
tibuting to this unlocked for result
ofthe abolition ofidolatry at lanlu,
had reached these islands and circulated among the
PeSSp from Christian lands had set
tied upo1 the islands, and although most OF them
were utterly regardless OF Christianity themselves,
vet they did not hesitate TO denounce looiatry ahu
Tzirdfy2The inhabitants had become convinced
of the utter vanity of idolatry; In the very , mrs.
patrons in Boston, and dated, the day after their
landing on the shores of Hawaii, find this state
3Tbe sight of these children of nature, drew tears
from eyes that did not intend to weep: OF them we
enouired. whether they had heard anything OF Jeho-
vai. who made Owhyhee and all things! Ihey re-
piled that Rehoreho, the King had heard Oh the
great God of the white men, and spoken OF him; ana
that all the chiefs but one had agreed to destroy
their idols, because they cere convinced Mdt they co1a9
| do mo OOO0 since tHen c0IHQ 7nOt u Ge AfhS. AHOt
1corsii9 Is therefore prohibited and the priesthood en-
tirely abolished. Sing, 0 heavens, Jor me Lor0 "G"
done IT," n
meha, who died May s, 1919, and idolatry was abo-
lished the next November, the month IoiIow-
ing the embarkation of the Missionaries from Bos-
ton. Perhaps another reason may be assigned, IN
addition to the foregoing, before l speak OF that
Divine Power and influence, which IL becomes US 10
recognize i'm this most remarkable transaction. The
people, both Chiefs and common people, had be
come heartily wearied and tired of the system. II
/ was burdenSOme. offensive. cruel ana aDSureQ. buC
what is most remarkable, Hewahewa, the high
priest of the idolatrous system, was ledto be the
yyery first to light the torch which should burn the ma
toms idols. Unless he bad led the van in the rabble OF
iconoclasts, or idol destroyers, it is doubtful whether
the project would have been carried through. The
tabu is broken-burn the idols J" was the watch
word that started at Kailua, Hawaii, and was repea-
ted to the limits of the Kingdom
/ have now taken the naturalistic, or the human
view of this wonderful event. But are we not justi-
fed in the introduction of a superhuman and Divine
influence, in bringing about this unlocked for result.
AT the period when this event occurred, all Christian
Missionaries and writers, did not hesitate to recog-
nize a Divine influence. All the Missionary and Reli-
gous publications ofthat period, abound with express
sions of acknowledgement to a Divine Providence.
The God of Missions-the Great Head of the Church
was every where recognized as having prepared
the way for the Introduction of the gospel among
Hawaiians. Ancient Hebrew prophets had foretold,
ssThe isles shall wait for His law" Could there be a
more complete and exact fulfllment of this prophe-
The American Minister, Mr.. Bancroft, at Berlin,
who is acknowledged as one of the most calm, and
philosophical of historical writers of this or any
1Tsometimes, like a messenger through the thick
darkness of night, Omnipotence steps along mystic
rious WAYS; but when the hour strikes for a people
or mankind to pass into a new form OF being, unseen
hands draw the bolts from the gates of futurity; an
all subduing influence prepares the minds oil men
for the coming revolution; those who plan resis-
lance find themselves in conflict with the VIII OF
Providence rather than with human desires; and all
hearts aud all understandings, most of all the opin-
ions and influence of the unwilling, are wonderfully
attracted, and compelled to bear forward the change,
which becomes more and more an obedience to the
law of universal nature than submission TO the arbi-
tTiments of man."
How forcibly and aptly this paragraph, describes
the event now under consideration. If the philoso-
phic historian had been writing upon this special
subject, he could not have employed more hting and
felicitous language. The hour hud struck for the Ha-
waiian people TO pass into a new form of being. In
ternal agencies, and foreign influences, were contrib
uting TO this result, and through those agencies
aud influences, how clearly may be traced the hrst
fruits, as "Omnipotence steps along mysterious
ways, and unseen hands draw the bolts from the
gates of futurity." No wonder the enthusiastic
Puritan Missionaries were wonderstruck as tney
listened to the report: "K0taehdneha is dedd-HtS
son LMolno is Ki"gI1me taous are aDOlished-the
are burned, and the party that attempted to restore
them 6y force Of a,1aS, has recently been VdnQaished."
Ri Rin nfS 'I Ianeuape. 1.-The fh hand OF God how
visible in thus beginning to answer the prayer of his
people for the Hawaiian race"
Make straight in the desert, Ia~highway for our God"
Attempts have been made in a review of universal
history, to find some parallel to this unprecedented
conduct of the High priest Hewahewa, lighting the
torch to kindle the flames which should destroy the
idols OF Hawaii. Inc dearest dpprOacn Is IDdL pre-
cedent, cited by Mr.. Marley Hopkins in his history
of Hawaii, when Paulinus, went as a Missionary to
Britain in the days of Edwin of Northumbria. The
King had embraced Christianity, and he then exclaim.
ed "who shall first desecrate the affairs and temples ?"
81" answered the High priest 'sfor who more tit
God hath given me, to destroy for the good example
of others, what in foolishness1 worshipped ~ There
is one essential point wherein the parallel fails. The
old British High priest of idolatry acknowledges
that he had been enlightened by wisdom from the
true God. Hewahewa, however rushed forth to his
work of destruction. ere. the messengers OF JelOVal
had landed upon Hawaiian shores
This is a point of so much interest, l trust, I shall
be ~pardoned for still dwelling upon the mysterious
conduct OF HewaheWa. de welcomed the Mission,
1TlsS as he 0 fSeir f PisSss About ae tSf fonT months roem 'f befo ne
their arrival, the young King, after the death OF his
father, consulted him respecting the exPediency OF
kali" adding, that "he knew there was but one
Akua who is in Heaven, and that their wooden gods
knew " he adds, "that the wooden images of our
deities, carved by our own hands, We're incapable OF
supplying our wants, but worshippeat them because
1t was the custom of our fathers; they made not
the kdlo 10 grow, nor sent us rain; neither did they
bestow life and health. My thought has always
been, Akahi vale no Akua-nui iloko o ka lani--
there is only one great God dwelling In the heavens"
Here are facts Tor the thongatiui CONSIDERATION OF
An English poet, has found in the remarkable
Transaction, a theme for his pen;
'sGod oped a wide and an efectual door,
For ere the MESSENGERS OF peace unfnrled
Moved by a mighty impulse from on high,
Bursting each social, each domestic tie.
Threw of the burden beneath which they groaned,
At Ooe bold stroke; and, with a statesman's view
He broke the letters of the strict tdbu,
Enforced by stern authority's high hands,
Thus idolworship ceased throughout the land"
An American poet has also found the same event
imparting inspiration to his pen:
Joy to the World! the isles that ages saw
Vassafs of sin, now wait Messiah's law.
Forth to their toll the Missionaries go,
Gladly TO lessen human guilt and VIZ,
God goes before them, freely to prepare
A way in pagan NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. highway there
And while breaks on them, cloudike Oahu,
They hear the far-oh cry,-"the tabu's Ger"
The altar and the god demolished too,
What Diety shall come TO 0bookiah's shore 20
shall be pardoned for dwelling thus long upon
EVENTS occurring previous to the arrival of the mis-
sidnaries, in as much as two of their number are to
fafor us with their "Reminiscences of subseqent
eIents.
I'VE have now arrived at a point in our historical
brFiew, when ii is fitting we should carefully con-
Siher, the special event which gives significance to
MS Jubilee Day. The Anniversary of the landing
of the Pioneer Missionaries, occurs on the 30th of