The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-06-25
JUBILEE DISCOURSE,
Preached in Fort Street Church, Homo
lulu, Sabbash Evening,
June IL, 1870, 4
BIZ REV. SAMUEL c. DAMON, d. D.

| dunn II the EleIOTlC hiHuE Cba
history of the Hawaiian Islands most forcibly ano
remarkably illustrate this assertion. Gathered on
this Jubilee Anniversary,-ffty years removed from
the time when the Pioneers of the American Mission
landed on the shores OF Hawaii-the past history
of the mission and the nation rises to our
view. It is all embraced within a single century
Eight wears must roll away ere the time Will come
for us TO celebrate the Centennial Anniversary OF the
! discovery of the Islands by Capt Cook II so IN
! clined II ia impossible 10 range abroad through the
MANY centuries that have rolled away since the es-
tabIishmeut of other nations and kingdoms, unless
we adventure forth on that prehistoric period when
the inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islands, ana otner
Islands of POLYNESIA, dwelt apart and isolated from
al ,bn otber nations of the Garth. There Is much,
even in that prehistoric era, most inviting 10 the
thoughtful historian, searching antiquarian, ana
| studious archaeologist. II is the opinion OF some,
that two centuries prior to the discovery OF the
4 Islands by Capt. Cook, they were visited by spanish
navipators. This opinion is not merely one OF fancy,
bnt founded upon a toIerably well-sustained tradi-
( tion. that many generations previous 10 haneha-
meha /, during the reign OF one hanouhsPa, ~
Kiana, or Uni, a Catholic priest and some spanish
/ scamen were wrecked upon the shores OF Hawai-;
that they i%ntermarried among the aborigines; and,
furthermore, that their descendants lived 1or gen
cretions even down to the present time. In this
way. II is coniectured that the Hawaiians received a
| certain moral elevation, lifting them above most OF
the other inhabitants Of Polynesia. Such a theory
Il not irrational. for Spanish navigators were cross
INC and re.crossinp the Pacific from the 10th century,
and the Spanish records, at Manila, contain notices
of these Islands as early as 1865, or % years before
| Capt. Cook visited these shores.
II ia a most interesting study TO trace the mlgra-
tion of tribes and nations, from the earliest recorded
period in the history of the human race; hence, the
most SAVAGE and UafDdTOuS uil "
with the most refined and civilized, IN the eye OF
the profound and philosophie historian: Suffclent
for our present purpose IS II 10 eohslaer ~ i az
that less than one hundred years ago, there was dls-
covered an aboriginal population upon these Islands,
living in utter heathenism and idolatry. Iaklng
the most favorable view of their social, moral and
religious state and condition, they needed TO have
difused among them the civihzing, elevatlng, ana
savino truths of the Gospel. From the tragic
circumstances attending the death of the great
English navigator. at Realakekua Bay, and the re-
norfs If carly visitors. the reading world was led 10
a,4arfof, n for Iess favorable view of the HaWalian6
than their character and state really merited. We
think the great French navigator. La Perouse, was
sadly at fault in thus depicting Hawaiian character
HThe most daring rascals of Europe are less hypo-
critical than these natives. All their caresses are
false. Their plTysiognomy does not express a single
sentiment of truth. The person most to be sus-
pected is he who has just received a present, or
who appears to be most in earnest IN rendering a
very reverse of what we must consider as the truth.
During the forty-two years after the Islands were
discovered by Cook, or during a Longer period than
one whole generation, the Inhabitants OF these
Islands lived and died unvisited by Gospel Mis-
sionaries, or unblessed with the light of Divine
Revelation. The hand on the dial plate of time,
was pointing to the hour for tue Hawaiian people to
cast aside their superstitions and idolatry, and to
pass into a new form of being.
The introduction Of Christianity among the in
habitants Of any nation, savage, semi-civilZed, or
civilized, Is a great event. The case of the Hawaiians
forms no exception to this remark. 1t has appeared
becoming to commemorate this event by q Jubilee
gathering, and other anniversary meetings and ex-
ercises. Before calling your attention to those
scenes attending the first preaching of the Gospel
and tho landing of the Missionaries, il appears to
me highly proper TO notice those preparations which
God. in His Providence, had made for the establish
ment of Christianity upon these Islands. The way
of the Lord must be prepared. In a careful review
Of the history of the Hawaiian nation previous to
1920, / Think there are three great and leading events
which nrenared the wav for the new order of things.
viz: The conquest of the Islands by Kamehameha
j, and the consolidation of the government under
one ruler; the visit to the United States of Oboo-
kiah and his Hawaiian associates, Thomas Hopu
and others; the abolition of idolatry, and the
utter remuneration of the old tabu system. These
three events, / deem of vast moment, if a person
would take q clear, calm, and philosophical view of
the great event, which we are gathered to COM
riod of forty years wanderings, even after their
existence was known TO the civilized world, before
they were peImitted to enter the Land OF Promise.
1 will now briefly call your attention to these events.
When these Islands were discovered, independent
Kings reigned on each Island of the group. They
were a fierce and warlike people, and not unfre-
quently the most bloody and devastating wars pre-
vail-d.-[VoL !, p. 1ss. Vancouver's Voyages.l Ka-
mehameha /, was a man of marked character. He
was a bold warrior, an ambitious conqueror, and
possessed Of great administrative ability. His con-
quests, wars, and management of governmental
concerns during the times of peace, all proclaim
him to be a ruler of no ordinary type. de was a
contemporary of the great Napoleon, and his career
has won for him the title of the Napoleon of the
Pacific" From a careful review of his life, l do not
regard this title rs unmeritoriously conferred.
Originality he governed only a small district oi
whole of that Island fell under his sway. Then
followed the subjugation of Maui, Lanai, Molokai,
and Oahu. The battle which resulted In the con-
quest of this Island took place about three miles up
Nuuanu Valley. When victory perched upon the
banners of Kamehameha, his enemies fled, while
not n few were driven over the Pail, and their
wounded bodies dashed in pieces. This event oc-
CURED in the winter or spring of 1875. Great pre-
partitions were then made for the conquest of Kauai.
Some years elapsed before this was accomplished.
So extensive and well arranged were his fnal pre-
parations,- an army of 1000 warriors,
q fleet of twenty-one schooners, forty swivels, six
mortars, and an abundance of aInmunition-that the
hhhS VI mum ~ ~" ny
the better part OF valor, and quietly submitted. This
was brought about soon after the opening of the
18th century. Then followed years of peace, when
conauerorsMthe alexander and Napoleons,NKa
mehameha sighed for other islands TO conquer, and
history, as well as tradition, reports that he once
contemplated the conquest OF Thaiti. Then was es-
tablished the Kamehameha Dynasty, and for seventy
wears it has stood as firmly, and exercised its func-
lions as efficiently for the welfare of the people of
these Islands, rs that of any other government on
earth. \ glance at other nations would disclose the
existence OF wars, turmoils and revolutions, far
more disastrous than have existed here during
the past seventy years. / do not hesitate TO regard
the establishment Of II regularly ordered and firmly
administered government, although despotic, by
Kamehameba i, as a very necessary and important
step towards the successful spread Oh the CHRISTIAN
religion, when the time came for the arrival OF the
American Mission.
The next step preparatory to the introduction of
Christianity, was the visit of Gbookiah and his as
sOciates to the United States. hO%Nas born on Ha-
wall, in 1872, the very year OF Vancouvers visit to
that Island. 1t has been reported by some, that
Vancouver was instructed by Kamehameba i. TO
SEND Missionaries from England TO these Islands,
but the project failed from causes now unknown.
a HI VI EuAL ~ LnzlAch uNAEaL nLo CNEl
been regarded as among the memorable events in
the early history of these Islands, but that was of
tri1ing moment compared with the influence which
ObOOkiah and his associates exerted in behalf of
this Kingdom aud people.
He was educated for a priest, 10 an idol temple,
but the Great Ruler of nations led him to forsake
his home, embark on board an American ship, 10y
which he reached the United States, in 1909.
Through a series of proyidences, he visits New Ha-
ven and Is brought under the notice of young stu
dents OF Yale College. The arrival of Obookiah led
the Rev. ). j. Mills Jr., thus 10 write to his
friend, Gordon Hall. "What does this mean?
brother Hall, do you understand it? Shall he be
sent back unsupported to reclaim his countrymen?
Shall we not rather consider these Southern Islands
q proper place for the establishment of a mission ?"
This is the first allusion 10 the subject of a chris
tian mission to the Islands, which L have met with
in any American Observation-Disclosures, page So
His subsequent career for ten years was Unidentified
with the Cornwall Foreign Mission school, in Con-
necticut, and with efforts TO awaken an interest in
behalf of the Hawaiian Islands as a mission field.
Persons who have not carefully reviewed the rise
of the Foreign Missionary enterprise in New Eng
land, from 1910 10 1920, can with difficulty realize
how prominently ObOokiah stood before the reli-
gious community in America. He travelled through
the New England States addressing large assemblies.