The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-06-19
HIS MAJEsTY's ADDRESS BEFORE
4 THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

THE SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
VI On Saturday last the 18th inst, the Sunday
ySchools Of this island assembled IN HonoluIu,
from all the out-districts, to the number of four
teen, and marched in procession through the
principal streets. They made an interesting as
well as a handsome display, the many hundreds
of wel[dressed children, with banners and bands
of music, accompanied by their teachers. After
making the circuit of the city, the procession
returned to the starting point, the Kaumakapili
Church, which at ii o'clock, when the exercises
commenced, was crowded to overhowing. The
interior of the church was beautifully decorated
with evergreens and flowers. An hour was de-
voted to recitations of Scripture lessons and sing
ing, and at II O'Clock, His Mljesty the King
arrived, accompanied by His Royal Highness
Prince LeleiOhoku, Her Royal Highness the
Princess Liliu Kamakaeha Dominis, Her High
ness r. Keelikolani, the Kings Ministers and
His Chamberlain. His Majesty's address to the
assembled schools "a translation Of which we
give) was listened to with very marked attention.
and ELECTED unbounded applause. The King said:
alt gives me great pleasure, children of the Sun
day Schools, to meet you here to-day. This large
gathering and the exercises which you have just
taken q part in so creditably. are pleasing evidences
Of the interest taken by you in your schools in the
past, and afford hopeful promise for still higher
attainments in the good work in the future. And
while praising you for these evidences of industry
and application. we must not forget that to the in
t~elligence and faithfulness Of your teachers no small
share Of the result must be credited.
"The system Of Sunday Schools was first COM
menced in these islands in the year 1926. and about
that time our people first began to wear the foreign
style Of clothing. There are old people here in this
assembly to-day who could, if they chose, tell all
about those times, when they took their first lessons
in the spelling-book; then was planted the good seed
the fruits Of which are the Sunday Schools gathered
here. From 1925, when these excellent schools were
first commenced, up to the present year is 4 half a
century, 90 that we may properly call this the jubilee
year Of the Sunday Schools Of Oahu. And let US
congratulate ourselves on this fact, and gladly con-
template the good results Of the system from its
small beginnings, fifty years ago. The children Of
our Sunday Schools, as well as those of America,
have contributed their dimes towards the building Of
the Morning Star, yonder vessel whose mission it is
TO bear the messengers Of the Gospel to the dark
ends Of the earth, to spread the light Of civilization
and the knowIedge of the true God; this is one of the
good fruits Of the Sunday School system.
"The sight of these banners of the different schools
surrounded by the bright and happy faces of boys
and girls, is q delightful one to me 1t reminds me
Of the days of my own boyhood. when I, too, marched
in a Sunday School procession, with banners flying
and music playing, to this same church Of Kaumaka-
pill, a quarter of a century ago. On that occasion
was to be seen standing where 1 and my sister and
brother now stand, my predecessors, all since passed
from Ife-Kauikeaouli, Liholiho IL, Kamehameha,
Kamamalu and Lunslilo. That was in 1910, thirty
Eve years ago,-and how short a time it seems to
look back to. My recollections of attending upon the
Sunday School at the Bethel are very vivid. I can
still remember some of the verses which 1 got by
heart. for doing which 1 gained a prize and the COM
mendation Of my teacher. That prize 1 still retain;
one Of the verses was" Neither give place to the
devil I hope you will remember this, and so
occupy yourselves in doing that which is right and
good, that there will be no time left in which to do
wrong.
"In the year 1866, at the request of the Princess
Victoria Kamamalu, / attended her at a Sunday
School celebration at Kawaiahso Church, on which
occasion, addressing the children she said, ere
member your religious teachings" While may
not be able to speak to you with the grace and per-
suasiveness displayed by Her late Royal Highness on
that day, I can however follow her example by
repeating the injunction to I" Remember your relig-
ious teachings Let that saying be as a breast
plate, to be constantly worn, and let it be indelibly
fixed upon your minds, aud SINK deep In your hearts;
for thereby you will best do honor to her memory.
ITO the young women and girls here assembled, l
have something to say, and 1 will illustrate it by an
anecdote of the reign of the First Napoleon of France.
There was at his court a celebrated woman named
Madame de Stael, beautiful and highly educated,
and her house was the resort of the wits and learned
men Of the time. On one occasion, when the nobility
were all met, in the presence Of the Emperor. Mad
j. Os-.g o.lol L.. -Lar, H. conditional Al Ha-k
woman in France. The Emperor replied promptly
"She who bears the most children for France"
Madame de Stael had expected an answer that would
be complimentary to herself, and the rebuke was a
severe one. And the lesson conveyed is one well
worthy of our consideration, for if you young women
and girls we're to ask me to-day which one among
this assemblsge will hereafter be entitled to be called
the most deserving woman Of Hawaii nei, I should
say. She who bears the most children for Hawaii