The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-08-05


lie went out Himself.
As TO the success of the disciples in healing
diseases. and casting out devils, il was complete,
and greatly rejoiced she Savior's heart. The fol-
lowing prayer, matches alike for its simplicity
and pathos, was uttered at the close Of the report
Of she seventy Elders Il thank Thee. o
Father, Lord OF heaven and earth. because Thou
hast hidden these things from the wise and pru-
dent and revealed them unto babes: even so,
Father, for so il seemed good in Thy sight"
1t does not appear, however, that the preaching
changed the current of thought among the peo-
pie. That seems to have flowed on as before.
The Savior's methods for the restoration of His
fallen countrymen have passed in review. We
may now, l think, safely leave the text, and turn
70 the contemplation of our own home needs.
And in entering upon the subject, I ask the
question, can anything more be done for the
eyangelization of our island population than We
are now doing? What are the needs Of the
times? To my mind, the needs are 1.-The
removal Of certain obstacles. 2-The revival of
our churches.
An animal ranging at large among ones flower
beds. would be considered by most people as n
serious obstruction to the growth of the tender
plants. especially should the animal be of a
predatory nature. Well, this is just the kind
of obstacle that we are constantly encountering
in our garden culture as missionaries among the
Hawaiians. We are hindered by 1t every day in
our work. / refer to the ungodly conduct Of
foreigners. In the out districts, and scattered all
over the islands, there are civilized men, so called,
who are living without any regard whatever TO
religion or morals.
The example of the Young Mems Christian
Association of this city in providing a teacher
for the Chinese population, is worthy of all
praise. Go on, young men, you have our best
wishes. But what is to be done for the wander
ers of our own race? While We labor for the
Hawaiian and the Chinese, must these waits from
Christian lands be left to perish, and uncared for
as to their spiritual interests? There is talent
enough. and wealth enough in the churches here
to meet all the exigencies of the case. Therefore,
follow Christ's example, and send out your men,
o We Christians of Honolulu Call them by
what name you please, whether colporteurs,
evangelists, or preachers, but let them be forth
coming. Let them go and seek the lost sheep
from Europe and America.
1T will be a glad day for Hawaii when Chris
tians should arise in solid phalanx, and come up
to the help of the Lo,d.
Where else is help to come from for the work
that | am indicating, if not from you? In rails
ing this nation from the degradation of heathen-
ism to its present standing, Christians in Ameri-
ca have done their duty in the premises. The
work of evangelizing the foreign population de-
wolves upon us, and we are surrounded by q
6 great cloud of witnesses" Men are in expect
alton; angels are beholding; God and Christ are
waiting. And what shall We do? Shall we sit
ingloriously, and at ease in Zion? Nay. Rather
let US 81 put on the Lord Jesus Christ" and in
His spirit seek the erring and the lost.
Society is composed of families, and the church
Of individuals. At the grand assize, when the
roll shall be called, and the kindreds of earth are
mustered before the 90 great white throne +" to
give an account of their deeds, each man will
have to answer for himself, and not another. LIS
it not plain that q responsibility rests upon us as
Christians to labor for Christ in some way? and
that if we would earn the plaudit, " Well done,
good and faithful servants = we must make good
use of our stewardship.
DBL 1aalo n that yphan L. Ill
to proclaim the everlasting gospel, he 6 conferred
not with flesh aud blood" 1t was not a thing
that he could stop to ask mems opinions about.
Necessity was laid upon him. Woe is unto
me, > says he, " if 1 preach not the gospel"
An excellent prayer for each one Of us to offer
is, " Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ?"
The sermon ought properly to close here. A
writer has said, that words like water NAV
float an idea into q mind, or if in too great album
dance may wash the idea completely ont of it,"
This is what am apprehending. I am afraid
that if the discourse be prolonged, you will forget
this part of it. However there is no help for it.
| must proceed.
If you were to ask mt what the next obstacle
is, | should reply that it was trimming. The
world has become so attractive nowadays that
it, and still be Christians. The tendency of our
Christianity is to ape the world; the world sees
it, and acts accordingly. 1t is to this unhappy
tendency that | apply the term trimming. Do
what We will, we cannot unite the Kingdom of
Heaven to that of this world. They are two OPP
posite things. Knowing this, it is wisdom to
mark the difference. Let us draw the line then,
and mark it clear to all, that we are children of
God, and not citizens of the world.
Ii has been asserted that one evil in the native
churches is laxity of discipline. There is some
thing in this, but not so much, however, as peo-
pie suppose. In some of the churches, disci-
pline is strictly enforced. Irregularities are
noticed as they occur. The Office of discipline
being remedial, offenders are first admonished
with the view to their restoration to the faith,
but if they prove incorrigibhe, then they are sep
Grated from the communion of the church.
Side by side with our Professionalism are Popery
and Mormonism. Mormonism is debasing in its
tendency, while Popery, through its priestly alb
solution, conniyes at sin. Like harpies, these
two systems are eating out the piety of the peo-
pie; the one by its direct immoral teaching, the
other through the practice of withdrawing Of
fences. The result is, that just to the extent
these loose systems of religion are progressing, so
are the natives being demoralized in their ideas
Of Christianity. Hawaiians begin to think that
that religion is the best which is the easiest to
follow.
We Protestant teachers are human, and una
bic to read the heart. This is where we fail.
People very often get into our churches who have
no right to be there. Our doctrine is, Christ
first and the church afterwards; but in our short
sightedness and inability to discern the motive,
some enter the church without much spiritual
acquaintance with Christ. For cases of this
kind we have our bit and bride of rules and reg
~ulations, so that we always remain masters of
the situation in cooperation with the church.
In condemning the low state of piety among
the Hawaiians, people should rest the blame
where it belongs.
2. So much for obstacles. Now for the next
topic, the revival of our churches.
Some will tell you that more ecclesiastical ma
chinery is what is needed for the further growth
Of the native churches. Well, that is a fair sub
jeet for consideration, but look at the Church of
England, she has machinery enough one would
think, and yet to-day there is not a church on
the face of this earth that is marching so rapidly
Romewards as she is doing. Machinery Why,