The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-02-24

~, since Captain Cook fell a victim TO the fury OF
the heather savages of the Isle of Hawaii. In
other regions of the world, native races have
been brought in contact with the white man Tor
a much longer period of time, without eviden-
cling at the present day that material, moral and
religious development which is noticeable IN the
highly gifted native race Of these isles. thus,
for example, the native races of India have had
the advantage for centuries past of being brought
into close connexion with the most enlightened
nations of the Old World-Portuguese, Dutch,
French and English-aud Notwithstanding their
long enjoyment of British rule, they still con-
tinue heather for the most part, and in other
respects very little more advanced than their an
cestOrs Of the Vedic times. Nor can their back
ward condition be attributed to any fault of
their British rulers, who have spared no efforts to
difuse the Gospel light over the benighted land
of Hinde, at the same time that they have gradu-
ally taken the despot-ridden people of India
under the benefeent sway of Great Britain. The
backwardness Of the native races Of India,
despite of all the British plans for their CONVEX
sion and Christian civilization, contrasts most
significantly with the truly astonishing and rapid
progress Of the Hawaiian islanders and can only
be explained by the natural superiority of the
latter over the former. A similar comparison of
the Hawaiian Islanders might be made with
other native races of Asia and Africa-who have
been more or less connected for centuries with
the white nan-as, for example, the Chinese, 50
long accustomed to the maritime intercourse of
all civilized European nations the Tartars,
neighbors and subjects of Russia; even the Turks
actually holding a footing on the soil of civilized
Europe to say nothing of African races, such as
the Kopts and Habshees. idolatrous Christians,
as also the wild Kabayls and savage Kafrs, sub
jects of France and England respectively.-and
in every instance we do not hesitate to declare
that the advantage is immensely in favor of the
amiable and good natured native race of these
Islands. 1t is true that we must attribute the
rapid progress of the people of the Hawaiian
Archipelago to the alacrity with which they
opened their minds and hearts to Gospel truth
but in their case the seed fell indeed upon good
soil-it is only just to say-whereas it has been
choked up in great part by the superstition, ia
-naticism and savageness of those benighted races
of Asia and Africa, with whom we have COM
pared the Christian kanaka. Here, in the remote
Pacific, we find a respectable Kingdom whose
government is based upon the most advanced
principles of Christian civilization, and a worthy
native race who vie with the white man in the
adoption of all the improvements of the most en-
lightened modern society. We do not in truth
suppose that the kanaka is faultless-who has
not bis own failings? But we rejoice to think
that the evangelical kanaka-whatever may be
his weaknesses-and " all flesh is weak
offers so striking a proof-both in his religious
and his mundane conditioner the incalcula-
BILE blessings which Christianity confers-not
only in the supernatural, but also in the natural
life of mankind, upon those who embrace with
earnestness the sublime law of Jesus Christ.