The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-01-08
THE PACIFIC
Commercial AOOrrtlser.
SATURDAY. January 8, 1881.
Address at the Chinese Church, Sabbath
Afternoon. Jan. I'd, 1S8,, by Rev.
6 C. Damon.

ocean. In ordeSto appreciate the importance
OF the event, 1t seems highly proper to take
note of events in the history Of the Chinese
immigration to the islands. 1t is more than
fifty wears since a few Chinese came hither,
but it is only about twenty-five years since
any efforts were made for the educational or
religious instruction of this portion Of our
island population. | am not aware that any,
thing was done IN the way of teaching the
Chinese English until Mr.. Watt, a Scotch
man, taught a small private school on the
Bethel premises, about a quarter Of a centu-
ry ago. Several pupils taught by Mr.. Watt
nave subsequently become merchants in
Honolulu.
The first preaching Of the gospel among
the Chinese, and in their own language, was
by the Rev. w. Speer, DID,, in the year of
1856. Mr.. Speer had been a missionary in
China under the American Presbyterian
Board of Missions. To hear him preach,
a large Chinese audience assembled at the
Bethel. Mr.. Speer wrote some articles re-
lating to the Chinese, which were published
in the FRIEND.
No systematic effort was made to evan
gelize the Chinese until Mr.. S. P. Aheong
was employed by the Hawaiian Board, dur
ing the years 1868, 1869 and 1870, when he
left with his Hawaiian wife for China, where
he died, and not until the year 1879, his
wife and children returned. Mr.. Aheong
was really an educated and talented Chinese,
and preached with much eloquence. He was
from the educated class in China. On his
arrival at the islands he fell under the infu-
ence of and was employed by Mr.. Torbert at
Makawao. While in the Rev. Mr.. Green's
school, and under the teaching of his daugh-
ter Mary, this young Chinaman learned to
speak and read the English language with
great ease and luency. So much were his
services valued by the Hawaiian Board, that
during the last year of his ~evangelistic
labors he received a salary of $1,000. He
~relinquished his store at Lahaina to engage
in preaching the gospel to his countrymen,
who ever listened TO his addresses with de-
light, for he could speak in several of the
uldlGCNS vi Shlud. ~ IL llLlC vi HIS Sdlllu8
for China in May, 1870, there were esti-
mated to be 1900 Chinese on the islands.
The interest then awakened led to the
establishment of two Chinese evening schools
in Honolulu. This was in the month of
April, 1869. One of these schools was
under the auspices Of Mr.. E. Bonner, a lay
preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The other one was taught by Mr.. Dun
scombe on the Bethel premises. On my
return from the United States and Europe in
the spring of 1870, only Mr.. Dunscombe's
school was in successful operation. Being
fully impressed with the importance of the
education of the Chinese, as there was no
organized effort to carry forward the school,
1 resolved that it should not be given up. In
order to sustain MIR. Dunscombe in his self
denying work, | applied to the Board of Ed
ucation for a grant, which has proved of
great assistance. For several years this
grant was 5000 per annum, but of late years
it has been increased to $500. This appro-
%priation with other aid, which | held out,
encouraged him to go forward. The pupils
who were able have, in addition. paid one
dollar per month, while many have been
taught free of charge. The school has been
held three evenings each week at the Bethel
Vestry during the last eleven years. 1t has
averaged about sixteen or eighteen pupils but
at tunes risen 10 Twenty-Five anu at Olher
times fallen below the average. Yesterday
the teacher reported to me as follows; The
list Of scholars for the first year OF the CHI
nese school has been mislaid, l. e. for 1869,
and 1870, but from April, 1870, up to the
present time, Dec, 3lst 1850, the total num-
Der of scholars has been 265, embracing as
follows:
Chinese = PAS
Japanese "a
MI IN oe5
USa.-1Lo~.. Luo., Lo oro ;,.orost.
.