Morris tribune., 1883-02-28
THE GODS DEFIED.
An Iacident Which Gives Christian
ity Foothold in Hawaii.

An Incident Wnlen Gives CnrlSt1an-
ity Foothold in Hawaii.
From the Boston Courier.
The several current press notices of
the royal order of Kapiolani, recently
presented to the author of "Kalani of
| Oahu" by King Kalauea, failing to de-
scribe the religo-romantic incident which
imparts intrinsic value to the name,
send brief epitome of the story for pub
lication. The literal meaning of Kapio-
lani is prisoner from heaven" Princess
Kapiolani of Hawaii was daughter of the
last king,of Hilo, and among the first
convert of the missionaries. When first
seen by the white clergy Kapiolani was
in nude state, publicly amounting
herself with cocoanut oil, while
undergoing some heather rite of
pagan degradation the beautiful princess
soon became one of the most devout
Christian converts, glowing with pious
zeal to accomplish something which
might break through the superstitions of
her people. Thirty-siX thousand idols
had been destroyed by fire by order of
King Liholiho and the high priest,
Hewanewa, and yet the degrading tabu
remained unbroken. 1t was time for
some other overt act to be thought of.
In state of drunken frenzy Liholiho
had broken the tabu by eating with the
women. A brave act for young king
but not of sufficient Importance to effect
the tabu.
Kapiolani now came to the rescue,
and with moral heroism equal to any
act of her sex, she determined to brave
Pele in her own fiery stronghold of Kill
auea, testing the divine power of her
newiy-found God by defying the god
desses and breaking her tabu in the
presence of multitude. News other
int nned sacrifice was proclaimed all
over the island, creating feeling ofcon-
sternation. not only for the welfare of
the princess, but lest the very island
should be destroyed. Many came to
plead that she would abandon the rash
act, and none were more terrified for
her safety than Naihe, her warrior hus-
band.
Followed by 80 of her terror-strickeI
friends, Kapiolani walked hundred
miles through the mountain wilderness
on her pilgrimage of terror. Approach
ing the seething crater, Kapiolani was
met by shriveled old priestess of Pele,
bearing artery malediction from Pele-
hot from the dread Hall-man-man
(house of everlasting fire)-in which
Pele threatened not only death to all
corners but destruction of the island.
The multitude stood appalled,, and beg
ged the princess to desist from her rash
act. Tut, quoting some new-learned
passages from Scripture to the Kahuna
wahine-woman priest-Kapiolani walk.
ed calmly and resolutely to the crater's
verge, where the sea of molten lava
ragged like storm dashed ocean
demonstrating the wrath Of Pele. Gath
ering handful of sacred ohelo berries,
ever consecrated to Pele she ate them,
in derision of the tabu rite instead of
casting them into the crater as a peace
offering to the goddess. Gathering up
stones, she threw them into the fiery
flood instead Of the accustomed berries.
Standing in the presence of the most
awful natural phenomena on earth, con-
fronting the most terrible conception OF
a pagan deity, Kapiolani calmly adj
dressed the multitude as they stood APP
palled at their own fears:
Behold? my people the gods of Ha-
waii are vain gods. Great is Jehovah, my
God. He kindled these fires. Fear not,
Pele; she is powerless. Should per-
ish, then fear her power. Should God
preserve me, then break your tabu
knowing there is but one God, Jehovah"
In commemoration of this brave act
of Kapiolani Ke Kuil(the great), the
kings present wife, was named, and
his royal order of Kapiolani was pro-
claimed for The "recompense of distin.
guished merit, to the state ofhumanity
genius, science and art. services, rem
dered to ourselves or our successors.