Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1883-07-14
a CONCERT ar HILO.

On Sunday evening, July Ist, a, the Foreign
Church. liio, the usual monthly concert was
called the Father Coan evening" rs il was
occupied in reading paper by Rev. +. +,
Baker, and letter written 20 years ago, 1854,
by the late Rev. Titus Coan. and printed in
The Cyclopaiia of Missions, an old work.
The letter was read by Dr. c. II. Wetmore.
Mr.. Baker remarked that the first missionaries
were the Pilgrim Fathers to the Hawaiian
race. The paper read 10y Mr.. Baker is con
Sidered as tine tribute to the departed as has
been read, and there were many read at the
memorial meeting last March. lie seemed to
leave nothing to suggest as an addition. What
he read seemed TO come from his heart, and
affected all present. July ist was the ami
verSay of The Pentecosial day, 1885, on which
day, one thousand, seven hundred and FIVE
men, women and children, united with the
church at Hilo, who, aforetime, had been
heathens, then sat down together Al the table
Of the Lord. In the last part OF the letter
read by DIR, Wetmore, Father Coan said
a. As TO the future prospects OF our Islands,
wha, shall We sayP Here Of course our knowl-
edge IS AT fault, our missionary operations are
now in transition state. As in other respects,
80 also in this, old things are passing away and
all things are becoming new. The islands are
adopted into the great fraternity OF Christian
known as foreign missionaries, many OF US are
already receiving our full support from the
churches over whom We are pastors. In a
word, We consider the church OF Christ as
planted here, a having taken root, and As
bearing fruit. And as Chris, said To his dis.
ciplcs, that their fruit should remain. so We say
OF these children Of the kingdom. We are sure
the Rc,leemer has a church here, that il is
founded on The rock, and that the gates Of
hell shall not prevail agains, IL.
But, 10 saying this, We do not affirm the
perpc,uiiy Of the Hawaiian race. This may
anil probably will become extinct. The natives
are few, and in physical, mental and moral
power. feeble. Amidst the march OF men, the
rush and the surge Of a moving world, they
may be overwhelmed and lost. Fleets OF meI.
ehanimen. whalemen and waI.ships arc scatter.
ing thousands oi our vigorous young men 10
all the winds OF heaven. Foreigners are pour.
ing In upon Us from every point Of the com
pass. An.algamaliOn i fast taking place
ne~ forms 81 disease have swept of thousands
10 the tomb, The base passions of many vile
and pcckless seamcn. like the consuming fires
OF hell. are destroying many in our seap.us,
sho should have been the mnIhers and matronS
Of rising race. The English language is
heing learned by many, and all things com.
hning indicate the absorption OF extinction OF
the iia~alians D. a distinct race, at no distant
day. Let IL he 30. Still the islands will have a
people. anil God ~ill have a church here. A
cnsis may be At hand which will ny mems
.ouls We shall need the prayers. the sym.
paihicS, the eonn>eiS and the alma ~ tho
church. in older lands. The cause Of education
mus, .'e sustained here. We mus, have col.
lego. We must harl teachers and evangelical
ministers, men oi wise heads and holy hearts,
men III sclfdenlal patience, xcal, discretion
AMI broad philanthropy; our work Is not done.
Probably our responsibilities were never 50
giea, a. al the psesen, hour. All things grow
around Us, and NC need great faith, hImncss
and vision, lest all good he swep, away b,
the currents a passion and Of worldly and
civil POLICY. Our JOY and our triumph l., that
the Loni reigns, ani his kingdom Is safe
Il i ihouehs By those ~ho are considered
good jusiges, thai the lstler l,he above being
only portion 81 nd written when lis anihol
was IN his Wine. describes the geaeIal state o.
shings Al thcse islands better than any other he
I ewes wrote, and seems almost prophetic.