The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-03-31
Net Out"

a LErTrE FROM sIEs. NEGJs--SO. >.
Nh EDr- II Il enquired u Mrs. Weathervane
If she was going % the big Ministerial party She
replied in q precise sort Of style, e. Oh no, ! am not
ont this week l was a little puzzled 10 under
stand the meaning Of the expression. 1t could not
mean that she was not b. ont Of sorts and that il
was necessary u be ont in that way in order to
enjoy a party. 1t could not be out Of cash, be
cause II Is required To be decidedly in that con-
dItion in order to take an appreciable part in
festivities Again, could it mean not at nome -
for company But as she distinctly said not out
this week and therefore in. her remark could not
apply 10 any condition Of dOmiciliary presence or
absence After further consideration a little light
began 10 dawn upon my b~cnighted understanding.
and gradually began 70 discern that her remark
had reference TO religious Observances, and that IL
was owing 10 special piOus influences taking pos
session OF her that she was constrained to remain
IN within the circle Of her own home and her own
church lnhuences, and not to be Z. out IN the
world and exposed 10 all the temptations Of caTnal-
lty and satanity during certain special days Of
secIusion and OF ecclesiastical Observance. This
sentiment and expression Of not being out - for a
certain social occasion, Of one who had been out
for similar ones a little while before. impressed me
somewhat, like what 1 understand to have been
the religious tabu Of pagan Hawaii. To-day there
might be = satuTnalia Of unlicensed riot and debauch
and the following day there would be suddenly i'm
posed a tabu Of silence and restraint This was
the operation Of ancient superstition and how far
does modern Christian society OF a certain fashion,
able quality differ from the ancient order OF heath
enism? Last week there was hop and dance, waltz
and racket, promenade and Irritation, ice cream
and maudlin sentiment in the recesses and vanity
t-NN7r IAAA| anu yNAAbA5NH ohAAANhh0 So EAN-~
during all Of one week, but suddenly the tabu Of
restraint Is imposed the succeeding week. One
week, fashionable christianity Is ont on the fash
iCnable rampage, and the next it must stay IN
doors and declare that il Is d" not out The
ancient kahuna with his akua and his dl-
yining tappa, calabashes and other ad-
juHcIs Of rude surcery determined these things III
times past but nowadays there Is a modern
Goddess who determines the times and seasons,
even for religious temples, when Il Il proper for
the church To be in or put If town, and when 1t Is
fitting for a Christian lady 20 be IN or ont in the
matter Of social and religious Obseryances. And
this Goddess, whose fiat Is implicitly obeyed, has
not descended from the skies-from the realms Of
Ineffable virtue and ntelligencc-but Is 4 fetisch
Of human creation called &c Fashion
l love the teachings of the Bible / take pleasure
III listening to religious instructions. l wait on
little children at the Sunday-schOOl, and talk
about a Saviour who walked on this earth, and who
came forth in the flesh in order to redeem weak
and erring women like myself. In my study
Of the character of the Saviour. l am inn
pressed with his gentleness and broad, kindly,
liberal spirit Of humanity, and / have felt that 1t
was hardly consistent with the spiritual worship
which he announced, and which he enjoined upon
his followers, that true devotion should ever be
bound by a routine Of ecclesiastical Observances
permitting license one day, and enjoining restraint
on the next. But this worship should be of 4 true
and equable temper Of thankfulness and Of praise,
rejoicing every day in the blessings that we pos
sess, taking praise and thankfulness in our
hearts to the hall of festiyity as we'll as TO the
emPle Of worship. l derive pleasure from both.
] was we'll pleased with the pastors discourse last
Sunday, and / am sure il did not diminish my
appreciation of the beautifully hammered hall, the
gay inspiring music, the manly forms, the pretty
faces and nice figures and may movements of the
dance on the occasion Of the Ministerial Ball. L
was d" out " at the church and l was out " at the
ball, and trust that the inspiration derived from
both are not inconsistent the one with the other,
and leave me any ways out in my hopes OF a
better and happier future in another, and happier
state Of existence. Mrs. NEGUs.