The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-03-10

'sThere are some three hundred Catholics serv-
ing on board the ships forming the British Medit-
terranean squadron now at Civita Necchia. The
Admiral, Sir Beauchamp Seymour on the arrival Of
the squadron in harbor, sent TO the ecclesiastical
authorities on shore to ask in what church the
Catholic scamen could conveniently hear Mass,
and the cathedral was placed at his disposition. a
great sensation was created on Sunday, June 9th,
when the 300 men landed, and marched, prayer
book in hand, with officers at their head, TO the
Duomo for divine service. The behavior Of the
men was most exemplary. 1t was noticed that
when an English sailor on shore met a priest he re-
spectfully saluted him, and when he met the Bishop
he reverently knelt to receive a benediction. The
popula ton was much surprised at this conduct Of
the British sailors, for the Italian officers Of the
navy and army act very differently, and discourage
such manifestations Of religious feeling on the part
of sailors or soldiers. "-Ecchange.
In this connection we would remark that it is
pleasant to see the fine looking body { men
from the men-of-war in port, that, eve' Junday
march up Fort street on their " D their
various places Of worship. The fish and
Roman Churches are p~atronise< the larger
portion OF them.
It is interesting and in.uuc i've to note the
respect and recognition, which great abilities or
heroic actions have commanded among men from
the earliest times, which history in its record
transmits for our consideration, until the pre-
sent day. Whoever rises in wisdom and
strength of soul high above the trivial common
place mediOcrity of ordinary life is, even in this
realistic and iconoclastic age, at once exalted
by the attention and admiration of the masses
into that temple. where the fame and glory of
great achievements defy human excellence and
superiority, and elicit faith, reverence and wor-
ship, both from the individual and the multitude.
Men who have thus risen and left behind them
footprints on the sands of time,' contribute
to a state or nation almost the entire greatness
and renown, which render the annals of any peo-
pie interesting and illustrious. In the comp.sa-
lively brief history of Hawaii there are consp;cu-
Gus examples which exemplify the superiority OF
individual greatness. Among the masters of
men of heroic figure in the records of this ma
toms past existence, Kamehameha the Con-
queror, will ever stand first and greatest. We
saw the other day an aged native woman,
wrinkled and gray with the cares of many years,
bending her withered form reverentially before
the bronze statue of Hawaii's first Great Chief
which stands in front Of Aliiolani Hale, while
she uttered in a tone of awe. mingled with adora-
ton, a sort of prayer or invocation to the mani
mate form of the hero before her, as if she
thought lie had passed through an apotheosis
and re-descended from the skies. TO our mind
this simple incident afforded the surest possible
evidence of the profundity and benefcence Of
Kamehameha's character and his deep influence
over his generation of the people first organized
into a nation by his prowess and governed by
his wisdom.