The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-06-01
ROME MISSIONS,

HUME hiSSlVsS.
The services at Fort St. Church
last evening had special reference to
the subject Of Home Missions.
Hymns appropriate to the occasion
were sung, and the sermon delivered
by Rev. S. f. Bishop was from the
words, "Ye are my witnesses. The
following is brief outline of the
matter of the discourse: The Ha-
waiian church is q church that has
been richly endowed with Christian
privileges. As the Jews of the Old
Testament were represented by the
prophet Isaiah rs witnesses to the
truth in their times, and the Chris
tians of the New Testament are set
forth by the Apostle Paul as the
witnesses to the benelicent results of
the religion they profess, SO the Ha-
waiian churches are placed here in
mid-ocean to be witnesses to the
triumphs of Christianity. Multi
tudes are continuously being brought
10 our doors from the east and the
west, who have no knowledge Of the
Lord Jesus. When they come and
see our churches, they naturally ask
what Lord we worship. 1t is our
duty to testify to them of the great
things done for IL. by the religion
we adopted. We can show them
that only 65 year, ago thi. was
heather land, in which slavery and
cruelty in their manifold forms pre-
vailed. Hero and there, too, may
be found an aged Hawaiian who re-
members and can tell of those days.
There are, however, but four Of the
fathers of the early missions now
living. Two have gone to their rest
during the past year. These fathers
have left radiant memories, and a
grand heritage. Their heritage to
US i. the Kingdom of God, to be up
held and perpetuated. What they
confidently depended upon to lift
the nation to a high plane Of life,
we can also depend upon to con-
tinue and extend the work. We can
bear witness to the fact that here,
in 70 years, a nation, under the
vivifying power Of the Christian reli-
gion, emerged from the degraded
condition Of heather community
and had an established, organized
system ofgovernment, public schools,
churches and other institutions Of an
advanced civilization. Though all
thi, has been done, we are not tc
rest content, but to continue to tes-
tify, making the old, old story our
message and story. To be, in thi.
way, the messengers Of the King Of
Peace, is most honorable service.
There is no church, perhaps, on the
earth, so well situated as the Ha.
waiian for aggressive Christian work
We have no need to leave our own
shores OF street. to find great fields
of labor. The large immigration.
of Chinese, Portuguese and japanese
to this country are bringing pagan
ism and illiteracy face to face witt
Christianity and education. Villa
has already been accomplished il
but token of what may be done
and an incentive to yet create
effort. A Christian church has beer
gathered among the Chinese in thi
place. The Portuguese population
coming here in absolute illiteracy
are brought under the operation o
our school laws; and it is no meaI
victory that we have compelled tn
stubborn Church of Rome to taxi
, steps for the education of her Portu
: guese adherents, who, in their illite
, racy, are unable to compete, on
fair footing, with the citizens c
| other nationalities.
d Men sometime. report in print
F, with great gusto, tho ices of tn
G IIawaiians, but they are very slo
e to acknowledge the instances
> which the Hawaiian puts the for
T. eigner TO shame. In view of I'll
s triumphs of the past, the unlimite
= opportunities Of the present, an
c the glorious possibilities of the fl
IS ture, VIC should devote our live
c our gifts, and our prayers to Il
h work before MS, and 30 becon
d earnest and true witnesses.
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