The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1888-06-12


know what Hawaiian singing is, was
magnificent. The offerings OF the occa-
sion amounted to the large sum OF $500
Rev. DR.. Smith read the following his
| torical sketch with a force and feryor
that were astonishing, considering his
great age and the fact that, only a few
months ago, he met with severe acct
dent:
KAUMAKAPILI.
During the annual meeting OF the Ha-
waiian Evangelical Association in Homo
lulu, June, 1887, Rev. Lowell Smith and
wife were requested to commence new
station at Kaumakapili nei.
The native grass houses were very
numerous at that time; and we found it
very difficult to secure suitable lot for
the mission family, and another for the
school house.
In those days, the land all belonged
| nominally 70 the King and high chiefs.
Most OF the land in this neighborhood
belonged to Paki, one of the high chiefs.
But like the centurion III the Gospel,
who said to one man go, and he goeth );
and to another come, and he cometh so
this high chief commanded two or three
| families to vacate, and he would furnish
| them houses In some other locality.
In this way, a little oblong square,
about one-fourth OF an acre, was obtained
for the mission premises; and another
for the school house yard.
Our first work was to build dwelling
house, and a large school house. l think
it was some time in November when we
were ready to commence operations In
this part OF the town.
In the good providence of God, this was
just at the commencement OF the great
celebrated revival, which continued
three years (more or less) and when
chiefs and people, all over the islands,
were easily persuaded to meet often for
PRAYER and praise to Almighty God, and
to listen to the reading and preaching OF
the Gospel For the want OF a suitable
house OF worship, we used to meet in the
school house OH the Sabbath, and for
early morning PRAYER meetings. But We
soon found that the school house did not
accommodate one-half OF the Sabbath
congregation; and we built large lanai
in the front yard, and covered it with
rushes to keep off tie sun, and strowed
the ground with grass and rushes for the
people to sit down upon, la Hawaii.
Ny pulpit was the door sill, with half
of nv congregation in the house and
half outside. | was then in the prime Of
life, and, with the aid OF the Holy Spirit,
| found it very easy to preach line upon
line, and precept upon precept, and thus
feed the sheep and lambs with the bread
and water of life.
CHURCH.
On the first day OF April, 1888, Rev
H. Bingham assisted me in organizing
church under the lanai of the school
house; twenty-five persons were re-
ceived by letter from The Kawaiahao
church, two from Eva, and one from
Kauai, and forty-nine were received on
profession OF their faith in Christ. This
was the commencement of the Kauma-
kapili church fifty years ago.
Soon after the organization of the
church, we resolved to arise and build
large adobe meeting house the walls
to be 8 feet thick, 125 feet long and 80
feet wide inside. To have eight large
doors for ingress and egress, and six
teen large windows for light and ventila-
ton. Our first plan was to build it
twenty feet high, with gallery on each
side. But when the walls were up four
teen or fifteen feet high, the adobies
began to crush about the doors and win
dows and it was then obvious that it
would not be safe to put heavy roof
upon two-story adobe building. We
then decided to raise the walls only
twelve feet, dispense with the galleries,
81, D.
lath and plaster; plaster the walls in
side and out, build a verandah seven
feet wide all around the house, and
when thus finished, the audience room
and its spacious verandah would accom-
modate $500 persons who could hear
the preacher.
We were one year and months in
building that house OF worship; and it
was dedicated on the 29th OF August,
1899 (49 years ago..
For its acoustic properties, that audi
ence room was admired by all preachers,
orators, and concert singers A good,
clear. conversational voice could be heard
distinctly through the room, and also
by those who stood around the doors and
windows.
For thirty years | was the officiating
clergyman and pastor of the Kaumaka-
pill church and congregation, and adj
miiiistered the ordinances Of baptism and
the Lords Supper to more than 1900
persons Subsequently to my resigna-
ton in 1868, on account of asthma and
deafness, three other clergymen were
called and installed in the following
order:
First, Rev. 40. Forbes from Molokai,
who served two or three years, and then
accepted a call to go to Lahainaluna.
Next, Rev. G. W. PiIipo at Kailua,
Hawaii, came and served two or three
years, till dismissed by the Oahu Evan
gelical Association, for embezzling por-
ton of the funds that had been collected
for the hnilding of this house OF Horshin