The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-12-12
TBE HIRAM BINGHAM CENTENNIAL.

CTS ludI Iue Dell III bue lO"tE VI tuo OSC
ond Congregational Church of this vii
lage is a memorial, and so inscribed, 10
Rev. Hiram Bingham, the first mission
ary to the Sandwich Islands," In this
connection the Centennial celebration OF
Kaw aiahao Church during the last days
of October of the present year is inter-
esting to the many friends of the family
as well as to those who reside in Ben.
nington. The HdUdiidn Gazette of
Nov 5ih, published at Honolulu, has a
report of this celebration from which we
quote
"Agreeably to notice given in the pa
pers, the Kawaiahao Church was filled
with large audience of foreigners and
natives, convened to participate in the
memorial services. The front of the
choir gallery was tastily decorated with
floral wreaihs surrounding the dates
1889 and 1889. worked in flowers, and
between the dates was portrait of the
elder Hiram Bingham. Blow the gal
lery were pictures OF the two grass
buildings used as churches. The first,
erected in 1921 and destroyed by fire in
1924, was quite small, and held only 200
persons. That erected IN 1929 was 1875
feet long by 68 feet wide, and would ac-
commOdate 1000. This was also
thatch building and both stood on or
near the rite of the present stone church.
There were then no fences or walks sur
rounding the church, but it was all an
open common"
or the third church, mentioned, In
"Bingham's Sandwich Islands," pages
572, 573 and STA, we find the following
interesting account
| Ind 1nin hal lNao Of fhon nd
allotted for the building, though compe-
tent to sustain ordinary dwellings, could
not safely be relied on to sustain the
pressure of the massive walls and tower
and internal work of the church, and
the immense audience which was ex-
pected to crowd it. they excavated the
earth to the depth of six feet, entirely
removing the soil and substratum of vol
canic ashes or cinders which had doubt.
less come from the Puncbbowl crater in
its vicinity, and laid the foundation
firmly on broad, level rock of subma-
rine formation of considerable extent,
which had by some means been here
elevated little above the level of the
ocean. On THE rock they reared the
walls of the basement, A inches thick,
and about 12 feet high. Then the build
ers, proprietors, and missionar es a :
iembIed and laid the corner stone OF the
new temple. The stone, weighing about
half tone, had been procured by Paki
At Waianae, and transported under his
direction, to Honolulu. Beneath ", was
placed Hawaiian Bible, just compet
ed, volume of Mathematics, in native,
and another on Anatomy, indicating the
0aFis of Christian and missionary ins;i-
ut ons at the Islands, and brass plate
with the reign, the da e, and the object
for which The church was erected, neat
| ly engraved by Kapeau. native pupil
at the Mission Seminary, Though in the
ceremony, the formalily OF pronouncing
the corner stone square, leyel, plumb,
and durable" was omitted yet the fitness
and durableness of the Cornerstone in
/ ZION, and the glory Of the spiritual tenn
pie which God was rearing on it,
were commended to the peo-
ole; and the divine blessing was inv0k-
ed on the enterprise, on the founders,
seeking the gate of heaven, should con-
+ecrate their service to the Father, Son,
and Holy Ghost.
Above the basement, the walls being
narrowed ny five inches on the outside
|
| i ches thick to the sills of the gallery
windows, aud then being narrowed ak
inches more within, were carried up q
inches thick to the plates. The immense
roof having extended span. and the cell
ing, supported by king and queen posts,
rest on the wa Is without the support OF
pillars. The building is wei lighted,
hough not in the most tasteful style.
having twenty windows on each side
| above the basement, which, with the
-nds, has a proportional number. The
gallery windows and the doors are
trched. The floor of the building is six
feet above the surface of the ground.
| The front is ornamented with four pIl-
lars of the Hawaiian order, nearly four
rect diameter and twenty-six in height.
about two thirds of their shaft project
| ing from the wall, with which they are
firmly united. The bl cks of coral-rock
somewhat porous, but strong enough to
make good walls, being cut out with
axes, pried up. trimmed by pattern to
their proper form and size, and weigh
ing from two hundred to twelve hun
ired puunds, were laid up in good lime
mortar, most of the work being done by
native hands. The building appears
Ihapely and firm, an ornament to the
town of 5000 inhabitants, and
may stand centuries as a monument of
the favor of God to the Nation, and OF
the rapid advancement of the people in
Christianity and civiiz ton during the
first quarter of century of their ac-
quaintance with the Gospel. In the
-rection of this stately edifice, the active
men among about 1000 communicates
4 that church, being divided into five
companies. labored by rotation many
days and weeks with patience and al.
fAfter the taking Of $50 900 from the
people by the French, which was not re-
stored till the interest on it at 1917 per
cent. per annum would have been equal
the principal, the builders of this
church were encouraged by the accepta
ble donation of 81 ,479, sum made up
chi, fly by few friends of that nation
in New York, Brooklyn, and New Lon
don, and of pulpit and communion ta-
nle from New Haven.
1t argued courage for the people to un-
dertake work of that kind which could
nardly be accomplished at an expense
less than SEQ, 900, ind iC proved their
perseverance, to carry it on for six years, !
i'll they were permitted to open it, July
81, 1912, for the worship of God and The
use of generations.
We quote again from the Gazette /
On the platform Wednesday was seat
ed Drs. HYDE and Smith, Revs. II. Bing-
ham, H. H. Parker and Josepa, who de-
| lIvered the address in the church. The |
address and exercises we're in Hawaiian, |
The singing was excellent, by a full
choir, with Mr.. Berger presiding al the
organ.
At the close of the exercises in the
church, the audience adjourned 10 the
front of the edifice, where a platform
had been erected near the memorial
slab, at the north corner, tho slab being
veiled with Hawaiian flag HIs Majes-
the King and II. r. H. the Princess
| Liliuokalani were present and appeared |
much interested in the proceedings.
Rev. Mr.. Parker opened the outdoor
exercises, with Il few remarks introduc- |
ing Rev. II. Bingham, who ma short
address relation TO the work of his faith
pr. At the close of his remarks, Mr..
Parker introduced General James F. B. |
Marshall, who is one of the oldest pin-
neers, having arriv, d bere alb ut the year
1880, when quite a young man, and who
was here off and on, for some twenty
years. He spoke in English, Mr.. Parker
interpreting his remarks into Hawaiian.
General Marshall said 1T is a great
privilege after thirty-one years absence
from these Islands, to be present on such
an occasion as this. and TO greet you all
with that most beautiful word Of saluta-
tion of any language-Aloha
"When first came to Honolulu half