Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-12


Notsrs Chief of the six of us, were born on
Old Regime. those islands. Ny
mother was the first white woman ever seen
in Samoa"
The speaker was the Rev. Charles Har-
butt. the present pastor of the First COngre-
gationai Church of BridgtoR, in Western
Maine. whom I found in his study at the
Bridgton House, surrounded not only
with books and pictures, but also
with Samoan curiosities of various kinds,
mostly relics of heather days. These
comprised weapons, utensils, articles Of
dress. rude ornaments, etc., together with an
insignia of ROYALTY in the manner of scar
let cord about three feet long, made of mi
mute feathers, ingenioUsly fastened to piece
of string, to make which must have involved
the killing of thousands of a certain kind of
bird in whose entire plumage only two or
three red feathers are found. had come to
get from the good minister some glimpses of
life on those far-away islands, now the focus
of the worlds gaze, and he cheerfully res
ponded to my expressed wish.
A WONDERFUL CHANGE.
'T see you have your eye on that iron
wood war club, and that egg-shaped piece
of polished sandstone labeled Idol, con-
tinued Mr.. Harbutt mo doubt you are
thinking of what wonderful transition the
last half century has wrought in those
islands. Yes? Well, should say it hasl
WHY, when nv parents and the other mem
bers Of that brave, God-serving band began
their missionary work on those islands,
under the auspices Of the London Mission
arv Society, the natives were idolatrous
savages. Ny father, Rev. William
HarbutI, In the course of his 20
wears soioUrn, was several times IN
danger of his life. The natives were much
the same as those of the other groups of the
Polynesian Islands albeit they are as a
race superior TO the average South Sea
islander They claim never to have been
cannlbsls, vet most likely they were. At
any rate they were true saYages lightly
valuing human life, socially bestial and
given TO all sorts of heathen denominations.
Why, their very idolatry was so loose and
crude that while in the abstract they be-
lieyed in a supreme being, together with
lesser gods. it didn't matter what object or
shane thev worshiped. They would pick
nm n rough stone or piece of wood whenever
their religious fancy seized them and kneel
down and worship it. Now look at them.
Well clothed, well educated, polite, morally
correct and w0rShlperS OF Vne true Ooo.
Throughout the islands are hourishIng
schools and churches, the teachers and pas
tors df which are for the most part natives.
"'-e all the Samoans Christians I
asked. ~,
A CHRISTIAN COUNTRY.
srIn the general sense of the term, yes. I
doubt If there are dozen heathens out OF
their entire population vi this populatlon
nearly 8, 600 out of the IS, 600 are Catholics;
all the rest are Protestants; while Of the
total number of people from 5,OOO to .; OOO
are regular members of Christian churches.
And it is worthy OF note that these churches
are self-supporting, the members not only
paving all the church expenses, but also
contributing $1,000 annually Tor foreign
missions in other islands. Now, don
propose to iterate what by this time is SO
generally known concerning the climate,
productions, topography, ETC., OF the Samoan
Islands, except to corroborate, from per-
sonal knowledge, what the newspapers say
as to the natural intelligence, chlyalry, Kind
heartedness and integrity of the Samoans,
the loveliness of the climate and scenery,
and the fertility of the soil. from which is
produced so great a variety of trees, fruits
and vegetables, such as banyans, palms,
pandana. bamboo, anauli, rattan, Wild
orange, lemon, lime, plantain, ,taro, mulberry
tacia, pineapple, Viapple, guava, mango,
citron, wild sugar cane, etc. There is also
plenty of poultry and pigeons, and horses,
cattle and swine have been introduced.
The Samoans have thus far succeeded IN
preserving their independence, and 1t is the
judgment of Rev. Mr.. Harbutt that their