Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-01-10
An INTER RESTTNG CEL EBRA-
IRON
RECENTLY HELD IN HONOLULU
COmmemOrnting the Centennial of the
Birth Of "a Native Vermonter
VINO WAS THE FIRST MISSIONARY TO THE
SANDWICH ISLANDS.
From the Daily Pacific Commercial Advertiser,
Honolulu, oct 81, iSSl


convened to participate in the memoria
services. The front of the choir gallery
was tastily decorated with floral wreath,
surrounding the dates 1888 and 1899
worked in flowers and between the date,
was a portrait of the elder Hiram Bing
ham. Below the gallery were pictures oi
the two grass buildings used as churches
The first erected in 1921 and destroyed by
fire in 1924, was quite small and held on
ly POO persons That erected in 1929 was
1876 feet long by 6S feet wide, and would
accommodate 1000. This was also thatch
building, and both stood on or near the
site Of the present stone church. There
were then no fences or walks surror
the church, but it was all open common.
On the platform yesterday were seated
Drs Hyde and Smith, and Rev Messrs
II. Parker and Josepa, who delivered the
address in the church The address and
exercises were in Hawaiian The singing
was excellent, by full choir, with Mr..
Berger presiding at the organ.
At the close Of the exercises in the
front of the ediice, where a platform had
been erected near the memorial slab, at
the north corner, the slab being veiled with
a Hawaiian flag His Majesty, the King,
aud II r. II the Princess Liliuokalani
were present and appeared much Interested
in the proceedings
Rev Mr.. Parker opened the out door ex
ercises, with few remarks introducing
Rev II. Bingham, who made "a short ad
dress relative to the work Of his father
Al the close Of his remarks, Mr. Parker in
| troduced Cen James f. b Marshall. who
is one Of the oldest pioneers, having ar
| rived here about the year 1880, when quite
a young man, and who was here Off and
on, for some 20 years He spoke in Eng
lish, Mr. Parker interpreting his remarks
| into Hawaiian Gen Marshall said
1T IL "A great privilege after 81 years
absence from these Islands to be present on
/ such an occasion as this aud to greet YOU
| all with that most beautiful word Of salu
| tatiun Of any language
When ! first came To Honolulu half "a
century ago, the Kuhina Nui Kinau Wa
]
| Mr.. Bingham preach her funeral sermon III
the large grass church which then stood
within this enclosure knew and esteem
ed all the early missionaries that were here
at that time | heard Mr. Bingham preach
here, aud also after his return to his native
land The last time met him was in Bus
ton at the funeral Of James Hunnewell
the Honolulu merchant who founded the
| firm with which | was connected, and who
was always IA warm friend Of the missiOna
ries aud the Hawaiian people But though
have been absent over thirty years have
not lost my interest or my love for Hawaii
For twenty years | have been assoc
ated with Gen. Armstrong, a son of Hawaii,
whose father succeeded Mr. Bingham a.
pastor of the church. whose school in Vir
Sinia for negroes and Indians has a world
wide fame Every Hawaiian may well be
proud Of this missionary's son, who has
just received high honor from Harvard
university, aud of whom Whittier, our EN-
inent poet, said 4 think Gen Armstrong
Is doing more good than any other man in
the country. To look upon this gathering
of Hawanans, the largest have seen since
my arrival, makes me feel as if were re
newing my youth. ] say again, Aloha
oukou
Mr.. David kua was the next speaker,
and we give his address in full, it having
been delivered in English:
"One hundred years ago today was born
the man who laid the foundations Of this
house. Fifty years ago he, with his faith
ful workers, laid the corner stone. He and
his colleagues brought to our people the
greatest gift that heaven has bestowed up
on mankind, a Christian faith and u Chris
tian civilization. Hiram Bingham and his
colleagues have passed from human vision
the places that once knew them, know
them no more. But the work they began
here will never cease That work takes
hold on the things that are lasting They
preached not themselves, but Jesus Christ
the Lord of all They came not TO set up
a material kingdom They came TO plant
the seed of a spiritual kingdom that should
give life to us all They looked not at the
things which are seen; for the thing.
which are seen are temporal; but the
things which are not seen are eternal The
seed which they planted will grow on con
tinuously, because it takes hold on the
things that are unseen and eternal
"Of the three pioneers in the great work
which was begun here in 1890, Mr. Whit
ney went to his rest at Lahanaluna, Mr.
Nuuanu Valley, while Mr.. Bingham died
far away from here in his native land
Had he been permitted to choose where he
should close this mortal life doubtless he
would have said Let me lie down among
the loved people with whom have labored
at is fitting. therefore, that we should
place here by the side of the coruer stone
of the church, which he with his people
laid more than fifty years ago, this tablet
IN memory of Hiram Bingham. Let u,
never forget the first message that he de
livered to the people of this land Fear
not, for behold | bring you good tidings OF
great joy, which shall be for all people
Let us also ever cherish the memory OF
these good Aliis and their people, whost
name has come down MS from a former
generation like sweet SAVIOR.
Underneath that corner stone is cop
per plate upon which is the first engraving
ever done 10y Hawaiian. The work wa,
done by Kapeau and this is the inscription
he made This is a house for Jehovah, tn,
God of Heaven, the father the Son and
the Holy Spirit a house of prayer erected
by the first church and congregation OF
Honolulu, place for them to worship the
true God. Those people who have been
very helpful in this work are Kamehameha
ILL.,, kaahumanu H., Auhea, Liliha, Keh
auonohi, kheuanaoa, governor of Oahu
Paki, and Konhokaloe'
The work was begun in May, 1887. The
foundation was laid September 49, 1880
The corner stone of the church was laid
June 3, 1899. in the fifteenth year of the
reign of Kamehameha III
my friends, great changes have taken
place within the last fifty years but the
work that Mr., Bingham and his co-labor
ers began here has gone right along through
all these changes And the next fft,
years will see still greater progress
THE screen will now be lifted that you
may read the inscription on the tablet
while | interpret it to those who may bt
unable to see to read il -;
A CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL OF