The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-04-01
KING KhLAEAuk.

one VINO, apparently, has no one else
in America to speak for him,
will you kindly allow enc who was
called to minister to the late King OF
Hawaii in his last hours, and who
saw much of the royal party at the
time, to tell your readers Of some OF
the most Christian deeds and charac
teristics of this remarkable man,
whose ancestors only four-score years
ago were heather men and anthro-
pophagiE
The King was a member of the
English Church and regular COM
municant thereof. Contrary to the
practice of the average American
abroad, he never failed, during his
recent visit to this country, to attend
some place of worship on each return
of the Lords Day. His first Sunday
on these shores saw him worshipping
in "Old Trinity" San Francisco,
and an humble COMMUNICATE before
the altar. Shortly after, on the 25th
day of December last, the rector re-
ceived a note from the Chamberlain
of the court, which read thus: Ellis
Majesty desires to attend Christmas
service at Trinity Church this morn
ing. Will you kindly arrange pew
for the party
At home His late Majesty paid
equal honor to the first day of the
week. On the occasion of the last
anniversary of his birth, which fell
on a Sunday, he refused to allow the
public demonstrations to begin until
Monday, and urged the dedication
of the day to prayer and charity for
the lepers, for which noble action
the Bishop of Honolulu thanked him
in letter, which | have been allow
ed to see. | have also his LOrdship's
sermon before me as | write. Every
Sunday afternoon, too, the King was
wont to summon to the palace a
choir from one of the native COngre-
cations for an hour of singing and
prayer.
His Majesty was ever greatly con-
cerned for the lepers of his kingdom,
and quite recently chartered vessel
for visit to Molokai, where he Sc
lected site for the monument to be
erected to the memory of Father
Damien, and cheered the settlement
by his kind and loving words. No.
thing was dearer to his heart than
the Contamination of his people,
and his private subscriptions for new
churches for their accommodation ran
up among the thousands.
One who has known Of their pri-
vate life speaks of the King and
Queen as dignified, yet kind and gen
erous, always looking out for the in
terests of their people, autagOuizing
only those who would bar their way
and keep them from the encourage
ment Of native talent. No one who
witnessed her faithful vigil will ever
forget Kalua, the handmaiden of His
Majesty, who, worshipping him as
the Kingot her adopted home and the
royal patron whose generous care
had transformed the slave into the
cultured and gracious woman, chung
to him in his last hours with the low
ing tenderness Of a child for its
father. And she is only one of
great multitude of the forgotten
classes for whom his sympathies
were aroused, and to whom the royal
patronage and purse were continually
extended. No one, no matter how
poor or friendless, ever applied in
vain for help and recognition; and
that lovely island kingdom in the Pa
clhc must be veritabIe house of
mourning today because of the alb
sence of him whose heart felt the
inseries of the struggling children OF
poverty and genius.
have it also from one we'll ac-
acquainted with the couple that His
Majesty was always very thoughtful
of the wishes and projects of the
Queen; and, from personal inspec-
ton of the correspondence, | know
how lie entered into the piOus and
charitable schemes of the household,
and his intense interest in the Bible
classes and eleemosynary institutions
of his consort and the Princess.
He was a composer of consdera-
Die merit, a fine musician, master Of
four languages. The sad music Of
the band that fell upon the evening
air, as his body was lowered to the
deck Of the Charleston, on the 22d
of January last, was q favorite me-
lody that he had given to the world.
1t is also well established fact, |
believe, that, unless official duties or
court etiquette required bis attend
ance, nothing was allowed to inter-
tere with his allotted hours of study;
and it has been affirmed by his init
mates that he was familiar with the
contents of every book in his magni-
ticent library.
The heat of the southern sun was
in his veins, and yet it is universally
conceded on this side of the CONT
nent, where he was known, that he
was one of the most forgivng of
men, never bearing a grudge, and
always generous towards his ira
ducers. lie was King, and yet
true and gracious friend. Heredity
was all against him, and yet he de-
veloped traits and qualities that are
not always seen in the modern repre-
sentatves of Constantine or Alfred
the Great.