Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-05-08
KAPIOLIANI.
How Brave Woman Defied tho Hawaiian
Heather God PeIe.

Heather God PeIe.
The distant kingdom OF Hawaii,
which extends its sway over tho Send
witch Islands, can boast the largest
active volcano in tire world. This
volcano. called Kilanea, on tho shores
Ct the Pacific. is two and a half Liiles
high; its crater, measuring six miles
round. contains lake of molten lava
in which great rocks are tossed about
rs if in boiling caldron; from time to
time the lava boils over as it were,
and rushes in streams of liquid fire
down the mountain sides. Over the
summit there hangs u cloud which by
day is OF q silver hue, bat which red
dens to fiery glare by night. 1t is
not much wonder that to such n terrific
work OF nature the people OF Hawaii
should have attached many super
stitions. They believed it to be the
home of the goddess Pele, who had
power. il offended, TO overwhelm the
inhabitants OF tho islands with de-
struction; certain berries which grew
upon its slopes were sacred to her; no
woman was allowed to tread upon tho
verge of the mountain and the priests
of Pelc lived in its sides.
About the year 1924 the young King
OF Hawaii. Liholiho, and his people,
were converted TO Christianity and re-
nounced the worship of false gods; but
so strong hold had tho fabulous Pele
over the imaginn.ions OF the Hawaii
ans. that while they renowned all
other forms OF idolatry, they still firm
ly believed in the goddess of the vol
cano and retained their superstitious
fears and observed their superstitious
rites.
This was II great grief TO Kapiolani,
wife of Naihe. public orator OF Hawaii.
She, too, with the rest OF the people,
had been converted TO Christianity,
but, unlike them, she resented the in
suit offered TO the one true God in tho
worship still offered to Pele. At last.
when all remonstranco3 had proved
vain, she determined TO try what effect
n clear proof OF her own disbelief in
the existence of the goddess of the
volcano would have upon the people.
Accordingly on certain day in the
year 1925, in the presence of n number
of her Acknowledged. she set out
70: Kilanea and boldly began to ascend
its sleeps Carrying in her hand the
forbidden berries, she climbed the
mountain side in spite OF the
priests of Pele, who came out
Of their haunts and strove
TO Curl her back with threats and
warnings. And. Indeed there was
real danger in ascending Kilanea, for
not only was the way rough. steep and
difficult, and the cold OF the heights
terrible to delicate Hawaiian. but
poisonous gases often issued from the
mountain, and several men had, quite
lately, been killed by inhaling them.
But none OF those dangers could daunt
the brave Kapiolapl. who toiled on I'M
til she reached tho very top of the vol
cano; then she descended tho preci-
pice which surrounds the crater. and
casting the sacred berries into the
boiling lava. she cried, IF perish by
tho anger of Pele, then dread her pow
CT; but, behold, defy her wrath. l
have broken her laws live and am
safe, for Jehovah the Almighty is my
God. His was the breath that kindled
these flames; has is the hand which re-
strains their fury. Oh, all ye people,
behold how vain are the gods OF Hawaii,
and turn and serve the Lord"
Kapiolanis brave deed was not with
out its reward, for the Hawaiians, from
that time, abandoned the worship of
Pele and the belief in her has long
since died out.