The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-02-07
Disruption Of a Prayer Meeting
With Political Dynamite.
A Visitor MiSCalCulateS Hawaiian Feeling
On Affairs.

church at Kapuukolo near the Fish
Market held their regular prayer
yesterday evening. AS is
usual at these meetings subject
was proposed for discussion among
members. The subject was, "Whether
it is right to worship two Gods7"
Argument was going along peace
fully when Mr.. Jos. Emerson entered
the church and, after listening lit
tie while, asked to be allowed to take
part in the discussion. Mr.. E. was
given permission and spoke for some
time, finally bringing in the name of
the dethroned Queen and rejecting
on her career. Among other remarks
he is said to have referred to stories
that the Queen was in the habit of
consulting kahunas regarding her
chances for restoration to the throne.
Some of the congregation arose in
body and demanded that Mr.. E.
close his mouth or he would be sum-
marily removed. S. Kaloa, native
preacher, then addressed the meet
ing, saying that committee of
church members had had communi-
cation and meetings with her Maj
esty during year past, and she had
told them emphatically she did not
believe in kahunas. Now here came
a foreigner and told them that she
was harboring them. Who would
they believe, this man or their COM
mittee, who has been in constant
communication with the Queen?
Mr.. E. asked all who were in favor
of the Queen returning to the throne
to stand up. All stood up with the
exception of five, one a clerk in the
office of the Board of Missions.
Kaloa again interfered and asked
who dethroned the Queen, was it her
people? Another, did Mr.. E. con-
slider that the members of the Coun-
Gil, where not single Hawaiian was
present, represented the people?
The argument became hot and
finally Mr.. Emerson retired and Ka-
loa held the fort.
A committee from the Church has
an advertisement in a native paper
calling on all the members to pray
to God for the restoration of the
Queen.
The foregoing report was gather
ed by our reporter from several native
Hawaiians who was at the meeting.
Some of the statements said to have
been made by Mr.. Emerson have
been eliminated on the strength of
his emphatic denial that he uttered
them. A representative of the
BULLETIN gained an interview with
Mr.. Emerson to obtain his side of
the story, which is given below:
STATEMENT OF MIR. EMERSON.
In answer to questions Mr.. Emer-
son gave in substance the following
account of the meeting and his part
in it:
81 had been asked by some of the
people to visit their meetings. When
1 went to the meeting last night ]
sat for some time listening to the
discussion. Then 1 asked if they
would like me to speak on the rela
lions of Christians with the mon
archy, and they said they would.
81 began by telling of the differ
ence between the Hawaiians and the
natives of other groups, such as thu
Marquesas. In those islands trlba
wars on single islands were com
mon, while in the early times of thu
Hawaiian Islands each island hat
it's own king. There were human
sacrifices on these islands, but no
for the purpose of eating the vic
Tins. An advance was made whe
all the islands were brought unde
: the single rule of Kamehameha |.
"In the time of Kamehameha III
l told them, another great advanc
l was made when Queen Kaahumanl
, aided by her priest, threw off tn
5 shackles of the tabu and caused tn
t idols to be renowned. Then, unit
, Lot (Kamehameha w. became King
there was period free from the oil
system. Lot began course of RI
= turning to the ancient superstition!
D "With the exception of the brie
= reign of Lunalilo, l said, dow
Q through the reign of Liliuokalal
a there was disposition to return t
/, heather customs. They agreed wit
d me that Kalakaua had gone back t.
o ward the ancient superstitions.
: mentioned the time when Kaun;
mano in presence of King Kalakau
at Kailua advocated return to til
old gods. | said | had heard stori'
about Queen Liliuokalani's havir
sacrificed pigs to Pele at the Vo
cano, and they probably knew VIII
q Their these stories were true, al
% they did not deny their truth.
3 SIS it true, then asked, that
v w. Alapai was circulating petite
to have day of fasting and pray
- for the restoration of the Quee
u They answered yes. Is it true tn
y Alapai claims to have a unihip
~ (familiar spirit, and that his wife
" the kahu (priestess) OF that spir
They said yes. Is it true that AlaI
is a confessed heathen who is at t
same time a luna in Kaumakar
church, To these questions they q
ne swered in the Affirmative.
TO "Then, asked, what should
is the attitude of Christian people
ne ward this day of fasting and pray
ne Are we TO join in with man who j
Is, pronounced heather and make
M distinction between those who ;
he pronounced opponents OF heath'
he ism and those who practice III Sll
he we join with Alapai for the return
4