The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-08-08


fails to grasp the situation.
Through some mental observation or
straitness of intellect, our correspond
ent failed to apprehend the fact that
the Queens closing acts were only the
contamination of a long series of syste-
matte efforts on the part of Kalakaua
and his sister to destroy liberal and
good government and restore the arbi-
trary and capricious government of
absolute monarchy. All the preceding
history of those efforts Captain Palmer
ignores. He treats the forcing of the
Constitution of 1887 upon Kalakaua as
uncalled for and unjustifiable, and thus
virtually commends his sisters attempt
to abrogate it. Palmer thus puts him
self in the same category with Nord-
hof and Blount, who had no
sympathy with our long struggle
in behalf of well. ordered government
against that revival Of barbaric despot-
ism to which Kalakaua and Liliuuka-
lani persislently bent their energies. By
some defect in his mental structure
Captain Palmer seems to be incapacita-
ted for discerning the obvious meaning
of long chapter of Hawaiian history
which was spread plainly before his
wretchedly dimmed observation.
Another and yet larger conflict of ten
denotes, in whose evolution this over
| throw of the monarchy was an inevita-
BILE incident, entirely escapes the narrow
vision of this correspondent. That is,
the triumphant extension of European
Christian civilization into the Pacific
ocean, displacing Polynesian heathen-
ism and dispelling its darkness. In
Hawaii the leading agency in establish.
ing the new light was the American
Mission, whose service Captain Palmer,
in a very laundering way, acknowl-
edges. For forty years the chiefs and
people welcomed the new light and en-
thusias! ically embraced its blessings,
among which were the establishment of
constitutional government and the
emancipation of the common people
from servitude. Ensuing upon this was
an immense influx of American, British
ann German capital, with its civiliza-
ton and appliances.
During that forty years the monarchy
had been in alliance with Christianity
and civilization. With the accession of
Kamehameha V, in 1864 the attitude
of the throne changed. The King
began active efforts for the revival of the
old superstitions and idolatrous worship
At the same time he changed the con.
stitution, increasing the power of the
throne. Here began an active struggle
of the ancient heathenism against
Christian civilization, and an active
heather party was inaugurated, acting
both upon social and political life
Lunalilo favored the Christian side; his
reign was short. Kalakaua, elected
king in 1874, threw himself heartily OF
the heather side. He established
sorcery as system. He promoted
idoatrous worship. He cultivated an,
elaborated the bestial hula dances. HI
perverted the people against missionar.
, influence, and used every means to ge
the Protestant churches under hi
power.
The conflict thus became not merel,
one for the political power of the thron
but the broader one OF Christian civiliza
, ton against heathenism. The old orde
| which Kalakaua and his sister sought t.
t revive was not merely that OF arbitrar,
: monarchical power but the supremacy G
5 heather ideas in religion and in society
? How far the ex-Queen sympathized witt
| the latter may be open to question.
t is certain that she was always NOR
l determined than her brother toward
5 absolutism, and that she was in fu
= political alliance with the large heathe
t and kahuna element wh'cl are tn
strongest support OF Royalists.
So far as the native Hawaiians al
q concerned, this conflict between pract
Cal Christianity and heathenism wit
g, its gross practices, is the chief issu,
, This conflict of tendencies is also largel
I felt among foreigners, according I
|, their inclination towards lower ways {
living, or the contrary. or all TIL
greater issue of light against darkness
as being really at the bottom of I'll
polite Il conflict, Captain Palmer tax,
n no cOgnizance.
n In a letter to the Ereaing Post whic
| have seen only since l began til
l. article, he designates myself as fam
e tic. My eye has just lit upon
r. sentence in an address by the noble d
d Chas. Parkhurst before Yale Seminar
II "Are you prophets of God, vision'
II with an eye that sees right and wroI
ID with something of the distinctness
Ia divine intuition, and are you going
m let that wrong be there as so mu,
Y. ethical rot, and close your eyes to
/. and pray, Thy kingdom come -
of have to confess to having at times e
IN hibited some vehemcnce in denouncil
ne the lottery and sorcery ana hulas, VIII
I'd promoted by royalty. | hope it W
nj done with a little of the "vision"
IN which DIR. PARK hurst speaks. am Il
IN to be fanatic in such a sense, which
believe to be what Mr.. Palmer means
NJ SERENo Z. BISHOP
- MEETING OF wOMAN's BOARD
er -
al Address by Mrs. Maxwell ON Missi