The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-11-13

Alexander's paper on the " Alleged
Neglect of Industrial Teaching by
the American Protestant Mission
to the Hawaiian Islands" Follow.
ing is the text of the account:
A very high compliment is Hnin.
tentionally paid to the American mis-
sionaries to these islands by their enc
mics, when they hold them solely
responsible for the social, moral, po-
IiticaI and industrial condition Of this
country, ignoring all other factors In
the problem that has been worked out
here.
Although the Roman Catholic Mis-
sion has claimed over one-third of the
native Hawaiians as under It's control (;
although the Government has been
unfriendly to the American Mission
during much of the time since the
close of Kamehameha ILLS reign ;
and although the influence of foreign
ers until the close of the mission was,
on the whole, opposed to its work, yet
the American missionaries are blamed
for everything that has gone wrong.
One of the most common and
groundless charges against the ia
theirs" is that they unduly neglected
the temporal welfare of the natives,
and made no efforts to encourage in
dustry or to teach them the arts OF
civilized life. These critics seem to
imagine that preaching and religious
instruction occupied the whole time
and attention of the missionaries.
Nothing could be further from the
truth. The subject is too extensive to
be adequately treated within the
limits of a Male Wreath paper, and /
shall only undertake to- state few Of
the leading facts.
INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY THE BOARD.
/. In the instructions given to the
pioneers OF the mission by the Pru-
Dental Committee of the American
Board, We find the following passage
"Your views are not to be limited TO
q low or narrow scale; but you are to
open your hearts wide and set your
mark high. You are to aim at nothing
short of covering these islands with
fruitful fields and pleasant dwellings
and schools and churches, and of rails
ing up the whole people to an elevated
state of Christian civilization"
Again: "To obtain an adequate
knowledge of the languaSe of the peo-
pie; to make them acquainted with let
tiers; to turn them from their barbar-
Gus courses and habits; to Introduce
get l0LO
influence among them the arts and in
situations and usages of civilized life,
etc" Among the pioneers first sent
out was farmer, Mr.. Daniel Cham
berlain, with a wife and five children,
who expected to- instruct the natives
IN agriculture and the rudiments of
the mechanical arts, but remained
only three months. At that stage of
progress there was no demand nor OPP
portunity for his services.
VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE MISSION
ARIES.
III. The missionaries, both as a body
and as individuals, on many occasions
expressed the same liberal views.
They confidently hoped to transform
the social state of the people. But
they understood that true civilization
must begin inside and grow from
within, instead of being put on out
side like coat.
In resolution passed at the general
meeting held at Kailua in September,
1926, after quoting the above in
structions, they went on TO say: "In
order to effect this purpose we are to
encourage the Introduction of the civil
and domestic arts and virtues. We
are to teach them honesty, justice, hu-
mainly and diligence in business;
to enforce our instructions by setting
before them proper motives and sane
tions, and to- illustrate our principles
by practical and familiar examples.
Nor ought we to conceal
from others what are our motives and
designs; viz: to produce an entire
change in the state of things in these
islands, and to aim at nothing short of
raising up the whole people TO an ele-
waited state of Christian civilization.
At the same time let il be distinctly
understood that we seek not theirs but
them; that we wish not their proper
ty nor their lands nor their kingdom"
Again, at the General Meeting held at
Honolulu in June, 1885, the following
resolutions were passed on the subject
OF Agriculture. /. We regard IL as
of high Importance to the success of
the cause of Christ at these Islands to
put into operation as many means as
possible to break up the indolent
habits of the people, and to train them
to habits of industry and economy.
=. As to the practicability of introduc-
ing Improvements in agriculture, we
believe that little can be done at pres
ent which shall have direct bearing
on this subject. We found this opin-
ion on the following facts: l. The
disproportion between our strength
and the labors already devolving upon
us. > The opinion of our patrons
that we should avoid, as much as pos
sibIe, becoming entangled with secu-
lar cares. 1. The state of the
Government, which we regard ex-
tremely unfavorable TO Improvement
in this department. D. Nevertheless,
we regard the subject as OF sufnclent
importance to warrant us TO use our
influence in encouraging the growth
of cotton, coffee, sugar cane, etc, that
the people may have more business
on their hands, and increase their
temporal comforts"
In August, 1886, letter was ad,
dressed to the American Board, signed
by the fifteen highest chiefs then liv-
ing, in which they asked that teach
ers of the mechanical arts be sent out,