The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-09-26

At the Wednesday evening meeting
at Central Union Church the following
report on the work of Palama chapel
was read by Rev. j. NJ. Lewis who is
devoting his time and attention to
Christian work in that section:
Il would rather have one church in
a community than one hundred police
men," Such was the remark made,
not long ago, by United States Sena-
tor in the presence of the writer. The
remark expresses a truth. Very few
of those who have studied the social
life of a community will deny that the
church has been a powerful factor in
the elevation of the social and moral
life of community. The church
is standing protest against every
form of vice and iniquity that degrade
the individual and the social life of a
people I believe that there is an
instructive feeling, which is wcI-nigh
universal in the Christian conscious
ness, that a community without a
church is but half civilized or at least
not up to the moral standard of the
best society We have come TO recOg-
nize that civilization or community
without a church building is a sort
of an anomaly. The feeling is natural.
1t belongs to our religious and social
nature.
The ''meetin' house" of the Pilgrim
Fathers was but the logical expression
of these feelings. That ''meetin'
1uHn nil oV.iT1o fot w a
they were, strong, sturdy, liberty-lov-
ing and patriotic. And the student
of American history needs no argu-
ment to convince him that these COM
mon meeting places have been pow
erful factor in the civic and social
life of that nation. The church is
not only a standing protest against
all forms of vice, but it is a cOnser-
vator of all that is highest and best in
life and promoter of individual, social
and civic righteousness.
Hence the imperative necessity of a
church in every community, not from
a religious but from a social and civic
point of view.
1t was for this purpose and with
this thought in mind that the little
chapel at Palama was built. 1t will
be the aim of the promoter of the work
there to make this chapel both re-
ligious and social center of the com
munity The work will be conducted,
as far as practical on the plan of the
institutional church. 1t purposes to
provide for the physical, mental, social
and religious wants of those whom it
seeks to reach. These activities will
be developed through the various or
CARNATIONS which we hope soon to
form. There will be a club for the
boys or boys club" which will COM
bine at the same time literary, physi-
cal and amusemental features. 1t will
aim to fit the boys of the neighbOr-
hood for citizenship as well for moral
and religious leaders in the commune
ty. There will also be girls socie-
ty," singing classes and other forms of
organizations.
We earnestly hope to see soon a
kindergarten established at this place.
One is needed, and there are a large
number of children of kindergarten
age who are ready to come. Many
parents, I believe, are anxious to see
the school established. The distance
to the town for these children is too
great, but this building is well situa-
ted and we'll adapted for this purpose
For such an organization we need
means. If we could make our philan-
thropic friends understand how deep
a matter we have in hand, and if they
could realize the educational and even
the spiritual value of such school
perhaps then money will flow from
many quarters and make the kinder
garten an established fact in this place
The work that has already been
going on at the chapel promises well
for the future. 1t started three months
ago, and is now well rooted in the
community. We hold two Gospel SER
vices at present; one Friday evening
and one Sunday evening. And the