The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-02-23
AN ATTENDANCE OF OVER 70
Missionaries to Orient on
City of Picking.
Rev s. E. Bishop Reads Interesting
Paper on KaiIua-Visitors From
States Express their Thoughts.

a meeting of the Hawaiian Mission
Children's Society was held at the home
of Chief Justice and Mrs. Judd in
Nuuanu, on Saturday evening, Febru-
airy Goth, at which, counting members
and invited guests, there were pres
ent some seventy in all. The rooms
of the beautiful home were thrown
into one for the accommodation of
the guests a log fire of which it
was remarked that probably none
other in the city was burning on that
night, cracked merrily in the sitting
room CRATE. Among the guests pres
ent was the aged Warren Goodale, the
third president of the society, to-
gether with a goodly number of mis-
sionaries en- route to China and Japan
on the City of Picking. The early de-
parture of their steamer made it ne
| cessary for these visitors to leave be-
| fore the final exercises, so that no eX-
| pressions on various points brought
up during the evening or points about
| their own work, were heard. There
were other guests from the states of
California and Illinois present.
The meeting opened with the sing
| ing of the hymn "Blest be the tie that
binds,'' after which collection
amounting to S15.25 was collected.
At the suggestion of the Board of
Managers a motion was put and car
ried TO the effect that a committee
be appointed to suggest some changes
in the constitution and bylaws to be
presented for discussion at the next
meeting so that the society might be
prepared to vote on these at the reg
ular annual meeting as required by
the constitution. The following COM
mittee was appointed: Miss Matte
Chamberlain, DIR. Whitney and Rev.
o. p. Emerson.
The Male Wreath Committee for
the months of March, April, May and
June was appointed as follows: DR..
n. B. Emerson, G, F. Perry of Ka-
mehameha School, Miss Helen S. Judd
and Mrs. G.. p. Andrews. For the
Male Wreath Committee, Rev. S. E.
Bishop presented an interesting paper
on Early recollections of missionary
life at Kailua, Hawaii" a few extracts
of which are given below:
| "Kailua town-AS a settlement of
some 1000 people crowded along one
third mile of sea-shore Kailua was
the only place in Hawaii worthy the
name of town, except perhaps the one
at Hilo Bay. Kailua consisted of ma
tive houses matched either with pill
or lauhala, the majority in various
stages of decay. The aspect of the
people was sordid, evincing ignorance,
degradation, poverty and much i'll
health.
Here and there were dwellings of
petty chiefs in whose yards were CO.
coanut and kou trees of great luxuri-
ncin
hala.
when the pioneer missionaries in
1920 made their first landing at Kali
lua, it had recently been the chief
residence of the aged Kamehameha,
and was still in some degree the ca
pital city of the group. 1t was the
permanent residence of Kuakini, the
imperious Governor of the island,
whose stone house stood at the north
end beyond the little bay, which has
always been the principal landing
Beyond the Governors house, was
Kamehameha's old habitation where
he died. Seward still was a platform
upon which stood five gigantic and
hideous wooden idols, deliberately
carved. There had ceased to be wor-
shipped but for some reason, proba-
bly, respect for the deceased monarch.
had escaped the general destruction
of the. idols in 1919.
4 recall few names or faces of the
7"tjve people. Very distinct in me-
mory is the Renewable face of a fine
old Christian lady Kekupuohi. She
had been a young wife of King Ka-
lauiopuu, and had personally witness
ed the death of the unfortunate Capt
James Cook on the 4th of February,
1879, when he rashly attempted TO
IL II.
as a hostage.
4 also we'll remember the immense
and portly form of Governor Kuakini,
who used TO make a periodical fore
onn visitation at our home, some
times sitting at our table. This royal
chief was estimated to weigh not less
than 500 pounds. The Governess Ke-
Qua, somewhat less ponderous, also
of royal lineage frequently visited us.
Kuakini used to occupy my fathers
large armchair into which he could
hardly squeeze.
Missionary Work. remember the
Thurstons and Bishops as very busy
in labOrs among the people. The two
ministers held meetings twice on Sab
bath in the immense matched taberna-
Gle at Kailua as we'll as every Wednes-
day afternoon.
The congregations in Kailua church
were large, often over a thousand pres
ent. Sunday school was held after
morning service, the natives having
many copies of portions of scripture
which they commit to memory quite di-
ligently.
Much time was spent by Messrs.
Thurston and Bishop in school work.
They occupied many hours a week in
personally teaching.an many more in