The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-08-18
Appeal for Endowment Of the Mis-
SiOlaTy Institute.
A CHILD OF HAWAIIAN BOARD
Best Method of SuppOrt-VaIue Of
the SemInary-Basis for Effec-
tive Work That Will Last.

held on the evening Of August End, it
was voted on recommendation of the
Education Committee, to authorize the
raising of an endowment whose in
come shall be sufficient for the main
tenance of the Theological School now
known as the North Pacific Missionary
Institute.
AS this is somewhat OF a radical
step, and as an appeal must now be
made to the friends of religious work
for this endowment, few words in re
gard to the work under the direction
of the Hawaiian Board may be in order,
as, by this means, the reasons for its
action may be made to appear.
Aside from a slight oversight and
aid given to a few schools, the work
of the Board falls naturally into two
-evangelistic service and the
illogical education. The evangelistic
branch includes the care of the native
churches and of the home and foreign
missions The home missions are es-
tablished among the various alien
races now on Hawaiian sOil-the POr-
tuguese, Chinese and Japanese. The
foreign missions are mostly confined
to the Gilbert Islands, only remnant
of the force which once labOred in the
Marquesas Islands now remaining.
The department of theological edu-
cation is designed for the training of
pastors and leaders in these different
fields of service. The object aimed at
is to raise up religious leaders for each
,oS,. L
In the native work this has been prac-
tically accomplished. The pastors of
the Hawaiian churches, with one ex-
ception are natives, most of whom have
been educated in the North Pacific Mis-
sionary Institute. A slight beginning
has also been made in educating men
for the Portuguese and Chinese work.
AS yet the evangelists in the Japanese
stations have been brought from Japan.
In time, however, when the ties be-
tween the Japanese here and their
fatherland have become less close, we
may expect to see Japanese students
among the others.
AS thus organized 1t will readily be
seen that the work of the Hawaiian
Board depends in great measure for It's
success on the leaders which can be
trained in it's theological school. This
is especially true of the native work,
and should become increasingly true
among the other races as well. 1t is
very evident, therefore. that these pas
tors should be we'll trained and made
as effective as possible for the places
they are to fill.
But the work of the Hawaiian Board
is in a transition stage. The people
among whom it's labors are carried on
are passing from more or less primi-
tive condition to one of broader out
look and more general intelligence;
due to the system Of Government
schools. a change in language, and the
manifold influences of outside civiliza-
ton. This is all in the line of advance
ment and natural result of past effort.
Such change is desirable; but it is also
critical. because it indicates the pres
ence of new state of things, which
will bring new problems, call for more
effort, and such a REIMBURSEMENT OF
method as will meet the new condI-
tions. This is only the natural con-
sequence of a growing work, but IN the
present instance. it will probably be
complicated by the new political reia-
lions into which these Islands have re-
Gently come and the new influences
now liable to be dominant in the Paci-
fic Ocean. Just what new problems Will
arise no one can say. They may come
in the way of new difficulties to be
overcome. or new duties to be met, or
they may come i'll both forms.
But whatever shape the religious
work of the Islands may assume In the
future. it should be prepared for now.
The raising up of ministers, ana the
admiration of methods of action are
not the work of moment or day, ana
to wait till crisis comes is to invite
defeat in meeting it.
Rut the opportunities are not Wholly
in the future. Much could be done at
once if the means were at mana. III
the evangelistic field, there are many
openings for new work and opportu-
mites for strengthening the old. The
number of Japanese eVangellSts coulu
with advantage be nearly or quite
doubled New stations could be open
Cd among the Chinese and Portuguese.
II is also we'll known that the greater
mart of the native pastors are very
noorlv Maid. In this fact lies another
diAic1Itv for the Board. AS the young
or men who have been educated in the
higher schools for boys otter them
selves for service in the native MINIS
trv as some are already doing, 1t Will
no necessary to provide them with a
hetter support. Otherwise merely nat
uraI obstacles will close the door OF the
ministry against them. There Will De
nothing to induce a capable ana
worthy man to enter the field, and the
native ministry will fail as loglcal
result. But the native churches are
,oor and cannot in many cases pay
= living salary to a good man; and so,
,Irti1 a new generation arises with
e,1fficient skill in agriculture and other
1[inds of labor to make the churches
ca1f-supporting the Board will be OBJ
1iqed to assist in supporting the pas
tors.
The present needs of the Theologi-
cal School are just as pressing. The