The Hawaiian gazette., 1898-10-28
Of FIRST LESSON
Correspondents View on
Missionary Methods.
Btoush, out ~ Comment on Cot
Parket's Criticism Argument
N rhsoiogy.

nriillt o. UNAuN'f ~ w Nhlth AHu WI i
troveft Col parker's erroneous opin-
ion that the American missionaries |
tried TO graft ON the Hawaiian people
their own type Of Christianity. and
failed" you say truly that Il was not
on this account that the natives we're /
in the end broken in spirit and be-
came indolent.' but You acknOwledge |
a partial truth In the first half Of the
opinion expressed and you say that "a
better natural religion should hrst
have been inculcated so as To prepare
the way for THE teachings OF a re-
yealed religion
know IL is very presumptuous 10
call in question the infaliiDliity OF Tue
omniscient editor, but, without any
desire TO enter upon newspaper con
troyersy, | trust that in your wei
known hberality ] shall receive the
courtesy of little space. in your coz
umns to present some thought Tor con
alteration, regarding this topic, from
different standpoint AS j und"t-
stand II, the representation of the BlDle
is not that men are to be educated up
10 a wiser and better manhood ana
righteous life, but that all men
need first of all the ehlldllke
shirt OF loving obedience 10
the Heavenly Fathers sovereign
and holy rule. As read your editorial
according to your psychology ana
evolution" II would seem that the
method adopted ought to have been 10
show the Hawaiians how low down
they were in the scale of social de-
yelopment and then to have instructed
them how to be cleanly according 10
the latest dicta of hygienic science, IN
telligent on the lines OF the New Ed
ucation," thrifty in accordance with
the fixed principles OF political econ
omy.
/ acknowledge that this Is differ
ent method from that which was ac-
tually followed Yet ] do not aunt
that the missionaries aim was 10 teach
"belief in the atonement." That would
have been instruction in theology, but
not preaching the Gospel, as they were
commissioned TO do. That, as ] under
stand Il. Is calling upon men TO accept
the Lord Jesus Christ as the DIVINE
Redeemer sent from God TO denver
sinful humanity from sin ana It's CON
sequences through atoning sacrl-
fee on the cross OF calvary
IL Is an authoritative proclana-
ton to men that they are sons or Coo
and heirs of heaven, though wandering
and dlsobedient, and that their hrst
step is TO come back and take theii
true place in the Fathers mouse, ana
live as His loving, obedient cnlldreh
should live. But TO tell men OF the
good times they will have and OF the
fatted calf waiting for them WINE
their hearts are still estranged IRON
God Is to reverse the divine order.
C. NJ. HYDE.
Honolulu, II. J., Oct. %, 1898.
I'VE are grateful to DR.. Hyde for his
views expressed in the foregoing letter
The history of the Protestant mission
TO these Islands Is one OF profound in
terest, not only to those who carry
the blood of the early missionaries In
their viens, but also to all those stud
ents of problems involving the spirit
ual development Of man. In some re-
people with the civilized races Is with
out a parallel. So far, the surface his
tory only has been written. That
which Is of supreme Importance, the
history Of the native ideas, both reli'
gious and secular has not been writ
ten, hardly alluded to. Perhaps the
time has not come for the discussion
of the matter. In secular history II II
said that no man dare write cotem,
poraneous history with absolute truth
Much less can he write about the co
temporaneous religious history OF men
For whatever view he may take, h
will be fiercely combetted by thos,
who entertain other views.
In stating that 1t would have beer
wise to have taught the natives tn,
principles of natural religion. we hat
in mind that God endowed men will
natural religion long before he per
mitted any revealed religion to reacl
them, so that in the order of eyolu
ton a natural religion had its prope
and necessary place. We had in mint
these words of the Roman Emperor
Aurelius Antoninus, pagan" ant
worshipper Of many gods:
Every moment think steadily as
Roman and man to do what tho'
hast in hand with perfect and simpl
dignity, and feeling OF affection, an
freedom, and justice, and to give thy
self relief from all other thoughts
And thou wilt give thyself relief
thou dost every act OF thy life as
1t were the last"
These words express generally thu
natural religion" which the Almight!
has put In every human heart, bu
which the creeds have PERSISTENT!
ignored. Aside from teaching tn
heather the words of Revelation. !
has seemed that the outlines of good
ness, and uprightness which actual!
lie in the human soul, in obscure an,
dark lines should be developed a
the photographers say, and as thi
pagan Emperor said-developed a