The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-10-21
cDI. pARkIR's orlsloS.

AZ ss,er,iew - be representative with
oSioacl Parker. On she social oondi-
saeas here A. miFhi have been ca
ported n contains mu,h sigorous
,hcssht No one ,isitinr The Islands
as a professional educator c0uld bot.
ser present than be external views
of the needs Of the races here Briei ~
his visit was be- made a qui,k aud
close analysis Of the situation. al-
though not wholly correct sis csti-
mate VI the native character and oapa
city is extremely complimentary 20 the
natives, though mrther experience
would modify his estimates very ma
terially
de claims that the missionaries were
mistaken In their diagnosis OF the ma
tive character. lie uses these words:
They Jaw no good in the native and
tried TO graft ON them their own type
os Christianity. They failed. The ma
lives were In the end broken in spirit
aud became indolent"
This statement involves two PROPOSE
lions, one OF which Is probably true.
The other is not true or does not con-
tain the whole truth.
The missionaries accepted the preva-
lent theological doctrine Of the times
in which they lived. Man was believed
90 have fallen through Adams trans
gression and there was no good In hin.
The theory OF original sin was accept
ed In full by the churches that support
ed the missionaries. In their opinion
there was but one way to save the
natives. as well as the New Highlander.
and that was by accepting belief In tks
Atonement. Racial instincts, the tradi
lions OF centuries, the iron grasp OF
snperstitions, IL was believed, would
disappear at once almost, on the ac-
ceptance OF this belief Conversion was
not SO much question OF growth, but
Of q great transformation through
Divine interposition. The intellectual
Sl0e Iol IL hab'
the first and most difficult step would
have been taken, that Is, the close
study of the native nature and mental
processes. This would have been fell
lowed by scheme of education which
would have driven, first of all, by Sc
cular education, the superstitions,
that is. the ignorance out Of the native
mind, and cleared ,ne way for a bet
Ter natural religion to be followed by
the teachings OF a revealed religion.
This process would have made the ma
tive better than he was. as the best
Indian missionaries now say they seek
to make a good Indian, and not good
Yankee out Of the Redman.
The missionaries were well abreast
of the best theological thought of their
Psychology and the modern theory of
evolution.
The reason why the natives were
broken al spirit and became indolent"
are many. but the errors of the mis-
sionaries were not the cause of II.
1t may be justly said that the mis-
sionaries gave to the natives their con-
stitution and laws, their schools. and
excellent examples of self denial and
right living The chiefs fully recog-
nized this.
But the country that sent the mis-
sionaries to the natives, also sent and
substantially submerged them under a
wave OF uebauchery and Righteousness.
The white winged" messengers of
commerce were freighted with disease
and rum. A handful OF American mis-
sionaries were matched against some
thousands of reckless and dissolute
American whalers, many Of them being
men of superior intelligence. These,
with many Of the traders, struck ut the
Hawaiian home and wrecked 1t with
widespread ruin. The story is pitiable.
To meet the ravages of disease-this
back handed gift of civilization-the
native fled to his kahuna, through his
racial habits and sentiments. In his
uneven fight with the vicious energies
of civilization, the native became
'broken in spirit, and indolent."
There were other causes at work that
brought the natives to their present
condition. We have now no space for
considering them. The causes that
have operated here 10 shape the I'M
fortunate destiny of the native are the
same that have operated elsewhere,
whenever the rude energy Of the An
glo-saxon has grappled with the softer
Faculties OF the weaker races.