The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-03-15
after 200 YEARS
Anniversary of a Notable
Church Society.
Work That Has Been Done for the
Anglican Church Here.
Addresses.

Communion throughout the world, for
the work that the 5. P. C. K. has been
permitted for two centuries TO perform
in extending and strengthening the
Christian faith in all parts of the
world
Resolved. That the assistance rem
dered TO Missions in Hawaii by the S.
P. c X. constitutes a claim for sup
port from these Islands which should
not be overlooked"
The foregoing resolutions were adopt
ed last evening at public meeting
held in the Sunday school room of st.
Andrews Cathedral. The gathering
was an observance of the ending of the
second century of the life of the so
ciety for Promoting Christian Knowl-
edge" The Ri Rev. Alfred Willis,
Bishop Of Honolulu presided. The 9TH
er speakers Of the evening were Rev.
Alex. Macintosh, Theo. H. Davies,
Rev. Y. H. KitcaJ and Phillip Dodge.
The prayer for the occasions were
read by Rev. ]. osborne. Three hymns
were sung during the evening Wray
Taylor playing the organ. There was
quite heavy rainfall between and 8
O'Clock which made the attendance up
on the meeting much lighter than 1t
otherwise would have been.
Bishop Willis said that it was almost
impossible to at this day realize the
conditions that existed in Great Brit
ain at the time the S. P. c. K. was
formed. In the previous century the
monastries had been destroyed. There
was no religion and morality was sad
" lacking. There had been practically
a relapse into infidelity. The poor
lived in ignorance and brutality. So
ciety was in terror of the criminal
classes. II was not uncommon for 20
young thieves to be hanged of morn
ing before Newgate. The new rulers
coming into power promulgated an
edict against irreligion and lawlessneSs
and evil was somewhat abated. The
meeting at which the S. P c. K. was
founded was held in the Office of law
yer in the historical Trays Inn. One
clergyman and four laymen were pres
ent. There were two lawyers, noble,
a soldier and this parish minister. This
DR.. Bray was conscrated TO action and
went 10 the American colonies. Re-
turning in 17O1 he started another
great movement by organizing the So
cieJy for the Propagation of the Cos
pei in Foreign parts. The wisdom of
the five men who founded the S. P. c.
K is shown strongly in one way in
the very name itself The title gives
an indication of purpose that allowed
much latitude in operation. The So
ciety is left free to adopt many and
diverse methods for the accomplish
ment of its purposes. Bishop Willis
gave a few items concerning the or
ganization and then introduced Rev.
Alex. Macintosh as the mover of the
resolution.
The pastor Of the Second Congrega-
ton of st. Andrews Cathedral said
that the work of S. P. c. K. was uni
versal in its scope and that it stood
for everything, for the advancement
and welfare of others as desired by
every enlightened and civilized being
II had been a marvellous factor in the
interest of education and the spread
of the Gospel AT the time the Society
was established it seemed that there
was scarcely a Cody person in all
England. The people were sin mad.
All know of the great changes wrought
chiefly through the fundamentally of
the Society. The name of DR.. Bray is
well known here. He is the father Of
the idea of the circulating library and
some Of his books have been here for
80 years. The Society has founded
schools and built churches everywhere
and has relieved distress in all parts
of the world. Here in Hawaii one
evidence Of the debt of the people to
the Society is the book of Common
Prayer translated into the native Ha-
waiian and the Chinese languages.
Rev. Mr.. Macintosh closed his pleas
ing and earnest address with an ap-
peal to all to lead the lives and per-
form the acts in the spirit evidenced
by those who had founded this Society
and carried forward its work through
all the years.
Theo. H. Davies made the opening
remark that a Society with 200 years
Of halo of antiquity about it must
amount TO something. 1t had done a
stupendous and glorious work and it
had stood the test of time and trial.
Owing to the circumstances of its birth
and early labors and development with
relation 10 the colonies Of the North
American continent, none could deny
that all English speaking people would
readily and gladly and joyously Join
in celebration of this anniversary of
the S. P. c. x. This had been the first
Society to pay any attention to the
deplorable condition of the moor to
send missionaries to India, to furnish
church literature in foreign tongues.
For its many undertakings carried out
successfully and for the benefit of all
mankind it was a Society to be re-
yered The attention given to emil
grants was a feature worthy the best
efforts ola very strong society. Engaged
in such work was the Rev. Bridger, who
had made so many passages across the
ocean and trips over lands as the reli-
gious comforter of travellers leaving
old homes. The S. P. C. X. is the first
Society that thought of the necessity
of medical missionaries and that equip
ped them and sent them into the field.
The speaker would mention that one
such missionary was in attendance up