The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-06-15

tSermoh for Foreign Missions los Rev.
;. +. Bishop. ID. u. Central Union
Church. June IL. 1892
Isaiah. 52:T-"How beautiful upon
the mountains are the feet uf him
that bringeth good tidings of good.
that publisheth salvation. that saith
unto Zion, Thy God reigneth,
Such i the glory OF carrying 10 the
world Gods joyful message OF saliva
ton. Upon a beautiful and blessed
errand do those run who tell ignorant
men how the Father has sent his Son
Jesus To uplift the suffering and re-
deem the dying. They go to lii; the
unhappy nations up out OF foul pollu-
tons, hideous cruelties and dire dcs-
pair. They bring them into the glad
ness OF Gods love, into lives made
clean in His holy fear, into righteous
social order under Jesus sway.
Our King Jesus became incarnatc ON
earth To reign in Righteousness. to es-
tablish justice, to- become leader
and commander OF the peoples in
their assured progress to an unboundcd
well-being. So at Nazareth did Jesus
announce his Messianic mission: The
Spirit of the Lord God is upon me. be-
cause he hath anointed me to preach
the gospel TO the poor: He hath sent
me to- heal the broken-hearted to-
preach deliverance to the captives. and
recovering of sight TO the blind. to
set at liberty them that are bruised.
TO preach the acceptable year OF the
Lord" He was quoting Isaiah 6I:2.
This grand message of the Redeem
er has gradually won its way among
certain favored nations against enor-
nous obstacles. For nineteen cen
turtles the Gospel has strivcn with
men. Ii is now advancing with giant
strides. Just in the degree i'm which
the happier nations have come to
understand the lessons and practice
the ways of the Prophet OF Nazareth.
just to that degree have they respect
lively attained to wholly unpreCc-
dented height of intelligence. wcll-be-
ing and social order. Especially is
this true of the English-speakiug ma
tions. to which Hawaii belongs. IIa-
wall sits upon the very forefront OF
this Christian prosperity. So remark
ably located, so peculiarly favored i'm
the happy fruits OF ChriSt's religion. IL
is our superb privilege and majestic
duty tn take an eager and powerful
part with all his church in sending
forth messengers To- publish the saliva
ton OF our King. and 10 teach His
ways 70 all the dark and suffering
tribes Of men. This Is the work of
foreign missions. to- extend To- all the
nations that henefiCent reign OF Christ
which We enjoy.
What foreign mission aCcump-
-.
Let me personally bear testimony. 4
am getting to be one OF the older ka-
maainas in Hawaii. Indulge me then
in the old-settler's privilege while I
recount few vivid memories OF nigh
seventy years ago. II was back I'm 1890
and the following years. The Gospel
light had already scattered much of
Hawaiian darkness. Bingham and
Thurston had been preaching Christ
here for ten years. The leading chiefs
had humbly embraced the Gospel.
some. like the Regent Kaahumanu. the
Premier kalaimoku. and the sweet
Princess kapiolani. most t.nderly and
lovingly. How tearfully those princely
souls reioiced in tn. glad light and
purity, and shuddered at the noisome
pollutiOns OF the dark pile OF heathen-
ism which had been their wretched
abode.
Everywhere. too. the common people
were humbly listening TO instruction.
Large portions OF printed Scriptures
were already in their hands. But
they were still low in civilization and
debased in morals. No longe-. indeed.
were the sea ports universal brothels.
Yet the social morals OF the masses
We're still friEhtfully foul. And then n
majority OF the people were excessive
! ~ poor and often iamished. OF cloth
/ ing they were very destitute Great
numbers .s-e saturated with foul and
defacing disease. Before their stately
chiefs they crouched and crawled as
abject seVfs. They had no property.
save IT their lords Will. While not
! openly worshiprin= idols. they were
still in iron bondage 20 the demons 20
whose workings they attributed all
their siCkusSSeS. and 20 the priests oi
those demons who slew them by their
lsorceries. \ very few had learned 50
TO trust Jehovah Is - defy those cruel
wizards.
Except a few. sll the idols had been
destroyed. For some reason. a .rour
of five huge wooden gods had been left
standing on a hejau near Kamehame.
has old house in Kailua. How often
in early childhood I looked at the gro
tesqUely hidsous features OF those
horrescent idols. before whom so many
roasted human victims had sent VI
sacrifiCial fragrance. The horrors al
the old Hawaiian religion were vjsihly
embodied IN that grim cruelty OF as
peCt. You may now see IL in th'
Bishop Museum.
But before my memories began th'
blessed God Eternal OF holiness an,
mercy had been revealed to these ter
I