Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-02-09
Historical Sketch Of the Hawaiian Mission.

Paper read by Miss Clara Bieg last Sunday
evening in congregational church at Mis-
sion Seryice.l
In the year 1909 dark-skinned boy
was found weeping on the doorsteps
at Yale college His name was Henry
Obookiah and he came from the Sand
witch Islands. In civil war his faith
er and mother had been slain before
his ewes and when he fled with his in
FAINT brother on his back the child
was killed with spear and he was
taken prisoner.
Lonely and wretched, the poor boy
at the age of fourteen was glad to
come with Captain Britnell to New
Haven. He thirsted for instruction
and fingered about the college build
ings, hoping in some way to crafty
his desire. When at length all hope
died out he sat down and wept. The
Rev. Edwin w. Dwight, resident
graduate, found him there and kind
ly took him as pupil.
In the autumn of that year came
another graduate to New Haven for
the purpose of awakening the spirit
OF mlSSlOUS. III WAS odhuCA y AhAiA9'
Obookiah told Mills his simple story
how the people of Hawaii care very
bad; they pray to gods made of wood
and he longs .sto learn to read this
Bible and go back there and tell them
to pray to God up in heaven" Mills
wrote to Gordon Hall, ''What does
this mean, Brother Hall? Do you un-
derstand it? Shall he be sent back
unsupported to attempt to redeem his
countrymen?n Mills took Obookiah
to his own home in Tarringford and
thence to Andover, after which the
Young man found his way into the
Grammar school at Litchfeld, from
thence, 1917, to the Foreign Mission
school at Cornwall, Conn. About
this time he became acquainted with
Samuel Ruggles, who resolved to ac-
company him to his native island with
the gospel.
In the same vessel which brought
Obookiah to America came two other
Hawaiian lads, William Tennooe and
Thomas Hopu. After rowing lives
many years they became converted in
1915. Said Hopu after his conversion,
81 want my poor countrymen to know
about Christi These young men
had been the objects of much personal
interest in New Haven, and the fol-
lowing June meeting was called TO
discuss the project of Foreign Mis-
sion school An organization was
formed at the home of Pres. Dwight
three months before his death. Next
year the school was opened.
But Obookiah was never to carry
the gospel in person to his people
God had a wiser use for him. Nine
months after the school was opened
he closed consistent Christian life
with peaceful death. Being dead
he vet spoke with an emphasis and
eloquence that would never have
been given him in his life. This
touching story drew legacies from
the dying and tears, prayers, dona-
tions and conservation from the liv-
ing. His coming to America was a
wonderful thing. His mantle fell on
other shoulders. and in two years
more missionary band was ready fol
the Sandwich Islands-Hopu, Tennooe
and John Hon Gree, natives of the is
lands, Hiram Bingham and Asa
Thurston, young graduates of And
over, DIR. Thos. Holman, young
physician, Daniel Chamberlain, sub
stantial farmer, Samuel Whitney, me-
chanic and teacher, Samuel Ruggles,
a teacher, and Elisha Loomis, printer
and teacher, with their families. With
this company went also Geo. Tamoree.
who had been a wanderer fourteen
wears, to return to his father, king oil
Kauai.
On Saturday, the 23rd of October,
1919, a Christian assembly stood upon
Long Wharf and sang, 'Blest be the
tie that binds" There was a prayer
by DIR. Worcester, a farewell speech
by Hopu, song by the missionaries,
..When shall we all meet again?" and
a fourteen-oared barge swiftly convey
ed the little band from their weeping
friends to the brig ''Thaddeus" which
was to carry the destiny of the Ha-
waiian Islands.
The ten islands of the Hawaiian
group. an area somewhat less than
Massachusetts, were peopled by a
Well-10rmeu, MUSCULAR IdCC Win OlAHC
compilations and open countenances,
in The lowest stages of barbarism
They told the missionaries from a
once singularly healthy race. who form
erly died only of old age. the race was
rapidly wasting away by the desola-
tions of war, diseases, and vices in
PRODUCED by the sailors. Such was
the forbidding race on whom the mis-
sionaries were to try the power Of the
Cross.
Hopu called up his friend Ruggles
att o'clock on a moonlight night to
get the first glimpse Of Hawaii. and at
davbreak the snow-c capped peak Of
II luna Kea was in full view. A few
hours more and Hopu pointed out the
valley where he was born. He put oil
IN boat with others. On the return
as the boat nears the vessel. Hopu Is
seen swinging his hat in the air As