The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-12-01
A PREACHER CAUSES TALK MORMONS TO CELEBRATE
BECAUSE OF HIS THANKSGIVING
SERMON.
Liliuokalani Hears a Sermon Declaring
The Loss of Her Throne is the Special
Cause for Thanksgiving.

Rev Hamilton Lee acting rector of
the Second Congregation Of st. An
drew's has preached at least one ser
mon that may be said to have pro-
duced an effect. 1t has caused talk.
1t has been talked about.
1t was the sermon he preached
Thanksgiving Day at the union ser
vice Of the two congregations of the
cathedral, such a service as has not
been held before for years on account
of the strong feeling of antagonism
that exists between the First, or the
Bishops congregation, and the Second
congregation. The service was an
elaborate one, fully choral with an
augmented choir, and an orchestra in
addition to the pipe organ. The con-
gregation was a large one.
Rev. Lee chose his text from the
first lesson for the day, Deuteronomy,
Sic, when thou hast eaten and are
full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy
God for the good land which he hath
given thee" Throughout the sermon
and especially in the first part of it the
preacher dwelt on the fact that Hawaii
had been annexed to the United States,
the greatest nation on earth, and been
given a government better, and strong
er and more stable than it had ever
had before, as the special cause for
thanksgiving in these Islands. While
he was iterating and reiterating these
sentiments, the Ex-Queen Liliuoka-
lani with her brother-in-law A. S.
Cleghorn were sitting in the pew
nearest the pulpit and so close to the
preached that he could have reached
out and touched her shoulder. Cover
nor Dole sat in the pew just across the
aisle from the eX-queen. Near him
was British Consul Hoare, and in the
congregation were a number of British
subjects. But oblivious of their pres
ence the preacher continued his glori-
f1cation of America, declaring it the
greatest and best in the world, the mo-
del of all, and the exponent and prac-
tically the only true friend of liberty
and independence. Oblivious also was
he apparently of the large number OF
Hawaians and former royalst in the
audience, who, however philosophically
they may now have accepted anneXa-
tion. and however loyalty they may
have entered upon the duties and re-
sponsibilities of American citizenship
could hardly be expected to look or
annexation as the principal subject fol
public thanksgiving. Yet that was the
theme continually running through the
sermon.
At first, as Rev. Lee began his ser.
mon and gave expression to these
sentiments there were looks of sur.
prise exchanged between different ones
in the congregation. Then there were
whispered conversations, accompanied
by looks which gave clear indication OF
protest. People shuffied uneasily ir
their pews. Eyes We're directed at the
ex-queen. Here and there there were
movements as though people We're max.
ing up their minds to leave the church
though none actually did. And through
out the sermon there was evidence Of
uneasiness and repressed feeling. Aftel
the benediction and the clergy had re-
tired to the vestry, no one made &
move to leave the church until the eX
queen and Mr.. Cleghorn left their pew
which was very promptly after it was
Seemly to do so. At the church door
and in the little knots of people which
gathered at the adjacent street corners
waiting for the street cars, the one anC
principal theme of conversation wa!
the sermon and how it must have
sounded to the eX-queen. Some saiC
that during the sermon tears flowed
down her cheeks, as she sat in the
royal pew, the very front one of all
But if this were so, there was no trace
of them as she turned to leave thu
church and walked down the aisle, will
the grace and royal dignity with which
she always bears herself.
Much indignation has been expressed
that Rev. Lee should have chosen th'
treatment of his theme which he did
considering the very wide diversity o
political opinion which is known t
exist among the membership of thu
congregation present, the sentiment
that survive from the time of the over
throw and the fact that the eX-queel
was thereby in effect compelled to lis
ten to a sermon which declared al
plainly as could be that her loss of he
throne was the prime reason her forme
Deople had for publicly giving thank
TO God.