The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-11-18
AN APOSTLE TO
THE GILOERTESE
MRS. HIRAM BINGHAM WHO GAVE
THEM THE GOSPEL AND A LIT
ERATURE PASSES AWAY.

Mrs. Hiram Bingham. wife OF the
Rev. Hiram Bingham. died last evening
at her residence 1899 Alexander street,
after an Illness from which she had
been a great sufferer for ten years. Her
failing health which was due 20 para
lysis agitaus was contracted through
the hardships she underwent i'm mis-
sionary work in the Gilbert Islands and
other parts of Micronesia. Last May
she suffered an attack of dengue fever
which greatly reduced her strength,
and since then she has been confined to
her bed e
Hiram Bingham is : son of that Hi
ram Bingham who preached the first
Christian sermon ever heard in Homo
lulu, and who organized Kawaiahao
church, and laid the corner stone and
largely built the present church edi-
fee
Mrs. Bingham was born at North
ampton, Mass, on October 10, 1884, and
received her education there. 1t was in
Massachusetts that she met the then
young Hiram Bingham, son of one OF
the earliest Hawaiian missionaries,
who was in the east receiving an edu-
cation preparatory to leading a life Of
religious activity in the South Pacific
Her marriage to Mr.. Bingham was SOL
/ emnized on November Is, 1856, only
| nine days after he had been ordained
minister. The young couple immedi-
/ ately made preparations for their trip
| to Hawaii and a couple of weeks after
{ the marriage were on board the brig
| Morning Star" the first missionary
vessel of that name, starting on a long
1 honeymoon voyage around Cape Horn
| to Hawaii and the islands of Microne-
! STA. They reached Honolulu on April
]
at Ponape, where an assembly of mis-
sionaries decided that the young couple
should take up their -dbors at Apiang.
They commenced their work at the lat
ter point on November Is, 1851, and the
| hardships they had to endure there for
many years, living on the food of the
South Seas and in quarters very unlike
a comfortable New England home, I'M
dermined the health of Mrs. Bingham
and also of the Rev. Mr.. Bingham.
Nearly half a century ago missionary
life in Micronesia was a very strenuous
undertaking. Sometime ago Mr.. Bing-
ham gave a brief account of some of
the happenings incident to lab lrs of
himself and wife in Micronesia from
the time that they settled at Apiang
one years work, contending with CHI
mate, bad food and other evils was
enough to break down Mr.. Bingham's
health, and he returned to Boston,
where he superintendent the building
of the second Morning Star"
When that vessel was built, he went
in command of her on another voyage
, to Micronesia until his health broke
down again and he came to Honolulu.
Here he remained for some time, re-
| turning to the Gilberts in 1868
The Gilbert Islands when Mr.. Bing-
ham first went there was a very unde-
sirable place. The inhabitants were
warlike and jealousies among the chiefs
excited constant wars. Some chiefs un-
der the influence of the missionaries
began to enact laws against theft,
murder and other crimes and We're try
ing to establish somewhat permanent
law and order This state of affairs
displeased rival chiefs and a great war
threatened. Z
The king of Apiang upon which ISL
and the missionary station was, joined
forces with the king of another island
and in Withdrawing his men left the
missionaries to the mercies of the at
| lacking forces which swarmed over
the island when the king and his men
had left. These people were utter saw
ages and during the several months of
their stay the lives of the missionaries
were never safe. The savages swarme !
about their houses and allowed them
selves all kinds of liberties. Mr.. Bing-
ham, his wife, Mahoe, native assist
, ant, and his wife, We're the only mis-
sionaries there and could do nothing.
One of their children died and was
buried at Apiang where they had built
a cottage. Called away sometime after
ward, Mr.. and Mrs. Bingham left their
home to the mercies of the natives. Or
their return they found the house torn
down and turned into proas or canoes
and the bones of their little one scat.
tered about the yard. Another son, Hi
ram Bingham, Jr., survived the vicis
STUDIES of early missionary life and is
now an instructor of history at Har-
ward.
Mrs. Bingham left work in the Gil
bert Islands that will endure for al
time. She became thoroughly acquaint-
ed with the Gilbert tongue and trans
lated number of works into that Ian
guage. She gave the Gilbertese a
Reading Book" "Old Testament Bible
Stories" Primary Geography" "Pri.
mary Arithmetic" and assisted Mr.
Bingham in translating the whole OF
the New Testament into the same Ian.
guage.
Mrs. Bingham has been a well known
member of Central Union church anC
also of the Woman's Board of Mission.
OF Central Union church and in re.
cent years very many sympathetic
messages have been sent to her by tht
Board regretting that her health die
not permit her to\attend the meetings
In addition to her husband, her sis,
ter-in-law, Mrs. Lydia, b. COan, was
present at the time she passed away
last evening.
The funeral will be held from the
Bingham home al 3 o'clock this after.
noon and the interment will be in tn,
old family lot of the Binghams i'm Ka,
waiahao Cemetery. The Rev. w. NJ
Kincaid will officiate.
BAND CONCERT.