The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-12-02

Rev. James II. Kekela died yester-
day morning at his home on School
street after very short illness. He
was in his eighty-third year. The
funeral services were held at 4:3O in
the afternoon at Kawaiahao church.
James Kekela's religious training be-
gan in little Sunday School taught
by the father of Rev. Mr. Parker over
on the other side of Nuuanu Pail From
his earliest years II was his great am
bition to carry the tidings of the Cos
pei to the natives who inha bited the
other islands of the Pacific. For n
number of years he prepared himself
for the work by study and labor among
his own people. His first ministerial
service was as pastor of the Kahuku
church and while acting in that ca
pocity he was married to a Maui girl
who graduated from the Waikiki
Seminary. After few years of SER
vice as a pastor Mr.. Kekela was able
to realize his life ambition and sailed
for the Marquesas Islands accompanied
| by his devoted wife.
| IiSNious W the missionary uepuTl-
ure for the South Seas numerous at
tempts had been made to found a mis-
| sion on the Marquesas Islands but the
wild cannibals had resisted all at
tempts to civilize them but when the
old chief was nearing the end OF his
days he sent to Hawaii for some one
to tell him the story of the Saviour
| of which he had heard stories. He
welcomed Mr.. Kekela but many of the
people did not and II was over almost
insurmountable difficulties that the
| mission was finally established. At
one time the entire membership of the
| church aside from the preacher and
his wife We're killed and eaten by an
opposing faction of the natives.
During the year 1868 a pirate ship
called at the islands and carried Off
number of the natives including the
son of the chief, taking them to Peru
to be sold as slaves. This so angered
| the chief that he vowed that he would
kill and eat the first white man who
set foot on the islands. About year
afterwards in the early part of 1864.
an American ship appeared in the on
ing and, all unconscious of danger,
sent several boat loads of men ashore.
AS soon as they landed on the beach
the natives attacked them from am
bush and In the retreat one, the mate
was left behind. He was Immediately
dragged to the hut of the chief which
was located near the waters edge and
preparations were made for grand
luau.
The unfortunate captive was bound
to tree and made to suffer the most
excruciating torture while the natives
prepared the fire on which he was to
be roasted in the morning This proc
ess was carried on before his own
eyes and in sight of his companions
who were helpless on the ship. Mean
| while the missionary had learned of
the affair and came to beg for the life
of the man. The chief was obdurate,
however. The white men had killed
his people and he must have his ven
| geance. Finally after night of parley
the chief agreed that If Mr.. Kekela
would give him his new six-oared
whaleboat he would let the captive go.
This decision was received with great
dissatisfaction on the part of the other
natives who saw themselves deprived
of feast but the cupidty of their
ruler held Kekela to his bargain and
the boat was exchanged for the man.
Mr.. Kekela rowed the dazed man out
to the ship and when the sailors tried
to make him accompany them he
steadfastly refused and went back to
the work that he loved
Before the year was over another
American ship appeared in the offing
and when Mr.. Kekela went out to her
he was presented with a gold watch
and chain, a new boat and numerous
other articles, aggregating in value
some $500. These were the gifts of
President Lincoln to the man who had
saved the life of an American citizen.
The watch and chain were greatly
priced by Mr. Kekela as mementos or
the martyred President and were al
ways worn by him until the time OF
his death. The letter from the Presi-
dent thanking him for his act and ex-
tending an invitation to visit the
States was also souvenir highly
priced.
For fifty years Mr.. Kekela labored
among the Marquesans and then came
to Honolulu to spend his declining
years. For much of the time he has
been i'll but his last few years were
period of great activity for one of
his age. He left two sons who are
working among the Marquesans and
four daughters who reside in Homo
lulu.
1t is interesting to learn that the
cannibal chief who ordered the death
OF the American sailor was himself
shot in battle with some rebellious
subjects and met the same horrible
fate that he had designed for his white