The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-01-20
Aged Hawaiian Missionary to Whom
President Lincoln Gave
Valuable Watch.
Ills Relatives Say He is Insane---ilow KekeIa
Carried the Gospel Among South
Sea Cannibas.

There was a pitiable scene at the
police station yesterday. A white
haired, venerable Hawaiian was led in
and marched up to the station desk.
His brother-in-law preferred charge
Of insanity. saying that if they did not
give the old man money with which to
ride around in hacks he would become
very angry. A moment later the fol-
lowing appeared on the police bIotter:
s.Rev. James Kekela. supposed insane,
watch and chain
There was a scene when the turnkey
searched the old man and took away
the watch. Kekela would not give it
up until he was assured that it would
be safely cared for as he said: when
lose that I die
And there was good reason for the
Rev. James Kekela to prize that watch.
It was given to him many years ago
by Abraham Lincoln for saving an
American citizen from being eaten by
cannibals in the Marquesas Islands
Who is Kekela? Here is the story
OF his life:
In the little Sunday school conducted
years ago over beyond the Nuuanu
wa 10
waiian boy. His name was James Ke-
kala, and he grew. up with a. great de-
sire TO spread the tidings of the gospel
among the people of his own islands
and the benighted ones further south
thousands of miles away.
He studied hard and preached among
his brothers, finally, with a Reverend
tackled to his name, going out over the
sea on the hazardous task of carrying
the gospel to the cannibal natives of
the Marquesan group.
Attempts had repeatedly been made !
by white missionaries to institute !
friendly relations, but without avail, |
and the task had been given up. At
last an aged chief, drawing near to
death, sent to Hawaii for some one I
to come and explain the strange theory !
he had heard about, and Kekela went. |
He was received with courtesy by
few of the islanders, but there were
those who resented and were unfriend-
iy.
For years Kekela struggled to found
a little church among them, and when
he had succeeded the hostile ones thrsw
stones through his windows and re-
peatedly burned down his buildings.
AT one time they made an attack on his
-
his little band of followers. These
Kekela learned had been tortured to
death and their bodies cooked and eat
en- by the enemies of his church, and
the horror of it nearly drove him away,
but he struggled on and finally came
to be of some influence among them.
Those who did not believe ceased to
torment, at least, and tolerated his lit
tie church, but they We're cannibals
still. and were continually warning
among themselves. Kekela and his
flock were always in danger from the
warning factions, but they remained
and labored.
One day strange ship came to the
Islands and some of her crew landed.
From afar the natives had seen the i
ship. and they waited, hidden among :
the rocks and brush. The men were
taught in ambush. but they all escaped
10 their boats except one. The ship
was the American whaler Congress, ]
md the captive was William Whalen, =
irst officer.
The ship went out to a safe distance
Ind waited, for she could do nothing /
more. On the beach they saw the f
Preparations for the horrible doom of
heir comrade. All night a fire was q,
Kept up, and weird ceremonies were
'erformed. The captive, bound hand L
md foot, was cruelty tortured. the v
avages pulling his ears and nose,
ending back his thumbs, brandishing =,
heir knives over him and committing
Il manner of atrocities. The poor man L
ried out his agony and prayed for p