The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-04-29
Y, NJ, {, A, CELEBRATES ITS
TH|RTY-F|FT TIL ANNIVERSARY
Address OF the Evening Given by Judge tiighton
on christianity and Civilization. '---presi-
dent Days Remarks to the Boys.

out knowledge Of each other, similar
associations were founded, and, when
on April 6th 1869, as was stated by the
late J. B. Anterior, the honored citi-
zen whose death evoked the tenderest
feelings of the Hawaiian people, the
institution, now worldwide, was ex-
tended to the Hawaiian islands, no
man could have predicted the resist
less concentration of aids to the church
that would mark the early years of
the twentieth century.
Providential direction in the affairs
of men is perhaps the ultimate fact
to be discerned in history. Nowhere,
however, has it been more conspicuous
ly proved than in the records of Ha-
wall, in the orderly events that pre-
pared the way for Christianity and at
tended its establishment. You must
bear with me If, in illustrating this
part of my subject, I group together
a few dates and incidents.
THE RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE.
When Kamehameha l. died, May s,
1919. that great monarch had con-
solidated the islands under one gov
eminent. In the following October. the
suggestions of Vancouver and others
ripened into action. At one swoop, by
one edict, idolatry, not absolutely in
fact but legally, was destroyed, and
the field was open for the first Amer
lean missionaries, who arrived March
s1st, 1920, among whom the honored
names of Mr. and Mrs. Thurston and
DR.. and Mrs. Holman were included.
III the summer of 1871, the first Chris
tan church was erected, On August
21st, 1928, the Queen Mother, Keopua-
lani was buried with Christian cere-
monies. BY 1924, more than 1000 adult
natives had learned to read, and, if I
mistake not, the translation of the
Bible, or at least of the New Tesla
ment, into the Hawaiian tongue had
been finished, and an unusual thirst for
education had been manifested among
the masses, which has never relaxed,
but has made this territory, even with
its present educat ional facilities,
prominent center. There were political
controversies and some religious per-
secutions- Under decree of August Sth,
1929, duplicated substantially Deem
Der 18th, 1887, and an order for the
Punishment of its priests, April 2, 1881,
the Roman Catholic church was assail-
ed. But, on Dec. 8, 1927 stern laws were
enacted against murder, theft adultery,
gambling, and other vices and crimes,
and when in his fine inaugural of
March, 1888, King Kamehameha III.
epitomized his conclusions in the terse
phrase Very strong is the Kingdom
of God" the path was opened for the
Edict of Tolerations promulgated June
18th, 1889. From this date, and even
before this date, the moral and polit-
icai growth Of Hawaii was closely
analogized to the colonial history of
the communities, of which the United
States was formed. Religious, moral
and educational influences had prepar-
ed the natives for constitutional and
comparatively free government.
HAWAIIAN INDEPENDENCE.
On June 7th, 1889, ten days before
inevitable consequence, the Hawaiian
Declaration of Rights, was proclaimed,
which, like Magma Charta, the Bill of
Rights, and such portions of the
Declaration of independence as affect
ed all forms of government alike, rec
ognized those original possessions of
the human race that We're beyond usur-
patton, even under monarchical in
This Declaration was fol-
lowed by the First Constitution, which
became operative, October Sth 1S40
Two years later, the enlightened and
brave Kapiolani and four other chiefs