The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-10-21

DR.. Henry NJ. Lyman, which Messrs
Mcclure & Co., of Chicago, published
same time ago, must take its place
amongst the very best books giving al
account of the early missionary life IL
these islands. 1t is the record not only
of personal observation, hut of the OBJ
servations of one who had the keenest
and most accurate powers of pereep-
tion. With this, he possessed a purity
and brilliancy Of diction, and sense
of humor which never degenerated into
ridicule, but is as refreshing as a trade
wind. He had a thorough appreciation
of the good missionaries, their lofty
aims, the noble devotion of their lives
and the high unselfshness of their
labor But this did not blind him to
incidents-trivial though they were
that were intensely funny, and which he
has here narrated with the skill of one
who knows the danger of Zone word
too much. -
There have never been written more
stirring accounts of the old missionary
days, the experiences of the sanity
Father Coan, the building of the church
at Hilo-the people lending their aid
as a labor of love; of his long journey
on foot to the isolated communities of
his great parish. There is nowhere, in
all the annals of missionary work, a
description more thrilling and eloquent
than this:
E'Once in three months Mr.. Coan re-
united them (the native converts) all
in an open air meeting for the cele-
bration of the Holy Communion. One
such occasion L remember-a glorious
summer morning without a cloud in
the sky The vast assembly, about
five thousand in number, sat on the
grass under the shade of cocoanut
of fresh water that lay behind the
beach, Before us rolled the
ocean, blue, unfathomable, mysterious,
eternal Behind us, in unclouded mag
nifeence, lowered the mountains, rising
above a world of verdure where sill
very streams and foaming cascades
glittered and sparkled in the sunshine
fit dwelling place for these joyous
children of the sea and sky. The call
of the leader rang out like clarion
over the congregation, and their sing |
ing was as the roar of many waters. |
Then, while the wind murmured sweet |
symphonies among the leaves in the
was bowed and the still, small voice of
prayer went up TO Heaven from that
host. Many noble churches
and lordly fanes have l entered since
that hour, and in many splendid cere-
monial have / shared; but never have
/ witnessed anything to compare with
the sublimity of that morning COM
munion on Hawaii -
There were, as has been intimated,
incidents of different nature, as when
two proud parents brought their son
to be baptized "Beelzebub,'' a name
that struck pleasantly upon their ear.
They were told that it was not one
which could be given in Christian bap-
tism. The crestfallen parents, who
rejected a variety of good
Biblical names, finally consoled them
selves with that of their pastor-"Mi- !
kalikeke ''-"Mr. Richards" to which ]
no tenable objection could be urged.
DR.. Lyman let it be understood that, |
while under peculiar stress, there may
have been enforced "plain living -
which was never squalid, thanks to {
thrifty New England housewifery in the +,
homes, there was unfailing !
high thinking" They were visited,
IN their isolation, from time to time
by men of distinction like Conthouy, 1
he conchologist, Pickering, the eth '
lologist, and Mr.. J. d. Dana, geologist &
If the famous exploring expedition I'M {
Ter command of Lieut.. Charles Wilkes, {
D.. s. N, which circumnavigated the l
ylobe in 1S39-40. II
The book abounds in graphic deserip-I
ions of personages who have been
prominent in one way and another in I
he early days, but who have little I
eality for the present generation. For I
example, Lord Paulet, who holds
,lace in Hawaiian history somewhat
parallel that assigned to Andre, else &
where, is graphically portrayed not as {
scowling ogre of man-which will I
De a surprise to many-but as "a {
pleasant looking young man, with i
fresh complexion, and short chestnut
hair curling all over his head-very |
lffable withal, calling upon the mission {
lries, Just like an American officer
would have done" He, however, I
the first agreeable i'm $
preston, by insisting upon the loan of !
IIr T.vmantS fayorife uuIe which he | =