The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-12-11
MISSIONS PAST
AND PRESENT
Interesting Program at the
Meeting of Woman's
Board.

A glimpse of the pioneer missionary
days in Honolulu was given at the
meeting of the Woman's Board in
Central Union church yesterday after
noon, a number of young ladies pre-
senting in dramatic manner a sew
general assembly of missionaries in
Honolulu in 1889. The lines were the
actual words spoken at about that |
period by the missionary women, gath |
cred from diary and letter, being ar
ranged to make a consecutive whole
by James A. Wilder. Each incident
spoken of by the principals in the
caste was founded on fact, while added
interest was felt in the presentation
from the fact that the six young ladies
who took the part of the missionary
women were the grandchildren of the
ones they represented and wore their
grandmothers' gowns. These six young
ladies represented in themselves eight
of the early missionary families. Al
touch of brightness was added to the
scene by the appearance during the
sewing circle session of a Hawaiian
princess, with kahili bearers and hand
maidens, her entrance being announced
by the chanting of a Hawaiian song
by number of girls from the Kane
hameha school. The bright dresses of
the visiting Hawaiians and their leis
of yellow, red and green, contrasted
strangely with the sober browns and
grays of the missionary frocks.
Those who played a part in this his
torical reproduction were Misses Jessie
Shaw, Charlotte Hall, Ella Wight. Ag-
mes Alexander, Emma Lyons and Alice
Cooke, representing the ladies of the
missionary circle; Miss Flora Hollo-
way, representing the Premier of Ca
hu; Misses Anna Mundon, Anna Robin
son, Lahela Puahoi and Flora Kaai,
kahili bearers, and Misses Edna Ulu-
nahele and Maria Kalaialii, hand
maidens. The platform of the Sunday
school room, where the meeting was
held, was draped with Hawaiian mats
and palm leaves, the furniture used
being authentic relics of the period
portrayed.
Throughout the lines the hardships
experienced by the pioneers of the
Christian movement in these islands
were 'alternated by references to the
many brighter things of the same days.
The busy sewers told in a matter of
fact way of grating widowed flour to
make bread, of the hardship to the
feminine portion of the community Of
being behind the styles" Of Boston
and the aggravation of putting up with
the garments and cloths sent out from
New England in the missionary
boxes" Spending eighteen days on a
whale l-soaked schooner coming from
HiIo 70 Honolulu, hiring native pad
dlers with six yards of calico to take
party "all the way to Eva and
| back" the wild weed substitute for
I
around the Horn, the frilled shirts that
were made for His Majesty to keep
/ him in good humor and the. weary
monotony of the life led by the wife
of the missionaries stationed at isolat-
ed posts were brought out eleverly in
the dialogue, the busy impersonators
stitching as they chatted.
| The entrance of the pretty Hawai-
ian princess, escorted by her maidens
and the debate between her and the
white women over the refusal of some
bales of Chinese silk, brought as a gift
to her white sisters. were very pretty
scenes cleverly given.
The presentation of these scenes was
| watched with intense interest by a
very large number, the Sunday school
room being crowded and a large num-
| Der finding seats in the gallery. Be-
fore the entrance of the young ladies,
Mrs. Frear, who had the affair in
| charge and to whom much of the credit
is due, explained that there would be
no representation of any particular in
| dividuals on the part of the young
actresses. but simply a reproduction
of a scene founded upon actual Incl
dents. Following the serving of the
| 'CTlCkte-cIdCkt6 Ire2cIe, winch
| brought the imaginary curtain down,
| Mrs. Frear invited all who wished TO
examine the various relics on the plat
/ form and the costumes worn by the
/ young ladies.
MISSIONARY WORK TODAY.
In direct contrast to the historical
scenes and incidents, although on par
allel lines, was the simply told story
of her experiences of the near past in
the mission field by Mrs. Irving NJ.
Channon, wife of the Rev. l. NJ. Chan
non. who has spent the past seventeen
years in the Gilbert Islands and who
is now on her way with her husband
and children to Ocean Island to resume
her labors. Her quiet words intensified
the words of the little play that fol-
lowed. The grandchildren of the mis-
sionaries told of the hardships of get
ting their supplies of fresh water,
while outside the open door could be
seen japanese yardboy drenehing the
grassplot with water from the artesian
| springs. Mrs. Channon spoke of the
manner in which the fresh water for