The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-08-14
WHERE NATIVE PEOPLE
SLEEP ON BEACH SINGLE

New Hymnbook--ln another month
we trust to have our pressroom ready
for use. Our first work in the print
ing line will be the publishing of our
enlarged and revised hymnbook. The
first books published in Nauru and is
very much in want of revising,
cat our last communion we added
three persons to the church and hap
tized fifteen infants. We have revised
our list of membership and find tina,
we had on July l, 1908, $50 members,
or sixty-eight less than on January /,
1907. Baptized children numbered 30s
July |, 1908, which is fifty-nine less
than on January /, 1907. Only one CT
these latter we have lost by its going
over to the Roman Catholics, while
eight came over to us from the
Romans. This decrease in our mem.
bership is due solely to the great death
rate in 1907.
Last month we inaugurated a Sab.
bath afternoon service at the main
station which has thus far been sue.
cess as perhaps 200 people attend it.
Two weeks ago we moved into our new
dwelling house and kitchen. Mrs. Della.
porte is now more comfortable. NV
study will be ready in another fort
night and the press room in about a
month.
| "The s. S. Christian Nicholson
which arrived few days ago from
/ Sydney brought the material for the
new church edifce. We shan't be able
to begin work for some time, however
but still hope to dedicate our new
house of worship about Christmas. The
needed rain has come and the island
looks fresh again.
sour new official, Mr.. Sigwanz ar.
rived some weeks ago, and has made
some new regulations already. Among
others the natives must pull down their
old houses and rebuild them higher
with platforms in them for sleeping
purposes. This is for us a welcome
order, as we have been working for
this for, years past. The people live
worse than our animals at home, es-
pecially in the rainy season. This is
one of the causes why we have so
I much asthma and dysentery. The peo-
pie, with but a single mat beneath
them, slept on the ground. How often
we had told them to make the aselves
platforms about two or three feet from
the ground so as not to be exposed
to the dampness. But they very naive
ly said that board or even bed was
hard to sleep on. Single, which they
pick up on the beach, is considered
softer and better to lay upon. This is
simply a matter of taste.
] "Mr. Channon, on his way to Ku
Nsaie, was our guest for. a week. He
! has not returned yet. We Just hear
that Mrs. Channon is not very well
while their youngest boy was also very
/ i'll, but is better again.
"In conclusion, permit us to thanh
the many friends who remembered III
with seeds. plants and soil when thu
IS. S. Orland returned to Nauru las
May. Many of these things hav,
been planted and we hope fol
very good results. We mixed the Ho
nolulu soil with Nauru phosphate ant
started vegetable garden with it
Many of the palms and other trees W.
planted in boxes and will replant then
later on. We shall if successful, dis
} tribute many of the young plant
among the natives. Perhaps new va
!. riety of trees can thus be introduced
: on the island
} Good bless you and Central Unjol
church abundantly. Please give tn
r officers and members of the church on
sincere Christian greetings"