The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-05-06
GLIMPSES OF THE LOCAL
EVANGELICAL MISSIONS

Worcester elegram:-There has been
received from Rev. Rowland B. Dodge
Of Hawaii, formerly of Worcester. and
son of Rev. John E. Dodge, who re-
turned not long ago from the same
missionary field, report of the doings
there.
'One of the most hopeful signs Of the
times among Hawaiian churches says
Mr.. Dodge, lis the growing prevalence
of the English language. This opens
to us a new and ever increasing respon-
sibility. Along our coast are decaying
Hawaiian churches. Young people are
growing up upon whom these churches
have lost their hold. They feel the
lack of instruction and leadership.
This will never be. given to them
through the Hawaiian language. The
emissaries of Mormonism and OF other
faiths are at work among them.
1.-The rapidity with which changes
forcing the use of the English tongue
are crowding upon us almost takes our
breath away. All over the islands de-
mands are multiplying for thorough
organization in aggressive work in the
only language common to all. In Ka-
hului very interesting solution of the
problem has been found by the erec-
OF all races gather into the only &C.
clesiastical organization in that busy.
seaport.
1.-THE crux of the situation is the
Fchild. In Honolulu there is the largest
constituency or Engnsh-speaking chill
dren
Zone of the most ir teresting organ
izations of young people in the terri
tory has just closed the first year of
its history. This is the Chinese stu
dents alliance of Hawaii, a branch OF
the worlds Chinese students federa-
ton, with branches in different coun-
tries at important educational centers,
and with headquarters at Shanghai
With a membership in Hawaii of over
so young ladies and gentlemen, filled
with earnest desire to improve them
selves and advance the cause of edu-
cation among their eountrymen, they
form a singularly attractive and inter-
esting body.
THE Chinese takes. his religion as he
does his work. You cannot hurry him.
Neither can you retard him. He is abb
soluteiy dependable. Though in church
membership he hardly held his own
last year, with a net loss of five he
led the whole territory in missionary
giving. The Chinese department re-
Gently has been very busy extending it's
field of operations so that we may ex-
pect to record a lager harvest II
months hence.
I'm the pastoral house to house Wis
its. there came to light many of the
serious causes of quarrels which had
rent the churches and had brought an
end to loving brotherly feeling and in
tercourse. We found alienation be-
tween former friends, family feuds. and
quarrels between fellow church mem
bers.
LET me say here that the most diff
cult and arduous of all the work that
comes to your touring evangelist is
reconciling those who have quarreled
and have long held grudges against
one another. 1t is only for the utmost
patience and loving perseverance that
SUCH can be won
'Our Portuguese pastors speak so
well for themselves that but a word
need be devoted to their work The
coming of 1925 Portuguese and more
than 22O0 Spanish immigrants has add
ed considerably to the possibilities of
influence welded by three devoted men,
The Spaniards seem far more ap-
proachable than was anticipated. Be
in xx-idn lx ;c1o Sc
not much can be attempted for them
with our force of workers. but the chill
dren will soon be in possession of Eng
fish and will form a most hopeful mis-
sionary objective.
I'VE might easily imagine we were
back in the stirring days of early mis-
sionary history when we see women
joining the men at Kanaio in making
a road through the lava tracts that
materials might be hauled for the re-
pairs of their church.
1.-The exercise of social intercourse |
among Hawaiians centers largely !
around religious festivals md church |
conferences. AT the present time, Sab
bath school reviews, accompanied by |
musical concerts, are the most popular |
form that social life assumes. These |
Sabbath school exhibitions of reviews |
usually take place at the time of the |
meeting of the semiannual island as
sociations.
These lessons are usually taken from |
the International Quarterly series, |
which are also translated into the Ha- |
waiian language and published in the |
the monthly Sunday school |
paper. These Rotations, with songs |
and hymns interspersed. are either in /
1,zl. re
school class is composed of the young
er children of the public school, the
recitation and singing is likely TO be in
h. La, -