Evening star., 1932-01-31
BINGHAM ANCESTOR
HAWAII MISSIONARY
Grandfather of Senator Was
First American Work
er There.
BY HIRAM BINGHAM,

united states Senator from connecticut.
My grandfather, Rev. Hiram Bing-
ham, was born in Bennington VT in
1888. He attended Middlebury College
ana Andover Theological Seminary He
Eas the first person to be commissioned
by the American Board Of Commis
slOnerS for Foreign Missions as mis-
Sionary to the Hawaiian Islands, then
called the Sandwich Islands
He was ordained in the beautiful
hill village Of Goshen, Conn, in 1919
AT that time he met a charming lady
named Sybll Moseley, accompanied her
to Hartford won her hand. and was
married two weeks later, Just before
sailing for Honolulu While they were
in Hartford their portraits we're paint
ed by S. F. B. Morse, inventor Of The
telegraph.
With several others they sailed from
Boston in the little brig ThaddeuS in
October, 1919. In 1920 my grand
father took up his residence in Homo
lulu, where he lived more than 20 years
as head Of the mission. The house
where my grandparents lived and where
my father was born Is still standing
in Honolulu and is known as the first
frame house to be constructed in Ha-
waii. 1t is annually visited by hum
dreds Of tourists, as is the great stone
church of which my grandfather was
the architect and which is sometimes
referred TO as the Westminster Abbey
of Hawaii because of its connection
with royalty.
Translated Bible.
MY grandfather aided in reducing the
Hawaiian language to writing, trans
lated part of the Bible, wrote many
hymns in Hawaiian and published a
hymn ans tune book in which te Ha-
waiianS received their first instruction
in modern music.
Most of the favOrite melodies. such as
"Aloha Oe" and "Ahi Wela," are Ha-
waiian variations of popular American
tunes of the older generation. The only
real musical instrument in the islands
in 1920 was the cello which my grand
father took with him and with which
he used to lead the singing in the great
congregation which soon gathered
around him in his church in Honolulu.
He rapidly acquired great influence
with the ruling chiefs and his advice
was sought in all important matters of
government. Under his recommended
ton such strict laws were passed as
greatly to irritate the visiting seamen.
Twice his life was in danger from the
attacks Of his own fellow citizens. who
resented his interference with their i'm
moral practices. On one occasion his
life was saved only by the quick action
of a Hawaiian, whose arm was brken
by the force of the blow which would
have crushed my grandfather's skull.
So great was his popularity with the
HaWaiians that he received from High
Chief BOki a gift Of a valuable piece of
land on the outskirts Of Honolulu, which
later he presented to the trustees of a
new school 1t is now the site of Puma
hou School. One Of the school build
ingS is named for him and there is an
appropriate monument on the grounds
recording the fact that he gave those
broad acres for the cause of education.
A beautiful hedge Of nlght-blooming
cereus which has been admired annu-
ally for so many years by countless
thousands was originally planted by
my grandmother When her health
failed and they were obliged to leave
Honolulu thousands of Hawaiians came
down to the shore and with Wailing and
lamentations, wading and swimming,
accompanied their departing beloved
friends out Of the harbor.
Published Book.
Upon returning to the United States,
my grandfather published a book en-
titled "A Residence of TWenty-One
Years in the Sandwich Islands" 1t
long been a standard history of that
period.
When my father returned to the
land Of his birth in 1857, he was urged
by the Hawaiians. who still revered his
fathers memory, to become the pastor
of the great church, which had been
founded in 1920. However, he felt that
his duty was to the South Sea Islands,
but he always retained the greatest
affection for the Hawaiian race and
spent the last 80 years Of his life in
Honolulu
There has never been any antipathy
between the Hawaiian race and the
Caucasian race. Until a year or two
ago crimes Of violence were far less
common in Hawaii than in most States
of the Union It is my sincere hope
and belief that with the changes in
laws which are now in process of being
worked out by the Territorial Legisla-
ture, aided by the Department of JUS
tice, we may soon see a return to that
social tranquility which for more than
q hundred years characterized the land
which my grandfather did so much to
help.
(Copyright. 1882 by the North American
Newspaper Alliance, Inc)