FOREWORD

As heralds of those temples not made with hands, our early Hawaiian churches are no unworthy followers of their New England prototypes, products though they are of an isolated and primitive people. Overlaid in no spot with the magnificence of the gold and flowered carvings of Solomon's great temple, they yet vie in no uncertain terms, in their spiritual design, with the glory and aspiration of even their Gothic predecessors, laid up, as were those inimitable European temples, stone on stone, by the loving hands of a devoted people.

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EARLY HAWAIIAN CHURCHES
And Their Manner of Building

Having landed in Honolulu on Tuesday, April 19th, the little mission band of ten, with the five Chamberlain children, bravely began housekeeping in thatched huts, destitute of chairs and dishes, and with very little furniture of any kind. Far more important in their eyes, however, was the arrival of the first Sabbath, which they celebrated in their thatched home.

April 24, 1820:

Soon the Sabbath morning sun, having always a peculiar charm, rose upon us in unusual splendor, and arrangements were made for the public worship of Jehovah, whose claims we came to present.

With what comfort and courage did we seize on the opportunity afforded us, to bring to the notice of the people the sacred day of God, and on the first Sabbath that dawned on us in our new abode, to announce to those, who, both native and foreign, assembled at our call, the general object of our mission, adopting the language of the heavenly messenger to the shepherds of Judea: "Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."

The theme, the occasion, the cheering prospect of success, the dawning light of a brighter day, the Sabbath songs of Zion, now beginning here, and the momentous announcement, as from Heaven, of the glad news of salvation to our race, now first reaching the inhabitants of this dark heathen isle, inspired our souls with new ardor and joyousness. He who was born in the city of David, a Savior, favored us with his presence, in fulfillment of his promise to the propagators of his Gospel, "Lo, I am with you always."

April 19, 1821:

The first anniversary of our landing at Honolulu—the 19th of April—was observed as a day of thanksgiving and prayer, as it has often been since, by an examination of schools on Oahu, and review of our progress. Our Sabbath congregation soon increased, prejudices yielded, and a more friendly aspect was assumed by the chiefs.

For upwards of fourteen months, public worship had been held in the school-room, a section of one of the primitive mission houses. The first Kawaiahao church, the first church edifice in Hawaii, therefore became the home of the church body organized in the vestry of Park Street Church, Boston, on October 17th, 1819, and transplanted by means of the Thaddeus.

Within two months from our first anniversary, our place of worship was quite too strait for us, and on the 25th of June, 1821, a subscription was opened for a church, to which chiefs and foreigners subscribed. An amount sufficient for a frail, thatched house of worship, fifty-four feet by twenty-one, was soon obtained, and the work of building it by native hands hired for the service, was in a few months accomplished. Plain doors, a pulpit window and a decent pulpit, surmounted with astral lamps, were added by foreign workmen, which, though cheap and rude, were adapted to the cheap, frail building, and gave it somewhat the air of a house of God.

On the 15th of September, Mr. Thurston preached the dedication sermon from the words, "And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and

AN EARLY HONOLULU CHURCH
Possibly the first Kawaiahao building

the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.'' The next day, the public services of the Sabbath were performed and highly enjoyed in the new sanctuary.

January, 1822:

* * * It was needful for the missionaries to go out on Saturday, and apprise the people and their leaders who were accessible, that the morrow would be the sacred day of Jehovah, and invite them to attend his worship.

On the Sabbath, January 20th, about sixty natives, including Cox Keeau-moku and Adams Kuakini, and some fifty foreigners, attended public worship, and listened to the story of redeeming love in two languages, the English being forcibly interpreted by Thomas Hopu.

Having decided to take up her royal residence at Lahaina, Maui, Queen Dowager Keopuolani asked for a missionary to ''speak the good word and pray with her. Messrs. Stewart and Richards were assigned to the post.'' Embarked on ''Cleopatra's Barge'' or the ''Pride of Hawaii,'' a goodly company set forth.

June 1, 1823:

On the morrow after their debarkation at Lahaina, the queen, the young princess, Kalanimoku and other chiefs, and their attendants and others, amounting to some hundreds, assembled for worship in the open air. The brethren with Taua, a Tahitian teacher, attended with them, delighted with the privilege of erecting a public altar there under circumstances so encouraging, which they wished their Christian friends could have witnessed, on that interesting Sabbath.

Kalanimoku soon offered them a site for building. A few cultivated patches were given them to aid their maintenance, and fresh provisions, fruits,

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["Missionary Preaching to the Natives Under Screen of Platted Cocoaanut Leaves at Kairua.", "From 'A Tour Through Hawaii,' by Rev. William Ellis", "fowls, pigs, etc., were occasionally sent them by the queen mother. * * *", "* * * Two houses, in Hawaiian style, each twenty-three feet by fifteen, were soon built for them by the natives; and within a month of their landing there, a temporary house for public worship was commenced by Kalanimoku, Keopuolani, and Keoua, the acting governor of Maui. Their dependants being called out to do this work, performed it with apparent cheerfulness and good will, as a far more happy service than the building of temples for heathen gods; and among the chattering laborers were often heard the short emphatic phrases, ‘Ka hale o ke Akua—ka hale pule—maikai—maikai nui’ (The house of God—the house of prayer—good, very good). Kalanimoku, during his short stay, continued his efforts already happily begun. He said to the missionaries, ‘I am growing old. My eyes are already dim. I may soon be blind. I must learn in haste, or I shall never know the right way. I greatly desire to be like Keopuolani and Opukahaia. Come, therefore, to my house daily and teach me, for soon my eyes will see no more.’ * * *", "* * * The new church being erected within three months from the location of the missionaries there, preparations were immediately made for dedicating it. It was of moderate dimensions, of ordinary structure, and frail material; but in its spiritual design, it was not inferior to the most costly and superb churches of Christendom.", "Most of the nobility favorable to the mission, chiefly the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of King Kekaulike, assembled with the people, August 24th, to dedicate this humble temple to Jehovah. The dedication sermon was founded on the language of the devout and admiring patriarch awakening from his delightful vision of angels ascending and descending between earth and heaven—‘This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of Heaven.’ We sang Tappan’s Ode, ‘Wake, Isles of the South,’ and a Jubilee hymn.", "House of the person, and tomorrow, Keeaularship, being Kewaunee, and Kewaiuwa, and Kewaiuwa, and Kewaiu

I had never more freedom or pleasure in attempting to address the throne of grace in the unaccustomed accents of the Hawaiian language, than in offering the dedicatory prayer in opening this house of worship. The high chiefs and others appeared to take pleasure in the solemn service. 'Seldom,' said the resident missionaries, 'have we seen a house filled with a more crowded and interesting audience,' and our hope was, that many an audience equally attentive and interesting, might, on these long-neglected shores, listen to the joyful sound of salvation.

Entitled: 'View of the Royal Murai in the Bay Ti-utatua (Kailua), on the Island of Owhyhee (Hawaii), near which the Queen Kahumanna is walking with her daughter.' From the Voyage of Discovery by the Russian navigator Kotzebue, who visited Kamehameha and his queens in 1815. It was such temples as this that were destroyed in 1819 by order of Kaahumanu after she became queen regent.

The station at Kailua, Hawaii, had been abandoned temporarily owing to the departure of the king for Honolulu in the summer of 1820. Mr. and Mrs. Thurston, left alone in the field, had likewise repaired to Honolulu for counsel and further guidance.

On the arrival of the first reinforcements to the mission, in 1823, measures were taken for the re-occupancy of the station at Kailua. Kuakini, the governor, residing there, had been encouraged by the missionaries to expect it, and had commendably exerted himself to prepare the way for it, by keeping up a school and erecting a house of worship. Mr. and Mrs. Thurston, having waited for new helpers to be associated with them in resuming their labors there, found them especially to their choice in Mr. and Mrs. Bishop, and preceding them a little, embarked from Honolulu, October 24th, 1823. They, with their two children, Persis and Lucy, were accompanied to the waterside by their fellow missionaries, where, after the little company had joined in a hymn

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and prayer, they set sail with mingled emotions, to rear anew the standard of the cross at the important spot which they had for a time been called to leave.

In a crowded vessel of the natives they reached Lahaina on the fourth day. Here they tarried about a week. Mr. Thurston preached several times to full and attentive congregations. Refreshed by Christian intercourse, and encouraged by what appeared to be the Lord's doings there, they passed on to Kailua, where, on the second day, they arrived in safety and were kindly received.

Liholiho, arriving by another vessel, on what proved to be his last visit to that place, landed simultaneously with the missionary.

As the king appeared on the beach, says Mr. Thurston:—

“The assembled multitude of subjects commenced a wailing. The king stepped from his boat, advanced a few steps, and standing in the centre of the circle, lifted up his voice for nearly twenty minutes, wailing with the multitude in the cry of aloha. Well might emotions of tenderness take possession of his heart, on returning to witness the scenes of his childhood and youth, and the house sacred to the remains of his venerated father, who, with all his power and greatness, had no better god to worship than the neglected idol, which still stands, and is now hooted at by the passing boy as a senseless block.”

After a repast ordered by Mr. Young, and an interview with the king, he says:

“The next day, the governor furnished us, for our present accommodation, with a large house, which had been built and occupied by Kaahumanu. He also offered the use of one of his sail-boats, and men to assist in removing our effects from the vessel.

“Thus have I been called to return, and again to sit down on this barren spot, where the first seven months of my missionary course were spent, where I labored and where I wept. But with all its rudeness and barrenness, it is a most interesting field for missionary exertion. Within thirty miles of this place, there are not less than 20,000 inhabitants who live clustered in villages. In this village there are about 3000 inhabitants.

“This place is the permanent residence of the governor. He daily takes and coffee at his own table, is fast rising in civilized habits, and speaks the English language intelligibly. He has lately purchased a framed house, brought from America. This house adds much to the appearance of his establishment, which he has been enclosing with a wall ten or twelve feet high, and about the same in thickness.”

While providing and ramparting a ceiled house for himself, the governor had been equally prompt in erecting a church, sixty feet by thirty, in advance of the missionary, and enclosing it with the ruins of a heathen temple. Of its completion and dedication, Mr. Thurston thus writes to the Secretary of the Board:

“As erected by a heathen ruler on heathen ground, encircled by the ruins of a fallen Heiau, where so lately were offered human victims, it wants neither gold nor carved work to induce the benevolent mind to contemplate it with interest. There may the mighty God vouchsafe his presence and repenting sinners give joy to angels. During one month after reaching this place, public services were attended on the Sabbath beneath the shade of some *kou* trees in the king's yard. But the house being completed December 10th, the chiefs and people of Kailua assembled for the solemn services of dedication. These were commenced by reading a part of Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple translated into the Hawaiian language. We then sang the Jubilee Hymn, 'Pupuhi i kapu oukou.' 'Blow ye the trumpet.' I preached a sermon on this occasion from Haggai 1:7, 8: 'Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Consider

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your ways. Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the house, and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.'

Eight weeks later he had the happiness to say:

‘The congregations which usually assemble are from six hundred to one thousand, who listen with a good degree of seriousness. During the past two months, by the particular request of the governor, either Thomas or myself has conducted family worship at his house, morning and evening. This practice has also been introduced into the families of other inferior chiefs. During seasons of public worship, one woman of considerable distinction, whose head is silvered with age, is ever seen sitting on the mat, leaning on the end of the foremost form, seemingly regardless of everything but what falls from the mouth of the speaker. We have had several interviews with her. She called on us one evening after meeting, expressing, with much feeling, her desire to know and worship God aright, before going to the grave. Hopu taught her a short prayer, which she and her train repeated till fixed in their minds, and then returned home, repeating it as they passed along.

‘Kapiolani, Naihe, and their train, have several times come sixteen miles from Kaawaloa to this place, for the sake of hearing the Gospel. Ever since missionaries arrived, Kapiolani has constantly been situated near them, and for nearly two years has listened to the words of eternal life in her own language. In consequence of her being separated from the other chiefs, Kalani-moku asked her, by letter, if she was not **lonely**. The purport of her reply was ‘Lonely! No. If I am separated from my friends, here is God; and with him I have communion. Besides, on these shores, there are two gates of Heaven (alluding to this meeting house and the one they are building at Kaawaloa), in consequence of which blessings will descend.’

The inauguration of work at Hilo.

It was now time to occupy a new post on the largest island of the group. The wide and open field in the eastern part of Hawaii having been carefully explored by the missionaries, and found to present peculiar claims, the mission took a station there in the early part of 1824. To accomplish this at some sacrifice, Mr. and Mrs. Ruggles, freely leaving Kauai, where they had happily labored three years, and Mr. and Mrs. Goodrich, of the reinforcement, were associated and employed to commence the new station at Waiakea, central for the large districts of Hilo and Puna, which extend along the seaboard about eighty miles. They embarked from Honolulu about the middle of January, on board the schooner Waterwitch, a vessel of thirty tons, owned by J. Hunnewell, Esq., who kindly volunteered to accompany them, and navigate the vessel for them. They were accompanied by Dr. and Mrs. Blatchley, for a temporary stay, by Messrs. Ellis and Levi Chamberlain, on a missionary excursion, and Mr. and Mrs. Ely, bound to Kona. The little schooner, deep, full, and overflowing, accomplished the passage to Hilo in ten days, being nine days at sea. On their way, they touched and spent the Sabbath at Lahaina, where Mr. Ellis preached to a great concourse, and were encouraged by decisive evidence of progress.

Passing to the eastward of Maui, and along the northeast part of Hawaii, they anchored in Hilo bay about sunset, and landed before dark with a few necessary articles. They at once prepared their lodging in a large thatched building, seventy feet by thirty, designed as a shelter for canoes, timber, and other articles, and, by order of the chiefs at Oahu, appropriated to their use. It was without floor, partitions, or windows; and though the canoes

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HAILI CHURCH, HILO, HAWAII, 1859
The age of wood succeeds the primitive ages of thatch and of stone.

were removed, a large pile of long timber still occupied the central part of the building, near the rude posts that supported the ridge-pole. Ushered into this new missionary **mansion**, Saturday night, they were allowed to take care of themselves as well as they could. With a little salt pork, ship bread, and tea from the vessel, **kalo** and potatoes, and a single fowl procured of the natives on shore, a supper was soon prepared for the company of seventeen. The cooking was performed at a little fire kindled on the ground between the pile of timber on one side, and midway between the two extremes of the house. Around this Mrs. Ruggles and her native domestics, moving in the light of the fire and a taper—a light insufficient to dispel the darkness from the immense building—reminded the spectator at the wide entrance, of the tales of earlier times. On the other side, the rest of the company engaged in bringing in and putting up bedsteads, and cloth or mat partitions for their

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sleeping apartments. For their missionary table, two long, rough boards were brought from the vessel and put up, one end resting on the central pile of timber, and the other on boxes. Around this, when spread with their frugal fare, the company, with sharpened appetite, after the abstemiousness and privations attending their voyage, cheerfully gathered, and with a peculiar zest, enjoyed their evening repast, reserving a portion for breakfast.

The next day, the duties of preaching and public worship engaged their attention. To favor this, Kaahumanu had offered the use of another building, of similar structure. It was well filled by the people and missionary company, to whom Mr. Ellis preached. In the midst of the service, a large pet hog, black and fat, asserting equal or superior right to occupancy, marched in, swinging her head armed with huge tusks. The native crowd, not daring to resist her, gave way, forcing the preacher and his friends from their position. The murmurs of surprise and apprehension among the natives rose to boisterous shouting, and the congregation, retreating through the great doors at each end, left the hall of audience to the persecuting beast, whose rights were regarded, by high and low, as superior to those of the people, having been tabued, and often fed from the mouth of a native. Her feeder, more bold or skilful than the rest, approached the animal, and by repeated gentle passes of the fingers on her bristly back, composed her to a sort of mesmeric sleep, more easily than leviathan is tamed. The congregation then resumed their places, and the preacher was allowed to finish his discourse. This hog was a tabu pet of Queen Kaahumanu, and bore her name. * * *

* * * There was now no trustworthy chief or influential head man resident at Hilo. The intercourse, moreover, between Hilo and the other stations, to say nothing of other parts of the world, was difficult and unfrequent. Nor was there, besides the missionaries, a civilized family on that side of the mountains, or anywhere much short of a hundred miles; and but one or two on the island; and the rough country between them could, for the most part, be travelled only on foot.

But dark and forbidding as Hilo was at that time, schools were commenced; native teachers, from other districts, came to their help; and chiefs, instructed at other stations, favored their efforts. In two months, a house was erected for the families, by order of Kalanimoku, and a church, the ninth erected in the islands, during our first four years' labor, was soon finished in the frail Hawaiian style, and the Gospel made known; and in a few years, a new face of things appeared, and from these small beginnings the work there has gone forward like a river.

At Kealakekua, near the landing of Captain Cook, Princess Kapiolani and her husband Naihe had their residence. The word Kealakekua means "the pathway of the gods."

Naihe and Kapiolani frequently sent a boat or canoe, on Saturday, to Kailua, some fifteen miles, to bring a missionary to preach to them on the Sabbath, and again on Monday to carry him back. So strong was the desire of these chiefs and their coadjutors to have the Gospel preached to them and their people, that they built a convenient house of worship, sixty feet by thirty, and continued their importunate request, to the mission, for a preacher. Meantime, the missionary on his visits preached to attentive congregations,

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