Religions Miscellany,

No. 15.

"Say ye to the daughter of Zion, behold, thy salvation cometh."

CARLISLE, OCTOBER 31, 1823.

SANDWICH ISLANDS.

Vol. II.

Board: Great affection for you all,
dwelling together in America.
"This is my communication to you

all.

"We are now learning the palapala, (reading, writing, &c.) We have just seen, we have just now heard, the good work of Jehovah. We are much pleased with (or much do we desire or love) the good instruction of Jesus Christ. His alone is the good instruction for you and us, (that is, for all.) This recently is the first of our being enlightened. We have been compassionated by Jehovah. He has sent hither Mr. Bingham, and Mr. Thurston, and the whole company of teachers to reside here with us. Our islands are now becoming enlightened. Our hearts greatly rejoice in their good instructing of us. Greatly do our hearts rejoice in what Jehovah hath spoken to us. This part of my address is ended.

Mr. Daniel Chamberlain, late a member of the mission family at the Sandwich Islands, arrived at Boston, Aug, 21, with his family, in the brig Pearl, and brings intelligence of the prosperous state of the mission. The Rev. Mr. Ellis had arrived from the Society Islands to take up his permanent residence with our missionaries. Mr. Whitney, who went out as a teacher, had been licensed to preach the Gospel, and the arrival of the Thames was daily expected to bring a further accession of laborers. The natives are stated to be diligently learning the arts of civilized life. Bonnets, hats, gowns, shoes, stockings, &c. are becoming fashionable among them, some of which are manufactured by themselves. At Hana roorah, the capital of Woahoo island, a town estimated to contain 2000 souls, one fourth of the people including the king and several chiefs come out on the Sabbath to attend public worship. The following are extracts: The reasons for Mr. Chamberlain's return are briefly these: "The decline of his health, the difficulties in the way of his being useful as an agriculturalist, or in any way by his personal labor, and the exposure of his chil-was my casting them away, before dren to contaminating influence, against which it is almost impossible to guard. While the health of Mr. Chamberlain was good, he rendered essential service to the mission by superintending many of the domestic concerns, and notwithstanding the necessity of his leaving the mission, he is not less attached to it in feeling than ever." Letter from the King, composed and

written wholly by himself.

ОAHU, March 18, 1823. To the body of the American

"This another communication to you. You have heard perhaps before, but I will make it more clearly known, for your information; our gods in former times were wooden gods, even in the time of my father before me; but lately, in my time, I have cast away the wooden gods. Good indeed

the arriving here of Mr. Bingham, and Mr. Thurston, together with all the company of instructors.

}

"Our common Father hath loved you all. Benevolent also was Jesus Christ, that in speaking unto you, he should say unto you, "Go ye, teach all nations, proclaim the Good Word of Salvation." The ministers came hither, also to do good to us, and we have been exceeding glad. Moreover, at some future period, perhaps, we may possibly become truly good. We are now observing the Sacred

Day of the great God of heaven, the
Author of our salvation.

"Spontaneous was your love in your thinking of us, and in your sending hither, to this place. Had you not Bent hither the teachers extreme mental darkness would even now have pervaded all our islands. But no. You have kindly compassionate us; and the people of our few islands are becoming enlightened.

"Grateful affection to you all. May you and we be saved by Jehovah, and also by Jesus Christ our common Lord.

ТАМЕНАМЕНА

appeared, on a similar occasion. After a prayer was offere, a large procession, arranged by the American consul, Mr. Jones, moved to the chapel. Mr. Thurston and Mr. Bingham preceded the corpse, the king, chiefs, gentlemen, &c. following Probably not less than a thousand of the natives assembled in and about the house, and a sermon was preached by Mr. B. from Heb. ix, 27, 28, in the language of the country. Then in due order the procession returned to the fort, where the remains were decently interred'.'

King of Hawaii."ald It will be observed that the king signs his name Tamehameha. The reason is that in public documents he takes the name of his father.

On this scene the editor of the Herremarks:

The death of this young member of the king's family was attended by very different circumstances from those which wo ld have attended it, Interment of the king's half Sister. "Jan. 22, 1823. This morning the islands. In most of the islands in if Christianity had not visited those little half sister of the king and queen, the Pacific, human sacrifices are ofcalled Rauwai, died of the dropsy, and fered to avert death from any distinthey propose to have funeral services guished person. Many other sacriat the interment. Kaahumanu re-fices are resorted to, and self torture quested one of us to pray, "that the is inflicted. When death actually soul of the child might go up to heav-comes; the most lamentable howlings

en."

"24. The king, in a letter to us respecting the time of the interment has this singular remark: "This day perhaps may be the suitable time for giving the child to Christ." These two remarks forcibly remind us of the blind man, who under the restoring hand of Jesus, when his eyes began to be opened, "saw men as trees walking."

are set up; multitudes tear out their own hair, knock out their teeth, cut offa joint from one of their fingers, beat their heads with clubs, cut their faces, armis and breasts with sharp instruments, and indulge in the most abominable licentiousness.

"How different the scene,

when

the light of the gospel begins to shine. See the order the restraint, the res"In the afternoon, went down to pect, the decorum of Christian sociejoin the procession, at the house of ty. Who will not pray, that all deeds Karaimoku, where the corpse had of darkness and shame may speedily been dressed for the grave, and laid fly from every heathen country." into a decent cofin; and the king and principal chiefs, and distinguished women were assembled, all habited in mourning, much in the same manner as the same number of respectable men and women in North America, might be supposed to have

Many people, who read the scriptures with attention, seem to be more anxious to know who Melchizedec was, or what Paul's thorn in the flesh was, than to know what they must do to be saved. #1

Meeting of the A. B. C. F. M.

MEETING OF THE A, B. C. F. M.

227

A letter from William T. Money, Esq. and a letter from William Wil

The fourteenth annual meeting of the American Board of Commission-berforce. Esq. both members of the

ers for Foreign Missions was held at the Court house, in the city of Boston, September 17th, and 18th, 1823.

Present

The Hon. John Hooker, Hon. Stephen Van Rensselaer, L. L. D. Rev. Samuel Austin, D. D. Rev. Jedidiah Morse, D. D. Hon. Jonas Platt, Rev. Calvin Chapin, D. D. Hon. William Reed, Rev. Leonard Woods, D. D. Rev. Jeremiah Day, D. D. L. L. D. Rev. Henry Davis, D. D. Rev. John H Church, D. D. Rev. William Allen, D. D. Jeremiah Evarts, Esq. Hon. Sam. Hubbard, & Rev. Warren Fay. The Rev. Luther F. Dimmick took a seat as an Honorary Member.

The President of the Board having been removed by death, in the course of the year past, and the Rev. Dr. Lyman, the Vice President, though in the city for the purpose of attending, being detained from the meeting by bodily indisposition, the Hon. John Hooker pursuant to a by-law, took the chair.

British Parliament, were read, expressing the deep interest, which these gentlemen take in the Eastern Missions conducted by this Board: Whereupon,

Resolved: That the Board entertain a grateful sense of the very kind attention paid by William T. Money, Esq. to our Missionaries at Bombay; of the testimony he has promptly given to the wisdom of their measures, and the fidelity with which they prosecute their object, and of his readiness to afford every facility in his power to promote the full influence and ultimate success of the American mission; and that the corresponding Secretary be desired to communicate this resolution, with all due respect, to Mr. Money.

Resolved: That the thanks of this Board be presented by the Corresponding Secretary to William Wilberforce, Esq. for the deep interest he has taken in the objects of this Board; particularly in introducing the blessThe session was opened with pray-ings of the gospel in the East Indies; er by the Rev. Dr. Austin; and, on the second day, by the Rev. Dr. Davis. Mr. Evarts presented his Report as Treasurer for the month of September, 1822; and Henry Hill, Esq. as Treasurer for the remaining eleven months of the year, from Oct. 1, 1822 to Aug. 31, 1823; which reports, as examined and certified by the Auditor, were accepted.

and for what he has done and generously offers to do in future, for the attainment of these objects: and that the Board very sincerely reciprocate his wishes for a cordial union and cooperation in carrying forward the great schemes of benevolence, which have been devised and adopted in both countries for the conversion of the world.*

From these statements it appeared, *In the part of his letter, to which allusion that the receipts of the Board, dur-is here made, Mr Wilberforce says: “I can ing the year preceding Aug. 31, 1823, truly declare to you, that never can be emwere $56,808,94, and that the ex-teelings, than when 1 am oo operating with ployed in any manner more gratifying to my penditures were 866,379,75.

The Corresponding Secretary read the introduction to the Report of the Prudential Committee; and at several different times during the session, gave a verbal account of the missions under the direction of the Board.

my Christian brethren of the United States for the accomplishment of any common labor the institutions of both countries, for the of love.--It has been delightful to see, that purposes of Christian benevolence, have had the blessed effect, besides their direct objec of cementing the mutual attachment of all good men, on both sides of the Atlantic, towards each other,'

228

Meeting of the A. B. C. F. M.

The following officers of the Roard were chosen for the year ensui

viz.

The Rev. Joseph Lyman, D D. President;
The Hon John Corton Smith, L L D V. P.
The Hon. William Reed,

The Rev. Leonard Woods, D. D

Jeremiah Evarts. Esq

The Hon. Samuel Hubbard, and

The Rev Warten Fay,

Jeremiah Evarts, Esq Corres. Sec

Prudential

Committee

Mr Rufus Anderson, Assistant Secretary,
The Rev. Calvin Chapin, D. D Rec. Sec
Henry Hill Esq. Tre surer: and
Chester Adaos. Esq Anditor

The Rev. Edward D. Griffin, D. D. and the Rev. Heman Humphrey, D. D. of Massachusetts; S. V. S. Wilder, Esq. late of Paris, now of Massachusetts: the Rev. Bennet Tyler, D. D. of New-Hampshire; the Rev. Lyman Beecher, D. D. of Connecticut; the Rev. John H. Rice, D. D. of Virginia; and Edward A. Newton, Esc. of Calcutta, were unanimously

elected members of the Board.

charge of the duties of his office be ree from care and anxiety as to providin. the means of support for his family; and that the sum specified is no more than a suitable support.

A document was communicated to the Board, containing a statement of the clear profits of the Panoplist, and another document containing an account of the clear profits of the Missionary Herald for the years 1821 and 1822.

The Hon. Jonas Platt, the Rev. President Allen, and the Hon. John Hooker, were appointed a Committee to report on the avails of the Missionary Herald, and the application of those avails.

The Hon. William Reed, the Rev. Dr. Austin, and the Rev. President Davis, were appointed a committee to report the amount of compensation, which Jeremiah Evarts, ought to re

The Rev. Joshua Bates, D. D. was chosen preacher for the next annual meeting; and the Rev. Samuel Austin D. D. was chosen to preach in case of his failure.

Resolved:-That the appointment of an assistant Secretary, in the department of corresponding Secretary,

The Committee who were appoint-ceive for his services as Corresponded at the last annual meeting of the ing Secretary, and as Editor of the Board to report what sum, in their Missionary Herald. 'opinion, should be allowed the corresponding Secretary from the profits of the Missionary Herald, so that he should receive, in all, no more than a fair compensation for his whole time devoted to the concerns of the Board, reported, in substance, that in case one thousand dollars annually should be paid from the Treasury to the Cor-is necessary. responding Secretary, an additional At 7 o'clock in the evening of Wedsum of one thousand dollars should nesday, public worship was attended be allowed to the same officer, as Ed- at Park-street Church; and the anitor of the Missionary Herald, from nual sermon before the Board was the profits of that work. The report delivered by the Rev. President Day, was signed by Samuel H. Walley, from Nehemiah vi. 2, "And I sent Henry Gray, William Ropes, and messengers unto them, saying, I am Thomas Vose, Esqrs. (the Rev. Mr.doing a great work so that I cannot Dwight being absent from Boston come down: why should the work when it was drawn up,) and referred cease, whilst I leave it and come to a previous report of the same comdown to you?" mittee, in which the reasons of their decision were stated at large. The principal reasons were, in brief, that the Corresponding Secretary should, in order to the uninterrupted dis

When the Board met, on Thursday morning, the Rev. Drs. Morse, Austin, and Davis were appointed a committee to present the thanks of the Board to the Rev. Dr. Day for his