make the young men around him laugh during prayer, he fell as senseless
as a log upon the ground and was carried out of the house. It was some
time before his consciousness could be restored. He became sober,
confessed his sins, and in due time united with the church.
Similar manifestations were seen in other places, but everywhere the
people were warned against hypocrisy, and against trusting in such
demonstrations. They were told that the Lord looks at the heart, and
that “repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus” were the
unchangeable conditions of pardon and salvation, and that their future
lives of obedience or of disobedience would prove or disprove their
spiritual life, as “The tree is known by its fruit.”
[Sidenote: _Volcanic Waves._]
But God visited the people in judgment as well as in mercy. On the 7th
of November, 1837, at the hour of evening prayers, we were startled by
a heavy thud, and a sudden jar of the earth. The sound was like the
fall of some vast body upon the beach, and in a few seconds a noise
of mingled voices rising for a mile along the shore thrilled us like
the wail of doom. Instantly this was followed by a like wail from
all the native houses around us. I immediately ran down to the sea,
where a scene of wild ruin was spread out before me. The sea, moved
by an unseen hand, had all on a sudden risen in a gigantic wave, and
this wave, rushing in with the speed of a race-horse, had fallen upon
the shore, sweeping everything not more than fifteen or twenty feet
above high-water mark into indiscriminate ruin. Houses, furniture,
calabashes, fuel, timber, canoes, food, clothing, everything floated
wild upon the flood. About two hundred people, from the old man and
woman of three-score years and ten, to the new-born infant, stripped of
their earthly all, were struggling in the tumultuous waves. So sudden
and unexpected was the catastrophe, that the people along the shore
were literally “eating and drinking,” and they “knew not, until the
flood came and swept them all away.” The harbor was full of strugglers
calling for help, while frantic parents and children, wives and
husbands ran to and fro along the beach, calling for their lost ones.
As wave after wave came in and retired, the strugglers were brought
near the shore, where the more vigorous landed with desperate efforts
and the weaker and exhausted were carried back upon the retreating
wave, some to sink and rise no more till the noise of judgment wakes
them. Twelve individuals were picked up while drifting out of the
bay by the boats of the _Admiral Cockburn_, an English whaler then
in port. For a time the captain of the ship feared the loss of his
vessel, but as the oscillating waves grew weaker and weaker, he lowered
all his boats and went in search of those who were floating off upon
the current. Had this catastrophe occurred at midnight when all were
asleep, hundreds of lives would undoubtedly have been lost. Through the
great mercy of God, only thirteen were drowned.
This event, falling as it did like a bolt of thunder from a clear sky,
greatly impressed the people. It was as the voice of God speaking to
them out of heaven, “Be ye also ready.”
Day after day we buried the dead, as they were found washed up upon
the beach, or thrown upon the rocky shores far from the harbor. We
fed, comforted, and clothed the living, and God brought light out of
darkness, joy out of grief, and life out of death. Our meetings were
more and more crowded, and hopeful converts were multiplied.
[Sidenote: _The English Captain._]
Even the English captain, who spent his nights in our family, and his
intelligent and courteous clerk, professed to give themselves to the
Lord while with us, and both kneeling with us at the family altar,
silently united in our morning and evening devotions, or cheerfully
led in prayer. The captain was a large and powerful man, bronzed by
wind and wave and scorching sun. He had been long upon the deep, had
suffered shipwreck, had been unable to reach his London home for more
than three years, and had been given up as dead by all his friends.
Under this belief his wife had married another, when he surprised her
by his return, and she gave him joy by returning to him. He gave us an
interesting account of his eventful life, and confessed that he had
enjoyed very few religious privileges and had thought little of God or
the salvation of his soul. He now accepted the offer of life through
Christ, with the spirit of a little child.
On returning to the ship he immediately told his officers and crew that
he should drink no more intoxicants, swear no more, and chase whales no
more on the Lord’s day, but, on the contrary, observe the Sabbath and
have religious services on that holy day.
Though thousands professed to have passed from death unto life during
the years 1836-7, only a small proportion of these had been received
into the church. The largest numbers were gathered in during 1838-9.
I had kept a faithful note-book in my pocket, and in all my personal
conversations with the people, by night and by day, at home and in
my oft-repeated tours, I had noted down, unobserved, the names of
individuals apparently sincere and true converts. Over these persons
I kept watch, though unconsciously to themselves; and thus their life
and conversation were made the subjects of vigilant observation. After
the lapse of three, six, nine, or twelve months, as the case might be,
selections were made from the list of names for examination. Some were
found to have gone back to their old sins; others were stupid, or gave
but doubtful evidence of conversion, while many had stood fast and run
well. Most of those who seemed hopefully converted spent several months
at the central station before their union with the church. Here they
were watched over and instructed from week to week and from day to day,
with anxious and unceasing care. They were sifted and re-sifted with
scrutiny, and with every effort to take the precious from the vile.
The church and the world, friends and enemies, were called upon and
solemnly charged to testify, without concealment or palliation, if they
knew aught against any of the candidates.
[Sidenote: _The Ingathering._]
From my pocket list of about three thousand, 1,705 were selected to
be baptized and received to the communion of the church on the first
Sabbath of July, 1838. The selection was made, not because a thousand
and more of others were to be rejected, or that a large proportion of
them did not appear as well as those received, but because the numbers
were too large for our faith, and might stagger the faith of others.
The admission of many was deferred for the more full development of
their character, while they were to be watched over, guided, and fed as
sheep of the Great Shepherd.
The 1,705 persons selected had all been gathered at the station some
time before the day appointed for their reception. They had been
divided into classes, according to the villages whence they came, and
put in charge of class leaders, who were instructed to watch over and
teach them.
The memorable morning came arrayed in glory. A purer sky, a brighter
sun, a serener atmosphere, a more silvery sea, and a more brilliant and
charming landscape could not be desired. The very heavens over us and
the earth around us seemed to smile. The hour came; during the time
of preparation the house was kept clear of all but the actors. With
the roll in hand, the leaders of the classes were called in with their
companies of candidates in the order of all the villages; first of Hilo
district, then of Puna, and last of Kau. From my roll the names in the
first class were called one by one, and I saw each individual seated
against the wall, and so of the second, and thus on until the first
row was formed. Thus, row after row was extended the whole length of
the house, leaving spaces for one to pass between these lines. After
every name had been called, and every individual recognized and seated,
all the former members of the church were called in and seated on the
opposite side of the building, and the remaining space given to as many
as could be seated.
All being thus prepared, we had singing and prayer, then a word of
explanation on the rite of baptism, with exhortation. After this with a
basin of water, I passed back and forth between the lines, sprinkling
each individual until all were baptized. Standing in the center of the
congregation of the baptized, I pronounced the words, “I baptize you
all into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Amen.”
The scene was one of solemn and tender interest, surpassing anything of
the kind I had ever witnessed. All heads were bowed, and tears fell.
All was hushed except sobs and breathing.
The nature of the Lord’s supper and the reasons for its observance
were then explained, and the bread and cup distributed among the
communicants.
This was a day long to be remembered. Its impressions were deep,
tender, and abiding; and up to the present time, the surviving veterans
of that period look back to it as the _day of days_ in the history of
the Hilo church.
[Sidenote: _Results._]
At this period the ecclesiastical year of the mission began on the 1st
of May. The reports of the churches were made up to the 30th of April,
1838. I find in the records of Hilo church the
Number received during year ending April 30, 1838, 639
Number received during year ending April 30, 1839, 5,244
Number received during year ending April 30, 1840, 1,499
During the following decade ending in 1850, the number
received was 2,348
And for the decade ending in 1860, 1,445
The whole number received on profession to 1880, 12,113
The whole number received by letter, 812
The whole number dismissed, 3,546
The whole number deceased, 8,190
The whole number of marriages, 3,048
The whole number of children baptized, 4,370
Those received from the district of Kau, when there was no settled
pastor there, were afterward dismissed to the church which was
organized and placed under the care of the Rev. J. D. Paris.
In order to keep every member under my eye, and to find ready access to
each, I prepared a book ruled thus:
+----+------+-------+-------+-------+------+-------+-------+-------+
| |
| _Date._ |
| | |
| | _Name._ |
| | | |
| | | _Residence._ |
| | | | |
| | | | _Dismissed |
| | | | by Letter._ |
| | | | | |
| | | | | _Received |
| | | | | by Letter._ |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | _Excommunicated._ |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | _Died._ |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | _Children |
| | | | | | | | Baptized._ |
| | | | | | | | | |
+----+------+-------+-------+-------+------+-------+-------+-------+
| | | | | | | | | |
|1838. |
| |
|July 1 |
| | Kapule |
| | | Waiakea |
| | | | ... |
| | | | | ... |
| | | | | | ... |
| | | | | | | Mar. 1841. |
| | | | | | | | Abenera, |
| | | | | | | | Joane |
| | | | | | | | | |
|Sept. 2 |
| | Lonoakeawe |
| | | Waiakea |
| | | | To Hana, |
| | | | June, 1840 |
| | | | | ... |
| | | | | | ... |
| | | | | | | ... |
| | | | | | | | ... |
| | | | | | | | | |
|1837. |
| | | | | | | | | |
+----+------+-------+-------+-------+------+-------+-------+-------+
By simple signs males and females were distinguished. This is important
here, because the same name is often used interchangeably for the sexes.
For many years I always took this book with me in my tours, and called
the roll of the church members in every village along the line. When
any one did not answer the roll-call, I made inquiry why. If dead, I
marked the date; if sick, visited him or her, if time would allow;
if absent on duty, accepted the fact; if supposed to be doubting or
backsliding, sent for or visited him; if gone to another part of the
island, or to another island, I inquired if the absence would be short
or perpetual, and noted the facts of whatever kind.
Our young men often shipped for whaling voyages. Noting these cases, I
would watch for their return, and then visit them, inquiring whether
they chased whales on the Lord’s day, used intoxicants, or violated
other Christian rules of morality; and I dealt with them as each case
demanded.
Some church members removed to other districts or islands without
letters of dismissal. The names of these I used to send to the pastors
whither they had gone, requesting them to look after these absent ones,
and receive them to their communion, reporting to me.
[Sidenote: _Church Discipline._]
As hundreds of our people went from place to place to visit friends
or on business, to learn whither they had gone, to follow them with
letters, and to see them properly cared for, became an important
but arduous labor. The Hawaiians are not nomads, but they are fond
of moving, and curiosity or the call of friends leads very many of
them to wander over many parts of the group. During my annual visits
to Honolulu, on occasion of the General Meeting of the Mission held
there in May or June, I often gave public notices in the churches
that I would meet any of my people who were there, at a given hour on
Sunday, and a company of fifty to a hundred would assemble at the hour
appointed.
Our Confession of Faith is the Bible, and each individual in the Hilo
church promises, with his hand on the Sacred Book, to abstain from
all that is forbidden, and to obey all that is commanded therein. We
advise them to abstain from the use of tobacco, ava (a narcotic root),
and from all intoxicants. Like all savages, they were almost to a man
addicted to the use of these articles, especially of tobacco, and
we supposed that it would be next to impossible to persuade them to
abandon these habits. But the Lord came to our help. All over Hilo
and Puna, during that mighty work of the Spirit, multitudes pulled up
all their tobacco plants and cast them into the sea or into pits, and
thousands of pipes were broken upon the rocks or burned, and thousands
of habitual smokers abandoned the habit at once and forever. I have
been surprised at the resolution and self-denial of old men and
women who had long indulged in smoking, in thus breaking short off.
Some, however, went back to the old habit, and some used the article
secretly. I have never excommunicated or suspended members for this
indulgence, but have taught them, by precept and example, a better way.
Mr. and Mrs. Lyman, and nearly every missionary brother and sister on
the islands, were united with me in this matter.
In all cases we found that those who would not relinquish smoking
were the more troublesome members of the church, giving more doubtful
evidence of love to Christ, and oftener running into other excesses
which called for church discipline.
V.
_Mrs. Coan’s School for Girls--Common Schools--Medical Work--The
Sailors’ Church--Sunday Work--Visits of Foreign Vessels--The U.
S. Exploring Expedition._
In the year 1838, Mrs. Coan opened a boarding-school for native girls.
This was to be self-supporting in part, but to receive such aid in
labor, food, kapas, mats, etc., as parents and friends chose to render.
As soon as the plan was made known to the church and people they
rallied cheerfully, went into the woods, hauled down timber by hand,
and with great promptness erected and thatched a comfortable building
on our premises. A floor was laid over about one-fourth of the
building, on which was placed a table, and a few chairs for the teacher
and visitors.
On each side of the remaining three-fourths of the house was a row of
little open cells, partitioned from each other by mats, and furnished
with beds of straw or dried grass, and with mats and kapas for
coverings. In the space between these rows of compartments was a plain
table, with seats, bowls, spoons, etc., for the pupils. The number of
little girls in the school was twenty, their ages from seven to ten
years. Arrangements were made with the people living in and near the
town, that they should bring in weekly supplies of food and fish for
the girls. Taro, potatoes, bananas, and fish were then abundant and
cheap, and the people provided willingly. At length they set apart a
parcel of ground and appointed each monthly concert day as a time when
they would cultivate that ground and thus supply the food necessary for
the school.
Little gifts of money were sometimes made by strangers who came to
Hilo, by officers of whale-ships and men-of-war; or a piece of print
or brown cotton was given, and thus the real wants of the school were
supplied. No application to the A. B. C. F. M., or to any Board, or to
an individual was ever made for help. Mrs. Coan toiled faithfully from
day to day, in spite of pressing family cares, teaching her charges
the rudiments of necessary book knowledge, and of singing, sewing,
washing and ironing, gardening, and other things. Most of the girls
became members of the Hilo church, and we had hope that all were the
children of God. The school was sustained about eight years, and sent
out a company of girls, who, for the most part, did honor to their
instructions, and who were distinguished among their companions for
neatness, skill, industry, and piety. As domestic cares increased
and her strength was weakened, the faithful teacher at length felt
compelled to give up her charge.
[Sidenote: _Schools and Patients._]
For a time I had the supervision of the common schools, numbering not
less than fifty, and containing about 2,000 pupils. My duties were
to furnish them with books, slates, and pencils; to visit them on my
tours, to attend their examinations, and make a tabular record of
numbers, readers, writers, etc. For want of writing-paper or a full
supply of slates, the children would prepare square pieces of the green
banana-leaf, and with a wooden style or slate-pencil form letters and
thus learn to write.
At the central station and on all my tours I was thronged with the
sick and afflicted multitudes, or their friends, begging for remedies
for almost all kinds of diseases. So numerous were the applications
for medicines, and so varied and sad were the spectacles of disease,
that it became a task for the skill and the whole time of a well-read
and experienced physician. I had a fair collection of medical books,
and these were consulted as much as was possible in connection with my
other labors, but my regret was that I could not visit the sick as I
wished, or pay them the attention they needed.
When at last, in 1849, a good physician, Charles H. Wetmore, was sent
to our relief, my heart rejoiced. I immediately resigned my medical
functions, turned over my medicine-chest and drugs to him, and blessed
the Lord that I was not doomed to wander “forty years in the wilderness
of powders and pills.” This kind and faithful doctor with his excellent
wife have been our nearest neighbors ever since their arrival.
I was also greatly relieved of the care of the common schools by Mr.
and Mrs. Abner Wilcox, lay missionaries, who came to us as teachers and
remained in Hilo several years.
Previous to our arrival, when whale-ships and other vessels were in
the harbor of Hilo, the officers and crews received kind attentions
from the missionaries at this station. The Reverends Joseph Goodrich,
Jonathan Green, Sheldon Dibble, and D. B. Lyman, and their wives, had
entertained many of these sons of the deep, given them reading-matter,
and sought to promote their spiritual interests.
We were at once ready to help in this important work. Masters,
officers, and sailors were made welcome to our house; books and tracts
were provided for them to take to sea, and a religious service was held
for them every Sunday afternoon.
For many years this service was held in one of the houses of the
missionaries. Finally, we fitted up the old stone-building, our first
home, for a bethel, and added a library of about 200 volumes, with
periodicals.
[Sidenote: _Foreign Vessels._]
My regular services on the Sabbath were: a Sunday-school at 9
+A.M.+; preaching at 10.30; at 12 +M.+ a meeting for inquirers; at 1
+P.M.+ preaching; and at 3 +P.M.+ preaching in English to seamen, and
English-speaking residents and visitors. When ships were in port we
often had a full house, and not a few hearers professed a determination
to forsake all sin and to live godly lives. Of some we afterward
learned, either by their own letters or otherwise, that they had kept
their vows and united with Christian churches, and that some had become
ministers of the Gospel.
Several masters and officers gave up Sabbath whaling, and instead held
religious meetings with their men on the Lord’s day.
Very precious friendships were formed with many of these seamen, which
friendships continue to this day. We have found noble specimens, not
only of generosity and fine natural talent among this class of men, but
also many choice Christians.
Not a few national ships have visited Hilo, from the tender or schooner
up to the sloop-of-war, the frigate and the great seventy-four-gun
line-of-battle ship, as the _Collingwood_ and _Ohio_.
The largest of these ships represented the United States of America,
the next Great Britain, then France, Russia, Germany, and Denmark.
We have had more than seventy-five of these war-ships of different
nationalities in our harbor, and of all classes of vessels about 4,000.
The approximate number of seamen who have visited Hilo during our
residence here we put at 40,000.
In this labor for seamen I have been led to correspond with the
American Bible, Tract, Peace, Temperance, and Seamen’s Friend
Societies, and have obtained Bibles and tracts in the English, French,
German, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish, and Chinese languages;
which with many thousands of tracts have been distributed among these
vessels. Some of this “bread cast upon the waters” has been found again
according to the promise.
In 1840, Charles Wilkes, commander of the United States Exploring
Expedition, arrived in Hilo bay in the flag-ship _Vincennes_. Here with
an admirable corps of scientists he spent three months in explorations,
measurements, observations, etc. Parties of officers and scientific
gentlemen were detailed to visit different parts of the island, some to
ascend the mountains, and some to survey the shore, making collections,
drawings, and observations in all the branches of the natural history
of the Islands. The commander called for 300 young and vigorous men to
take him, with the materials of a wooden house and all the apparatus of
a large observatory, with food, fuel, water, beds, etc., to the summit
of Mauna Loa, where he and his attendants were to spend twenty or
thirty days in taking observations.
Other parties required large numbers of men to carry baggage,
instruments, etc., and to act as guides and assistants in making
surveys and collecting a large amount of specimens.
[Sidenote: _The U. S. Exploring Expedition._]
Parties of natives thus employed needed to be recruited often on
account of fatigue and exhaustion, and for the lack of shoes and warm
clothing to endure the hard travel and the rains, cold, and snows
of the mountains. Some died of cold. It is supposed that about one
thousand of our strongest men were brought into this service, and
with small pay, during these three months. Some parties of men were
required to travel and work on Sunday as on other days. All this had
a demoralizing effect upon the poor natives. They had been accustomed
to rest from all physical toil, and to worship on the Lord’s day.
Our congregations were much reduced in numbers. There was no little
murmuring among the people at this new state of things, and for years
the moral tone of the church and community could not be fully restored
to its cheerful and normal state.
This was a trial of faith, and a fan to winnow the church, but most of
our Christians stood fast, and although it checked the progress of the
revival, the loss to the church was less than might have been feared.
The visit of the expedition to Hilo afforded us an opportunity to form
an acquaintance with many worthy gentlemen, several of whom we met
again in the United States in 1870-1. Among these we met and received
as a very welcome guest the then youthful James D. Dana, one of the
scientific corps, now so distinguished in various departments of
natural science, and honored as a Christian philosopher. The friendship
then formed has been increased by years and can never wane.
VI.