singularly honest, decently-clothed people. Throughout the isles there was not a cottage which did not possess its Bible and hymn-book, and in which daily family-prayer and the custom of thanksgiving at every meal were not invariable. It would have been hard to find any person who could not read and write, and who had not some knowledge of arithmetic and geography. This fact is the more remarkable (as showing how well the natives had profited by their opportunities in comparison with the whites with whom they had come in contact), because, of all the business documents in the possession of the Hawaiian Government, accumulated in their intercourse with foreigners, one-half bear the marks of the latter, who could not even sign their own name!

Now, every village had its own church and school, built by the people at their own cost; and besides 400 common schools, there were several of a higher class both for men and women. The theological and general training-college at Lahainaluna had already sent forth about 800 trained men, the majority of whom were scattered as teachers all over the isles. Thirty were ordained ministers, and a considerable number had gone forth as missionaries to distant groups, to carry thither the gift they had themselves received. Some were fairly started in secular professions, as surveyors, lawyers,

and even judges.

In addition to the trainingcollege at Lahaina, a theological school had been commenced by Mr Alexander at Wailuku, and Mr Coan had a similar undertaking at Hilo.

The education of the young chiefs of the highest rank was undertaken by Mr and Mrs Cooke, who received upwards of a dozen at a time as inmates of their own house. To the extreme care bestowed on their culture many in England can testify, who still remember the two young princes, sons of the Princess-Regent Kinau, and grandsons of the great Kamehameha, who visited England in 1849, and who afterwards reigned successively as Kamehameha IV. and V. Another who was for a while the pupil of Mrs Cooke, is the Dowager-Queen Emma, who also, by her grace and goodness, won golden opinions in England, when, widowed and childless, she visited our isles. King Lunalilo, the Wellbeloved, and the present King Kalakaua, were also educated in this same home school.

There are not many preceptors who can boast of having educated four kings and a queen !

Another care, which now became prominent, was the education of the missionaries' children, who numbered about 130. Forty missionary families. were by this time scattered over the isles, practically teaching the advantages of well-regulated domestic life; and it was considered that it would

be highly advantageous to induce them, if possible, to remain permanently in the group.

Certain advantages were accordingly offered to them, and a school was established at Punahou, which eventually developed into the Oahu College, its object being to give such thorough training as to avoid the necessity of sending young men to America. Thus a great inducement was afforded to them to remain permanently in Hawaii, and become colonists; and thus it is that all the early missionaries are represented at the present day by children and grandchildren, who rank as leading citizens.

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CHAPTER XX.

THE

STORY OF HAWAII'S FOREIGN MISSIONS THE HAWAIIAN
CHURCH DECLARED INDEPENDENT OF AMERICA — PROGRESS

OF MORALITY.

FROM the commencement of the Mission till the time when (about A.D. 1863) Hawaii was acknowledged to be a Christian nation, capable of ruling its own Church affairs, the American Board had sent thither 52 ordained missionaries, 21 lay helpers, and 83 female missionaries, married and single.

Of the first-named, 10 died at their posts, after an average of 27 years' work; and sixteen still remain, who have worked in Hawaii from 30 to 50 years-a fact which speaks well for the climate.

The parent Society ruled that the legitimate work of a Missionary Society was accomplished when it had raised up a self-governing, self-sustaining Christian community, imbued with so much spiritual life as would insure the prosecution of its own home missions, and also the existence of such an aggressive tendency as would

HAWAII'S FOREIGN MISSIONS.

173

lead to the prosecution of foreign missions in lands still heathen.

I think it was Bishop Wilberforce who said that zeal for foreign missions, or indifference towards them, affords "a pulse-like index to the spiritual health of Christ's visible body-the Church."

According to this standard, the young Hawaiian Church must be in a truly vigorous state of health. Not only is it entirely self-supporting and selfgoverned, but one-fourth of the total number of Hawaiians who have been ordained to the ministry are now working as missionaries in various parts of Micronesia and in the Marquesas.

The Hawaiian Society for Foreign Missions was formed at Honolulu in 1850, and, two years later, three missionaries from Boston-Messrs Snow, Gulick, and Sturges-arrived with their wives, on their way to commence work in the utterly savage isles near the equator. The nearest of these was at a distance of 2000 miles from the Sandwich Isles, and the people were known to be fierce and cruel; but seven of the Hawaiian teachers volunteered to join the mission-party. It was only deemed advisable to allow two men, with their wives, to accompany this pioneer-party, but others followed at short intervals.

Their first station was on Kusaie or Strong's Island, the easternmost of the Caroline group,

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