Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

is altogether the prettiest missionary's garden in the Islands, and has a considerable variety of plants, fruits, and flowers.

Among these are the passion-flower, the mysteriously shrinking little sensitive-plant, and the splendid nightblooming Cereus, more gorgeous and ample in its corolla than the Magnolia, but chastely beautiful in its colour as the most highly prized water-lily. The girls of Mr. Bailey's school show no little taste in combining the flowers into divers wreaths and nosegays, for the adornment of their tables and persons.

We arrived back from Makawao in time to be present at an entertainment which they gave in their dining-hall, under the direction of their manager, Miss Ogden, to the visitors at the station. The half hundred haumana, pupils, occupied two tables, twenty feet long. The visitors and resident mission families (of whom not the least attractive portion was twelve happy children) had their places at a middle one. After the guests had all been seated, the ringing of a little table-bell brought in all the girls, neatly dressed and orderly, to their seats. Then they sang a verse of a hymn, followed by a blessing. Supper ensued with great cheerfulness, concluded with giving of thanks and another verse of an Hawaiian Hymn.

Afterwards, out on the grassy play-ground, we had blind-man's-buff, and ball, and hide-and-go-seek, with the pretty circle of boys and girls, till we were much more tired, but not less pleased, than they. We should like to keep a child's heart, and spirits, and relish for innocent sports as long as we live. And when the humour suits we will indulge in them, and try to make ourselves and children happy, for all the world. Quod delectat juventutem jucundum est viro (That which delights the youth is pleasing to the man.)

CHAPTER VI.

SKETCHES OF THE BLIND PREACHER AND THE BIRTH-PLACE OF KAAHUMANU, IN EAST MAUI.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

The law of compensation illustrated Memorials of the first convert to Christianity - His birth and boyhood Early deformity and loss of sight-Skill in the Hula-Adoption by the court as a buffoon-Abandoned to perish-Dawning of the day-spring-He hears of Christ-He turns to the Pono-The chiefs send for him to make sport-Memorable answer—Journal respecting him-Affecting fattitude-Divine sovereignty exemplified-Probation for the church-Record of his examination -First-fruits-He grows and endures-Light breaks-Light is withdrawn-He is thrown upon memory-He hides the Word of God - Acquires extraordinary strength and tenacity of memory-Labours effectively with the missionaries-Is licensed to preach the Gospel-Account of one of his sermons -Power as a preacher-Surprise of the missionaries Resources of illustration—Ministry in Honuaula--Life and death-We pass and ponder his field of labour-Supposed mental exercises in his blindness-We proceed to Hana-Remarkable road over clinkers-How made, and by whom-After-streams from the volcano-The warfare of a night-Victory to the Ukulele-A chief of the olden time-A dance at Kaupo-Perils by canoeSketches of the missionary station of Hana-Natural features and productions-Riding up to the clouds-Cave where Kaahumanu was born-Two strange things in the kingdom of nature and kingdom of grace-A volcanic bathing-house.

THE truth at the head of this Chapter, that there is evermore a law of compensation and equipoise running

through all things, has its comment and corroboration in the character and history of a remarkable man, through the earthly scene of whose labours I have been passing, in order to reach the eastern extremity of the Island of Maui.

That man was the first convert to Christianity at these Islands, and the first who received the Christian ordinance of baptism, formally introducing him to the fellowship of the universal Church, under the Christian name of Bartimeus, on the tenth day of July, 1825. His name is on heavenly records, and it is familiar to the ear of Protestant Christendom, as the Blind Hawaiian Preacher, or Bartimeus L. Puaaiki.

The district of Honuaula, in East Maui, through which we have been travelling, was the sphere of his faithful labours as a minister of the Gospel for the four or five years prior to his death, in September, 1843. He was born in the densest darkness of Savage Paganism, six or seven years after the death of Captain Cook; and, when buried alive by the hand of his own mother, he was saved, in the providence of God, to be a chosen vessel to bear his name before kings.

He was a neglected and wicked heathen boy; and, between his early addictedness to the use of intoxicating awa, his filthy habits, and exposures, with scarcely a rag of clothing, or a hat to shield his eyes from the rays of the tropical sun or wind, he had nearly lost his eyesight before attaining to man's estate. In a brief sketch of him by one of the missionaries, it is said that he was hideously diseased; his beard flowed down to his bosom ; his only garment was an old dirty kihei, or native kapa, thrown over his shoulders: diminutive in size, he was a laughing-stock of the boys, and was fast wearing himself out in the service of Satan.

"In these circumstances, he attracted the notice of Kamamalu, the favourite Queen of Liholiho, or Kamehameha II., who afterwards died in England. His skill in the hula, or native dance, his being a hairy man, and other reasons not easily known at present, recommended him to the favour of the chiefs; not, indeed, as a companion, but as a buffoon. When sent for, he made sport for the Queen and other chiefs, and received in return a pittance of food and of his favourite awa."

On the arrival of the pioneers of the mission at Kailua, in the spring of 1820, Puaaiki was there with the chiefs, but he probably knew nothing of them or of their errand. Having given permission to the missionaries to remain at the Islands for a season, the King and chiefs sailed for Oahu. Mr. Bingham accompanied them, and the blind dancer followed in their train. On arriving at Honolulu, he had a severe fit of sickness. In addition to this, his disease of the eyes became much aggravated; so that, shut up in darkness, and unable to make his accustomed visits to the Queen, he was well nigh forgotten, and in danger of perishing.

"But the time of deliverance to this poor captive of Satan (says the writer of the sketch above referred to) had now come. He was visited by John Honolii, a native youth educated at Cornwall, Connecticut; who, seeing Puaaiki lying in this pitiable situation, was touched with Christian compassion, and spoke to him of the great and good Physician, who alone could heal his maladies and restore his sight. Puaaiki seemed to rouse up on hearing tidings of so unwonted a character, and he eagerly inquired, 'What is that?" On being again directed to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Physician of souls, he said at once that he would go and hear of him."

As soon as he was able to crawl out of the house, he

F

accompanied Honolii to the place of worship, and heard for the first time the glad tidings of great joy to all people, that the Son of Man had come to seek and to save that which was lost. Nor did he listen in vain; for the Lord, who had shined out of darkness, opened the spiritual eyesight and heart of this blind buffoon, to receive the truth in the love thereof.

The change wrought in him by the Spirit of God soon became known, his connection with the chiefs being one means of making it public. For, soon after the period of his hopeful conversion, the chiefs, having a drunken carousal, sent for Puaaiki to practise the licentious hula, as formerly, for their diversion. The answer returned was, "That he had done with the service of sin and Satan, and that henceforth he should serve the King of Heaven.

Though derided, it does not appear that he was opposed in any way, or prevented from seeking instruction; and some of the chiefs themselves, for whom he had made. sport, soon after became kindly disposed to the new religion, and all of them, at length, friendly to the Mission.

In the early Journal of the Mission, we find it said of this blind refugee from Paganism," No one has manifested more child-like simplicity and meekness of heart--no one appears more uniformly humble, devout, pure, and upright. He is always at the house of God, and there, ever at the preacher's feet. If he happens to be approaching our habitations at the time of family worship, which has been very frequently the case, the first note of praise, or word of prayer, which meets his ear, produces an immediate and most observable change in his whole aspect.

"An expression of deep devotion at once overspreads his sightless countenance, while he hastens to prostrate himself in some corner in an attitude of reverence. Indeed, so peculiar has the expression of his countenance

« VorigeDoorgaan »