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April 6, 2020 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

A Day in the Life

“June 29th. A busy day. – – – -”

In part, the sole entry for that day in Sybil Bingham’s journal (1820) helps to describe what life was like for the families of the early missionaries in Hawaiʻi.

The missionary family’s day began at 4 am (… it continued into the night, with no breaks.)

The mission children were up then, too; in the early morning, the parents taught their children. “We had one tin whale-oil lamp between us, with a single wick…. Soon after five we had breakfast.” (Bishop)

By 9 am, after accomplishing all domestic duties and schooling of the children, the wives would begin the instruction of the Hawaiian children – and taught them for six solid hours, occasionally running into the house to see that all was straight.

“Very soon I gathered up 12 or 15 little native girls to come once a day to the house so that as early as possible the business of instruction might be commenced. That was an interesting day to me to lay the foundation of the first school ever assembled”. (Sybil Bingham)

“It has been a busy day – have done fitting work, of gowns, for two or three native women, – attending to the reading of others, – instructing our school children, entertaining Mr. Allen, and his little Peggy who has been with us through the day, writing a little, etc., etc. The days glide smoothly with us inwardly.” (Sybil Bingham)

Mission Stations

The missionaries were scattered across the Islands, each home was usually in a thickly inhabited village, so that the missionary and his wife could be close to their work among the people.

By 1850, eighteen mission stations had been established; six on Hawaiʻi, four on Maui, four on Oʻahu, three on Kauai and one on Molokai.

Meeting houses were constructed at the stations, as well as throughout the district. Initially constructed as the traditional Hawaiian thatched structures; they were later made of wood or stone.
Life on the Neighbor Islands

“Visits To Kaawaloa … Our nearest missionary neighbor outside of the town of Kailua were the Ruggleses, who lived at Kaawaloa, twelve miles south. Their dwelling was at Kuapehu, two miles up the mountain, a most verdant and attractive spot.”

“It later became the residence of Rev. John D. Paris. Kaawaloa proper was a village on the north side of Kealakekua Bay.”

“We often visited Kaawaloa, probably twice a year, going by water in a double canoe, generally starting two or three hours before daylight, so as to carry the land breeze a good part of the way.”

“Missionary Visits To Kailua … Some mention should be interesting of memories of visits at Kailua from various missionaries. Such visits were always delightful to us.”

“Yet the ladies and sometimes the children were apt to be landed from their schooners in sad plight, after the hardships of the voyage. I remember two fair young women being brought in in fainting condition in the litters which they had occupied on the deck of the vessel.”

“These were Mrs. Dr. Chapin and Mrs. Ephraim Spaulding. The Spauldings made us a long visit, during which I formed an intense childish attachment to Mr. Spaulding, who was a sweet and devout man. An earlier visit is recalled made by the Bingham family about 1833. Most of their time was spent on the upland above us.”

“Mrs. Bingham was much of an invalid. Father Bingham was a somewhat stately, courteous gentleman, for whom I had much liking and a little fear. The Baldwins repeatedly visited us from Waimea. Dr. Baldwin we all liked. He was personally active, even breaking into a run, something rarely seen in grown men in Kailua.”

“My childish impressions of all these friends was wholly favorable, accompanied by the utmost reverence for their spirituality and devoutness.”

General Meetings

Very prominent in the old mission life was the annual “General Meeting” where all of the missionary families from across the Islands gathered at Honolulu from four to six weeks.

“Often some forty or more of the missionaries besides their wives were present, as well as many of the older children. … Much business was transacted relating to the multifarious work and business of the Mission. New missionaries were to be located, and older ones transferred.” (Bishop)

“That was an annual assembling at the capital of all the missionary families, occupying from four to six weeks. The hospitality of the missionaries residing at Honolulu was severely taxed in entertaining their rural associates.” (Bishop)

“The design of their coming together would naturally suggest itself to any reflecting mind. They are all engaged in one work, but are stationed at various and distant points on different portions of the group, hence they feel the necessity of occasionally coming together, reviewing the past, and concerting plans for future operations.”

“Were it not for these meetings, missionaries at extreme parts of the group might never see each other, and in some instances we know that persons connected with the Sandwich Island Mission, have never seen each other’s faces, although for years they have been laboring in the same work.” (The Friend, June 15, 1846)

This is a summary, Click HERE to read more.

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Mission Stations - MissionHouses-Map
Mission Stations – MissionHouses-Map

Filed Under: Missionaries / Churches / Religious Buildings Tagged With: American Protestant Missionaries, Hawaii, Mission Stations, Missionaries

July 29, 2019 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Mission Stations

On October 23, 1819, the Pioneer Company of ABCFM missionaries set sail on the Thaddeus to establish a mission in the Hawaiian Islands; they anchored at Kailua-Kona on April 4, 1820.

Over the course of a little over 40-years (1820-1863 – the “Missionary Period”), about 184-men and women in twelve Companies served in Hawaiʻi to carry out the mission of the ABCFM in the Hawaiian Islands.

One of the earliest efforts of the missionaries, who arrived in 1820, was the identification and selection of important communities (generally near ports and aliʻi residences) as “Stations” for the regional church and school centers across the Hawaiian Islands.

As an example, in June 1823, William Ellis joined American Missionaries Asa Thurston, Artemas Bishop and Joseph Goodrich on a tour of the island of Hawaiʻi to investigate suitable sites for mission stations.

On O‘ahu, locations at Honolulu (Kawaiahaʻo), Kāne’ohe, Waialua, Waiʻanae and ‘Ewa served as the bases for outreach work on the island.

By 1850, eighteen mission stations had been established; six on Hawaiʻi, four on Maui, four on Oʻahu, three on Kauai and one on Molokai.

Meeting houses were constructed at the stations, as well as throughout the district. Initially constructed as the traditional Hawaiian thatched structures; they were later made of wood or stone.

One of the first things the first missionaries did was begin to learn the Hawaiian language and create an alphabet for a written format of the language. Their emphasis was on preaching and teaching.

The instruction of students in schools (initially, most of whom were adults), in reading, writing and other skills initially fell to the missionaries. The schools generally served as both native churches and meeting houses, and were established in most populated ahupua‘a around the islands; native teachers and lay-ministers were appointed to oversee their daily activities.

The missionaries were scattered across the Islands, each home was usually in a thickly inhabited village, so that the missionary and his wife could be close to their work among the people.

In the early years, they lived in the traditional thatched houses – “our little cottage built chiefly of poles, dried grass and mats, being so peculiarly exposed to fire … consisting only of one room with a little partition and one door.” (Sybil Bingham) The thatched cottages were raised upon a low stone platform. Later, they lived in wood, stone or adobe homes.

The missionary family’s day began at 4 am (… it continued into the night, with no breaks).

The mission children were up then, too; in the early morning, the parents taught their children. “We had one tin whale-oil lamp between us, with a single wick…. Soon after five we had breakfast.” (Bishop)

By 9 am, after accomplishing all domestic duties and schooling of the children, the wives would begin the instruction of the Hawaiian children – and taught them for six solid hours, occasionally running into the house to see that all was straight.

“Very soon I gathered up 12 or 15 little native girls to come once a day to the house so that as early as possible the business of instruction might be commenced. That was an interesting day to me to lay the foundation of the first school ever assembled”. (Sybil Bingham)

“During the period from infancy to the age of ten or twelve years, children in the almost isolated family of a missionary could be well provided for and instructed in the rudiments of education without a regular school … But after that period, difficulties in most cases multiplied.” (Hiram Bingham)

“Owing to the then lack of advanced schools in Hawaii, the earlier mission children were all ‘sent home’ around Cape Horn, to ‘be educated.’ This was the darkest day in the life history of the mission child.”

“Peculiarly dependent upon the family life, at the age of eight to twelve years, they were suddenly torn from the only intimates they had ever known, and banished, lonely and homesick, to a mythical country on the other side of the world …”

“… where they could receive letters but once or twice a year; where they must remain isolated from friends and relatives for years and from which they might never return.” (Bishop)

Missionaries were torn between preaching the gospel and teaching their kids. “(M)ission parents were busy translating, preaching and teaching. Usually parents only had a couple of hours each day to spare with their children.” (Schultz)

Very prominent in the old mission life was the annual “General Meeting” where all of the missionaries from across the Islands gathered at Honolulu from four to six weeks.

“Often some forty or more of the missionaries besides their wives were present, as well as many of the older children. … Much business was transacted relating to the multifarious work and business of the Mission. New missionaries were to be located, and older ones transferred.” (Bishop)

Above text is a summary – Click HERE for more information on Mission Stations

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Mission Stations - MissionHouses-Map
Mission Stations – MissionHouses-Map
Kauai-Mission Stations-Hawaiian Congregational Churches (SCHCC)
Kauai-Mission Stations-Hawaiian Congregational Churches (SCHCC)
Oahu-Mission Stations-Hawaiian Congregational Churches (SCHCC)
Oahu-Mission Stations-Hawaiian Congregational Churches (SCHCC)
Molokai-Mission Stations-Hawaiian Congregational Churches (SCHCC)
Molokai-Mission Stations-Hawaiian Congregational Churches (SCHCC)
Maui-Mission Stations-Hawaiian Congre
Maui-Mission Stations-Hawaiian Congre
Hawaii-Mission Stations-Hawaiian Congregational Churches (SCHCC)
Hawaii-Mission Stations-Hawaiian Congregational Churches (SCHCC)

Filed Under: Missionaries / Churches / Religious Buildings Tagged With: American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions, Hawaii, Mission Stations, Missionaries

June 14, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Churches

“Commodious houses for public worship have been erected by the principal chiefs, with the cheerful aid of the people, in the places of their residence; and when there is preaching, these chiefs regularly and seriously attend, and their example is followed by great numbers of their subjects.”

“Churches are gathered, as with us, wherever there are pastors to take the care of them, and accessions are made to them, from time to time, of such as we may reasonably hope will be saved.”

“In one small district, which, but a few years since, rung through all the length and breadth of it with the cries of savage drunkenness, a thousand people have associated on the principle of entire abstinence from the use of intoxicating liquors.”

“Moreover, in that same district and in two others, with a united population of perhaps 40,000, where the morals were as degraded, a few years ago, as anywhere on earth, a fourth part of the inhabitants have formed themselves into societies for the better understanding and keeping of God’s holy law, and require unimpeachable morals as a condition of membership in their several fraternities.”

“All these are believed to be facts. And they are traceable wholly to the blessing of God on the establishment of a Christian mission on those islands, a little more than eleven years ago.”

“But, to guard against misapprehension, it is necessary to take another view. A moment’s reflection is sufficient to show, that after all the work of evangelizing and civilizing those islands is but just commenced.”

“The nation is yet in its infancy. It is just beginning to understand the advantages of the social state. The elements of individual improvement, and domestic happiness, and national order and prosperity, have been introduced, and the contrast between the former and present condition and character of the nation, as such, is great in almost every respect.”

“Very few, however, have done more than merely to cross the threshold of knowledge. Three-fourths of those, who are capable of learning to read, have yet to acquire the art.”

“A collection of all the books in the language would not contain as much matter, as there is in one volume of the Missionary Herald.”

“Salvation through the Lamb that was slain, is brought within the reach of thousands, and many have fled and are fleeing to lay hold on the hope set before them; but how few are their helps, compared with those which we have, and with what they ought to possess.”

“The regular preaching of the gospel is enjoyed by not more than one-fourth of the inhabitants. The rest see only a few rays of heavenly light. Recently two small companies of idolaters have been discovered in obscure parts of Hawaii, and no doubt there are others who retain an attachment to their former superstitions.” (Monthly Paper, ABCFM, September 1832)

Over the course of a little over 40-years (1820-1863 – the “Missionary Period”,) about 184-men and women in twelve Companies served in Hawaiʻi to carry out the mission of the ABCFM in the Hawaiian Islands.

One of the earliest efforts of the missionaries, who arrived in 1820, was the identification and selection of important communities (generally near ports and aliʻi residences) as “stations” for the regional church and school centers across the Hawaiian Islands.

As an example, in June 1823, William Ellis joined American Missionaries Asa Thurston, Artemas Bishop and Joseph Goodrich on a tour of the island of Hawaiʻi to investigate suitable sites for mission stations.

On O‘ahu, locations at Honolulu (Kawaiahaʻo,) Kāne’ohe, Waialua, Waiʻanae and ‘Ewa served as the bases for outreach work on the island.

By 1850, eighteen mission stations had been established; six on Hawaiʻi, four on Maui, four on Oʻahu, three on Kauai and one on Molokai.

Meeting houses were constructed at the stations, as well as throughout the district. Initially constructed as the traditional Hawaiian thatched structures; they were later made of wood or stone.

“All over the Islands, the Sabbath is remarkable for its stillness. Large congregations assemble for religious instruction in every district. Children are everywhere gathered into Sabbath schools. Adults are associated in Bible classes. Daily morning prayer meetings, and weekly or semi-weekly lectures and conferences are attended in most of the churches.”

“Most of the children of the nation, and most of the members of the churches, commit one verse of the Bible every day. Thousands ask the blessing of God on their daily food. As many observe morning and evening family worship.”

“If able, all members of churches give something for the support of the gospel, while at different times several religious associations are remembered in their prayers and benefactions. …”

“And according to their ability and numbers, it may be safely said that the Sandwich Islands churches are giving more for benevolent purposes than any other body of Christians on the globe. God alone knows their motives; we speak of facts only.”

“Among several hundreds of Hawaiians in this State a few are church members. Quite as many of these, in proportion to their numbers and advantages, have maintained their integrity as among other classes of professed Christians.”

“They brought with them their Bibles and hymn books. They took them to the mountains. In their encampments they have met for worship on the Sabbath. Two or three of them have acted as exhorters to the whole. …”

“… They are facts of great interest. They indicate a change in the mental, moral, social, political and religious condition of a people during a single generation, which may well strengthen the faith of the church in the practicability of the world’s conversion.” (Hunt)

“It is not claimed that this change has been wrought wholly by the American Mission. Various causes have conspired to accomplish the result.”

“Idolatry had become superannuated, and that peculiar state of things had arrived when the nation were ready for a change. At that juncture God raised up an instrument to effect it. He sent forth the great Kamehameha on his career of conquest, to unite the warlike tribes in one. That revolution in the government gave the nation the first impulse.”

“Then succeeded the revolution in the religion of the people by his son and successor, Liholiho, by which the nation were delivered from the ancient system of tabu.”

“But these revolutions only partially removed the burdens of ages. They broke not the yoke of despotism. They robbed not superstition of its ghostly power. They cleansed not the people of their vileness. They only concentrated in one king the power of many. Still in the one there was less oppression than in many.”

“While, therefore, we rightly appreciate science, letters, commerce and the arts, we must assign them an inferior rank as instrumentalities in the elevation of the human race—We must give to christianity the preference above all others.”

“For while christianity fosters and employs all others, it does what no others can do. It changes the heart, the fountain of all desires and emotions, and so effectually breaks up superstitions and redeems from vice.”

“To the gospel, therefore, whose peculiar province is the human heart, we look for relief from all the sins and woes that degrade and distress the family of man.”

“To that gospel, as preached and taught from the pulpits and the press of the Sandwich Islands Mission must we mainly attribute whatever changes for the better have there been wrought during thirty years of labor for the instruction and admiration of the world.” (Hunt, 1853)

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Mission Stations - MissionHouses-Map
Mission Stations – MissionHouses-Map
Hiram Bingham I preaching with Queen Kaahumanu at Waimea, in 1826, from his book A Residence of Twenty-one Years in the Sandwich Islands.
Hiram Bingham I preaching with Queen Kaahumanu at Waimea, in 1826, from his book A Residence of Twenty-one Years in the Sandwich Islands.
A_Missionary_Preaching_to_Hawaiians_on_the_lava_at_Kokukano,_Hawaii,_sketch_by_William_Ellis-1822-24
A_Missionary_Preaching_to_Hawaiians_on_the_lava_at_Kokukano,_Hawaii,_sketch_by_William_Ellis-1822-24
Missionaries_preaching_under_kukui_groves,_1841
Missionaries_preaching_under_kukui_groves,_1841
A_Missionary_Preaching_to_the_Natives,_under_a_Skreen_of_platted_Cocoa-nut_leaves_at_Kairua_by_William_Ellis-1823
A_Missionary_Preaching_to_the_Natives,_under_a_Skreen_of_platted_Cocoa-nut_leaves_at_Kairua_by_William_Ellis-1823
First Kawaiahao Church Building-TheFriend-Oct 1925-400
First Kawaiahao Church Building-TheFriend-Oct 1925-400

Filed Under: Missionaries / Churches / Religious Buildings Tagged With: American Protestant Missionaries, Church, Hawaii, Mission Stations, Missionaries

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