“History repeats itself” … however, here, “history presents no parallel.”
“(D)estruction of idolatry and the abolition of the Tabu system … is one of the most remarkable events not only in the history of the Hawaiian but of the world. It is without a parallel, either in ancient or modern times.”
“It was altogether an unheard of event in the history of idolatrous nation, for any one to cast aside its Idols, unless others were adopted in their place, or their idols were cast aside for the people to embrace Christianity.”
“Hawaiians cast aside theirs, and did not take others in their place, nor were influenced thereto by the messengers of gospel truth, for as yet the missionaries had not landed on these shores, and it was not known that they were on voyage hither.”
“‘Hath a nation changed their gods, which are as yet no gods?’ asks the prophet Jeremiah. He did not ask, ‘Hath a nation cast aside their gods?’”
Here was a heathen and savage nation, without a written language and far removed and isolated from all the other nations, of the earth, which was led by some mysterious influence to engage in a transaction totally unlike any other upon the world’s records. ‘History repeats itself,’ is the oft-quoted saying, but in this instance history presents no parallel.”
“Viewing this subject from a purely historical standpoint, without reference to a Divine influence, why were the Hawaiians led to abolish their Tabu system and cast their ‘idols to the moles and bats?’ I will mention the following among the causes contributing to this unlooked for result.”
“First. Reports of the abolition of idolatry at Tahiti, had reached these islands and circulated among the people.”
“Secondly. Foreigners from Christian lands had settled upon the islands, and although most of them were utterly regardless of Christianity themselves, yet they did not hesitate to denounce idolatry and the Tabu system.”
“Thirdly. The inhabitants had become convinced of the utter vanity of idolatry.”
“In the very first communication written by the Missionaries to their patrons in Boston, and dated, the day after, their landing on the shores of Hawaii, I find this statement:”
‘The sight of these children of nature, drew tears from eyes that did not intend to weep. Of them we enquired, whether they had heard anything of Jehovah, who made Owhyhee and all things?”
“They replied that Rehoreho (Liholiho), the King had heard of the great God of the white men, and spoken of him; and that all the chiefs but one had agreed to destroy their idols, became they were convinced that they could do no good since they could not save the King.”
“Idol worship is therefore prohibited and the priest hood entirely abolished. Sing, O heavens, for the Lord hath done it.’”
“Reference was here made to the King Kamehameha, who died May 8, 1819, and idolatry was abolished the next November, the month following the embarkation of the Missionaries from Boston.”
“Perhaps another reason may be assigned, in addition to the foregoing, before I speak of that Divine Power and influence, which it becomes us to recognize in this most remarkable transaction. The people, both Chiefs and common people, had become heartily wearied and tired of the system. It was burdensome, offensive, cruel and absured.”
“But what is most remarkable, Hewahewa, the high priest of the idolatrous system, was led to be the very first to light the torch which should burn the nations idols. Unless he had led the van in the rabble of iconoclasts, or idol destroyers, it is doubtful whether the project would have been carried through.”
“‘The tabu is broken burn the idols!’ was the watchword that started at Kailua, Hawaii, and was repeated to the limits of the Kingdom.”
“I have now taken the naturalistic, or the human view of this wonderful event. But are we not justified in the introduction of a superhuman and Divine influence, in bringing about this unlooked for result.”
“At the period when this event occurred, all Christian Missionaries and writers, did not hesitate to recognize a Divine influence. All the Missionary and Religious publications of that period, abound with expressions of acknowledgement to a Divine Providence.”
“The God of Missions – the Great Head of the Church – was every where recognized as having prepared the way for the introduction of the gospel among Hawaiians. Ancient Hebrew prophets had foretold, ‘The isles shall wait for His law.’ Could there be a more complete and exact fulfillment of this prophecy of Isaiah?”
“The American Minister, Mr. Bancroft, at Berlin, who is acknowledged as one of the most calm, and philosophical of historical writers of this or any age, remarks:
“‘Sometimes, like a messenger through the thick darkness of night, Omnipotence steps along mysterious ways; but when the hour strikes for a people or mankind to pass into a new form of being, unseen hands draw the bolts from the gates of futurity;’”
“‘… an all subduing influence prepares the minds of men for the coming revolution; those who plan resistance find themselves in conflict with the will of Providence rather than with human desires; and all hearts and all understandings, most of all the opinions and influence of the unwilling, are wonderfully attracted, …’”
“‘… and compelled to bear forward the change, which becomes more and more an obedience to the law of universal nature than submission to the arbitriments of man.’”
“How forcibly and aptly this paragraph, describes the event now under consideration. If the philosophic historian had been writing upon this special subject, he could not have employed more fitting and felicitous language.“
“The hour had struck for the Hawaiian people to pass into a new form of being. Internal agencies, and foreign influences, were contributing to this result, and through those agencies and influences, bow clearly maybe traced the first fruits, as ‘Omnipotence steps along mysterious ways, and unseen hands draw the bolts from the gates of futurity.’”
“No wonder the enthusiastic Puritan Missionaries were wonder-struck as they listened to the report: ‘Kamehameha is dead – His son Liholiho is King – the tabus are abolished – the images are destroyed – the heiaus of idolatrous worship are burned, and the party that attempted to restore them by force of arms, has recently been vanquished.’”
“In view of this event let no one he surprised at Mr. Bingham’s language. ‘The hand of God! How visible in thus beginning to answer the prayer of his people for the Hawaiian race!’”
“‘In the wilderness prepare ye the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert, a highway for our God.’”
“Attempts have been made in a review of universal history, to find some parallel to this unprecedented conduct of the High priest Hewahewa, lighting the torch to kindle the flames which should destroy the idols of Hawaii.”
“The nearest approach is that precedent, cited by Mr. Manley Hopkins in his history of Hawaii, when Paulinus, went as a Missionary to Britain in the days of Edwin of Northumbria. The King had embraced Christianity, and he then exclaimed ‘who shall first desecrate the altars and temples?’”
“‘I’ answered the High priest ‘for who more fit than myself through the wisdom which the true God hath given me, to destroy for the good example of others, what in foolishness I worshipped?’”
“There is one essential point wherein the parallel fails. The old British High priest of idolatry acknowledges, that he had been enlightened by wisdom from the true God.”
“Hewahewa, however rushed forth to his work of destruction, ere, the messengers of Jehovah had landed upon Hawaiian shores.” (All of the information here is from a presentation given by Rev Damon and the Jubilee celebration (1870) of the arrival of the Pioneer Company of missionaries to Hawaii; Pacific Commercial Advertiser, June 25, 1870.) (The image by Brook Parker shows Hewahewa and the dismantling of the heiau.)
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