Kalanimōku was a grandson of Kekaulike, the king of Maui – he was of the same rank as Kaʻahumanu, Kamehameha’s favorite wife, and Kuakini, the governor of Hawaiʻi (his first cousins.)
In his youth, Kalanimōku had fought in the army of Kiwalaʻo against Kamehameha, but afterwards served under Kamehameha, finally becoming his trusted advisor.
And, although at the death of Kamehameha, his widowed wife Kaʻahumanu shared the government with Liholiho, Kalanimōku remained a powerful person. (Yzendoorn)
Kalanimōku had been Kamehameha’s prime minister and treasurer, the adviser on whom the king leaned most heavily. He was a man of great natural ability, both in purely governmental and in business matters. He was liked and respected by foreigners, who learned from experience that they could rely on his word. (Kuykendall)
Kalanimōku became a friend of the American Protestant missionaries and promoted the missionary message. He made the following speech on December 10, 1825, in his effort to build up Christianity and spread education throughout the Islands:
“My greetings to you all, my brethren, chiefs, missionaries, native teachers, pupils, and all people of these islands. I am truly thankful because of the new kingdom of God as now given us, for it makes us servants of Jesus Christ.
“My desire is that we love God who has given us the Word of Life. Let us keep His commandments and turn to do right, forsaking evil. Let us not follow sinful ways.”
“Let us be mindful of the good words of Jesus who gave us His blessed blood to save our souls.”
“Let us strive in our hearts to follow the words of Jehovah, our Heavenly Father, and let our thoughts be right.”
“Let us praise our God Jehovah and Him only. We have no other God. He made us and is keeping us. Let us offer Him our prayers in the evening and in the morning.”
“Let us keep Sabbath day as the day of remembrance of Jehovah our God, and let us put away all labor on this day.”
“This is God’s only day, for we can labor six days in the week, but the seventh day we should remember as the day for the good of our souls and as a day of repentance of our sins. We must remember our God.”
“I wish also to say that I am always mindful of God’s words and my heart yearns for His salvation. I am jealous for God’s words and have forsaken my old ways and I want a new heart in me.”
“My beloved King Liholiho once said to me that my wife and I should learn how to read and write. Keōpūolani requested that I obey God in order that my soul might be saved so that I might meet her in that beautiful place in the future, in the Kingdom of God.”
“At the death of Keōpūolani my love for her became much greater. I want to keep her request that I keep to the right. And when the King sailed to that foreign land I wept for him.”
“Kaumuali‘i too died in the faith and he instructed me to take good care of Kauai, for the land and all the people belonged to the king. I therefore went to Kauai and some made war upon us, but God kept us.”
“On the way to Ni‘ihau again my thoughts were of God, and from then on I became afraid of evil and I am now afraid to do wicked things.”
“I have given my body, my soul, and my heart to God and I am His servant. I am now repenting of my old sins. I am praising God at this time. It is His grace that I want, for He alone knows my sins; He knows my body and my soul.”
“I want all the people to obey Jehovah, all of the chiefs and rulers and all the commoners as well, from Hawaii to Kauai. Let us faithfully keep the laws of God and the ten commandments given us by Jehovah.”
“These laws are of benefit to all nations. I desire also that we trust in Jesus Christ, that our souls may be saved by Him. My greetings to you. God in His great mercy bless you.” (Kalanimoku, in Ka Nupepa Kuʻokoʻa, Oct. 10, 1868, quoted by Kamakau)
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