Baptism | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

August 29, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Po‘ahā

Those who belong to the po‘ahā are brought, in some degree, under the watch and care of the church, and, so far as they are conscientious, they are bound to correct principles and practices. (Missionary Herald)

Po‘ahā – Thursday – a reference to the Bible study meetings, held on Thursdays, that prepared one for baptism and membership in the church congregation.

“The numbers of the natives, both men and women, who desired admission to the church, multiplied, and some were formed into classes which met weekly, on Thursday, for prayer, inquiry, and instruction, and from which candidates were, from time to time, selected, propounded, and received to fellowship.” (Bingham)

The Adobe Schoolhouse was constructed during the period 1833-1835, of air-dried adobe bricks and lumber, as it became available, to replace the earlier straw school and meeting house.

The “most beautiful room in Honolulu,” as architects have called it, was used for a school, for the annual spring General Meeting of the Mission, as a social hall, and, in 1855, as the scene of a wedding between two mission “cousins.”

In 1852, it saw the establishment of the Hawaiian Mission Children’s Society, often known as the Cousins Society, a group of missionary descendants whose parents had long called each other “brother” and “sister.”

For a while during the 1870s, the building was rented to the Government for use as a public school, at which time a partition was put in.

Later, it housed the Thursday daytime meetings of Kawaiaha’o Church and became known as Hale Poaha, the Thursday House of Kawaiaha‘o. (NPS)

“The congregation is large on the Sabbath. In the morning, our spacious house is filled, and becoming seriousness pervades the congregation.”

“Other meetings are well attended. Multitudes are pressing into the poaha, i.e. the Thursday meeting for religious inquiry.”

None are admitted to this meeting, except persons who are found, on examination by ourselves, to have a general understanding of the essential doctrines of the gospel, and a belief of them, and who declare their intention to renounce all known sin, and obey every known duty.”

“Such evidences of a renovated heart are not required, as would be insisted on in order to a participation of the Lord’s Supper.” (Chamberlain, 1830; Missionary Herald)

“Since the middle of March, I have myself examined 324 persons; and of this number, I should hope, that as many as one in ten are pious.”

“The whole number which, on this island, have been admitted to this meeting, cannot, I think, be less than 1,000. And I trust there may be found among them, at least, 100 persons, who might with great propriety be received into the church.”

“The native members of the church have recently held a meeting, at their own instance, for the purpose of comparing their views with respect to the moral and religious character of those persons within their knowledge, who have expressed a desire to join the church …”

“… and upwards of 100 names were written down of persons, whom they do not hesitate to recommend to our notice, as suitable candidates for baptism and church-fellowship.”

“Those who belong to the poaha are brought, in some degree, under the watch and care of the church, and, so far as they are conscientious, they are bound to correct principles and practices.” (Chamberlain, 18830; Missionary Herald)

On June 5, 1825, ten Hawaiians made “a full declaration of their desire to be numbered among the disciples of Christ.” These were Kalanimōku, Ka‘ahumanu, Kapule, Kapi‘olani, Keali‘iahonui, Kalakua, Namahana (or Opi‘ia,) Kaiu, La‘anui and Richard Kala‘aia‘ulu (who had arrived from the Cornwall School in 1823.)

A probation period of six months was set for these candidates. (Damon)

By the time a newly constructed thatched Kawaiaha‘o church was nearly finished, “Sabbath Decr. 4th. This has been a day of uncommon interest; and the transactions of it form an era in the Sandwich Island Church.”

“Eight persons who have for more than six months stood as candidates for admission and who have given as satisfactory evidence of personal piety as the nature of their circumstances will admit, came forward & united themselves to our number …”

“… and entered into a solemn covenant to walk in all the ordinances of the Gospel; and subscribed with their own hands unto the Lord, binding themselves by the most solemn engagements to be his forever.”

“Seven of the candidates received baptism – Karaimoku having been baptized a number of years ago by a French Chaplain, only brought forward his little son, which it was a pleasing sight to witness in the arms of his father to be presented for Christian baptism – He received the name of Joseph Leleohoku.”

“Ka‘ahumanu was baptised by the Christian name of Elizabeth. – Opi‘ia by that of Lydia; Tapule Deborah; Keri‘iahonui – Aaron; La‘ahui – Gideon; Kaiu – Simeon. Kara‘aiaulu – Richard.” (Levi Chamberlain Journal)

The Kawaiaha’o Church register lists the names of those who, beginning on December 4, 1825, took their vows, and were baptized. Their signatures are on the church charter.

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Hiram Bingham Baptismal Book-Noting Dec 4, 1825
Hiram Bingham Baptismal Book-Noting Dec 4, 1825
Hiram Bingham Baptismal Book-Noting Dec 4, 1825
Hiram Bingham Baptismal Book-Noting Dec 4, 1825

September 16, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Keōpūolani Baptism

On the arrival of the American missionaries in April 1820, all the chiefs were consulted respecting the expediency of their establishment in the islands. Some of the chiefs seemed to doubt; but Keōpūolani without hesitation approved their proposals. (Memoir)

Keōpūolani welcomed them. As the highest ranking ali‘i of her time, her embracing of Christianity set a crucial seal of approval on the missionaries and their god. (Langlas & Lyon)

Keōpūolani was the daughter of Kīwalaʻo. Kīwalaʻo was the son of Kalaniʻōpuʻu by Kalola (sister of Kahekili.) Her mother was Kekuiapoiwa Liliha, Kīwalaʻo sister. She was aliʻi kapu of nī‘aupi‘o (high-born – offspring of the marriage of a high-born brother and sister or half-brother and half-sister.)

Her ancestors on her mother’s side were ruling chiefs of Maui; her ancestors on her father’s side were the ruling chiefs of the island of Hawai‘i. Keōpūolani’s genealogy traced back to Ulu, who descended from Hulihonua and Keakahulilani, the first man and woman created by the gods.

In the year 1822, while at Honolulu, she was very ill, and her attention seems to have been then first drawn to the instructions of the missionaries. (Anderson)

In May 1823, Keōpūolani and her husband Hoapili expressed a desire to have an instructor connected with them. They selected Taua, a native teacher sent by the church at Huaheine, in company with the Rev. Mr. Ellis, to instruct them and their people in the first principles of the Gospel, and teach them to read and write.

The mission approved, and Taua resided until the death of Keōpūolani. He proved a faithful teacher, and by the blessing of God, we believe, he did much to establish her in the Christian faith. (Memoir)

Keōpūolani requested, as did the king and chiefs, that missionaries might accompany her. As Lahaina had been previously selected for a missionary station, the missionaries were happy to commence their labors there under such auspices. William Richards and Charles Samuel Stewart therefore accompanied her. (Memoir)

On the May 31, 1823, Keōpūolani arrived in Lahaina with Messrs. Richards and Stewart and their families. On their passage, she told them she would be their mother; and indeed she acted the part of a mother ever afterwards.

Immediately on their arrival, she requested them to commence teaching, and said, also, “It is very proper that my sons (meaning the missionaries) be present with me at morning and evening prayers.”

They were always present, sung a hymn in the native language, and when nothing special prevented, addressed through an interpreter the people who were present, when Taua, or the interpreter, concluded the service with prayer.

She spent a principal part of her time every day in learning how to read. and notwithstanding her age, numerous cares, constant company, and various other hindrances, made respectable proficiency.

She was indeed a diligent pupil, seldom weary with study; often spent hours over her little spelling book; and when her teachers rose to leave her, rarely laid it aside, but usually continued studying after they had retired.

She was apparently as diligent in searching for divine truth, as in learning to read, and evidently gave attention to her book, that she might know more of her duty to her Maker. (Memoir)

On the last week in August, Keōpūolani began to be seriously affected by a local indisposition, which soon seemed to relax her whole system, and in her view was a premonition of her approaching death.

On the first day of September, the chiefs began to collect in consequence of her illness. This was agreeable to their universal custom. Whenever a high chief is taken ill, although there may be nothing threatening in his illness, all the chiefs assemble from every part of the islands, and wait the result.

Thus, it was in Keōpūolani’s sickness. Vessels were dispatched to the different islands before there was any occasion for alarm. It was not many days, however, before it was seriously apprehended that the disease would prove fatal. (Memoir)

“They regarded her as a fit subject for baptism, but were unwilling to administer the ordinance without some means of communicating with her and with the people, so that there might be no danger of misunderstanding on so interesting an occasion.”

“They feared lest there should be erroneous impressions as to the place the ordinance held in the Christian system. Happily, Mr. Ellis arrived just in season, and the dying woman was thus publicly acknowledged as a member of the visible church.”

“The king and ail the heads of the nation listened with profound attention to Mr. Ellis’s statement of the grounds on which baptism was administered to the queen …”

“… and when they saw that water was sprinkled on her in the name of God, they said, ‘Surely she is no longer ours. She has given herself to Jesus Christ. We believe she is his, and death will go to dwell with him.’ An hour afterwards, near the close of September 16, 1823, she died.” (Anderson)

Keōpūolani is said to have been the first convert of the missionaries in the islands and the first to receive a Protestant baptism. (Kalanimōku and Boki had previously (1819) been baptized by the French Catholics. Kalanimōku later (1825) joined the Protestant Church, at the same time as Ka‘ahumanu.)

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Missionaries_preaching_under_kukui_groves,_1841

August 14, 2015 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Baptism of Kalanimōku

Three months after Kamehameha’s death, Captain Louis de Freycinet aboard the French ship Uranie, arrived at Kailua. After a stay of only four days, the vessel proceeded to Kawaihae, where Liholiho had gone to consecrate a heiau.

The day after their arrival, several chiefs came on board, among whom were Kalanimōku. 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, he 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)

In 1819, when Captain de Freycinet sailed in, Mde Rose de Saulces de Freycinet, the captain’s wife, described Kalanimōku as “going on board dressed in loin cloth and a European shirt, more dirty than clean.” (Del Piano)

“In a visit which Karaimoku had made the evening before on board of the “Uranie”, the costume of our chaplain attracted his attention; on being informed of the functions of this ecclesiastic …”

“… he told him that for a long time he had desired to be a Christian, and that he prayed him therefore to be pleased to baptize him; that his mother on her death-bed had received this sacrament, and had recommended him to submit himself to this ceremony as soon as he should find opportunity.” (Freycinet; The Friend)

“As the ceremony of his baptism took place on board, with considerable pomp (August 14, 1819,) I must give you some account of it. The King wished to be present, and was accompanied by the Queen (Kaahumanu.) Mr. Jeanneret was ordered to convey their Majesties and the rest of the Royal family on board, in the Captain’s own boat.”

“The King was saluted by eleven guns; his Majesty went below to see them fired. The altar had already been prepared. Mr. Pitt (Kalanimōku) had been above two hours on board;”

“(T)he Abbe de Quelen, our excellent chaplain, not being able to make himself understood by his audience, officiated with the utmost simplicity. Our commander was the godfather, while M Gabert, his secretary, represented the godmother”. (Arago; The Friend)

Chairs were offered to the Princesses, most of whom sat on the deck. The drawing by Arago of the baptism ceremony shows the gathering on the quarter deck.

The quarter deck had been decorated with flags from several countries, and some had been placed over the deck in order that the princesses might find themselves comfortably seated; Kaʻahumanu (and apparently Keōpūolani) was seated on chairs in front of the altar. (There is no apparent symbolism to the flags used of their placement.)

Following the baptism there was a celebration party, “It was truly wonderful to see with what rapidity the bottles of wine and brandy disappeared, so that I had reason to fear that his Majesty would render himself unable to go ashore.”

“Fortunately night was approaching, and Rihoriho expressed a desire to return; but before leaving I had to make him a present of two bottles of brandy, to drink to my health and prosperous voyage; the queen dowager also received some; and each of the assistants following their master’s example, believed himself obliged to ask for some also.” (Freycinet; The Friend)

The following year the American Protestant missionaries arrived, he showed them favor from the very beginning. On December 5, 1826, Kalanimōku with seven others, was admitted by the American missionaries to the full communion of the Christian church.

The American missionaries did not rebaptize him, as they regarded the baptism imparted by the French chaplain a valid one. However, Kalanimōku brought his son to be baptized.

Kalanimōku developed an immediate and sincere liking for the New Englanders. Throughout his life, they turned to him for assistance and their requests invariably met with positive results.

He helped them acquire land, build homes and establish schools; he worked to smooth relations between the missionaries and foreigners. (Del Piano)

Kalanimōku became an ardent student of the missionaries, expressing a strong interest in learning to read and write, as well as acquiring more knowledge of the Protestant religion. Both he and Kaʻahumanu attended the mission school regularly.

“We honored the king, but we loved the cultivated manhood of Kalanimōku. He was the only individual Hawaiian that appeared before us with a full civilized dress.” (Lucy Thurston)

“Kalanimōku was prime minister of the king, and the most powerful executive man in the nation. … Now the great warrior was among us, learning the English alphabet with the docility of a child.”

“He often turned to it, and as often his favorite teacher, Daniel Chamberlain, a son five years of age.” Six years after this Kalanimōku was called into the spirit land. He lived to receive and to love the ‘glad tidings of great joy.’” (Lucy Thurston) (Kalanimōku died February 7, 1827 at Kamakahonu, at Kailua-Kona.)

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