. 
ow afternoon, to give these things a particu- 
iar consideration. 
| © Nov. 18th. Assembled according to last 
vening’s appointment. Opened the meet- 
ag with prayer. A president being chosen, 
akes was called upon to state his 
uiry ; which he did as follows: ¢ I 
glad to know how the society in- 
end to proceed, should an attack be made 
spon us by the natives?’ This questior 
rought on a long debate, in whieh the bre- 
hren being disagreed, it was judged prudent 
adjourn the consideration of the subject 
‘ill the following Monday. Closed with 
ayer. 
Nov. 20th. Brother Main’s house being 
jinished, he is gone to it to reside, In the 
pares the society assembled ; and, the 
me order being observed as on Saturday, 
rother Oakes’s enquiry was resumed ; name- 
ys What we intended to do in case of an at- 
ack? It was answered, our having the mus- 
uets on shore, was professedly with no 
7, design than to intimidate the natives, 
nd to intimidate only, without ever firing 
e injuring them; andif an attack was 
hermitted to be made, Query, Would it not 
é our duty to give up ourselves, and all we 
possess, to the enemy? This query met with 
great objections; in consideration of the in- 
jults: our sisters would probably meet with 
from such characters as the Otaheiteans are 
‘mown to be. It was answered, by a brother, 
Were it not for the feelings he possessed for 
jhe women, and the children, he should not 
iesitate a single moment concerning his 
4uty in the matter. It being therefore deem- 
}:d necessary, that we should stand upon our 
Hefence, in the case of an hostile attack upon 
1s by the natives, it was proposed, That our 
lwelling be barricaded ail round, that ifan 
tack should ever be made, opportunity may 
ye given fora parley; but no one, on any 
jecount whatever, to go without the boun- 
| hiss. pain of being charged with blood- 
jmiltiness, if any native should be shot. 
his was agreed to, and the meeting closed. 
| “ Inthcevening the society again met, and 
) tder being observed, brother Oakes’s second 
faquiry was brought forward: viz. * If any 
»rother should fea himself disposed to marry 
yne of the native women, would it be thought 
iy the society an improper act?’ Reference 
4s had to the word of God, by which it was 
= to be an unlawful action for any bro- 
ler to marry a native woman in ber present 
tate, an .. It was replied, it ought 
0 be considered, that if a native was not 
en in her present condition, there was no 
ative, but to remain single, and expos- 
all the dreadful temptations with which 
ere surrounded. ‘To this it was answered, 
d changes not his mode of government 
the accommodation of his creatures, and 
Whatever he calls us to we ought to look to 
™ for strength to endure. 1t was then re- 
ested for the brethren to express their sen- 
TRANSACTIONS OF THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY. 
195 
timents individually, and in order, upon the 
subject. This was agreed to, and i: ja 
alphabetically, each brother acknow edged, 
That to marry an heathen woman was di- 
rectly contrary to the word of God, and re- 
solved, inthe Lord’s strength, to abide as they 
were.” 
In pursuance of their resolution, the 
brethren remonstrated with the chiefs 
upon their practice of infanticide. Peter 
the Swede, whom they had found upon 
the island, acted as interpreter, and the 
chiefs promised to abolish the custom 
with that perfect coolness which is pe- 
culiar to savages and statesmen, when 
they are uttering a deliberate falsehood. 
—Their determination respecting mar- 
riage led to more consequences. Bro- 
ther Cock, who had not been present at 
the discussion,, fell into temptation, laid 
his case before the society, and request- 
ed to know if brother Cover might mar-_ 
ry him to a young native woman. He 
was immediately answered in the nega- 
tive, and informed, that the church had 
already determined such conduct, in any 
of her members, to be a departure from 
the faith. Brother Cock submitted to 
the decision. At the same time, Peter 
the Swede asked the society, if the wo- 
man he lived with might be baptised and 
married to him. This also was refused. 
In March 1798, the Nautilus, of Ma- 
cao, touched at the island. During her 
stay, two of the men deserted, and the 
brethren, being apprehensive that the 
chiefs would obtain musquets and ammu- 
nition for giving them up, as they de- 
manded, determined formally to claim 
the men, and if they were refused, to for- 
bid the natives from entering upon their 
district. Four of the missionaries were 
sent upon this embassy. Before they 
could execute it, they were robbed and 
stript by the natives. This terrified the 
society: they consulted whether or not 
they should abandon the mission, and 
eleven, among whom were four of the 
married brethren, accordingly departed 
in the Nautilus. The seven who re- 
‘mained sent away their arms and ammu- 
nition, to prevent them from falling into 
the hands of the natives, and gave up 
their public store-room and blacksmith’s 
shop, with all their contents, to Pomere. 
They had cffered their private pro- 
perty also to Pomere, and it would have 
spared them much uneasiness had he ac« 
cepted it, as attempts were repeatedly 
made to rob them; their alarms, how. 
ever, for personal safety had subsided. 
O02 
