50 THE WHALE AND 



Natural Logic. Tahitian theology. Its Conclusion. 



The men on the other side of the great sea 

 used their skill and their bodies to make ships 

 and to print Bibles. They came in ships, and 

 brought iron hoops, knives, nails, hatchets, 

 cloth, and needles, which are very good. They 

 also brought rum and whisky, which are very 

 evil. They moved the hinges of the jaws, and 

 told lies and curses, which are abominable. At 

 last some came and brought the Bible. They 

 used the hinges of their bodies to turn over its 

 leaves and to explain God's blessed word. That 

 was better than iron- ware and stuff for cloth- 

 ing. They were the servants of the living God, 

 and my heart opened to their words as if it had 

 hinges too, like as my mouth opens to take food 

 when I am hungry. And my heart feels satis- 

 fied now. It was hungry, God nourished it; 

 it was thirsty, God has refreshed it. Blessed 

 be God, who gave his word, and sent it across 

 the sea to bring me light and salvation ! 



Now we say that this unsophisticated native 

 thinker, working thus all by himself at the 

 great theological argument from evidences of 

 design, could hardly have done better had he 

 been going to school to Calvin or Chalmers all 

 his days. He might have written in his Poly- 



