$84 



MISSIONS. 



Missions. In 179G> the London Missionary Society commenced 

 ^~ -" its operations with a mission to the South Sea islands. 

 OIYNISIA. Nine of the Missionaries settled in Tongataboo ; but a 

 Tongata- civil war having arisen on the island about two years 

 after their arrival, three of them were murdered by 

 one of the contending parties ; and the others, discou- 

 raged by the difficulties and dangers of their situation, 

 retired soon after to New South Wales. A solitary 

 Chris- missionary, who settled on Santa Christina, one of the 

 Marque.-as islands, returned to England at a still earlier 

 Otahcite. period. The others took up their residence in Otaheite, 

 and though they were at first most favourably received 

 by the natives, yet they met with so many difficulties 

 and discouragements in the prosecution of their labours, 

 that this mission, of which the highest anticipations 

 had been formed, was for many years considered as a 

 kind of forlorn hope. The missionaries at length left 

 Otaheite, a a civil war was on the point of breaking 

 out on that island; and most of the friends of missions, 

 we believe, hoped that they would never return, as there 

 appeared not the slightest prospect of their being use- 

 ful among the natives. 



In 1811, several of them, however, did return ; but, 

 for the present, they took up their residence in Eimeo, 

 as the continuance of peace in Otaheite was somewhat 

 doubtful. Soon after their arrival, Pomare the king, 

 who used formerly to shew a strong aversion to religious 

 instruction, publicly renounced idolatry, and made a 

 profession of Christianity. With him this does not ap- 

 pear to have arisen from political motives j but from the 

 firm conviction of his understanding, and the deep im- 

 pression which divine truth had made on his heart. The 

 example of Pomare, in embracing Christianity, produc- 

 ed, as might be expected, a powerful sensation among 

 his countrymen. Instructions which had lain dormant, 

 and convictions which had been stiffled for years, now 

 appeared to revive. Many of the people began to in- 

 quire for themselves ; the congregations of the mission- 

 aries, which had hitherto been extremely small, rapidly 

 increased ; and great numbers publicly renounced the 

 religion of their ancestors. Idolatry was at length com- 

 pletely abolished, both in Otaheite and Eimeo. The 

 gods were destroyed, the morais demolished, the Arreoy 

 Society dissolved, human sacrifices, and the murder of 

 infants, abolished. Instead of a multitude of idols, mo- 

 rais, and altars, there were now Christian churches in 

 every district ; except here and there a heap of stones, 

 scarce a vestige of the old religion was to be seen. The 

 Sabbath was observed with singular strictness ; family- 

 worship was established in almost every house, and se- 

 cret prayer was the practice of almost every individual. 

 There was at the same time a material improvement in 

 the moral conduct of the people ; the condition of the 

 female sex was considerably ameliorated ; the popula- 

 tion of the islands, which had previously been diminish- 

 ing with prodigious rapidity, promised soon to increase, 

 as, in consequence of the abolition of infanticide and 

 other criminal practices, there was already a visible dif- 

 ference in the number of children. This extraordinary 

 revolution was not even confined to Otaheite and Ei- 

 meo ; it extended, in a short time, to the neighbouring 

 islands, Tetaroa, Tapua-Manu, Raiatea, Huaheine, 



Taha, Borabora, and Marua ; in all of which idolatry Missions, 

 was abolished, and Christianity became the professed -v~' 

 religion. Besides instructing the natives in the princi- 

 ples of Christianity, the missionaries taught them to 

 read and write their own language. In this attempt, 

 they formerly met with little encouragement ; now, 

 their exertions were crowned with extraordinary suc- 

 cess. In the different islands, it was supposed there 

 were upwards of six thousand persons who were able 

 to read more or less perfectly. Pomaie even issued 

 orders that school houses should be erected in every 

 district of Otaheite and Eimeo, and that the best in- 

 structed of the natives should be employed in teach- 

 ing others ; so that these islands now possess some- 

 thing like an establishment of parochial schools. The 

 art of printing has been introduced, and the press is 

 now in active operation in these islands. The gospel 

 of Luke, when printed, was sold for three gallons of 

 cocoa-nut-oil per copy; and though the impression 

 consisted of 3000 copies, yet several thousands of the na- 

 tives were sadly disappointed that no more were to be 

 had. Had there been 10,000 copies, it was supposed 

 the whole might have been sold in ten days. The plan 

 of selling the books they printed was adopted by the 

 missionaries in preference to distributing them gratis, 

 with the view of promoting industry among the na- 

 tives. 



In 1814, the Church Missionary Society formed an AUSTRAL- 

 establishment on New Zealand, with the view of intro- ASIA. 

 ducing the arts of civilization and the light of Christian- Ne " Zea ' 

 ity among the inhabitants. Hitherto the missionary 

 settlers have been able to effect little; yet their pros- 

 pects, on the whole, are highly encouraging. 



Such is a general sketch of the principal missions es- 

 tablished by Protestants in different parts of the heathen 

 world. Many others we have been obliged to pass un- 

 noticed, as they were attended with no remarkable cir. 

 cumstances, or were productive of no considerable ef- 

 fects. Should the reader wish more particular details 

 of Protestant missions in general, he may consult 

 Brown's History of the Propagation of Christianity among 

 the Heathen, 2 vols. Svo. 1814. Accounts of particular 

 missions he will find in the following works ; Mather's 

 History of New England: Mayhew's Indian Converts; 

 Hopkin's Memoirs relating to the Hoitsatunnuk Indians ; 

 Brainerd's Lije ; Niecampii Historia Miisionis Evange- 

 Hex in India Orienlali ; Meier Missions-Geschichte o- 

 der Auizitg der Evangelischen Missions Berichte aits Os- 

 lindien von 1737 bis 1767 ; Neure Grschich'e der Evun- 

 gelischeit Missions Anitalteii in Oslindien 6. Band. Hans 

 Egede Nachricht vorn Gronlaiidischen Mission; Crantz's 

 History of Greenland, 2 vols ; Oldendorp's Geschichte 

 der Mission der Evangelischen Bruder aiif St. Thomas, 

 St. Croix, und St. Jan. 2 band.; Loskiel's History of the 

 Mission of the United Brethren in North Anteriru ; Ris- 

 ler Erzahlungen au$ der Geschichle der Bruder Kirche ; 

 Haensel's Letters on the Nicobar Islands ; Moravian Pe- 

 riodical Accounts, 6 vols. ; Baptist Periodical Accounts, 

 6 vols. ; Coke's History of the West Indies, 3 vols. ; 

 Transactions of the Missionary Society, 4 vols. ; Mission- 

 ary Register, 1 vols. ; Proceedings of the Church Mis- 

 sionary Society, 6 vols. (w B.) 



objcts of illicit attachment and licentious intercourse ; that the personal ill-treatment which the preachers of " righteousness, and temper, 

 ance, and a judgment to come," have m many cases experienced, lias been the consequence of violent resentments produced by checks put 

 upon vicious indulgence, by the introduction of a stronger principle of morality among the slaves and females of colour; and that restric- 

 tive laws gravely proposed to legislatures have been, in many instances which might be given, mainly the work of men who had such in- 

 juries to complain of. then the whole controversy would be placed in a light in which that party are not, we are persjaded, disposed to 

 have it viewed On this subject, evidence is not wanting, but the necessity of adducing it shall be created only by the conduct of those whc 

 are most auxious to justify their zeal against missions on. very different reasons," P. HI. 



