THE CHURCHES. 
317 
great denominations work side by side. The Roman 
Catholics, who were introduced to the islands by the 
aid of a French man-of-war, have had a large church, 
a local habitation, and a name, since 1847, and now 
number a very large proportion of converts amongst 
the population of the islands. 
The Church of England has had a Bishop, if not 
a very large ecclesiastical interest, here since 1862. 
The cut-stone cathedral, brought all the way from 
England by Bishop Staley, is still the work of the 
future. The foundations were laid some years ago 
by the late king, but the superstructure lies packed 
in cases within the church inclosure. The funds 
being exhausted, the chance of erection is somewhat 
remote. The services are at present carried on in a 
small temporary building, on which some 20,000/. 
has been expended, and in this Bishop Willis (Dr. 
Staley’s successor) carries out a daily High Church 
ceremonial, which, from the scanty number of wor- 
shippers, does not appear to be very attractive. 
The Wesleyan Methodists have a church, but I 
learnt that this body has not succeeded in making 
any great head-way in the islands. 
It is due to the early missionary enterprise' — 
carried on principally by the American Board of 
Mission (embracing the operations of the Presby- 
terians and Independents) — that any moral change 
has been produced amongst these people. 
There are two native churches ; one of which is a 
