264 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
der—^when they should have cherished the ten derest and 
softest sensibilities of the human bosom: I believe this 
has not been in my imagination only. The feeling 
depicted in the humane and Christian parent’s counte¬ 
nance, suffused with tears, has often been an index of no 
common inward agitation. Subsequent conversation has 
confirmed the fact; and many have brought their chil¬ 
dren to present them unto God in baptism, who, while 
idolaters, had more than once or twice been guilty of the 
barbarous crime of infant murder. This practice is 
abolished; and, instead of shameless murder, or pagan 
sacrifice, the parents now delight to bring their infants 
to the house of worship, and thus dedicate them to God. 
I have been often rather agreeably surprised at the 
anxiety of the parents to have their children baptized. 
Without inquiring into the origin of this solicitude, I 
believe it is not confined to the inhabitants of the South 
Sea Islands, and is certainly not unpleasant to behold. 
I recollect at one time the parents of three children came 
with considerable earnestness, and requested me to bap¬ 
tize their infants, rather earlier than I thought it should 
be done. It was not at Huahine, and the Missionary, 
under whose care the station was more particularly 
placed, was absent; I therefore proposed to defer it till 
his arrival. They pressed me not to decline; and one of 
them stated as a reason, that her child had been ill, and 
she was afraid it should die without having been baptized. 
Suppose,” I replied, ^‘^that it should, you know that the 
child will not lose thereby. No persons will be admitted 
to heaven simply because they have been baptized, nor 
will any be excluded therefrom merely because they have 
not.” ^^Yes,” answered the mother, ^^I know that; yet 
I do not feel satisfied now, but when it has been bap- 
