POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
313 
and we had reason to believe the feeling was re~ 
dprocal. 
Their knowledge was but limited^ notwithstanding all 
our efforts to instruct them; their duties increased, their 
situation became more conspicuous, and their temptations 
greater. Latent depravity still lurked in their hearts, 
and it might be expected that their great spiritual adver¬ 
sary would not leave them unmolested. We were also 
fearful lest the privileges they were raised to enjoy might 
engender or nourish secret pride, or induce a disposition 
to rest satisfied with having obtained admission to the 
outward and visible church of Christ, and thus lead them 
to neglect that constant seeking after God, and the cul¬ 
tivation of those Christian virtues, by which alone they 
could sustain, with credit to Christianity, and benefit to 
their own minds, the situation to which they had been 
raised. They would naturally become models of imita¬ 
tion to others, and would exert no ordinary influence on 
the community at large. It was therefore gratifying to 
behold them humble, prayerful, watchful, and diligent. 
The weekly meeting with the candidates for communion, 
whose number was greatly increased, we constantly 
attended, and recommended the church members not to 
absent themselves unnecessarily. 
At these times we endeavoured to explain the truths 
in which they were most interested, and, with regard to 
the members themselves, leaving the first principles of 
the doctrines of Christ, we endeavoured gradually and 
gently to lead them on to a more extensive acquaintance 
with the grand and varied doctrines of the gospel, and the 
important relative and other duties resulting therefrom. 
These meetings were exceedingly interesting, from the 
simple yet unequivocal evidences often afforded of the 
n. 2 s 
