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POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
be taken as a sample of the kind of declarations made 
by those who are united in church fellowship; and 
though it relates to a native of the North Pacific Isles, 
it resembles in its principal characteristics those of many 
of the natives of the Southern group. Simplicity is the 
distinguishing feature in all their religious intercourse of 
this kind. 
There is another very pleasing trait in their Christian 
character, namely, their undoubting reception of the 
Scriptures, as a Divine revelation. We have plainly and 
uniformly stated its truths, inculcating among them no 
opinions or sentiments, on matters of religion, but such 
as are found in the Bible; declaring that what it taught 
was essential, and that all the opinions of men, however 
excellent, are in comparison unimportant. To the 
Bible we have always referred them, as the authority 
for what we have taught, and of its declarations we have 
allowed no evasion. The injunctions of Scripture they 
have therefore been accustomed to receive implicitly, as 
they are recorded; and while they exercise their own 
judgments very freely in matters of human opinion, I 
never knew one, who professed himself a Christian, 
inclined to doubt the authority of the Bible. To this 
standard we have always referred their opinions and 
their conduct; and by the criterion it furnishes, we always 
recommended their examining their own condition, rather 
than comparing their conduct with that of others. 
Often, when we have recommended some measure of 
a religious or general nature, which we have supposed 
would be advantageous to them, they have inquired, 
What says the Scripture ? Is there any thing about it 
in the word of God ? If, as was sometimes the case, 
we were under the necessity of stating, that there was 
