206 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
imitating their teachers in this respect, met for the 
purpose of praise and supplication to the true God, 
during the interval of public worship, which was 
held early in the morning, and at four in the 
afternoon. 
About a quarter before nine in the morning, I 
accompanied Mr. Crook to the public worship of 
the natives, held in the same house in which I had 
visited the school a day or two before. It was, 
indeed, a rude and perishable building, totally 
destitute of every thing imposing in effect, or 
exquisite in workmanship; yet I beheld it with 
emotions of pleasure, as the first roof under which 
the natives of Tahiti had assembled, in any 
number, to receive the elements of useful know¬ 
ledge, to listen with attention and satisfaction to 
the word of God, and to render publicly unto Him 
their grateful praise; for, 
“ Though gilded domes, and splendid fanes, 
And costly robes, and choral strains, 
And altars richly dress’d; 
And sculptur’d saints, and sparkling gems, 
And mitred priests, and diadems, 
Inspire with awe the breast: 
u ’Tis not the pageantry of show 
That can impart devotion’s glow, 
Nor sanctify a prayer. 
The soul enlarged, devout, sincere, 
With equal piety draw s near 
The holy house of God, 
That rudely rears its rustic head, 
Scarce higher than the Indian’s shed ; 
By Indians only trod.” 
The place was thronged with people, and num¬ 
bers were standing or sitting round the doors and 
the outside of the building. When we arrived, they 
readily made way for us to enter; when a scene, 
