10 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
profane that day “ in defiance of Jehovah/’ He 
repaired for this purpose to some grounds in the 
neighbourhood of the temple, and engaged in 
erecting a fence; but while thus employed, his 
career of impiety was suddenly arrested. The 
twig of a tree came in contact with his eyes ; al¬ 
most instant blindness followed ; and, like Ely mas, 
he was led home by his affrighted companions, who 
considered it a visitation from the Almighty. 
I had frequent interviews with him afterwards, 
one in the precincts of his own temple, which I 
visited in company with Messrs. Bennet, Tyerman, 
and Barff. His spirit w^as subdued; he subse¬ 
quently became a humble, and, we trust, sincere 
disciple of that blessed Redeemer whom he had 
persecuted. He died trusting in the merits of 
Christ for acceptance with God the Father. The 
history of the conversion of the great apostle to 
the Gentiles interested and affected him much ; and 
though the scales on his bodily eyes were not 
removed, but his blindness continued until his 
death, which occurred in 1824, such was the im¬ 
pression which analogy of circumstances produced, 
that when he presented himself for baptism, he 
desired to be called Paul. 
Other instances of spiritual illumination, equally 
pleasing, now exist both in the Society and Sand¬ 
wich Islands, in reference to individuals suffering 
one of the most distressing and hopeless privations 
to which humanity is exposed. Some of our most 
interesting conversations with the natives have been 
with such. “ My eyes,” said a blind man one day to 
Mr. Williams, “ behold no attractive objects when I 
am engaged in prayer, or hearing the word of God; 
and yet my heart wanders, and my thoughts are 
often engaged on other subjects. My eves see 
