22 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
inculcated, and the necessity that existed not only 
for their renunciation of every open idolatrous 
practice, and attention to instruction in the princi¬ 
ples, but a deportment accordant with the precepts 
of Christianity, in the conspicuous situation in 
which this very act would place them, before those 
by whom they were surrounded. We also informed 
them, that it appeared to us from the scripture, 
that the ordinance was designed for believers and 
their children, and therefore directed that, as they 
desired them to be brought up in the Christian 
faith, they should dedicate them to Jehovah, the 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, by baptism. It was 
found necessary, at the same time, plainly to cau¬ 
tion them against supposing there was in baptism 
any thing meritorious, or on account of which they 
would receive any special blessing from God, other 
than that which would follow general obedience to 
his word. This was the more requisite, as there 
was reason to apprehend, that from the influence 
of a system in which strict observance of rites and 
ceremonies, without regard to motive or moral 
character, was all that was necessary, they might 
rest satisfied with having received the mere exter¬ 
nal declaratory rite. We also endeavoured care¬ 
fully to avoid holding out any prospect of distinc¬ 
tion, or temporal advantage, as an inducement to 
the people to apply for baptism, but constantly and 
plainly represented its observance as only an act 
of obedience to Him whom they professed to 
desire for their Master and their Lord, and who 
had promised that his people should be baptized 
with the Holy Ghost. 
This weekly meeting was designed to answer 
another purpose, that of affording us the means of 
judging of the sincerity of the candidates, as well 
