72 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
The meeting of such as were desirous of 
uniting with us continued ; and from among those 
who attended, many were added to the church. 
Besides this meeting, we held one with the com¬ 
municants only, on the Friday evening preceding 
the Sabbath when the ordinance was administered, 
which was the first Sabbath in every month. At 
these times, new members were proposed by the 
Missionary, or by any member, to the whole body. 
Inquiry was made of those present, as to their 
eligibility, and if any had objections to an indi¬ 
vidual, he was requested to state them there ; if 
not, one or two of the members were directed to 
call upon the parties at their habitations, to 
converse with them, and report the same at 
the next meeting, for the satisfaction of the 
church. It was regarded by us a duty, to see 
these persons more than once during the inter¬ 
vening month. 
At the next meeting, these individuals were 
proposed by name ; the recommendation of the 
persons who had visited them, and of the Mission¬ 
ary, given ; and if the members present knew any 
reasons why they should not be united with them, 
they were requested to state the same; if not, to 
signify assent by lifting up the right hand. * When 
the members proposed had been thus individually 
approved, as they were usually in attendance, 
they were brought to the chapel, and interrogated 
singly, as to their reasons for desiring to unite with 
us. To these questions brief replies were usually 
rendered ; and they were informed that the mem¬ 
bers of the church, considering them proper per¬ 
sons, were happy to receive them. The right hand 
of fellowship was then given by the Missionaries, 
and subsequently by the members, to those thus 
