MISSIONARY PROSPECTS IN OAHU. 45 
subject of religion. They were, as might be 
expected, extremely ignorant; but they were in 
general willing, and often expressed themselves 
desirous to be informed. We endeavoured fami¬ 
liarly, and with the utmost plainness, to exhibit, 
not the subtleties of theology, or the dogmas of 
any particular sect, but the great facts and prin¬ 
ciples of revelation, and were pleased to perceive 
that they appeared to have obtained an outline of 
the leading truths of Christianity. On the even¬ 
ing of the 7th of July, which was the Sabbath, 
when Mr. Bingham and myself went to the king’s 
house, he informed us that he would never again 
neglect the observance of the Sabbath, but would 
worship Jehovah; and that he did not intend to 
drink rum. Our number of hearers now fre¬ 
quently amounted to three hundred persons, to 
whom we preached twice on the Sabbath, and 
once during the week: our meetings were en¬ 
livened by the introduction of hymns in the 
native language. A spirit of inquiry was excited 
among the chiefs and people, and several seemed 
earnestly desirous to know and serve the living 
God. Among them, Keeaumoku was conspi¬ 
cuous ; he not only attended public worship, but 
collected the people together by ringing a large 
bell every evening, and invited us to attend and 
preach to them. 
Among the strangers now at Oahu, was Mr. Ma- 
theson, a gentleman who came as passenger on 
board an American ship, from South America to 
.Canton. In his “ Narrative of a Visit to Brazil, 
Chili, Peru, and the Sandwich Islands, in the year 
1821 and 1822,” he gives the following account of 
a visit to the establishment of Keeaumoku, who 
was also called Cox, by the foreigners:— 
