84 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
associated; and had, by a vigorous and combined 
movement, in force and magnitude surpassing any 
thing that had been hitherto attempted by British 
Christians, introduced a new era in the Missionary 
efforts of modern times. It had excited among all 
classes the liveliest interest, called forth splendid 
efforts of sacred eloquence, and noble deeds of 
Christian benevolence; but, painful and deeply 
humiliating as it was, it now appeared to those 
devoted servants of God, who had, amidst pro¬ 
tracted and severe privations, maintained their 
ground till life was no longer secure—after having 
engaged the prayers of the people of God, and 
waited in vain for the results of patient and self- 
denying toil, during twelve eventful years—that 
the scene of their labour must be abandoned. 
Their enemies at home became bold in denouncing 
the enterprise as the wild project of extravagance 
and folly, and stamping upon its projectors and 
conductors the impress of the blindest fanaticism. 
Even those who, though they had not condemned 
the scheme as Utopian and visionary, had with¬ 
held their sanction and their aid, now pointed to 
the deserted field as a demonstration of the sound¬ 
ness of their judgment, and an explanation of 
their conduct. There were others also, who, 
whatever might be their opinion of the measure 
itself, and however they might approve or dis¬ 
approve of the choice of those with whom it 
originated, in the selection of the most distant, 
isolated, and, as it regarded the moral character of 
its inhabitants, the most unpromising parts of the 
world, for the first field of their labours, considered 
its projectors as influenced in a great degree by 
self-confidence, and a desire of aggrandisement or 
applause. It has sometimes been unwarrantably 
