418 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES* 
CHAP. XVII. 
Public assemblies during the week—Questional and con* 
versational meetings—Topics discussed—The seat of the 
thoughts and affections—Duty of prayer—Scripture 
biography and history—The first parents of mankind— 
Paradise—Origin of moral evil—Satanic influence— 
A future state—Condition of those who had died ido¬ 
laters—The Sabbath—Inquiries respecting England— 
The doctrine of the resurrection—Anxiety to possess 
genuine Christian experience. 
The religious services of a general kind, among 
the natives, during the week, are not numerous* 
There is one lecture, which is on Wednesday even¬ 
ing. Numbers assemble at this time, and the 
exercise, we have reason to believe, is useful in 
keeping alive that interest in matters of religion ? 
which might be diminished by the secular engage¬ 
ments of the week. The following account of one 
of these meetings is given by Captain Gambier, in 
the extracts of his journal. 
“ On Wednesday afternoon we attended a 
native divine service. It was begun with a hymn ; 
then Mr. Nott, who did duty, prayed extempore 
for some length, and then read a passage from 
scripture, upon which he preached with great 
