SCRUPLES OF CONSCIENCE. 431 
vived infancy, had not been without the admoni¬ 
tions of conscience, which had borne a faithful 
testimony to the character of all their actions; 
and that on the evidence of that witness they 
would be acquitted or convicted at the bar of 
God. At the same time assuring them, that 
whatever crimes they might have to answer for, 
rejection of the gospel would not be one; though 
this would, perhaps, involve the heaviest condem¬ 
nation on their descendants, if by them that gospel 
was neglected or despised. 
Many of their inquiries related to the proper 
observance of the Sabbath, and under what cir¬ 
cumstances it would be proper to launch a canoe 
or undertake a voyage ? This resulted from the 
king’s sister being taken ill at Afareaitu, while we 
were residing there; and the natives wishing to 
send word to her relations, but hesitating because 
it was the Sabbath. A man once came and said, 
that while he was attending public worship, a pig 
broke into his garden ; that on his return, he saw 
him devouring the sweet potatoes, sugar-cane, 
taro, and other productions, in which pine-apples 
were probably included, but that he did not drive 
it out, because he was convinced it would imme¬ 
diately return, unless he repaired the broken fence, 
and that he supposed was a kind of labour pro¬ 
hibited on the Sabbath. He therefore allowed the pig 
to remain till he was satisfied, and did not mend the 
fence till the following morning. He, however, 
wished to know, and the people in general were evi¬ 
dently interested in the inquiry—whether, in the 
event of a similar occurrence at any future period, he 
should do wrong in driving out the animal, and re¬ 
pairing the fence. He was told that the most secure 
way would be to keep the fence in good repair; but 
