DOCTRINAL VIEWS. 6 / 
the converts in the South Sea Islands resembled 
that of Christians in other parts of the world, 
there were points in which it has often appeared to 
us peculiar. We never met with one who doubted 
the natural depravity, or innate tendency to evil* 
in the human heart. We never met with any who 
were inclined to suppose they could, without some 
procuring cause, be justified in the sight of God. 
This may perhaps arise from the circumstance of 
there being no individual among them, whose past 
life had not been polluted by deeds which even 
natural conscience told them were wrong, and 
consequently, no arguments were necessary to con¬ 
vince any one that he was guilty before God. They 
must have denied the existence of the Deity, and 
Df all by which the living God is distinguished 
from their own senseless idols, before they could 
for a moment suppose their past lives appeared 
otherwise than criminal before Him. Their fearful 
state, and the consequences of guilt, they nevei.* 
disputed, but were always ready to acknowledge 
that they must not only appear criminal, but 
offensive to the Most High, on account of their 
vices. There were, however, in connexion with 
these truths, matters associated with the impres¬ 
sion upon their minds, that sometimes a little 
surprised us. 
Under declarations of the nature and dreadful 
consequences of sin, aggravated as theirs had been, 
the denunciation of the penalties of the law of 
God, and even under the awakenings of their own 
consciences to a conviction of sin, we seldom per¬ 
ceived that deep and acute distress of mind, which 
in circumstances of a similar kind we should have 
expected. In connexion with this, when such 
individuals were enabled to exercise faith in the 
f 2 
