"NATIVE TESTIMONY. 71 
Who do you think are the proper persons to be 
received into the church ? 
Those who have repented of their sins, and have 
obtained new hearts. 
What is a new heart ? 
It is one which loves God, and loves the word of 
God, and does not love sin, or sinful ways. 
Do you think you have obtained a new heart ? 
At one time I think I have, and then again I 
think I have not. I do not know,—I hope I have 
a new heart. 
What makes you hope you have a new heart ? 
This is the reason why I hope I have a new 
heart. The heart I have now is not like the heart 
I formerly had. The one I have now is very bad, 
it is unbelieving, and inclined to evil. But it is 
not like the one I formerly had. Yes; I think I 
have a new heart. 
The satisfaction arising from this simple yet de¬ 
cisive testimony, is increased from a knowledge of 
the fact stated by Mr. Richards; namely, that 
these questions and answers were not committed 
to memory, and merely recited on the occasion, 
but that they were the undisguised motives and 
feelings by which he was influenced. He had no 
knowledge of the questions that would be pro¬ 
posed, until the time when they would be publicly 
asked, and consequently could not have previously 
framed the replies he gave. The above may be 
taken as a sample of the kind of declarations made 
by those who are united in church-fellowship; 
and though it relates to a native of the North 
Pacific Isles, it resembles, in its principal charac¬ 
teristics, many given by the natives of the Southern 
group. Simplicity is the distinguishing feature in 
all their religious intercourse of this kind. 
