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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 1, Issue 1, 4 January 1849, Page 2

(From the Polynesian, August 5.) We are permitted to copy the following remarks upon the changes which have taken place, from a letter of the Rev. Asa Thurston, addressed to the Missionary Uoaril in lJoston. Air. Thurston was one of the first company of missionaries to these islands, and has resided among the people for the last twenty eight years, during ivhich period of lime, he has laboured incessantly for the moral and spiritual welfare of the Hawaiian race. lie suw and hnetv the condition of the people previous to the introduction of Christianity—he has seen them inalltheirsuccessive stages, nnd being perfectly acquainted with their lunguage, customs, habits, and condition, it better qualified than any oilier man now living to judge correctly of the advances that have been made " In regard to the changes which have taken place in these islands, since the arrival of the first Missionaries, many things might be said. Many things have been said and written, and various opinions entertained and expressed by different persons. Soine have regarded (hem as alTording evidence of a better state of tilings than formerly existed here, and as indicating some Advancement in civilization and general improvement i while others have staled that lliu people are in a worse condition in many respects now than they wejre formerly ; or before the publication of the guspei, and before there was any written language, or any books printed, or schools established, and the people taught to read ; in fact, that, they are more degraded now than when they were worshipping idols. Many statements of the liko nature have been made and are etill circulated. We envy not the reputation of a inun for soundness of intellect, or goodness of heart, who could give currency to such repoits. Could the generation of 1820 be place t side liv side with the present generation, the contrast i;"i their outward appearance would he very striking. Scarcely a feature of that generation would be discernible in this. They would not be recognised at belonging to the same race. The dress of the natives at that period was very simple 5 for a man, a strip of cloth lior 8 inches wide and 3 yards long, called a malo, wound round the loins and passed between the lc"s 1 and that for a woman was a jmu, uttaciied waist, and reaching nearly to the knees. The kihei, or a piece of cloth thrown around the shoulders, was sometimes worn, but as a ge-

neial Hiing it whs lint. Children of both tuxes went nuked till they were 8 or !) tears old. When bathing in |]ic sea, or sporting in tlic surf no nrlicles of clothing were ever worn ; unil females w ere accustomed to leave tlie pati ut their resilience ami pass on through the village to the • bore, nnil relnrn in the same manner t anil if they were individuals of high rank, they Mould not iiiifrequently make it convenient to call ut the residence of the missionaries to pay their respects ami semi on a servant to tiring the puu ami put it on in the resilience of the missionaries ami return comparatively clad. Such are a fov of the outlines of the appearance of the people in regard lo their dress j lint to give the whole in detail wnnld require a nninlier of sheets of impel, if not a volume respectable for size. What are the appearances of the people now in regard to clothing f Von will not now often 9ee a female without one or more garments ol foteign manufacture i and inosi of the" people throughout the islands are decently clothed ; tliat is, they are comparatively so. Many of them go fur beyond their moans in this respect. Most of our congregations on tlie Sabbath exhibit an appearance quite civilized ) and one would scarcely distinguish them from an American assembly. You will seldom see u man or woman in their uiicient costume. This universal custom of weavig garments, so fur as they can obtain ihcin, rl.ould he regarded as some proof of advancement in civilization ami moral improvement i a great change from almost entire nakedness to the wearing or decent apparel. / On tire arrival of the flrsl missionaries the people were u nation of drunkards) and e*erv vice was practiced and every crime committed connected with such a ualionl characteristic. In eveiy village might be witnessed the most disgusting scenes of licentiousness, the sure, legitimate and never failing accompaniments of intoxication. These practices were not confined to the common people, but the king and Iho chiefs were the principal actors in the riotous exhibitions of those days The eye saw nml the ear heard many things which inay nut be tillered or wiitleu. The tongue would falter to utter the..i, anil the pen would refuse to wrile them ; ami the paper itself would blush lo receive the iinptession of those deeds of darkness and crime lOin nitted nt that period. What are the facts in the rase now r Has any change been elfcrted in the habits of the islanders in this respeel t Is every village now as formerly filled Willi intoxicated and licentious revelleisf Nut at all) tilde has been a great change, a mighty revolution, from brntul intoxication to Christian sobriety. It is a thing of rare occurrence lo see a*i intoxicated Hawaiian. Tlie foreign community are the consumers of intoxicating drinks.. There is no people on the glot>e that better deserve the appellation of temperate, than the Hawaiian. We regard them as quite a sober people at the present time, nnd we venture to say, that there is ns much innralily anil as much practical religion, as can bo 1 in any community of equal numbers, which might be aelectud in any nation under Ilea veil.

Formerly a innn might havens many \vivi>s as he conM take care ofor feed) orhecould turn lliem nil adrift us best suiied convenience or pleasure. A ivoiniiii also might have n? many husbands as slie could conveniently entertain, (jilt she could turn tliem ulVund lake others at pleasure ; ami they might leave her if they so desired, l->.»liyutnv «• as one of the privileges nml features ol that nge. The king had only live wives j one of tliem was llie widow, and two of thorn were the daughters of his deceased father. Kacli one had u particular day of service, when she followed her lord with a spittoon and fly-brush. It is easy to see thai in 6iicli circumstances, tlieio could be no such tiling as conjugal affection, or domestic conroid, and there was no such thin" us paternal authority, and parental nfleclion was rarely to be 6een, uud filial aliection and obedience were equally unknown. There were no statute laws, which defined the duties of parents towards children and of children towards parents i children' sometimes regarded parental il tlioy weie quite at leisure, and only so far us suited tlicir convenience. No oli. ligations were felt on the part of parents to lake care of llieir children, especially mothers, olten destroying llieir children, before or after birth, in order to be released from the trouble of taking care of tliein. Such are a few of the facts which belonged to the generation of 1820. At that period al«o, lln re was bin one filler. His word w-as law. Life and death were at his disposal. The people had no voice in the government, I hey Imil no rightstliat were respected, and lh**y could properly that mig'il not be seizfcd. A field oftaro, or other fond might be tabooed at any time, by the chief or landholder, by placing a stick of sugar cane in one corner, and no one would dare to take aoy of the food afterwards, without liberty from the land-holder. Every other bind of properly was equally liable to seizure, and if a man refused lo execute any of the orders I or neglected to perform any service required by a chief or head man, his house might be burned, with all its contents, nud he and his family, left entirely deslilule. In short, the people were rulsd with u rod of iron. The government was despotic, and the people were alloived no right: tliey had nothing u llich they could call their o»n. They weie ignorant, degraded, miserable and desli. lute.

\ Tlion, darkness covered the land, and gross darkness (lie p:ople. Il was (lie darkness or lieatlieuutn, Idolatry, it is true, " as abolished, jet the hearts of llie people were full of idols of every name and sliapo, and their moral dcyra-

alion was a» great as wlien they were bowing clown nml worshipping tlits wood and llie stone. There was gross anil shameful wickedness in hi>'h places, in low places, anil in all placet There was no sacred enclosure where virlno could be found in lier untarnished vestments. There was no written language—no books—no schools —no hymns of praise—no prayer offered to the Christian's Goil—no religious assembly—no propliel who should tell lioiv long this night of ignorance ami moral death might last. No light shone from heaven to dispel the darkness and the gloom with which tlicy r.ore surrounded. Parents prostituted their daughters, and husbands their wives for the sn!.e of gain. They were led, some willingly, and some by constraint, as sheep to the slaughter, not knowing that it was for their life. Kverv foreign ship was fully freighted with females nssh e passed from island to island, and there was no want of a supply when in port. There was no laiv against this traffic: nay, such was the universal law or custom of the land. Many more f.i''ts might be stalel in favour of the progress which the llawaiiaus have made in civilized liulu'is. Tlie.v practice many of the arts and usages of civilized life. There are carpenters, blacksmiths, shoemakers, painters, masons and book-hinders, mid in most of the mechanical departments they are respectable workmen. There are those who possess docks and herds, aad li'ild lands in fee simple, Thcrs are some who are gaining properly. ICquul protection is given to all from the highest to the lowest* Neither King or chiefs can seize upon wliut is not tlieii own, without being amenable to the laws. The people have availed themselves of the inducements held out to them to labour, with the assurance tlmt all the pioducts of their industry will he secured to them. Mnny are collecting around them the comforts nnd conveniences of a civilized people. Tlieir houses nre better than formerly, and many of thein are partitioned o(T into seperate upaiiments, und some of thein are furnished with tables, and chairs, and many other conveniences of civilized housekeeping. Dut why should we multiply examples in ptoof of the advanced, civilized position in which the nation now stands, livery eye can see it, and the great anil commanding farts which go to complete the proofs of its advancement are not of difficult discovery.