PROGRESS OF MISSIONS IN THE PACIFIC. [From the "Polynesian," July 24.]

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 693, 4 December 1852, Page 4

PROGRESS OF MISSIONS IN THE PACIFIC. [From the "Polynesian," July 24.]

The departure of the schooner Caroline, Capt. Iloldsworlh, for thai portion of the Pacific denominated Micronesia within a few days past, gives occasion to notice the enterprise upon which she is hound, and in connection with it, a brief account of the relation these islands sustain to that enterprise. It is a pioneer Christian Mission to the almost innumerable islands to the westward, including the Caroline, Kingsmill, and other groups be tween the meridian and 40° north, and longitude 135 to 180 east, For several years pasl, the attention of the American JJoard in Boston has been directed to

this i>arl of the Pacific as a field of missionary labour ; and all (he iiiformalion (o bo derived from books of voyages, exploring expeditions, the personal narratives of sailois, and other sources, that could be obtained, has led (hem to regard it as a piomisin T point on vhich to bestow labour, and to which the chr ; st»an world were bound to send (he gospel and Hs attendant civilization. Acting upon (his convic.'on, that , oard appointed, in ICol, three missionar"es, the llev. Messrs. Snow, Slurges and Gul'ck, with their wiv^s, (o proceed, by way of theso islands, to their frture scene of labour. The latter of (he above nictl gentlemen, is a physician, the son of llev. P. J. Gulick, and a native of these islands. In anticipation of the establishment of the Micronesian mission, and with a desire to cooperate with the American Boaid in extending to others (he benefits conferred upon themselves dur'ng the past thirty years, the native churches at the Sandw'ch Islands foinicd a society, denominated the "Hawaiian Miss'onary SocicJy," having the scat of its operations at Honolulu. To this Hawaiian Society the American Board commit the main direction, and the main support, of the Micronesian mission; and by it, the missionaries have been received with open arms and a strong determination to co-operate with them, and sustain them, in the future with zeal and efficiency. For several weeks past the three missionaries named above have been at these islands, preparing to embark on their unified work; and ,ye can safely say flat they have received, ol from (he nalhcs alone, but from a large cass of foreign residents on the islands, a spontaneous welcoivc and hearty co-operation, which has cheered their spirits, strengthened their hearts, and sends them on their way with firmer resolves then ever to prosecute their labour of love with energy and self-denying zeal, A few extracts fiom (he report of the Hawaiian Missionary Society at ils annual meeting on the 2filh of May, will show how matters stood at that lime. It says, "The report of (he (rcasarcr will show, that an encouraging beginning has been made in raising funds from the Hawaiian churches. They have given a hearty response to the calls of this Society. They are ready to give of their substance, and even out of their deep poverty, (o aid in the work, Many are willing and anxious lo Ci gage personally in carrying the gospel to those who dwell in darkness. " The present Society, (in Boston,) hail us as co-labourers in the great work of enlightening, and saving a dying world." Besides the three persons arrived fromEoslon, the report goes on to say, ''One of the older members of the S. J. Mission will be deputed lo accompany their little band lo (heir field of labour, and contribute his counsel and experience in establishing the mission, and return again lo these islands. — Two native teachers with their wives, are ex; -cted (o accompany the expedition, and to remain as helpers in the work, if an opening shall be found for the mission. One of our most promising native preachers will also accompany the expedition, and bring back to his countrymen a repoit of the land. "A vessel ((he Caroline,) has been purchased for the use of (he contemplated mission, and will be ready for sea in a few weeks. l( is believed Hie native churches will furnish the funds by special contribution, for the purchase of Ibis vessel, — They will also contribute poultry, vegetables \c, for the voyage. *' The children of missionaries and ex-mission-aries at these islands, purpose lo support one of their own number, Rev, J. H. Gulick, M.D., as a pioneer missionary lo this new field. " Auxiliary missionary societies have been formed in some of the native churches, and it is hoped they will soon be found existing in every church in the islands. "Shall we not brethren, go forward? Verily we have arrived at a new era in the Sandwich Island Mission ! God's designs in establishing this mission, are beginning to be developed. Thirty two ye rs have wrought wonders around us. Instead of a barbarous, uncivilized, heathen people, we are surrounded with Christian churches and a Christian people, anxious to impart the blessings they ha\e so freely received, to those who are still in darkness, and this Society has brought into existence as the organ of these churches, in conveying (heir bounty to other and distant islanders who know not the way of life. — Surely the voice of Providence is calling upon us lo go forward in failh and hope. Trials must be encountered, but the promise, c Lo lam with you,' will sustain and cheer the pioneers in lh»s work of love. And the blessings of many ready lo perish, will come upon the Hawaiian churches, and give new life and vigour to Hawaiian piety. Our own families and our own souls will share in this blessing." Since the 25th of May, when the above report was written, matters have been progressing to their issue. The treasurer reports, as received for the year ending Jan. 1, 1851, the gross sum of — $5,052,0J And from Jan. 1, to July 1,1832,5,088.00 $0,140,07 Of the above sum, $949,30 were contributed especially for the purchase of the " Caroline," and all bul by the two native churches in Honolulu. On the evening of Sunday, the 4llhins(.,a crowded audience attended at the chapel, where the three missionaries, the two natives and their wives, 40 persons in all, were formed into a Christian church, to be transplanted hence into the midst of Micronesia, as a light in the existing darkness, and which, it is fondly hoped, will be the ruclcus of a constellation of Christian churches lo be established through the agency of the lately degraded Hawaiians. The enterprise above noticed is an interesting one, in every point of v'ew. As an evidence of progress at these islands, its te&timony is unequivocal. Besides an unusual readiness <o contribute for the support of that mission, many natives well qualified as teachers, arc anxious lo enlist personally in the service, and two promising young men with their wives, have devoted themselves lo the cau^c, and have gone on this interesting cxpedil'on. What a pleasing feature is here presented of the missionary enterprise ! It proves thai the preaching of the gospel has not been in vain here, and that the schools established by the American mission have not only qualified many for usefulness among their own countrymen, but as teachers for the still igaoranl in neighbouring groups. Legitimate fruits are now being gathered, the circle is widening, and a reflex influence will soon be apparent. Another peculiar feature of this enterprise is, that it is entirely peaceful. It goes unarmed, and is constituted, in an equal proportion, of helpless and defenceless females. II has been thought by some, fool-hardy, lo venture amongst savage and deceitful tribes without arms for defence. It remains lo be seen whether arms are more or less a protection than kindness and good will. The expedition is fitted out for conquest, but not of a physical and material nature. It seeks lo conquer ignorance, degradation, sensuality and all the base passions of human nature, and brings them into bondage to a holy law, which is liberty. The primary object of

Hits enterprise is, doubtless, to confer spiritual blessings; but as (hey are successful in this main object, secondary benefits nui^t inevitably follow. Ci\ili/alion conies in as a result, and becomes itself a hand-maid to religion. 11 is impossible for fie sanctions of religion to influence a savage, "without, at the s'ime time civilizing him. Many theories ha\e been suggested, by mea in acquainted with heathen character, for civilizing first, and christainizing afterwards. . ul from the view we lake of human nature, and from the adaptation of cause to produce effect, it is with us an established fact, that there is no other sys cm so well calculated to civili/e a heathen tribe, and that will do it so speedily and thoroughly, as. that of Christianity. This strikes at the root, while others only lop the branches. And we pi edict, that if (lie Micronosian mission is successful, as a mission, it wilt soon open (he way for peaceful commerce to follow in its train, and add its influence in tamwg (he savage. While, (herefore, this enterprise may as'v our dollars, to he expended here in supplies, buying vessels, paying seamen, mechanics and labourers among ourselves, it will open to us a commerce among these numerous islands that will return a hun-dred-fold to our own purses, as every successful mission has done, to the point whence it started. In this view of the case, we would call upon our merchants, ship-owners, mechanics, and business men generally, to invest in an enterprise which holds out such a certainty of a profitable return in a legitimate way. Some twenty years ago a mechanic near Uoston rather reluctantly gave a dollar to the S. Islands' Mission, and considered it little belter than thrown away. ]Jut in '850, that same mechanic received an order from the Sandwich Islands for the manufacture of 20 ox carts, amounting to nearly 1* 2,000; he then saw and acknowledged that his dollar, given twenty years before, and which he had not forgotten, had been well invested. The illustration applies to thousands in Boston and other cities, and we have not a shadow of doubt that it will equally apply, twenty years hence, to those who now contribute to sustain iheMicroncsian nvssion. 11 is a pleasing prospect, in view of the enterprise under consideration, that its success will introduce the printing-press, the common school and the En<>l ; sh language into those extensive groups of is'ands about to be \isited by the Caroline. — These results always follow the Ameiican Missionary into heathen lands, and they are results in which every true friend of humanity cannot but rejoice. They bring blessings in their train of no questionable character. They are appropriate means to an end ; their adaptation has been abundantly proved, especially at these Islands, and c nnot be questioned. They exhibit 11 ejr ow i fruits; and however they iray be deprecated and sneered at by a few, who neither contribute towards them or have any sympathy in them, they do rejoice the hearts of the w'se and good in every part of the civilised world.