So far as human calculations and the use of means are concerned, those things which most obviously tended to frustrate this Mission, resulted chiefly from the misapprehension on the part of the Directors, and the Missionaries, of the character, habits, and state of the islanders. To this may be attributed the selection of so many mechanics for the service, instead of educated and ordained ministers. Though the utmost vigilance was used to select persons of fervent piety, and real engagedness in the cause, and great pains were taken to qualify them for teachers of religion as well as of the arts; and though, in general, they were men of an excellent spirit, of great industry, great prudence, great perseverance; yet, probably, they were not so well calculated for their employment as others might have been-their occupations were in the way. If the islanders had been a people so "prepared of the Lord," as to have embraced the Gospel as soon as the Missionaries arrived, so that churches might have been immediately formed, and civilization commenced, pers ns able to teach the mechanical arts, might perhaps have taught them to good purpose. But if it was

the design that religion and the arts should be taught at the same time and promote each other, or that civilization should prepare the way for the reception of the Gospel, such a plan is not to be defended. The grand business, the constant employment of a Christian Missionary should be such as will show forth the nature, the influence, the excellence of his religion. Perhaps in every country where religion is in general of such a stamp, and occupies such a place, as in Taheite, all the external conduct of persons professing to be teachers of a new religion would be regarded as parts of their religion. For pagans will judge of a new religion, from what they know of their own, and they do not distinguish between the moral state of the heart, and the outward conduct. If therefore there were nothing in pagans, worse than their ignorance it would be necessary that a Missionary should be very cautious what employments he engaged in, and what examples he set. In the temporal condition of the Heathen we may find much, indeed, to move our sympathies, and stimulate our exertions. But what is this compared with their spiritual state, and their eternal interests? If they are sunk so far below us in the knowledge of agriculture, arts, and domestic economy, as to be classed almost with brutes, how shall we obtain an adequate idea of their moral degraVOL. II.

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dation, their ignorance of God and of themselves? And who can doubt but the first, the principal business of a Missionary should be, to teach them religion. Of what importance is it, comparatively, whether their temporal state is ever improved? So long, indeed, as they remain ignorant of the Gospel, is it even desirable that they should be possessed of the arts and habits of the civilized world? One of the first things made by a Taheitean, who learnt the smith craft, was an instrument of death-an iron lance-head armed with barbs. It is to be expected that the Heathen will act in character. Give them the means of subsistence and of juxury, without much expense of time and labor, and they will give loose to their passions, and riot in whatever is obscene and wicked. Give them fire arms, and knives, and they will shoot their enemies, and cut each others throats. Bes side the impossibility of civilizing the Heathen before they are Christianized,* there are certainly very serious reasons why it should not be done;—at least, all reason and humanity and religion, are on the side of Christianizing them in me diately, that a foundation may be laid for their civilization. When Heathens embrace Christianity when they may be formed into a church-may be governed, disciplined, trusted-then let Missionaries teach them such employments and such habits as will conduce to their temporal comfort, render them civil and social-prepare them to perform all the duties of religion, and to set good examples before them who are without.

A prominent difficulty, inseparable from teaching the Heathen secular employments, is its diverting their attention from the great object of a Missionary. Instead of winning their attention to religious instruction, it will have a contrary effect. Addicted, as they are, to idleness, unaccustomed to application, impatient of restraint, and unschooled in reasoning and in thinking, while their curiosity is ravished by trinkets, ornaments, conveniences, and whatever is novel; while their ambition prompts them to imitate the manufacture of what may pamper their pride, or promote their convenience, or render them superior to their neighbors or their enemies it will be almost impossible to gain their attention

See a short, but able demonstration of this, in a note at the end of Rev. Dr. Mason's Sermon preached before the New York Mission. wy Society in November, 1797.

to a subject so profound, so abstract, so spiritual, so contrary to their prejudices and feelings, so awful in its sanctions, and so distant in its rewards, as religion. Their happiness consists in the present gratification of their passions. They want something which they can see or feel something to amuse their curiosity without costing them trouble or attention-something to whet their ambition without imposing restraint. Perhaps nothing then can be more pernicious to a Missionary's object, or more injurious to a Heathen's welfare, than to teach him arts of which he knows not the value, and which he is both incompetent and indisposed rightly to use. Nor are the effects on Missionaries so employed, Scarcely less to be deprecated. It must consume their time, and if it does not wholly engross, it must divide their attention, and shut out their proper object. Thus it was with the Missionaries on Taheite. "Experience," say they, "has taught us, the more we are encumbered about worldly things, the less concern we have for the conversion of the Heathen.' It does not indeed appear, that they devoted a great share of time to the instruction of the Taheiteans in mechanic trades. These people were Heathen to such an extreme, that this could not be done with any prospect of success until they should be regenerated. Thus a large proportion of the Missionaries were debarred teaching what they were designed and best qualified to teach. On the whole, it may be concluded, that sending men of such occupations, was a circumstance most unpropitious to this Mission. That so few ministers were sent, was afterward deeply lamented, on account of its inconsistency with the object, and with the nature of the case, in an address from ministers in the direction of the Society, to their brethren in the ministry. If those who were sent, had been educated for the ministry, and familiar with its duties and with study, had they gone and continued, free from worldly avocations and embarrassments, and devoted themselves exclusively to the one great object teaching religion; it is easy to conceive that more favorable effects might have been produced.

Another thing which had an influence highly unfavorable to this Mission, was, the carrying out, and distributing among the natives, of a great variety of articles, for the purpose,

Evan. Mag. vol, v, p. 321.

(in part at least,) of conciliating their affection.t To us, since we know the character of those natives, it may seem that the dangerous tendency of such a measure, might have been easily foreseen. But let us not forget what views of their character were universally entertained when this Mission was undertaken. Let us consider what had been the conduct of navigators who had visited the South Sea Islands, what benefits they had realized from making presents to the natives, and what expectations they had excited in them. Add to this, the number and various occupations of the Missionaries, their expectation of forming a permanent settlement, the infrequency of cominunication with those islands, and what has been learnt by the experience of this Mission; and the impropriety of loading a missionary ship with goods, either for the use of the Missionaries, or for distribution, will without difficulty find some palliation. That this measure however, (the islanders, and other things being as they were,) was highly prejudicial to the Mission is certain. Both in Taheite and Tongataboo, the natives had an insatiable thirst for European goods and tools. No sense of obligation, no principles of honesty or justice, no sentiments of reverence or affection-nor hope, nor fear, were sufficiently strong among them, to prevent their stealing. And while most assiduously practising what they best understood, art and duplicity, they could not conceal their jealousy toward those, whom they knew to be rich, as they considered every one who possessed European property. With them, there

fore, temptation and crime went hand in hand. It is true that their disposition to get foreign goods and utensils, had existed long, had been increased by the neglect and loss of their own, had been gratified in many instances most wantonly and injuriously, as it afterwards was with respect to fire arms, (which they sought with infatuation,) notwithstanding the utmost efforts of the Missionaries to the contrary. The way being thus prepared, it is not strange if the dispo-, sition was increased when a great quantity of curious and valuable articles was landed among them with the Missionaries.

The property which the Missionaries attempted to pre

Ambler and Connelly at Tongataboo, from their acquaintance with the natives, foretold the danger of carrying property among them.

serve, seems to have been an occasion, not only of incessant trouble to them, but of danger, insult, and injury from the time of their settlement; and of constant quarrels, and sometimes of bloodshed on the part of the natives. Almost all the plots and difficulties by which the safety or prosperity of the Missionaries was affected, might be traced to this

source.

The things which they distributed were probably not less fruitful in mischief. But their most obvious, most detrimental, as well as most immediate effect, was, to unfit or indispose the natives to hear the Gospel. They were "fools and blind" before; these novelties freely bestowed, spread a thicker mist over their minds. Gratifying their curiosity, did but increase their desires Multiplying presents to them, did but increase their wants. Trifles which they could comprehend made them frantic-things of more value made them gaze and wonder. Thus they had enough to occupy their attention, when the great, the all important object was excluded; while the Missionaries were haunted and teazed, and worn out with their applications, and threatened, reproached, or jeered, or plundered, in case of refusal or hesitation. On one hand, favors were no sooner received than forgotten; on the other, the slightest service must be repaid at an enormous rate. It is needless to pursue this subject further. What the Missionaries themselves say with regard to another expedition, fitted out like the first, is as follows: "We think it needful to inform the Directors of the Society, that it appears to us at present, a reinforcing this island with a body of Missionaries, consisting of men, women, and children, and furnished after the manner of ourselves when we quitted our native country in the ship Duff, would nothing forward the work of God on Taheite, or the adjacent islands: but if four or six Christian men, void of worldly incumbrances, will be willing to hazard their lives for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ in the salvation of the Heathen, and, led by the Eternal Spirit, forsake all and follow us, we shall glory, if spared, to give them the right hand of Christian brotherly friendship."

After all it is by no means certain, if the apostle Paul had

You give us plenty of the word of God, but not of many other things,' said the old Priest to the Missionaries soon after their arrival. Voyage of the Duff, p. 159,