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EVIDENCES OF THE

pressions of the extent and unsearchable riches of the gospel, which I have ever known-emotions and impressions derived simply from an ocular demonstration of the power of the word of God on untutored man, which is without a parallel in existing events, if not in the records of history.

It seemed, even while I gazed, that the majesty of that power might be seen rising and erecting to itself a throne, permanent as glorious, in the hearts of these, but late utterly benighted and deeply polluted people. And when I compared them, as they had once been known to me, and as they now appeared, the change seemed the effect of a mandate scarce less mighty in its power, or speedy in its result, than that exhibited when it was said "Let there be light!"-" and there was light!".

The depth of the impression arose from the irresistible conviction that the SPIRIT OF GOD was there: it could have been nothing else. With the exception of the inferior chiefs having charge of the district, and their dependants, of two or three native members of the church and of the mission family, scarce one of the whole multitude was in other than the native dress-the maro and the kihei-the simple garments of their primitive state. In this respect, and in the attitude of sitting, the assembly was purely pagan, totally unlike those of the Society Islands already described-as unlike as to one at home. But the breathless silence, the eager attention, the half suppressed sigh, the tear, the various feeling, sad, peaceful, joyous-discoverable in the faces of many-all spoke the presence of an invi

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sible but omnipotent power, the power that can alone melt and renew the heart of man, even as it alone first brought it into existence.

It was, in a word, a heathen congregation laying hold on the hopes of eternity-a heathen congregation, fully sensible of the darkness and despair of their original state, exulting in the first beams of truth, and in the no uncertain dawning of the Sun of Righteousness: thirsting after knowledge, even while they sweetly drank of the waters of life; and under the reviving and inspiring influence, by every look, expressing the heartfelt truth-" Beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth SALVATION!

From the thousands present, I might select many individuals whose appearance was such as to stamp these impressions indelibly on my heart. The aspect of one, at least, I can never forget: and will attempt to describe. It was a diminutive old woman, shrivelled by age till little more of her figure, with an appearance of health, was left, than skin and bone. The style of her features, however, was of the regular and more pleasing character found among the islanders, with an amiable and benignant expression, which, in connexion with an entirely whitened head, exacted from the observer a look of kindness in return. Folded in a large mantle of black tapa, she was leaning, when my eyes first fell upon her, against a pillar near the pulpit, beside which she was sitting, with her head inclined upwards and her eyes fixed upon the preacher. There

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INTERESTING CASE OF ATTENTION

was not only a seriousness, but a deep pensiveness in her whole aspect that riveted my attention: and as Mr. Goodrich proceeded in his discourse, a tear was seen occasionally to start in her eye, and more than one made their way down her deeply wrinkled cheeks, upon her mantle.

She

I had not, in my long absence, so entirely forgotten the native language, as not to understand much that was said. After some time, this sentence was uttered: "We are all sinners-but we have a God and Saviour, who will forgive us our sins, if we ask it of him. It is our duty to pray for this to Godand he hears the prayers of all who approach him in sincerity." I happened, at the moment, to look again upon this object—her attitude and aspect were the same, except that her lips moved in the evident and almost audible repetition of the sentence. again repeated it, as if to be certain that she heard and understood it correctly; and, as she did so, a bright and peaceful smile spread over every featuretears gushed rapidly from her eyes, and she hid her face in the folds of her garment. Could I be deceived in the interpretation of this case? Could I be mistaken in the causes and the nature of those varied emotions, under the circumstances in which they were beheld; and in one, of whom I had never heard, and whom I had never before seen? No, I could not and if so-what is the language they speak? They plainly say that this poor woman, grown gray in the ignorance and varied degradation of heathenism, by "the lamp let down from heaven sees herself to be a sinner, and is oppressed to sad

IN AN ELDERLY FEMALE.

77

ness and to sighing under a sense of her guilt. But she hears of pardon and salvation, freely given, to all who will freely receive-hears of the glorious liberty of the gospel, and of all the rich privileges it confers, even to nigh access and intimate communion with the Father of spirits-hears and believes, and sinks before her God, in tears of gratitude and of joy!

The simple appearance and every deportment of that obscure congregation, whom I had once known, and at no remote period, only as a set of rude, licentious, and wild pagans, did more to rivet the conviction of the divine origin of the Bible, and of the holy influences by which it is accompanied to the hearts of men, than all the arguments, and apologies, and defences of Christianity I ever read.

Towards evening, Mr. Stribling and myself went again on shore, and remained till late, learning from our missionary friends the most gratifying intelligence, in corroboration of the opinion formed, in the morning, of the state of the people. An entire moral reformation has taken place in the vicinity of this station. Though latest established and long far behind others in success and interest, it bids fair, now, to be not a whit behind the very chiefest in its moral and religious achievments. Instruction of every kind is eagerly and universally sought; and only last week, not less than ten thousand people were assembled at an examination of schools. The missionhouse is daily crowded with earnest inquirers in every right way; evil customs and atrocious vices are abandoned; a strict outward conformity to good VOL. II. 8

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PREPARATIONS FOR

morals observed; and numbers, it is hoped and confidently believed, have yielded and are yielding themselves to all the sweet charities and pure affections of genuine piety. From many an hunible dwelling,

now

"Is daily heard

The voice of prayer and praise to Jacob's God:
And many a heart in secret heaves the sigh
To him who hears well pleased the sigh contrite.
Even in the hut of the child murderer,

"The father, with his offspring dear,

Now bends the knee to God and humbly asks
That he would bless them with a parent's love-
With heavenly manna feed their hungry souls
And on their hearts, as Hermon's dew, descend."

LETTER IV.

JOURNEY TO THE VOLCANO OF KIRAUEA, AND AN ACCOUNT OF ITS PRESENT STATE.

U. S. Ship Vincennes, Byron's Bay,
October 9th, 1829.

THE planning of a trip to the Volcano at the base of the mountain Mounaroa, thirty-five miles inland from this harbor, was a first subject of attention, after being safely moored on Friday. A party, of which you will not be surprised to hear that I made one, was immediately formed; and Maaro, the head man of the district engaged to furnish us with twenty