Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Volume VIII, Number 5, 30 January 1869 — The Tahitian Islands Mission. [ARTICLE]

The Tahitian Islands Mission.

» īr.mi ln*t wwk.) Al*>ut tivc years ngo the Pans Missionary .Sooi' ty <'ommenoid a mission in Tahiti, in rc«ponse to n rctjuest sent to them by some o: if)c people. The mission was opened by T. Arl»ousset, who was welcomcd vi :h ,\i joy hy tho mis*ionarics of theLon- ! »a Mi>Mounry Society, as it was hoped that iniro(luction of the representatives of the l-V<-/j«-h Prorcstarit hrethren into a French po would have heen effectunl in keep- - m rhcck fhe innovations oftheadvocates <•' ;hc «pposin« pnncipies, whieh have heen as«iduously promulcmted amongst tbem, jti.i ouri(cract the In.\ tendencies of the mem-:-*rv <>j the l s rote*tant churches themselves. 1 ;oti wa> soon nftcrwnrds strengthened i . thv* arrival oi ihe Rev. Mons. Atger (sonin-. nv io Mons. ArbouBset,) and since then ; tiie arrival ot the Kcv. Mons. Vernierand Al<>ris. Vicnot. the lat(er the priucipul o: the cducational dc|wrtment. Mons. Verr.icr has K % cn clected pastor of the church at Pajvioni, Mooren; but in consequence of the tvvcut dcparturc of Mons. Viet\ot to Stdney, he hn.< taken chnri;epro tcm. % of the educatioii.il dcpartincnt. W« rejoice in thisaccesio ihe number ofProtestant missionaries iii Tahitt. but the supply is totnlly inndecjunte

: » *lojnaiui; the people are now as muoh in noc«i oi ilio trachingnnd the \vjseguidance o! Kumpoan nnsHonaries as cvcr they were, 3j).J in >omc inj>ti»nccss the work of the missmnaiv is more arduous in removing faise of Scripiure truth strenglbt i nei\by pre* -uiiices decp-j«cateti and difl»cuit to remove, thau m instruoting the recently convcrtcd : rum the crrurs o! heathenisni.

Notwithstanding thedifHculties with whioh we have to contend, and the restrictions )tnpo*od upon the missionarirs in Tahiti, thcre ;> a impartiality shown in the adiiunisiration ot ilie Ihw tonnnls theCntholics an.l ProtcstantB. They are alike controlled t v :hc provisions of the law, t.g. no minister v«r pr»ost is permitted to preaeh in any plaee Uyon4th«boundary ot h\9own district, without *n invitation from the resĪdent minister or dcacon* belonging to that plaee. Again, no uunistcr or teacher is allowcd to establish a plaoe of worship or school in any district wtlhout in invitation from the authorities of U«t d»trict; henee the Catholics have not !«n aM* to thctnj«clves on Moonea v»r any oi thc Austral Islands now under the rrotcotoratc. In this particular we enjoyan ir»part}a\ity of the admmbtration oftheUws v; ;!ic country whieh i? favourablc tous, and whieh n*rvcs as a eheek agtinst the innovaoī poj>crv. Therc i?, howevcr, I bclievc, a law nowin «nwme whieh prohibits thc people from or£*uvuag an auxiliary in Tahiti to Lomlon MiviK»aary Society; but itis duc to the peopie lo N»r Ciat thcy still havc a dispo3i(iou w pr«ctically «4rknowiedg? Uieir gratitude to r6csr ia&m ia the Uospel. who nurtttYfd m ihe dav« of thcir infancy in the Chri«tvan Uith. Most »trikingty was this ii.'ustratoi iu eiie kindncss and unsup>»cU j whieh thejr manifested towanls iae on my vm»iu ti> 6tjverai of the d)stricls on *nd oa eaeh of ihoae on Moorea. Ti#» y j»rc»cul we to proai»*> lo visit theua and m «ooie pUee* thejr thrcateoed to iuc io reside ;»crtnaoemiy aiuongsc thfnm. Tbr Jay l«fape wr lc/f for £ngland.Ahout ♦«ghty tt»c uie<nber» of |he cliurch āi hi< peele, u nh repfe«eou{ivcs of ot&cr churtfaes, ¥ē iw pneemum, hcadcd by Oaniela, l|r. Mnni'i Iwu*, eaeh pm»r bfiiitjin«» a ei Mtive food» t:ocoj<nuLU, yaina t meivUnuk\s, lowk or pig>—aii

ot whieh was iaid dowo in front ot Mr. Morn§'s house. Daniela cai!ed on me and Mrs. Green, and. after the usual saiutations, formaiiy pre«ented it to us m the name ofMessrs. Morris,*At2er, Vienot, and Vernier, together with all the brethren in Tahiti, becg»ng us to ae.eepi of it as a loken of their iove to us, and as an expression of their love to the society and missionaries who first gave them the \Vord of Life, andtowhom they still look for succour; adding an earnest appeal to us not to remam in England, but to return to Tahiti and reside amongst them, as theyare stiii in ignorance and blind. The worth of the present was at least torty or fiffy dollars. 1 may bere add that tbe natives with whom l met all spoke in most p)easing terms of their del)ght in tbe repeated and freqnent visits whieh they get from Mr. Morris in his itmerating work on the sabbath'days. During our stay in Tahiti ( vis»ted Moorea, and was mueh pleased with the state of ?he churches there. The strictness of the discipline exercised seems to keep the churches free from many of the evils in whichsomeof the chtirches in Tahitt abound, and I have

great hopes that if Mons. Vernier, who appears to be a man of the right order. setties at Papetoai, the churches ut Moorea will flourishand grow in extent and beauty. The churches at Haapiti, Teaharoa,and Afereaitu are presidpd over by three of the most inteiligent and protnising younjy men we have had in our institution at Tahaa.