MISSIONARY SPEECHES OF NATIVES.

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heed to the things that were spoken to them by their teachers. He gave a special charge concerning the cocoanut oil, which had been contributed by himself and his subjects for the Missionary Society, that it should be entrusted to a New Holland captain about to return thither, but be held at the disposal of the Deputation.

The contributions from the Missionary Association of this island (Huahine) in the present year, have been twelve balls of arrow-root, and six thousand three hundred and forty-nine bamboos of cocoa-nut oil. At the Anniversary Meeting in May last, among the memorandums of addresses delivered, the following deserve notice.-Teaua, the Secretary, said "Another master formerly was ours. Great was the work we had then to do-to build canoes, and to make fau (dresses) and taumi (head-ornaments) for warriors. Much property we gave to our gods; our great hogs, and even men were sacrificed to idols. Those days are gone by; let us now be active in doing the good work in which we are engaged; let us do it with joy, and with all our hearts; let us not be spiritless in this cause; let us all be invincible heroes; let us drink the bitter sea-water," (i. e. willingly suffer any privation in carrying it on).— Hautia said: "Our fathers are dead. They knew not the good word nor the good customs of the present days; but through the grace of God we know these things, and we must not sit still. Solomon had work to do in his time; he built the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem. My friends, God has given work into our hands also that his house may be erected, and all the heathen enter in. Remember the words of Isaiah, 'Enlarge the place of thy tent; and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitation; spare not, lengthen thy cords, strengthen thy stakes.' Well then, I say to you, let that place be enlarged; let those curtains

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HAUTIA'S REMARK ON POMARE'S DEATH.

be stretched out; and it will be well. I say also spare not : say not that it is a great work, but let us collect the oil again for next year."-Mahine said: "We have been in darkness, and had nearly died therein. We are a remnant left by Satan; for if his reign had been lengthened, all the people would have been his, and they would all have been destroyed by him, for ever. We have lifted up our hands, all of us, even the eight divisions of Huahine; but let not the hand only be lifted up; my friends, we will lift up our hearts. Behold our contributions; they are less during the past than the former year; like the ebbing tide they are falling off. It must not be so again; let the tide return, and let it always increase. Our fathers are dead. They perished, some by the club, some by the spear, some by the stone from the sling, and some by quarrels concerning their wives. We are saved from all these evil things. Let us then be diligent to do our duty. Like Caleb and Joshua, let us all follow the Lord fully. Let us not hear the good word of God with the outside of our hearts, but let us keep it in the middle of our hearts."

The great chief and regent here, Hautia, speaking of the late king's death, said—"I could not sleep all night for thinking of Pomare. I was like a canoe rocking on the stormy waves, which cannot rest. I thought of his body, and I said, in my heart, that is dead, and will soon be in the grave; but his soul, where is it?"

Mr. Redfern, a surgeon from Port Jackson, and Mr. Crook, the Missionary, were present with the king in his last hours. They found him in a very low, comatose state, with short lucid intervals. During one of these, Mr. Crook addressed a few brief words of exhortation to him; and afterwards, seeing his end approaching, observed, "I would gladly do for you what I can, but I fear my best

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will be of little avail. You have, indeed, been a great sinner, but Christ is a great Saviour, and none but Jesus can help you now." He replied, "None but Jesus!" These were his last accents. He fell into a lethargy. The queen and her sister hung over him, weeping aloud. Aimata, his daughter, seemed but little affected; but his cousin Manihinihi cried bitterly. The Missionary held the young prince, at the foot of the bed, and sat mournfully watching the king's countenance. At eight o'clock, in the evening, Pomare ceased to breathe. Mr. Crook then kneeled down with his afflicted family, and prayed for them. Their anguish afterwards brake out in brief ejaculations : "Alas! alas! our king!-He brought us hither!—and now, alas, alas, for the children !" These were uttered in a singing tone, and were very loud and vehement at times.

Native Marriage-Missionary Settlement-Gradations of Society-Interesting Visit and Conversation-Shocking Practices of the old Idolaters— Strata-Coral-formations.

Dec. 11. WE have had much conversation with Mahine Vahine, the old king's consort, on religious subjects. She spoke like a truly pious and intelligent woman. We made her a few slight presents; among these was an engraved portrait of Pomare, with which she was much pleased, and touched to the heart, saying, "Every time I look at this, it will make my affection to grow."

A marriage has just been solemnized here. Mr. Barff officiated as minister. The bridegroom and the bride were of respectable rank, and several persons attended to witness the ceremony. This commenced with reading a portion of Scripture, from St. Matthew's Gospel, concerning marriage. The young couple, who had first taken their seats on a bench in front of the pulpit, the woman on the left hand of her intended husband, now stood up. The bridegroom was then directed to take the bride's right hand in his own, and answer the question, "Will thou take this woman to be thy wife, and be faithful to her till death ?" Having replied, "I will," the converse of the question was put to the bride, she, at the same time, taking his right hand into hers, and answering "I will." The Missionary

then told the congregation that these two persons were man and wife. A charge on their mutual duties was addressed to them, and the ceremony was concluded with prayer. The names of the parties, with those of two witnesses, were then registered in a book kept for that purpose.-In all the islands marriages are performed in this simple manner, the banns having been once previously published in the congregation to which the families belong.-When we came out of chapel, we saw the provision made for the wedding dinner. It consisted of a large hog, baked whole; about sixty baskets of bread-fruit and cocoa-nuts; many fishes, of different kinds; and several umities (wooden dishes) containing papoi, a kind of pudding, and other delicacies. The feast was laid out under an extensive shed. hundred guests had been invited, and it was expected that all the provisions would be consumed.

Several

Dec. 12. A meeting of the baptized has been held in the chapel this afternoon. From six to seven hundred persons were present. After a brief discourse, by a Missionary, several of the congregation stated their Christian experience; they also quoted portions of Scripture on which they had been meditating, and asked questions on these and other religious topics, which were answered by the minister. Interrogatories were likewise put to them; and in their replies, as well as in the narratives which they gave concerning their past lives, great ingenuousness was manifested by all.

Here, as elsewhere, old things are passing swiftly away, and, behold, all things are becoming new. Though the gospel had been introduced before Mr. Ellis and Mr. Barff came hither, it had made little progress. These able and diligent Missionaries, having fixed their abode at this place, itinerated from hence through the whole island, preaching