sisters, and, breaking away from alluring in home, devote his life struction of a heathen nation. Bu is the trial, those have not been wan incited by love to God and man, ha tarily submitted to the privations a ings of a missionary life.

Many circumstances conspired to the Sandwich Islands as a field of lab certain, if not immediate success, n sonably be anticipated. Many i belonging to them had, at differ visited the United States. Some and among them Henry Obookia Memoirs are published by the Amer day-School Union, were put under course of instruction. From thes tempts at enlightening their benight it was clearly ascertained, that the the islands had minds capable of provement, though sunk to the low of degradation. They had also be sented as manifesting no ordinary sprightliness and native vigour of co In arranging and combining their o they showed not only marks of ski nius, but the elements of good taste. various assignable causes had operat duce in them a prostration of all t feelings of our nature, yet their arde ment to particular things had show be susceptible of strong feelings a

friendships. They only needed to be instructed, to have proper motives or principles of action; and proper objects of pursuit placed before them, in order to shake off their superstition, and take a respectable rank among civilized nations. The success which had ultimately crowned the labours of the English missionaries at the Society Islands, spoke loudly in favour of similar efforts being made by our own countrymen in islands nearly resembling them in language, customs, and resources.

But one of the prominent causes which induced the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions to look with an eye of peculiar interest on the inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands was, that a train of events was taking place, which threatened the existence of the nation. From the time of their discovery, they had felt the effects of occasional intercourse with foreigners. Situated in such a manner as to have important relations to the western parts of America, and the eastern coast of Asia, they are convenient places for the trading vessels of both countries to touch at and recruit. They have also been a favourite resort for the whale ships of the Pacific Ocean. The sale of their own sandal wood in the Chinese market, has also contributed to give them a knowledge of foreign habits. It is not possible that this in

should have been without effect.

its influence on the Sandwich Islan connexion had Captain Cook and h with the future destiny of their h habitants? He found them imme perstition and idolatry. Did he stri them to more correct ideas of the I far from it; he suffered himself to ped by them as a god! He four loose, immoral habits, in respect t life. Did he any thing to effect a far from it, the examples of his cre to rivet, more firmly than before, of sin which bound the natives. He none of their opinions, and abolish their idolatrous rites; leaving the former ignorance, and their old engrafting on them new vices and which, coming upon them unawa with a power which threatened the of the entire population. And been the consequences of subseq of foreigners to the islands? gen nicious the simple inhabitants cheated in their property, vitiate morals, and reduced to want, wre and almost starvation. From the Captain Cook, until the introductio tianity, in the year 1820, there wa in the islands a regular deterioratio racter, and an aggravation in vice a The population amounted to scarce ter part as many at the expiration o

years succeeding Cook's visit, as it did at the time of his discovering the islands.

The causes of this depopulation may be found in the bloody wars which have occasionally raged, in the barbarous practice of infanticide, and in the drunkenness and disease introduced by foreigners. Intemperance was brought upon the islands by two English convicts, who escaped from Botany Bay, and seeking a refuge among them, contrived to distil a spirituous liquor from certain roots which grow abundantly. The curse which fell upon the natives from this source alone, is sufficient to account for all the marks of desolation which have been recorded. The chiefs, as well as common people, soon became intemperate. Days together were given up to scenes of dissipation and debauchery. The missionaries, in their tours around Hawaii, speak of finding the inhabitants of whole villages in a state of intoxication; and, when we add to this, the licentious habits of the natives in other respects, we need look no farther for the causes of the decrease of population. In order to save the nation from absolute destruction, it was necessary to interpose restraints, that should stay the progress of the popular vices, and stop the effusion of infant blood. The most effectual mode of doing this,

and whose example, if followed, to a course of conduct exactly th that which former intercourse w had served to establish.

In the year 1819, a few devote after prayerful consideration of resolved to go to the islands, and lives to the work of diffusing the civilization and Christianity amo ple. The undertaking was ardu fraught with dangerous and las quences, and the prospect of imm cess was by no means sure. T pated much difficulty in bringing people, whose character had bee under the pernicious influence of and idolatry, to adopt the opinion toms of enlightened and Christia And many stood ready to add disco to difficulty, asserting the impos their accomplishing what they wer undertake, and denouncing the en preposterous and chimerical.

But these determined Christians to be turned from their holy purpos good to man, by the voice of diff discouragement. The voice of con the voice of pure benevolence-and of distress and wailing from a dista on the verge of extirpation-all co saying to these men, as Moses sa people of Israel, "Go forward."