The Hawaiian Islands by C. D. M. WILLIAMS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 27, 1908

The Hawaiian Islands

By C. D. M. WILLIAMS

C. D. M. WILLIAMS

There are only two of us here — my wife and myself — to do the work on the eight islands. Of course five of the islands contain nearly all the people, so that we scarcely need to reckon on more. We have only one church, but some of the members are located on three of the other islands, so that we can say that the truth has found a lodgment on four of the five, but we do not know how faithful these isolated members may be; for we have not yet visited them all. We have been to see those on two of the other islands, and find that they need help.

This year we have been occupied a considerable portion of the time in erecting a church building here in the city. It is a frame building, twenty-eight by forty feet, and is now nearly finished. All that is lacking is the lumber to ceil the sides, the top being already ceiled. We also need a rostrum. We have succeeded in paying for everything so far except to the amount of about forty-five dollars. We have done all we can for the present, and are compelled to wait till more money comes in before we can finish. The lumber company will trust us to any amount we desire, but we have decided not to be in debt; and, although it will take but about one hundred dollars to complete the building, we think it best to wait.

Everything is very high here in price.

We have to add to the coast prices a high freight bill and a large margin for the dealers here. These three things make it almost too expensive to live. For instance: sometimes if we bought, we would have to pay three dollars a bushel for potatoes, and seven dollars for apples. Eggs are much of the time from forty to sixty cents a dozen. Wood and fuel are very expensive.

We have many languages to contend with here — Hawaiian, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and a few others. The white population becomes smaller each year, and the others, especially the Japanese, are increasing. It is very hard to reach the people, as the few whites have, many of them, already rejected the message; and the others are plantation laborers, who have to work when the boss says work. There are no farms, nor kinds of small work in which individuals can engage for the support of their families, as there are in the States; so it is a larger undertaking here to take a stand to obey the law of God.

We are very much in need of more laborers, so that work can be taken up on the other islands more extensively than we can do it. Also, other places on this island should receive more attention. In our visit to the other islands, we have been able to do but little besides distributing reading-matter. There should be more literature in the Hawaiian language. While many are able to read the English, I am told that they understand but little they read. I believe that the message should be made plain, so that it may be thoroughly understood.

The Chinese are quite ready to listen to the truth when there is not too much opposition. But we are not without opposition here, by any means; for I never saw a place where the ministers were so jealous of their members as they are here, or where they put forth a more decided effort to keep them from hearing and receiving the truth. One denomination called one of their members before the council five times, to see if they could not convince him that he ought to stay with them. They are now struggling to convince another that it is not a matter of so great importance whether or not we keep the commandments. Her minister told her that Christ broke all the commandments, so it was not necessary for us to be so very particular about just one. He said it made no difference what day she kept; she could keep any, and still belong to the church.

It would be well if some laborer could come who could be a help in some foreign language. The Japanese and Portuguese are the most numerous. There are also many Koreans and Chinese. Our ship work should also receive more attention.

Honolulu, H. T.