Excepting at our station, schools for adults are not generally taught but one day in the week, and the appropriate business of that day is often commuted for something else. We have, therefore, so far as we have been able to make any efforts for common schools, directed our attention particularly to the children and youth, and are highly gratified to find that there is not so much difficulty as we had feared in interesting them in schools. The chiefs generally encourage such schools, which of course makes the business of collecting children comparatively easy. Quite a number have learned to read in such schools during the year.

Station Schools.-Schools have been kept up at all the stations, the greater part of the year, on a plan not much varying from that pursued before; improved, however, considerably in the kind and variety of the books employed in teaching, and also in the age and condition of the scholars. In several instances we have dismissed our adult scholars and instructed children only. From past experience we are led to the belief that we may raise up a more efficient set of native school-teachers in a given term of time, by devoting our attention to the children and youth, than by any efforts we may make with adults. If we only had teachers well qualified, Adults, after advancing a very little full of faith and good works, we would way, become nearly stationary; while not despair of seeing this nation make children are capable of going on in rapid advances toward an enlightened scientific pursuits, and with a rapidity and christian state, even in our day, not- too, that increases as they advance. At withstanding all the obstacles that op- a few of the stations we have employed pose us. But a teacher well qualified in native helpers to a considerable extent, all respects we do not hope to find in a to whom we have made some compensanative of these islands, until the moral tion for their labors. But the compensaatmosphere in which he is born and edu-tion has in no case been great, as we cated is in a good degree purified. We are waiting with great anxiety the arrival of the teachers which you have kindly encouraged us to expect. On foreign teachers, for the present, must be our main dependence. But while we say this, we would not be understood to intimate that things are going backward. Probably more individuals may be found now who are capable of reading, than at any period which has gone by. Books for schools have been in good demand at all our stations the past year; and probably there never have been so many disposed of in any one year since the commencement of the mission. Some of these books are much better adapted to the capacity and wants of the people, so far as learning to read and think is concerned, than any books previously prepared.

A number of school-houses have been erected during the past year by the people in different parts of the islands, making it obvious that they are calculating on a better state of things. Laws are now existing on the islands of Oahu, Maui, and Molokai, making it the duty of parents to send their children to school. These laws tend to increase the number of children in the schools. But such laws will prove of no avail, unless efficient teachers are procured to take charge of such schools; indeed we fear their tendency will be detrimental. Our prayer then is that many laborers may be sent forth speedily into this harvest.

consider their services of no very great value, except as they are under our constant direction.

No boarding schools have been in operation the past year, not because we have not most earnestly desired them, but because we have not had the men to carry them on, without breaking up other operations, and sacrificing much that we had before done.

In our station-schools we have taught reading, writing, mental and written arithmetic, geometry, geography, natural history, and scripture lessons; and nearly all of these branches have also been taught to a limited extent, in some of our common schools.

High Schools. The whole number of scholars in the high school the past year has been 123; of whom twenty-three were dismissed in the earlier part of the year, because they were thought to be too old or too dull to merit the privileges of the school any longer. Besides these, four have been dismissed for negligence in study; one was suspended for stealing; two for adultery; two expelled for the same crime; and two others left with loss of character;-making in all thirty-five who were dismissed before the close of the year, all of whom were supposed to be rather an injury than a benefit to the school. At the close of the year, the remainder of those who first entered the school, thirty-two in number, were dismissed, leaving only fifty-six regular members of the high school.

The general improvement in the school has been good, and has clearly shown that the mind of a Sandwich Islander is, like that of all other men, capable of making constantly increasing progress in knowledge. The youth, however, in the school have made vastly more progress than the adults; and this, with other things, has led to a full conviction that the circumstances of the school and of the mission and of the nation will now warrant a change in the scholars.

Instructions have been communicated the past year in mental and written arithmetic, geometry and trigonometry, geography, modern and ancient, also in scripture chronology and church history.

State of the Congregations-Churches.

The preaching of the gospel has been maintained at all the stations where missionaries are located, both on the Sabbath and on other occasions. Sabbath schools and Bible-classes have also been very generally kept up at the stations, and in these labors the lay brethren and the sisters have united their efforts with those of the pastors, as time and circumstances would permit.

In our statements generally, during the past two years or more, we have been obliged to speak of a greater or less decrease in our congregations. During the past year there has been rather a favorable change in this respect. While scarcely any congregation has diminish

The past year has been another of experiment in the high school, and this,||ed in its numbers attendant on public added to the experience of the preceding years of its existence, has clearly shown that, although it may be best that the school was commenced with adult scholars, it is not best to continue it with such. The teachers, therefore, propose to change the high school into a boarding-school, in a gradual manner, by commencing immediately with a class of youth from eight to twenty years of age, and taking no more adults into the school. In this way, as the term for these adults expires, and they, one class after another, leave the school, their places will be supplied by others much younger, who from the first shall be boarders, and whose time shall be at the sole command of the teachers.

worship, quite a number have increased. This is specially true of the congregations on Oahu, Molokai, and Kauai. Among the causes to which an increase of numbers in the congregations on Oahu may be traced, are first and principally, protracted meetings, of which there have been three on the island during the year, attended by large numbers from all the stations, and followed by more or less religious excitement in nearly all parts of the island. Connected with these protracted meetings has been a favorable change in the conduct and apparent character of several chiefs of some rank and influence. This change in the chiefs has of course occasioned a corresponding change in the Manufacturing of Cloth.-The busi- people under them. The number atness of manufacturing cloth has been tending religious worship on Oahu the prosecuted by Miss Brown with a good || past six months has been perhaps not degree of vigor and success at Wailuku, iess than 1,000 or 1,500 more than ataided by the missionaries and chief at tended for two years previous. the station. Our expectations are fully realized in this respect. But in order to the successful introduction of this branch of industry among the people, so as to make it a real blessing to them as individuals and as a community, the business must for a time be prosecuted by ourselves, and under our entire control; otherwise the people will not at present, if ever, see a fair example of successful industry in this department. The idea of introducing cloth making as another and additional way by which the chiefs may oppress the people, is what the people by no means desire, neither can we desire it. But without special attention on the part of some one to this business, that will be the best that we can at present hope from it.

At the stations on Kauai, the brethren have witnessed more or less evidence of the presence of the Spirit in their several congregations. Their hearts have been encouraged in their work, and their public meetings have been well attended. The new meeting-house erected at Waimea is full on the Sabbath, and will probably be the means of exciting other congregations to build like houses.

On Molokai an unusual interest has been manifested in religious worship. The new and commodious house is full to overflowing every Lord's day, and other religious meetings are proportionably interesting.

On Maui religious worship has been held statedly in six different places during most of the past year; much instruction has been communicated, and many

will be forced to say to their own condemnation at last, "Lord, thou hast taught in our streets," unless they listen to the word of life and obey it.

The congregations on Hawaii have been as large in numbers as usual for the past few years. At most of the stations congregations have been collected at outposts on the Sabbath, and at other times, according as the number and strength of the brethren would permit. The large and important stations at Hamakua and Kohela have lain uncultivated the past year, on account of the removal of one of the brethren from that part of the field by ill health; the remaining missionary being obliged to remain at Waimea, on account of the difficulty of obtaining supplies at those stations in case the station at Waimea were not occupied.

been extremely painful, both because we were obliged to treat as heathen men those of whom we had hoped better things, even things that accompany salvation; and also because the developement of crime in the case of a few has shown that iniquity has lain hid in the bosom of the church for years; and gives ground to fear that it is not yet wholly removed. But we fondly cherish the sentiment that the church of God is never improving faster as a body, than when it is undergoing a process of purification and discipline. So we rejoice in the midst of painful trials. There is no condition of our churches which we should more deplore than that dead calm in which there is nothing in particular to censure, and nothing to approve in them.

The whole number received into all the

Although we cannot report any large and powerful revivals of religion as hav-churches since the establishment of the mising existed among us the past year, yet we will speak of the mercy of the Lord to Zion. In many of our congregations we have felt that the special presence of the Lord was with us during a portion of the year. Several protracted meetings have been held at the islands, each of which has been apparently blest; and yet we are not able in many cases to point out the individuals, and say that this and that man was born there. But

we hope in respect to a number, that they

have tasted and seen that the Lord is gracious.

sion is 1,078; the aggregate number of persons attending public worship on the Sabbath at all the stations is, on an average, about 14,500, or more than one eighth of the entire population. The number of christian marriages solemnized by the missionaries during the year is 1,358, and the number of children baptised 249.

Progress of Improvement among the
People-State of Morals.

There have been formed during the The general state of the people is, we year two new churches, one at Ewa on hope, gradually improving. NotwithOahu, and one in the high school on standing the many and formidable obMaui. The former consisting of eigh-stacles in the way of their advancement, teen members, twelve from the world, and six from the church at Honolulu. The church in the high school consists of twenty-seven members, all admitted on certificate.

The whole number received by profession into our churches during the past year, has been two hundred and twelve, and twenty-nine others are propounded, a number about as large as ever was received before in one year, since the commencement of the mission. The whole number of church members now in good standing is 916. Of most of these we entertain more or less hope that they are the children of God, but of some we fear lest we have bestowed upon them labor in vain.

During the year there have been eleven individuals excommunicated from the church, and seven others suspended. Our labor with these individuals has

yet we think that their movement is onward. The progress is indeed slow, and almost imperceptible, like the growth of a feeble sapling into the forest oak; still, however, the movement is onward. We need not tell you that a nation like this, so sunk in indolence, ignorance, and mental imbecility, and so besotted in sin, cannot be elevated to enterprise, to intelligence, and moral greatness, in a day. Britain did not rise from her barbarous and chaotic origin to her present summit of glory in a day, nor a century. The work of training up to refinement and to habits of physical, intellectual, and moral energy, a people so blinded, so ruined by the god of this world as the Sandwich Islanders, is not like the putting up of a shepherd's tent. It is the work of years, and of generations; and it is a work which must be met with all the strength that faith and patience and love and

prayer can impart to the ambassador of, Christ. We who are now in this field, with others whom the Lord has called from it, have begun the work of civilizing a savage nation; and, by the blessing of God, we have seen its steady advancement in spite of the opposition of earth and hell. But we shall not with our mortal eyes witness its consummation. We shall soon rest from our labors, and the task will be committed to other hands.

But it is consoling to know that the work of bringing men to Christ does not require such protracted effort, such long and patient application of those means which elevate nations to the summit of earthly dignity. It is true that we meet with obstacles, formidable obstacles, such as are unfelt and unknown in christian lands, to the conversion of these heathen souls; yet, blessed be God, these obstacles may be, and through grace they often are, overcome. We believe that many of this people are born again. Some of the first fruits of this mission are already gathered into the garners above, and thousands more may, and we trust will be gathered there, while the nation is brought up by slow and toilsome steps to take her rank among the civilized and enlightened families of man.

Some of the high chiefs who were once our opposers have changed their course during the past year, and they now help to promote our plans for the good of this people. Most of the chief rulers of the nation are professedly on the side of virtue and religion.

In the social and domestic character, and in the general condition and habits of the common people there has been a perceptible improvement during the past year. This is more especially true of the people living near the mission stations. At many of our stations societies of native parents, or maternal associations, are formed, which promise good to the land. By means of the instruction communicated in the meetings of these societies a happy influence is, we trust, exerted on the social relations; and it is hoped that, in some instances at least, a check has been put to the cruel and unnatural practice of giving away children. But after all our efforts on this point, it is still true that, for the most part, the family compact in these islands is a scene of wild and mournful ruins.

Habits of industry appear to be slowly gaining ground, and nothing probably is wanting to render them general, but proper incentives to labor.

The quantity of clothing worn by the natives is, we think, annually increasing; and the frail native tapa is giving place more and more to the English fabric and the English mode of dress. Especially is this true at and near the several mission stations. Perhaps no article of foreign manufacture is so much called for among the natives as our domestic cottons, and none is probably more useful to them.

Crimes of a daring nature are becoming less and less common in these || islands, but secret sins are still practised to a painful extent. The great mass of the people are "earthly, sensual, devilish;"-they cherish their darling lusts. Iniquity is sweet to them, they spare it, they hide it under their tongue.

The manufacture, sale, and use of ardent spirit is prohibited on all these islands, except Oahu. On this island there are three distilleries, all owned by the king. Three grog-shops in Honolulu have, during the past year, been converted to other uses; but there are still many left, and much of the destructive poison is sold and consumed on the island. In consequence of the great trouble among seamen touching at this port by means of rum, a petition was drawn up during the past year and signed by twenty-five ship-masters, praying the king to suppress all the grog-shops in the place. Soon after this another petition was drawn up and signed by the high chiefs, and more than 3,000 of the most respectable natives of Honolulu and its vicinity, asking of the king the entire suppression of the sale, manufacture, and use of ardent spirit on the islands. Neither of the above petitions was granted by the king, and the deluge of intemperance still rolls on.

Population of the Islands-Remarks on the General Meeting.

According to a census of these islands taken in 1832, the population at that time amounted to 130,313. The census has been again taken during the past year, and the result gives us 108,579 as the present number of inhabitants of the Sandwich Islands, making a decrease of 21,734 in four years. This fact is an appalling one, and we stand and shudder over it. We hope, however, that the decrease may be a little less than our returns show. There is some reason to believe that the population in 1832 was somewhat over-rated, and, we think it may be a little under-rated by the present enumeration. But after making

changed and roll back to the gates of life.

In concluding their letter, the missionaries remark on the character of the general meeting, and the interesting scenes which

were witnessed on that occasion.

Perhaps a meeting of deeper interest was never held by this mission. An unusual glow of brotherly love has been manifest, and great harmony has pervaded our deliberations. We trust that all things have been done with charity. Many important subjects have been discussed with much patience and candor, and in almost all cases our decisions have been entirely unanimous.

On the first Sabbath after we came together in general meeting, the mission celebrated the Lord's supper in connection with the native church at Honolulu. At this season thirty-nine native converts made a public profession of faith in Christ and joined themselves to the people of God. Two weeks after this the Lord's supper was administered in English to the mission church. It was a solemn, melting, heavenly season. Messrs. Thurston and Richards with their wives presented their little infants to God in baptism, and Persis and Lucy, the two oldest daughters of Mr. Thurs

every allowance we can, the dreadful fact still stares us in the face, that the work of destruction is fast going on among the people. The angel of death stands over the land with a drawn sword. The anger of God has kindled a fire upon the nation which will burn to its entire destruction, unless it be speedily extinguished, You are already aware of the causes of this rapid depopulation. When the destruction will cease, and the avenging angel put up his sword again into its sheath God only knows. We labor to avert the work of death, but it goes on. Perhaps it will go on until the nation is consumed and the land given to others. Perhaps God will turn from his fierce anger and cause the people to spring up as the grass, and fill all these vallies and mountains with the voice of salvation. With us the present is truly a time of hope and fear. It is also emphatically a time of effort. If the work of destruction is ever arrested here, it must be done soon. By a little calculation you will see that, according to the present ratio of decrease, it will be but a few years before the pall of death will be spread over the whole land, and these vallies once full of people will sit solitary; these shores once teeming with myriads, will either become silent as the house of death, or be peopled with a new race of men. But we hope that better things are in reserve for this people-ton, gave themselves to the Lord in an that these fearful clouds will ere long pass away, and the work of desolation But should "the consumption determined go through the land in indignation," a remnant will be saved; and we feel more and more that we are to labor for this people as "pulling them out of the fire." We greatly need help to apply at once, and in every part of the islands, the only sovereign antidote to this dreadful contagion; and we are happy to learn that our Macedonian cry has not been unheeded-that our united prayer for more laborers has been so promptly responded to. Could proper efforts be immediately made, there is yet hope for this nation, that the tide which|| is sweeping it to ruin may be arrested. But this cannot be done but by removing the cause, and nothing in our opinion will remove the cause but the gospel brought home to the people, not in word only but in power. Could this be done immediately, it is to be hoped that when the present generation shall have passed away, which will soon be the case, the flood which has so long and with such fearful strength borne this people onwards towards annihilation, would be

cease.

everlasting covenant, and sat down with us for the first time at the table of our Lord and Master. It was a scene of tender interest to welcome to the church the first fruits of our offspring. Many an eye wept and many a heart melted in view of the scene. Others of our children are tender, and we hope the time is not distant when we shall see them all gathered into the family of Christ. God has rebuked our unbelief on the subject of early conversion by what he has already done for our children. We fear that the following language has been but two applicable to us. "They made me keeper of the vineyards, but mine own vineyard have I not kept." The Lord forgive us, and grant that all our children may be written among the living in Jerusalem.

We will only add that we feel encouraged to go forward with new zeal and faith in our work, and we ask your most earnest prayers that the year of labor on which we are about to enter may be a "year of the right-hand of the Most High" among this dying people.