.1 
.C5 







Class 
Book 



WALTER R. STEINER 
COLLECTION 



i 



WESTFIELD 

^abbath School Lftxarp, 










THE 



CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 




PUBLISHED BY THE 
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY 

150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK. 



89 



THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 




Keopuolaxi was born m the year 1778, in 
Maui, one of the Sandwich Islands. Her name, 
like most other names in these islands, was sig- 
nificant, and one which the people generally 
would not venture to appropriate to themselves 



4 THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 

or to their children : Ke-opu-o-lani, the collecting 

of heaven, or, the gathering of the clouds of heaven. 

The family from which she descended by her 
father had governed the island of Hawaii for 
many generations. The family from which she 
descended hy her mother had long governed 
Maui, and for a time had also governed Ranai, 
Molokai, and Oahu. 

Her father's family had heen particularly dis- 
tinguished as far back as its history can he 
traced. Her father's name was Kauikeouli. He 
was king of Hawaii at the time of his daughter's 
birth, but was slain about two years after in a 
sanguinary battle with Tamehameha. 

His father and Keopuolani's grandfather was 
Taraniopu, often called Taraiopu.* He was king 
of Hawaii at the time it was visited by Capt. 
Cook in 1777. This was the king whom that 
celebrated navigator was leading by the hand, 
on a visit to his ship, when the jealous rage of 
the natives burst on the innocent man, and ter- 
minated his enterprising and useful life. 

At the time of Keopuolani's biith her parents 
were in Maui, on a visit to Kehekiri, who was 
the uncle of Keopuolani, and at that time king 
of Maui, Ranai, Molokai, and Oahu. 

Kauikeouli and his wife soon returned to 
* Terreobu in Cook's Vovajres. 



THE CHRISTIAN Q,UEEN. 5 

Hawaii, leaving their infant daughter under the 
care of her grandmother Kanona, where she 
remained until Maui was conquered by Tame- 
hameha in 1790. The reader may perhaps 
inquire why, at this early period, she was sep- 
arated from her parents. It is not customary 
with the chiefs to bring up their own children. 
A chief, from the time of his birth, has a train 
of attendants almost as numerous as when he 
arrives at manhood. He has also a nurse or 
guardian; and wherever he goes, although he 
may be carried in his nurse's arms, one man 
follows bearing a fly-brush, another a fan, 
another an umbrella, another a spit-box, another 
a pipe, and usually a large company of other 
attendants, all of whom anxiously wait the nod 
of the child. Thus it was with Keopuolani. 

At the early age of thirteen she became the 
wife of Tamehameha the late king of all the 
islands. He was not by birth one of the highest 
chiefs, being only cousin to the reigning king. 
His authority was confined originally to two 
districts. Even during his minority he mani- 
fested a great degree of enterprise and strength 
of character. In the year 1790 he rebelled 
against his cousin Kauikeouli who had been on 
the throne only two years, and slew him in a 
sanguinary battle. 



6 

Tamehameha then went to I all his 

forces. Kehekiri. to whom th: 1 belonged, 

ed then at Oahu ; Tamehameha therefore 
succeeded in taking Maui without much blood- 
shed. Keopuolani. now twelve years of a^c 
and celebrated : . fell into his hands 

as prisoner. Her grandmother imm be- 

trothed her to the conqueror, who soon proceeded 
to the island of Molokai. 

:er the death of Kehekiri, Tamehameha 
repaired with his forces to Oahu, where he met 

.ce from the chiefs of that 

island. But h sained the ascendency, 

— 

and became king of all the - excepting 

Kauai. 

iiehameha took up his residence 
Lairua in the island of Hawaii. It was 
the year 1791 that Keopuolani became his v 
eventeen she was a mother ; but her 
son, who bore the name of "the present k _ 
died at an e _ ?. Her seeom: ao-riho, 

the late kii _ m in the year 1796. Of 

the rest of her eleven children two only, a son 
and a daughter named Kauikeouli and Xahie- 
_ at the time of the death of 
Riho-riho. and though minors they - -ded 
to the sovereignty of th s. 

Keopuolani while her husband lived usually 



THE CHRISTIAN QUh^N. 7 

resided with him at Kairua. This however 
was by no means their constant dwelling-place, 
for the high chiefs are wont to divide their 
time between the different places of importance. 
Agreeably to the practice of all the females in 
the country, she accompanied her husband in 
all his battles. Her person was counted so 
sacred that her presence did much to awe an 
enemy. 

As a wife she was unusually tender and affec- 
tionate. Her sister queens now speak of her 
with admiration on account of her amiable 
temper and behavior. For these qualities her 
husband was not remarkable, and on this ac- 
count her native excellence shone with additional 
brightness. Often was her compassion mani- 
fested towards those who had broken tabu,* 
violated the laws, or otherwise incurred the 
king's displeasure. 

Many of the high chiefs who have pursued 
a very different line of conduct themselves now 
say, to Keopuolani's praise, " She was never the 
means of any person's being put to death." She 
was always remarkably strict herself in the 
observance of tabu, although she was mild in 
her treatment of those who had broken it. 

About the year 1806, while at "Waititi in 

* The restraints imposed by their system of idolatry. 



8 THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 

Oahu, she was taken sick, arid fears were enter- 
tained that she would not recover. Various 
means were used for her restoration, but without 
any effect. At length a priest was consulted re- 
specting her, who immediately pretended to tell 
the cause of her sickness. 

He had just heard of some men who had 
been eating cocoa-nuts, and had therein broken 
tabu; for in those days cocoa-nuts were prohib- 
ited to all the common people. The priest said 
that as Keopuolani was descended from the gods, 
they were offended with the men, and had afflict- 
ed her with a sickness from which she would not 
recover unless the men were offered in sacrifice. 

Providentially however before the time ap- 
pointed for offering them arrived, the alarming 
symptoms of Keopuolani's disorder abated, and 
confident hopes of her recovery were enter- 
tained. Seven of the intended victims were 
therefore unbound, and only the other three 
slain and laid upon the altar, which before this 
had often been stained with the blood of human 
victims. It seems that Keopuolani had no 
knowledge of these transactions until they were 
past. 

From the time of Keopuolani's recovery from 
the sickness mentioned above, we have been 
enabled to trace little of her history until the 



THE CHRISTIAN QUE EX. 9 

death of Tamehameha, and the accession of 
Biho-riho to the throne, -which took place in 
the year 1819. 

AThen the high-priest of the island had given 
his opinion in favor of abandoning idolatry, it 
appears that a general consultation among the 
chiefs took place respecting this measure. They 
generally expressed their dissatisfaction with 
the system. As Keopuolani was not present on 
this occasion, Karaimoku and Kalakua went to 
converse with her. She inquired particularly 
into the reason for the course which they recom- 
mended, and at first seemed unwilling to join 
them. "What," said she, "is the fault of the 
system, that it should be discontinued ; and 
what evil have our gods done us, that they 
should be burnt V 9 

A short account of the system they were about 
to abolish will perhaps be acceptable in this 
place. During the existence of the tabic, no 
person except a priest or chief must presume to 
eat a cocoa-nut ; no female must eat pork ; males 
and females must not eat with each other, nor 
even receive food from the same dish ; and if 
by any means a man was found upon a tree, or 
on the mast of a vessel, or in any other place 
over the king's head, his life was forfeited to 
the gods. The same was the case with a man 
45* 



whc _t placed his hand over the king's 

head. 

Be e tabus above described, which were 

perpetual, there were others embra _ rtain 
I in th when no fishing-canoe must 

. on the water, nor anv man out of his 
hous _ ,)me 

image 1 from island to 

island collecting the taxes for the gods. The 
penalty for breaking tabu was death. 

.en a n 1, and no criminal 

could be foun rd a new tabu of 

such a nature ai _ temptation 

to break it ; perhaps it was lai and 

:lr~ Ti:-rv : ; 5*.i:'.;.i :e s: u:::":r.u^:.:r 2? :: 
break it was immediir 
:lf -"_-.:.*_-_. m.l urriri : :. :. :Le --::.: 

lent has told us that on on 
these da iw a canoe sailing out in front of 

ral houses, and u One of 

the men afterwards appeared to be drowning. 
An old man of tender .*om his 

bouse to sa dkiag man; in an instant 

:he priests, 
carried to the adjacent temple, and there sacri- 
ficed. In the meantime the man apparently 
drowning jumped into his canoe and rowed away. 
these shocking practices Karaimokn and 



THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 11 

Kalakua alluded during their interview with 
Keopuolani. She said, "You indeed speak very 
properly ; our gods have done us no good ; they 
are cruel : let the king's wish and yours be 
gratified." 

On the arrival of the American missionaries 
in April, 1820, all the chiefs were consulted re- 
specting the expediency of their establishment 
in the -islands. Some of the chiefs seemed to 
doubt, but Keopuolani without hesitation ap- 
proved of their proposals. She ever after 
appeared friendly to the mission, and favored 
the palapala — that is, the whole system of in- 
struction introduced by the missionaries. 

Shortly after this period she went to Waititi 
in Oahu, where a protracted illness gave her 
leisure, and seemed to lead her to think of a 
future state. During her sickness she received 
visits from the missionaries, by her particular 
request, and usually had preaching in her ranai* 
on the Sabbath. 

In February, 1823, Keopuolani and her hus- 
band Hoapiri expressed a desire to have an 
instructor connected with them. They selected 
Taua, a native teacher sent by the church at 
Huahine, one of the Society Islands, in company 
with Mr. Ellis, to instruct them and their peo- 

* Temporary house made of cocoa-nut leaves or rushes. 



12 THE CHRISTIAN QUE 

pie in the first principles of the gospel, and 
teach them to read and write, and -with them 
Taua resided until the death of Keopuolani. He 
proved a faithful teacher, and by the blessing 
of God, we believe, did much to establish her 
in the Christian faith. 

One morning, when confined to her couch, 
with many of the chiefs and people about her, 
she said to them, " I wish you all either to retire 
or to be silent, for I desire to pray to Jesus 
Christ, and must have no interruption." The 
chiefs immediately began to laugh at her re- 
quest, and seemed unwilling to comply with it. 
With great resolution she reproved them for 
their impiety, told them they still kept their 
11 dark hearts," and insisted that her request 
should be granted. 

At another time during the same illness a 
hijrh chief came to her and said, "Let us two 
drink rum together again as formerly. Enough 
of this new word. Let us cast it away, and 
attend to it no more." Keopuolani replied. " 1 
will never adopt that evil custom : I am afraid 
of the everlasting fire." She then turned to 
Taua, and said, "My heart is much afraid that 
I shall never become a Christian." He replied, 
" Why, what is in the way \ n She said, " I think 
I am likely to die soon." He replied, " Do you 



THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 13 

not love God ?" She answered, " yes, I love, 
i" love him very much." Taua then communi- 
cated further instruction suited to her case. At 
the close of the conversation, she said, "Your 
word, I know, is true ; it is a good word ; and 
now I have found, I have obtained a Saviour, 
and a good King, Jesus Christ." 

At a time when a larger number of people 
than usual were present, she experienced a re- 
lapse in her disease, and some of the spectators 
apprehended she was near her end. She imme- 
diately sent a messenger to Taua to come and 
pray with her. "When he arrived, the house 
and ranai were filled with chiefs and people. 
"When about to enter, some of the chiefs stopped 
him at the door, and told him he must not go 
in, for there was no room. They then went to 
Keopuolani, and told her it Would not be well 
to admit him, for he was a bad man, and would 
tell her many lies. She said, " My teacher is 
not bad, he tells me no lies ; let him come in, 
for I greatly desire to see him." They replied, 
" The house is full, there is no room." She said 
to them, " Why do you say there is no room ? 
there is room enough. I have done praying to my 
old gods, to stones and to wood, and my desire 
now is, that while I lie here my Christian teacher 
should come and pray with me to Jesus Christ." 



14 THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 

Much conversation followed, during which 
some of the people, encouraged by a few of the 
chiefs, threatened Taua's life ; but he still re- 
mained at the door with the gospels in his hand. 
At length Keopuolani calling, said, u Taua, come 
into the house, and pray with me.'' Some of the 
chiefs were still intent on stopping him, when 
the king approached, saying, il Let him go in, 
and let all the chiefs and people be perfectly 
quiet while the good teacher of my mother 
prays to Jehovah." 

From the time of her sickness at T\"aititi she 
manifested a strong desire that her people might 
attend to instruction. She often advised them 
on this subject, and occasionally even com- 
manded them. 

"While Mr. Bingham was conducting religious 
service with her at Waititi one Sabbath morning 
in 1523, intelligence was communicated that a 
reinforcement of missionaries had arrived at 
Honolulu. At the conclusion of the service one 
of the royal family returned in company with 
Mr. Bingham to Honolulu, a distance of three 
miles, with a request from Keopuolani, Taumu- 
arii, and other chiefs, that the new teachers 
should meet them there at the afternoon service. 

Those who had the pleasure of being intro- 
duced to her on that day will never forget the 



THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 15 

mild and beautiful expression of her counte- 
nance when she raised her head a little from 
her pillow to bid them a joyful welcome to the 
islands. 

Towards the latter end of May she made 
known to the mission her intention of taking 
up her permanent residence at Lahaina, in 
Maui her native island. She particularly re- 
quested, as did also the king and chiefs, that 
missionaries might accompany her. As Lahaina 
had been previously selected for a missionary 
station, the missionaries were happy to com- 
mence their labors there under such auspices. 
Messrs. Richards and Stewart therefore accom- 
panied her, resided near her, enjoyed her pat- 
ronage, and had the privilege of instructing her 
until her decease. 

On the 31st of 'May, Keopuolani arrived in 
Lahaina with Messrs. Richards and Stewart and 
their families. On the passage she told them 
she would be their mother, and indeed she 
acted the part of a mother ever afterwards. 

Immediately on their arrival, she requested 
them to commence teaching, and said also, " It 
is very proper that my sons," meaning the mis- 
sionaries, " be present with me at morning and 
evening prayers." They were always present, 
and sung a hymn in the native language, and 



16 THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 

when nothing special prevented addressed, 
through an interpreter, the people who were 
present ; then Taua or the interpreter concluded 
the service with prayer. These were usually 
interesting seasons. Often in conversation she 
would introduce the subject which had been 
issed, and ask important questions respect- 
ing it. 

She spent a principal part of her time ei 
day in learning to read, and notwithstanding 
her age, numerous cares, constant company, and 
other hinderances. made good proficiency. She 
was indeed a diligent pupil, seldom weary with 
study, often spent hours over her little spelling- 
book, and when her teachers rose to leave her- 
rarely laid it aside, but usually continued study- 
ing after they had retired. 

She was apparently as diligent in searching 
for divine truth as in learning to read, and evi- 
dently gave attention to her book that she might 
in future know more of her duty to her Maker. 
She omitted no favorable opportunity of making 
inquiries on such religious subjects as were from 
time to time presented to her mind. 

One morning as Mr. Richards went to attend 
prayers with her, she said, u I think much about 
the love of Jesus Christ, which you last night 
described to as " v he said she loved Jesus 



THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 17 

Christ much, and immediately sent for an en- 
graving on which the Saviour was exhibited on 
the cross. Mr. Richards pointed to the man 
holding the spear, and said, " AYicked man." She 
immediately inquired the character of all who 
were represented there. The expression of her 
countenance while she contrasted the charac- 
ters with each other was such as to attract the 
attention of all present, and the impression made 
on her mind was never afterwards obliterated. 

Not many days after this Mr. Stewart called 
on her, and found her reclining on her settee 
apparently in deep thought, and giving no atten- 
tion to any thing about her. He heard a number 
of exclamations in her own language, accom- 
panied with expressive gestures, as though she 
were in distress. Her exclamations were, " 
the punishments of wicked men. They will 
cry for water ; yes, they will cry for water, 
but there will be no water, none at all, not even 
a drop for their tongues !" 

Many other similar accounts might be given, 
but these are sufficient to show the impression 
made on her mind by the truths which she heard 

She often spoke of the goodness of God in 
sparing her life when she was sick, that she 
might learn more of the good way which leads 
to heaven. She made many interesting inquiries 

SER. iv. 90 



18 THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 

respecting the guilt of her ancestors who wor- 
shipped idols. On one occasion she closed these 
by saying, "The great guilt is ours, who know 
the good way but dp not walk in it/' 

So decided was her stand in favor of Chris- 
tianity, that she thereby incurred the displeasure 
of many of- the people and of some of the 
chiefs. But their opposition, instead of driving 
her from the ground she had taken, only gave 
her an opportunity of showing more fully the 
firmness of her principles, and the strength of 
her attachment to the Christian cause. 

Soon after she arrived at Lahaina, a high 
chief came to her and said, " You study too much, 
it is not good ; you are an old woman, and it 
would be well for you to study but little." She 
replied, "I am indeed an old woman, and shall 
die soon ; I must therefore endeavor to learn 
fast, or I shall die before I obtain the good which 
I seek." The chief replied, " "Well, you ought 
not to build so many houses ; you have built 
two houses for the missionaries, and one large 
meeting-house, and now you are about building 
a school-house. All this is not well." She 
answered, " Karaimoku* says it is well, and 
Taua my teacher says it is well, and I am sure 
it is well." He said, " Xo, Taua tells you lies ; 

* The prime minister. 



THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. ] 9 

he is a bad man, and you had better send him 
away." She said, " You are wrong, he is not a 
bad man, I shall not send him away; he tells 
me no lies, none at all." 

Soon after this the same chief proposed that 
she should send away the missionaries, and 
give up the whole system of instruction. She 
replied, " Why, what is the wrong?" He said, 
" Their instructions are not good. They bind us 
too close. They will not permit us to drink 
rum, or to do as we formerly did. Their instruc- 
tions are false and bad. Let us do as we for- 
merly did. It does no good to* sing and pray. 
Let us, I say, do as we formerly did, and drink 
a little rum together." She replied, " Why do 
you call my foreign teachers bad ? They are 
good men, and I love them. Their religion is 
good. Our old religion is good for nothing. 
Their ways are all good, and ours are bad. Are 
not their instructions the same as formerly ? 
You then said they were good, and told me I 
must regard them, and cast away all my old 
gods. I have done as you said, and I am sure 
I have done well. But you disregard the new re- 
ligion, and desire me to do the same. But I will 
not. I will never leave my teachers. 1 will fol- 
low their instructions, and you had better go with 
me, for I will never again take my dark heart." 



2Q THE CHRISTIAN* QUEEN 

8 ?n after this several chiefs combined to turn 
her from the course she was pursuing. They 
said. *• Vi'e have just learned the truth respecting 
these new things about which the missionaries 
tell us. "We find that a part of what they tell 
us is true. It is well to attend to reading and 
writing ; but prayer, and preaching, and Sab- 
baths are of no consequence. We have been 
told that in India they can read and write very 
well, and have so much' property that all the 
people in England and America go there after 
it, and yet the people of India keep their gods 
oi wood anu stone just as they always did. Now 
our advice is. that we attend strictly to reading 
and writing, but that we give up prayer, preach- 
ing, and Sabbaths, for these will never increase 
our rich 

Before Keopuolani gave any answer she sent 
for Taua, and inquired respecting India, and 
then replied, u The people of India are still 
heathens, they are srill in darkness of heart, as 
formerly were. If you wish to keep your 
dark hearts, and be heathens, and live like the 
people of Satan, then live so, and give up the 
Sabbath and prayer, and when you die, go to 
Satan and the world of misery : but trouble me 
no longer." 

These examples are sufficient to show with 



THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 21 

what spirit she resisted the attacks which were 
made upon her by those opposed to Christianity. 

To most religious duties with which she was 
acquainted, she was particularly attentive. At 
stated seasons she called on Taua to pray with 
her ; but she desired him always to be near, 
that she might easily call on him at other times. 
He has informed us that she spent the greater 
part of one night in asking him questions, and 
in prayer. She was at that time particularly 
anxious because she did not know how to pray. 
She said, " I know very well how to pray to my 
old idols, but how to pray to Jesus Christ I do 
not know. You must pray for me." After he 
had prayed, she added, " Now tell me about 
Jesus Christ." He related the particulars of his 
crucifixion, and as he spoke of the nails driven 
through his hands and feet, she burst into tears, 
and exclaimed, " Stop, I can hear no more ; I 
and all my people are wicked and cruel, like 
those murderers." 

Perhaps she in no case manifested a stronger 
attachment to Christian duties than during a 
visit to Molokai. While on this visit she had 
much to engage her thoughts, and occupy her 
time ; yet this venerable queen regularly re- 
tired every morning and evening to offer up her 
prayer to that God who seeth in secret. 



82 

On B ibbath toe _ ^ve evidence that 

: example of others to induce 
1 to the duti In the 

mor _ : the chiefs present in the L 
many w and some intoxicated. 

called Tana, and said to him. now 

away from the missionaries, but we must not 

get the S :li. the day of God. Lc 

with some of the people, retire, that we may 
sing and p Th ■ went to a small 

house at a 1 : ;om the cc . aud 

enjc -iiJig 

she said to one of t vho had c 

gudei :lr liy, •• You and I hxrc each :: u§ m 
m teacher. You fonr. Id me that 1 

serve the new i and keep the 

Sabbath ; I ha* . but now you _ 

lo not love p: :u do not love the 

good way, nor walk in it. My heart 
for you, and I on your account often weep 

She approved c: ■ burial, and was 

:ns to introduce it among her people. On 

the death of one of 1 :am- 

i on a 
to Maui, to eon 
in black tapa* *■ wed by an attendant 



THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 23 

bearing a black kahiri* she herself attended as 

a mourner, and appeared peculiarly interested 

in the exercises. 

We have already alluded to the circumstance 

of her erecting a house for the worship of God. 

This house was opened for divine service on the 

24th of August. Those who saw her on this 

occasion will never forget the expression of her 

countenance as she heard the translation of the 

hymn, 

44 Blow ye the trumpet, blow; 
The gladly solemn sound." 

Her conversation, and her whole appearance on 
this day, well became so solemn and interesting 
an occasion. It was the first house ever reared 
to the praise of Jehovah in the island of Maui, 
and although Keopuolani little thought that 
after this day she was no more to worship in 
the house she had built, yet the joy she mani- 
fested on the occasion, the exertion which she 
made to understand every word of the sermon, 
the wishes she expressed to have all her people 
enlightened in " the good way," conspire to make 
us feel that the Lord by his Holy Spirit was fast 
preparing her for himself. 

Could she with a prophetic eye have looked 

* A small rod of elastic wood, ornamented at the upper end 
with feathers. Kahiris of a large size are carried in proces- 
sions. 



2\ THE CHRISTIAN QUEEX. 

forward to her end, like the aged Simeon, she 
doubtless would have said, "Lord, now lettest 
thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes 
have seen thy salvation." This sentiment in- 
deed she often expressed when speaking of the 
goodness of God in permitting her to live to see 
his missionaries ; often also regretting that they 
had not arrived earlier. At one time she said, 
" What a pity it is you did not come in the days 
of our childhood ;" a sentiment that deserves to 
be seriously pondered by all members of mis- 
sionary societies. 

From the account already given it will be 
seen that hers was not the religion of a sick- 
bed merely, nor yet a religion assumed for the 
sake of gaining popularity. 

On the last week in August, Keopuolani began 
to be seriously affected by a local indisposition 
which soon seemed to relax her whole system, 
and in her view was a premonition of her ap- 
proaching dissolution. On the first day of Sep- 
tember the chiefs began to collect in consequence 
of her illness. This was agreeably to their 
universal custom. "Whenever a high chief is 
taken ill, although there may be nothing threat- 
ening in his illness, all the chiefs assemble from 
every part of the islands, and wait the result. 
Thus it was in Keopuolani's sickness. Vessels 



THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN 25 

were dispatched to the different islands before 
there was any occasion for alarm. It was not 
many days, however, before it was seriously 
apprehended that the disease would prove fatal. 

On the evening of Tuesday the 8th, the chiefs 
and people were suddenly alarmed, and sup- 
posed her to be dying. The exclamation, "Ua 
make Keopiiolani" — Dead is Keopuolani — w r as to 
be heard throughout the village. Although it 
was late in the evening, a messenger was sent 
to inform the mission family, several of whom 
immediately repaired to her house, expecting 
to see her die. As soon as she heard the voice 
of the females she raised her head a little, and 
with a pleasant smile reached her hand to them, 
and said, " Maitai" — good ; intimating that they 
had done well in coming to see her at this late 
hour. She added, " I love the great God ;" and 
soon after, "Great is my love to God." She 
requested that one of the missionaries should 
stay with her, and llr. Stewart accordingly spent 
the night there. 

In the morning she was a little better, and 
some hope was entertained that she might re- 
cover. By the king's direction, a vessel sailed 
immediately to Honolulu for Dr. Blatchely. Her 
mind was still active, and the counsel and in- 
struction which she gave to those about her 



26 THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 

showed that her faculties were unimpaired. She 
manifested a great degree of solicitude for her 
children, several times calling them to her side, 
and giving them Christian advice. She often 
conversed with Hoapiri her husband, on the 
goodness of God in sparing her life to see his 
servants, to hear his word, and know his Son. 

In her first interview with Karaimoku after 
he came to Lahaina, she said, " Great is my love 
to the word of God, by "which I hope my mind 
has been enlightened. The word of God is a 
true word, a good word. Jehovah is a good God. 
I love him, and love Jesus Christ. I have no 
desire for the former gods of Hawaii. They are 
all false. But I love Jesus Christ. I have given 
myself to him, to be his. 

" 'When I die, let none of the evil customs of 
this country be practised at my death ; let not 
my body be disturbed. Let not my bones be 
separated, and the flesh taken off, as in the days 
of dark hearts, but let my body be put into a 
coffin. Let the teachers attend, and speak to 
the people at my interment. Let me be buried 
in the ground, after the manner of Christ's peo- 
ple. I think very much of my grandfather, my 
father, my husband Tamehameha, and all my 
deceased relations. They lived not to see these 
good times, and to hear of Jesus Christ. They 



THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN 27 

died without knowing Jehovah the true God ; 
they died, depending on false gods." 

A few days before her death, she called her 
husband, and said to him, " See that you take 
good care of Nahienaena. See that she is in- 
structed in reading and writing, that she may 
learn to love God and Jesus Christ. Do not be 
weary in your attention to her, for it is a good 
thing for her to learn the good way. Take care 
of my people when I am dead. Be a friend to 
them, and watch over their interests with com- 
passionate regard. After I am dead, do not cast 
away the word of God, or the Sabbath-day. 
Neglect not prayer, neither cease ^o love Jeho- 
vah, that he may love you, and that we two 
may meet in heaven. I think a great deal of 
my sins, and of the love of Jesus Christ. He is 
very kind to me I hope he will take me to his 
right hand." 

The day before her death she conversed with 
Karaimoku respecting her children. She said, 
" I wish much that my two children Kauikeouli 
and Nahienaena should know God, should serve 
him, and be instructed in Christianity. I wish 
you to take care of these my two children. See 
that they walk in the right way. Let them 
not associate with bad companions." She then 
added, " And do you not neglect praying to God. 



28 THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 

Cease not to regard the Sabbath. Commit no 
sin, and love Jesus Christ, that we two may 
meet in heaven." 

Soon after this interview with Karaimoku, 
she called the king, and her other two chil- 
dren, and all the chiefs, and said to them, " I 
am now about to die ; I shall leave my children, 
my people, and these lands, and I wish now to 
give you my last charge." She then turned to 
the king, and said, " I wish you, after my death, 
to be a friend to all the friends of your father, 
and to all my friends. Take care of these lands 
which you have received from your father ; ex- 
ercise a tender care over the people ; protect 
the missionaries, and be kind to them ; walk in 
the straight path ; keep the Sabbath ; serve 
God ; love him, and love Jesus Christ ; attend 
also to the word of God, that you may be happy, 
and that we two may meet in heaven. If you 
see any of the people going wrong, take care to 
lead them in the right way ; but I entreat you 
not to follow them in the bad way, when your 
mother is gone." 

She then turned to the chiefs, and said, " Watch 
over the king my son, exercise a guardian care 
over him ; but particularly I wish you to watch 
over my two younger children. See that they 
are brought up in the right way, that they are 



THE CHRISTIAN Q,UEEN. 29 

instructed in reading, that they keep the Sab- 
bath, that they both love God and pray to him. 
Protect the teachers who have come to this land 
of dark hearts ; attend to their instructions ; 
cease not to keep the commandments of God, to 
love him, to obey his word, to regard the Sab- 
bath, and all the means of instruction ; and do 
not neglect prayer to God. He is -a good God; 
our former gods were false, but he is the God 
by whom we may all live for ever in heaven. 
I love Jesus Christ. I hope he has loved me, 
and that he will receive me." 

On the morning of the day on which she 
died, Taua her teacher desired to converse with 
her, but the people and some of the chiefs were 
much opposed to it, and were so angry with him 
for attempting it, that he went and called Auna 
his associate. Auna said, " We must not be 
afraid ; we must talk with her now, or not at 
all, for we shall never have another oppor- 
tunity." They then pressed through the crowd 
of chiefs, and took their seats beside Keopuolani. 
Auna said to her, " How do you feel, as you 
are about leaving the world V 9 She answered, 
" I remember what my teachers told me. I pray 
much to Jesus Christ, to be with me and take 
me to himself. I am now about to leave my 
three children, my people, and my teachers. But 



30 THE CHF N QUEEN. 

it is not dark now. It would have been, had I 
died before these good times. You must pray 
for me, and all the missionaries must pray for 
me. I love you, I love them, I think I love 
Jesus Christ, and I trust he will receive m- 

A scene of deep interest followed, as in the 
presence of Rev. M vart and Richards, 

of Rev. Messrs. Ellis and Ruggles, who with 
Mrs. Ellis had just arrived, and in presence of 
the king, queens, and all the chiefs, Keopuolani 
openly professed her faith in Jesus Christ. Soon 
afterwards the royal Hawaiian convert fell asleep, 
September 16. 

The people collected from every part of Maui 
to join their tears and cri netimes whole 

districts were seen walking in single file in the 
most perfect silence till they came within about a 
hundred rods of the corpse, when the whole com- 
pany at the same instant commenced their mourn- 
ful cries. u Keopuolani was a mother to every 
body ; we have all lost a mother," were exclama- 
tions constantly ringing through the settlement. 

The funeral service was attended under a 
cluster of beautiful kau- trees, where worship 
had usually been attended previous to the erec- 
tion of the chapel. A convenient platform was 
prepared for the speaker, on which were placed 
a table and chairs for the missionaries. 



THE CHRISTIAN QUEEN. 3J 

Mr. Ellis preached a sermon from Rev. 14 : 13, 
" Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.' 1 
The people were attentive, and the chiefs listened 
with signs of deep interest. After service a 
procession was formed, Hoapiri and the king 
with the prince and princess taking the lead as 
mourners. The path was thronged on every side 
by thousands of the people, who had never wit- 
nessed any thing of the kind before. Minute- 
guns were fired from the ships in the roads, and 
the bell continued tolling until the corpse was 
deposited in the place prepared for it. During 
the whole the most perfect order was preserved, 
and we were reminded of similar processions 
which we had frequently witnessed in the land 
of our "fathers' sepulchres." 

We wish all who read the memoirs of Keo- 
puolani to call to mind that she was once a 
heathen, a heathen too who was satisfied with 
the system of idolatry, notwithstanding all its 
horrors. It was for her that the altar was once 
stained with the blood of human sacrifices, and 
had she and her people remained unenlightened, 
the same murderous altar would doubtless have 
been stained again at her last sickness. Let the 
reader mark the contrast between these two 
periods of Keopuolani's life. Let him remem- 
ber too that it was instrumentally through the 



32 THE CHRISTIAN Q.UEEX. 

benevolence of Christians, that the sting of 
death was taken away, and the gate of heaven 
was opened to receive her. that we could 
speak to our readers with Keopuolani's voice, or 
inspire them with her feelings when she said, 
" It is not dark now ; it would have been, had J 
died before these good times." 

Let him who thinks that the heathen will 
never be converted, tell, if he can, why other 
heathens may not be converted as well as the 
highest chief of the Sandwich Islands. Yes, the 
heathen can be converted. Some of them have 
been, and all will be turned unto God. Yea, all 
kings shall fall down before him, all nations 
sliall serve him. 

May all who read of Keopuolani be encour- 
aged to renewed and more vigorous exertions in 
that work which, though great and difficult, 
will, through the aid of our almighty Helper, cer- 
tainly result in the universal triumph of the 
gospel. 



