His Acquaintance with Obookiah, and the Consequent Establishment of the Foreign Mission School
We have already mentioned the name of Obookiah. Mr. Mills’ acquaintance with this youth forms an important era in his life, and in the history of Missions in the western world. Obookiah was a native of Owhyhee, the largest of the Sandwich Islands.* He was born about the year 1792. His parents ranked
* The Sandwich Islands are a cluster of islands in the Pacific Ocean, discovered by Captain Cook and Captain King, in the year 1778. This group consists of eleven islands, extending in lat. from 18° 54’, to 22° 15’ N. and in long. from 199° 36’, to 205° 6’ E. They are chiefly inhabited; and contain about souls. The situation of these islands is said to be very favourable for commerce; “as all the vessels bound to the Norlh-West Coast, on the fur trade, and also many of those bound to the coast of Asia, stop here for provibions, and to make repairs.” The natives are very considerably advanced in civilization, though they still bow down to dumb ido .-. It is not a rare event for human victims to be here sacrificed to appease the gods. “We cannot but say to the Missionaries now hastening to these distant shores, Go up and prosper.’”
with the common people; but his mother was distantly related to the family of the king. During his youth, there was an unhappy contest in the island, as to the right of succession. Alter a severe and frightful carnage, the party to which the father of Obookiah attached himself was overpowered. The conquerors having driven their antagonists from the field, next turned their rage upon the villages and families of the vanquished. On the alarm of their approach, the father took his wife and two children, and fled to the mountains, where he concealed himself with his family for several days in a cave. Venturing at length to leave their retreat, they were surprised by a party of the enemy, while in the act of quenching their thirst at a neighbouring spring. The father fled. To decoy him from his retreat, the enemy seized his wife and children and put them to the torture. The artifice succeeded. Unable to bear the piercing cries of his family, the father returned and with his wife was cut in pieces. His infant brother, Obookiah endeavoured to save from the fate of his parents, by taking him upon his back and making his escape; but he was pursued, and his little brother pierced through with a spear, while Obookiah, by some mysterious providence, was saved alive. Being now a prisoner in the hands of the enemy, he was taken home to the house of the very man who murdered his parents. Here he resided till he was found by an uncle, who was High Priest of the island, and who received him into his family and treated him as a child. In narrating his own history, Obookiah says.
46 iMENOlUS OF THL LATE
“At the death of my parents I was uith them; I saw them killed uith a bayonet; and with them my little brother not more than uvo or three months old; so that I was left alone without lather or mother in this wilderness woi-ld. Poor boy! thought 1 within myp self alter ihey were gone, are there any father or mother of mine at home, that I may go and find them at home? No; poor boy am I. And while 1 was at play with other children, after we had made an end of playing, they returned to their parents, but I was returned into tears; for 1 have no home, neither father, nor mother. I thought of nothing more, but want of father or mother, and to cry day and night.” While Obookiah was with his uncle, he began to think of leaving his native island for some other part of the globe. About this time a ship belonging to New-Haven, touched at the island on her return voyage from the North-VVest Coast — in which he made an arrangement to take passage tor America, and in the autumn of 1809 was brought lo New-Haven.” Here he began early to express a strong wish to be instructed, and to obtain a Christian education. He visited the house of God on the Sabbath, and lingered about the College, trying to catch something to gratity the thirst of his mind for know ledge; and when he found that he could understand little or nothing, and that the treasiues of knowledge which were open to others, were locked up from him; he sat down and wept on the threshold of the College buildings.*’ Here he was found by the Rev. Edwin W. Dwiglit, then a resident graduate
REV. SAMI’EL J. MTI.f-S 47
at the College, and for the first year the Prhicipal of the Foreign Mission School, who spared no vATovi in the instruction of his new pupil. By a pleasing coincidence of circumstances, Mr. Mills, on his arrival at New-Haven, became the companion of Mr. Dwight, and was deeply interested in this heathen boy. He soon conceived the plan of educating him as a Missionary to his native islands; and tookhimin the course of the “winter to his father’s at Torringford, and afterwards lO Andover, patiently instructing him in the knowledge of w’hat is useful in this life, and. momentous to the life to come. We ore happy in beaig able to submit Mr. Mills’ own narrative of this providence, contained in a letter to the Rev, Gordon Had, then a student in the Theological Seminary at Andover, and now a Missionary in the island of Bombay. Though it relates to some other events besides his first acquaintance with Obookiah, we shall transcribe it chiefly entire.
“jXew-Haven, December 20, 1 809.
“VeRV dear BROTnER,
“I received your kind letter, and feel much indebted to you. I have been in this place about two months. When I came, I found my worthy friend E. Dwight here: I roomed with him about two weeks, and then removed my quarteis to the Rev. Mr. Stewart’s, with whom I have lived to the present time. As every day is not so singularly spent by me as this has been, I will notice something not a little extraordinary.
“To make my narrative understood, you must go back with me to my first arrival in this place. Mr, Dwight, I then louiid, was instructing a native Owhjean boy. Two natives of this island arrived here five or six months ago, and this was one of them. As I was in the room with Mr. Dwight, I heard the youth recite occasionally, and soon became considerably attached to him. His manners are simple; he does not appear to be vicious in any respect, and he has a great thirst for knowledge. In his simple manner of expressing himself, he says, The people in Owhyee very bad — they pray to gods made of wood. Poor
Indians don’’t know nothing. He says, AJe icant to
learn to read this BiUc, and go back then., and tell them to pray to God up in heacen. I cpjled into Dwight’s room last evening, and had not been long there, belbre Henry, for this is his EngHsh name, came into the room with a very gloomy countenance. Says he, Me feel very bad. I asked him why he felt bad? — Mt got no place to live. I then asked him if he was
not going to live with? He said, J’o; he
say, me may go away — he no more icunt me. I told him he need not be concerned; I would find a place
for him. He said, JMi:<s say she take away my
new clothes. 1 told hi.n he need not be afraid of that, for I had clothes enough for both of us. He did not appear to know what course to take. I told him ho might go home with me, and live at my father’s, and have whatever he wanted. He then came with me to my room. I heard him read his lesson, and attempted to instruct him in some of the first principles of Christianity, of which he was almost entirely ignorant. He then retired for the night.
I now come to the transactions of to-day. As it was eleven o’clock when I began to write this letter, I will be as brief as 1 can, and relate things so that you may understand me. This morning I repaired to Mr. Dwidit’s room. He felt interested in behalf of Obookiah, and thought he had best endeavour to find a place for him, where he could work a part of the time, and pay for his board, and recite as he had done. I told him I did not think he had best stay in town, as he would be exposed to bad company, and most likely be treated as a slave, rather than as a friend and brother. I told him further, that as my father was one of the Missionary Trustees, he would no doubt obtain for him a support, if it was thought best to educate him, which is my intention to attempt so far as that he may be able to instruct his countrymen, and by God’s blessing, convert them to Christianity. To this he could hardly object. He had been talking with the President of the College, and I told him I would see him on the subject. In the afternoon I called upon him, and related to him a part of my plan, which was that Obookiah should go with rae to my father’s, and live with him this winter, and be instructed in the first principles of reading and writing, as well as of Chrislianity,where he would be abundantly furnished with the means of acquiring both. Some other arguments I used, which I cannot now relate. The President came fully into the opinion that this was the most eligible course which could be pursued, if Obookiah was willing to go. Obookiah is his Indian name, and he is seventeen years old. I told him he would be glad to go; he was
G
oO MEMOIRS OF THE LATE
AvitliOLii a lioinc? — without a place to eat, or sleep. The poor and almost friendless Owhyean would sit down disconsolate, and the honest tears would ilow h’eely down his sun-burnt face; but since this plan has been fixed upon, he has appeared cheerful, and feels quite at ease. I propose to leave town in two weeks, with this native of the South to accompany me to Torringford, where I intend to place him under the care of those whose benevolence is without a bond to check, or a limit to confine it. Here I intend he shall stay until next spring, if he is contented. Thus you sec, he is like to be firmly fixed by my side.
“What does this mean? Brother Hall, do you understand it? Shall he be sent back unsupported, to attempt to reclaim his countrymen? Shall we not rather consider these southern islands a proper place for the establishment of a mission? Not that I would give up the heathen tribes of the west. I trust we shall be able to establish more than one mission in a short time, at least in a few years; and that God will enable us to extend our views and labours further than we have before contemplated. We ought not to look merely to the heathen on our ovva continent, but to direct our attention where we may, to human appearance, do the most good, and where the difficulties arc the least. We are to look to the climate — established prejudices — the acquisition of language — the means of subsistence, &c. &c. All these things, I apprehend, are to be considered. The field is almost boundless; in every part of which, there ought to be Missionaries. In the language of an animated writer, but 1 must say, he is of another coun-
■•/</, — 0 (hat ice could enter at a thousand gates that every limb were a tongue, and every tongve a trumpet to spread the Gospel sound! The men of Macedonia cry, Come over and help us. This voice is heard from the north, and from the south, and from the east, and from the west. O that we might glow with desire to preach the Gospel to the heathen, that is altogether irresistible! The spirit of burning hath gone forth. The camp is in motion. The Levitcs, we trust, are about to bear the vessels, and the great command GO FORWARD. Let US, my dear brother, rely with the most implicit confidence, on those great, eternal, precious promises contained in the word of God: And Jesus answered and said, verily I say unto you, TJiere is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the GospePs, but he shall receive an hundred fold noio in this time, houses, and brethren and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the vjorld to come, cterncd life. Be strong, therefore, and let not your hands be weak, for your m ork shall be rewarded. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty; and in thy majesty ride prosperously, because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Let us exclaim with the poet,
“Come then, and added to thy many crowns, “Receive yet one, the crown of all the earth. “Thou who alone art worthy! It was thine “By ancient cov’nant, e’er nature’s birth, ‘’ And thou hast made it thine by purchase siucf * And overpaid it< value with thy blood.”
$2 MEMOIR* or -tnt. latr
“Now, brother Hall, for a review of your letter. You complain that the iuflucnces of the Holy Spirit are in a ejreat measure withdrawn from you. Brother Hall, do you expect to be always on Pisgah’stop? If you do, farewell; for you may rest assured, that I shall be often, and for a long time in the valley, and perhaps you would need the telescope of Herschel to discover me. I know that we are bound to live a life of faith on the Son of God, and that at every departure from our duty, we incur immense guilt. Were it not that God is seated on a throne of mercy, I should not dare raise my presumptuous eyes towards heaven; but confounded and aghast, must call upon the rocks and mountains to fall upon me. But his arm is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. Past a doubt, our iniquities have separated between him and us. Let us then be prayerful, humble, and devout, knowing that in due time we shall reap, if we faint not. As to Missions, you know some will be greatly animated with the subject at first view, and then begin to flag and droop. These nrc not the men we want, and therefore must carefully guard against placing confidence in them. 1 wish we were able to break forth as to numbers, like the Irish rebellion, thirty thousand strong. Not a man could be spared. The whole number would be wanted. But much as I wish for an increase, I would, as far as in my power, prevent those from engaging, who had not thought much on the subject, and were not prepared to endure all things for the elect’s sake. Without the aids of divine grace, we shall all fail of attaining this glorious high calling. Even Mark once fled from the work of the apostolic Mission; but God blessed the efforts of Paul and Barnabas, and they were the means of recovering him to a sense of his duty, and he soon obtained a good report among the Apostles. A confidence in human strength will utterly defeat us.” * *
“Ever yours,
S. J. MILLS.
•’ Mr. Gordon Hall.”
While Obookiah was at New-Haven, Torringford, and Andover, there was no small degree of interest excited among the people of God, who were acquainted with his history. In ardent anticipation of his conversion, and in the full confidence that “a new era was about to commence in relation to the Sandwich Islands, many prayers were offered up for this poor stranger. While at Andover, as we have the best reason to believe, he became the subject of renovating grace. He had been frequently serious, and had relapsed into stupidity; and particularly during a few months he spent at an academy in the vicinity of Andover, in pursuing the elementary branches of education. On his return an important change took place in his feelings, which it will be proper to give in his own words: “In the spring season of the year 1811, I hired myself out for a month or two, on account of my health, with Mr. F. who lived about five miles from the college. Mr. F. one day sent me
into the woods, not ihrfrom the house, to v¥ork. 1 took an axe, and went and worked there till toward noon. But here! O, I come to myself again! many thoughts come into my mind that I was in a dangerous situation. I thought that if I should then die I must certainly be cast off for ever. While I was working, it appeared as it was a voice, saying. Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground. I worked no longer, but dropped my axe and walked a few steps from the place, for the people in the house would soon send a lad after me, for it was noon. 1 fell upon my knees, and looked up to the Almighty Jehovah for help. I was not but an undone and hell-deserving sinner. I felt that it would be just that God should cast me off whithersoever he would; that he should do with my poor soul as it seemed to him fit. I spent sometime here until I heard a boy calling for me — and I went. The people in the house asked of my sadness — to which I gave but little answer. In the night my sleep was taken away from me. I kept awake almost the whole night. Many of my feelings and thoughts in past time, came into remembrance — and how I treated the mercy of God while I was at Bradford academy. The next morning I rose up before the rest, and went to a place where 1 was alone by myself. Here I went both morning, night, and noon. At this little place, I find some comfort. And when 1 go there, I enjoy myself better all the day*.” Few persons have given greater evidence of a
* Memoirs of Obookiali, to wliicli the writer is indebted for the substance C’ the information respecting this beloved youth.
work of grace on his heart than this dear heathen youth. “By this early and joyful fruit of their labours, those who had already undertaken his instruction, felt themselves committed and bound to proceed; and others were induced to take a part in the labour of love, of fitting him to be a messenger of salvation to his countrymen. Whilst these things were taking place in respect to Obookiah, the discovery was made that others of his countrymen were wandering in our land, in circumstances which demanded the attention of the friends of Zion. Some of them were taken up, and put in a course of instruction.” In the mean time, “other youth from the Sandwich Islands, and from other parts of the heathen world, were soon cast in their way, and in such numbers, as to call for more systematic and extended measurest-”
Such was the origin of the Foreign Mission School. This Institution was received under the care of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in the autumn of 1816, and constitutes no uninteresting part of their concern. It is iVom this School that the Mission emanated to the Sandwich Islands. In 1819, this Institution contained thirty-two pupils; and these of different nations, languages, and tongues, under heaven — some from the Sandwich Islands — some from the Society Islands — some from Asia, together with seventeen Aboriginal Americans, and six young persons
t A sermon delivered at the inauguration of the Rev. Hernion Dagget, as principal of the Foreign Mission School, by Rev. Joseph Harvey, Pastor of a Church in Goshen, Connecticut, of our own country, all enjoying the fostering care of the Churches, forming an important object of their prayers, and destined, we trust, to “shine as lights” in the “dark places of the earth.” Since the establishment of tills Seminary, God has remarkably blessed it by the operations of his Holy Spirit. Although the pupils are admitted into the School in a heathen state, twelve of the thirty-two have .given satisfactory evidence of having passed from death unto life, and seven from heathen lands have publicly professed their faith in the Redeemer.
Mr. Mills lived to see this School organized; and until the last, continued to take a deep interest in its prosperity, and doubtless to offer up fervent prayers for its success. It has been intimated by some who were acquainted with his plans, that had he been permitted to live, it was his purpose to have accompanied Obookiah on his mission, and to have lived and died in Owhyee. But “The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice, let the multitude of isles be glad thereof Clouds and darkness are round about him; righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.” Obookiah died, in the 26th year of his age, on the 17th of February, IH8^ while a member of the Foreign Mission School, greatly beloved by all who knew him, and a splendid instance of the power of grace upon the heart of a heathen.