“The rounded world is fair to see,
Nine times folded in mystery,
Though baffled seers cannot impart
And all is clear from east to west,
Self-kindled every atom glows,
And hints the future which it owes.”
Emerson.
The good missionary7, for such in truth was Olmedo, was met at every step of his argument with answers, which from their truth and good sense, he found no little difficulty in refuting, while he drew his weapons solely8 from the polemic9 armory10 of Rome. It matters little in what theological crucible11 the doctrines12 of Jesus may have been melted, they all become, after the process, perverted13 from their simplicity14. They then require schools to sustain them and scholars to explain. Whereas in the few earnest and loving words of their Author, before they are petrified15 into creeds16, they find their way readily into the hearts and minds of even children. Indeed properly to receive them we must become as little children. The polemical subtleties[92] of Reason are wholly foreign to him who did Works in his Father’s name, that they might bear witness of Him.
As often, therefore, as Olmedo sought merely to indoctrinate Kiana, he was met with replies founded on assumptions of the same character as his own, or on the admission of similar ideas and ceremonies among the Hawaiians, which from their analogy to the rites18 and thoughts of his own church, a more bigoted19 Roman Catholic missionary of that day would have accounted for, only by the blinding devices of the devil. But Olmedo’s mind was so largely imbued20 with true charity, that recognizing a common brotherhood21 in man, he was prepared to admit that even the heathen were not left wholly without some spiritual light, which was the seed in due time destined22 to grow up into Christianity. His mildness and firmness were proportionate to the strength of his own convictions. He was patient also, and disclaimed24 forced conversions25, which he well knew would only recoil26 into deeper error, through the avenging27 power of wounded liberty and reason. Moreover, he had no wish to substitute a new idol28 for an old one. In Mexico, humanity demanded the prompt abolition29 of human sacrifices and other cruel rites. Here he had no fanatical and crafty30 priesthood to oppose him; no barbarous customs openly to denounce; the people looked upon him as a messenger from some divinity, and listened deferentially31 to his exhortations32. He saw plainly that the evils which he had to encounter lay deep in the temperament33 of the[93] Hawaiian, and could only be eradicated34 by presenting to his mind moral truths, which might gradually so operate upon his sensuous35 character, as to give him higher motives37 of action, from convincing him that better results and increased happiness would be his reward both here and hereafter. Perhaps no obstacle was more fatal to his success than the easy and hospitable38 nature of the Hawaiian himself. Based as it was, upon the generous spontaneity of his climate, modified or directed by the individual character of the rulers and priests, it found no difficulty in adding to its mythology39 at the will of the latter, or in being courteous40 and kind to all. But this quality, dependent as it was mainly upon the healthful action of their animal natures, could not be permanently41 counted upon. Their passions, like the limbs of the tiger in repose42, were beautiful to look at, but rouse them and they were equally fearful. In the exercise of hospitality, they freely proffered43 their wives and daughters to their guests, but excite their hate or jealousy44, and their revenge became demoniacal. With all their external peace and happiness, there was but faint moral principle. This Olmedo saw, and endeavored to inculcate virtue45 as the only basis of religious reform.
On the other hand, they had often expressed much good-natured wonder at his refusal to take a wife from the most beautiful girls, which partly from pity at his continence, and partly to test its strength, they had offered him under the most seductive circumstances. His explanation of the vow[94] of chastity required by his religion, did not aid to render it the more acceptable to them. It was beyond their comprehension that any deity46 should require such a mortification47 of the instincts he had himself created. Olmedo’s abstinence was therefore the more marvellous, but perceiving how scrupulously48 he fulfilled the obligations of his tabu, they gave him that respect which every sincere action, proceeding49 from a good motive36, never fails to inspire. By degrees they began to feel in Olmedo’s life a purity and benevolence50, which, overlooking his own bodily ease or enjoyment51, was untiring in its efforts to do them all good. In sickness, he watched at their bedsides with herbs to heal and words to cheer. In strife52 he was ever active to make peace. Their children he fondled, and upon their plastic minds he was better able to impress the idea of a One Great God and his Son’s love. He told them beautiful stories of that sinless woman and mother of Judea, the Madonna, who centered in herself all the human and divine strength of her sex, and who, as the spouse53 of God, was ever nigh to pity, soothe54, and protect. He taught them that to forgive was better than to revenge; that the law not to steal sprang from a better principle than fear of retaliation55; in short, that virtue brought a peace and joy far beyond all that the fullest gratifications of their merely selfish desires could produce.
Much of this instruction fell among choking weeds. Still they were all better for having Olmedo among them; and, indeed, the very fact of their[95] being able in any degree to appreciate his life, showed the dawnings of a new light to their minds.
Without this detail of the relative moral positions of the priest and his semi-flock, the reader would not appreciate the force of Kiana’s reply to Olmedo’s appeal, in which the latter had given a brief history of the Christian23 religion as derived56 from the Holy Scriptures57 and interpreted by the Roman church.
I give merely the substance of Kiana’s words, as it would be too tedious to follow them literally58 through the web of conversation which led to so full an enunciation59 of his own belief. The reader will perceive a sufficient coincidence, to suggest either a common source of knowledge in the earliest ages of human history or certain religious instincts in the human mind, that make isolated60 races come to practically the same religious conclusions.
“Some things that you tell me,” said Kiana, “are like our own traditions. From them we learn that there was a time when there was no land nor water, but everywhere darkness and confusion. It was then that the Great God made Hawaii. Soon after he created a man and woman to dwell on it. These two were our progenitors61.
“Ages afterwards a flood came and drowned all the land, except the top of Mauna Kea, which you see yonder,” continued the chief, pointing to its snowy summit. “A few only of the people were saved in a great canoe, which floated a long while on the waters, until it rested there, and the people[96] went forth62 and again built houses and dwelt in the land.
“One of our Gods also stopped the sun, as you say Joshua did, not to slay63 his enemies, but to give light to his wife to finish her work.
“We have a hell, but it is not one of torturing flames, but of darkness, where bad men wander about in misery64, having for food only lizards65 and butterflies. Our heaven is bright like yours, and those who are admitted are forever happy. You tell me of a Purgatory66, where the souls of those who go not directly to heaven or hell, remain in temporary punishment. Our priests tell us that the spirits of those who have been not very good or bad, remain about the earth, and that they visit mortals to protect or harm according to their dispositions67.
“We pray with our faces and arms extended towards heaven, as you do. We have our fasts and our feasts, in memory of our good men, who have gone before us to happiness. We venerate68 their relics69 and the people worship them.
“You believe in One Great God and worship many. We do the same. What matters it by what names they are called. You declare a man whom you call Pope, to be the representative of God on earth; that he can bind70 or loose for hell or heaven; that only through belief in his church can any one be saved; that his authority is derived from dreams and visions, and prophesies71 and traditions written in a Holy Book.
“Our priests too have visions and dreams. Their[97] gods visit them. They claim authority from the same sources of inspiration. Your Pope is no doubt right to govern you as he does. His book is a good book for you white men; but we red men have no need of a book, while our priests still talk with their gods, as you say yours once did.
“If no one can be saved except in believing in the Pope, what becomes of all the races you tell me of who have never heard of him? Would a good God punish his creatures for not knowing what they cannot know? No! I do not believe in this! The Great Spirit has given us Hawaiians some truth. Perhaps he has given you white men more. This I can believe, as I see you are so superior to us in knowledge, but that he created those only who acknowledge the Pope, to be saved, I do not believe!
“Our priests when they quarrel talk in the same way. Each claims to be the favorite and inspired of his God, but it is because they are selfish and ambitious. They wish to control men by pretending to hold the gate of Heaven. My thought is, that God hears and sees all men, whether they pray through priests or not. I am the Pope of my people, but I know that I cannot shut or open heaven to any one. I have no right to give away the lands of other people, because they do not believe as I do. Some prefer one God and some another.
“You have what you call an Inquisition to punish those who do not assent72 to your faith. We too have our ‘tabus’ which permit the same, when[98] sacrilege is done or our laws broken. If we adopted your laws and customs, how should we be better off than now, when they are so alike?
“If your Jesus was the Supreme73 God, how could his creatures put him to death? How could he have been a man like us? If he were only a great prophet, then I can understand how these things happened and why he has since been worshiped as a God?
“Have you not heard our priests say, that among the doctrines that have come down to us from the earliest time, is one almost the same as you tell us of Jesus, ‘to love our neighbor as ourself, to do to him what we wish done to us?’ They also tell us to keep peace with all. God who sees will avenge74, the same as you say, only that you constantly preach and practise it, which our priests have long since forgotten to.”
After this manner did Kiana reply to Olmedo. The words of the pagan were a prolific75 theme of reflection to him. In some things he found himself a scholar where he would have been a teacher. There was then a light even to the Gentiles. How vain was force, how wicked compulsion in matters of faith! Mankind all sought one common end, happiness here and hereafter. God had left none so blind as not to have glimmerings of truth. He would adjudge them according to their gifts, and not by an arbitrary rule of priestcraft. God’s laws were uniform and universal. All creation was penetrated76 with their essence. Sin brought its own punishment, and virtue its own reward, whether within or[99] without the pale of the church. Was the Roman Church, after all, but one form of religious expression? An imperfect one, too! At this thought he shuddered77 as the force of theological dogmas recoiled78 upon him. It was but a transient emotion. Truth was not so easily subdued79. The idea flashed through his mind, “Does not pure religion diminish in proportion as a stony80 theology flourishes? Is not that a science of words and forms of man’s creation, destined gradually to pass away, as the kingdom of God, which is only of the Spirit, shall increase until all men are baptized into it through Love and not through Fear?”
Olmedo’s heart swelled81 at these thoughts. As he gazed upon the scene before him, so in harmony with the joyousness82 of nature, so penetrated with her beauty, so choral with her melodies, the mere17 scholastic83 theologian died from within him. His face lighted into a glow of thankfulness, that God had created Beauty, and given man senses to enjoy it. Was there any good thing of his to be refused? Was not every gift to be accepted with gratitude84, and used to increase his enjoyment? Was not the rule Use, and the denial Abuse? Was not the immolation85 of correct instincts a sacrifice of self to Belial? Were not the heathen themselves reading a lesson to him from Nature’s Bible, wiser than those he had studied from the Law and the Prophets? There was opened to him a new revelation. Not of Rome! Not from Geneva! God’s world in all its fulness flowed in upon him. He was inspired with the thought. Out from his[100] eyes as he stood erect86 and felt himself for once wholly a man, there, shone a light that made those who looked upon him feel what it was for man to have been created in His Image. But beware monk87! Beware priest! There is either salvation88 or ruin in this! Salvation, if Duty holds the helm,—ruin if Desire seizes the post.
Kiana regarded Olmedo in amazement89. His was not the soul to enter into such a sanctuary90. There was one, however, whose nature penetrated his inmost thoughts. Nay91, more, it instinctively92 infused itself into his and the two made One Heart; intuitively praising Him. Their eyes met. One deep soul-searching gaze, and these two were for ever joined.
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1
laboring
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| n.劳动，操劳v.努力争取(for)( labor的现在分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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throbs
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| 体内的跳动( throb的名词复数 ) | |
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3
throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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4
lurks
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| n.潜在，潜伏；（lurk的复数形式）vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的第三人称单数形式） | |
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5
beckons
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的第三人称单数 ) | |
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6
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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7
missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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8
solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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9
polemic
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| n.争论，论战 | |
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armory
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| n.纹章，兵工厂，军械库 | |
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11
crucible
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| n.坩锅，严酷的考验 | |
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12
doctrines
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| n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明 | |
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13
perverted
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| adj.不正当的v.滥用( pervert的过去式和过去分词 )；腐蚀；败坏；使堕落 | |
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14
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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15
petrified
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| adj.惊呆的；目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆，使惊呆；变僵硬；使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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16
creeds
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| （尤指宗教）信条，教条( creed的名词复数 ) | |
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17
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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18
rites
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| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
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19
bigoted
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| adj.固执己见的，心胸狭窄的 | |
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20
imbued
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| v.使（某人/某事）充满或激起（感情等）( imbue的过去式和过去分词 )；使充满；灌输；激发（强烈感情或品质等） | |
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21
brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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22
destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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23
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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24
disclaimed
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| v.否认( disclaim的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
conversions
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| 变换( conversion的名词复数 )； （宗教、信仰等）彻底改变； （尤指为居住而）改建的房屋； 橄榄球（触地得分后再把球射中球门的）附加得分 | |
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26
recoil
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| vi.退却，退缩，畏缩 | |
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27
avenging
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| adj.报仇的，复仇的v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的现在分词 )；为…报复 | |
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28
idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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abolition
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| n.废除，取消 | |
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crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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31
deferentially
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| adv.表示敬意地，谦恭地 | |
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32
exhortations
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| n.敦促( exhortation的名词复数 )；极力推荐；（正式的）演讲；（宗教仪式中的）劝诫 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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34
eradicated
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| 画着根的 | |
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35
sensuous
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| adj.激发美感的；感官的，感觉上的 | |
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36
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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38
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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39
mythology
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| n.神话，神话学，神话集 | |
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40
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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41
permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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42
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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43
proffered
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| v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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45
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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46
deity
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| n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
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47
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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48
scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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49
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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50
benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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51
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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52
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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53
spouse
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| n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
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54
soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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55
retaliation
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| n.报复，反击 | |
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56
derived
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| vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
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57
scriptures
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| 经文，圣典( scripture的名词复数 )； 经典 | |
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58
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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59
enunciation
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| n.清晰的发音；表明，宣言；口齿 | |
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60
isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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61
progenitors
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| n.祖先( progenitor的名词复数 )；先驱；前辈；原本 | |
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62
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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63
slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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64
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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65
lizards
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| n.蜥蜴( lizard的名词复数 ) | |
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66
purgatory
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| n.炼狱；苦难；adj.净化的，清洗的 | |
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67
dispositions
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| 安排( disposition的名词复数 )； 倾向； （财产、金钱的）处置； 气质 | |
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68
venerate
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| v.尊敬，崇敬，崇拜 | |
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69
relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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70
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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71
prophesies
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| v.预告，预言( prophesy的第三人称单数 ) | |
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72
assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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73
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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74
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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75
prolific
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| adj.丰富的，大量的；多产的，富有创造力的 | |
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76
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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77
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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78
recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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80
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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81
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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82
joyousness
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| 快乐，使人喜悦 | |
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83
scholastic
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| adj.学校的，学院的，学术上的 | |
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84
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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85
immolation
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| n.牺牲品 | |
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86
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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monk
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| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
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salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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90
sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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