Henry Opukahai'a (1792-February 17, 1818) was the first Hawaiian convert to Christianity. Orphaned at age 10, he was raised by his uncle to be a pagan priest (kahuna) of the Hawaiian religion. He grew disillusioned with the rituals and chants, and in 1808, left with his Hawaiian friend, Thomas Hopu, on an American whaling ship bound for New York. The ship was under the command of Captain Brintnel, who then brought them to New Haven, Connecticut.
There he was befriended by students and professors of Yale College and soon became a Christian. He studied Greek and Hebrew and translated sections of the Bible into the Hawaiian language.
In 1816, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions established a school at Cornwall, Connecticut, for the purpose:
<The education, in our country, of heathen youths, in such a manner, as with subsequent professional instruction, will qualify them to become useful missionaries, physicians, surgeons, schoolmasters or interpreters and to communicate to the heathen nations such knowledge in agriculture and the arts, as may prove the means of promoting Christianity and civilization.> 1792OP001
In his memoirs, which sold 500,000 copies after his death, Henry Opukahai'a wrote:
<God will carry through his work for us. I do not know what will God do for my poor soul. I shall go before God and also before Christ. I hope the Lord will send the Gospel to the heathen land, where the words of the Savior never yet had been.
Poor people! Worship the wood and stone, and shark and almost everything their god. The Bible is not there, and heaven and hell, they do not know about it...
O what a wonderful thing is that the hand of the Divine Providence has brought me from the heathenish darkness where the light of Divine truth never had been. And here I have found the name of the Lord Jesus in the Holy Scriptures, and have read that His blood was shed for many. O what a happy time I have now, while my poor friends and relations at home, are perishing with hunger and thirsty, wanting of the Divine mercy and water out of the wells of salvation.
My poor countrymen who are yet living in the region and shadow of death, without knowledge of the true God, and ignorant of the future world, have no Bible to read, no Sabbath. I often feel for them in the night season, concerning the loss of their souls.
May the Lord Jesus dwell in my heart, and prepare me to go and spend the remaining part of my life with them. But not my will, O Lord, but thy will be done.> 1792OP002
Henry Opukahai'a's zeal for Christ and love for the Hawaiian people inspired Hiram Bingham and Asa Thurston to become missionaries. The Sermon preached at their ordination stated:
<But I cannot do less than advert to some of the prominent indications, that the time, even the set time to favor the Sandwich Islands is come. Whence originated the design of sending them the Gospel? Why are we assembled here today? "It is the Lord's doing, and marvelous in our eyes." To him it belongs to bring good out of evil and light out of darkness...
But were is your elder brother? Ah! Opukahaia cannot go with you to Owhyhee. He will not, however, forget you. Perhaps, if you should prove steadfast in the faith, he may look down and smile upon you from heaven.
Possibly, he may even be permitted to visit you, though unseen; to strengthen you in the hour of temptation, and to whisper consolation to your souls in seasons of despondence. From a land of Bibles and Sabbaths and churches, where you have been nurtured and instructed in Christian charity; where you have enjoyed the prayers and counsels of the wise and good; and where some of you hope that you have been made savingly acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ, you are going back to that land of idols and darkness, from whence you came...> 1792OP003
The American Board of Missions to sent Rev. Hiram Bingham, Rev. Asa Thurston and a small group of New Englanders to accompany Thomas Hopu back to Hawaii-The Sandwich Island, in 1820. They created an Hawaiian alphabet, reduced the Hawaiian language to writing, set up schools and churches, and convinced the Hawaiian women to wear dresses.
In 1898, C.V. Sturdevant, an Hawaiian, wrote of the first missionaries to Hawaii (Library of Congress Collection):
<As to the early missionaries, it is admitted that they were honest, God- fearing men and women and that they made the Islands what they are religiously. Every person who pays his quarterly bills and behaves himself is styled "a missionary" in Honolulu, whether he attends any church or not and it is for this reason that the real missionaries are blamed for nearly every evil which exists.
The Advertiser (newspaper) described the missionary as "one who is never in distress when he sees good government and who has a weakness for the reign of law."
The first missionaries landed at Kailua from brig "Thaddeus" on March 30, 1820, and found more than the native superstition to overcome as "Botany Bay convicts had introduced the art of distilling liquor before the year 1800 and drunkenness had become very prevalent" while all manner of disease and vice was introduced by whalers and others.
The missionarries succeeded in abolishing idolatry (the natives were worshippers of stone images), in getting them to accept Christianity and to adopt the dress and customs of civilization in place of those of barbarians.
Not all Hawaiians are Christians any more than all Americans, except nominally. The missionaries are frequently charged with "trading Bibles for lands."
This claim is not well founded as nearly all died poor. The charge is doubtless perfectly natural and would not reflect credit on heir business ability if they were not wealthy.
Hawaii is one of, if not the richest country in the world and to have remained poor when riches could be honestly gained is quite contrary to human nature.
Their fortunes were made by themselves, not left to them by their missionary fathers. It is frequently asked "why did not these children follow in the footsteps of their fathers?"
Being a Yankee we reply be asking why do not the sons of American ministers do the same? It is believed that a much larger proportion of these missionary children have become active in missionary work than is the case in the United States.
The writer can name some thirty or forty. Moreover, those other sons who have entered the business world are the main financial support of the missionary work not only in Hawaii, but in the south Sea Islands as well.>1792OP004
Amid much solemnity and rejoicing the remains of Henry Opukahai'a were returned to Hawaii in 1993, 175 years after his death in Connecticut, and were reinterred at Napo'opo'o, Kona, Hawaii. The plaque at the Cornwall, Connecticut, grave site states:
<In July of 1993, the family of Henry Opukahaia took him home to Hawaii for interment at Kahikolu Congregational Church Cemetery, Napoopoo, Kona, Island of Hawaii. Henry's family expresses gratitude, appreciation and love to all who cared for and loved him throughout the past years. Ahahui O Opukahaia> 1792OP005
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American Quotations by William J. Federer, 2024, All Rights Reserved, Permission granted to use with acknowledgement.
Endnotes:
1792OP001. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, 1816, established a school at Cornwall, Connecticut.
1792OP002. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Henry Opukahai'a, in his memoirs. "Hawaii's Heroes of Faith" University of the Nations (Hawaii: Youth With a Mission Newsletter).
1792OP003. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Sermon preached at ordination of Hiram Bingham and Asa Thurston, the first missionaries to Hawaii, sent by the American Board of Missions to accompany Thomas Hopu back to Hawaii-The Sandwich Island, in 1820.
1792OP004. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). C.V. Sturdevant, 1898, an Hawaiian, wrote of the first missionaries to Hawaii (Library of Congress Collection).
1792OP005. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Henry Opukahai'a, December 30, 1993, the State of Hawaii issued an Executive Proclamation declaring February 12-22, 1994, as "Christian Heritage Week," signed by Governor John Waihee, in the Capitol City of Honolulu. Courtesy of Bruce Barilla, Christian Heritage Week Ministry (P.O. Box 58, Athens, W.V. 24712; 304-384-7707, 304-384-9044 fax). In 1993, the remains of Henry Opukahai'a were removed from Cornwall, CT, and returned to Hawaii in 1993 and interred at Napo'opo'o, Kona, Hawaii.