In describing his labors for the six months preceding the date of this letter, Mr. Coan remarks that he spent the greater part of November and December, 1852, in making tours among his people. He was absent three Sabbaths in Puna for this purpose; and two Sabbaths were devoted to the out-stations of Hilo.

Mr. Coan appears to have been much gratified by the signs of progress, which he saw on every hand. Ten public celebrations were attended, at as many central points, during these excursions. A large part of the population, of course, came together; and he was enabled to judge of their improvement in various respects.

upon a bed of ancient lava, now almost hid from view by tropical trees, shrubbery and vines. The cocoa-nut, breadfruit, &c. flourish luxuriantly; and the houses, containing about three hundred inhabitants, are scattered about among the trees, peeping out from amidst the there is a level lawn, of some five acres, green foliage. In front of the village bordered seaward by a beautiful sand beach, and fringed by a frosted surf, The rear of this lawn is shaded and undulating like a waving line of snow.. adorned by about two thousand young cocoa-nut trees, in all the freshness of youth, and in all the inimitable beauty of that graceful tree.

Looking inland from the village, the eye rests on an inclined plane, clothed in perennial verdure, amidst which brown and black scoria creep out, patches and streams of ancient lava alternating with the thicket, showing the volcanic origin of the whole region, from the strand on which your feet are planted to the dark summit of Mauna Loa.

That we may form some opinion of the nature of these celebrations, Mr. Coan has described one of them at length. This, he says, will show the character of the whole series. There can be but one opinion as to the value of such anniversaries to the Hawaiian people. All will agree with our missionary brother, when he says that they must exert a benign influence in stimulating the intellect, in cultivating the social feelings, in exciting the generous emotions, and in developing and strengthening the piety of these secluded fol-kalo, potatoes, &c. were preparing for a

On entering the place, I found the ovens smoking in every direction; while hogs, goats, turkeys, ducks, fowls, fish,

final exit. The busy hum of the villagers, the tiny shouts of the little gambolers on the lawn, the bustling forms darting about in the cocoa-nut grove, the spreading of green grass and mats, the planting of tables, seats, &c. among the trees, all indicated anticipations of the coming day. I need not say that this

Of the programme for Saturday, it is not necessary to speak. The day seems to have been busily and usefully employed.

delightful grove had been selected for few addresses made, and the company the festival, and this lawn as the place of dispersed, to meet again next day. evolution for the cold water army. Early on Friday morning, all were astir. The sun emerged with golden brightness from the deep blue sea. All nature put on her green robes; and her A large concourse of people assemmany voices floated in soft harmony sembled on the Sabbath, and remained upon the air. And now come the schools, together from eight o'clock in the mornone, two, three, four, five, six, with ban- ing till five in the afternoon. The season ners floating in the morning breeze, and was highly interesting; and the scenes faces as bright as a sun-beam. All were of the day were impressive. The truth arrayed in gala dresses, each school fell with power upon the multitude; the being in its own chosen uniform, the pious rejoiced; and sinners were deeply girls in white skirts, with red, blue, moved. A large company of candigreen or yellow sacks, and the boys in dates, who had stood propounded for blue jackets and white pants, or in other months, publicly avouched the Lord colors, according to the taste of each Jehovah as their God and Redeemer, school. Most were neatly and tastefully and entered into a solemn covenant to dressed; while a few were fantastically be his forever. arrayed in party-colored robes; and many were adorned with the spoils of the fields and the forests. Each school was led by its teacher, and attended or followed by troops of fathers, mothers, friends and neighbors, loaded with baked hogs, goats, poultry, fish, poi, potatoes, eggs, onions, bananas, cocoa-nuts, puddings, &c. The whole grove soon became a scene of life, as if tenanted by a thousand parrots.

When all were assembled, order was established. The schools were seated in ranks; whereupon each read a portion of Scripture; hymns, songs and chants were sung; and an address was delivered. After this the schools, with most of the youth not attached as scholars, were formed on the lawn between the grove and the sea; and there they marched and countermarched, in single and double file, in double and single lines, in hollow squares, in triangles, in solid columns, &c. &c., performing many merry evolutions to the sound of the bamboo flute, an instrument made and played by a band of young Hawaiians, attended by vocal music.

During this stirring exercise of the juveniles, the parents arranged the dishes on the long tables, their eyes alternately turned toward their work and the moving throng on the lawn; while all who were disengaged, were gazing in rapt admiration on the manœuvres of the three hundred on the green.

Christian Liberality.

During the tour in Puna, Mr. Coan says, one hundred and forty-four were added to the church. Collections, amounting to one hundred and fifty dollars, were taken up for benevolent objects. 'It was a precious season; and the pastor returned, rejoicing in the goodness of the Lord."

"

In December, Mr. Coan made a similar tour through the remote portions of Hilo, and with like results. "The people came out as one man; and all the meetings were characterized by a wakeful interest." Many were gathered into the church; and the contributions amounted to two

The cold water army followed, composed of eight schools, some five hundred scholars, and a mixed multitude of adults, in all about two thousand. They first met in the church, where prayer was offered, and an address was delivered. They then marched to music, The circulation having been suffi- with floating banners, through all the ciently quickened, and the spirits exhil- principal streets of the town, forming a arated by various evolutions, the joyous procession in double file, nearly half a companies were marched back into the mile long. Returning, they sat down to grove, in the cool shade of which all tables loaded with the fruits of the land; were soon seated to partake of a liberal and when dinner was ended, the multirepast. After dinner, odes were sung, al tudes listened to music, addresses, de

bates, &c., as in former years. This was on Friday, December 31.

Saturday, the first of January, was spent in re-examining candidates for the church, attending to church duties, preparatory lecture, &c. &c. A large congregation assembled next day; à contribution of some sixty dollars was taken up in the forenoon; and in the afternoon the Lord's Supper was administered to a large concourse of communicants.

The annual election occurred on Monday throughout the kingdom.

ing and broaching" a beer that, in sailor phrase, "kicks." An Englishman has also been fined one thousand dollars for the petty smuggling of liquors. We have a faithful magistrate, and a vigilant police; and it is hard for the vicious and unruly to escape detection. We have, therefore, little disturbance from alcohol.

Our temporal improvements move on as fast as might be expected. About thirty miles of good road for horses have been made in Puna; and ten or twelve bridges have been constructed or commenced in Hilo. Unfortunately three of the most valuable of these bridges have been swept away by a recent freshet. But the people are not discouraged. They are ready to contend again with the fury of the floods, confident of victory at last. All the changes heretofore mentioned in dwellings, furniture, utensils, clothing, food, &c., are still in progress; and cheering instances of industry are springing up on every hand.

Schools-Romanism.

On Wednesday our annual convention for teachers, school trustees and church representatives, organized and commenced its sessions. About two hundred delegates were present; and three days were spent in listening to reports from all the out-stations, in consultations, in the discussion of important subjects, in praise and in prayer. These days glided swiftly away, all feeling that they were too short for a full consideration of the topics brought before the convention. A deep interest was kept up to the last; Our schools go on as usual. and we parted, regretting that our three children, from four to fourteen years old, days could not be doubled. This, howare required to attend. The qualificaever, could not be; other duties pressed; tions of teachers are gradually rising; the teachers and delegates must return. and their pay is better and more sure. As civilization advances, as wants mul- The children of the common schools tiply, and as the labors of all the indus- are also brought together in the Sabtrious and thrifty increase, we find it bath schools on every Lord's day. Hunmore and more difficult to keep an as-dreds also of the adults attend these sembly together. And we rejoice that schools. At the station, about five hunit is so. It marks progress. All but dred usually come together. the worthless have something to do.

Mr. Coan subjoins a list of the subjects discussed by the convention. Among them are the following:-" Itinerant labors; ""monthly concert;""support of pastor;" "schools;" "mi

gratory habits of the people;" "unscriptural marriages;" "duty of the church in regard to elections." "Reasons for joy and thanksgiving" were considered, as also those for "repentance

and humiliation."

Temperance-Civilization.

All the

A marked declension has taken place among the papists in this field. Many have left their ranks, and others waver. There is now but one small papal school in all Puna; and their meetings are very low. In the district of Hilo, there are, I think, two small papal schools; but they are feeble and faint. Not long since I met one of their native teachers. After a kind conversation, I offered him the Scriptures. He seemed impressed with the truth, and said he wanted the Bible; but that his priest had forbidden its Hilo, for the last year, has been re-use; and he should soon be in trouble if markably free from intemperance, and he took it. He looked at the book anxvery quiet. Though more than one iously; and at the suggestion of one of hundred and thirty vessels have arrived his fellow papists, he consented to reat this port; and though our streets have ceive it, on condition that no one should often been crowded with seamen of dif- inform his ghostly confessor. His only ferent nations, cases of intoxication have hope of keeping this treasure was in been rare; and we have had no noisy hiding it from his priest. riots. Occasionally we hear of a little hissing from the bung of a beer barrel; and one of the celestials has just paid a fine of five hundred dollars for "brew-following general statement.

General Results.

Mr. Coan closes his interesting letter with the