There is no State Church. The majority of the foreigners, as well
as of the natives, are Congregationalists. The missionaries
translated the Bible and other books into Hawaiian, taught the
natives to read and write, gave the princes and nobles a high class
education, induced the king and chiefs to renounce their oppressive
feudal rights, with legal advice framed a constitution which became
the law of the land, and obtained the recognition of the little
Polynesian kingdom as a member of the brotherhood of civilized
nations.
With these few remarks I leave the subject of the volume to develop
itself in my letters. They have not had the advantage of revision
by any one familiar with the Sandwich Islands, and mistakes and
inaccuracies may consequently appear, on which, I hope that my
Hawaiian friends will not be very severe. In correcting them, I
have availed myself of the very valuable "History of the Hawaiian
Islands," by Mr. Jackson Jarves, Ellis' "Tour Round Hawaii," Mr.
Brigham's valuable monograph on "The Hawaiian Volcanoes," and sundry
reports presented to the legislature during its present session. I
have also to express my obligations to the Hon. E. Allen, Chief
Justice and Chancellor of the Hawaiian kingdom, Mr.
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