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Untitled Article
grand evangelical peculiarity , is as naturally offensive to idolaters . Otaheitans agree with the Calvinists in rejecting the religion of a cructfied man , " the carpenter ' s son . " —The missionaries have paid great attention to the Taheitan language , which they pronounce , from experience , difficult of attainment . They have transmitted to England a vocabulary of Taheitan words , containing about two thousand one hundred , exclusive of more than five hundred names of trees , birds , insects , fishes , &c . together with an essay towards a Taheitan English grammar . They have also composed some short forms of prayer and a sketch of scripture history , for the use of the natives . Two of them ( Nott and Henry ) have been afflicted with a disease very prevalent in the island , } n which ftie patient has large and painful swellings in one of his limbs , which
sometimes suppurate and occasion a discharge that exceedingly weakens him . One . of them ( JefFdrson / is , it is feared , dyin g * Pomare , king of Otaheite , has learned to write his native language . He has addressed a letter in hfe ovvn hand to the Directors , a fac-simite and a translation of which are published . His request of gunpowder and muskets proves tHat he is as eager to embark in just and necessary wars as our Chrutian princes of Europe . The translation of the letter is preserved below * . Subsequent information has been received of Pomare ' s being at war with the people of Attahoroo ; several of the chiefs , and some hundreds of the people had been killed . There are several missionary stations in Africa . That at BethelsJorp is superintended principally by Dr . Vander Kemp , Mr . Read , and Mr . Ullbricht ,
* A UTTER FROM fOMARE KING OF OTAHEITEj TO THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY . ( Trcuislatlon . ) FRIENDS , JSfcatcFvae i Otahe ' itey J anuary 1 st , 1807 . I wi :-h you every blessing , friends , in your residence in your country , with success in teaching this bad land , this foolish land , this wicked land , this land which is ignorant of good , this land that knoweth not the true God , this regardless land . Friends , I wish you health and prosperity ; may I also live , and may Jehovah save us all . Friends , -with respect to your letter you wrote to me , I have this to say to you , that your business with me , and your wishes , I fully consent to , and shall consequently banish Oro , ( bis chief idol ?) and send him to Raeatea . Friends , I do therefore believe and shall obey your word . Friends , I hope you alsp ^ will consent to my request , which is this ; 1 wish you to send a great number of men , women , and children , here .
Friends , send also prpperty and cloth fbr us , and we also will adopt English customs . Friend * * send also plenty of muskets and powder , for wars are frequent in our countryr— should I be killed , you will have nothing in Tahete ; do not come here when I am dead . Tahete is a regardless country , and should I die with sickness , do not come here . This also I wish , that you would send me all the curious things that you have in England . —Also send me every thing necessary for writing —Paper , ink , and pens , in abundance ; let no -yvriting utensil be wanting . Friends , I have done , and have nothing at all more to ask you for 1 as for your desire to instruct Tahete , * tis what I fully acquiesce in . 'Tis a common thing for people not to understand at first , but your object is good , anc } 1 fully consent to it , ami shall cast off all evil customs . What I say is truth , and no lie , it is the real truth . This is all , I have to write , I have done . Friends , write co me that I may know what you have $ 0 say , I wish you life and every blessing . For v May 1 alsp live , and may Jehovah save us all * JM y friends * ¦ the Missionary Society ^ POMARE , K * NG OF TAHETE , &C , &C * JLonduh *
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450 Intelligence . —Missionary Society ,
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1808, page 450, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2395/page/50/
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