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gifts； and if one desired to escape his wrath； which might be
excited by the most trifling neglect or unintentional
disrespect； the great thing was to pacify him by costly
presents。 King Finow appears to have been somewhat of a
freethinker （to the great horror of his subjects）； and it was
only his untimely death which prevented him from dealing with
the priest of a god； who had not returned a favourable answer to
his supplications； as Saul dealt with the priests of the
sanctuary of Jahveh at Nob。 Nevertheless； Finow showed his
practical belief in the gods during the sickness of a daughter；
to whom he was fondly attached； in a fashion which has a close
parallel in the history of Israel。
〃If the gods have any resentment against us； let the whole
weight of vengeance fall on my head。 I fear not their vengeance
but spare my child； and I earnestly entreat you； Toobo Totai
＇the god whom he had evoked＇； to exert all your influence with
the other gods that I alone may suffer all the punishment they
desire to inflict （vol。 i。 p。 354）。
So when the king of Israel has sinned by 〃numbering the people；〃
and they are punished for his fault by a pestilence which slays
seventy thousand innocent men； David cries to Jahveh：
Lo； I have sinned； and I have done perversely； but these sheep；
what have they done？ let thine hand； I pray thee； be against me；
and against my father's house〃 （2 Sam。 xxiv。 17）。
Human sacrifices were extremely common in Polynesia； and； in
Tonga； the 〃devotion〃 of a child by strangling was a favourite
method of averting the wrath of the gods。 The well…known
instances of Jephthah's sacrifice of his daughter and of David's
giving up the seven sons of Saul to be sacrificed by the
Gibeonites 〃before Jahveh；〃 appear to me to leave no doubt that
the old Israelites； even when devout worshippers of Jahveh；
considered human sacrifices； under certain circumstances； to be
not only permissible but laudable。 Samuel's hewing to pieces of
the miserable captive； sole survivor of his nation； Agag；
〃before Jahveh；〃 can hardly be viewed in any other light。
The life of Moses is redeemed from Jahveh； who 〃sought to slay
him；〃 by Zipporah's symbolical sacrifice of her child； by the
bloody operation of circumcision。 Jahveh expressly affirms that
the first…born males of men and beasts are devoted to him；
in accordance with that claim； the first…born males of the
beasts are duly sacrificed； and it is only by special permission
that the claim to the first…born of men is waived； and it is
enacted that they may be redeemed （Exod。 xiii。 12…15）。 Is it
possible to avoid the conclusion that immolation of their first…
born sons would have been incumbent on the worshippers of
Jahveh； had they not been thus specially excused？ Can any other
conclusion be drawn from the history of Abraham and Isaac？
Does Abraham exhibit any indication of surprise when he receives
the astounding order to sacrifice his son？ Is there the
slightest evidence that there was anything in his intimate and
personal acquaintance with the character of the Deity； who had
eaten the meat and drunk the milk which Abraham set before him
under the oaks of Mamre； to lead him to hesitateeven to wait
twelve or fourteen hours for a repetition of the command？ Not a
whit。 We are told that 〃Abraham rose early in the morning〃 and
led his only child to the slaughter； as if it were the most
ordinary business imaginable。 Whether the story has any
historical foundation or not； it is valuable as showing that the
writer of it conceived Jahveh as a deity whose requirement of
such a sacrifice need excite neither astonishment nor suspicion
of mistake on the part of his devotee。 Hence； when the incessant
human sacrifices in Israel； during the age of the kings； are put
down to the influence of foreign idolatries； we may fairly
inquire whether editorial Bowdlerising has not prevailed over
historical truth。
An attempt to compare the ethical standards of two nations； one
of which has a written code； while the other has not； is beset
with difficulties。 With all that is strange and； in many cases；
repulsive to us in the social arrangements and opinions
respecting moral obligation among the Tongans； as they are
placed before us； with perfect candour； in Mariner's account；
there is much that indicates a strong ethical sense。 They showed
great kindliness to one another； and faithfulness in standing by
their comrades in war。 No people could have better observed
either the third or the fifth commandment； for they had a
particular horror of blasphemy； and their respectful tenderness
towards their parents and； indeed； towards old people in
general； was remarkable。
It cannot be said that the eighth commandment was generally
observed； especially where Europeans were concerned；
nevertheless a well…bred Tongan looked upon theft as a meanness
to which he would not condescend。 As to the seventh commandment；
any breach of it was considered scandalous in women and as
something to be avoided in self…respecting men； but； among
unmarried and widowed people； chastity was held very cheap。
Nevertheless the women were extremely well treated； and often
showed themselves capable of great devotion and entire
faithfulness。 In the matter of cruelty； treachery； and
bloodthirstiness； these islanders were neither better nor worse
than most peoples of antiquity。 It is to the credit of the
Tongans that they particularly objected to slander； nor can
covetousness be regarded as their characteristic；
for Mariner says：
When any one is about to eat； he always shares out what he has
to those about him； without any hesitation； and a contrary
conduct would be considered exceedingly vile and selfish （vol。
ii p。 145）。
In fact； they thought very badly of the English when Mariner
told them that his countrymen did not act exactly on that
principle。 It further appears that they decidedly belonged to
the school of intuitive moral philosophers； and believed that
virtue is its own reward； for
Many of the chiefs； on being asked by Mr。 Mariner what motives
they had for conducting themselves with propriety； besides the
fear of misfortunes in this life； replied； the agreeable and
happy feeling which a man experiences within himself when he
does any good action or conducts himself nobly and generously as
a man ought to do； and this question they answered as if they
wondered such a question should be asked〃 （vol。 ii。 p。 161）。
One may read from the beginning of the book of Judges to the end
of the books of Samuel without discovering that the old
Israelites had a moral standard which differs； in any essential
respect （except perhaps in regard to the chastity of unmarried
women）； from that of the Tongans。 Gideon； Jephthah； Samson； and
David are strong…handed men； some of whom are not outdone by any