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women）； from that of the Tongans。 Gideon； Jephthah； Samson； and
David are strong…handed men； some of whom are not outdone by any
Polynesian chieftain in the matter of murder and treachery；
while Deborah's jubilation over Jael's violation of the primary
duty of hospitality； proffered and accepted under circumstances
which give a peculiarly atrocious character to the murder of the
guest； and her witch…like gloating over the picture of the
disappointment of the mother of the victim
The mother of Sisera cried through the lattice；
Why is his chariot so long in coming？ （Jud。 v。 28。）
would not have been out of place in the choral service of the
most sanguinary god in the Polynesian pantheon。
With respect to the cannibalism which the Tongans occasionally
practised； Mariner says：
Although a few young ferocious warriors chose to imitate what
they considered a mark of courageous fierceness in a
neighbouring nation； it was held in disgust by everybody else
（vol。 ii。 p。 171）。
That the moral standard of Tongan life was less elevated than
that indicated in the 〃Book of the Covenant〃 （Exod。 xxi。…xxiii。）
may be freely admitted。 But then the evidence that this Book of
the Covenant； and even the ten commandments as given in Exodus；
were known to the Israelites of the time of Samuel and Saul； is
（to say the least） by no means conclusive。 The Deuteronomic
version of the fourth commandment is hopelessly discrepant from
that which stands in Exodus。 Would any later writer have
ventured to alter the commandments as given from Sinai； if he
had had before him that which professed to be an accurate
statement of the 〃ten words〃 in Exodus？ And if the writer of
Deuteronomy had not Exodus before him； what is the value of the
claim of the version of the ten commandments therein contained
to authenticity？ From one end to the other of the books of
Judges and Samuel； the only 〃commandments of Jahveh〃 which are
specially adduced refer to the prohibition of the worship of
other gods； or are orders given ad hoc； and have nothing
to do with questions of morality。
In Polynesia； the belief in witchcraft； in the appearance of
spiritual beings in dreams； in possession as the cause of
diseases； and in omens； prevailed universally。 Mariner tells a
story of a woman of rank who was greatly attached to King Finow；
and who； for the space of six months after his death； scarcely
ever slept elsewhere than on his grave； which she kept carefully
decorated with flowers：
One day she went； with the deepest affliction； to the house of
Mo…oonga Toobo； the widow of the deceased chief； to communicate
what had happened to her at the fytoca ＇grave＇ during
several nights； and which caused her the greatest anxiety。
She related that she had dreamed that the late How ＇King＇
appeared to her and； with a countenance full of disappointment；
asked why there yet remained at Vavaoo so many evil…designing
persons； for he declared that； since he had been at Bolotoo； his
spirit had been disturbed by the evil machinations of wicked
men conspiring against his son； but he declared that 〃the youth〃
should not be molested nor his power shaken by the spirit of
rebellion； that he therefore came to her with a warning voice to
prevent such disastrous consequences （vol。 i。 p。 424）。
On inquiry it turned out that the charm of tattao had
been performed on Finow's grave； with the view of injuring his
son； the reigning king； and it is to be presumed that it was
this sorcerer's work which had 〃disturbed〃 Finow's spirit。 The
Rev。 Richard Taylor says in the work already cited： 〃The account
given of the witch of Endor agrees most remarkably with the
witches of New Zealand〃 （p。 45）。
The Tongans also believed in a mode of divination （essentially
similar to the casting of lots） the twirling of a cocoanut。
The object of inquiry 。。。 is chiefly whether a sick person will
recover； for this purpose the nut being placed on the ground； a
relation of the sick person determines that； if the nut； when
again at rest； points to such a quarter； the east for example；
that the sick man will recover； he then prays aloud to the
patron god of the family that he will be pleased to direct the
nut so that it may indicate the truth； the nut being next spun；
the result is attended to with confidence； at least with a full
conviction that it will truly declare the intentions of the gods
at the time （vol。 ii。 p。 227）。
Does not the action of Saul； on a famous occasion； involve
exactly the same theological presuppositions？
Therefore Saul said unto Jahveh； the Elohim of Israel； Shew the
right。 And Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot： but the people
escaped。 And Saul said； Cast lots between me and Jonathan
my son。 And Jonathan was taken。 And Saul said to Jonathan； Tell
me what thou hast done。 。。。 And the people rescued Jonathan so
that he died not （1 Sam。 xiv。 41…45）。
As the Israelites had great yearly feasts； so had the
Polynesians； as the Israelites practised circumcision； so did
many Polynesian people； as the Israelites had a complex and
often arbitrary…seeming multitude of distinctions between clean
and unclean things； and clean and unclean states of men； to
which they attached great importance； so had the Polynesians
their notions of ceremonial purity and their tabu； an
equally extensive and strange system of prohibitions； violation
of which was visited by death。 These doctrines of cleanness and
uncleanness no doubt may have taken their rise in the real or
fancied utility of the prescriptions； but it is probable that
the origin of many is indicated in the curious habit of the
Samoans to make fetishes of living animals。 It will be
recollected that these people had no 〃gods made with hands；〃 but
they substituted animals for them。
At his birth
every Samoan was supposed to be taken under the care of some
tutelary god or aitu ＇= Atua＇ as it was called。 The help
of perhaps half a dozen different gods was invoked in succession
on the occasion； but the one who happened to be addressed just
as the child was born was marked and declared to be the child's
god for life。
These gods were supposed to appear in some visible
incarnation； and the particular thing in which his god was
in the habit of appearing was； to the Samoan； an object of
veneration。 It was in fact his idol； and he was careful never to
injure it or treat it with contempt。 One； for instance； saw his
god in the eel； another in the shark； another in the turtle；
another in the dog； another in the owl； another in the lizard；
and so on； throughout all the fish of the sea and birds and
four…footed beasts and creeping things。 In some of the shell…
fish even； gods were supposed to be present。 A man would eat
freely o