Moorea's Octagonal
p. 50 · Read in the full issue
Church
\ PROPOS of that remarkable octagonal church at Papetoai, Moorea, about which an article and photograph ap peared in the January issue of the Sydney Mitchell Library contains a reference to its building in a letter written by Rev. W. Henry, one of the pioneers of the Tahitian mission, to the Rev. Samuel Marsden, of New South Wales. Writing from Moorea on Septem ber 17, 1822, he said: “Our new church furnishes a convincing proof of the peace and harmony among ourselves. It is going on well: is of hewn coral, lined with stone, and of octagon figure. The Gospel is spreading.”
The people of Moorea, the writer added, felt the loss of Pomare 11. very severely. “They have been experiencing from time to time the effects of the over bearing and arbitrary spirit of the pre sent Government,” Henry declared. The Government to which he referred was that Regency headed by Pomare’s princi pal wife, a woman who had little capa city for administration and soon found herself in difficulties both with mission aries and traders. On the death of the boy king, Pomare 111., Aimata ascended the Tahitian throne as Queen Pomare IV.
William Henry lived to see the mission ary autocracy that flourished during th® reign of her brother replaced by a French protectorate. Eventually he returned to New South Wales, where he died and was buried at Ryde, near Sydney. Both he and J. M. Orsmond, (whose daughter married a son of Henry), have descen dants in the Islands, as well as in Australia.—E.R.