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which are called by the fame name, tee. Thus the belief
of a future exiftence, and that of the combination of matter
and fpirit, have reached the remoteft iflands of the earth.
Whether they have any idea of rewards and punifhments in a
future Rate, we could not learn; but it is moft reafonable
to fuppofe that fuch ideas have occurred to a nation fo far
advanced as the Taheitians. The moon was created by a
female divinity, named O-Heenna, who likewife governs
that planet, and refides in its black fpot or cloud. The
women fing a Ihort couplet, which feems to be an aft of
adoration paid to that divinity, perhaps becaufe they fuppofe
her to have fome influence upon their phyfical ceco-
noray.
Te-Qowa no te Malama,
Te-opwa te lieenarroj,
The cloud within the moon*
That cloud I lpve 1 1 ■ 1
We may venture to fuppofe, that the Taheitian goddefs of
the moon is not the chafte Diana of the ancients, but rather
the Phoenician Aftarte, The ftars were created by a
goddefs called Tettoo-matarou, and the winds are governed
by the god Orree orree.
Befides thefe greater divinities, they have a confiderable
number of inferior orders, fome of whom are faid to be
mifchievous, and to kill men in their fleep. They are
worfliipped publicly at the principal marais, or monuments
of
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of ftone, by the Tahowa-rahai, or high-prieft of the lfland.
The beneficent gods are addrefled in prayers, which are not
pronounced aloud, but are diftinguifhed and made known
only by the motion of the lips. The prieft looks up to the
fkies, and the eatua, or god, is fuppofed to come down and
hold con-verfe with him, unfeen by all the people, and heard
by none but the priefi himfelf. Surely this is an evident
mark of the influence of prieftcfaft, whofe great aim is ever
to veil religion in myRery, From a principle diredly op-
pofite to this, the Ghriftiaj? do&rine derives one of thofe m l
conteflible chara&ers of a divine origin, which diflinguith
it from all the deceitful inventions of human underfland-
ing, and .carry perfoafion to the f f l j This religion does
not wear the myflcrious cloak, which can only fcrve to coyer
darknefs, but appears to us divefled of all kinds of trappings,
and throws a pure and Ready light around. It admits
,of no myftety, and its true :and venerable minifters
have at all times allured and convinced us, that they refeived
no private knowledge for thcmfelves, which was not communicated
to the meaneft of thofe who bow the knee to
their pure and divine Creator ; “ for all fliall know him, from
the lead to the greateft.” Hebr. viii. 11.
■ Ofierings are made to the gods, of hogs and poultry roafted,
and of all kinds of eatables; but the inferior, and particularly
the malevolent fpirits, are only revered by a kind of hilling.
Some of thefe fpirits are faid to come into the houfes of the
V O L . II, j§ natives