Origins of the Great Hawaiian Revival of 1836-1842

by Nicholas A. Freeman, PhD

The Great Hawaiian Revival of 1836-1842 is considered the largest and fastest growth period of the Protestant church in the Hawaiian Islands and one of the largest revivals in the world. Numbers are estimated at approximately 20,000 converted and baptized in just six years, with approximately 50,000 total over the years to come. In a letter to missionary Samuel Ruggles, Chiefess Kapiolani described it stating, “Great has been the love of the Lord these years. A great many persons have been converted in His church, because of His love for us.”[1]

Just to grasp the magnitude of the event, one can look simply at the spectacular baptism records, which jumped significantly in 1836 through 1842. Koana (Rev. Titus Coan) baptized 1705 persons at Hilo on one day[2].  In single day ceremonies, Makua Laina (Rev. Lorenzo Lyons) baptized 200 at Waimea; Rev Levi Chamberlain records 202 baptized at Honolulu;[3] at Ewa, Oahu, 400 persons were baptized “in the course of two hours” by Rev Artemas Bishop[4]; at Waimea 100[5]; at Kaawaloa, 81 persons by Rev Cochran Forbes[6]; at Maui, 50 persons by Rev Richard Armstrong[7]; at Kona, 79 persons by Rev. Forbes[8]. The growth and numbers were staggering.

Another element which shows the enormous numbers involved in the revival consisting of the massive jump in church membership and attendance. Lyons states at Waimea, “The whole number received to this church, on examination, is 6,169.[9]”  At Haiku, Maui, about one thousand attended the meetings daily[10]; Rev Harvey Rexford Hitchcock, on Molokai, says “on Sabbath there were over one thousand present.[11]”  At Kailua, Oahu, Rev. Artemis Bishop writes: “Our congregation has increased to about four times its former number. About 1,000 was the former number of hearers. We have now, perhaps, about four thousand on the Sabbath morning.”[12]  In 1838, Rev Coan reports “more than 1,200 converts in Honolulu.”[13]

In light of such a fast growth track of the revival, one of the key questions that arises is “Exactly where and when did it originate?” Over the years, many historical writers and researchers have identified the year 1837 as its estimated starting point and the location thought to have been at Haili Church in Hilo.  This seems to have been based on the amazing eventual growth of the church there, along with the detailed accounts kept by Rev. Coan of the numbers that would come later, with over 7,000 church members—including nearby Puna district-- and at one point Haili being considered as the largest church in the world[14]

However, contrasting evidence found in multiple archives and publications points to the revival beginning two years earlier, 1835, in Waimea and Hamakua, with Rev. Lorenzo Lyons.  The first clue is noted in November 1835, a year before Coan documents signs of revival beginning in Puna, in which Rev. Lyons visits the Hamakua coast and details in a letter to the Mission Board that the services were attended by great numbers and that the normal church attendance was greatly increased while he was there.[15] [16]

Again, in the following year, in October 1836, Lyons writes Chamberlain and notes a continuance of a move of God, stating that the people were attending the meetings in greater numbers. The school attendance had increased as well, and he was very pleased to see the increase and hoped it would continue.[17] Later in November 1836 (the same time of Coan’s observations in Puna), Lyons writes to Chamberlain that “things with us are more interesting than they were a month ago. There is some considerable excitement on the subject of religion . . .”[18]   Rev. David Lyman in Hilo at this same time, notes that in his field of Hilo “there is nothing of peculiar interest.”[19]  Even Titus Coan himself, who had arrived at the Hilo mission on June 27, 1835,[20] stated in a later Hilo mission station report that during the year 1836 there were no special, unusual signs of the work of the Spirit in quickening the church and in leading the lost to the Lamb of God (at least at Hilo).[21]

Perhaps the most convincing clue, however, is that Lyon’s church records show phenomenal growth at Waimea a year before the growth spurt hits Hilo. Lyons recorded in church membership records for 1838 at Waimea, Hawai’i, that approximately 2,600 members were added to the church that year, whereas the membership at Hilo still trailed behind that year with 639 new members.[22]

This evidence seems to show that the revival began and blossomed first in Waimea, a year before reports are found in Puna or Hilo. Well known historians and missionaries have also corroborated this account, including Ralph S. Kuykendall, who wrote in his work The Hawaiian Kingdom, volume 1, that “the statistics and other evidence indicate that the revival first gained a strong impetus at Waimea but reached its fervent climax at Hilo.”[23] Missionary Sheldon Dibbles in his work, A History of the Sandwich Islands, also added that he places the first intelligence of the revival as being received from Waimea.[24]

While there is no doubt historically that the revival peaked at Hilo, church records, newspapers, missionary letters and historic publications seem to support its commencement at Waimea and Hamakua in late 1835, which resulted in a phenomenal growth prior to the growth seen at Hilo and other areas which too experienced amazing revival results. This fact also provides insight into one of the primary causes of the revival, which for the most part in the historical record has been previously laid at the feet of the personage and preaching style of the Rev. Titus Coan, but now reveals a perhaps overlooked and new narrative in which there were other key players and places, including Rev. Lorenzo Lyons at Waimea.