of the ABCFM Annual Report was prepared by Dr. Hyde:
And we recommend also the early appointment of an associate for Dr. Hyde, in order that the new and increasing work at the islands may be carried on with the energy commensurate with its importance.
The island work illustrates the important influences exerted upon our missions by foreign powers; for example, that German interference should so distract and threaten the work in the Marshall Islands; that Spanish interference should still exclude our missionaries from Ponape; that English protection should so encourage and facilitate work in the Gilbert Islands. All these facts put stress upon the critical political situation in the Hawaiian Islands. It is not too much to say that the results of the works of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in these islands, social, educational, religious, are imperiled by the present political complications. In view of these complications your Committee will submit the following resolution:
Resolved, that without any sense of political interference, the Prudential Committee consider the wisdom of a representation to our government at Washington setting forth the great work accomplished by the Board, at such cost, in the Hawaiian Islands, in part represented by the large American colony, and the claim which these results make for some immediate and vigorous action of the government which shall tend, in the interest of Christian civilization to secure these results from injury or destruction by any intestine confusion in the government of that land.40
The report was adopted and he could start the long journey home in the high hope of early realization of his quest. The reference to a communication to the government at Washington was a thinly veiled suggestion for action either in support of the Provisional Government in Hawaii or outright annexation. It had been anticipated that were Queen Liliuokalani to be deposed, annexation would come immediately. This did not occur and some emergency makeshift governmental control was in order; hence, the Provisional Government. Crisis in Hawaiian affairs was coming to a head at the very moment he was sitting in his chair at this annual meeting.
He was forbearant for awhile after his return but the winter of 18931894 passed and still nothing happened. A most unusual idea came to the Hydes. In a carefully worded, well organized letter in his finest penmanship, signed by both, an offer was made to the American Board:
When we gave ourselves to the service of Christ in the public ministry of the Gospel, as our life-work, we had no hesitation in doing so, because of any possible lack of means of support. We have felt it a privilege to be able to do Christian work as the Lord has opened the way, and He has provided abundantly for all our needs. We have tried to do the best work possible in the wisest way. We are interested deeply in the special work we have been doing these seventeen years for Hawaiians, and for the general welfare of this Community in various departments of Christian activity. We feel that the present is a period of special importance in prosecuting Christian work among the Hawaiians. We have for several years looked in vain for an associate in this work.
The work has grown under our care, and so broadened out, that one man alone cannot attend to all the details personally, as ought to be done, if the work is attempted at all. We feel the urgent necessity of speedily securing some one, who can bring special qualifications and experience to the training of young Hawaiian Christians for aggressive work. We regret that the falling off this year in the resources of the Board, seems to discourage the hope or endeavor to secure at this time such a worker as is now imperatively needed here.
For some time, we have been planning, that upon meeting the necessary expenditures for the education of our children, we might relieve the Treasury of the Board from any expense for our support. We have not thought that we were quite ready to do this, but circumstances are such at present, that we have concluded not to wait for any better ability. Our oldest son is occupying such a position of trust and emolument, as not to need any assistance from us. We had hoped that our younger son would fit himself for some public profession: but as he has shown no fondness for books, we hope to have him make his home with us, while earning his livelihood in some active business in this city. Since the death of Mrs. Hyde's mother, there has been received quite an addition to her private means, which with such economies as we have always practiced, will suffice for our present needs. We have never called upon the Board for any additional aid, beyond our salary, whether for repairs, or for our travelling expenses, or our children, or the expenses of their education.
We have therefore decided now to make to you a proposal, which we hope will put your work in these Islands on a more effective basis. We will relinquish our salary entirely, and will devote ourselves wholly to the special Christian work we came to do, under the direction of the Board as heretofore, on condition
(1) That we shall be granted the free use of the home, that has been provided for us, which we have furnished, and occupied all these years, and where we hope to spend the remainder of our life.
(2) That as long as we continue in this work, we shall receive an annual grant of five hundred dollars, from which we will pay the cost of insurance, water rates, taxes, repairs, and care of the premises: that is, all we ask of the Board is a home, and an allowance sufficient to keep it in good repair.
(3) That the fifteen hundred dollars, thus relinquished and made available for other use, shall be applied to the salary of the new worker, whom we hope the Secretaries will try to secure at once. We are confident that with the money, given for the purpose, now held by the Hawaiian Board, a suitable home can be purchased for the associate whom you may send.
If this proposal is accepted by you, it shall take effect on the first of October of the current year, so that the Institute may be opened at that date on this new basis.41
The commissions of the Bishop trusts allowed the Hydes to make the volunteer surrender of salary.
He had not reached the finish line yet, however. In August, 1894 as another school term was about to open, and another annual meeting of the American Board would follow, his patience was thin. ". . . I see that you are aware that I would like a person of some experience, a vigorous worker, tireless, resourceful, persistent, yet pleasant."42 He sounded as if he were enumerating his own personal qualities. "Pray do not send me anyone for the sake of sending somebody," he wrote later. "That will only make the situation worse . . . You will understand how I rejoice with trembling . . . we need now an aggressive piety, evangelistic in spirit and method."43 He finally burst forth in a lament that pleaded for action. "I would like to have some definite expectation," he wrote, "so that I can make the needful preparations. There are students to be secured, if I am to have an associate, a house to be bought, a course of study to be mapped out, hours of work determined, and a new basis of organization adopted. I do not dare go away from Honolulu, for if the mail should bring any definite tidings, I should have all I could do, to make these absolutely necessary preparations. The time is slipping by and nothing has been done. I am like a pent-up stream; but in face of such obstacles can only draw a longer and longer breath, ready for some explosive utterance, bye and bye."44
Even as he was placing his letter in the boat mail, the wheels of compliance were turning in Boston. The Rev. John Leadingham was the appointee and arrived in Honolulu November 3, 1894 on the S.S. Australia. He fitted in well under the worrying eye of a critical hopeful leader. "Mr. Leadingham is taking hold of work," he wrote, "in sensible manly fashion, and will work into larger activities as opportunities open. I have been suffering from nervous prostration ever since his arrival till a week ago Sunday when I felt conscious of returning vigor and can now do a full day's work with all the vim and comfort of yore."45
Assimilation of the new associate was fully realized with the opening of the next term of the Institute. Hyde could write in settled mood about his relief. He could now reshape his own schedule of work. "Mr. Leadingham will relieve me from much of the personal care of the students, distributing the personal rations of oil, bread, rice, salmon, tea, sugar. For two years I have been obliged to deal in these commodities, as the students could not earn enough to support themselves without this aid. He will relieve me also of all classwork Mondays and Fridays. I want one day for correspondence and literary work, and another day each week for the various duties that have been devolved upon me in connection with Oahu College, the Hawaiian Board, the Kamehameha Schools, the Bishop Museum, and the Bishop