Hawaii's Childrens Morning Star Mission Certificate

Boston: Woman's Board of Missions, 1895. In the mid-1850s the Hawaiian Missionary Society, a branch of Hawaiian Evangelical Association, began in effort to reach out to the Micronesian islands, a set of over a thousand tiny islands in western Pacific Ocean. At first they relied on other shipping vessels, such as whaling ships to transport the missionaries around. As this system was not reliable for a variety of reasons, the society began to research ways in which they could have their own ship for their missionary efforts. In 1856, to help fund the construction and/or purchase of a new ship it was proposed to invite the children of Hawaii and the United States to take ten cent shares of joint ownership in such a missionary vessel, to be called ‘Morning Star.' With each donation the child was given a "stock certificate" to show how many shares they purchased. This campaign as met with great success and they soon had enough money to build and maintain a ship. Over the next fifty (50) years or so, the society would reintroduce this campaign several times as a newer ships were often needed as the older ones began to deteriorate. The new ship was always named the ‘Morning Star', and by the end of the mission there were a total of five ‘Morning Stars.'

This certificate was purchased by Sarah Swift, and states that she was the owner of one share in the Children's Morning Star Mission. At the bottom of the certificate it states that it was sold at the Congregational House in Boston, MA with the pastor C H Smith attesting to the collection of funds. It is dated 1895, and therefore it is most likely that this certificate is for a share in the fourth ‘Morning Star' ship. This particular certificate has an engraving on it depicting one of the ‘Morning Star' ships sailing passed a tiny island. Minor soiling due to age. Measures 6" x 3 ¼