page_title: Samuel C. Damon
section_title: Ministry
hierarchical_section_title: Samuel C. Damon / Ministry
caption_attribution_description: English: Samuel C. Damon, first editor of The Friend. Carte de visite by Henry L. Chase.
context_page_description: Samuel Chenery Damon was a missionary to Hawaii, pastor of the Seamen's Bethel Church, chaplain of the Honolulu American Seamen's Friend Society and editor of the monthly newspaper The Friend.
context_section_description: Damon was preparing to go to India as a missionary and was studying the Tamil language for that purpose, when an urgent call came for a seaman's chaplain at the port of Honolulu in the Hawaiian islands. He was ordained to the Congregational ministry on September 15, 1841, and he decided to accept the position at Honolulu.
  He began his work there October 19, 1842, under the auspices of the American Seaman's Friend Society. At the time from one hundred to one hundred and fifty whaling vessels entered the port every year.
  Damon's own statement was: "From 1842 to 1867, at the lowest estimate six thousand seamen annually entered the port. During these twenty-five years my labors were abundant and sometimes, beyond my strength."
  For 42 years he was the pastor of "Bethel Church" from 1841 to 1882. He preached there every Sunday, not only to sailors but also to merchants, sea captains and many others who were drawn to this well known place of worship. He was an able speaker and was constantly in demand on public occasions.
  In 1855 he founded the Honolulu Sailor's Home and held services for sailors who died without family to be buried in the Oahu Cemetery.
  He was the editor and publisher of The Friend, a monthly newspaper for seamen which included news from both American and English newspapers as well as announcements of upcoming events, reprints of sermons, poetry, local news, editorials, ship arrivals and departures and a listing of marriages and deaths. He published between a half million and a million copies of The Friend, most of which he personally distributed.
  He was a strong supporter of the Chinese Christians in Honolulu. He made his church available for Sunday afternoon services, and later started a small night school in the parish hall to teach them English. From this humble beginning the Chinese Christian community began to outgrow their meeting place. In 1877, Damon assisted in organizing the first Chinese Church in Hawaii and was elected to the board of trustees.
  Damon traveled extensively throughout his life. In 1849 he visited California and Oregon. In 1851 he visited the United States, coming by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and returning in 1852 to the Hawaiian Islands. In 1861 he made a tour of the Micronesian Islands on the missionary ship, the Morning Star. In 1869 he came home again and then traveled through England, Palestine, Egypt and Greece, returning to Honolulu in 1870. In 1876 he came home again and visited the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia. In 1880 he came to the United States once more and made another and more extensive trip abroad, visiting England, Scotland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. It is said that he also visited China and Japan.
  He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from his alma mater, Amherst College, in 1867. He became a member of the American Antiquarian Society of Worcester in 1869, and in 1879 a corresponding member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.
caption: Damon was the editor of The Friend from 1843 to 1884.
exif: {}