A new decade was now entered upon, and in the opening month of 1890 the people celebrated, on the twenty-third day, the century of years since the Bounty arrived at the island. The same period of time which among the nations of the earth had witnessed the amazing onward march in progress and advanced civilization, saw but little change in this little world situated by itself in the midst of the vast ocean. Yet the people felt that God had led them all the way, and they met together at the church to hold a service of praise with which to begin the day, thanking God for past mercies and praying him to supply future grace. Following is a hymn composed and sung on the occasion:—
Our Father, God, we come to raise
Our songs to thee in grateful praise;
We come to sing thy guiding hand,
By which supported still we stand.
To this fair land our fathers sought
To flee the doom their sins had brought,
In vain—nor peace nor rest was found,
For strife possessed th’ unhallowed ground.
Darkness around their path was spread;