James Kekela & Abraham Lincoln

James Kekela was among the first generation of Native Hawaiian pastors trained at Lahainaluna Seminary, a living testimony to the fruit of Christian education in the islands. In 1853, he and his wife served as missionaries in the Marquesas Islands, where they labored to bring the gospel to distant peoples. His life was marked by service, humility, and a willingness to endure hardship for the sake of Christ.

In 1864, while working in Micronesia, Kekela learned that an American sailor named Jonathan Whalon had been captured by local warriors and faced imminent death. With courage and compassion, Kekela intervened, offering his own possessions, including a valuable boat, as ransom for the man’s life. Whalon was freed, and the act quickly became known beyond the Pacific.

News of Kekela’s selfless rescue reached the United States, and President Abraham Lincoln himself honored the Hawaiian pastor. Lincoln sent Kekela a gold watch, a telescope, and a letter of thanks, praising him for his bravery and for embodying the principles of Christian love and sacrifice. Kekela’s actions revealed the powerful witness of Hawaiian Christians, showing that the gospel planted in Hawai‘i had taken root and was now bearing fruit across the Pacific.

Through James Kekela, the story of Hawaiian Christianity reached the desk of an American president. His heroism was not just a rescue of one man, but also a demonstration of how the Word of God had raised up Hawaiian leaders who carried light into the world.

Engraving on the watch:

“In remembrance from the President of the United States to Rev. J. Kekela for his act of kindness to the American who was held captive in the islands, Hilo, January 14, 1864.”