A Brief History of Trinity Episcopal Church By-the-Sea

In 1852, under the supervision of its architect and builder, David Malo, Kilolani Church was completed. The original building was constructed from hand-hewn coral blocks and river rock with a wooden beam thatched roof and blown glass windows. David Malo was the third Native Hawaiian to be ordained in the Christian ministry. Within a year of the church's completion, David Malo died on this site - October 21, 1853. His body was taken by canoe to Lahaina for burial atop Mt. Ball overlooking his beloved alma mater, Lahainaluna School. Following his death the Kilolani congregation dispersed. It is believed that around 1893, during the overthrow of the monarchy, the church was set afire in rebellion against those sympathetic to the U.S. takeover. Not long after that, around 1900, a 100-year storm caused flooding from Kula which devastated the remaining walls of the church building.

The church, now in ruins, sat vacant for over a half century with only one attempt at revival. However, in the fall of 1976 the small Episcopal congregation of Trinity by-the-Sea brought the ruins to life as the Diocese of Hawaii welcomed them into the Episcopal Church. The Rev. Norman C. Ault, a retired priest, served as the Mission's first Vicar, taking Sunday services and pastoral duties. After much hard work by members of the congregation, the ruins once again turned into a sanctuary and on December 5, 1976, the Rt. Rev. Edmond L. Browning, Bishop of Hawaii, presided over the Dedication Service.

In 1979, the growing congregation called the Rev. Morley Frech, Jr., to be its first full time Vicar. Over the next twenty years, the congregation attained Parish status in 1986, added the Stations of the Cross, completed a successful capital campaign resulting in the construction of Kilolani Hall and the Ault Sacristy, which were dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Donald P. Hart, Bishop of Hawaii on February 10, 1991.

On February 10, 2002 the Columbarium and Memorial Garden were dedicated. Following the retirement of the Rev. Morley Frech, Trinity was excellently served in 2007/2008 by Interim Priest, the Rev. David K. Kennedy. In November of 2008, Trinity welcomed the Rev. Austin B. Murray from St. Stephen's Church in Waretown, N.J. as Priest-in-Charge.

DAVID MALO
David Malo (or Davida Malo) was a leading Native Hawaiian historian and scholar of the Kingdom of Hawaii.

David Malo was born in Keauhou on the Island of Hawai'i around 1793. He spelled his name Davida, since syllables always end in vowels in the Hawaiian Language. His father was named Ao'ao and mother was named Heone. He grew up during the period when Kamehameha I united the islands into a single kingdom. Malo was associated with the chief Kuakini, who was a brother of Queen Ka'ahumanu, during this time of great change, probably serving as oral historian and court genealogist.

In 1823 Malo moved to Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui and became a student of Reverend William Richards, learning how to read and write in both English and Hawaiian. Malo converted to Christianity and was given the baptismal name of David.

He was a member of the first class at the Lahainaluna School when it was founded by Lorin Andrews in 1831, later serving as school master. He married Lepeka, who took the Christian name Rebecca. They had one daughter.

He was ordained into the Christian ministry and settled down in the seaside village of Kalepolepo on East Maui where he remained until his death on October 21, 1853.

When Queen Ka'ahumanu died in June 1832, Malo composed a poem in her honor titled He Kanikau o Ka'ahumanu. He helped translate books from the Bible so they could be published in the Hawaiian language. From about 1835 he started writing notes on the Hawaiian religion and cultural history, along with other members of the school and instructor Sheldon Dibble. The book was first published in Hawaiian around 1838 (a facsimile of this original has been recently reprinted). In 1858 more stories were added to his book and a second Hawaiian edition was published. The book was translated by Nathaniel Bright Emerson and published in English in 1898, and again in 1951 and 1987 editions. This book is known today as Hawaiian Antiquities.

He helped from the first Hawaiian Historical Society with Samuel Kamakau in 1841. He wrote a history of Kamehameha I, but the manuscript has been lost.

Also in 1841 he was elected as representative from Maui to the first House of Representatives of the Kingdom.

In 1852 he supervised building Kilolani Church on Maui. Its ruins are now on the grounds of the Trinity Episcopal Church by-the-Sea near modern day Kihei.

Lahainaluna High School has named the Boys' Dormitory after David Malo, and in mid-April each year holds a celebration in his honor

Lihue Cemetary
Lihue Cemetery adjoins the church and dates back to circa 1832, as best we know. The rows of rocks are markers for the old Hawaiian graves, whose occupants remain unknown, while the marked graves are from the twentieth century.