Mission to the Sandwich Islands concluded.--Journey to Lanai.--Mr.
Gibson.--Pagan superstitions.--Adopted by Miss Gibson.--Mr. Gibson
reverenced by the natives.--His impudence.--Elder J. F. Smith's
reply.--Elder Snow's prophecy.--Gibson cut off from Church.--Prophecy
fulfilled.--Sermon on the ship.--An earthquake.--Return
home.--Interview with President Young.
On the second of April Brother Snow had so far recovered his strength
that it was thought best to pursue our journey. We hired some natives
to take us in an open boat across the channel, sixteen miles, to Lanai.
We arrived at the landing place, three miles from the village, just at
dark. We sent a messenger to Mr. Gibson, with the request that he would
send down some saddle horses for us to ride up in the morning.
Early the following morning, April 3d, the horses were ready for us. An
hour's ride over a rough, rocky road, brought us to a settlement; our
reception by Mr. Gibson and most of the native Saints was cool and very
formal. Many improvements had been made since our last visit that were
praiseworthy and reflected great credit on Mr. Gibson.
After breakfast, Apostles Benson and Snow engaged in conversation with
Mr. Gibson on the affairs of the mission. That day and the following
were principally spent in laboring with Mr. Gibson and the native
Elders, to get them, if possible, to see the condition they were in.
During this time, Brothers Joseph F. Smith, Alma L. Smith and myself
took a ride around the valley, accompanied by Mr. Gibson's daughter as
our guide.
About one half mile from Mr. Gibson's residence was a large rock,
the top several feet above the ground. Mr. Gibson had a chamber cut
into this rock, in which he had deposited a Book of Mormon and other
things, and called it the corner stone of a great temple, which would
be erected there. A frame work of poles had been constructed, in a
circular form, around this rock, and this was covered with brush.
Mr. Gibson, by appealing to the pagan superstitions of the natives,
made them believe that this spot was sacred, and if any person touched
it he would be struck dead. So much faith had the daughter of Mr.
Gibson in the teachings of her father, that she related, apparently
in good faith, the circumstance of a hen flying upon the booth and
immediately falling down dead.
Notwithstanding the protest of Miss Gibson, that it was very dangerous
to do so, we went inside of the brush structure and examined the rock
and came out unharmed.
We were further informed that Mr. Gibson had succeeded in surrounding
his own person and residence with such a halo of sacredness in the
minds of the natives, that they always entered his house on their hands
and knees.
This was repeated on other occasions. It was the old customary way in
which the natives had been in the habit of paying their respects to
their kings, and the custom had been revived by Mr. Gibson in order to
increase his personal prestige.
We had previously learned that the Saints would assemble in conference
on the sixth of April. At ten o'clock a. m., they had assembled in
the meeting house. We all started to go in, when Mr. Gibson made some
excuse for returning to his house. We went in and took our seats on the
stand. The house was well filled. In a few minutes Mr. Gibson made his
appearance. As soon as he entered the door, the entire congregation
instantly arose to their feet and remained standing until he was seated
on the stand. The execution of this act of reverence evinced long and
careful training.
Mr. Gibson had doubtless delayed his entrance to make a fitting
opportunity for this exhibition. He entirely ignored the presence of
the Apostles, and, after the people were seated, arose and gave out
the opening hymn. This act gave evidence at once that he had no proper
idea of the organization and authority of the Priesthood. Seeing this,
President Benson called on me to pray.
Without giving any time for consultation, as soon as the second hymn
was sung, Mr. Gibson arose to his feet and commenced to address the
congregation, in substance, as follows: "My dear red-skinned brethren,
sisters and friends. I presume you are all wondering and anxious to
know why these strangers have come so suddenly among us, without
giving us any notice of their coming. I will assure you of one thing,
my red-skinned friends, when I find out, I will be sure to let you
know, for I am your father, and will protect you in your rights. These
strangers may say they are your friends; but let me remind you how,
when they lived here, years ago, they lived upon your scanty substance.
Did they make any such improvements as you see I have made? Did I not
come here and find you without a father, poor and discouraged? Did I
not gather you together here, and make all these improvements that you
to-day enjoy? Now you, my red-skinned friends, must decide who your
friend and father is, whether it is these strangers or I who have done
so much for you."
When he took his seat, President Benson requested Brother Joseph F.
Smith to talk, rather intimating that it was desirable to speak on
general principles, and that he need not feel bound to notice all that
Mr. Gibson had said.
It seemed impossible for any man to speak with greater power and
demonstration of the Spirit. He referred the Saints to the labors of
Brother George Q. Cannon and the first Elders who brought them the
Gospel. He reminded them of facts with which the older members were
well acquainted--the great disadvantage the Elders labored under, and
the privations they suffered in first preaching the Gospel on the
islands. How they slept in their miserable huts and lived as they
lived; how they traveled on foot in storms and in bad weather, from
village to village, and from house to house, exposing health and life.
How they went destitute of clothing, and what they had been in the
habit of considering the necessaries of life, to bring to them the
blessings of the Gospel, without money and without price.
He asked by what right Mr. Gibson called himself the father of the
people, and the Elders who faithfully labored to establish them in the
Gospel, strangers.
The spirit and power that accompanied Brother Smith's remarks
astonished the Saints and opened their eyes. They began to see how
they had been imposed upon. Every word he spoke found a response in
their hearts, as was plainly manifest by their eager looks and animated
countenances.
There was another meeting in the afternoon, in which Apostles Benson
and Snow addressed the Saints. The remarks were interpreted by Elder
Joseph F. Smith.
On the seventh, there was a meeting in the forenoon. A Priesthood
meeting was appointed for the evening, and the conference adjourned
_sine die_.
The meeting of the Priesthood in the evening was well attended, as it
was understood that Mr. Gibson's course would be investigated. The
complaints that were made by the native Elders, in the communication
that led to our present mission, were read, and Mr. Gibson was called
on to make answer to the charges.
In addition to nearly a repetition of his harangue at the meeting on
the day previous, his reply consisted of a bombastic display of some
letters of appointment and recommendations from President Young, to
which he attached large seals, bedecked with a variety of colored
ribbons, to give them an air of importance and official significance,
in the eyes of the unsophisticated natives. These papers he held up
before the people, and, pointing to them, said, with great emphasis,
"Here is my authority, which I received direct from President Brigham
Young. I don't hold myself accountable to these men!" meaning the
Apostles and those who come with them. Had there been no other proof of
the wrong course of Mr. Gibson, that remark was sufficient to satisfy
the brethren what their plain duty was, and they acted promptly in the
matter.
Apostle E. T. Benson followed Mr. Gibson. He reviewed Mr. Gibson's past
course, and showed that, in making merchandise of the offices of the
Priesthood, introducing the former pagan superstitions of the people,
for the purpose of obtaining power, and his idea of establishing a
temporal and independent kingdom on the Pacific isles, were all in
antagonism to the plan laid down in the Gospel for the redemption of
man. The spirit manifested by Mr. Gibson proved that he was ignorant
of the powers of the Priesthood, or that he ignored them for purely
selfish motives. What they had seen and heard since their arrival,
proved that the complaints made by the native Elders, in their letters
to Utah, were correct, as far as they went, but the half had not been
told.
Brother Benson's remarks were interpreted, after which it was motioned
that Mr. Gibson's course be disapproved. When this was put to a vote,
all but one of the native Elders voted against the motion. This showed
that Mr. Gibson still retained a strong hold on the minds of the Saints.
Notwithstanding this show of strong opposition, Brother Snow arose, and
in his remarks prophesied that Mr. Gibson would see the time that not
one of the Saints would remain with him.
Brother J. F. Smith remarked that among the scores of Elders who had
labored on the islands, none had been so utterly wanting in the spirit
and power of the Gospel as to charge the Saints anything for conferring
on them the blessings of the Priesthood, until Walter M. Gibson came,
and had the presumption to claim that he had a right to ordain Apostles
and High Priests for a price--for money.
The Apostles informed Mr. Gibson and the Saints that, when they left
the islands for home, Elder Joseph F. Smith would be left in charge
of the mission. That all those who wished to be considered in good
standing in the Church, should leave Lanai and return to their homes on
the other islands, where the branches would be re-organized and set in
order by the brethren who would be left for that purpose. The next day
we returned to Lahaina, where we held a council, and cut Mr. Gibson off
from the Church. We returned to Honolulu, and about eight days after,
Apostles Snow and Benson took passage on the bark Onward, for San
Francisco.
Brother Snow's prophecy was literally fulfilled. The Saints all
left Mr. Gibson, and returned to their former homes, as they had
been counseled to do. All the plans of Mr. Gibson were completely
frustrated. He is a prominent example of the nothingness of man, when
he attempts to battle against the Kingdom of God.
The following is from Brother Snow's journal: On our return from the
Sandwich Islands, the captain of the ship on which we sailed, whom we
appreciated as a social, polite, matter-of-fact gentleman, invited
us to deliver a "Mormon" discourse on board, to which we cheerfully
assented. On Sunday morning, the weather being fine, the sea calm, the
atmosphere fresh and balmy, the stately ship moving gracefully over the
water, propelled by its inward force--the mystical power of steam--we
notified the captain that we were ready to respond to his invitation.
Accordingly, the officers, crew and passengers assembled on the deck,
inspired with curiosity to hear the "Mormons." Brother Benson insisted
on my doing the preaching, to which I consented, and had great liberty
in explaining our faith and the principles of the everlasting Gospel.
Although I may not have convinced any of them of the truth and fulness
of the Gospel, and of its present existence on the earth, they all
listened with marked attention to my discourse, and all seemed pleased
and entertained, with one exception, viz: a Presbyterian clergyman
who was present manifesting great uneasiness and displeasure by dark
expressions of countenance and various contortions of his features and
body.
After a favorable voyage on the Pacific, we arrived safely in San
Francisco. San Francisco is proverbial for its fine commodious
restaurants. When in that city, I partook of refreshments in one which
has the reputation of seating at once one thousand people. A miniature
indoor railway was so constructed as to carry, in carriages, dishes of
food and empty dishes, forward and back, all around this immense hall.
The noise and clatter produced by this operation is not particularly
soothing and musical to a delicate and refined ear, and more especially
not very much so to a highly sensitive nervous organization.
I had, in a few instances in my life, experienced the sensation
produced by slight earthquakes, but not of those of any considerable
magnitude. One day in San Francisco, while sitting at the table,
enjoying the good things provided in one of these magnificent halls of
entertainment, all of a sudden a very singular sensation came over me,
for which I could not decipher the cause. At the same moment I imagined
a heaving or rocking motion of the floor, as if the foundation was
giving way. Immediately the people arose from the tables and rushed
to the door. Not comprehending the cause of the sudden excitement and
confusion, I arose to follow the excited multitude, still ignorant
of what was up, and, of course, anxious to learn. Approaching the
gentleman who stood still in his usual place to receive pay from his
customers, I thought he appeared to be vexed. Passing him my change,
I begged him to explain to me the cause of the abrupt evacuation. "An
earthquake!" he ejaculated. And as I was the only customer remaining, I
attributed his vexation to the fact that the multitude rushed out minus
paying their bills. But the earthquake proved to be of destructive
magnitude--sufficiently so to satisfy my curiosity. Much injury was
done, not only to the restaurant so suddenly vacated, but to many other
buildings.
The president of the Western Telegraph Company procured for Elder
Benson and myself, and for our baggage, a free pass through to Salt
Lake City; for which unsolicited favor we felt very grateful.
I was very favorably impressed with the wonderful beauty, the lovely
scenery and magnificent foliage which I saw, and the sweet, balmy,
healthful air I experienced while in Honolulu. But my attention and
admiration were more deeply and more interestedly attracted toward the
people of that city of the isles, and those of the adjacent islands--I
mean those who were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. Their fidelity and faith in the Gospel, their childlike
simplicity and warm affection for their teachers, impressed me with a
great interest and love for them. In fact, so much that on my return to
Salt Lake, in a prolonged conversation with President Young, I plead
with him, by the deepest and strongest feelings of my heart, not to
slacken his interest, nor withhold from continuing his former generous
and benevolent plans in relation to that field of missionary labor. I
told him that if I were twenty years younger, and should the Presidency
think proper to invest me with the privilege of selecting the field
for my missionary work to continue for twenty years, I would prefer to
spend those years among the good, simple, warm-hearted natives of those
islands.
I was prompted to say this and more, in consequence of fearing, from
some remarks of his during the conversation, that he felt inclined
through discouragement arising from the difficulties at this time
affecting that mission, to doubt the propriety of applying time, means
and missionary labor in that direction, as formerly.
Subsequent history proves my brother Lorenzo's fears, relative to the
Sandwich Islands, groundless, as will be seen by a letter which will be
compiled in this work, written by a son-in-law, who, with his family,
is now on a mission to those isles of the sea.