CHAPTER XXXVI.
Mission to the Sandwich Islands.—Elders called home.—Walter M. Gibson.—Goes to the Sandwich Islands.—His perfidy.—Lorenzo, with other Elders, sent to investigate.—Take Stage.—Arrive at a mining town.—Incident.—New driver.—Favorable impressions.—Sings melodiously.—Swears blasphemously.—Drives furiously.—Perilous predicament.—Other perils.—Arrive at San Francisco.—At Brother Eveleth's.—Take steamer.—Arrive near the landing at Lahaina.—Boat upset.—Lorenzo and the Captain drowned.—Both restored to life.—Rejoicing and thanksgiving.
In 1857, when the United States army was on the march towards Utah, the Latter-day Saint Elders abroad on missions were called home, and the mission on the Sandwich Islands was, for about two years, left in charge of a native Elder.
During this time, Walter M. Gibson, a man of deep scheming policy, came to Utah—professed to adopt the faith of the Latter-day Saints, was baptized, took a short mission to the Eastern States, and when he returned started immediately for the Sandwich Islands, and there palmed himself on the unsuspecting natives as a superior personage, authorized by and superior to President Brigham Young, and claimed the presidency over all the Pacific isles.
He re-organized the Church in accordance with his own schemes, ordained twelve Apostles, and charged them one hundred and fifty dollars each for the office conferred, and High Priests and Elders in proportion. With means thus obtained he purchased one-half of the island of Lanai, where he gathered the Saints and all for his own aggrandizement.
Fearing they might be deceived, some eight of the Elders wrote to brethren in Utah who had labored many years among them. They stated some of the facts concerning Mr. Gibson's course, and asked advice. This communication was translated and submitted to President Young. The First Presidency decided that Apostles Ezra T. Benson and Lorenzo Snow should visit the islands, and that Elders Joseph F. Smith, Alma Smith and William W. Cluff should accompany them.
From Lorenzo's journal: "We took stage at Salt Lake City, about the 1st of March, 1864, for San Francisco, California. Some interesting incidents occurred during our overland trip to California, that seemed to us at the time rather interesting or, at least, a little exciting. It is true, so far as the tremendous jolting was concerned, we had decidedly the advantage of Horace Greeley in his ludicrous lone stage-ride over the same road, inasmuch as five of us could maintain a better balance than a lone man. At any rate, on the roughest portions of the route, we partially succeeded in keeping our heads clear from the top of the stage, which, as per report, he failed in doing.
On arriving at a small mining town one Sunday morning about sunrise, our stage-man drove to the post office to exchange mail bags; just then a negro rushed out of a saloon directly in front of our horses, and had barely crossed the street, when a white-man in his shirt-sleeves hurried out of the door from whence the negro came, with revolver in hand, and fired several shots in the direction in which the negro was running. We saw him fall, and as his antagonist absconded, curiosity prompted us to follow and ascertain the condition of his victim. He lay upon the ground groaning and writhing in agony. He pointed to places on his body where the bullets struck him, but just then the stage was ready to start, and we left the unfortunate fellow to his fate.
At another time, having stopped to exchange horses just as night was setting in, one of our company remarked that our new driver had quite the air and appearance of an intelligent gentleman, and we soon discovered that he possessed a wonderful musical talent, in the exercise of which he elicited our surprise and admiration. It really seemed to me that a sweeter, a more pathetic or melodious voice I had never heard. It is quite possible that the stillness of night and the wild scenery of nature around us had a tendency to enhance the effect and increase our appreciation of melodious accents; whatever it might be, I was charmed, delighted, and felt that I could embrace that man and call him brother.