Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow / One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

by Eliza R. Snow

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.