My First Mission

by George Q. Cannon

I learned that many of the Saints were doubting, and they had been praying to the Lord for me to return. This was the cause of my anxiety to get back. The Lord hears the prayers of those who pray to Him in faith, and hundreds of instances like this have occurred within my knowledge.

It is frequently the case that when Elders have been successful in baptizing the people, the devil exerts himself with increased power and cunning among them to destroy them. There are but few who have joined the Church who have escaped temptations of this character; and no man knows the power of the devil as those do who have embraced the truth. It seems that those who are ignorant of the gospel and the power of God, never experience the opposite power like those do who have been blessed of the Lord. Still they should not yield to the temptations of Satan, nor be entrapped by his snares.

The people who had been baptized at Keanae had known but little about the two influences of which we speak; but no sooner had they joined the Church, than they were assailed and tempted in a way that they never had been previously. As a consequence of this, some fell away from the truth; but others became stronger in the faith, so long as I remained on the island.

We had many excellent times at Keanae. While I was there, at the time of which I write, I went with the natives, men and women, to a creek about two miles distant, where fish were very plentiful. The fishers gathered a quantity of plants, a shrub which is called by them auhuhu, and made two piles of them in the bed of the creek. The men and women surrounded these piles, each of them having a stick about five or six feet long. At a given signal from one of the party, they commenced thrashing the brush. They were very dextrous in the use of this flail, turning the piles over and over and pounding them well, and never hitting each other. The pounding of the bush had the effect to stain the water all around, and to kill the fish, which soon floated on the surface in great numbers.

Fish so caught are excellent eating. This shrub, though it kills the fish, is not injurious to man. It was one of the liveliest sights that I had ever seen, and was very picturesque. The women were adorned with garlands of green leaves, and had flowers entwined in their hair and around their bodies. Many of the men were stripped to the waist and also had garlands entwined around them. The swimming and diving of some of the women, surprised me; they appeared to be almost amphibious.

Chapter 12

Interview With the Dignitaries of the Kingdom—Return to Napela’s House at Wailuku—Hundreds of People Baptized—Elders Become Famous All Over the Group—A Remarkable Peculiarity

Not satisfied with bringing religious influences to bear against us, the missionaries (of whom mention was made in the last chapter) stirred up the owners of the land and the officer having it in charge to stop the meetings and to threaten the people with punishment if they persisted in holding them. This officer assembled the people, and called them out individually, and tried to make them promise that they would not attend any of our meetings again. To accomplish his design, he used both persuasion and threats; he said that if they met again, he would have them bound and either carried to the capital of that island—Lahaina—or to the seat of government—Honolulu.

In consequence of these interruptions and persecutions, of which Elder Keeler brought me word, at Kula, where I then was, it was deemed best for me to go to Honolulu, and, if possible, see the king, or some officers of the government.

Elder Philip B. Lewis, who was then living at Honolulu, and was president of the mission, and I saw several of the king’s ministers. The American Commissioner espoused our cause very warmly, and demanded of the government all the rights for us which were extended to any preachers. We did not see the king, his health being very poor; but afterwards, at Lahaina, I had an interview with the two princes, who have since been kings, and from them received assurances of protection. The visit, altogether, was satisfactory and resulted in good.