Life of a Pioneer: Being the Autobiography of James S. Brown

by James S. Brown

Other councils were held to see what could be done to get rid of the "plant Mormonism, from America," before it spread over the island and became master. But the friends and relatives of those who belonged to the Church would oppose any harsh measures, saying, "Wait until our missionaries of the English church come and we hear what they say."

Now, Elder Pratt had baptized one man who was seventy-five or eighty years of age. He was one of the first born, and his feet had never been wet in salt water. His name was Tauteni (thousand), because he had slain so many people in war, and he could count skulls in his mori or place of skulls, with the best of them. He was well acquainted with the taste of human flesh; had been a great high priest of the natives in their heathenish days, and was supposed to have great influence with the spirits of men. He had a grand-daughter who was said to be the heir to the throne. This girl was brought forward by the old man for baptism. He had reared her, and her parents being willing, I baptized her. This created great excitement and another council was held, where feelings ran so high that it was very hard to conciliate our opponents. But the old man told them that it was his and her father's fault, and not the missionary's, that she was baptized. The girl, whose name was Teraa, also declared that it was by her wish and not mine that she became a member of the Church. This cooled them down a little, but occasionally local difficulties would arise, and the natives would take sides and arm themselves for war. One time I heard the shrieks of the women, and the warwhoops of and commands given among the men.

Although, one day when I was stopping at a village called Tatake, I had heard that there was going to be a battle fought, such rumors were so frequent that I did not pay much attention thereto till I heard the warwhoops and shouts. Then I jumped up, ran out, and beheld thirty to forty men coming from the upper village, Anatomu. They were armed with muskets, and were in their war costumes, dancing and going through the manoeuvres peculiar to the natives just before going into an action. At the same time another party was approaching from the inland village of Atibona. These, too, were ready, and with their drums, whistles and shrieks made quite a showing. Still there were some among them inclined to conciliation rather than war.

With my friends, I went out and plead with the two parties to be reconciled, and finally we prevailed so that both bodies of men retired without fighting, and a few of each party met and shook hands, some of both parties seeming friendly to us for a time.

For a short time after this we had comparative quiet, yet threats came about the Mormons, and there was talk of taxing us for the support of the Protestant church. Our brethren claimed rights in the school and meeting houses, but were refused these; then they threatened to burst open the houses, and came to me to get my sanction to do so; but I could not consent to being a party to such a movement, knowing that would give the enemy the pretext they wanted, in order to carry out their threats. My party was not pleased with my position, and threatened to break in the houses anyway, and assert their rights to occupancy. I told them that if they did I would disown them; that they could not be my brethren if they indulged in anything of the kind, as it was for us to be on the side of peace and defense, and not to be aggressors. Finally they said they would obey my counsel. Then things passed along more smoothly for a time.

Soon a schooner came from the island of Ruruta, with about one hundred passengers on board. They brought the alleged news that all the American Elders had left Tubuoi, and were going home. These passengers also seemed to have been well posted in all the old slanders about the Church, and with many new ones about the Elders. These slanders were industriously circulated by the new comers, who said that the people of Tubuoi were glad that the Mormons had left their land. From these stories, and the persecutions the Saints had endured on the island, the few Church members grew sorrowful and discouraged. When I went from Anatomu to Tatake, I found two of the native brethren and two sisters very sad, and as soon as we met they gave vent to their pent-up feelings, wept bitterly, and said that I had to leave the island, and they intended to follow me, no matter where I went. I told them not to fear, and tried to pacify them as best I could.

At our next appointment for a meeting there were but five out of thirty attended. This seemed strange, for there always had been a full attendance; but now everyone was sad and gloomy. The spirit of mobocracy seemed to thrive on the filthy slanders that had come by the Ruruta schooner. Meetings were called and threats made. Clouds of darkness lowered and filled the atmosphere; the spirit of death seemed to hover around, for the boisterousness of the people had given way to a sullen, murderous disposition, more to be dreaded than when there was abundance of noise and threats.

At this time two young Protestant ministers came and made three or four inflammatory speeches, telling the people that they had admitted a wolf into the fold, and if they did not get rid of him the ministers would not call again. "Drive him off, and pluck up that American plant, or it will overshadow your land, and control you," said they. Thus the wild and heathenish passion was fanned into a lively flame of renewed persecution. Yet, strange to say, when the spirit of death seemed to rest most heavily upon us, the brethren and sisters returned to me with renewed zeal, and all but two men stood firm thereafter.

CHAPTER XXXII.

PEOPLE GATHER AT A FEAST, AND TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH THE MORMONS—THREATS TO HAVE ROAST MISSIONARY—SAINTS HOLD PRAYER AND TESTIMONY MEETING—KEPT AWAKE ALL NIGHT—COUNCIL OF NATIVES DECIDES TO ROAST AND EAT ME—FIRE IS BUILT—MEN SENT TO DRAG ME TO THE COUNCIL—PROMISES OF PRESIDENTS BRIGHAM YOUNG AND WILLARD RICHARDS COME TO MY MIND—ALL FEAR IS BANISHED—SAINTS AND THEIR ENEMIES ORDERED TO SEPARATE—ALL BUT TWO MORMONS STAND BY ME—SUBLIME COURAGE OF A NATIVE AND HIS WIFE—THE CHARGE AGAINST ME—I APPEAL TO THE BIBLE, BUT OUR ENEMIES REFUSE TO BE GUIDED BY THE LAW OF GOD—NOTIFIED OF THE DECISION THAT I AM TO BE BURNED—SPIRIT OF THE LORD RESTS UPON ME IN GREAT POWER, INSPIRING ME TO DEFY OUR ENEMIES—SPIRIT OF CONFUSION ENTERS OUR FOES—THEY QUARREL AND FIGHT WITH EACH OTHER—DIFFICULTY IN RESTRAINING CHURCH MEMBERS—DELIVERANCE WHICH THE LORD WROUGHT OUT FOR ME—I AM ALLOWED TO PROCEED UNMOLESTED—MEET A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL WHICH CONDEMNED ME TO DEATH—HIS TESTIMONY THAT A PILLAR OF LIGHT DESCENDED FROM HEAVEN AND RESTED ON ME, FILLING THEM WITH FEAR—NO MORE ANTI-MORMON COUNCILS—NATIVES SHOW NO DISPOSITION TO RECEIVE THE GOSPEL.