Chapter 11.
On Oahu Again.—John Hyde's Apostasy.—I Meet Him in the Presbyterian Church.—At Waialua.
On October 6, 1856, all the Elders of the mission met in conference at Wailuku, island of Maui. Here I met my brother Franklin W. and John Brown, an old playmate. They had just arrived from Zion. Our conference was a truly happy one. I was appointed to labor on Oahu, under the presidency of Edward Partridge.
October 12, 1856, with a large company of Elders, I walked over the mountain, forty miles, without water, to Lahaina, getting there at 3 a.m. At 4 p.m. Elders Pack, Brown, Thurston, Cluff, Alma L. Smith, and Franklin W. Young sailed on the Manuokawai (ocean bird) for Hawaii, their field of labor for the next six months. At sunset President Partridge and Elder West and I sailed on the John Boyle for Honolulu. We went deck passage at two dollars each. The schooner being large, and having but few passengers, we were not crowded into a jam, as often happened. She was also dry on deck so we were quite comfortable.
On October 14th, at 8 a.m., having reached Honolulu, we learned that Elder John Hyde was in the city. For some reason he had not reported his arrival. On Friday, October 17, 1856, an article from John Hyde appeared in the Polynesia, slandering the Latter-day Saints. I therefore called on him demanding his Church recommends and his temple clothes. He gave them to me, but was very bitter in his attitude toward the Church. Sunday, October 26th, he delivered a public lecture in the Seamen's Bethel, as he said, "Exposing Mormonism." The hall was crowded, and the speaker was liberally applauded. To me it was a strong testimony that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.
Mr. Hyde was a bright, well-educated man. He had been in the Church nine years, and much of the time he had been associated with some of our ablest Elders. Surely, I thought, if there is a weak spot in our Gospel armor, he has been able to detect it, and can expose the fraud to a listening world. The people came, and he "tickled" them; but he did it by repeating old tales, and sickly community gossip! Not one sensible reason did he show for leaving the Church.
After the meeting, President Partridge called a council of the Elders in our conference house, and it was decided that I should follow Mr. Hyde, in his lecture tour around the island, and give him battle.
On Monday, October 27, 1856, eating an early breakfast, I shouldered my pack, and walked forty miles to Waianae. I was warmly received by Kaholokahiki and the Saints of that little branch; and great was my joy at being again in the house where, when a boy, sick and afflicted, the vision of God had comforted me, healed my eyes, and loosened my tongue.
On Wednesday, November 5, 1856, I met Mr. Hyde In the Presbyterian Church at Waialua. Several clergymen and about fifty white people were seated on the stand, while the body of the church was packed with natives.
Mr. Hyde lectured on the "Evils of Mormonism." He commenced by saying: