In this way, he designed to conquer one island after another, until he organized a large fleet, and subjugated all the Polynesian Islands. Thus he hoped to realize his wildest dreams by organizing, as he expressed it, "One great grand empire," that would be able to take its place among the leading nations of the earth.
His every act from the time of his arrival in Utah, had been designed for his own aggrandizement. He had learned nothing of the spirit and power of the gospel. The Lord is establishing His kingdom, and he was fighting against it. If he has not already done so, he will yet realize the truth of the saying of the Savior, in his teachings, when, on his earthly mission, he likened the Kingdom of God to a stone, and said, "And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it may fall, it will grind him to powder."
Notwithstanding the Saints had been gradually led astray by Mr. Gibson, they felt that his teachings and practices were not the same as those of the Elders who had labored among them before his coming.
Fearing they might be deceived, some eight of the native Elders wrote to brethren in Utah who had labored for many years among them. They stated some of the facts concerning Mr. Gibson's course, and asked for advice. This communication was translated and submitted to President Young.
The First Presidency decided that Apostles E. T. Benson and Lorenzo Snow should visit the islands, and that Elders Joseph. F. Smith, Alma L. Smith, and myself, who had previously been on missions to the islands and understood the native language, should accompany them.
We arrived at Honolulu, the capital of the islands, about the 27th of March, 1864. On the 29th we sailed for Lahaina, on the schooner, Nettie Merrill, Captain Fisher, for the island of Maui, a distance of about ninety miles from Honolulu. On the morning of the 31st of March, we came to anchor about one mile from the mouth of the little harbor of Lahaina.
Apostles Ezra T. Benson, Lorenzo Snow, Brother Alma L. Smith, and myself, got into the small boat to go ashore. Brother Joseph F. Smith, as he afterwards stated, had some misgivings about going in that boat, but the manifestation was not sufficiently strong to indicate any general accident. He preferred to remain on board the vessel, until the boat returned.
The boat started for the shore. It contained some barrels and boxes, the captain, a white man, two or three native passengers, and the boat's crew, who were also natives.
The entrance to the harbor is a very narrow passage between coral reefs, and when the sea is rough it is very dangerous, on account of the breakers. Where the vessel lay the sea was not rough, but only presented the appearance of heavy swells rolling to the shore.
As we approached the reef it was evident to me, that the surf was running higher than we anticipated. I called the captain's attention to the fact. We were running quartering across the waves, and I suggested that we change our course so as to run at right angles with them. He replied, that he did not think there was any danger, and our course was not changed. We went but little farther, when a heavy swell struck the boat and carried us before it about fifty yards. When the swell passed it left us in a trough between two huge waves.