Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-01-20
LETTER IRON SAMOA.


GnntAville. The writer Is Elder IL. Il.
Booth, IT,, and the communication Ia
dated at Samoa. We are kindly per.
mitted to use for publication the por.
tons OF the communications we pre-
sent:
Some time has elapsed since I
promised your worthy president that 1
would write you from the distant land
o, samoa "a Trusting you VIII pardoi,
Of the steady and tedious work which
has been and now Is resting upon u,
anu the difficulty IL this difficult lan.
guage, which occupies most Of our
time. The first thing IN 10 msmorile
the words. the second TO get the con
struction, aud again TO bring the words
forward In time Of need, 40 as not 10
make q blundcr when attempting 10
speak before an assemblage OF this
people. But II II ouly by hard aud
constant study that We master II. II
requires a year aud half among the
people before n person Gnu begin 10
preach 10 much utility and explain
with clcafntss the principles Of the
Gospel OF Christ; and II Ia necessary
that person should have his mind
stored with useful knowledge In order
that he can be able 10 answer the many
questions which people Of the world
ask US On every hand. II l. q true
eaying that the Lord will help those
who help themselves, and II Ia difficult
TO sail q ship out OF water. and when In
water II requires n rudder TO guide II
Alright; 10 we ought 10 have a little
knowledge In store 10 draw from when
IN time OF need. The people ask some
Of tho most unimportant questions Of
any people j think there are on the
face Of the globe. But one thing feel
uratified over aud that Is, that we
have the Bible In the light, ami when
we read II, II presents TO US the true
meaning; for We have the Spirit VI God
10 show US the things Of God.
l learned not long since that native
teacher told his "nun" or village mot
~ 10 10 our meetings nor have any.
thing, whatever, 10 do with US, but to
drive us with haste from the villages
when opportunity afforded. They are
nothing lees than anti.Christ," said
he, "and are here only 10 deceive the
people" We reminded the people,
however, that Christ said, "ns they
have hated Mo 30 win they hats your
'If ye were ofthe world, the world
would love yc; but yc are not Of the
world, therefore the world hate YOU"
We md II policy not TO deride any
other sect on account Of Ia tenets or
practices, but 10 10 forward IN the line
OF our duty, explaining the Gospel In
meekue-s from village 10 village.
The London Missionary Society has
taken very firm root here. II has also
several large schools; where young men
are trained 10 be teachers. When those
have completed their course ut school
they seldom return 10 their own village.
The London Missionary Society began
operations here In ls30, the Catholics
IN 1870, the Wesleyans In 1898, and the
Latter-day Saints In the month Of
June, 1888. 30 you see there are only
four religions hero at present. The
people ray that 10 u ditiicult 10 know
The true Church; then We explain 10
them Ephesians 4. Z, g., and Mat.
thews ~, 2, 8. The natives say that
when the London Missionary Society
first arrived here, and for a long time
after, they prayed 10 the Lord TO keep
all other churches from these Islands.
hut their prisons have not fulfilled the
desires oftheir heart.
The people often ask why wo do not
10 10 some heathenlsh county, where
God IL not known. When We turn
and put 70 them n few questions, which
they are unable 10 find an answer for
In the Bible they will say, "we 10
not understand the question:" and NJ
try TO escape from II. But II IL n great
consolation u US TO know that We nave
tho truth and cannot be overcome, for
We speak 10 the word Of God.
IL causes my heart 10 rejoice whom
I think that there IL q great blessing In
store for this people when they will
obey the voice Of God, draw near 10
Him with all their hearts, and forsake
the many sins to which they are sub.
Ject.
think this people very much re-.
somblcs tho Indians nj home, In many
respects, but their skin v MT NO dark as
that Of the Indians, or the inhabitants
Of the Sandwich Islands, New Zeal.
and, FIJI or any Of the other islands.
They are more OF u copper color, which
renders them more beautiful than
these Others. As general rule, how
over, they resemble each other In
laboring for they only get Just enough
land cleared OIL 10 raise little "kalo"
"uIuv nuts (cocoanuts) and n few
fruits, forming a sort Of the "staH OF
lifs." They are early risers. The
Ant thing Il 10 shave q smoke" then
of 10 fish for an hour or more. Gene.
rally they return with only few
small fish and often without any Mt nli.
Last month on one fishing they
caught $50 the people said) 5000, aver.
nge eighteen inches Ia length. But
these are by no means daily occur
rences. Ths place on tho west end OF
this island IL q good country for
''fsfee, /" or devil flsh. IL Is very diill.
cult for me 10 describe this hsh. but II
is something after the snake species,
with at least seven or eight legs. This
the natives devour raw, aud with re-.
llsh, Just as We would n fat chicken. |
have eaten much OF II when cooked,
but cannot say that l fully enjoy II.
The food ID prepared and ready for
eating about II a m. The people then
take down the table, plates, knives and
forks. which consist OF plated cocoa
nut leaf, about three feet long by one
wids. When the meal IL over the
dishes are put In order IN u few Sec
onds, aud generally all the diners In.
dulgc Ina sIesta. After this they have
q long smoke aud then converse tor
an hour or more; then eat again, after.
wards do little work In the vac bush
or 10 ~ the centre Of the village where
most OF the time they are playing u
native game.
The women help In nearly all kinds
OF work. When the tide IL out they all
turn out and 20 inside the reef, search.
Ing under rocks for fish aud sen worms
OF various kinds.
A kind OF sickness prevails here
which Is not found In many other parts