Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-12-21
Jenson's Travels.
LETTER NO. xxx.

nnly six auult ndhNee "iiN 'N'''N
y,d.r Durham and myself we're the
-,.,kers he also translating for me.
"a, ubiects were the Book Of Mormon,
,br supposed origin Of the Polynesian
t,c, The restoration OF the Gospel aud
its mrs, principles. All seemed pleased
Among those present we're Alibaie, our
a,ly member on Tongatabu and another
h,n,,,sd member from Haapai, also a
.,,,icular friend who answers to the
modest appeliation Of Charley but whose
-..i native name Is Salesi ronagamolo.
s,iysilahi. Salesi Is the Tongan Tor
charley. This Is an intelligent man and
nreaeher in the Pui church. lie has
h.sn Kind to the Elders from the begin
r,ng and says he assisted Elder Brigham
smeo, in his preparation Of the only
,rae, published by our people In the
Tongan language. lie expressed him
elf as a firm believer in all our doc
times and said that he expects TO be.
come a member OF the Church at some
future day. He suggested that our IL
Jer, here would find it to their advan-
,sge to pay particular attention to the
,bisls OF leading men and officials in the
different villages, as the Tongans were a
great people to follow their chiefs. II
once the chiefs we're converted to Nor
monism," the majority OF the people
would in his opinion soon follow; but 1t
was something unusual with the natives
10 take an independent individual stand
in anything OF importance, and especially
in departing from the religion OF their
chiefs, or what is the popular religion OF
the land. We held another meeting In
the afternoon, after which some Of us
Elders attended services at the regular
Wesleyan village church In Mua, which
he took from the 3rd chapter OF Genesis,
and he grew quite eloquent in his de-
livery before he got through. The sing
ing was noisy enough but by no means
sweet or harmonious. Most Of the con.
gregation sat on mats on the floor, At
Ter the meeting the ministers and others
came forward and shook hands with us
warmly; but they made no overtures to
religious conversations. The brethren
tell me that the native Wesleyan minis.
tiers will hardly ever argue with them on
doctrinal points. In the evening the
usual testimony meeting was held in the
mission house NJ Mua, at which all the
Elders present lseven OF us) spoke brief
ly. ,,
In perusing literature on the Polynesi-
an race, find that several authors refer
to the apparent similarity between some
ofthe characteristics, religious ceremon-
les, etc. OF the Polynesians and the an
Gent lews or lsraelites. They also
generally favor the theory Of common
origin and close relationship between
all the brown.colored inhabitants OF
Polynesia, including those Of the Haw-
allan Islands, Samoa, Tongo, New
Zealand. the Society Islands, the Paumo.
tn Archipelago and other groups lying
between New Zealand and America.
Though most whites tIy to advance the
cries ior an eastward emigration from
Asia and the East Indies, they all have
to acknowledge that the proofs are lack
ing to sustain the same.
Commenting upon the origin and pre-.
historic immigration Of the Polynesiau
race, the Rev, Thomas West In his Ten
Years in South Central Polynesia"
writes: There can be no doubt that
the Tonguese religion bore in several
particulars a striking resemblance TO the
ritual and economy Of the Jewish cere'
monial law. lDdeed, this similarity pre-.
walls more are less In the various groups
ofPolynesia. Nor can II be denied that
many OF the inhabitants have strongly
marked Jewish features. But II requires
farther research, and more proof before
we can adopt the conclusion some have
come to, that any portion OF the people
are OF lsraelitsh extraction. A few Of
these points OF resemblance may here be
specified as matter OF Interest,"
!. There obtained among the Ton
gonese a regular division OF time into
months and years, these divisions being
worked by the recurrence OF sacred sea-
sons and public ieasts. which were OBJ
served with religious ceremony, and
were under the sanction Of the most rig.
OTous laws. II is also remarkable that
the Tonguese have some knowledge Of
an intercalary mouth the use and dlsuse
Of which have led 10 many discussions
among themselves.
2. The entire system OF Tabu, by
which times, persons and places, or
things were made sacred, and the many
religious restrictions aud prohibitions
connected herewith, may be easily in.
deprecated as a relic much changed and
corrupted, from the ceremonial Obser-
yanees OF the Jews.
3. The great feast OF the 'lnaji, or
Offering OF first.iruits TO the Gods every
year, seems a custom Of religious ceTe-
mony OF purely Jewish origin.
4. The same may be said OF the rite
OF circumcism which was regularly prac-
uced by them. An uncircumsIzed per.
son was considered mean and despica'
BILE; and the custom has only disap.
pearel In recent years.
S Every person and thing that
touched dead body was considered I'M
clean, and remained so until alter the
elapse OF a certain number OF days. Du-
ring that allotted time those whose du.
Ties compelled them to do the rites OF
burial, were not allowed to feed them
selves, or to touch the food prepared
by others. They were therefore care
lully fed 10y attendants
o, Females alter child birth, and
after other periods Of iniirmlty, were en-
lolned strict separations; and we're sub
lecled to ceremonial publications.
J. Tongnese had cities Of refuge cor
responding to those instituted among
NE Jews; the uses and functions Tesem-
Dled, IN some Of their features, those Of
the Mosaic law. The Taula, or priest
was SuDDDged In beroune ingnirad by