The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-13

[Sketched from Hfe.l
Jones. The fourth was J. A. Gilbert, Jo-
sephite or member of the Reorganized
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. Both sects of the Mormon Church
are being prosecuted with equal severity.
"Our troubles began last November"
s aid Mr.. Damron. 1.-The world should
know of the action of these French Gov
ernors; yet l hesitate to tell you the story,
for fear that it might increase the severity
with which my brethren are being treat
ed"
He held hurried consultation with Mr..
Scegmiller and Mr.. Jones. He then de-
cided to tell of some of the circumsta noes,
but soon became SO indignant and so in
earnest that he disclosed his whole tale of
woe:
We have labored among the natives for
long time without restraint. In fact, Gov
ernOr Tabanu, the executive officer of the
Tuamotu group, encouraged US, as he said the
natives who were under the Mormon teaching
were more reliable and less given to drunken
ness than the others.
But about year ago last May the French
Government changed the Governors and put
in Governor Papino at Tahiti and Governor
Martin at Fakarava, the capital of the Tua-
mato grou p.
UP 70 that time the Mormons had grown in
came. The two Governors were not openly
hostile at first, but they gave little evidences
OF unfriendliness by their uncourteous recep-
ton of the missionaries.
When the schooner Evanelia arrived last
November their opposition became open. This
vessel was brought from San Francisco by the
"Reorganized" branch of the church, who are
known in Tuamotuas as the Latter-day Saints.
They intended to use it to carry missionaries
from one island to another.
| Governor Martin forbade the vessel to carry
| the French flag, which practically prohibited
its going among the islands. The American
Consul interfered and the Governor had to
withdraw from his position. He issued
| edict first, though. that the vessel should not
b used in transporting missionaries from
| island to island. Again he was forced by the
American Consul to revoke his orders.
This, OF course incensed Governor Martin
| highly. He then prohibited Mormons from
| holding any religious services or teaching a
! school on pain of fine, imprisonment and BAN
| ishment. That is the state of affairs to-day.
| Mr.. Damron declares that the reason of
the persecution is that Governor Papino
and Governor Martin, who is advised by
| Governor Papino, desire to have only the
Protestant and Catholic religions taught to
! the natives. He says that when his people
went to Governor Martin with q petition
| asking the liberty to worship the Governor
| told him he could not recognize any faith
not recognized in France. Mr.. Damron
| said:
| This is the only excuse he would give for his
cruel actions. He had nothing against our
! people except that they were Mormons and
there are only Protestants, Catholics and Jews
| in France.
| We have always complied with the laws.
When first went to the islands l asked Gov
esnor Tabanu for instructions. He told me not
to marry people till they had been first married
by the Government. AS for preaching and
teaching, he said for me to go ahead SO long as
| did not interfere with any established sect
These instructions have always complied
with.
| Nevertheless, have been treated harshly
| and unjustly When I have expostulated 1
have been insulted, and it has been impossible
for my people to obtain justice.
We are not the only sufferers, though.
There has also been trouble for the Sew
enth-day Adventists. They had school in
connection with their mission. The school
was in very f1ourishing condition. Not only
was their preaching stopped, but they were
| ordered to discontinue their school. The rea-
| son given was the same that we had received.
| The closing of the schools was opposed
| by Mr.. Damron. He says that he went to
Governor Martin and asked if they could
not continue the schools in their dwell
! ings, with their own saints as the teachers.
The answer was, s'Not if we know it, He
continued:
Then asked that we be allowed to continue
| our schools till petition we had sent to the
President of France could be heard from This
was denied US. We were told that If we opened
our schools we did it our peril.
/ y,
out citizenship papers. They were given three
| months in which to comply. They were assured
| that if the order was not obeyed they would
| be fined and imprisoned and then banished
The greatest injustice came on April g. From
| all the islands the saints had gathered at
Takaroa for their annual conference. This
they hao done tor forty years, and during the
| time of preparation there no intimation
| that there would be any objection.
At the last moment letter was received for
bidding the holding of the conference The
police and acting Governor We're ordered to see
| that it was not held and were told to report
the names of those who might take part in it.
1t was also announced that the American elders
who participated would be held personally
responsible for any disobedience.
Mr.. Damron said that the punishment
would have been imprisonment and ban
| ishment. He explained that he was not
| banished, but that he had been relieved by
| the home board from his work, and re-
| possible for him to accomplish anything
when even meetings in private dwellings
were forbidden.
The islanders were originally converted
| to Professionalism. Then the Mormons
arrived and obtained many converts. The
| Catholics and Latter-day Saints came
later. The Mormons suffer from the dis
advantage of doctrinal division. In the
Iuamotu group, according to Mr.. Damron,
"Josephites" or "Latter-day Saints" 1000
Catholics and 700 Protestants. In Tahiti
the natives, he said, are mostly Protes-
tants.
Mr.. Damron and his two assistants are
all men of marked intelligence. Mr.. Dam
ron was born in Utah. He is a handsome
man, with luxuriant black beard, bright
black eyes and an earnest manner. They
are going back to Utah in q few days.