Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-02-26

To the Editors
The Gospel of the latter days Is find
ing its way to the rude homes of the
natives among these islands. The six
teen young men who have been chosen
TO bear the glad word to these rem
nant tribes are Jealous in their search
for the honest of heart. Here as in
other fields we meet to many who are
not candidates for truth but are content
with following blind leaders. The fact
that Protestant missionaries come here
first and converted them from pagan
ism to Christianity, and translated the
Bible, argues much, to Il Tahittian, in
favor OF the Protestant faith. We FL
ders are trying to teach them truth
unfettered, as found in the Bible, and
are endeavoring to show them the path
that Christ had laid out.
Since out last letter to the News"
We have completed n neat little meet
ing house and presidents quarters just
outside OF Papeete, in Fautaua. The
work was done by the Elders who were
on Tahiti during November and De-
cCmber. The building has not been ded-
icated yet The estimated value Of land,
building and work Ia put at $1,000
Chile money. The actual cash expended
was about $500, which was donated by
the Saints of Tuamotu Islands. The
land upon which the building is located.
together with garden spot,was decided
over to the Church by good native,
Arae by name, who is investigating cur
principles. The natives are not dis
posed to sell their land, which Is very
valuable here, SO his gift became at
once generous one. And now for the
first time in the history of our work
horc we have n home for the Elders of
Tahiti and a church for the Saints. 1t
is in quiet spot beneath the palm and
the breadfrult tree.
The Elders here are now resting from
their manual labor and are struggling
with the language, which hitherto must
have been quite difficult of mastery
owing to the fact that few books had
been written as helps in the language.
Elder Miller spent some time in prepar-
Ing a book to aid the Elders In an in
telligent and logical study of the Lam
puaCe. Other Elders have also gotten
Up helps and these together with thu
French works and English dictionary
lend valuable aid to the Elders. While
these books diligently used may be OF
great service,yet for a speedy and COM
I.ehensive acquisition of the language
We have felt that no assistance could
aid us so much as humility and an
| Gliding faith in that God who sns-
tanned Peter and his listeners at Pente
| cost. Many Of the Elders have bee n
sent into the field to do full work whe.,
| they We're less than six months old in
| the mission. We frequently meet
traders and ministers of other denOm-
| nations who have had long years of
experience and yet do not speak
| Tahitian so fluently as some of our
| Elders of n year and half's experience.
| This is a matter of great consolation
| and should be of no little encourage
| men to ms. II is said that diligence is
/ always rewarded. Even now in an adj
! joining room l hear alternately the
voices of Elders Andrus, Yeattes.
Widtsoe and Rappleye as they wrestle
| with their first lessons in Tahitian.
| The word or sentence is sounded by
Elder Miller and when they attempt to
| give the new sounds ! hear roll OF
| laughter. Brother Curtis and Chapman
snugly tucked in the corner of another
room are reading the story Of the
| humble NaZarene from the Tahatian
| Bible. We are all waiting Cor a vessel
and fair wind to carry US to our vari-
| Gus fields of labor.
Since our last correspondence to the
| News" we have opened up u mission
in the Leeward group and have dedl-
Gated those islands to the preaching OF