Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-12-12
CELEBRATION TODAY
IN HONOLULU, HI.
Fiftieth Anniversary OF Arrival OF Elders
There to Preach the GOspel-The
Hawaiian Mission.

favored fields IN the world IN having
as missionaries 90 those islands %
many men who have risen to pmin.uOa
TN the Church This statement b borne
out In % degree boy q glance az the
names OF some OF the Hawaiian mise
sionarigs. ln one company aI1uo hat
landed al Honolulu September 2L lNt
were Joseph T. Smith who is praI-
dent SNOW second counselor. and who,
as an earnest inle.ltuhIe. conscien-
tlous Elder Ord Israel stands second 10
none. SlIas $. Smith, who became presi-
dent OF the san Luis stake; Simpson
NJ, Molen. in the Stake presidency o.
cache stake, who recently died. w. W.
cum now president of the Summit
stake, and at present engaging In the
festivities in Hawaii. having accom-.
panied President George o. Cannon
there Ward y. Pack. who became
counselor 20 President Ciuf President
SNOW himself has been DO the Islands,
as Was also Apostle Ezra r. Penson.
The late f. A. Hammond president of
San Juan Stake. was an early mission
ary there. Elder Henry p. Richards u
salt Lake city, performed q mission 20
these Islands from November 18th. 1854
10 July eth, 1851 The Gospel was also
preached industriously by Elders John
a.. Caine. who was Ttah's Representa-
tive TO Congress for ten years. also by
William King I'D many others that
might be named.
In 1855 President Cannon's transla-
tirr Of the Book Of Mormon was pub
lished al San Francisco. and the work
IN the Hawaiian islands received
great impetus when the book was taken
tfCre.
one Of the most notable events IN the
history NJ the Hawaiian mission IS the
episode In which Walter NJ. Gibson was
involved He was a man Of talent In
many ways, but the desire FOR wealth
corrupted his nature, :and he devised
schemes by which 10 get possession OF
the property of the natives As soon
as these things became known I'm Zion.
a company OF Elders We're dispatched
on a special mission 10 look into and
correct the matter The company in
cluded President Lorenzo Snow, Amos
ties Ezra II. Benson and Joseph y
Smith and Elder W. w. CluT. the latter
two going there for the second time.
While attempting 10 land az Lahaina.
Maui, on April is, 1864. President Snow
ana party were nearly lost In the rough
sea being thrown into the waves and
rescued mitaculously The party pro-
ceeded 10 the island Of Lanai. where Nj.
Gibson had his headquarters. A meet
ing was promptly called and Gibson
was exposed In his uniquity. and ex-
communicated. The mission was then
onened again under proper auspices,
anc from that time 10 this has been
conducted in a straightforward IN
right manner.
In 1883 all Of the Elders in Hawaii
were called home 10 assist IN whatever
contingency might arise over the in
yasion Of Johnston's army The mis-
sion was left I'm the hands OF the ma
tves for three years. In 1861 Walter
VI. Gibson was sent by President Young
TO take charge OF the mission. and for
years had run Il to suit himself, until
overturned, as stated.
After the Apostles returned 10 Utah
the mission was conducted by Presi-
dent Joseph +. Smith Tor a few months.
when Elder George Nebeker was called
10 succeed him. Elder Nebeker served
as the head OF the Hawaiian mission
longer than any other man, having
been installed in that Office In 1866 and
released In 1873. term OF eight years.
Since his time the mission has been
I'm the hands OF the following Elders:
Fred a. Mitchell. Alma L. Smith. Ward
y. Pack, Simpson NJ. Molen, recently
deceased, Harvey II. Clum Edward
Partridge, EnoCh Farr. William King.
Ward +. Pack. second term Matthew
Noall and Samuel Z. Woolley OF
Grantsyille. who has presided over the
mission since 1885
That the blood Of Israel has been
copiously sprinkled I'm the Hawaiian ISL
ands is clearly manifest In the
nifty years of missionary work In that
group, $4,000 people have been baptized.
and that work has been accomplished
by about 400 missionaries. Death and
emigration has vastly depleted the
natives ranks, until now there are only
about 5000 Hawaiian members Of the
Church. That number comprises about
one-eighth Of the native population,
which Is now about 40 600. The native
race has been gradually dwindling
through assimilation with the whites,
and through disease. When the Hawaii
an mission was opened there We're over
$1,000 natives.
There are many natives living In
Utah. and while they would be over
ioyed 10 be with their brothers and
sisters IN their celebration today and
tomorrow, they feel that Zion is their
real home. and they are ever grateful
10 their Maker for having sent 10 them
the light of eternal truth and opened
before them the way OF salvation ana
exaltation by the Gospel Of the Lord
Jesus.