Remarks

Thus far, during conference, I have been thrilled, and I would that the preceding speakers had continued on in their splendid endeavor to give us those thoughts that are faith-promoting. I feel rather weak in standing here. It is my desire, however, to be blessed with the Spirit of God, that I may be able to speak forth words pleasing and beneficial to all present. We have listened attentively to the previous speakers concerning the good people of far-off Samoa, and the splendid Saints in the land of Sweden, now may I bring you back again to the land of the Pacific, to Hawaii, the land of my birth. I naturally feel a love for the good people in the "Paradise of the Pacific." It has been my good fortune to spend practically a third of my life in the mission field, the happiest time and the most blessed in my life. ¶

I desire to give just a brief report of four years' work there while I presided over that mission, that you may know your sons and daughters called to the mission field under the inspiration of God are bringing forth good fruit into the fold of Christ, that his work is growing and being magnified among the people. In harmony with President Adam's statement, "Mormonism" is printing itself upon the good people throughout the world. "By your fruits you shall be known." We can preach with far greater power through example — the way we live and act — than we can by word of mouth. ¶

Dr. Sullivan, an anthropologist of renown in the United States Government service, having spent many years in America, and in Mexico among the Indians, visited in the Hawaiian Islands, studying the people, under the direction of the Pauahi Museum, trying to learn where the Polynesian peoples came from, spending $50,000 a year in research work along this line. I had the privilege of going with Dr. Sullivan around the islands. He paid our people a splendid compliment. Starting out on his journey, he wrote to me saying, "I am unable to get the information from the natives that I desire; they seem to be timid about giving it." Other ministers had served with him, but they did not understand the natives, not knowing their language, and thus I went with him and some of the elders. They were not timid in the least; knowing that it was the desire of the elders of the Church that they give this information, they were free and open, did not hesitate, and he marveled about the influence the "Mormon"elders had over the natives. He said, "The moment I go into a home here, I can tell whether they belong to your Church or not.""How can you tell?" I asked. He said, "Because they seem to be superior; their home life is better, there is a sweeter atmosphere there. You people have been very wise, going among this glorious race, selecting the ¶

choicest of the people; for I find that the choicest people in the land of Hawaii belong to your Church." ¶

"Mormonism"made them thus; it was not the work of the elders, but the inspiration of God that filled their souls. The principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is what has magnified the people, both there and in Samoa and the rest of the world. ¶

Oftimes I have read of how the gospel should be preached, how it should be declared, from the housetops. I could not understand it. In my mind I pictured standing upon some building and crying out to the people. But who could hear! until the invention of the wireless? Soon after my return from the Hawaiian mission, I labored here upon the temple block, meeting with the tourists, a delightful work, I assure you. I had the privilege of attending a service in the Tabernacle that was radioed out at the time of President Harding's visit here, and in relating this to the tourists' to show how, if we were in tune we may hear, one woman spoke up and said. "I heard that message away off in Louisiana;"another heard it in California', another in Mexico. A third party said. "We were out motoring that night, and returned too late to get that message, though we had a radio instrument in our home,"consequently they missed it. A young man, several days later — a marine passing through from California made this statement — "We heard the choir sing, we heard the organ, and the remarks of President Harding, down in the waters of Japan." Pie said, "I had the privilege of being stationed with the Pacific Squadron, and on board our vessel we heard that message clearly, and how happy I am this day to stand in this building near this great organ and testify to you that I heard that clearly away down in the waters of Japan!"The Prophet Joseph Smith as a boy, being in tune, like unto the delicate instrument of the radio, and thus under that influence, went out into the woods to pray, and communed with God; the heavens were opened and he conversed with Deity. If man is able to communicate through the radio crying out from the house tops and having his voice go round the world several times in a second, then it is not impossible, truly, for God to speak to his children when he deems it wise and necessary. ¶

In the Book of Mormon the parable of the fig tree conveys a beautiful thought. I love to read it, for it is full of the inspiration of Nephi. Inspired through the revelation or vision given to his father, Lehi. he desired to understand the things that his father had seen, believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto him — he sat pondering in his heart and was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, into an exceeding high mountain, and there was revealed unto him the workings of God, the coming forth of the gospel of Jesus Christ again to the Prophet Joseph Smith. In that vision he saw the people gathered in the tops of the mountains; he saw the missionaries going out in the isles of the Pacific to gather in again the fruits of those tender branches that had been taken away from the mother tree, from the colony of Nephi, and planted out in the land where they could not be ¶

molested, where they could not have intercourse with other people, where the true blood of Israel could be preserved. And thus we find, out in the Pacific islands, the Polynesian people, the true blood of Israel coursing through their veins. ¶

The civilization of the Hawaiians before the advent of the whites had reached a high degree1, considering the limited opportunities; and when the missionaries came, the people as a whole threw off idolatry and accepted Christianity. Today, in education, in virtue, in cleanliness, the Hawaiians compare favorably with many peoples of both the old and new world, while in hospitality no people are their superiors. They recognized the voice of the shepherds. Today it is impossible to find a Hawaiian who is not a staunch Christian, though they do not all belong to our Church, to our faith. The missionaries laboring in the islands during the four years, I was there accomplished a most splendid work — and I am delighted to say the elders now are doing even a better work. There are approximately 13,000 Saints in the mission, twelve organized conferences, over fifty Sunday schools fully organized; also Mutual Improvement organizations, Relief Societies, and Primaries. This will give you an idea of how favorably the Hawaiian mission compares with some of the largest stakes in the Church. During the four years we baptized 1,438, blessed 1,387 children, and ordained 457 to the Priesthood. The last year I was there we had 2,426 tithe payers. ¶

The traditions of the islands are beautiful and in harmony with the scripture. We find the Hawaiian people today educated; I doubt if you can find any that cannot read or write, and they love the scriptures. Like unto the Samoans, they are very apt in finding scriptural passages and in memorizing the word of the Lord. Time will not permit me to go into detail much, but I would like to read just a little extract taken from the history written by King Kalakaua, showing forth some of the beliefs in the creation, the flood, and Abraham, showing how they have in that tradition carried on, from father to son, and so on down for generations, the history of their forefathers, proving in one way the origin of this glorious people. In this book King Kalakaua states: ¶

"A trinity of gods exists, named Kane, Ku, and Lono. These created the heavens and the earth, the sun, moon, and stars. From their spittle they created a host of ministering angels. In creating man, Kane formed his body ■cut of red clay mixed with spittle while Lono formed his head out of whitish clay brought from the four quarters of the earth. Then the breath of life was breathed into his nostrils and he became a living soul, and was called Kumuhonua (meaning the foundation of the earth). Afterwards from his ribs a woman was created called Keola-Kuhonua. The pair was placed in a beautiful paradise called Paliuli. Among the angels was one, Kanaloa, the Lucifer, who, when man was created demanded adoration from him. This was refused by Kane, whereupon Kanaloa resolved to create a man himself, who would worship him. He formed a being in the exact image of Kunuhonua, but was unable to breathe life into him. Repeated attempts bringing failure, he re- ¶

belled, and resolved to destroy the man created by Kane. In the form of a Moo, or lizzard, he crept into the garden of Paliuli and there caused Kumuhonua and his wife to do something which angered the gods, and they were driven out. The story of Cain and Abel is also found among the Hawaiians in the three sons of Kumuhonua, one of whom, Laka, slew his younger brother." ¶

The Hawaiians, in their tradition of the flood said that, ¶

"Nuu at the command of the Gods built a boat and with his wife and three sons entered therein, taking with them a male and female of every living creature. When the waters subsided the gods came and released Nuu and his family, who on leaving the boat found that they had rested on a mountain overlooking a beautiful valley. Nuu offered sacrifice to the moon mistaking it for Kane. Kane became angry because of this and descended upon a rainbow and there reprimanded Nuu, and Nuu repented of this, and in token to show that his repentant spirit had been accepted and he had been forgiven, Kane placed the rainbow in the skies as a token." ¶

A man by the name of Ktt Pule, representing Abraham, is also related by this king: ¶

"He was ten generations removed from Nuu. He went to the South with his wife and slave woman. Ahu. Here he established the practice of circumcision, and was the grandfather of Kuni-lau-a-mano, whose twelve children became the heads of twelve tribes, from one of which the Menehune, or Hawaiians sprang." ¶

Now we know through the tradition, and through history given to us in the Book of Mormon, that the generations of Lehi came forth from the loins of Joseph through Manasseh and Ephraim. The tradition speaks of how they traveled to the promised land under the influence of God, how they peopled this land, grew to' be a marvelous race, and then, as is recorded in the 63d chapter of Alma, some of the people entered one of the boats built by Hagoth, traversed out and were lost in the mighty deep — according to the historians' record in the Book of Mormon, but not so in harmony with the traditions of the Hawaiian people, which are that God in his mercy planted that tender branch out in the Pacific Islands. And now he is bringing them back again, and they are producing fruit that is gladdening his soul. ¶

I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. My whole being is thrilled with this testimony, and how happy I am that I have been blessed with goodly parents, and that thus far in my life I have been able to walk in that straight and narrow path. I sincerely trust and hope that the influence of heaven may be upon me, that I may continue in God's service, that I may be magnified in his good works, that I may keep the faith as long as I am permitted to live upon the earth. I know that the Prophet Joseph was called of God through inspiration, that he was in tune with the Spirit of God, and I know that all who have been chosen to lead his great work have been inspired by that same spirit. May God's choicest blessings be upon President Heber J. Grant, his counselors, and all associated with them, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶