Though a fiery-tempered man, and hasty to act in the defense of his friends or his principles, he was essentially a man of peace, and his life was an object lesson before his family of patient endurance of bodily ills, perseverance in the midst of obstacles and unwavering fidelity to his religion. Courage is not always best displayed in fighting; generosity not always in ostentations giving; zeal not always in outward show of piety. He had all of these and many other good qualities, but not for public parade. He never shrank from duty however great the danger or exacting the bodily exertion involved. The cry of distress never appealed to him in vain; the needy never had to ask him for aid, for he sought them out and quickly and quietly gave them freely of the best he had.
VISIT TO A VOLCANO—MADAM PELE'S HAIR—NARROW ESCAPE FROM FALLING INTO A VOLCANO.
Two "Mormon" Elders—missionaries on the Sandwich Islands—once had occasion to visit that great natural wonder, the Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawaii, which is the largest island of the group. The Kilauea is 4,000 feet above sea-level and is on the side of a mountain, which rises 10,000 feet higher. On the top of this mountain is the master volcano of the Pacific.
At the time of the visit mentioned the Kilauea activity was confined to an immense cavity in the center of the crater valley, which is three miles in diameter and sunken two hundred feet below the surface, with black walls surrounding it which could only be descended with the utmost caution. While traversing this black surface, to reach the living lake of molten lava the visitor is liable to break through a blister and imagine he is about to make an involuntary descent into the fiery liquid below until he grasps the surface with his hands and obtains a firmer footing. On reaching the "lake" he looks downward two hundred feet upon a restless moving mass of red hot lava, surging against the rocky sides with such force as to throw masses of lava into the air, there to be caught by heavy gusts of wind and spun out into threads that bear some resemblance to a woman's hair. Indeed it is called "Madam Pele's hair," that is, the hair of "Pele," the fabled goddess of the volcano.
On the occasion mentioned curiosity and ambition led the two Elders to walk out to the very edge of the crater in order to look down more directly upon the fantastic display of the red hot mass. One of them even ventured to stand upon a projecting point of rock, veneered over with black and glossy lava, from which vantage point he watched the changes constantly occurring upon the surface of the crater. The glaring red lava sometimes cools very rapidly, and the surface of the crater may change in appearance within a few minutes from a brilliant red to a glossy black. Then within a few minutes a strip of red may appear across the surface, as if it were furrow plowed by some mighty genii, and then extending from this line, as if by magic, the black surface caves in or is overflowed by the fiery liquid below until the whole lake is again an active pulsating mass of red molten lava. As the beholder views this impressive spectacle he is apt to yield to a feeling of fascination, until he contemplates the Power that controls the mighty forces of nature of which that before him is only a slight exhibition, when a feeling of awe and sense of his own insignificance overwhelms him. He realizes how utterly impotent he would be if left to contend with such forces, and is impressed with the incomparable majesty and greatness of that Being who controls, operates and holds in check the forces of nature, and feels like exclaiming as one of old "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?"
While the two Elders stood upon the brink of the volcano absorbed in thought a sudden feeling came over the one who occupied the position upon the projecting rock that he remove therefrom, and he immediately acted upon it by walking back to where his companion stood, a few feet distant. He had scarcely vacated the projecting point when it split off from the mainland and dropped into the seething mass below. An instant's delay in acting upon the admonition that came to him would have meant certain death in a most shocking form. The volcano no longer had any attraction for him; on the contrary, he felt impelled to hurry away from the scene; he did so with a fervent feeling of gratitude to the Lord for the presence of the monitor that prompted him in time to enable him to escape from the horrible death that menaced him.
H. H. C.
FINE SPECIMEN OF MAORI—EFFECT OF THE GOSPEL UPON HIM—HIS EXCELLENT FAMILY.
"Piripi" (Philip in English) Te Maari, the subject of this sketch, was one of the first Maoris to embrace the Gospel in New Zealand, when the Elders opened up the work there in 1882. Truly Philip was one of nature's noblemen. He stood six-foot-one in his stockings; was as straight as an arrow; was handsome and, before his death in 1897, he became almost white; his hair and beard were as white as snow and always kept neatly trimmed. He had a very stately walk, and on seeing him approach one would intuitively stand erect and throw his shoulders back.
His face wore a smile that captivated and drew men and children alike to him. He was a leader among men, not alone among his own people, but among Europeans, with whom he mingled and had dealings; all learned to know his worth and that he was a man far above the average in knowledge and goodness. He was chosen by the English government and by his own people to represent the Maoris in the Colonial Government. He also held many other positions of honor and trust among his people and the whites. He was possessed of considerable wealth, and owned a city and a country home, where he entertained many people, sometimes members of the nobility, who were on business for the Government. A most praiseworthy fact is that the poorest of the poor were just as welcome under his roof as the wealthy were. All were treated alike.
His home life was simple. He was most devoted to his wife and children. He loved to take them to his country home and spend his spare time with them in the woods, the fields and in the mountains, where all nature smiled on them. He felt that he could get closer to his boys and girls there and teach them the lesson of life more effectually than in the city, where he was kept so busy with affairs of the Government and native officials.
He had seven sons and two daughters. At the death of his beloved wife he mourned full seventy days—an old Israelitish custom. At the opening of the Gospel in Maoridom, in 1882, this man had never heard of "Mormonism." He was surrounded by worldly friends—both white and native—and possessed of wealth and lands. With these surroundings followed banqueting, games, and English horse races.
He owned several very fine race horses. With all these temptations he lived a good and pure life. He however, as was the custom of the country, was a user of tobacco. This he was very fond of. The class of people he entertained at his home frequently indulged in the use of intoxicants; but these "Piripi" never tasted.
He attended the Episcopalian church, but always felt that there was something lacking, and he was looking for something to satisfy his spirit. The manner in which he became acquainted with the Gospel was related by him to the writer in substance as follows:
"Two strange men came to our home. They were unheralded by any pomp or display. They were not so much as dressed in the ordinary gown and tall hat worn by our preachers. They were clothed in very plain, but exceptionally clean clothing. There was something very different about them from our ministers. We had been in the habit of building homes for our preachers, and fed them a little better than the ordinary folks; but when these things were offered to these two preachers from a strange land—the "land of the rising sun"—America, they said: 'No, we are your fellow servants, we are here to do you service, your superiors. Let us eat with you, and of what you eat.'
"Imagine our amazement—preachers eating out of a common family dish, and with natives too! They had with them a new book, which they explained was the history of my people before they came to this land. They read portions of it to us and explained that the people of whom it spoke had lived and died in the great land to the east—the 'land of the rising sun'. We had been told by one of our native seers that the true Gospel of the Lord would be brought to the Maoris, by white men, who would come from 'the land of the rising sun.'
These men were very humble, and would not accept any of our lands, as pay; nor did they meddle with our women, but spent day and night in preaching and teaching us. We soon accepted the Gospel, and can not tell you half our joy and how the Holy Spirit was poured out upon us. And to know that we really were of the House of Israel. Why this alone brought joy unspeakable to our souls. We received that long-looked for something that we had before lacked."
"But now," said Piripi, "came the hardest task of all. They told us the good news, that we had a right to the Priesthood, and could act as ministers to our people. They were instructed to organize a branch among us; and that, should we qualify ourselves, the authority would be given us to be spiritual leaders among our kindred. We must lay aside the use of tobacco and we must not gamble nor race horses. They did not require us to 'sign the pledge' nor don the 'blue ribbon.' They were to be gone a month, and during this time we were to consider, and fast and pray and ask the Lord to help us decide.
"O, friends I will never forget my feelings. Had our other ministers requested that we conform to this ruling we would not have done so. There was not the comfort there to lead us to make sacrifices. I dearly loved my tobacco, and would have parted with all my wealth and lands rather than forsake the pipe. I did get so much good—comfort—out of it; and my blooded race horses were the pride of the land. But this new information—that 'we were of Israel' and might be ministers to our kindred—was a blessing not to be refused. They said, 'pray, fast and ask the Great Spirit to help you to decide.'
"I took my pipe and tobacco and left my home early on the morning that the Elders took their departure. Reaching a little plateau up in the hills, I found a huge rock. I sat down by it and cut up my tobacco and filled my pipe full, then took out some matches and placed them all on top of the stone. Then I stepped back a few paces. I looked at them and said to myself: 'There,' pointing to the things on the rock, 'is the devil, and there,' pointing away up the valley and over the hills in the direction of the Elders, 'is the Priesthood. Which shall I obey, God or the Devil?' Then I went to the opposite side of the rock and prayed for help. When I returned I had decided. I said, 'I will not smoke my pipe again.' Then I took a stone and broke the pipe into fragments. On the second and third days I can not tell the trials through which I went, and how I was tempted. By reason of the fasting and denying myself tobacco I became deathly sick, and on the third day, something suggested to me that my oath was that I would not smoke my pipe again, but that I did not say 'I will not use tobacco again.' 'Piripi, try a cigarette; it is the going without a smoke that makes you so ill.' I yielded and smoked two, but I did not improve, so I said, 'I will never use tobacco again in any form. Old Satan is trying to cheat me out of the Priesthood that rightfully belongs to me.' When the Elders returned I had—by the help of the Lord—conquered, and was prepared to receive the blessings that had been promised."
Later this good man disposed of all of his race horses, and worked for the uplift of his people, and died as he lived—true to the faith. A most remarkable thing is that all of his children followed in his footsteps, and are now leading pillars in the Church. He assisted in proof-reading the Book of Mormon when it was translated into his language. He died in 1897. His life was an inspiration to all who knew him. What he did in the matter of controlling his appetite, and the comfort he experienced as a result, should encourage others to try to do so.
L. G. H.
ATTEMPT OF HAWAIIAN PRIEST TO PRAY MORMON ELDER TO DEATH—HIS FAILURE AND HAWAIIAN DISCOMFITURE
Praying to death is an old practice among the Hawaiians, that prevailed in former times more than at the present day. How successful it was I am not prepared to say. I know that it proved a failure when an attempt was made to exercise it upon me over thirty years ago.
An offense, intentional or unintentional (it made no special difference which) being given, revenge was at once sought to be inflicted upon the offender without the shedding of blood. I suppose success was attained oftener when the party under anathema knew or heard of what was going on against him.
The attempt against me was so secretly kept from my knowledge that I knew of no such project against me until the affair was settled in court.
The episode developed, in the following way: I had leased a tract of rush, swampy land in Crater Valley, consisting of about fifty acres to a Chinaman for the cultivation of rice. Within the boundaries of this tract was an old "loi" of about a half acre which in former years had been devoted to the growing of kalo roots, from which poi is made. When the Chinamen began work on this loi with their big hoes two native women with native men came with a din and noise such as only Chinamen and Hawaiians can make and drove the Chinamen off. I was in Honolulu at the time. On returning Kupau, a noted lawyer for the konehike, (employed to watch and see that the Chinamen did not trespass upon the land) came to me and informed me of the fiasco, and was anxious to know what could be done to prevent strife. I advised that he muster all the Chinamen he could and divide them into four squads; then place one squad or division at each corner of the land which the natives were contesting for, and have them go to work. If the natives should come and drive them from one corner of the land, let the Chinamen proceed to another corner and take the place of the Chinamen stationed there, who would in turn supplant the next squad until the fourth squad should take the place of those just ousted by the natives, and resume work until they in turn were driven off. In this way the Chinamen could keep alternating all day if necessary. My policy was to limit the contest if possible to the natives and Chinamen, and if litigation had to be resorted to I preferred to defend rather than prosecute. The plan worked, and after half a day of intense noise, the echo of which was wafted through the mountains, the natives planted a suit against me as the "konehike" for ejectment. In connection with the planting of the lawsuit, the two women went and secured the services of a "Kahunapule" —a priest of the ancient order. This priest sacrificed black pigs and chickens and went through with his incantations while he feasted on pork and fowls for three weeks previous to the trial. The last act which the two contesting women were instructed to do before the trial was to express great love and respect for me, but they were to heap anathemas on Kupau, the attorney. They did meet me in a street in the city of Honolulu as I was on my way to the court house.
I may here add that the purpose of the kahunapule and the meeting of the two women were not understood by me until after the trial was over and the jury, after being out two hours, came in with a verdict in my favor. During these two hours I sat in the center of the courtroom with my head resting on my hand. In the hall way of the courtroom sat ten or fifteen members of our Church, intensely interested in and anxious as to what the verdict should be. As I refused to go to lunch with the sheriff the natives believed I was praying during the two hours the jury was out, for they knew of the kahunapule though I did not, and they wanted to see which God would prove to be the more powerful. When the jury came in and announced the verdict every Church member gathered around me with expressions of "aloha" far to exceed what the two women had manifested to me on the street, although that was so public I felt ashamed.
The two women left the courtroom and repaired to their Kahunapule, moaning and lamenting as they traversed the streets of Honolulu.
As the accusers departed my people informed me for the first time of the action of the kahunapule and told how anxiously they had awaited the result. They remarked "we watched you during the two hours the jury were out and believed you were praying to God."
At the time of the occurrence of the court proceedings my wife and I were in Honolulu ready to take the next steamer for San Francisco. Thirty-three years have passed since then, and I am still alive, notwithstanding the efforts to pray me to death.
H. H. C.
[Transcriber's Note:Misprints or misspellings in the text have been corrected, or are otherwise as they appear in the book. Changes include: Prophet, Massacre, unusual, following, ridicule, thereafter, missionary, displayed, concerned, repudiated, although, inmates, bishop, presume, Colonel, murderous, without, wilderness, Millard and scientific.]