| Show SAMOA MISSION on the morning ot of october a baity sarty composed of president george E browning elders C W pools poole george mccune and H li fagalii Faga Fag alii iii upolu in an open boat the faa faaaliga a lu liga bound for savali via lalovi upolu we made a stop iw in apia abia to attend to some business and then started on our journey to Lalo viat the western extremity of the island of upolu about thirty miles distant irom from abig apia we made but slow progress owing to a strong west wind that blow blew la in our head bead s when we had reached a point lying about seven or eight miles west of fagauli fagalii we ran up to the shore and waited while elder mccune walked on a short distance to Pu lipa 6 where one of our saints ifopo lives and add informed him of the whereabouts of our boat it had been previously arranged that ifopo should accompany us on our journey they soon reached us ud and we again set out down the coast after a long ani and hard row we reached lalovi at two in the morning of the next day sunday after a few hours rest we arose and assumed our sabbath Steb bath day duties we held two well attended meetings one in the forenoon and one in the afternoon with elders poole and bassett as speakers at the former and president geo E R browning and brother ifopo at the latter next day monday the natives busied themselves in making preparations for the journey on tte morrows morrow to savall savali to which place we were to go to hold conference according to eap exp expectation acta we started out on our trip by boat to savali on tuesday oct 18 there was a crew of ten oarsmen oarsman oars men in addition there were president goo E Browni browning 0 W poole Geo McCune H li L bassett ifopo papalii lii taafua and we had bad a breeze aud and sailed almost all the way across the channel to savali only using the oars for the last mile 0 or r two when we reached the nearest point of savail savaii elders elder poole and mccune got out of the boat as they desired to walk to Balelo toga olega and there meet elder A twitched Twit chem when all three could proceed on foot to saleaula arriving there then in time for conference fredde Pred dent george B Z browning and elder bassett remained in the boat which after waiting an hour or two at a neighboring village resumed its journey towards saleaula some thirty five miles further down the coast we went outside of the rest reef bicain at a place called fags faga thor the passage through the he reef was a very dangerous one and it was only with great difficulty that we got through we found the sea outside in terrible commotion and our boat pitched and tossed about awfully though the sail saik was up and the wind was strong enough to propel us the oars were PI plied aed continuously to steady the boat after a long and perilous ride in the darkness we found ourselves opposite our destination with a dangerous reef between us and safety none of us knew where to find a passage through the reef and the question was dla die pro and con whether or not to remain out at sea till daylight the night was dark beneath us rolled waves of laky inky blackness the heavens were obscured by darks dark lowering clouds it was finally decided to seek an in let through the reef again and again we crept up cautiously towards the reef only to hasten back again to a safer distance we finally reached ft a place where the roaring of the waters water upon the reef were not so loud and with each oarsman pulli pulling with his might the boat shot towards tb th eisland each occupant of the boat offer I 1 ing da up a prayer for safety we waited almost breathlessly for the result the waters WA tera surged and roared on either side of us and dark though the night was we could see the white foam of each incoming wave as it was beaten into flying spray upon the reef our sus sue pense was not of long duration an alloise providence had smiled graciously upon us and it seemed as though a master hand band had guided us through the dreaded barrier into safety we were soon into quiet wat waters are and paddling our way up the coast A few minutes later ani ana we were received with welcome at vaituutuu by elders carpenter and merrill Merrilla and nJ the saints it was about 10 1030 80 p m when we reached there VAITUUTUU savail samoa thursday oct 20 elders C W poole A twitchell hell and geo mccune got here at about one 0 acl ock p ni having walked from the east end of the island toe next day oct elders eldera C H bridges and C B R thomason arrived at about 7 p m having come from Oagat Gaga ull tuli ou on the opposite side aide of savail the Foga tuii tull saints were unable to be present on the corbing of oct about 30 a baptism was performed the applicant was a young lady named she was baptized by elder jos JOB H carpenter in the afternoon of the same day the saints brought to us as presents of food consisting ot of pigs pig chickens gabs fish taro bananas etc and a plea pleasant maint feast was indulged in the meal being over the young folks folk put ou oo their finest ornaments and adorn ings inges and gave in our honor what to is termed a Talo tast they marched along before us ua singing the while and keeping time to the accompaniment compani ment ot of a drum the procession was headed by a young man who dahood along dexterously twirling a huge box war knife the farad halted in front of us and each person topped stepped forward and laid down a present oon consisting of one taro or one chicken when this was over a or native dance was given the men performing first and the young ladies following our boad orew crew from upolu thon their performed their alva the whole was a pleasing asing sight eight and was performed very gracefully and was rendered in good time the pro gramme concluded witha shooting contest by the school children with bows bow and arrows in tha evening a very pleasant time was had bad liate listening ning to the young folks wring bing their ivil vil or songs of praise the missionaries narles a aided their quota to the musical exercises on the morning of Sunday Sunda yOot Oct the first meeting of our conference was held in the saleaula meeting house commencing at eight jos joe H carpenter pres of the savil bavil branch was in charge the missionaries present were pres goo geo E browning J H carpenter H L basset bassat C H bridges A twitchell jos W mer rui rill geo mccune C B R thomason and C W poole after singing and prayer president george E browning addre addressed ased the meeting illustrating the importance of accompanying our faith with works president carpenter followed A sunday school meeting was held commencing at 10 am president carpenter presiding he offered a few voids of bf welcome to the parents of the cb children ildren and to all who had assembled to witness the exercises pupils of president carpenters class came to the et nd and quoted several passages of scripture bearing on the gospel aad ma te ie explanatory remarks on the ame same i elder merrilee Merril Pe 19 claas then atut wt ot through some nome exercises consisting of questions uns and answers after thi thit the whole scho echo ia 1 I recited in concert the articles of faith the rho roll was then called and after benediction was by brother falelua in the a hernoon another meeting was helu heki et ifor C U H bridger ad dressed the congregation exhort exhorting lug the saints to be faithful elder george mccune was wah the next speaker A testimony meeting was held in the evening even ng president carpenter resided and counseled the saints lo 10 embrace em brae the opportunity of bear lug their mies A number responded at AC the close a missionary meeting was held dent carpenter presiding the elders eiders in the following order H li bassett geo mccune jos H merrill C ff bridges C W poole J H r C R A twit chell cheil and president Pre eident geo E browning at 6 9 a in on the tha morrow oct 24 meeting was wag again held with a congregation of fifty seven deveo dent deat Oar carpenter penter presiding the church authorities general and I 1 ical ica were then presented to the conference and sustained by un unanimous animus vote the semiannual semi annual report of the mission was read and approved elder bider bassett spoke on characteristics of the the subject of organ 2 el ler for C B H Tho thomason masan bore his hi testimony to the truth of the goa pel 1 and dwelt on faith and works amer elder A Twi twitchell also addressed the meeting at the afternoon gathering president carpenter presided and rider elder C W poole adde eed the congregation president george B E browning added a few words conference adjourned for six months in the evening we aps assembled ambled in the meeting house and listened to an interesting tere te gramme pro by the saleaula Bal eaula school the exercises consisted of the recitation of english words and their meaning in the samoan language A few SOURS songs were also sung on tuesday morning october the upolu alu party consisting of president ceorge eor e E brow browning ni ng george mccune H li bassett and the upolu sains left vaituutuu on their return trip to upolu the sea was calm and we had a pleasant trip up the coast to the village tillage ot of abaga we remained there fur for about two hours when we again agaid set met out and reached Safotu lafal just before sandow sun dow dowa we stopped here but a few minutes then set out for upolu A slight breeze was blowing so we part of the way we reached lalov upolu at about midnight at about two p in of the next day pros brosang Bro brow wAng ing H L bassett and two native saints ifopo and tagaloa left lalovi in the church boat Fas faaaliga aliza bound for bigalli Fa Fi galli we intended to go right through without a stop atop but on account of headwinds head winds made but slow pro progress grIss we rowed till two in the morning when a strong headwind struck us and we ran in at till daylight at seven we again started out and aal reached magalit fagalii about finding all well at the mission house HL H L BASSETT clerk |
