Letter from Joseph Henry Dean, 13 February 1888 [LE-25465]

[in sideways text] Jos. H. Dean 13 Feb. 1888 [close sideways text]

Dean, Jos. H.

Honolulu Monday Feb. 13^th 1888.

Prest, W. Woodruff ^and^ Geo. Q. Cannon,

Dear Brethren –

Your kind and encouraging letter of Nov. 22^nd reached me at Hilo Hawaii the latter part of December, and was perused with satisfaction. I have deferred answering it till now, wishing to first hear from Samoa, so that I could give you some definite word about my going to those islands. Manoa's letter, in answer to mine reached me yesterday and so I take the first opportunity, after receiving it, of informing you of its purport.

It is in every way encouraging. He begins by quoting the parable of the Saviour about the man who had 100 sheep and one got lost. He likens himself to the last one, and says his heart rejoiced on receiving my letter, for he felt that "at last, after 25 years he was to be

felt after and remembered." He and Kimo Belio left Hawaii nei for Samoa Dec. 23^rd, 1862. They raised up several branches of the church, and everything prospered until 1876, when Belio died June 3^rd. He (Manoa) continued to hold meetings until 1882, when he met with a severe accident which confined him to his house 15 months. He was fishing with giant powder, when a stick exploded in his hand badly shattering the limb and otherwise injuring him. He being the only one holding the priesthood the meetings were discontinued when he could not personally attend them, and so they have continued until now. At present they have no organization, and most of those whom he had baptized, for want of a shepherd, have been gathered in by the Catholics and Church of England. He thinks however, that most of them will come back, and that the work will prosper there as well as it had on the Hawaiian islands. He complains that he has been left so long without help, and says ^he^ has written several times ask^ing^ that help be sent him, but no heed has been paid to it.

He says I need not worry about a house for my family for we can make our home with him. These are the important points of his letter. He seems to be a sensible man. I can discover no traces of "crankyism" in his letter. It would seem that the present is an opportune time for making an opening there; and I feel quite encouraged.

I think it likely we will go sometime in May or 1st of June. I have chosen G. K. Kapule to accompany me, that is I have made up my mind to choose him unless between now and conference something changes my mind. He is a man of great faith, Is well educated, and understands the gospel thoroughly. He is also a man of commanding presence, and is as free from Hawaiian superstitions as any native I know of. He has been a member of the Hawaiian legislature, and for several year[s] tax collector on Maui. Moreover he seems to have great confidence in me, and in our travels together the last term never thought

of op^p^osing me or going contrary to my counsel. He combines ability with humility which is a somewhat rare and valuable combination. The only draw back is his age - he being 60. He is very well preserved however and as straight as an arrow. Bro. Smith is acquianted with him I think.

When on Molokai recently I came across some Samoans who had been here 8 years. I asked them if they had any books in their language I could buy, they had not, but showed me their bible, and I was somewhat disappointed to find that I could not understand scarcely a sentence. I saw a Maori bible once and it was much nearer the Hawaiian than the Samoan ^is^. I copied part of the 5 ch. of Matthew ^from the Samoan bible^ which I have studied and find there is more similarity than I at first supposed. I send you a copy as I feel it will be interesting to Bros. Cannon and Smith. Togata is kanoka, manga mauna, noto noho, lagi lani, the t is used for k, Le is the, Lo is the poss. ko etc. Salo lagi is lalo under and lagi heaven,

that is under heaven or earth. There is a peculiar repitition of the nominative as you will notice in ^{13 and} 14 verses. I think I will be able to master the changes in a few months, but it will take time for the ear to get accustomed to the sounds so that I will be able to understand them.

At present it seems that the passage will be quite expensive, If we take steerage it is $100 each, cabin $200 each. The weather is sometimes bad so they can't land passengers there and they have to take them through to New Zealand. They therefore charge all Samoan passengers full fare to Auckland. It doesn't happen more than once a year probably but they have no opposition and so can do as they please. If they should happen to take you to New Zealand they will charge you full fare back to Honolulu again to bring you back to Samoa. I remonstrated the other day with the steam ship company here, but they as well as said "well if you dont like it you need not go". Sailing vessels