| 836 every gun that was fired, there was an English missionary shot in the head, and killed by accident, on the part of the French; and on the part of the missionary worse than foolishness, because it is said that he was drunk and went out and exposed himself, and the consequence was death. This may seem strange that so righteous a man as the priests of the sects of the day, should be drunk at so critical a time.-They are so righteous that they could not talk to us about Mormonism on the Sabbath.
I will tell you a story that one of the missionary's daughters told me that she had known them to get so drunk, when they went to hold meetings, that they went to sleep in the middle of their prayer, and another had to go and finish it. That there was not any of them but what would drink, and some of their women will get drunk, I know, because I have seen them so from day to day; and while the priest in the meeting house is attending to service their sons are out in the bush playing the whore; [wore] so says the natives.
And now if their teachers are in this situation, what situation do you think the natives must be in? This part of the story I will leave for you to judge for your selves.
In my last letter I told you that we left Br. Pratt about five hundred miles to the south of this, where there are no missionaries to disturb him, where he has done a big business, for he has baptised [baptized] all of the white inhabitants on the Island; and the last account we had from him, he had baptised [baptized] quite a number of the natives, and has organized a branch of the church, and things seem to prosper in his hands, which makes us rejoice. He has got the advantage of us, because he has no priests to fight him; and the white men on this island, can speak the native language well, and have interpreted for him from the begining [beginning].
Dear wife and friends, if you knew how lonesome we are, it seems to me that you would try very hard to get us some papers or letters, or some kind of news to cheer us in this place of iniquity. We know not where you or the church are; whether they are in Nauvoo, or whether you are scattered to the four winds. I know that when we left the states, they were making a fuss at Carthage, about the saints. I want to see you and the children very much; but I cannot at this time. I want you to write about them, and all the neighbors, and all the church. Tell Chandler to write, and Noble, and William if he is there with you. I want you, and all the church, to pray for us.
We feel that the Lord is with us and prepares the way for us.
Br. Grouard sends his love to you and says, God bless you. Give my love to all. Tell them to pray for us, and may the God of Abraham bless you, and prosper you, and feed and clothe you, is the prayer of your friend and husband. So I am for ever yours,
NOAH ROGERS.
TO EDA ROGERS.
Tahiti, Sept. 19, 1844.
DEAR BROTHER LEWIS:
I make bold to embrace the present opportunity of addressing a few more lines to you, believing that any information respecting this mission, which you so liberally contributed to, to assist onward, would be interesting to you, though it is but about two months since I wrote; but as there has several changes taken place, no doubt it will be interesting to you to know what they are.
In the first place I would say, we still continue to enjoy the best of health and spirits, for which we feel truly grateful to the giver of all good gifts. But I assure you, notwithstanding our spirits are good, we feel that they could be greatly improved by receiving a few words from home, which we have not had the pleasure of doing since we left America, no, not so much as one syllable. But we live in daily hopes and expectation of receiving some, which keeps our spirits up.
I said considerable in my former letter respecting the difficulties existing here between the French and natives, which I am sorry to say, have not, as yet, been terminated. There has been several battles faught [fought] since I wrote you before, one of which took place close by us, and in which one of the English missionaries, owing to unnecessary exposure of himself, was shot dead upon the spot. Whether this was the cause of their future movements or not, I don't know; but at any rate it was but a few days afterwards that we heard they were all, or nearly so, going to leave the Island which we learned to be true from their own lips, a few days afterwards. This certainly was very agreeable news to us, for which we felt to give thanks to our heavenly father, inasmuch as he was ordering events for the establishing of the gospel, and the rebuilding of his kingdom upon this land. There were, when we landed here, no less than fourteen missionaries upon this Island, and formerly they possessed almost unlimited power, notwithstanding they were the most corrupt set I have ever heard of, who made such high professions as they did. But I have neither room nor a disposition to enter into a detail of these abuses at present; suffice it to say, the Lord has so ordered events that all but three have left the
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