| 838 God. I have no doubt but there will be a great work done there.
Br. Pratt is still on the Island of Tooboui, and the last account we had from him, he had baptised [baptized] all the white inhabitants of the Island except one, and four of the natives, in all something like twelve in number. So you see that the work has a good hold there, and there is no missionary there to stop the progress of the work; and more than all this, some of the men that have been baptised [baptized] speak the native language well, and have been ordained Elders, and have gone to work preaching the fullness of the gospel to them. So you can see that the work is prospering there. If we had five hundred elders here there would be plenty of business for them.
I have been on Huahine but one week as yet, and have not preached, as I am but a stranger. But I expect soon to obtain a house and preach, as there is one or two that show some disposition to assist me in getting one. Almost every white man on this Island keeps a grog shop and a gambling house, which is a very bad example for the natives. If you say any thing to them about it, they will say that the whites learned us. That is all you get out of them. They are full of licentiousness, which the sailors are very willing to encourage.
When I look around me and see so much iniquity and abomination, it makes me sick to the very heart, and I wonder that the Lord has spared the world so long as he has.
There is but one missionary here, who rules the Islands, as it were. All the people say that he is a very nice man; but I cannot say so much of him as he refuses to talk with me. I met him once and introduced myself to him, and told him that I was a servant of the Lord, and had come to bring good tidings to the people if they would hear, and offered him my hand, which he took very reluctantly, and very slightly bid me good bye. I told him I would walk along with him, which I did for a short distance. I told him I would like to see him when he had leisure; he told me he was always busy, giving me to understand that he did not want to talk with me; but notwithstanding, I invited him to call on me, to which he made no reply. By this time we had got to the house where I boarded, he bidding me good bye, which thing he had done as much as four or five times, since we had met, which did not exceed twenty minutes. I have not been able to speak to him since. I feel that the work of the Lord will be established here notwithstanding the wickedness of the people, and their priest to help them. One thing is, I mean to do all in my power and leave the event with God. It is a hard place and no mistake.
I am well and in good health, and so were the rest of the brethren at the last accounts from them. I weigh about one hundred and seventy pounds. In Br. Pratt's last letter, he says that on board of some ship there were steelyards that drew two hundred pounds and that they would hardly weigh him; so you can see that we are not very poor as to flesh. My spirits are tolerable good, though I would be glad to get back among the saints and with my family and friends. No one can tell how sweet the society of saints and friends is, but those who are deprived of that blessing. What makes it worse is that we cannot ever hear from them.
I hope that these few lines will find you, and all my brethren and sisters, enjoying good health and spirits, peace and plenty. Give my best love to all enquiring [inquiring] friends. Tell them to pray for us. God bless you all, is my prayer for you, and so as ever your husband and friend.
NOAH ROGERS.
MRS. EDA ROGERS, Nauvoo.
Extracts from H. C. Kimball's Journal.
On the morning of the 24th we started for Liberty, Clay county, where our brethren were residing, who had been driven from Jackson county, taking our course round the head of Fishing River, in consequence of high water. When we got within five or six miles of Liberty, General Atchison, and several other gentlemen, met us, desiring that we would not go to Liberty, as the feelings of the people of that place was much enraged against us. Changing our course and bearing to the left, we pursued our way across a prairie; then passing through a wood until we came to brother Sidney Gilberts, where we camped on the bottom of Rush Creek, in a field belonging to brother Burket on the 25th.
This night the cholera came upon us, as we had been warned by the servant of God. About 12 o'clock at night we began to hear the cries of those who were seized with the cholera, and they fell before the destroyer. Even those on guard fell with their guns in their hands to the ground, and we had to exert ourselves considerably to attend to the sick, for they fell on every hand. Thus it continued till morning when the camp was separated into several small bands and were dispersed among the brethren.
I was left at the camp in company with three or four of my brethren in care of those who were sick. We stayed with, and prayed for them, hoping they would recover, but all hope
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