At Rest on the Hill Overlooking the Sea

At Rest on the Hill Overlooking the Sea. BY WILLIAM A. MOODY, LATE PRESIDENT OF THE SAMOAN MISSION. [Elder William A. Moody, of Thatcher, Arizona, late president of the Samoan mission, with headquarters at Pesega, Apia, Samoa, returned to Salt Lake City on the 25th of September, having sailed from his field of labor August 25. On the 22nd of February, 1908, he left Utah, and presided over the mission the whole time of his absence. He reports the prospects good for future growth in the membership of the Church in Samoa. During his incumbency, there was an increase of four hundred and seventy-five members —three hundred and fifty-three of these being by baptism. He established, while there, thirteen new branches, there being now nineteen in all. with a total membership of seventeen hundred and sixty-one. The baptisms have constantly increased in the past three years, with a record of about two hundred for the present year. The elders have established seven schools, in which some three hundred stu- dents are being taught by the elders, of whom there are thirty in the mission, with four more on the way. Elder Moody is optimistic in his views relating to the spread of the gospel in that land, and considers the prospect promising for future growth. Elder Don C. McBride, of Pima, Arizona, was chosen temporary president of the mission. On his way across the Pacific Elder Moody found time to pen the following reflections and historical data, which we are pleased to present to the readers of the Improvement Era. — Editors]. As one enters upon the highway of life, with the eye of faith he looks into the future. He sees his goal as a distant light might be seen through night's darkness, but what lies between him and his goal he sees not, and strive as he may he cannot clearly depict what the future holds for him. But, with the boon of hope, he makes for himself a picture of achievement and success, needless to say, widely at variance with what his life's journey really

114 IMPROVEMENT ERA. brings him. He looks to the future and plans for the future. He continues to travel towards his seemingly distant goal. He observes that the members of his community are gradually being harvested by that Grim reaper called Death, Who, with his sickle keen, Mows down the ripened grain, And the flowers that grow between. Yet it seldom occurs to him that he might be harvested next, and so it transpires that whether his life be composed of trial, hardship and struggle, or whether he has easy access to that which his ambition leads him to achieve, there is wisdom in his not knowing what the future holds for him, thus causing him to live and work and develop by faith. When one receives the call of authority to carry the glad message of a restored gospel to an unbelieving world, and through faith accepts the call, it usually causes him to turn a sharp corner in the experiences of life. He severs family ties, and, amid an atmosphere of love and of good will, and of loving wishes and ardent prayers for his success, he bids farewell to his family and friends, and when the shades of night fall upon his home, made lonely now by his absence, the family kneels in humble prayer, with a longing desire, and earnestness which, perhaps, may have been wanting in the habitual formally of their prayers hereto- fore offered; and, with tear-stained eyes, they pray to the kind Father of all to let his watchcare go with our missionary, to his field of labor, crown his labors with success, and in due time bring him safely home ''laden with many sheaves." Each little child is taught to pray for brother or papa, as the case may be. A halo of holiness settles down upon the family, who have made new resolutions to live so as to merit the blessings for which they WM. A. MOODY.

AT REST ON THE HILL OVERLOOKING THE SEA. 115 pray. The angels gladly report a new epoch in the life of our messenger of salvation. Here again faith and hope are active. A beautiful picture of a happy home-coming is involun- tarily made, with its expectant joy. Yet we know not God's pur- poses— he may never return. Among the many who have thus severed family ties, some, like ripened grain, have been harvested from all parts of the world The missionaries to Samoa have yielded their portion, who are now in a more blessed abode awaiting the home-coming of their earthly kindred. We are grieved to part with those dear ones, because we love and miss them, not because we feel that they are less happy. But here again is shown the wisdom of Deity in withholding what the future had in store for them. With the "shield of faith and the sword of truth," they marched bravely into the field of battle, and after winning laurel crowns, died battling gallantly for truth and the down- fall of sin and error. It was not a combat where the noise of troops, the din of battle, and the excitement of armies caused one to forget self in the mad rush; but a battle THE CEMETERY AT FAGALII, SAMOA.

116 IMPRO VEMENT ERA . where much more courage and constancy are needed; where calm, considerate thought and faith and hope, in the ultimate triumph of truth, cause one to battle with the ever present weakness of the flesh, until he so far conquers his physical self as to make it sub- ject to his will, pure and undefiled, subject to the will of God; and having thus eradicated the darkness of evil from his soul, he becomes a light which unselfishly shines to light the pathway of others. Just back of the little village of Fagalii, on the brow of the hill overlooking the sea, about seventy-five yards inland from the beach, just where the cocoanut-covered slope suddenly forms a AT REST IN THE CEMETERY AT FAGALII, SAMOA. declivity to the low, narrow strip of land which borders the sea, is the mission cemetery. The original picket fence, being decayed, has recently been replaced by a concrete wall; and modest, white marble plates, set in suitable cement blocks, mark the resting place of the mortal remains of the following named missionaries: Ransom M. Stevens, Ella Adelia Moody and Judson B. Tom- linson. Also children of missionaries, as follows: George Emmett Hilton, Janette Hilton, Thomas Harold Hilton and Loi Roberts.

AT REST ON THE HILL OVERLOOKING THE SEA. 117 The remains of Mrs. Kate E. Hall Merrill and her one day old baby, who died June 29, 1891, were interred in this cemetery, but were later removed to America; and the remains of George E. Morris, who died December 12, 1908, were interred in the govern- ment cemetery at Apia. In making these improvements on the cemetery, it became necessary to cut down most of the beautiful trees and shrubbery which heretofore surrounded the graves, and were ever in bloom; but new shrubbery has been planted, and a new growth of beauti- ful foliage will soon spring up to adorn and again beautify that holy sanctuary. The New Firm. {For the Improvement Era.) The world may laugh, in passing by, At this new firm of Wife and I; But what care we how men may talk, For we are founded on a rock! We are the principals, you know, Our children constitute the Co., Our Creditor is God above. Our stock in trade is mutual love. At every season's ample end A baby is the dividend. Time cannot reach to rend apart The band that binds us heart to heart; And so we shall continue on When earth and sky and time are gone; And, looking through prophetic eyes Into futurity's deep skies, I see it burst the band of years And broaden into deeper spheres. Forever up eternal flights, It comprehends all depths and heights, All principalities and powers — This little company of ours. Theodore E. Curtis.