The Brigham Young Center

Great Salt Lake City July 19th 1854

President Philip B. Lewis
and the Elders & Brethren
on the Sandwich Islands.

Dear Brethren

On the l0th inst. I received per Mail a letter from Bro. George Cannon bearing date March 4th /54, & containing a plain and detailed account of the condition of the mission in which you are engaged, which gave satisfactory evidence and assurance to me that your energy, perseverance, and wisdom had been abundantly blessed by the Lord our God unto the accomplishment of the work whereunto you were sent.

Information of your movements towards procuring a printing press, of your failure to secure a suitable temporary location for our native brethren, and of your subsequent operations for procuring a vessel for their conveyance to San Bernardino had been previously received, and in all of which I frankly coincide I commend your wisdom and efforts.

However it is necessary that the most suitable places that can be procured, be provided previous to the arrival of any of the Island imigration, hence I have written to Bros. Lyman & Rich to send a delegation to our missionaries on the Rio Virgin and the Presidencies at Harmony, cedar City and Parowan, to consult with them & decide upon some location on the Rio Virgin and its tributaries, or upon the Maddy, or both streams where the soil is good, climate similar to that of the Islands, the aborigines peacable, and industrious and where the Island brethren will be aloof from the contamination of settlements in California, be near us & among their lineal brethren the remnant of Jacob, many of whom are now baptized and all of whom are said to be very industrious, friendly & Peaceably disposed this is the best arrangement that can be made for the present, & will doubtless result in mutual benefit and to the best present welfare of those you may be able to forward.

I do not doubt that many of you would be pleased to see us, & your homes in these vallies, and the dictates of the Spirit to me are to permit all the Elders who have been upon the Island for several years to return as they may be moved upon and the way open.

The longer your experience the greater will be your conviction, that when missions are such a long distance from headquarters, it is too tedious & uncertain to depend upon the First Presidency for counsel in all cases that may arise, you will therefore, as heretofore, consider yourselves with the God of Israel for your trust, as sufficient for the duties that may arise & continue to be humble & trust in the Lord, & all will go right

Tell our native brethren that we are ever mindful of their welfare, & pray for their prosperity in time and all eternity. As this Mail is closing I will refer you to our news paper for general items simply adding that peace, prosperity & general good <health> are richly extended to us and all's well in the Mountains and I remain your brother in the Covenant.

Brigham Young