President Hugh J. Cannon and Elder David O. McKay Provo, Utah © 2005 Hugh J. and Sarah R. Cannon Family All Rights Reserved. ISBN 13: 978-1-932898- ISBN 10: 1-932898- e. 1 Published by: Spring Creek Book Company P.O. Box 50355 Provo, Utah 84605-0355 www.springcreekbooks.com Cover design © Spring Creek Book Company Cover design by Nicole Cunningham Printed in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed on acid-free paper Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Cannon, Hugh J. (Hugh Jenne), 1870-1931. David O. McKay around the world : an apostolic mission : prelude to church globalization / Hugh J. Cannon. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN-13: 978-1-932898-46-0 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN-10: 1-932898-46-8 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--Missions. 2. Mormon Church--Missions. 3. McKay, David Oman, 1873-1970. 4. Cannon, Hugh J. (Hugh Jenne), 1870-1931. I. Title: David Oman McKay around the world. II. Title. BX8661.C36 2005 266’.9332--dc22 2005022259 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Inasmuch as the author and his wife are deceased, we their children have been privileged to work together in the preparation of this manuscript for publication. We are extremely grateful that this historic missionary journey was recorded for our benefi t and for posterity. We appreciate the time and eff ort of Katrina Cannon, a great- granddaughter of the author and his wife. Katrina converted the original typed manuscript with numerous handwritten additions and corrections to an electronic copy suitable for publication. She also assisted with other editing functions. We express appreciation to Bill Slaughter and others at the LDS Church Archives for their help in providing some of the pictures. Th e advice given by Cory Maxwell, Debby Simmons, and others at the Deseret Book Company has been very helpful. We sincerely appreciate the assistance of Chad Daybell and his staff at Spring Creek Book Company for their valuable advice, editing, and cover design. George. R. Cannon Alice Cannon Hicken Max R. Cannon Dean R. Cannon v CONTENTS Acknowledgements . v Preface . xii CHAPTER 1 Called to Serve . 1 CHAPTER 2 En Route To Japan . 9 CHAPTER 3 Land of Astonishing Sights and Experiences . 19 CHAPTER 4 The Japanese Mission . 27 CHAPTER 5 China Dedicated for the Gospel . 37 CHAPTER 6 Experiences in China . 47 CHAPTER 7 Oahu and Maui Islands of Hawaii . 55 CHAPTER 8 Hawaii and Kauai Islands . 63 CHAPTER 9 Blessings Received . 71 vii viii DAVID O. MCKAY AROUND THE WORLD CHAPTER 10 Tahitiahiti . 79 CHAPTER 11 Rarotonga . 85 CHAPTER 12 Wellington, . 89 New Zealand: “Hui Tau” . 89 CHAPTER 13 Maoris, Fiji, and Tonga Quarantine . 99 CHAPTER 14 Western Samoa . 107 CHAPTER 15 American Samoa . 117 CHAPTER 16 Sauniatu . 127 CHAPTER 17 TONGA . 137 CHAPTER 18 Auckland, New Zealand . 145 CHAPTER 19 Australia . 151 CHAPTER 20 Java, Singapore, and Rangoon . 161 CHAPTER 21 India . 169 CHAPTER 22 Egypt to Jerusalem . 177 TABLE OF CONTENTS ix CHAPTER 23 Palestine and Syria . 185 CHAPTER 24 Homeward Bound . 195 CHAPTER 25 The Most Wonderful Thing on the Journey . 205 APPENDIX A Maps . 211 Chronology . 214 APPENDIX B Sacred Experiences . 223 APPENDIX C A Son’s Tribute to the Author . 227 Index . 239 ILLUSTRATIONS President Hugh J. Cannon and Elder David O. McKay . ii Waterfall, Hawaii . 7 Japanese Bridge . 8 The Empress of Japan, the Ship Carrying the Missionaries from Vancouver to Yokohama . 17 Elder David O. McKay and President Hugh J. Cannon with Rickshas in the Background . 25 Hotel in Yokahama, Japan . 26 Elder David O. McKay and President Hugh J. Cannon Feeding Pigeons, Nikko, Japan . 34 Elder David O. McKay and President Hugh J. Cannon, Great Bell, Japan . 34 Asian Family . 35 A Snowy Day in Aomori, Japan . 35 The Great Wall of China . 36 Cypress Garden in the Forbidden City, Peking (now Beijing), China, Where China Was Dedicated for the Preaching of the Gospel. 45 President Hugh J. Cannon at Great Wall, China . 46 The Tenyo Maru. This Ship Had an Accident, Causing a Two-Day Delay, Enabling the Brethren to Finish their Work in China. 54 Pulehu Chapel, Maui, Hawaii. This is the Sacred Spot Mentioned on Page 61 and in Appendix B. 62 x ILLUSTRATIONS xi Hotel de Diadime, Papeete, Tahiti . 84 Crowd in Hui Tau Tent, New Zealand . 97 Native Crowd, New Zealand . 98 Hui Tau Tents . 98 President Cannon in Gardens, Suva, Fiji . 106 Boat, Samoa . 114 Elder David O. McKay & President Hugh J. Cannon, Apia, Samoa . 115 Baptism in the Rain, Apia, Samoa . 116 Crowd at Mission Home, Apia, Samoa . 126 Elder David O. McKay & President Hugh J. Cannon on Horseback, Sauniatu . 134 Band, Sauniatu . 134 Men Working on Monument, Sauniatu . 135 Time for Departure, Sauniautu, Samoa . 136 Elder McKay and Tongan Women . 142 Entrance to Jenolin Caves . 160 Pyramid, Egypt . 176 President Hugh J. Cannon and Elder David O. McKay at Sphinx and Pyramids, Egypt . 176 Meeting Wilford Booth at Railroad Station near Haifa 194 Map 1: Salt Lake City to the Arabian Sea . 212 Map 2: the Arabian Sea to Salt Lake City . 213 President Hugh Jenne Cannon . 227 PREFACE Before he became Church President, Heber J. Grant recognized that many congregations had never seen a General Authority and worse, the Church did not understand their unique problems. At that time a solution to the unfortunate situation was not evident. Th e missions in America and Europe were visited often by the General Authorities. But the members in the Pacifi c and the Armenians in Syria were not so fortunate. In October 1920 Elder David O. McKay was formally called by President Heber J. Grant to visit the missions of the Pacifi c and probably to go around the world. Hugh J. Cannon, a son of George Q. Cannon and the Liberty Stake President, was selected to accompany him. Th is was the fi rst time an Apostle would travel so extensively. Th ey made a year-long tour (December 4, 1920 to December 23, 1921) of LDS missions and other countries as they circumnavigated the world. Th eir major goal was to visit missionaries and Church members and to stabilize their spiritual values. Th ey also wanted to see what the various areas needed. Th e two special missionaries visited the Orient: Japan, Korea, and China. On January 9, 1921, Elder McKay dedicated and set apart the land of China for the preaching of the gospel when missionaries are allowed to proselyte in that huge land. Considerable time was spent in the missions of the Pacifi c Islands: Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand, and Australia. Th e missionaries then traveled on to Java, Singapore, Burma, India, Egypt, Palestine, and Syria, where they met with about seventy xii P R E F A C E xiii Armenian Saints who were without other missionaries and contact with the Church. Th ey returned home by way of Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, France, and England. During this tour of areas with little direct contact with the Church, they met with the missionaries and members in fi fteen missions, two-thirds of the existing missions at that time. Th e only missions they did not visit were Canada, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, South Africa, and three in the United States. Th ey experienced numerous spiritual experiences during their travels. Elder McKay asked Brother Cannon to record their experiences, which he did. A serialized travelogue was published in the Deseret News as the letters arrived from various parts of the world. But the desire was to produce a more comprehensive narrative, including the spiritual episodes. Brother Cannon wrote an interesting twenty- fi ve chapter account of the McKay/Cannon missionary journey. His work was interrupted by a call to serve as mission president for three years and other important activities. He died as it was nearing completion. Speaking at Brother Cannon’s funeral, Elder McKay said: “Th e narrative part of that wonderful mission has been printed in part in the Deseret News. Part of it has been printed in one of the European Church papers, but the spiritual side of it now may never be told because Brother Cannon was the one who could best tell it. Th at is one of many reasons why I say I wish that death had postponed this for many many years, for he and I have sat together since coming home and have planned ways and means of getting some of these memorable experiences in which God’s power was manifest beyond the question of a doubt, to the young people of the Church, that their faith too might be increased.” Brother Cannon had discussed the details of the manuscript and his proposed additions with his wife, Sarah Richards Cannon, daughter of George F. Richards. She had been associate editor of an LDS University magazine and then a librarian at the university for several years, so she was uniquely qualifi ed to assist him in writing, editing, and attempting to complete his document. After Hugh died, xiv DAVID O. MCKAY AROUND THE WORLD Sarah completed and corrected the manuscript. With the renewed encouragement of President McKay, she then gave the manuscript to a publisher to be printed. Unfortunately, the publisher misplaced it, and it was not found for many years. Now, eighty-four years after the important missionary world tour of Elder McKay, the lost manuscript has been published. It contains interesting and inspirational stories about the countries visited and the experiences of the two missionaries. We wish the readers a hearty bon voyage as they undertake an imaginary tour around the world as it was back in 1921 in company with two faithful disciples of the Lord.