"Two strange men came to our home. They were unheralded by any pomp or display. They were not so much as dressed in the ordinary gown and tall hat worn by our preachers. They were clothed in very plain, but exceptionally clean clothing. There was something very different about them from our ministers. We had been in the habit of building homes for our preachers, and fed them a little better than the ordinary folks; but when these things were offered to these two preachers from a strange land--the "land of the rising sun"--America, they said: 'No, we are your fellow servants, we are here to do you service, your superiors. Let us eat with you, and of what you eat.' "Imagine our amazement--preachers eating out of a common family dish, and with natives too! They had with them a new book, which they explained was the history of my people before they came to this land. They read portions of it to us and explained that the people of whom it spoke had lived and died in the great land to the east--the 'land of the rising sun'. We had been told by one of our native seers that the true Gospel of the Lord would be brought to the Maoris, by white men, who would come from 'the land of the rising sun.' These men were very humble, and would not accept any of our lands, as pay; nor did they meddle with our women, but spent day and night in preaching and teaching us. We soon accepted the Gospel, and can not tell you half our joy and how the Holy Spirit was poured out upon us. And to know that we really were of the House of Israel. Why this alone brought joy unspeakable to our souls. We received that long-looked for something that we had before lacked." "But now," said Piripi, "came the hardest task of all. They told us the good news, that we had a right to the Priesthood, and could act as ministers to our people. They were instructed to organize a branch among us; and that, should we qualify ourselves, the authority would be given us to be spiritual leaders among our kindred. We must lay aside the use of tobacco and we must not gamble nor race horses. They did not require us to 'sign the pledge' nor don the 'blue ribbon.' They were to be gone a month, and during this time we were to consider, and fast and pray and ask the Lord to help us decide. "O, friends I will never forget my feelings. Had our other ministers requested that we conform to this ruling we would not have done so. There was not the comfort there to lead us to make sacrifices. I dearly loved my tobacco, and would have parted with all my wealth and lands rather than forsake the pipe. I did get so much good--comfort--out of it; and my blooded race horses were the pride of the land. But this new information--that 'we were of Israel' and might be ministers to our kindred--was a blessing not to be refused. They said, 'pray, fast and ask the Great Spirit to help you to decide.'