Messages from the Missions

EDITOR'S TABLE. 495 nor guile paraded in the dress of virtue. Form and feeling should go hand in hand. What outwardly appears to be, that should exist in man's innermost heart. The Church's outward ordinances and requirements are but necessary— yet they are necessary— aids to the inner spiritual life. The Church itself, its organization, meetings, ordinances, requirements, are only helps, but very necessary helps, to the practice of true religion, — schoolmasters to direct us in the way of eternal light and truth. Young men, do not say that you are not naturally religious, and so make that an excuse for evil deeds and forbidden acts, and for not identifying yourselves with the organizations of the Church, and by such course, perhaps, smothering the Spirit of God within you, possessed as a birthright or received through the servants of the Lord by the imposition of hands. Be rather religious both in appearance and in reality, remembering what true religion means. Even as the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of propehcy, so is the possession of the knowledge that you love purity, righteousness, honesty, justice and well-doing, an indisputable evidence that you are naturally religious. Search your hearts, and you will find deep down that you possess this knowledge. Then encourage its growth and development, to the gaining of your own salvation. The Church and its quorums and organizations will help you, and the living, loving God will add his bounteous blessings. Joseph F. Smith. MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS. [Under this heading the Era will devote this page to short, pithy paragraphs from the mission fields. We invite contributions from the elders in all the world. This is a good place to record important events, and we trust the missionaries will make this department very interesting. — Editors.] We consider the Era one of our most valuable reference works, and thank you, in behalf of the elders, for your kindness in sending it to us.— Louis G. Hoagland, President of the New Zealand Mission. Writing from Hollowell, Kansas, Mrs. Elzada La Master says : "Elder William

496 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Luke gave me two numbers of the Era, and I like them so well that I wish to subscribe. Send me the November number so I can get the first of the article, "The Life of St. Paul." Enclosed is $2.00. From the Millennial Star, February 22, which contains the annual report for 1905, it is learned that there are 14 conferences, 86 branches, 227 missionaries, 4,437 officers and members, 743 children under eight, and a total of souls of 5, 180, in the Church in the British Mission. Elder John Russon, of the Northern States mission, Chicago, writes to the Era, under date of February 19: "Our mission is in a flourishing condition — never better. Already we have recorded twenty-five baptisms since the first of the year. Many more are expected in the very near future. Our efforts are to make this a banner year." This from the Elders' Journal of January 15: "The Improvement Era for December without any question of doubt is the finest and most valuable publication of its kind ever produced in the Church. It was entirely devoted to the life of the Prophet Joseph, and the important work entrusted to his care by the Lord, and the effects of that work upon the history and events of the world. Every article was a gem, and the whole was a delicious symposium of eternal truths. The publishers certainly have every occasion to be proud of the centennial number of the Era." About the middle of February, the elders were recalled from Harker's Island, N. C, where the mob lately burned the L. D. S. meetinghouse, and they will not return until protection is assured them. Serious threats have also been made against the Saints, who are among the most faithful in the Church. The Elders' Journal of February 15, says that "correspondence is now being had with the state authorities of North Carolina, and it is confidently expected that it will result in a peace officer being located on Harker's Island, who will see to it that our elders are protected from any violence, and that the people are permitted to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience, as the Constitution of our country decrees, with no one to molest or make them afraid." Elder F. F. Hintze is engaged in the work of translating the Book of Mormon into the Turkish language. He is located in Boston, Mass., where the work is being electrotyped and printed. From a letter written February 7, to Elder J. M. Sjodahl of the Deseret News, it is learned that the language is modern ArmenoTurkish: ' 'The work will be put in first-class standard condition for future use, and will be very creditable to the Church, though somewhat expensive. It is in size the same as the new Danish edition, and we have had much help in referring to the latter for certain difficult expressions and sentences. Owing to the nature of the characters the book will contain about 700 pages, a little more than the standard size in English. As we shall be provided with plates, we shall only print small editions according to needs. ' ' Elder George L. Biesinger, who is laboring as a missionary in Chippewa Falls,

EDITORS TABLE. 497 Wis., writes that he is much encouraged in his labors in that place, and that they have some earnest investigators there, who will undoubtedly soon embrace the gospel. It appears that Mr. U. R. Dee, who is editor of the Chippewa Herald, has visited Salt Lake City, and speaks very highly of the Latter-day Saints and Utah. In a one-half column article in a recent issue, he gave Elders Geo. L. Biesinger and Jno. E. Bourne of Forest Dale, Salt Lake City, a very favorable notice, in which he also speaks well of the organizations of the Church in Wisconsin, in which state there are a number of ' 'Mormon' ' missionaries, presided over by Elder Edward Hale, with headquarters in Milwaukee. He speaks of the elders as young men of distinguished appearance, winning personality, quiet and unassuming demeanor and speech, and also gives a favorable account of the rise and progress of the Church. Elder Herbert E. Woolley, of the West Pennsylvania conference, writes, March 3, to the Era : Brother William H. Chick, of Meadeville, Crawford county, Pa., has been a constant, though patient, sufferer for several years from a lame foot, occasioned by the decay of some of the bones of the foot. The exact cause of the trouble is not known, though the supposition is that it was brought about by the impaired circulation of the blood through the limb. The affliction is one that is little understood by medical men as yet, I am informed, and is at times extremely painful. For the past twelve or fifteen months the pain has been so intense that Brother Chick has been confined to his room and unable even to put his foot to the floor. Several eminent physicians and surgeons have been consulted. Two or three of the bones were removed in as many different operations, but still the pain was not relieved. We are glad to be able to record an additional testimony that there is a greater Physician, however , who can and will remove all afflictions and pains that distress his people. The following quotation is from a letter received from Brother Chick, bearing date of February 28, 1906. He says: "I am very thankful to the Lord for the great 'blessing he has poured out upon me, through his servants, inasmuch as he has healed my foot. And I have a testimony to bear to all the world that the Lord will heal his people if they will only have faith and try to obey him and keep his commandments. ' ' Need it be added that it is a source of much encouragement to us elders to have our declarations to the world, that the people of our Church are enjoying the same blessings and manifestations of God's mercy and power that were experienced by the primitive saints, confirmed by actual observation? And, as Brother and Sister Chick are each faithful Latter-day Saints, and have borne their affliction unmurmuringly for so long, and have been at last rewarded in so excellent a way, we are tempted to draw another lesson from this incident, and impress upon the saints of the various conferences abroad, as well as those at home, the fact that it is not only necessary for us to accept the gospel, but that we must also continually strive to keep the commandments of the Lord and bear our trials in patience, if we want him to love and protect us. This is the promise of the Master: "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him." — (John 14: 21).