Messages from the Missions

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.] From the Elders' Journal it is learned that the elders, saints, and friends at Huntley, Sampson county. North Carolina, "have converted some of the green pines in that locality, with the assistance of a sawmill, into building material, and have succeeded in erecting the framework of a nice little 'Mormon' Church, which they expect to complete in the near future." Edward H. Anderson, Jr., writes from Hamburg: "If the boys at home are wise, they will learn to sing; if they don't, they will regret it when on missions,

EDITORS TABLE. 571 holding meetings alone, where perhaps only two or three are familiar with the songs to be sung. * * * -pj^g ^^^^ j ggg qJ ^.jjg influence of music, the more I see the necessity for training the young people of Zion in the art of singing, and also in our choir work. Words sung touch tender chords in the heart where the same words spoken would never penetrate." From ihe annual report for 1905 of the Swiss and German mission in Der Stern, March 15, 1906, it is learned that there are 107 elders laboring in that mission; there are 2,909 officers and members, and 1,087 children under eight years of age, making a total of souls in that mission of 3,996. During the year there were 321 adults baptized and fifty-two children. Nearly 350,000 tracts were distributed. Serge F. Bailiff is the president of the mission, with Merrill Nibley, secretary. There are thirteen conferences, and the headquarters is at Hoschgasse, No. 68, Zurich, Switzerland. President Heber J. Grant writes from Liverpool, March 8, that the circulation of the Millennial Star, for December 21, the memorial issue, was 13,000, and that the regular subscription list is only 2,000. He further says: "While at Brussels, I had the pleasure of meeting the United States Consuls at Brussels and Liege, and also a very influential international lawyer, at the former place, who was acquainted with President George Q., Cannon, and other leading men in Utah, and who had been entertained at his home by Elder Nelson A. Empey. He is a firm friend of our people. After returning from Belgium, I took a trip of five days, and held evening meetings in five different towns in the North of Holland. The trip was very enjoyable, and increased my good opinion of the country and people." President J. M. Christensen of the Scandinavian mission, writing from Copenhagen under date of March 31, 1906, informs the Millennial Star that President Nils Evenson of the Trondhjem conference, Norway, has been convicted of the "crime" of performing a baptism contrary to the laws of Norway. He has been sentenced to pay a fine of five hundred kroner (£27), or serve forty-five days in prison. Two of the local brethren have been fined fifty kroner each for administering the sacrament. President Evenson has appealed the case, but we are not yet advised of the result. The Norwegian law gives religious freedom to all Christian bodies, but the Latter-day Saints are not recognized as Christians, therefore it is technically unlawful for them to perform any religious rite or ceremony. However, the liberty-loving people of the country look with such disfavor upon the law that it has been practically a dead letter. Usually the police and the magistrates see the unfairness of the law and avoid, as much as possibe, its enforcement. They proceed against the "Mormons" only when forced to do so by the agitation of the bigoted priests of the country, at whose instigation the law against the Latter-day Saints was passed. It seems that the elders in Trondhjem have aroused the ire of the hirelings of that city. Whatever other results may follow such persecution, it is certain that by such a course the truth will be brought forcibly to the hearts of many honest people.

572 IMPROVEMENT ERA. Stuart Meha, son of a native chief, and a faithful Latter-day Saint, of Norsewood, New Zealand, writes enclosing a subscription for the Era, and saying that in that district of country the Saints are enjoying the blessings of the Lord, and many manifestations of his goodness: Of course, we have our little hardships sometimes, but I believe they are given for a test to give us experience, that we may know how to appreciate good things from bad, the sweet from the bitter. The potato crop throughout the colony is infected with blight. Last year it was confined to certain districts only, but the market price raised to about $9.00 for a four-bushel sack, but the price this year will be much greater, and imported potatoes from the United States are expected to bring about $50 per ton. The next conference is to be held at Te- Hanke, and I hope there will be a good attendance, and that the people may be imbued with the spirit of the conference, that they may be strengthened in the faith. One of the greatest drawbacks among the people is their love for 'tohungaism' (priestcraft and witchcraft), and many allow themselves to be deceived by it; and you know what a hold horse-racing and gambling have on the Maori people. 0! would that there were more Hirini Whaangas,—men strong in the faith, leaders among the people, to inspire them to good! The Porirua branch has been reorganized with Patara as president. Elder Bodily tells me that the people there are doing well now. Brother Meha further states that he was much touched by the remarks of I'resident Joseph F. Smith during the burial services, in Utah, of the old chief Hirini Whaanga. "In fact, all the elders who spoke on that occasion" he says, "manifested the spirit of perfect love for the Maori people." Elder P. S. Williams of Ozumba, Mexico, writes to the Era, under date of April 10: One of our native sisters died in the Chalco district, Mexican mission, recently. Her husband, though not a "Mormon," invited us, as well as his own minister, to attend the funeral, and assist in directing the services. On arriving at the house we found that the minister, a native, was offended because we had been invited, and he was doing all he could to prejudice the congregation against us and our doctrines, and said he would leave if we remained. The people reasoned with him, and tried to get him to stay, as we were all friends of the deceased, but all to no avail. He said he could not associate with "Mormons," or his members would, accusing some of them of having already, turn ' 'Mormons." As he was leaving, we came out of the house and requested him to stay, telling him we were quite willing for him to take charge of the meeting, that we were desirous only of paying our respects to our sister and friends, and wanted no ill feeling to disturb the solemn occasion. After a moment of calm talk, he came in and directed the meeting for something like an hour, asked one of us to speak a few minutes, and to dismiss the meeting. Afterwards we spoke with him pleasantly for a few moments, gave him our cards, and asked him to visit us at our headquarters, saying that we would be glad to exchange ideas with him on Gospel principles, and hoping that he would invite us to see him in return, but he was ashamed of us and left. We followed the deceased to the grave, sang some of our hymns, and after dedicating the grave, we invited all present to attend our meeting at 6 p. m., and most of them did so. Two of the elders spoke on the

EDITOR'S TABLE. 573 atonement, as well as on the necessity of repentance, and a higher moral living. After meeting many asked for tracts, and we were invited home with a stranger, and treated very kindly. Since then, several who were present have come to our Sunday schools and meetings, and all are very friendly to us. We returned good for evil, and good Tias been returned to us heaped up and running over. We believe that the Gospel message is one of peace, humility, and good will. W. J. Kohlberg, a young man of German desoent, was born on a farm near Chicago. He is now a member of the 18th Ward, in the Ensign Stake, and resides at 281 B Street. He writes to the Era of two dreams and a prophecy: While on a Wisconsin train bound for my native Illinois home, anticipating a happy meeting with my parents, brothers and sisters, after a first and lengthy absence, I fell asleep, just before reaching the junction where I was to change cars:—dreamed of home, and did not awake until the train was near the boundary line of Iowa, and I, further away from home than ever. I got off at the first station, with the intention of taking a train back, but before doing so, I met a man who was instrumental in leading me to the place where, for the first time, I attended a "Mormon" meeting. That meeting later resulted in more than I had anticipated—my mountain home among the Saints. After hearing awful tales about the "Mormons" and reading for two and a half years all that I could find, for and against the Church, I determined to know things for myself, bade my pleading parents, friends, and relatives goodbye, and left my home in tears with a promise of converting either myself or some of the "Mormons." I arrived in Salt Lake City on New Year's morning, 1903, an absolute stranger. The first residence i entered was that of Solomon F. Kimball, at 274 6th Street, where to my surprise I was greeted and welcomed as one he had seen before. I had never seen Brother Kimball before, and I wondered, till he said: "I saw you in a dream three days ago." This statement together with a subsequent prediction of my conversion to "Mormonism," and my accomplishment of a great work, almtst overcame my surprise—because of my skepticism concerning "Mormon" dreams and prophecies—but his further telling me of my past experience in the East, and my reason for coming West, turned my surprise into greater wonder. When I expressed myself as thinking Brother Kimball a good mind-reader of past and present, and a possible guesser of the future, I was boldly told of the glorious victory that would take place within me by coming faith and evidence. Oh, how I hoped it true! Faith and evidence one way or the other, was what I had long been looking for, and now—0 happy thought!—to have them come to me! When I remembered the pangs I had endured in Doubting Castle, I not only hoped their coming, but I prayed for them in tears, and looked till both came and conquered unbelief. On a sunny morning, the second day in the beautiful month of May, 1903, faith and evidence led me to the waters of baptism. Later I was confirmed with knowledge, and filled with conviction, through the gift of the Holy Ghost. Since then, amid storms and sunshine, I have had ecstatic experiences and mountain-high evidence that so-called "Mormonism" is the restored gospel of Christ.