Messages from the Missions

568 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

for the lives of these, his servants, who suffered, fought, and endured, until at length they entered the promised land in full faith and with steadfast testimony. Thanks for those who have arisen in power to fill their places. Thanks for the growth and strength of the Church, and for the deliverance it has wrought. That, through the priesthood, such faith and spiritual power is asserted among men as was never witnessed since the scenes enacted upon the shores of Galilee. That the poor have heard and found the gospel of spiritual peace, and that many have established their temporal heritage in this land of ineffable glory where the triumph of truth has set the captives free. And none are alien to these blessings who believe, repent, worship the Father in Jesus' name, and do the works of righteousness. The promise is, they shall receive a crown of everlasting life. Because of the resulting events of this day, we are planted of the Lord in the peaceful valleys where our feet tread the ways of pleasantness. Our Heavenly Father has taken fear and bondage from us, and guided us beside the still waters, where the mountains drop riches and the fields yield in abundance. Praise and thanks be to his holy name.

Messages from the Missions.

The Swedish mission has 25 branches, 70 missionaries, with a total membership of 2,182, including 278 children. During the year 1909, there were 140 baptisms, 275,399 tracts distributed, 42,624 books sold, 167,399 families visited in tracting, and 3,027 meetings held.

The Scandinavian mission reports six conferences. For the year 1909 there were 368 baptisms; there is a total membership, including 701 children, of 3,005. There are 39 branches, and 132 missionaries. During the year, 805,976 tracts were distributed, and 24,310 books sold, while 471,569 families were visited in tracting.

President Charles A . Callis, of the Southern States mission, reports 987 baptisms, and 637 children blessed, in that mission, for 1909. There are thirteen conferences, and during the year one new branch was

EDITOR'S TABLE. 56 d

organized, and four Sunday schools. Sales of the. Book of Mormon num- bered 3,528, other standard works 1,263, and other books 36,540. The total number of tracts distributed were 366,549; 46,911 copies of Liahona, the Elders' Journal, were distributed, and 1,242 subscriptions obtained.

Elder D. M. Powelson, Cork, Ireland, writes, February 20: "The Improvement Era makes such an impression for good on strangers to our religion, that I find it a splendid means of introducing the gospel among that class of people. Its moral teachings are of such high standard that wherever it is read I find it leaves a deep impression for good. I have passed my copies to numerous persons, until some of the copies are almost worn out with use. In all who have read them cases those express the idea that the Improvement Era is one of the best literary magazines that has fallen into their hands. Persons who read the Era soon lose faith in the falsehoods spread abroad about the Latter-day Saints — when they see that the official organ of the Priesthood Quorums and the M. I. A. is putting forth such admirable teachings.''

NORTHERN STATES MISSION.

The office force and President, January 10, 1910, whose address is 110 So. Paulina St., Chicago, 111.