Messages from the Missions

cavern, but that he was free to tread the road leading to the peaceful land where sunny harvests wave. Ye who still linger on the threshhold of life, doubting which path to choose, remember that when years shall be passed, and your feet shall stumble on the dark mountain, you will cry bitterly, but cry in vain, "0 youth, return! Oh, give me back my early days!" Messages from the Missions. Elder Clarence Duffin, writing from Charleston, West Virginia, November 11, says: "The missionary work in the southwest Virginia SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA CONFERENCE ELDERS. From left to right, back row: William Bringhurst, Springville, Utah; Azer Briggs, Magrath, Alberta, Canada; Mark Cook, Vernal, Utah. Second row: J. M. Henderson, Teton City, Idaho; Warden Jones, Menan, Idaho; Smith Ackroyd, Magrath, Alberta, Canada; George H, Hale, Afton, Wyoming. Bottom row: P. W. Johnson, Byron, Wyoming; George J. Webb, St. George, Utah; Clarence Duffin, Provo, Utah. (Conference President); Parley W. Christensen, Tremonton, Utah.

EDITOR'S TABLE. 273 conference is prosecuted with vigor and attended with unusual successPopular prejudice is rapidly crumbling, and a spirit of toleration is taking its place. In some places we are accorded the utmost courtesy. Our needs are abundantly administered to, and schoolhouses once closed against us are now open to our use. Many people are anxiously searching for the truth, and truly our labors are not in vain. During the past ten months, with an average of 18 elders, we have held 793 meetings, sold 2,246 small books, and distributed 26,000 tracts; visited 16,234 new families, revisited 4,336 families, and spent 5,290 hours tracting; held 13,161 gospel conversations, and spent 12,000 hours in study; blessed 38 children and baptized 87 people. The outlook was nevermore propitious. The activity of the elders in counseling observance of the Word of Wisdom and to pay tithes, has met with encouragement. Not a few have discontinued the use of tobacco, tea and coffee, and some of these are over 70 years of age, and have indulged in these habits since childhood, but now bear testimony that the blessings promised through our beloved Prophet Joseph Smith follow obedience." Elder John Halversen, clerk of the Christiania Conference, Norway, writes, October 26, giving an account of a conference held on the 15th, 16th and 17th of October. He sends a picture of the elders of that conference. "Each of the Sunday school superintendents reported his school in a flourishing condition. Many non-members send their children to our Sunday schools, and in some instances the percentage of Saints and strangers is nearly equal. President Peter C. Rasmussen gave a general report of the ten branches comprising the Christiania conference, showing the work to be in very good condition. At the Sunday evening session (16th) of the conference fully 700 people were present. Many had to stand during the meeting, which lasted two and one-half hours. President Andrew Jenson, of the Scandinavian Mission, spoke on historical and gospel subjects for nearly two hours, holding k strict attention of the audience. During his present mission he hau visited Norway eight times, and he said he had learned to greatly love the Norwegian Saints. During the entire conference week the Christiania branch Relief Society prepared and served meals to all the elders free of charge, for which the elders are very thankful. On October 18, President Jenson gave an illustrated lecture on Utah and her People, before an audience of about seven hundred people, mostly nonmembers of the Church, who enjoyed it immersely. The conference was altogether a success and the missionaries feel much encouraged in their labors.