Messages from the Missions

EDITOR'S TABLE 85 prayers; and deliver your sermons with a prayerful heart." In his passing out of this life, the young men of Zion, and, for that matter, the young men of all the world, lose an exemplar and loving advocate of what a young man should be. Every young man who needs a friend has lost one in his death; but they have the memoiy of one true and faithful, and in every way worthy of praise and emulation, so long as they remember the life and char- acter of John Henry Smith. Messages from the Missions. SHEFFIELD CONFERENCE, ENGLAND. A. Laverne Riggs, writing from Sheffield, England, August 10, says that recent agitation has caused the people to study both sides of the "Mormon" question. It is then easy for them to attack the frail argu- ments put up by the agitators. Many people are seeking after the truth and the elders are making many friends. Once they become interested, they investigate thoroughly, and many of them become converts and defend the people who are maligned. The group of elders herewith are all from Cache Valley, and had the pleasure of spending the 24th of July together in fond remembrance of the pioneers of 1847. Their names are left to right: J. R. Anderson, A. Laverne Riggs, Edwin Clawson, Benjamin Layton, Pred C. Parker, Arthur Kidman and Heber C. Cooper. Elder J. G. Gubler, Portland, Maine, July 5, says: "Two years since, the Maine Conference was organized under the direction of Willam H. Steed, of Cardston, Canada. The people were very bitter against us, and prejudice prevailed throughout the whole conference. So many ridicu- lous stories and falsehoods had been told that many of the real New Englanders really thought the 'Mormons' nothing but a band of half-breed Indians and outlaws. In the past two years there has been a wonderful change in sentiment, through the earnest efforts of the elders. Much of

86 IMPROVEMENT ERA the prejudice is eradicated, and we find many on every hand willing and often eager to listen to our testimonies of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ." At a recent conference which the elders held, five persons were baptized. The elders' circle of friends is large, and they hope for more converts soon to apply for baptism. The elders aim first to gain the good will and confidence of the people, when it becomes easy to preach the gospel. Many people are hungering for the truth, and the surprise of these people is that the elders have just what they have been looking for. It has been a source of great comfort to the elders to know that several of the early leaders of the Church came from the New England section, and that there are undoubtedly many more who would be as faithful, true and great as these were ; and the elders hope that the light will come to them through their humble efforts. Elder George F. Johnson writes from Toronto, Canada, September 3, stating that the elders assigned to labor in Toronto have taken great pleasure in the street meetings which they have held. They have borne tes- timonies to many people, and dis- tributed a great deal of literature. The people there are religiously inclined and hence more easily approached than most people in the larger cities of the states. Of late they have been laboring in the country districts in Toronto. "We realize that the harvest is great but the laborers are few, and we desire to proclaim the gospel, and feel that the arm of the Almighty is at the helm, so that this work cannot fail. We pray the Lord to enable us to prove worthy of the name we bear." The names of the elders are, back row: Thomas C. Blackburn, Blackfoot, Idaho; Ira B. Cannon, Salt Lake City; George F. Johnson, Fountain Green, Utah; Ira Parnell Hinckley, Salt Lake City. Elder John W. Arlington writing from Onvit, Louisiana, July 25, reports that the Louisiana Conference is prospering. "'Mormonism' is appealing to the honest people who think for themselves. They see in it the true way to life eternal, and that it is the power of God unto salva- tion, regardless of the slanders hurled at us through the different period- icals. Thinking people realize that there are two sides to a question, and many tell us that they do not believe all that is published against us; but there are others who are not willing to believe anything but evil about us." Elder J. Earl Ballantyne, writing from Tillset, Germany, gives an account of a visit with his father and mother to the birthplace of Elder Karl G. Maeser of which the Era printed a portrait in the last .ssue. The address of the building is Zecherlaer Strasse 16, Meissen, Sax-

EDITOR'S TABLE 87 ony. Elder Maeser was born January 16, 1828. In his town the famous Dresden China is made. Elder Ballantyne visited the porcelain factory before hunting up the birthplace of Elder Maeser. The house is a typical middle-German one, and is occupied by a family named Lehmann. Several of the old residents, however, remember the Maeser family. "Just as we were taking a picture, a pair of the children of the place came up with their 'horses' and wagon. Dogs are used in this way very much in Ger- many, and it is no easy life for them. Prussia is perhaps not the most desirable place in the world to live. One of our branches, Memel is the northernmost city of Germany, and is within a stones' throw of Russia. As a rule the people are poor and ignorant, but as we are working at pres- ent among the middle classes, we meet and have some of the finest Saints in the world. I like the country, however, and enjoy the change in climate and scenery. Conditions are very different here than in middle Germany, and in learning to meet the conditions one. progresses. I was thirteen months in Hannover, one of the most beautiful cities in Germany." A. Wilford Nielson, Huntsville, Utah, and Charles C. Sorensen, Ovid, Idaho, write from Mosjoen, Norway, August 18, that they enjoy their labors in the mission field very much. They have done much country tracting in the scattered district where they labor, and have found it very inconvenient to obtain accomo- dations. A man by the name of Jansen- Fuhr has been traveling in Scandinavia giving lectures on Utah and the "Mormons" showing pictures of the leaders of the Church and Salt Lake City. Friends who visited the lectures ob- tained a very different idea of the "Mormons" from the pictures than from the lectures. His pictures showed that the "Mormons" were an intelligent class of people ; his lecture, the contrary. He wrote some very untruth- ful stories in the newspapers, but the editors kindly gave them permission to answer his statements. Since it is against the law to hold meetings on the streets, the elders have not held many meetings during the summer. A minister named P. Aslev, not unknown in Utah, is succeeding temporarily in giving the missionaries of the Latter-day Saints in the Swedish Mission some trouble. He has dug up some old law and applied it to them, and is sending complaints to the authorities asking that they be exiled from Sweden. Four missionaries laboring in northern Sweden have been banished by the authorities. These are Hyrum E. Hanson, and Gustaf Larsson, from Sundsvall and Hernosand; and Amos C. Nilson Harold H . Cederlund who have been laboring in Ostersund. The cause of their banishment is that they are Americans with no visible means of

88 IMPROVEMENT ERA support, and that they preach "Mormonism." They all deny having labored to induce natives to emigrate to America, and no such charge is booked against them. Pastor Aslev declares he will continue to complain until the elders are all exiled. Pres. J. T. Simkins, of the South Texas Conference, writes that the missionary work is progressing in that part of the country. The elders are laboring at present in the cities, are enthu- siastic in their work, and are placing much litera- ture in the hands of the people which is bringing many to the light of the tru th and causing bitter- ness to cease. The El- ders are : front row, left to right: Charles D. Terry, Provo, Utah; John Shurtz, Escalarte, Utah; James T. Sin- kins, Springville, Utah, back row; F. L. Cheney, Burley, Idaho Myron Dabbott, Mesquite, Ne- vada; Elisha Wilbur, Lorenzo, Idaho; William Marsden, Parowan, Utah; Elder Lester L. Miller and George H. Anderson writes from San Francisco, Cal., that the elders shown herewith recently made a country trip to San Raphael, a small city north of San Francisco. They made a number of friends but most of the people were very indifferent. "Four churches are within a stone's throw of each other in this city of four thousand inhabitants, but only one was used for regular service. A lady friend informed us that the other three were too poor to hire a regular minister. This seems to us to be in fulfillment of the words of Paul: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covet- ous, boasters, ****** high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away." — 2 Tim. 1-5. The elders are: left, Thomas F. Nielson, Ephraim, front, George H. Anderson, Oak City; Utah; right, George W.Gibson Alta, Canada; back, Lester L. Miller, Hyrum, Utah. I f 1 ' B W, k * '1 "

EDITOR'S TABLE 89 L. D. S. CHURCH, FRANKLIN, WEST VA. Elder L. M. Jensen, president of the North West Virginia Conference, writing from Fairmont, September 12, encloses pictures of the Church, Saints and friends of Franklin, West Virginia. The elders are proud of their little church, as it is the only one they have in the state of West Virginia. It is a great credit to the Saints of Franklin, and also to the elders who assisted in its erection. The building is 20 by 30 feet and is well finished inside and out. It is neatly painted and seated. They hold a good Sunday School every Sunday with John C. Hart- m::n as superintendent. Elder Richard T. Astle, Tacoma, Wash,, writes: "There are two elders and two lady missionaries laboring in this city. Two Sunday schools and two sacrament meetings are held each Sunday. We have also a Bible class of ten members at Payallup. One boy after attending the Bible class stated that he had learned more in relation to the life of Christ and the Bible from Sister Strong than he had ever before learned in all his life of fifteen years." They have some very faithful Saints and investigators, and many of the latter have expressed themselves that if there is a true church on earth the Latter-day Saints have it. Some time ago the elders

90 IMPROVEMENT ERA visited the home of J. N. Smith, at one time very intimately connected with the leaders of the Church through the street car and electric light service of Salt Lake City, and also with the wiring of the Temple and Tabernacle, and the organ motor. He bore a strong testimony to the integrity of the Church authorities and entertained the elders royally giving them a hearty invitation to return. Recently a spiritualist preacher visited their fast meeting. He was invited to speak, and said among other things that hypocrites did not follow unpopular religions. He bore testi- mony to the claims of Joseph Smith relating to the Book of Mormon, and stated that it was impossible to write beyond his time, as the prophet had done, without getting inspiration apart from his own knowledge. A boy of the prophets' age could not write a book of that kind without inspira- tion. On the 31st of August the elders there had the pleasure of baptising three people, while on the 7th of September seven more were led into the waters of baptism, making ten in that one week. At the confirma- tion meeting, President Melvin J. Ballard was present and address- ed the people on the duties of the saints. Meetings are well attended by investigators who have had their interest awakened by street meetings which have been held. Left to right: John T. Hislop, West Weber; MattieStrong, Alpine, Utah; Richard T. Astle, Afton Wyoming, Janet Bullock, Pleasant Grove. Utah. • Elder H. Fred Egan, Jr., writing from County Armagh, Ireland, August 13. relates- that in spite of opposition and slanders recently published in the newspapers and magazines, many people are be- coming more desirous of learning more about "Mormonism." "We have just enough opposition in our street meetings to make the listeners interested, and we often find many of the genuine Irish who love fair play. In our country tracting, we find the Irish a very hospitable and warm- hearted people. We are enjoy- ing our work very much. The elders laboring in County Armagh are, back row, left to right: T. F. McDonald, Murray; P. J. Welch, Paradise; H. L. Pierson, Ply- mouth, Utah; front: H. Fred Egan Jr., Salt Lake City. President Andrew Jenson, of the Scandinavian Mission, returned to Copenhagen from a trip to Iceland, August 29. He went there having

EDITOR'S TABLE 91 in view preparations for the further introduction of missionary work in that country. Elder Alma Peterson accompanied him. They left Den- mark on August 6, going via Scotland and the Faroe Islands. Hon. Jacob Apples, Minister of Education of Denmark, was a passenger on the ship, and President Jenson took the opportunity of forming his acquain- tance, and having several interviews with him in relation to the position of the government to the "Mormons," and also concerning the campaign of the anti-" Mormons" Freece and Thoreson. Mr. Apples though not expressing any special favor towards the Latter-day Saints was friendly, showing neither antipathy nor bitterness towards them or their religion. On the 1 1th they reached Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. Here, on the 18th of August Elder Jenson held an illustrated lecture in one of the large meeting houses. A priesthood and sacrament meeting was also held with two of the missionaries now laboring in that land, Elders Jacob B. Johnson and Haldor Johnson, and the only two members of the Church now abiding in Reykjavik in attendance. On the whole island there are only 26 members of the Church. These are scattered in many different places. On returning to Denmark, Elder Jenson held an illustrated lec- ture on board ship, on "Utah and her People," which an interested num- ber of people, officers and passengers attended. Elder Jenson declares that this journey to Iceland was one of the most romantic and interest- ing of his many missionary trips. Elder Walter Rawlins, Jr. states in a letter to the Era, dated September 8, that the elders herewith have just com- pleted forty-three open air meet- ings during the month of August, in and near the city of Derby, in the Nottingham Conference, Eng- land. They enjoyed the work greatly and met good success. The names left to right are: John W. Haslam, Salt Lake City; Walter Rawlins, Jr., Fairview, Idaho; Law- rence M. Brown, Cardston, Canada; Frederick C. Clark, Alpine, Utah, branch president. Elder Ernest W. Irwin writes from Laketown, Utah, October 3 ordering five yearly subscriptions for the Era, volume 15, to be sent to as many of his friends in the mission field, in Michigan. He says: "While I was in the mission field, I found the Era to be such a friend- maker that I feel well able and pleased to send these my friends the Era, and trust to its valuable contents in doing good, for my recompense. We hope also to send you a goodly number of renewals, with as many new subscribers as we can obtain in our ward."