A New Mission Field

A New Mission Field BY ELDER II. R. WOOLLEY We arc four elders working in Zeeland, the island pari of the Netherlands-Belgium mission. This district is composed <>!' a group of eight islands lying at the mouth of the Schelde river, between the mainland of Holland and the British Isles, at the entrance to the English Channel. We are the first elders to labor in these islands, the first town, Middleburg, having been opened nj) some six months ago by Elders White and Taylor. We are meeting with success, having baptized six persons recently. We have twenty-five families who are investigating. The people as a rule are very religious, especially the peasantry; and, being great readers of the Bible, they are able to quote almost any text brought up. The people of Vlissingen ( Flushing in English | are an exception to the general rule of people in I [olland. A large percent of them are unbelievers, both in < rod and the Bible. The ministers of the town of Middleburg are opposing our work with all their power. They have distributed books gratis in the entire town and surrounding country warning the people to have nothing to do with us, and setting forth the same falsehoods that our elders have had to meet since they came to this land. This makes the more ignorant class fear us. They would take the word of the priests rather than the word of God, as set forth in the Bible. We have given the ministers a number of Books of Mormon, so that they may gain a little light on what they pretend to preach. The people here arc primitive, both in dress and in the use of household utensils and implements on the farm. On Thursday, which is market day, may be seen the strangest and most unique gathering of people in Holland and perhaps in all Europe. The little o-irls wear long, black dresses, and the little boys are dressed in long trousers of the barn-door fashion. The men and women are dressed much like the children. The women wear long, black dresses with a sorl of white yoke extending from the

900 IMPROVEMENT ERA shoulders to the waist, in front and on the back. They all wear hoods or bonnets of a very curious make ; some look like large white butterflies in flight, while others fit close to the head like the American baby's hood. The majority of the boers or farmers in the surrounding country bring their produce to Middleburg to sell. Most of these come to the public market on Thursday, hence the unique sights. Books have been written on the cleanliness of this strange and interesting people, and much more could be said about their good qualities as well as their peculiarities if time and space would permit. The elders here are in good health and enjoy their labors exceedingly. The photo shows, left to right: W. R. Taylor, Burley, Idaho; j. E. Ostler, Salt Lake City, laboring in Flushing; H. R. Woolley, Centerville, Utah ; and F. E. White, Portland, Oregon, laboring in Middleburg. We all enjoy reading the Era and look forward to the 12th of each month, when it generally arrives here. We hope it will continue as interesting and instructive in the future as in the past. We wish you success in all your labors. MIDDLEBURG, HOLLAND.