Messages from the Missions

Messages From the Missions

This picture shows a com- pany in a pleasant walk of nine or ten miles, from a little side railroad station. The people are O. D. Romney, president of the New Zealand mission, his wife, and one of their missionary sons,Melbourne, and Brother Peter Merrick, with his little, heavily-laden pony. The next picture shows the object of their visit, the poor, but faithful, family of Brother Merrick's, who have been members of the Church for twenty years past. They are so isolated that they seldom see an elder. Sister Romney is the first American lady they have ever seen. They are an exemplary family, well posted in the gospel, and enjoy a most excellent spirit. They hold their own Sabbath School and Sacrament meeting every Sunday. They live alone, on a little farm which is like an oasis in the desert, for nothing can be

seen from there but the dreary gum-fields in the Bay of Islands, in the northern part of New Zealand. A wonderful lesson of contentment, joy and satisfaction brought by the gospel to the faithful is exemplified by these people in their lonely cottage. — O. D. R. Elder William E. McFarlane, writing from Burlington, Vermont, October 14, says: "Elders in the Vermont conference, left to right: Joseph A. Anderson, Logan; Malcolm Walters, Tooele; Alvin A. Wood, Clearfield, Utah; James S. Mason, Rigby, Idaho; Frank B. Brown, Salt Lake City; John W. Dunn, Logan; bottom row: Matthew Madsen, Willard; Joseph L. Brown, Grantsville, Utah; William E. Rappleye, Cowley, Wyoming; Conference President William McFarlane, Manti; George L. Hatch, Chihuahua, Mexico; William D. Robertson, Park City, Utah. This conference was organized on theh 24th of July, three years ago. Much good has been done here, considering the prejudice owing to this being the birthplace of the Prophet Joseph Smith. We are greatly pleased with the success that has attended our labors this summer. We have distributed tracts in

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every county in the state, and prejudice of long-standing is slowly dying out. We have enjoyed our country work very much. The month of August was the best in the history of our conference. We distributed 21 Books of Mormon, 793 small books, 9,769 tracts, 503

Liahonas; 5,526 families were visited, and 4 cottage and 40 open, air meetings were held. The elders are now located in the small villages and report good success."

Elder L. L. Graham, Gloucester, England, December 14: "When the weather permits, we cycle out and tract the country villages. The scattered farmers, as a rule, are much pleased because we visit them at their isolated homes. They give us the credit of doing more than most of their own ministers will do, and this affords us an opportunity to explain to them the great interest which the Latter-day Saints take in saving the souls of men. We consider no effort too great to con- vey the glorious truths that have been revealed in these latter days. We are succeeding in selling many of our books, and in having some good gospel con- versations. We enjoy our labors, not- withstanding the insults we receive from some who are very prejudiced. Yester- day I handed a man a tract who was ap- parently in good humor until he learned r 4JK I was a 'Mormon.' Then, with some warmth, he accused me of belonging to a bad set of people, and did not want to listen to me, until I appealed to him to exhibit his loyalty to the British motto, 'Fair Play.' He then changed his nature, and tried to be a true Britain, giving me the privilege of explaining the object of my being here. He promised to read the literature that I gave him, and stated he would never again judge the

514 IMPROVEMENT ERA 'Mormon' people as he had hitherto done. Elders, left, J. F. Palmer, Preston, Idaho; right, L. L. Graham, Richfield, Utah."

Elders M. J. Steed and A. G. Brain of Salt Lake City write from Gateshead, England, January 13: "Although persecution in this branch of the Newcastle conference is prevalent, at the present time, our cause is still progress- ing. There are over half a million people in this district, and most of the doors have been vis- ited by the elders with books and tracts. Of late the persecution has been so severe, and the feei- ing so bitter, that we have taken the Savior's advice and gone to other towns where we have sold much literature and borne our testimony, untrammeled to many. We have a branch here of fifty members, and many are investigating the gospel. Although this is the youngest branch in the conference, it is one of the leading ones. The Saints are good tithe-payers and hard workers. We have a good Sunday school and Mutual organization. Prof. McClellan of the Tabernacle Choir, on his way to Germany, paid us a visit. We went to our meetinghouse and sang some hymns, Prof. McClellan accompanying us. In group picture, left to right: Francis Simpson, M. J. Steed, E. S. Wilcox, Prof. J. J. McClellan and his son Douglas, A. G. Brain, and Joseph Parmley.

Elders D. Rolla Harris and J. C. Sidc'oway completed a sucessful trip through the northern part of the Pittsburg, Pa., conference, on January 30, being gone about four weeks. They held a number of meetings, many distributed tracts and books and obtained a number of subscribers for the Era. They reported the conference in very good condition and the Saints and elders are working unitedly »for the spread of truth among the good people who are anxious to hear what they have to say. Elders, left to k% right, J. C. Siddoway, Teton City, and President D. Rolla Harris, Salem, Idaho.

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Elder Ernest A. Hoare writes from Sydney, Australia, November 29: "The elders shown in this cut have labored at Victoria, N. S. W., for some time. Their names are, left to right: Back row Ernest — A. Hoare, mission secretary; John E. Gleave, Robert A. Hun- ter. — Front row Sargent A. Rice, conference president; Wil- liam W. Taylor, L. L. Bunnell. Elder Rice was recently honor- ably released, and returned home on the steamship Sonoma. Elder Gleave, the late president of the West Australia confer- ence, was sustained president instead of Elder Rice. Elder Taylor was transferred to South Melbourne, Victoria conference, as presiding elder; and Elder Bunnell was assigned to labor in Richmond, Victoria. Elder Hoare, who since January, 1912, has acted as mission secretary still continues in that position. He is looking for a transfer to Queensland conference where he hopes to labor among his relatives. "Truth," a weekly publication of Sydney, commented as follows on the labors of these elders:

" 'Six cute Yanks congregate on Friday nights in the main thoroughfares of the city, in the endeavor to propagate "Mormonism." The meeting usually consists of a hymn or two, not too badly sung, and then an elder sets forth a lengthy prayer in behalf of the brethren and the bystanders. Following the petition a sermon is delivered in defense of their creed.'

"Of late the newspapers have devoted much space to the consideration of 'Mormonism,' many of the articles being far from appropriate to our noble cause. However, our elders have never suffered severe persecution, the Australians generally allowing all men freedom of worship."

James Hansen, conference clerk of Aalborg, Denmark, Elder writes,October 12: "We have just held our semi-annual conference, which was attended by President Martin Christonherson and twelve elders who labor in this conference, also a number of elders visiting from other places. The meetings were well attended. The large number of strangers who were present shows that people are interested in our teachings. The elders expressed themselves in Priesthood meeting as being much interested in the work and enjoying their

516 IMPROVEMENT ERA labors. left to righti back row: Elders, Mikkel A. Mikkelsen, visiting; Soren M. Sorensen, George S. Sanders, visiting; Adolph Peterson, Andrew E. Lauritzen; middle row: George Jensen, Lewis C. Jacobsen, Andrew M. Jensen, James C. Bolander, Jens M. Jensen,

Joseph E. Jensen; front row: James Hansen, Conference President Christian M. Jensen, Mission President Martin Christopherson, P. S. Sorensen, visiting, Christian Dowsell."

Elder Joseph A. Anderson, Burlington, Vermont, January 20: "We are re-tract- ing this city and are successful in get- ting into the homes of many honest peo- ple to explain some of the truths of the gospel. Some who had one time inter- viewed us out of curiosity are now giving us a fair investigation. Our cottage meetings are well attended and some good is resulting. Elders, left to right, sitting: William McFarlane, Manti, Utah; William A. Rappleye, Cowley, Wyoming; standing, Joseph A. Ander- son, Logan, Utah."

Priesthood Quorums'^ Table

High Priests in Granite Stake.— It appears from the 1912 annual report of the High Priests Quorum of the Granite stake of Zion that there are in that stake 429 High Priests, an increase of 43 over 1911. Among them there are 31 stake officers; 63 bishops and counselors; 138 who are laboring in the Sunday School, the Mutual, and in other ward work outside of the bishoprics; 112 who are 70 years and over; 11 patriarchs, and 20 who are disabled or infirm under 70 years. There are only 79 who are not engaged in ward or Priesthood duties; 336 out of the total number attend sacrament meetings, and 246 attended Monday evening Priesthood meetings one or more times. There are five members who are engaged in the general Church work outside of the stake; namely, one apostle, one presiding bishop, two on the General Sunday School board, and one on the Y. M. M. I. A. board.

Certificates of Membership. —The annual, circular of the Bishop's Office, for 1913, contains the following instructions relating to membership:

"Certificates of membership should be presented with the least possible delay. If for any sufficient reason members are not able to be present when the certificates of membership are presented, they may still be received by the vote of the congregation. Certificates of membership presented to a ward should be retained for reference, and new ones issued when members remove. In no instance should old certificates of membership be returned as a notice of removal to another ward."

Where persons absolutely refuse to be identified in the ward and do not desire to become identified with the Church the following instructir s of the annual circular should apply:

"If a recommend is received by a bishop for a person residing in hisward who expressly desires not to be a member thereof, or of the Church, and who requests that his name be stricken from the records, such person should be summoned before the bishopric and if he still feels that he does not desire to have a membership in the Church he should be dealt with."

Priests Quorums. — One of the stakes report that it has organized, or appointed, apresidency of the Priests Quroums for the stake. So far, we have not heard of a similar arrangement made in any other stake of Zion. There is objection to forming one Priests quorum for a stake, and that is that the Lord has placed the bishop as president of the Priests Quorum and has required him to sit in council with them