--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 17 number: 6 published: 1914-04 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, \"Messages from the Missions,\" *Improvement Era* 17, no. 6 (April 1914): 597–600." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera176unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera176unse start_page: 597 end_page: 600 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1914-04) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera176unse publication_year: 1914 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1914, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Messages from the Missions EDITORS' TABLE. 597 Messages from the Missions Elder Golden S. Woolf, Lausanne Conference, French Mission, writes: "The work in this conference is very encouraging to the ciders. Many friends are found continually, a fair percentage of whom are being led into the waters of baptism. In spite of the broken language of the elders, our meetinghouses are well filled with eager listeners at all regular meetings. Since the organization of the French mission, in October, 1912, the spirit of work and enthusiasm has prevailed which I am sure will result in bringing the conference up to the level of the districts which have been long organized. Elders, back row, left to right: S. Shepherd, H. E. Allen, Salt Lake; Cleveland Curtis, Thatcher, Ariz.; J. Klaphaak, Rotterdam, Holland; H. M. Jensen, Springville, Utah; H. W. Mortensen, Sanford, Colorado; E. Curtis, Thatcher, Ariz.; M. B. Maughan, Wellsville, Utah. Front row: J. Pearson, Salt Lake; O. C. Woolley, Grantsville; G. L. Woolf, conference president, Cardston, Canada; Edgar B. Brossard, Logan, Utah mission president; J. W. Summerhays, Salt Lake; M. D. Salisbury, Baker City, Oregon; B. F. Howells, Salt Lake." Gospel tent services have been made a branch of the missionary work in the Florida district of the Southern States mission. In the latter part of the summer, President Callis had a gospel tent made with a seating capacity of two hundred and fifty. Elder John Nielson, assisted by two of the traveling elders, was placed in charge of it. The tent was set up in southern Georgia, and moved from town to town in a southerly direction as far as Tampa, Florida. This city was reached a short time before Christmas. After a series of meetings, lasting four weeks, the tent was moved over to Miami, on the east coast of Florida. The brethren are now taking a northerly course with the tent. This method of preaching the gospel in the southern cities has proved a decided success. It has brought the gospel prominently before the business and professional men and the people generally. GOSPEL TENT USED IN THE CITIES OF THE FLORIDA CONFERENCE, SOUTHERN STATES MISSION Elder John Nielson, shown above, had charge of the gospel tent until he was honorably released to return home. The tent is set up in towns having a population of 3,000 and upwards. Services are held in some of the towns for two weeks. A meeting is held every evening and an afternoon meeting on Sunday. In Tampa, fifty meetings were held by Elder Nielson and his companions in thirty days. On his way to Key West, President Callis preached twice in the tent to a large congregation. Two of the elders distribute tracts at the homes of the people during the day and invite them to the meetings. One remains with the tent to distribute literature to callers and answer questions. The Lord has blessed the brethren with much success. Large and interested audiences have listened to their discourses, and, in a number of towns, at the close of the series of tent meetings, applications for baptism have been made. Business men and others, non-members, have aided the elders to secure a suitable place for the tent, and they have given them money and invitations to dine with them. Elder G. B. Rose, Grand Rapids, Michigan, February 6: "In Grand Rapids we meet prejudice on every hand and so far has it been extended that the city mayor wrote an article in the leading paper of the city making abusive statements. He said: 'Any man or woman who would allow a "Mormon" elder to enter their door and would kneel in prayer with them are not men or women.' With this feeling among the people we find sincerity and humility very necessary. We are not allowed to hold street meetings or sell books of any value. However, we are not discouraged. 'Lord forgive them, for they know not what they do.' We are thankful for the gospel. During the month of January we distributed ten Books of Mormon and eighteen small books, two hundred twenty-five Liahonas, eight thousand three hundred sixty tracts. We have taken eight Liahona subscription:-, and have held fifty-six meetings. Elders, left to right: G. B. Rose, Logan; A. C. Olsen, Goshen, conference presidents: George V. Hansen, Weston, Idaho; Parley L. Cloward, Salem; W. J. Taylor, Harrisville, Utah." President Le Grand Richards, in a letter dated Rotterdam, Holland, February 13, conveys the sad news of the death of Elder Hugh R. Woolley one of the efficient and energetic workers of the Netherlands mission. Elder Woolley is the son of L. C. Woolley of Centerville, in which place he was born October 7, 1890. He arrived in the Netherlands mission November 12, 1911, labored at Middleborg and Antwerp, and later was transferred to Dordrecht, where he accomplished a splendid work in presiding over that branch. On January 4, 1914, he was called to preside over the Amsterdam conference, but was unable to fill this appointment owing to his sickness and final death, which came about Saturday, February 7. 1914, at 10 a. m. Elder Woolley was at first confined to his room, suffering with his hip, and later with what appeared to be a cold, but which proved to be an attack of heart and kidney trouble which finally caused his death. Everything was done for him but without avail. The body was embalmed and left Rotterdam February 14, on the steamship "Xoorddam." Elder Franklin R. Smith accompanied the remains to Centerville, Utah, the home of Elder Woolley's parents. The following tribute of love and respect to Elder Hugh R. Woolley is from the missionaries of the Netherlands mission, in which the editors of the Era and many friends in Utah join: A TRIBUTE OF LOVE AND RESPECT TO ELDER HUGH R. WOOLLEY "Whereas, in the providence of our eternal Father, his servant. Elder Hugh R. Woolley, who has faithfully and diligently labored for the past twenty-seven months in the Master's vineyard, has been called into the spirit world, having completed a short life of devoted service to the cause of truth and salvation of mankind; and HUGH R. WOOLLKV 600 IMPROVEMENT ERA "Whereas, in his lovable disposition, nobleness of character, devotion to honor and duty, energetic, ' intelligent industry, cheerfulness and sincerity of friendship, perfect faith and devoted love of God and his fellowmen, the characteristics that have endeared and will perpetuate his memory in the hearts of his xolaborers and countless friends in the Netherlands mission, "Be it resolved, that we, the elders of the Netherlands mission, recognize and commend his life as a worthy example of true manhood, that we mourn his absence, but submit in sadness to the divine Providence that has bereft his family of a son and brother in so short a time and under such unusual and trying circumstances; that we deeply sympathize with his faithful father and devoted mother and all his kindred, and appeal to the Author of our beings for solace and comfort unto them, and that we seek to know the mind and will of the Lord in our sorrow and to acknowledge his wisdom in our bereavement. "Le Grand Richards, President; Richard B. West, Secretary; Ina A. Richards, B. Tiemersma, Alonzo Barker, Jr., Wm. E. McCullough, Keith R. Jensen, Ambrose Hanchett, Wilford Davis, Ray D. Fitzgerald, Henry A. Thornock, Alma J. De La Mare, Franklin R. Smith, R. Franklin Lambert, Henry W. Hansen, Henry J. Watkins, Estel L. Wright, John F. Barlow, Wm. R. Parker, Roy P. Christensen, Joseph Fiet, Wm. M. Richardson, Wm. S. Hill, Bote C. Dokter, James N. Lamph, Frank S. Emery, Herman Pootre, Joseph A. Burrows, Jesse V. Parker, Charles S. Clark, Nico Teerlink, Frank J. Stevens, Anthon Bosch, Glen H. McEwan, Frank L. Beatie, Archibald Freebairn, Jr., Wilford B. Murray, Charles O. Jackson, Andrew C. Smith, J. H. Burningham, Jr., Marshall H. Flake, Joseph W. Nikolaus, Leland L. Van Orden, E. M. Christensen, Leslie T. Foy, John E. Adams, Melvin M. Leishman, Wayne M. Atwood, Grant M. Romney, John H. Cottam, P. Lee Nebeker, W. LeRoy Mahoney, Borgan A. Anderson, Walter B. Hanks, Gosse Slot, D. Milton Marble, Evan L. Aiken, Antone Aldrichs." ELDERS OF THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCE Front row, left to right: S. Glenn Merrill, Preston, Idaho; Wesley E. Tingey, Centerville, conference president; William W. Taylor, mission president, Provo, Utah; R. Leo Rallison, Preston, Idaho; Wilford Bailey, Nephi, Utah; back row: N. Carson Welker, Georgetown; Ivan L. Tanner, Blackfoot, Idaho; Milton Burgess, Alberta, Canada; Gilbert C. Orme, Squirrel, Idaho.