Messages from the Missions

984 IMPROVEMENT ERA

Do yon begin to see what a serious, earnest, prayerful life-

work it is, the graving of your character ?

"As a man thinketh, so he is." What do you think about

when you are alone ? How do you act when there is no audience ?

What manner of creature are you "in the dark?" What are your

thoughts and inclinations when you think God isn't looking? What

is your real name ?

Messages from the Missions

Elder E. W. Huntsman, president of the Tonga Tabu Conference,

of the Samoan Mission, writes February 20: "We are happy and

proud for the privilege

of teaching the princi-

ples of the gospel to

this benighted but

chosen people of God.

We are proud to be

called 'Mormons', by

which name we are

known here, as we pass

from village to village.

The Lord is crowning

our humble efforts with

success. The work is

new on this island, but

we have five thriving

branches in the confer-

ence. We hold regular

Sunday schools and

Sunday evening meet-

ings, all well attended.

A Primary and Relief

Society have been es-

tablished in one branch, and in all the branches we have opened

excellent English schools, bringing splendid results. Our schools

seem to be our main hold at the present time, but we are able with the

blessings of the Lord to explain the gospel in many other ways. We

pray for the work of the Lord not only in these islands but in all

the world, and join in sending our love to friends and loved ones in

far-away Zion. Elders, left to light, standing: Charles B. Crabtree,

Rexburg; E. W. Huntsman, incoming conference president, Wood-

ville. Idaho; sitting: J. A. Lancaster, conference secretary, Sandy;

William F. Winn, ex-president of conference, returned, Smithfield,

Utah; George S. Pack, Canada, returned."

Elder Wm. A. Selck, Evadale, South Texas Conference, April

25: "We have had such good success in this part of the mission that

I thought perhaps readers of the Era might like to read of this south-

ern country. Eleven elders labor here and we all enjoy the spirit of

our work. We have twenty-seven counties in southeast Texas and

from January first to date we have been able to dispose of 127 Books

of Mormon, 972 small books and have baptized sixteen so we feel that

our labors have been crowned with success. We do nearly all country

work in the winter and work in the city during the hot summer. The

Lord is with us and we are thankful for his blessings to us."

MISSIONARIES OF THE SOCIETY ISLANDS MISSION

At the April Conference, 1914, standing-, left to right: Ervine Pear-

son, Ferron; M. H. Pond and Lewis Rigby, Lewiston, Utah; Harry

S. Gentry, Nevada; Ot-

to Stocks and Ira Hyer,

'Lewiston; Montrose

Killpack, Emery Co.,

Utah; Leonard Davis,

Blackfoot, Idaho; Lew-

is E. Westover, Lew-

iston; George de Lange,

^^H

JKMy *^| W 1

Mb

Salina; and Ora Hyer,

Lewiston,

ting:

Sister

Utah.

Ole B. Peterson,

Peterson and

Sit-

is;' fip babies, Pres. Franklin

J. Fullmer, Salt Lake.

City, Utah.

Lewiston, Cache

K,v J5 Co., representatives in

the Society Islands Mis-

H •

\ Hr ,' I

sion.

right:

Sitting, left to

Lewis E. West-

over, Ora and Ira Hyer

Sv

(twin brothers), Martin

tWMM n. '

Stand-

Harris Pond.

..n.rarn. > . > «.«

Otto

ing, left to right:

Stocks and Lewis Rig-

by.

Matthew F. Noall, Easton England, April 25: "The Bristol

Conference includes Southwestern England and Wales formerly

the Welsh and Bristol conference. Here was the old stamping

grounds of President Woodruff, Brigham Young and Willard Richards

who opened the mission in 1840, and whose efforts were attended by

phenomenal success in Herefordshire. Laboring both among the

English and Welsh people the elders of this conference have an

excellent opportunity to note the difference between the Welsh re-

ligious life and that of England. Since its rise the non-conformist

movement has found a strong hold in Wales. It is the fervor and

986 IMPROVEMENT ERA

emotional zeal and emphasis on personal experience in religion, char-

acteristic of the Welsh, that has made Wales, in times past, such

fertile soil for the gospel of Christ as proclaimed by the 'Mormon'

elders. To this England presents a strong contrast, the people hav-

ing lapsed into that spiritual stupor and indifference to religious

1'fe, today so characteristic in many parts of the world. The ter-

ritory now being tracted by the elders has been worked over and

over in the past, and we feel as if the work of gleaning after the

harvest were now in progress. The gospel message, however, is be-

ing spread with all diligence and with the blessings of the Lord

upon the work. The people we hope are being prepared for another

harvest. Elders, left to right, bottom row: G. T. Bennett, Shelley,

Idaho; W. Bennion, Salt Lake Citv; C. Merrill, Brigham City; sit-

ting: E. B. Dansie, Salt Lake, Conference clerk; W. W. Rich, Paris,

Idaho, Conference President; President Hyrum M. Smith of the

Furopean Mission; M. Llewelyn. J. Llewelyn, Grassy Lake, Canada;

standing: J. F. Palmer, Preston, Idaho; D. H. Elmer, Payson: L.

G. Leatham, Logan; P. L. Wilson, Panguitch, J. H. Reeve, Mathew

F. Noall, Salt Lake; W. Evans, Logan; too row: G. R. Dent, Salt

Lake; E. Brodbent, Nephi; J. D. Barlow, Clearfield, Utah."

Elder Winfred A. Allen, St. John, New Brunswick, Canada,

April 28: "The St. John Conference comprises the eastern mari-

time provinces of Canada,

and was recently organized

at New York City. During

the past year we have la-

bored in the city of St. John

and have met many good

people. Hundreds of people

in this city had never seen a

'Mormon' before, though

many had heard of them

from the false stories that

have been circulated concern-

ing our religion. On this account we were opposed somewhat, but we

EDITOR'S TABLE 987

now have several friends who are investigating the gospel with an

earnest desire to find the truth. Elders, left to right: Henry H.

Rawlings, Fairview, Idaho; Wm. C. Morrell, Loa, Utah; President

Isaac P. Robinson, Safford, Arizona; Winfred A. Allen, Hyrum, Utah."

Choir of the Nurnberg Conference, John Denning, leader. This

choir is making fine progress and is a great factor in gaining friends

for the elders in that part of Germany.

Elders the Nurnberg Conference, Germany, Feb. 27, 1914.

of

Tack row: A. S. Reber, R. S. Zimmerman, J. A. Deming, A. S.

Tino-ey J J Ryser. R. H. Tones, W. W. Dixon: middle row:

H. L.

Poloyd C Lamont Felt, Benjamin H. Kindsey, Ellis Barlow; sit-

ting- Waidemar Nielson, Harold I.

Goodwin, Conference President;

IMPROVEMENT ERA

Hyrum W. Valentine, Conference President, and wife, Clyde. S.

Clark.

MISSIONARIES IN THE SOUTH CAROLINA CONFERENCE

Standing, left to right: Wm. I. Bnrk, Alpine, Ariz.; Hubert E.

Record, Deweyville; Richard B. Jndkins, Warren; Wm. Reusch, Hur-

ricane; David L. Turner, Giles, Utah; Richard Cooper, Overton, Nev.;

Oscar Rasmussen, Ferron; Horace Seal, Riverton; Geo. W. Jones,

Enoch, Utah; Ether S. Ferrin, Pima, Ariz.; Winfield Hurst, Idaho

Falls, Idaho; Wallace Sorensen, Aurora; Richard C. Carter, Provo,

Utah; G. S. Hill (local) Gaffney, S. C.

Sitting: Orvis T. Call, Rigby; John A. Dowdle, Franklin, Idaho;

W. Paul Merrill, Richmond; Samuel Cordner, Mission Secretary,

Provo, Utah; Chas. A. Callis, Mission President; Arthur T. Shurtleff,

Conference President, Jas. A. Smith, Salt Lake City; Jesse W. Max-

held, Murray, Utah.

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CATAWBA INDIANS WITH PRESIDENT C. A. CALLIS

EDITORS' TABLE 989

Delegation of Catawba Indians, members of the Church, from the

Roddey branch, South Carolina, in attendance at the conference

held at Gaffney. President Callis was favored with an invitation

to be represented in a photo with them. This delegation furnished

excellent singing at one of the sessions of the conference, and some

of the brethren were called upon to open the meetings with prayer

and to make remarks. Nearly all the Catawba Indians, including the

chief, are members of the Church and they are a faithful

people.

They have a nice little meeting house on the reservation. The Sunday

school, M. I. A. and other organizations are in good condition. El-

der S. T. Blue, presides over the branch and Elder Ben Harris is su-

perintendent of the Sunday school. Both of these brethren are

members of the Catawba Indian Nation.

ELDERS CF THE NOTTINGHAM CONFERENCE, APRIL, 1914

Left to right: S. C. Gerrard, Taylorsville, Utah; J. E. Neville,

Byron, Wyoming; A. B. White, Lorren Collett, Salt Lake City; W. H.

Pyott. Ogden, Utah; T. W. Brookbank, Holbrook, Arizona; W. Brin-

ton, Holliday; W. L. Evans, Parowan; S. H. Paskett, Grouse Creek,

Utah. Center: J. M. Mills, Ogden, Utah; Leonard B. Nielson, Pres.

Leeds Conf. Provo; E. W. Watkins, Conf. Pres. Mendon; Hyrum

M. Smith, Mission Pres. Salt Lake City; James Andrews, Conf. Clerk,

Nephi; George Woolford, Smithfield; Wm. E. Cox, Union, Utah.

Front: C. Y. Nelson, Blackfoot, Idaho; Geo. H. Wheatly, Honey-

ville; F. D. Redford, Mt. Sterling; Chas. Buck, Smithfield. Utah.

Eddis W. Watkins, Nottingham, England, May 12: "The elders

in this conference seem anxious to promote the work of the Lord.

We receive considerable slander from the press and some opposition

among the people. Anti-'Mormon' plays are quite prevalent but they

result in doing us more good than harm. It is grand to know that

the gospel of Christ is upon the earth for the last time, and that

all the powers of the adversary combined

cannot overthrow it."