Messages from the Missions

Messages from the Missions

In the Land of the Southern Cross Writing from Auckland, N. Z., July 7, 1917, Dr. Horace C. Holbrook says: "As the war progresses the preaching of the gospel is almost corre- spondingly decreased. In the land of the Southern Cross we are decidedly

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upon allied territory, for the love of the British Imperial Government has prompted New Zealand to send 100,000 brave men, or 10 per cent of her entire population, to the front. We find the vast majority of people not in- clined toward religion in any form; they maintain an almost impenetrable attitude of indifference toward anything which savors of Christianity, and they meet our message with, 'Don't talk to me about churches. Christian- ity!' 'You can't tell me there is a God,' 'What about the war?' "The greatest difficulty we have is to get a hearing, because 'Mormon- ism' is doubly unpopular in New Zealand. It is the rare exception, that an elder is invited- while out tracting, to explain the gospel. As a rule that which he does tell them and give them he does rather against the wishes of the listener. Once we break down prejudice, and explain the conditions in Utah, we usually find a friend, but the people who are willing to for- sake the world and its wickedness and accept Christ and His righteousness are very rare. It is indeed a day of trouble and of gleaning. We aim to ccrry the gospel to the Europeans of New Zealand, as it has been done to the Maori. I believe a stronger effort is being put forth than ever before to accomplish this. Under President James N. Lambert, I have been given charge of the European work and we are trying to reopen all the confer- ences and cities of New Zealand, and again place the truths before the people. We now have twenty-five elders doing European work, and have reopened Hamilton, Palmerston, New Plvmouth, Napipr, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill, and in each place we have two elders. In all places, except Wellington, where privileges have been denied us, we are preaching the gospel upon the streets and tracting. We are doing a similar work in Thames and Auckland, in the latter place we hold two street meetings on Sunday nights. To us this is very gratifying, because no street meetings have before been held for four years, and very few before that date. Some of these cities have not heard the voice of an elder for twelve years, at which time serious abuse and threats were meted out to them. During the past six months we have been well received and usually rewarded with plenty of listeners for which we are thankful."

Elders and Local Missionaries of Leeds Conference President George F. Richards is seen in the center of the second row fiom the front. The two brethren at his right and the two at his left are

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the traveling elders. More lady missionaries have been set apart in this conference since the picture was taken, and at present they number 36, most of whom are very active and are assisting splendidly in spreading the work of the Lord. The elders all appreciate the Era, and we think that your issue of last July was one of the best ever published. We thank you for your worthy efforts in behalf of the missionaries and mis- — sionary work. Eben J. Robinson, president of the Leeds conference, Brad- ford England.

The Work in Mississippi

Prest. P. Pratt Johnson, of the Mississippi conference, writing from his field of labor, says: "The elders in Mississippi have added a large num- ber of investigators to their list of friends, and have made their own op- portunities to explain the gospel on the door steps and in the homes of the people. They have held besides of late 13 well attended street meetings, at the close of each of these street meetings a manifestation of interest was apparent by the questions asked and the books purchased by reg- ular attendants. Thirty-eight Books of Mormon and 206 small books were sold. Many discussions have arisen among the people as to the merits T \

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of the gospel as taught by the Latter-day Saints. As the doctrines be- come better understood, much of the prejudice and the suspicion which formerly existed are removed. On September 25, the elders separated for their different fields of labor, full of enthusiasm and with firm determin- ation to publish the work of the Lord among the people. One baptism was performed by Elder Pearl George. The names of the elders are: top row, left to right: Arnel S. Milner, Clarence Paxman, Volmer T. Johnson. Bottom row: Pearl George, Chester R. England, Sterling F. Cook, and Conference President P. Pratt Johnson."