Messages from the Missions

Messages from the Missions The Growth of the South African Mission By President Samuel Martin This is a subject which lies very near to my heart, as it was in this country that I heard the name "Mormon" for the first time. Missionary activities in South Africa were commenced when Elders Jesse Haven, Leonard I. Smith and William H. Walker arrived on April 19, 1853. By June 15, Elder Leonard I. Smith baptized Henry Stringer and within six months the elders had bap- tized forty-five per- sons, organized two branches, and blessed a number of chil- dren. February, 1854, a branch was organ- ized at Beaufort by William H. Walker. Later a branch was organized at Port Elizabeth under the direction of Elder Leonard I. Smith. I n November, 1855, two of the members, Charles Roper and John Stock, purchased the ship Unity, in order to furnish a number of emigrants with steerage accommodation for Zion. In 185 7, Elder Ebenezer C. Richard- son, accompanied by Elder James Brooks, was sent from the British mission to pre- side over the "Cape of Good Hope mis- sion." In March. 1859, thirty Saints, in President Samuel Martin charge of Elder Joseph R. Humphreys, emigrated to Zion from Port Elizabeth on the ship Alacrity. In March, 1863, a company of fifteen emigrating Saints left Port Elizabeth bound for Zion. A few days later a company of thirty left by the barque. Henry Ellis, in charge of Elders Robert Grand and John Stock, local elders. Elders Fothcring- ham, Dixon and Talbot remained in Cape Colony until the spring of 1864. achieving consider- able success. In 1866, the last of the elders sailed for Zion, leaving the mission in charge of the local brethren. It was on July 25, 1903. nearly forty years later, when Elders Warren H. Lyons. Wm. R. Smith. Thomas L. Griffith and George A. Simpkins arrived to re-open the mis- sion and to their great joy found a few members still living and bearing faithful testimony. Elder George Buck, the local brother who had been left in charge of the Mow- bray branch, was its sole survivor, nearly ninety years of age, but full of zeal and testimony of the truth of the restored plan, One year and three months later it was my privilege to be the first to apply for

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 1045 baptism; and with Thomas Sawyer of Claremont, I was baptized in Table Bay and confirmed a member in the Church of Jesus Christ by Elder Warren H. Lyons. The following month I was ordained to the office of a priest and encouraged to take an active part with the elders. Our membership increased very con- siderably the following year, and the elders were able to rent a hall and organize a Sunday School, giving us all great oppor- tunities for development and growth. Since that time many have emigrated to Zion, among whom were the author of these lines and his family, in 1916. We settled in Ogden, where I was called to preside over the Y. M. M. I. A. of the Sixth ward. Later the Thirteenth ward was organized with J. H. Jenkins as bishop and I was called to be his first counselor, in which capacity I served for eight and a half __years. after which I was called to work on the high council in the Ogden stake until April, 1926, when I, accompanied by my wife and three young- est sons, was honored with a call to re- turn to South Africa as successor to Presi- dent James Wyley Sessions. The work has continued to grow under the supervision of the successive mission presidents, namely: Warren H. Lyons, Ralph A. Badger, Henry L. Steed, Brig- ham H. Hendricks, Frank J. Hewlett. Nicholas G. Smith, and James Wyley Sessions. In 1919, the South African Government decided to forbid elders of the Church of Jesus Christ to do missionary work in the Union of South Africa; therefore, during the latter part of President Nicholas G. Smith's mission and at the beginning of President J. Wyley Sessions' term South Africa was without elders; and for nearly two years the branch presidents were the ever faithful stand-bys, conducting and carrying on the work at Mowbray, Kim- berley, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, and Port Elizabeth, while the mission presi- dent visited the several districts. President Nicholas G. Smith, together with his wife and three sons, spent nearly seven and a half years as president of the South African mission. During his presi- dency the Mowbray property was pur- chased by the Church as a mission home. to which was added a small meeting house to accommodate about one hundred, and named "Cumorah." In March, 1921, President Nicholas G. Smith was succeeded by President "Cumorah." Mowbray — Mission Headquarters

1046 IMPROVEMENT ERA James Wyley Sessions. President Sessions soon set to work to gain the ear of the South African Govern- ment and successfully negotiated the re- newal of Christian ministers' rights to preach the Gospel. In granting these rights, however, the Latter-day Saints were limited to a quota of twenty-five mission- aries. He also obtained ministerial con- cessions on the government railways. During the presidency of James Wyley Sessions the Church purchased a property in Johannesburg and built a very pleasant meeting house with a seating capacity for one hundred and fifty, and accommoda- tions for four elders. Since my arrival, on June 22, 1926, growth in membership during the past twenty-four years, our active membership is not large, owing to so many having left for Zion whenever their financial condi- tions permitted. Others have removed from the branches to outlying districts and become lost to the elders, and being shut off from the Church activities I fear many found an unsympathetic world too much for their faith. I am persuaded that the South African mission comprises a larger territory than any other single mission of the Church. When we combine Northern and Southern Rhodesia, and Southwest Africa to the Union of South Africa, we have an area of over one million square miles and we 'Ramah," L. D S. chapel at Johannesburg I am grateful to report a very steady and pleasing growth. In June, 1927, with the very able assistance of Mission Secretary Leo R. Jenson, I commenced the publication of the Cumorah Monthly Bulletin, which has been a source of great help and bless- ing to Saints and friends; resuscitating quite a lively interest among many who were out of touch with the mission. Much prejudice seems to have been re- moved and the public press has1 been very fair and kind in publishing interviews from time to time, besides requesting certain articles from the elders and myself. Although there has been a constant have members scattered throughout. I visited Kabrib, Southwest Africa, in April, 1927, and ordained Brother Law- rence C. Ratcliff to the office of an elder and encouraged him to invite his friends and hold cottage meetings in his home. Since that time he has baptized three souls. At the same time I ordained Brother Ratcliff, I ordained his step-son, Bertram J. Glynn, to the office of an elder and set him apart for missionary labors with our elders in the South African Union. He is doing splendid work. Last March I took a trip up into South- ern Rhodesia, accompanied by District President Marion L. Allred. We baptized

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 1047 the two sons of Brother Walter Taylor Jubber; these brethren had not seen an elder for years. South Africa is a very beautiful coun- try. The people are hospitable and gladly extend kindnesses to the traveling elders. In the Union of South Africa we have an area of 472.347 square miles, and a white population of (about) 1,300,000; about 600,000 colored, besides nearly 4,000,000 of the negro races. Southwest Africa has a white popula- tion of about 15,000; Southern Rhodesia has a white population of nearly 50.000. many of whom are centered in Bulawayo and Salisbury, where we could use six elders. Owing to the small number of elders in the South African mission, and dis- tances being so great, we are unable to open up more than seven districts, namely: Mowbray. Kimberly, Bloemfontein. Johan- nesburg. Natal. East London, and Port Elizabeth. We have two elders in Mowbray district for a white population of 200.000; two elders in Kimberly district for a white population of 19,000; two elders in the Bloemfontein district for a white popula- tion of 20.000; four elders in the Johan- nesburg district for a white population of 200,000; two elders in Durban, Natal, district for a white population of 55,000: two elders in East London district for a white population of 22.000: and two elders in Port Elizabeth district for a white population of 30,000. We could use with success six elders in Southwest Africa, six elders in Southern Rhodesia, and fifty in the Union of South Africa, whereas we have nineteen includ- ing Sister Martin. South Africa has many towns of several thousand inhabitants which have only been casually tracted by elders passing through. We have very few local brethren who are financially able to support a son In the mission field; however, we have a: the present time two elders. Bertram J. Glynn, previously mentioned, and Albert Ed'.vard Hughes, son of Sister and Mr. Donald Hughes of Johannesburg. Both these young men are doing a splendid work and giving great joy to their parents. Our missionary labors for 1927, with an average of twenty elders, was produc- tive of much good. Our records show that we visited (not tracting) 15.5 74 families of investigators; we held 17,420 gospel conversations; sold 332 Books of Mormon and 298 standard works ind other books; 6,742 pamphlets (over six- teen pages) were distributed; 3 9,241 tracts were distributed: we held 2.74 1 meetings; baptized thirty-four converts and blessed twenty-one children. This year we have already sold more Books of Mormon and have baptized more people than all of last year. Our elders are working with a zeal and determination to prove that the South African mission is worth all that it costs the people of Zion to send missionaries to this far-off land. That it is a mission worth the sacrifice it calls for is manifested by the earnest endeavors of our elders, and we earnestly pray that the time is not far distant when we may extend our activities to the many towns where only passing visits have been made, that South Africa from Cape Town to the Zambezi may rejoice in the liberal knowledge of our glorious message, and for this purpose we humbly pray God to send us more laborers to this great con- tinent. Dr. F. W. Gunsaulus. former president of the Armour Institute. Chicago, as an educator, made this statement: "I do not believe there is an agency more destructive of soul, mind and body, or more subversive of good morals than the cigarette. The fight against the cigarette is a fight for civilization."

1048 IMPROVEMENT ERA The Armenian Mission By President Joseph W. Booth Among the twenty-seven missions of the Church, the Armenian mission is the paradoxical conundrum of them all. What is there so peculiar about it? Stop, look, and listen! Eighty-seven years ago, Oct. 24, 1841, that almost match- less prayer of Apos- tle Orson Hyde was offered on the Mount of Olives. That might be counted as the con- ception of our mis- sion work in the Orient. Since then we have had seven apostles in our midst, about forty missionaries, and some twenty visitors, in all averaging less than one person a year from Zion. We have now only one branch and, I think, fewer members than any other mission in the world; yet we have almost as many square miles in our unbounded territory as all the other mis- sions put together. Of course you will demand some proof for such a statement. Well, on the west, our nearest neigh- bors in the ministry are the French mis- sion and the German-Austrian mission, and to them we must concede most of the eastern part of Europe, although Greece has been ours for a long time. Inasmuch as there are no missions to the north of us our boundary in that direction lies in boreal beds of ice, and hence includes all Asiatic Russia. And if the Armenian mis- President Joseph W. Booth Who has spent seventeen years in the mission field. sion is bounded by the South African mission in that far-away field, then we can claim all of Eastern Africa north of the equator. Again, on our southeast, we have the Australian mission meeting us far beyond the borders of Arabia and India; and now that the Japanese Mission is closed we must hark away to Sa- moa, Hawaii, and Alaska to find our eastern boundary. So there falls to this little mission more than twenty-one million square miles of field work. Granting us, now, these mentioned boundaries we have more than one-half the population of the world to look after, and were we, the two present mis- sionaries, to take an airship today, and fly, day and night, over this vast field and cover every square mile at the rate of 100 miles an hour, throwing down 70 printed messages every minute, that each per- son might get a single tract, it would take us twenty-four years to make that one big visit. Our past and present status may be briefly told by counting up to ten; thu9: One lady missionary, two workers in the field today, three cities have served as our headquarters, four elders have died in the field, five nationalities have been baptized, six languages are needed to teach them,

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 1049 seven apostles have been here, eight cties now claim one or more of our members, and nine out of ten are in poverty. We are known as the Armenian mis- sion, and here again, the paradox. The name is too big, and too little. If we are to reach all the Armenian race we must likely trespass upon the field of every other mission in the world, for the Ar- menians, like the Jews, are scattered among all nations, and yet they do not form a tenth part of the population of even our present scenes of activity in Syria and Palestine. Although 95 r; of our recorded membership in all these years are Arme- nians, yet the name is not altogethci ap- propriate for the best interest of the mis- sion. Most of my readers will remember the world-round mission visits of Elder David O. McKay and Elder Hugh J. Can- non in 1920-21. They had been travel- ing for nearly a year and had visited the Pacific Islands, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, China, India, Egypt, and were on their homeward journey toward Europe and America. The writer had left Utah in September, 1921, and was not informed as to the itinerary of these elders1, except that they had been instructed to visit the twelve-year-shepherdless flock in Syria. Where were these brethren ? On this point I was as ignorant as they were of my whereabouts. Fervent prayers were offered daily to the Lord, in whose service we were, that somehow, in his infinite wisdom, we all might meet; and of course Palestine was the most de- sirable place in all the world for that meet- ing, but how unlikely amid a million chances! I had met with a prolonged delay in Italy, and then after a brief call to visit the Saints in Athens. Greece, I proceeded to Alexandria, and thence by rail across the Delta, to the bridge at Kantara, where I made a midnight change of trains, and then passed on toward the Holy Land. I shall not soon forget that morning of November 4. Let my diary of that date tell its own story: "Soon after midnight I was gliding over the sands in quiet, peaceful sleep, along the way where 'Joseph and Mary and the young Child' went on their jour- ney from Egypt 'into the Land of Israel.' The night was a most beautiful one as I started, and again just before the dawn of day, as I looked out of the train win- dow, the eastern sky was a scene of transcendent beauty. "All the planets, except Uranus, wen. morning stars. Neptune was invisible, Mercury but a tiny twinkler, Saturn and Mars only ordinary objects among the thousands of worlds of the universe, but Jupiter and Venus were brilliant as diamonds on the blue robes of a royal bride. Sirius, Orion, and the Pleiades were farther along in their western march, but did their best to embellish that scene of night as the entrancing picture arched over the stillness of the Holy Land, where only forty hours ago a scene of blood and riot occurred in ignorant protest against the coming of the Jews. "We passed on through Gaza early, and then on up through the plains and fields of the old Philistines, and by 9 a. m. we were in Ludd, the junction of the Jaffa-Jerusalem road. My ticket was direct for Haifa, and, as I was anxious to get on my way, I had no special desire this time to visit the Holy City. The train waited for a half hour, during which time I looked for, and longed to meet Elders David O. McKay and Hugh J. Can- non, who have been traveling around the world visiting the missions and the schools of the L. D. S. Church, but I was disappointed in not meeting them there. "On the train went, and I still looked out of the windows studying the land of Palestine and talking to a little Jewish girl who came and sat with me and told me a lot of her troubles. She was on her way to Haifa in search of work. About 12:30, the train stopped. I carried my satchels into the baggage room and left them there a moment while I looked around to inquire whether a ship was in the harbor bound for Beirut, and turning about, lo! I was face to face with the very men whom I have hoped and prayed and

1050 IMPROVEMENT ERA longed to meet — Brothers McKay and Cannon. They came on the same train from Ludd, passed within a few feet of me there, but we did not see each other. We were each just ready to leave for different hotels, and two minutes time would likely have separated us altogether. We all thanked the Lord for that pleas- ant meeting." That afternoon and night we made an auto ride to Beirut. The next night we had crossed the Lebanon mountains, and feasted, enroute, on the luscious clusters from the vineyards of the Valley of Leontes, and slept at Baalbek, where the grand ruins of those ancient temples jre still defying the penman to tell their com- plete story. Another day's ride, November 6, brought us to the City of Aleppo, in Northern Syria. That was the beginning of work in the third epoch in the history of this mission. It was closed the first time about 1895, and the elders called away on account of that terrible massacre of 50,000 Armenians at that time. Prominent among the workers of the first period were: F. F. Hintze, Jacob Spori, J. M. Tanner, F. M. Lyman, Jr., James Clove, E. S. Robinson, Adolf Haag, Don C. Musser, John A. Clark, Edgar D. Simmons (the three last named died in the field), and Elders Diterli, Christiansen, and Fred Huish. I have not the records at hand so the list may be incomplete. The second term began with the call of Elder A. H. Lund, F. F. Hintze, Philip S. Maycock and A. L. Larson, to open up the mission again in 189 7-8, and with unabated zeal the work continued until, following another sanguinary attack on the helpless Christians in 1909, the Church again saw fit to close the mission and leave the work with local elders. Dur- ing that twelve-year period, in addition to the four men just named, were the following missionaries: Joseph W. Booth and wife, Mary R. Booth; J. Alma Hold- away, Thomas P. Page, Albert Herman, Lester W. Mangum, Reno W. Vance, John T. Woodbury, S. Burton Newman, Mischa Markow, Joseph Shepherd ■ Tuesher, Charles Tuesher, Henry Tuesher, Loy Woods, Joseph F. Thorup, William A. Budge, I. Owen Horsfall, John D. Stephenson, Joseph O. Phelps, Emil J. Huber (died in the field), Don C. Love- land, R. L. Dunkley, and Elders Clayton and McAllister. This list also is from memory of twenty years ago, and apology is offered for incompleteness. From October 1, 1909, until Novem- ber 6, 1921, there were no elders from Zion, and the local Saints were put to a test of their faith and endurance while the horrors of war and of deportation mad* havoc of the Armenian people in general. Up to this last-named date we were under the name of the Turkish mission, but out of the respect to the disrespect we had for tyranny, the name wa9 changed to the present one. The story of how the surviving mem- bers of the old Turkish mission were rescued from their frightful conditions in Aintab, in December, 1921, is ever fresh in the minds of the Saints here today, for they still celebrate yearly, the days of their marvelous deliverance. The Church records, the prize stories, and the printed articles of that event are ever-ready wit- nesses of the manifestation of God's power and goodness to us on that occasion. June 1, 1922, was a memorable day fot the Armenian mission. Elder Owen W. Woodruff was our guest at Aleppo, and a baptismal service was held at the Jenge Gardens, when seventy-three souls were immersed in water. On July 4 some twenty-five more were baptized, and since then, on various occasions nearly one hun- dred additional members have accepted the Gospel ordinances. Our last official ad- ditions of record, the blessing of two children at Aleppo, last Fast day, made the grand total of 238, but with deaths, excommunications, etc., we number today about 190. Your humble servant has had the pleas- ure and honor of seventeen years total in the mission field. The task at times has been a difficult one — almost like trying to tear away old Timpanogos with a tooth brush while a man with a team and scraper endeavors to pile it up again.

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 105 Elder Earl B. Sncll came to the rescue during 1923, and valiantly assisted in the work from April until December. Then in January, 1924, President David O. Mc- Kay and wife, of the European mission, came and presented this lonely missionary with a help-meet in the person of his equally lonely wife, Sister Mary R. Booth, and she is with us unto this day. In the last seven years we have had only four adult deaths, but the infant mortality has been higher. Our birth rate during the past eighteen months has Ghazarian, the very touching drama. "Moroni," or "Where is the Truth?" de picting the angel delivering the plates to the Prophet Joseph Smith, was presented three nights to large audiences. The Relief Society, the Sunday School and the M. I. A., have all made great strides forward, but with it all some indi- vidual members have made lamentable backslips. We challenge the world to pro- duce a more patient and excellent set of peace-makers than our members here. They excel simply because they have such un- RAILWAY STATION IN HAIFA. PALESTINE, AT THE BACE OF MT. CARMEL. WHERE PRESIDENT BOOTH MET ELDER DAVID O. MCKAY. OF THE COUNCIL OF THE TWELVE been phenomenal — 70 to the year for 1000; and without controversy we claim the prize for pulchritude among these little children. They get more kisses and more cuffs to the square hour than "kiddies" really need. Our little colony has made some won- derful "hits" in drama work. The or- iginal play. "Nephi," drew a crowd of 1000 people the first night, and was re- peated twice thereafter. Later, with the able assistance of Professor Antreas der limited opportunities for practice among this quarrelsome people. Parents here want to marry their girls off while they are yet children — from 12 to 15 years old; but they count it a great shame for a man to kiss his own wife at or after marriage. Is that a par- adox? Recently a ten-year-old Jewess was sold here for thirty pounds to a Mohammedan, who married her before the government officials could reach the place to stop it.

1052 IMPROVEMENT ERA Our mission headquarters are now in Haifa, Palestine. We hope to have a branch organized in Damascus soon, and one in Beirut also. The Book of Mormon, in limited num- bers, is with us in English, Turkish, French and German, and the same volume in manuscript form is translated and awaiting publication in Armenian, Os- manli, Greek and Hebrew. There is an urgent need for some of these right now, as well as in Arabic, into which the Book of Mormon has not yet been trans- lated. Now just a word in closing. Besides Sister Booth and Elder Snell, the writer, since he left London, October 2, 1921, has seen on an average only one face from Zion in 202 days, so you may be sure of a warm welcome if you come to do mis- sionary work. Our few visitors at head- quarters have been, besides those already named: Wm. E. Allen. Senator Wm. H. King, Sterling B. Taylor, R. F. Beames, James M. Armstrong, Dr. F. S. Harris and President James E. Talmage. Last October the latter sent a cable- gram from Haifa to Salt Lake City, which read: "Six missionaries for Palestine," and we have just received this consoling reply, "You may think we have forgotten you, but we have not." And so with such assurance, I paraphrase the exclama- tion of a loyal soldier: "In heaven's name who would not proselyte for such cause, where the harvest is so great and the laborers are so few?" The South American Mission By President Reinhold Stoof It has seldom been easy to introduce the Gospel into a new country. Most of the usual and many unusual difficulties confronted Melvin J. Ballard, of the Coun- cil of the Twelve. Rulon S. Wells and Rey L. Pratt, of the First Council of Seventy, upon their arrival as mission- aries in Buenos Aires, December 6, 1925. Two German breth- ren, Wilhelm Fried- richs and Emil Hoppe. together with their good wives, had worked diligently to spread the truth in their adopted country and had succeeded in gaining a few friends. Their ap- peal, sent from the shores of the La Plata river, "Come over and help us," was heard by the authorities in Utah, and the three named brethren were sent officially to open the South American mission. A few days after their arrival they had the privilege of baptizing six friends, who were converted to the re- stored Gospel by the labors of the German brethren and sisters. All these converts were of German descent. On Christmas day, 1925, after a solemn service in the Park 3 de Febrero, Elder Melvin J. Ballard dedicated the great South American con- tinent for the preach- ing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A serious sickness caused Elder Rulon S. Wells to leave for Utah on the 14th of January, 1926, but Brothers Ballard and Pratt worked many months in hard labor and in the midst of great discouragements, and saw at the end of their missionary activities, on the 23rd of July, 1926, — the day of their depart- MlSSIONARIES OF SOUTH AMERICA

MESSAGES FROM THE MISSIONS 1053 ure for Zion — a well established work: therefore, the new missionaries from head- quarters, who arrived in June, 1926, found a good beginning for their labors. Hard labor in a new soil! Many, very many weeds in it! But, fortunately, weeds serve a good purpose. They keep the gardener's back lithe and will not allow him the luxury of resting too much. There are plenty of weeds to remove in this field before our gardeners can reach good soil. One finds but little prejudice against our Church; but ignorance of the Bible and indifference in religious matters are the main obstacles which must be overcome. Neither must one forget that 32% of the population are illiterates in Argentina and that a Bibie is very seldom found in a house. But the missionaries were soon to dis- cover that among the Latin people as many good and honest souls are to be found as among the peoples of Europe. We can be and are proud of our members here, both Latin and European; they ful- fil their obligations' faithfully. Because of the obstacles already men- tioned we cannot expect to make rapid progress in the South American mission: but we do believe that here. too. every faithful missionary will reap the fruits of his diligent labors and will richly enjoy the blessings of our Heavenly Father in his work. There were six members here before the mission in South America was opened. Since that time, including the six converts who were found through the efforts of the two German members, and who were baptized immediately after the arrival of Elder Ballard, we have had thirty- nine baptisms. Nearly half of this num- ber were baptized during the last five months. Considering the hard soil in which we labor, we believe this to be good progress. The whole mission consists now of sixty-five members; five of whom live in Southern Brazil, and one in the Chaco, an Argentine province. Thirteen blest chil- dren are included in the membership. Thirty-one are of German, twenty of Argentine, seven of Italian, five of Span- ish, one of Irish, and one of Yugoslavian nationality. We have a small group of fine-spirited missionaries. Not only their work, but also their personality has paved and will pave the way for many an honest soul to come into the Church. We extend a hearty welcome to all missionaries who will join us in our labors. We need them. There is so much work before us that it often- times frightens: us. First we want to build up here in the Argentine capital a strong and flourishing organization. In the near future we want to establish a mission among the big German colonies in South- ern Brazil. And, then, we have another very important duty to fulfil. I am not sending my picture, as re- quested. Instead I am sending a picture of our faithful missionaries, in whose hearts the Lord has planted a burning de- sire to work for the salvation of their fellow-men. They followed willingly the call into the new and unknown land, the newest field of labor in the Lord's great vineyard. In the power and authority of Him who called them into His service they are striving to build a solid founda- tion for a flourishing mission. All hail to them who help our mis- sionaries to perform their important duties. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for them. We all feel with our fellow-mis- sionary, Elder Heber Milton Clegg. who expressed his gratitude in the following poem: WE The work done in the mission field will bring a large reward, Assistance rendered one poor soul is noticed by our Lord; A missionary's recompense is joy on heaven's side, And then because he did his share that joy is justified. And what about the mother, with her mission, far away. Who reared that boy for God's great call, inspiring him each day;

1054 IMPROVEMENT ERA MERLIN STOOF. YOUNGEST SOUTH AMERICAN MISSIONARY Who now prepares her younger sons that they, too, might fulfil The chance that's sure to come to preach, from house-top and from hill? And what about the father, who much more than does his share, Who works and makes a sacrifice to keep his son out there; Who tries to spare him anything that might discomfort give, And helps him with advice and love a better life to live? His brothers and his sisters go without what they have had. It means more patches, fewer shows; yet they are all so glad To do their bes>t to help the work out where their brother is That ne'er a hint of cares at home are spoken of as "his." We can't all tract and talk and preach — there're other things to do, The mission is abroad and home, each does his part, is true. O mother, father, sister, brother, sweet- heart, and friends too, The recompense is not for one — you must say "we," not "you." Brother Ballard implored in his prayer of dedication the blessings of the Almighty God upon the descendants of Lehi, the Indians of this continent. Millions of them live here, downtrodden, in a state of semi-slavery. The Gospel of Jesus Christ will redeem them from much of their misery. We are anxiously looking forward for that day when this great work will begin. This labor will truly be, in every respect, a Savior's work. Youth of Zion, here is something that should ap- peal to you! Come with all your talents and power, where the hardest problems are to be solved, right here in SOUTH AMERICA! "When you read the revelations, or when you hear the will of the Lord concerning you, for your own sakes never receive that with a doubtful heart."- — Brigham Young.