Show missionary MESSAGE laboring in st lonas tokens of f the watery lVa stes ac ac elder M r F cowley who is at present present filling a mission in st louis mo writes a letter containing many interesting points and ideas oar our readers reader i will peruse his communication u ni with pleasure elder ider joseph hall DEAR Bro BROTHER your very kind and welcome letter lemr came duly dul to hand and contents read wit with ti plea pleasure the tile HERALD also containing an all account of our st louis roll conference fere nee reached us for which we arc obliged to you your kind invitation to write to the if HERALD LID we shall try to appreciate OUR MEn TINGS in the city have been kept up with good efrece and during ILI ring week days we have lave visited those who arc are disposed to listen to the tile words of life and salvation while the masses of the people are uninterested in antho the gospel insano there are a number humber of willing hearers some will doubtless have sufficient fortitude o prove provo all things and hold told fast that which is good but others othen will examine far enough to find that the principles we ire teach are tire too true to principles ee e popular and therefore turn aside from the convictions of their own li hearts carts with the numerous classes of people pe who hear the gospel and their varied course regarding it we ire are arc forcibly reminded of the parable of the savior wherein lie likened the kingdom of heaven unto a that went forth to sow seed upon ali the cart earth h IN missionary LABOR there arc are other important items to consider as well as leading the children of men into the waters of baptism the tile gospel being the standard of judgment every responsible human being must hear ithe same sooner or later in order that tho the judgment passed may be just and I right T the lie tes testimony of the elders then will have their due vr weight eight tending to the salvation of those who receive it the condemned because they reject it our testimonies then are just as essential as if we were baptizing scores of people As you are well aware the attention of the people lately has bas been drawn to the inhabitants of utah LOUIS PAPERS have been teeming with notices of anti polygamy in meetings cetin held in numerous parts of the country quito quite a number of the st louis clerical fraternity took an all active part in vilifying the latter day saints As it ws in the times of the ancient apostles eo so it is 13 now that the characters who most desire to oppress the saints arc are the chief priests scribe R lawyer lawyers and persons of like profession profess ion and like lik their prototypes of old they care little or nothing for the truth letters also have been published reiterating the old false falsehoods accusing the latter day saints of committing numerous depredations upon theirl these articles of falsehoods evince the game fame spirit that prompted men in various various ages past and in the latter times to imbrue their hands in the blood of the prophets a FROM THE SIGNS OF TIMES it ap appears 11 11 rs that satan is determined to mako a d desperate fight probably probably lie knows that his time is short think these are signs i ns which indicate that the work of tale the lord is onward and upward growing and developing true to its pro prophetic pl mission destined lc tined to become as a great mountain und and fill the NO whole e e earth arth some time ago an article was P published in the stlouis chronicle in defense of plural marriage tho the writer of it referred to scriptural facts and challenged TUE CLERGY to answer the arguments and meet the issue I am not aware that any reply was made who wrote tho the article I do not know we have had a mild winter in this region of country with very cry little snow but changeable weather with clouds everha overhead and mud under foot dispersed and dried at intervals by the genial rays of the pleasant aun some cases of SMALLPOX SMALL POX have lave made their appearance during the tile winter creating enough interest t in the minds of many to procure vaccination tion you have probably learned through eastern dispatches of the high waters in the south and east which have inundated thousands of acres of farming land driving from their homes people rendering them destitute of the comforts of life when we consider the cyclones and other heavy winds that have occurred some time back the severe drouth exten extending dim over the east last and south producing a failure in crops and n now ir the D ISOLATING desolating FLOODS OF WATER that prevail in some portions of the country are these not plain indications to every latter day saint that the words of the holy Prop prophet liet are arc being fulfilled was it not plainly revealed to the prophet I joseph smith and through him to the saints that the tile very elements earth air fire and water should all unite in executing the wrath and indignation dig nation of god ri feel that these events arc are at the doors of the and especially this nation and that we should bo be I ia i TO TOE THE COVENANTS we bellave have made with god that wo we may be able to endure tho the trials that may como come u upon u ua i men I I en angon shall wax worse and ivor worse p e deceiving and being deceived and when the elders of israel proclaim that god has foretold by the mouths months of his prophets the very things that arc are now coming to pass the world generally turn a deaf car or point the fill finger er of scorn at those who believe t these hese truths I am reminded d of the prophecy of the Apostle peter peter III ad and ath knowin knowing this first that there shall come conic in i ll 11 the last days lays sc offers era walking after their own lust and saying where isabe is the promise of his coming for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from front the beginning of the creation THE TITE MAX of elders parkinson howe and myself is good and we feel to rc re boico in our labor labon we learn by correspondence with our brethren in the mission mission that the work of the lord is advancing in in many parts of the south and notwithstanding the efforts of the wicked to retard the progress of truth the honest in heart arc are coming comini into the fold of christ and ohp the poor your amen among men arc are made to rejoice in in the llody one of israel prest morgan writes us from time to time imparting good timely counsel which we were ar are always glad to rece receive iye with kind regards asking an interest t in your prayers in behalf of myself and co laborers and ever p praying in for the welfare of zion I remain your brother in the gospel covenant ba M F COWLEY ST louis mo march 1882 |