Show A VISIT TO ONE OF THE LARGE the rude habitations of the danes correspondence of ins ENQUIRER hero in this far off land from our mountain home where the surround ings climate soil surface and people are more or loss different we try our lest to make ourselves agreeable to tho inhabitants of the north pointing peninsula and permit ourselves oura elves to remark the climate is quite congenial though we were born four thousand feet above sea level in the beautiful warm and healthful vallies of utah atis pleasant for a change to sojourn here among the danes an d feel the cold sea breeze as it comes sweeping over the country from the north sea as we are taking a prom anade by its shore we have often heard the song gathering up the shells ly the sea shore wherein the sentence falls they were the happiest days of old this was practically experienced by bishop L b andersen of ephraim and myself as together upon one of our wanderings trying to find some honest in heart we were on a visit to a small island near the west cost of denmark the day was quite calm but the seas equilibrium was nevertheless disturbed as the waves came rolling in beating upon the sandy beach it had been forming for hundreds of years snig ing its old though enchanting song that falls upon the senses of every person in a different way we did gather shells to keep as relics and hunted long for a piece of amber finding each a piece that we highly prize there is often cast upon the shore here pieces of amber that are said to be broken off from amber beds at the bottom of the sea amber is used here for bracelets breast pins beads armless armlets and other ornaments for the adornment of the fair sex it is as dear as silver ornaments of the same size and often preferred here in denmark and north wig where the pleasure has been given me to become somewhat acquainted quain ted we can see houses upon all sides when outside tho cities with what the american dutchman calls shin klet mit saraa forms a good which forms a good roof and saves the poor people much expense as they can get the straw from the rich farmers for labor though they must work well for it those who have hired help pays little for much work and this makes it so that those who have means haye life very comfortable as work is almost done for nothing while the working man has but scanty nourishment the condition of this land with respect to the laboring class is such that the wages being so low a workingman is never enabled to work himself above what he is but on the contrary when ago creeps upon him and ho can do no more he 13 sent to the poor house where his last day must bo spent in almost isolation the health of the people is generally good A few cases of diphtheria have been heard of the government is busy keeping order in the land the laboring classes are forming themselves in political parties and working hard to have a say in the reichstag Heich stag during the winter whose chills we have been forced to feel and bare there have been many columns in the peoples papers favoring the working class and denouncing the actions of the governing party those who belong to what is called here the eight party hire none but sympathizers thi and the left party dp the sa meThis of course bangs political hate we may well imagine the feel inga of the laboring classes who by the score have gone at early mora to the harbors or other places where work might be obtained and have been turned away and forced to go home to their suffering wife and children without getting labor because of favoring the opposite party besides the abobo political factions there are socialists democrats political clubs associations and organizations izat ions of all kinds crime is on the increase here as was well shown when visiting one of the penitentiaries aries having the privilege of being taken through the second largest prison in the kingdom I 1 had the opportunity of looking upon all the different kinds of criminals from a murderer to one guilty of an assault from a thousand dollar thief to one imvris boned for stealing a morsel for food it was not by any means agro bable to see all these types of human beings some of whom were locked ap in a lonesome coll never more to see any human being save the watchman or visitor as they look through the small glass holdia the doer all the prisoners had their work to do and if they accomplished more than was allotted them they received a small compensation when interrogating the overseer as to crime being on the decrease he replied i is not our population increases daily and crime mcra ases as fast if not more EO we have on an average here the year round from three hundred and fifty to four hundred convicts in pur charge the women haye separate penitentiaries aries in different parts of the land with their share ot occupants many of these criminals are the murderers of their own children this is infrequent occurrence denmark has no cad to compulsion houses houses of correction por houses and similar placed bearing different names where care is taken of criminals whose crimes have been brough tto light the government have been forced to establish these homes because of the immorality and degradation that exists they well see and have truly remarked As a nation we stand next to franco in immorality we kaow why borne fell history repeats itself and each effect has a cause war seems to bo imminent and if it is not brought about by some political knot between the nations then we cannot account for it we may ask why it is that nations fall and we may answer by asking what effects will follow when it becomes a national arido to have within cities and towns saloons on all sides not to speak of houses of and lust found on every hand if we turn our eyes and look to see tho observance of the laws of god we will find that it is not the nations arido to do this and this feeling of carelessness is brought by that very easy way of being saved believe christ died for all your sins and that is all you need to do jt is not my wish to censure severely and class all inhabitants beyond redemption for if no god fearing men existed the fate of sodom would bo hanging very lodoly overhead fifty righteous yea five would have saved the cities of sodom and gomorrah wo do not know how many of the good are now holding back the fire and brimstone from consuming the nations of today to day there are some yet to be found who are attempting to be a fruitful tree and seeking for nourishment from the eternal fountain of living water there has not been a month elapsed in the past year but what tho people among whom I 1 have been bom have been painted in false colors by published articles of the blackest hue lying descriptions horrible tales that make the blood run cold havo appeared in print and all manners of lies circulated which have mado the public believe that immorality and degradation reigned supreme among the latter day saints how wo poor cormons mormons Mor mons do catch it through the public press we have no rest and then to think that what is said of us in this way is generally by the christian priest we are informed in one issue that the cormons mormons are now wiped from existence while a or so afterwards wo read they are all imprisoned when a few weeks go by and we find they are all moving to mexico to build their zion and nothing remains only their churches and temples as a witness they oneo lived there every now and then that we may not be forgotten the press publishes the selfsame stories modified somewhat that they may be taken for new occurrences but they are so old and stale that they stink of rottenness thus aro we represented to the world but I 1 am happy to know that I 1 am well acquainted with the mor moa people and that I 1 have been permitted to contrast them as a religious body with the other people of the world I 1 am proud of my utah home and of the knowledge that I 1 was bom there I 1 would not change my lot for all the world I 1 am a mormon and because of the morality that characterizes every true latter day saint I 1 can in truth tell the world that in utah or among the cormons mormons Mor mons where ever they are you will find tho highest state of virtue honor and morality a faithful people keeping the commands of god had it not been for the world s contaminating influences being introduced in their midst by their enemies could have been found in all the valleys of utah without saloon sno houses of prostitution no gambling dens no pool tables or other adjuncts of civilization iza tion which have brought the civilized world to roll in iniquity placed in contrast with the world utah may well berroud be proud of her standing although it seems if I 1 understand the much is creeping in to pluck her beautiful flowers coaxed by those who should stand as her defenders and guardians I 1 fancy acan see what utah would have been had all who tread her soil beba as the one hundred and forty three who first made a home within her borders then all would have come to learn of zion and labored for her interests and her interests alone they would then feel ashamed to assist any project for pecuniary purposes or otherwise not in harmony with the in feelings that burned in the hearts of those brave pioneers with respect to the promulgation of the gospel it is being pushed forward with energy and those who are called to work in this part of the vineyard are reaping the fruits of their labor in this conference aarhus A conference there have been from eight to eleven elders laboring assiduously the report made by them at last conference showed an increase of eighty seven members in six months mostly young people who immediately lent a helping hand in rolling the kingdom onward and upward feeling pravades pr evades the hearts the saints are happy and contented amid all persecution ever thankful to grod for the light of the gospel in among the people we receive many a scorn caused through prejudice and lying articles the more enlightened class however are opening their doors and the missionaries are often invited to go to their homes and present the true side of mormonism they can easily soothe incongruities of the different articles written and thereby feol there must be something worth examining about this wonderful people 1 the more illiterate class of course swallow such stuff wholesale an editor remarked to me not long ago when speaking of a published article tt know its lies but the people eanoy to read such for amusement their taste for literature or reading matter judges them then I 1 remarked thus we see the fulfillment of the scriptural saying the day will come when falsehood wilTra therbe believed than truth although these things have been laid w barriers ia the way of the gospel they do not hinder tho honest from coming forward with a stout and fearless heart to do Jehova hs will tho work 0 god is going forward and it is a joy to bo numbered among the laborers in tho vineyard and be tho possessor of such feelings as civo power to stand scoff scorn hate backbiting back biting and persecution for the noble principles and teachings of our savior the mission in scandinavia is in a good condition from what I 1 cani earn a good feeling amid opposition prevails in the conference tho government gives us as few privileges and as little freedom as possible under its constitution this was shown plainly only ladt month when two of our fellow missionaries wore considered as peace breakers because of preaching the gospel upon an island where several had been converted through priestly influence they were sent from tho country with understanding der standing that if they were found on danish ground again they would bo punished by thirty days imprisonment on bread and water in closing I 1 feel to say to tho young men at home prepare for the work of the ministry tho work of god needs yon but you need it more and to you it should be priceless we havo truth for our battle ax bufa it needs truthful men to wield it rightly we cannot be too hemblo and and know too much about the will of god respecting our mission in this mortal probation my health is splendid in the work of spreading the truth I 1 feel a contentment spring is making its appearance kindest regards to all ill be happy to see you all again L E DENMARK march |