Show extracts I 1 if I 1 a lettergram letter from elder richard ballantyne to elder W L appleby dated I 1 MADRAS STAN sept 1853 since I 1 came to asia I 1 have written two letters imort every month one to my family and one some other ether person in your city so that tha t I 1 pre tinie you are acquainted with the most of our ast history but bat the situation of matters at this present time you may not understand 1 have recently received letters bettem from bombay langoon in burmah and calcutta the news roni rom calcutta as contained in a letter from bro tones fones is rather more encouraging than heretofore aro jones had just published a reply to a tract i aach bad very materially material ly prejudiced the minds of athe the people against the work in that city so much jo 0 that but very few would attend our meetings riis his reply he now writes is awakening consider ble interest and a few more attend meetings than formerly also some believing that have not yet et seen een baptized bros WM win F carter and wm M fotheringham othe ringham have returned to calcutta bro barter arter on account of poor health obtained teave leave 0 0 return to boston and by this date he probably is again on the continent of america bro ipg beco by barq aal woolley has been beba appointed appoint id ona mission missi oti io to agra several everal hundred miles to ahe he northward of calcut ia la to assist bro willis it appears from bro rones ones letter that the work is taking root in the he north bro willis villis has had a very hard bard and discouraging time for many months up towards I 1 the he mountains and I 1 rejoiced to hear diat liat lie is beginning to see the fruit of his labors t ind and that the assistance of more laborers is required d I 1 hear of no recent baptisms except the first of the steam boat on which bros broa foth cri bringham ingham or and carter came down the river ganges from bro luddington at rangoon aug 20 I 1 t learn that bros luddington and savage saver had arrived in that city ten days previous from rom our much in uch esteemed truly zealous and beloved brother our brethren received a cordial inception lec eption 11 and entertainment bro had been abused in various ways stoned and threatened to have his I 1 house burned our oar brethren will strengthen him I 1 S since their arrival one person had bad given in his name for baptism they mader made ep application to the coin commanding manding officer for a place oice in which to preachy preach f but was refused from bombay through a letter of bro 0 W west dated aug 7 1 I learn that there are I 1 twenty members of the church there and a branch at a military cantonment miles distant of about the same number bro murlys Find lys health was rather poor owing to excessive labor J in a those regions bro west preaches hi n bombay 4 times a week bro dewey has gone to take charge of the branch at both he and I 1 bro west were enjoying good health I 1 it appears from the letters to which I 1 have just referred r e that bros west dewey luddington and 1 savage were out at sea in the same tremendous I 1 hurricanes that bro skelton and myself encountered on our way to madras in the month of july the vessel on which bros west and dewey went from ceylon to bombay got on a shoal and was about to be abandoned when when sue she was again I 1 I 1 found to be afloat and they safely reached bombay bros luddington and Savage after bein being gout out at sea about miles had to return to calcutta on account of the vessel having sprung a leak and nearly filled with water they suffered excessively not having gone as cabin passengers and were j treated with great contempt by those on oil board but the angels of the lord stood by them 1 in their extremity and bro luddington prophesied that they would be saved we did not fare quite so hard the captain was very kind and in the midst of the raging billows dashing over the vessel we hadjop had joy and n d quietude of feeling with I 1 an assurance as of safely arriving in our field of labor bor I 1 I 1 wrote two long articles which I 1 got published freeouf charge in one of the papers the baab of the lord was truly in the matter or they would not have published letters so unpopular and lengthy they have had a good effect our meet 1119 the same week was crowded and since a strong interest is felt I 1 now preach in three different parts of the town each week last tuesday evening I 1 preached by invitation from a mr brown in his house in a part of the town called I 1 velery the large room was full of his friends and neighbors they were truly attentive the spirit of the lord rested on all present and I 1 had great freedom of utterance I 1 made a proclamation of the gospel by an angel I 1 am invited to preach at the same place next week and mr brown has a large room which he lias has been repairing that will hold bold about 70 persons which he has offered they are mostly half castes that attend our meetings and at one of the stations here I 1 preach to the natives the door seems to open wider here and my heart is continually filled with gratitude to my father in heaven for his spirit I 1 have had all to do that I 1 could by day aay or night and now low preach about six times a week besides sometimes conversing nearly all day with visitors A mr mills of the tract society who preaches to the natives called the other day to see me he has attended OUT our meetings and said that he believed told me to persevere for many were believing though few dare confess it but said he your cause must mast triumph he sent me this morning a very fine large bible as a present also it appears that another door is open for us mr mills sent seat me yesterday a letter which lie received from a friend in about 15 miles distant the writer mr mills in having the privilege of hearing the true servants of god and said 1 I have prayed for the last nine years to my father in heaven that he would send some latter day dav saints to this country for I 1 know the power of god is with them this was truly enciu en cou aging and gave me joy and singular to say mr browns father had a dream arena two nights before I 1 preached in his house which informed him that himself bro skelton and I 1 was at and that he had secured the wesleyan chapel for us to preach in the dream will be fulfilled and he proposed to take us out there shortly I 1 can see the hand of the lord in all the matter and my prayer is that much good may be d done 0 ne this venerable old man is 83 years old has b been een in india 47 years yet he is fresh very active and has a clear understanding my love to yourself and family and to the bishop counsellors coun lesser priesthood and all my brethren and sisters in the fourteenth ward as also the president and quorum of high priests as a member of that quorum they may wish to bear from me if they do you may read this to them my love to crests young kimball and richards and were I 1 to express the feelings of my heart I 1 would say to all the priesthood in zi zion on and every one who loves the lord jesus christ may god bless you all in tile the name of his hid son amen let my wife and family have a reading of this his if you please direct all letters or papers to madras hindostan hindustan Hind via southampton love to bishop hunter and dr sprague also bro bur blair ac I 1 wish to enclose a few lines to my wife as this will v ill no not t we weigh i h n all I 1 am entitled to send for first cos cost t bro skelton elton and all the brethren were well when I 1 last heard |