Show i nape napier er new zealand dec 9 1880 editor deseret news I 1 left aukland aukiand Au keland feland two and a half months ago and came fo to rapier where I 1 preached round about for or about four weeks weekes or more on sun bun days in the public square squares as I 1 had hart no money to hire a nail hau and on week days in the houses and shops whenever opportunity offered I 1 baptized five and organized a branch when elder jens jensen from canterbury ter bury arrived whom left with the brethren ank anh and I 1 went inland towards the scandinavian settlements on my road up the country I 1 preached in most moat of the english settlements I 1 passed through land and baptized two one at and one at ta depau where I 1 left the railroad to f go 0 inland for an eleven days preaching ing tour when I 1 returned return ed to the railroad I 1 met brother jensen who had just come from napier and we went vent together to norsewood horsewood Nor sewood the largest scandinavian settlement I 1 suppose in new rew zealand here also is the chief lutheran priest pi aex iet who invited us to come and talk with him bm the day we arrived which we were very tery glad to do the following day when whery we spent three hours and a half with him to very little good we then commenced preaching though this mans edict went forth that none should either delther house or feed us in the settlement but we found shelter by an atheist who treated us kindly the greatest part of the settlement turne I 1 out to hear us twice on sunday though we had to preach by the roadside as the priest prevented us from getting the school house and no private house could begin 16 hold the people Then the priest challenged ua to public discussion half an hour about and we had two nights of it when the priests pries Vs congregation f orbid forbid him to meet with us anymore any more the greatest part of the scandinavian population came to hear the gospel by that means as both atheist and methodists of which there are arc quite a fow few turned out en masse as well as the lutherans Luth erans A good many of i the latter acknowledge that their priest with all his Gree greek kand and latin got into a terrible row of stump stu ps sand gand an as for the atheists and we methodists 0 ests they say that he never had ad made ade ado so gleatan greab great an ass of himself in the he time he has been in the settlement the points mainly discussed were authority tho rity Fity baptism for whom and what way whether sprinkling or immer sion also laying g on of hands but of course nearly air alk the prominent points of the gospel whether looked at from a temporal or spiritual standpoint were touched on then to wind up we brother jensen and myself bore our testimony of the restoration of the gospel the priest and his hia crowd brought a long string of newspaper news aper articles when we invited trem teem them to stand up and we would dismiss the meeting with prayer then the p priest r 1 et and his crowd took to their heels he el md and left us and about one fourth of the people with us we have held 22 public meetings here since we came three weeks ago some have been largely attended we have also had a public discussion with the leader of the plymouth brethren in english it did not go any better for hm than the priest the lord stood by his servants as we always ask him to do and instead of stopping the truth they are only rolling it on though they do not see it last sunday after our last meeting the crowd led on by the lutheran priest followed us quite a piece on theroan the road toad trying to raise a quarrel but we gave them no cause though they took hold of our coats several times and were itching for a good opportunity to give us a hammering the lord protected us and all we received was a terrible black guarding which did not makenny make any holes in pur skin shin we had calculated to leave the settlement yesterday but the night before we held heid a farewell meeting when seven persons came corf forward to be baptized so we baptized them six from norsewood horsewood Nor sewood and one from makavitt Maka vito who rode tode all the way 18 miles over and through the woods to be baptized they thes are good humble and s sincere cincere people as far as I 1 can understand and some of them intend to sell out and emigrate right away by the first opportunity four of the seven have got a 40 acre farm each partly cleared and stocked two of them having wives make the sixth and a makes the seventh just the class of people with the lords blessing to make good latter day saints not much tomfoolery or frippery to get rid of I 1 have Ibave only received one odthe of the october papers so I 1 dont know the full particulars about conference only that a first presidency is organized gani zed all of the saints who understand der stand a little of our church history and organization rejoice over it and so do I 1 there are only two utah elders brother george batt at auckland and myself here in the whole australian mission of cour course eho tae we roam up and down the country in all directions ions brother batt has been through a great deal already and I 1 am hunting bunting through principally after the sto bring them the glad message perhaps it will be the last time many of them will hear it in their native tongue as many of them are buried deep in the backwoods and in some queer out of the way comers corners may god bless us all we subscribe ourselves your sincere fellow laborers in the everlasting covenant JOHN P SORENSEN JENS JENSEN MANASSA colorado february ath 1881 editor deseret news apostle E snows stay with us has been been of incalculable benefit to all the good people of manassa who will be sorry when he leaves us his teachings have been gentle and mild yet forcible and to the point and unmistakably prompted by the holy spirit Pres president dent silas 8 smith has also been of signal service to this people we are thankful for the presence and influence of such men many things have been set in order since their thein stay among us brother william L ball has been ordained andset andret apart as bishop here with silas S smith mith Junr j and S S A sellers as w counselors who will we are persuaded sot set in order the things that are wanting and work for the best interest of the whole people some of our brethren here speak of returning whence they came they say they cannot make a living here and truly the prospect looks a little gloomy at times especially to tho those e who have no money to purchase supplies there is another drawback to many who have gathered to this v valley alley they expected to find flud a people all who call themselves latter day sain saints ts purer more refined and especially clearer of what are vulgarly called cuss words than any other people but when they hear those professing to be latter day saints use such words as dad d n ch h 1 11 etc unsparingly upon trivial occasions ons 1 it t throws a damper upon us to say eay the least but a little reflection will show that we should not expect to find all who call themselves saints just what they should be the gospel net has been cast into the sea of humanity and it has gathered of all kinds good and bad we also re d of the wheat and tares growing together till harvest at which time the tares will be bound into bundles and cast into the fire the capacity of this valley for small grain is truly wonderful and after the land is put into a fine state of cultivation and stimulated by fertilizers it will support a deuie dense population irish pota potatoes to es turn turnips 1 p s 3 cabbages onions english peas etc grow magnificently here and after the people have had time to bt fit themselves up with good houses sta st stables alles etc for stock and the land is fenced an easy living can be made here and if the people will be faithful to their vows the elements will be softened and all that is necessary for the well being and comfort of the people can be raised here H P DOTSON ferron FERBON castle valley emery co feb 12 1880 editor desersa jveta Thebe the health henith alth aith of the people in thi chii place is good with a very few exceptions exee P we are continually on the increase in number sas settlers keep coming in we number now upwards of 40 families but at present we are much hi in need of tradesmen especially a blacksmith and shoemaker and alad as th ere is s still till ian jau raud laud d to be had we would like any such to come out and see our country and dont forget to visit ferron perron creek and 1 I would say cay to any intend intending luig irig to come here to settle that they can procure seed grain at a reasonable rne rue e the saints here seem to fee well ail ill li ane g good 00 d cause we are engaged in that of b building u ming wing up the chorch church and kingdom of god we have bave had good meetings throughout the present winter our worthy bishop wm taylor sen ben seems seema to be alive to his duties we are now working a roa d up i nto uto our canyon that we may inay get timber that we m may ay improve and fence our farms as well as build upon our town site we also have a weekly mail which now runs regularly ay so that we have a chance to receive the news through your weekly NEWS J E KING |