Show australasian conference A description of the several fields of the mission TE HAUKE HAWKS BAY new zealand april 1888 editor deseret news the time tide tor for hold holding ih the annual conference of the austini australasian sian missi onan event looked for forward Vard to with pleasant anticipation by the elders and saints has bias arrived and passed and I 1 believe all are fully satisfied with the result it has been a time of rejoicing jand and we feel to appreciate and aba thank our heavenly father for the blessings manifested unto us the past season has baa been an unusual one for new zealand windy and stormy much of the time and lately it foreboded foreboder fore boded unpleasant weather for our conference but through a kind favor of providence it has been warm and pleasant throughout there have been more fine days than we have had together for some time an invitation was extended to persons persona outside as well as those who nave have embraced the Gospel ample provisions were made to accommodate all who might attend we have a nn meeting house latel lately y built at this branch c capable pable of comfortably fort ably seating about which was crowded each meeting there were gathered about mabries from froba various parts of the island and 25 elders and two sisters among this number was elder john L blyte who has been laboring in australia the past three years and is vow now on his way home only obly two of the elders were absent many were ere toe the warm greetings exchanged that only those who are separate from zion and gods people can fully appreciate the saints seeming to realize fully the object for which they had assembled drank freely of the good spirit which is ever ready to nil fill toe the hearts of those who love god and have a desire to keep his commandments A spirit of peace and joy seemed to settle down over our gathering place while not a jar occurred in the arrangements for feeding and lodging the large company the usual maori custom to make speeches of welcome was on this occasion freely indulged la but they were of a nature changed from the ordinary nothings to exhortations etc observing that they had met for a different purpose than had heretofore been en their object having come together to consider ane things of god and not those of this world we were kindly received by our touch much respected president wm truly he be is as a father to us and has bas the full faith and confidence of his bis fellow laborers as well as of the saints the first day of the conference priday friday april oth was spent in hearing reports from the presidents of the various districts which reports are extremely encouraging during the year ending january 1888 time nine new branches and three districts or conferences have been established three hundred and forty three persons baptized and one hundred and sixty three children blessed making a total increase of five hundred and six souls of these twenty baptisms and six blessings were performed perl ormed in australia since the march conference of 1887 the book of mormon has been translated into the maori language through the efforts of elders ezra T F richards sondra sanders jr and and others the translation has been pronounced a success by accomplished linguists and the brethren feel thankful the lord has blessed them in their labors untiring in their work they have labored from 7 a in to 10 10 p in in order to have it finished by this conference it is now BOW being copied for the press and will probably be ready in about one month and now BOW means are being gathered for the purpose of printing this will doubtless prove a still more difficult matter as the people have been often deceived in donation matters by the various missionary churches laboring among them and besides many of them are very and have nothing to give we have f faith alth however that the way will be opened up in some manner for our securing the necessary means one little littie circumstance is worthy of mention while in australia elder blyth received from his bis brother therel a present to take him comfortably home of this amount upon his arrival here here and seeing the conditions and the prospects pec ts 01 ol publishing the book in the maori language he be donated E 50 towards assisting the work feeling that it was waa the best use he could make of the money the Conf conference ernce lasted four d days a and twenty three meetings were he held ald besides beside s r regular prayer meetings th the e maori pe people 0 pie seem greatly interested d in the cause they have espoused and rejoiced greatly in listening to the many testimonies given and the good instructions del deldred ered they are a very peculiar people and we fiad fin many cases analog among them matters in the decision of which w h ich the wisdom of t the young inexperienced elders is often trie tried I 1 to the utmost and for which ha humbleness arel lebess sad and reliance the lord are indeed deed feces necessary sary we are generally weh yec received elved and treated by them get ing ingi me hebest best they have although n in some parts they are very poor there are now aw 3 souls in the mission which includes the tec south island and australia following is the distribution trib ution of the elders as arranged at the rhe conference Waira rapa di district in S bishop and boyd stewart J W anil and david Muir hawks bay sondra sanders jr and john A sutton mabia M S marriott and atad JT Smell le poverty erty bay angus T wright and joseph LL mecham J E magleby ezra T stevenson and J J jackson Taur auga sra john platt plait and alex bollock ballock waikato Wai kato J X H Mana manning irtz and charles ajohnson CJ Ha haurani joseph burgess and jos TW T waldron aldron bay of islands george romney gomney jr and george W davis australia stephen D chipman and alonzo L stewart those released to return home are john L blyth ezra F richards F 11 wright ellas elias johnson alfred IV harper and alma hayes the elders and sisters remaining enjoy 3 oy general good health and return to their labors with renewed spiritual strength and a determination to prose cute cate the labors which are even now bearing an abundant harvest there are two sabbath schools in a flourish dobrish ing in I 1 condition one in the mahla mahia under JT J T and one in the ane with withe E T stevenson as teacher during the conference ean ference the subject of es tao lishing sabbath itla schools among the dusky chilgren was decided upon and we will probably soon have several in bunnia order the work in australia th thoan oh meeting with much opposition is W tm the increase now and lea again in an occasional honest heart becoming lokim converted with the truth president is enjoy enjoying lug good health and soon starts on his regular vis trice visits to the Waira rapa and other districts of the island we feel that the many instructions from him during daring our sojourn together will prove of much benefit to us in the many difficulties which naturally arise among so sa peculiar a people he truly is blessed with the spirit of his calling which is no small responsibility although the powers of evil seem arrayed with earthly forces against the work a bright star is steadily shining and the clouds will soon be scattered and a power mightier than that of man will arise to deliver much oppressed zion and those who are firm and faithful the ministers of the world are rapidly losing ground among the maoris laoris and we mav say among the people generally e ne rally it is rare that we find a churchgoer church goer of taday who is really and truly sincere in his belief the world truly is in an apostate condition ever praying for the welfare of zion and the honest in heart we are your fellow laborers in the truth EZRA T STEVENSON clerk of conference |