Show PROM FROM switzerland we have just completed the statistical report of the swiss and german mission for 1888 which is as follows elders 43 priests 17 teachers 29 deacons 6 members total officers and members the baptized new members during the year numbered 80 there are laboring in this mission 18 seventies 3 8 high priests and 4 elders from utah and idaho also one native traveling elder all are earnestly engaged in their calling our paper the stern issued on the 1st ast and of each month has a circulation of the publication was commenced by prof karl G maeser in 1868 it is now sent to nearly every part of the world and has become a necessity to many of the german speaking saints itis it is well supported by the saints at home but its circulation could still be greatly enlarged if all who should do so would take an active interest in the some same brother J U our faithful and energetic president is making preparations to bring the principles of the gospel more fully before the people 0 e of t these ese lands an 9 so that they may I 1 learn rn of the doctrines oe nes we ourselves believe lieve in and be warned of the judgments which will surely come we the elders are furnished with tracts from the office and are requested to go from house to house visit and tract every village town and city in switzerland for this we had tracts printed n 3 a december 1888 and of another sort will shortly comb from the winter printer there are no doubt right here in this little country thousands who have never heard the sound of the gospel of jesus christ as revealed anew to joseph smith the great prophet of god for this dis dia sensation pensa tion these we desire to reach and while we realize that a small tract will not give anyone a complete understanding of the principles of the gospel yet it may induce the honest in heart to investigate more fully and those who seek after truth may thus be found infidelity religious indifference ecclesiastical hatred and the late interference of the civil authorities here may keep some from investigating and others from froin joining the truth still the work of god continues to make slow but steady progress in this mission and we realize that the same is not completed yet A great work is still to be done good faithful energetic elders who are not afraid to meet the scorn hatred and abuse of the world men who love the truth the cause of christ and their fellow men are needed in this mission and all who may come here to labor as missionaries must prepare to encounter and endure the privations and hardships so common to the elders of israel in other lands times and conditions have greatly changed here within the last few years no one should come without a proper ra er passport not only his certificate ness 3 ot of citizen citizenship shIR which will be needed and may perhaps not be obtained here so long as such men mein as the united states consul in bern has proven himself to be re represent resent our great government cuite quite a few earnest careful workers of german birth who are citizens of america could be used to good advantage in germany the work of god in this mission is not one of great outward show but of quiet earnest unflinching integrity which which will test t the patience and enduring qualities of the elders it is and will have to be prosecuted in the face of great opposition with seemingly little success the great preDa preparations rations for war which the nations of europe and even little switzerland have been and are stul making are sapping their financial foundations the poverty of the lower classes is appalling and the end is not yet hence the elders of israel laboring as we do mostly among the poor are obliged to undergo many hardships and at times may be permitted to suffer a little but he I 1 in n whose service we are will take cave cate of every one who will ill serve him in spirit and in truth A great deal is still being said about the slavery into which mormon emigrants are led when they arrive in utah and the false baseless and shamefully slanderous reports which originated with a certain professor in salt lake CIt yand so extensively issued against the work of god in this land are still bearing their evil fruits the following are the results of the census taken in switzerland on november 8 1888 total population males females or more females than males religiously they divide as follows pro protestants test catholics jews and who profess other rr or no religion in regard to language the mother tongue the nation stands thus german french italian bo manish other languages 1 switzerland has an excellent school system with compulsory attendance no religion is to t de be taught therein last week the roman catholic bishop in basel issued his customary fast mandate to be read in all the churches of the roman catholic faith it was submitted to the legislative assembly or the of the Kanton berne these liberty loving colons issued a decree forbidding the mandate to be read in their canton because it co contained bained toe the follo following paragraph addressed to the following wint roman catholics at holics you are aware that in the organization of the public pu schools there is no room for roa church authorities just at a kinle when it is highly necessary v that diligence should be used in educating the young and tender hearts w M the principles of christianity the precepts of religion are silent no one can therefore look into the future of the rising generation with out ont fear these words of truth were too much they were construed into ina an interference in school matters and had to be removed before we the I 1 mandate was allowed to be ieva reab one who reads the daily papers can CAD dalig t aars plainly see that the 01 old hatred ed pe be tween the two great churches here the roman catholic and its apoll S ate daughter the protestant church is still existing this hatred will aiu show its ugly head in the pulpit the press and the social circle all ana in almost all the departments department state true rome is making every effort to regain its former power slid ana position among the nations of flu rope conversions to its faith taa ore frequent and the old mother church as she styles herself is nv no doubt gaining ground but can her aggressions be stemmed by sue suc ridiculous proceedings as the one ona selected will it not rather strengthen her cause truly ule the wisdom of the wise shall P and the understand understanding or of tha i understanding int abis prudent come to naught t prophecy is being fulfilled bot in the old and new world vv works of men have within th then elu the germ of death president stuck is al at b present on a tour through east switzerland and south germany j the DESERET NEWS is welcome welcomed with joy and the DESERET WEE y is in our humble opinion jusa Ju thing we are also graf eyul for the juvenile instructor the ato tor and other home papers apa that oah reach this office regularly them we are kept informed in sv re gard to home matters and the sp arlt of zion which we are watching with keen interests interest notwithstanding that we are over miles awa away T lw I 1 rejoice in my labors and v ey t thankful to our heaven heavenly ay fath for his aid and blessing and an dabow above all for the testimony of jesus christ CW my earnest prayer is for the inan 1 lof zion and the cause of truth wa the world THEO EX PosT GAssE 36 bern fel feb 26 1889 aw |