| Show THE australasian MISSION the semiannual semi annual conference of the australasian mission was neld at waikato district on january I 1 alth I 1 th and at the general annual conference held in hawkes bay district last april it was thought advisable to hereafter hold t 0 conferences during the year in order to give those who live at the extreme ends of the island an ail opportunity of attending these meetings which otherwise would be impracticable as afi the distance to be traveled would bring unnecessary hardships bath to the elders and the saints in general gene ial accordingly it was decided to have general semiannual semi annual meetings one to be held in the southern and one in the northern part of the puch uch places as would be most convenient to the greatest number dumber of saints it was therefore agreed by the natives in whose hands the selection of the next place for meeting had been left that anga waikato district would bt a suitable place fur for such conference Is in a pleasant little village situated on the bank of the waikato river and on jan 7 the saints begun begin to come coad in from the surrounding districts several elders also arrived on this date and the balance on the afternoon of the ath all were received kindly by the natives and brothers johns bingham aadi harlee johnson the morning of january dawned upon us with the fres freshness linto of climate peculiar to this region and at ten oP clock in answer to the peals of our little bell we assembled under the roof of a large rush house to worship god there were present angus angue T r arl W right lit president V of the mission john 8 bingham nin gnam ezra T stevenson orson D romney charles A johnson thos C young boyd stewart george W dais da mis jas 8 nye ephraim johnson john H heber R S cutler and thos C stanford mil ton bennion oliver C dunford and wife late from utah also about natives and several european strangers the meeting was called to order by brother john 8 bingham after singing and prayer the assemblage was addressed by president wright who expressed his bis pleasure at meeting with the native saints said he felt much joy in his labors in the ministry in spreading the true gospel of christ among mankind he thanked the saints of waikato for so generously providing for this gatherl gathering ug and with words of echor aaion encouraged the saints to be f faithful in serving the lord they would then surely receive his blessings in 1 va very 1 ry satisfactory reports were made by the presidents from the ad districts showing that the lia natives tives are desirous of remaining firm to the principles of truth which have been taught them and though there are some who give way to temptation and folly yet there is a marked change for good in the saints they exhibit a true repentant spirit and desire to live in obedience to the laws of god the afternoon and evening were occupied I 1 aed by the elders who gave many good words of counsel andi advice on con the principles of the gospel bearing strong testimonies to the truth of the work in which we a are re en engaged 0 on saturday thad the bilth the morning was devoted devoted to speeches peeches from the natives who addressed the meeting in a very pleasing and instructive tive manner giving their reasons for becoming latter day saints and for the hope that is within them and desiring to remain firm in the gospel to the end la IR the afternoon the statistical leal report ending july 1889 was read we also had the pleasure of hearing from the new elders from home one of whom brother milton bennion bennion bore his bis testimony in the maori tongue having only been on the island one month thus showing the goodness of god in bestowing stowing tw special blessings ing upon his children who serve him and obey his commandments we also bad several from the elders and sister sand they were hi highly hj y appreciated the he new appointments were then read they showed but few changes as it had been thought advisable to allow the elders to remain in their present positions the accompanying I 1 ng report shows their present fields of laor Waira rapa john button jr jas jae S dame david muir jos joe N heywood hey wood hawkes bay joseph P beek beck P P thomas rhoma 8 john T Smell le mollia hugh S geddes john H burton tum L 0 taft L J hawke H T stevenson wanapa H D height jr orson oreon D boyd stewart adranga ephraim JEph raim johnson Joh naon oliver C dueford Du uford ida dunford school teacher haurani thos 0 young J H tina timpson peon waikato chas johnson Joh neon thomas J 1 stanford Whan garel geo W davis joe JOB T waldron milton bennion B bay ay iy of islands jus S nye heber J wagstaff fr whangaroa Whang aroa jas J jackson aebers He lerS cutler south island john 8 bingham jus jots 8 Ur groesbeck A australia ralia geo D woolley wm brumley bromley stephen D chipman A priesthood meeting was held in the evening at which instructions were given to the brethren the speakers dwelt upon the bestowal of the holy priesthood upon joseph smith and the great riches we have received by these keys being again restored to earth they also spoke of the bringing forth of the book of mormon by the power of god and said we should be proud of the holy priesthood which has been conferred upon us and seek dili diligently W antly to magnify our calling as his is servants sunday morning january 12 the sacrament was aj ministered administered and the meeting was first addressed hy by brother john S bingham he gave ave an account of the condition of the the worl before the corning coming of christ his atonement for our sins and dwelt upon the important importance e of our living pure and holy lives in the sight of our heavenly father so that we might partake of the sacrament w without eating condemnation to ourselves he was followed by brother ezra T stevenson who spoke at some length on the restoration of the gospel the great revival ind nd final organization of the church of goi through the prophet joseph smith his persecutions and the many difficulties attached to the spreading of gods work so that it would not be overcome but spread over the face of the whole world till tile final accomplishment of all things which had been predicted in the evening the meeting was given into the hands of the natives who made excellent use of the opportunity port unity thus afforded them the floor was continuously occupied no sooner did one speaker close his reiR remarks arks than another was found eagerly waiting to improve the fleeting time ii in n fact several would remain standing to claim the next opportunity to speak this was waa kept up for four hours and thirty five minutes during which time forty two persons had borne their testimony brother wright closed by expressing ng his pleasure at the good feeling g which had bad been manifested during conference said he knew that the lord had poured out his holy spirit upon all present that all had felt the influence of the same he hoped that the spirit of god god would ever continue to burn within them and lead them onward and upward till they had finis finished bed the measure of their creation HEBER S CUTLER clerk of conference |
