Show australasian MISSION the yearly conference of the australasian tra lasian eian mission was held at te creore Waira rapa new zealand on april ath on tuesday april apri dast ast 1st the elders and natives arrived from the districts of kalapu huranga Tu ranga mahia mabia Herta onga and some on horseback and others by rati rail on theard the ard 3rd elders J 8 bingham and J groesbeck Groe abeck joined us from the south island our conference was held in a building of native construction and architecture it consisted of one long room lighted by windows at the ends only the interior is profusely covered with fantastic carvin carvings gsand and ornamental paintings of the natives while at the end opposite the entrance stands a marble monument bearing this inscription in the native tongue A sign for our children to remember the coming forth of the gospel to us in the year 1831 11 1 1 we were told by the natives that this house was erected in the year 1881 and that the builder a great chief on its completion assembled many of his people and addressing them and pointing to the monument he said keep the faith you have received although you belong to different churches until one shall come from across the ocean which will be the true gospel conference commenced on friday the fth there were on the stand from utah the president of the mission angus T wright elders J A sutton button jr J 8 S dame david muir J N heywood hey wood J P beek beck P P thomas J T Sai Smell ellie le H 8 geddes J H burton lewis hawkes E T stevenson H D haight J S bingham and J 8 grosbeck after the opening exercises president wright greeted the saints expressing his hia joy that so many had assembled he called attention to the fact that the april conference was being ob served the world over where the latter day saints were to be found much of the forenoon was occupied by Prebi presidents dents of districts who gave favorable reports in the afternoon a number of europeans from adjoining towns were present and an excellent discourse cou roe on OB the first principles of the gospel was delivered in english by elder J S bingham at the same time it was translated for the natives by elder E T stevenson saturday the ath was mainly occupied by discourses some by natives who spoke comprehensively on the principles of the gospel quoting scripture being the least difficult feature for them al ways sustain their views ay bible proof A letter to the native saints from ex president wm was read and afforded much satisfaction sunday april ath was waa observed as a fast day while the sacrament was being administered the natives sang one of their hymns and one of the number accompanied on the or organ an M the general and local authorities of the church were unanimously sustained by the votes of the conference the following appointments were made Waira rapa J 8 bingham J H burton J N heywood J 8 groesbeck Groes bech Hereta ongar J P beek beck P P thomas mahla mahia J T 0 C dunford and wife huranga J 8 dame H 8 13 geddes 0 D romney H D haight E johnson job neon L J hawkes haurani thomas cyoung JH timpson Tim paon waikato C johnson T C stanford Whan garel 1 os OB T wald waldron ron milton bennion bay of islands J 8 S nye H J wagstaff whangaroa Whang aroa J J jackson Jacks H 8 cutler on sunday evening many testimonies were born elders button stevenson and muir received many expressions of kindly feeling and words ot of farewell from the natives who have been blessed by their faithful labors these brethren are about to return having together with elders B stewart and 8 D chipman Chip mao been honorably released the statistical report showed baptisms for the year ending january blot alst 1890 the members of sabbath schools number 1423 total membership of mission the influenza which report says is s reading rapidly over new zea land made its appearance among us and we were kept quite busy between meetings administering to the sick much good instruction was delivered by president wright and the elders all were wem liberally provided with food and lodging by the resident natives Confer conference esce was appointed to be held april ath 1891 at nuhaka mahla mahia J N HEYWOOD clerk of conference RUA N Z april bilth 1890 |