| Show LETTER FROM NEW ZEALAND the distance between the districts in new zealand renders it advisable to hold bold two general conferences each year and use hul hui tau P or annual conference of the northern districts was wag held at waitangi Wai tangi nar te re puke bay of plenty on the and of dm dec 1892 elders were present from all the dl di tracts on the island except waira rapa and many of them had bad traveled nearly 35 miles on horse horseback bauk to attend 0 ax usual great preparations had been made for the entertainment of visiting members and the maids laoris in ofru tho clusty who were not members hurab readily assisted in fur dishing provisions and other ac commo lations dat ions the meetings were held in a large maori abare or meetinghouse decorated in the usual maori style conference was called to order on friday doe dec by the president of the australasian mis Mi slun elder W T stewart and the following named elders wo wore were re present elders M bennion C W taylor J M hendry john juang 0 kelson 0 andrus Q G hales E atkin alkin J M W douglas hans madsen madeen li C RG BG meikle B hamblin B goddard E J palmer C B bartlett C peter son and J S abbatt after the usual opening exercises elder WT stewart greeted the saints who had assembled from the surround ing districts and stated that the work was steadily progressing and the Inter eat increasing throughout the mission he invoked the blevans of god upon the gathering and desired regular at bythe members mem ben elder eider M bennion Benni president of the whangarei district reported that the work amongst the natives was according to the usual routine and there was nothing special to report meetings however had bad been held among the europeans and an earnest spirit of luquire bad been aroused he testified to the fulfillment fulfilment of prophecy and referred to the blessings awaiting those who remained faithful to their covenants elder E atkin president of the bay of islands district stated that most of the members in that district were interested in the work ot of the lords though some were quite weak and careless he considered that progress was being made anu the elders were meeting with some success elders hales bartlett and pouana a native also addressed the meeting the afternoon meeting convened at 23 in which elder eider cdouglas WD proof bent of the waikato district reported the labors of the elders in that district which had been attended with success ani there were prospects of some work being done among the europeans he bore testimony to the restoration of we the gospel with all the keys and ordinances bances nances out necessary for the observance of lis it g haws elder madsen reported the haurani district stating that many of the members were sain s indeed and the field was in a good condition related belated the pleasant experiences ot of the elders among the europeans while explain log the principles of the gospel and spoke at some length on the first principles of the gospe elder J ri 8 abbott exhorted the abe members tu to keep ahe commandments of god au as taught by our davir r an interesting testimony meeting was held in wis the watch om tinned till nearly midnight many of the native bemben mei ubera bearing faith firl testimonies the second day s meet ings were well attended anu anil ser serviced commenced at 10 am elder 0 W taylor read the statistical report for the six months ending july alet slet which showed the total number ot souls in the mission to be the number of baptisms for the haf ha f year was reported as 71 there are 29 19 1 elders from zion laboring in the MigS mission IOD fou fouron rw whom are engaged exl ex elusively among the europeans the general authorities of the church and the traveling elders were unanimously sustainer elder andrus president of the district stated that the district was in the same condition as when last reported no special progress had been made though many efforts had bad been put forth to reach the outsiders some were willing to receive and shelter the elders lor for the night on condition that no effort was made to preach the gospel he spoke many encouraging words totne to the on goabel principles elders hamblin peterson palmer aud brother ormsby a halt half caste maori aloo bore their testimonies in wo the afternoon meeting eider J M hindry reported the district as in good cooil condition and spoke also upon the he word of wisdom and of the saints sainte living up to go its requirements he was gratified to learn that some of the natives intended leaving for zion soon oon and only tho those filled with the spirit of god would ever enjoy the blessings of gather ilig with his hie saints elder meikle and a native addressed the meeting after which elder stewart spoke to the saints on olm the necessity of prophets in the church of christ he showed clearly that the people of god must be guided by rev elation and that christ had often revealed himself after his ascension he referred to the opposition to the work of the lord nd earnestly ex aborted all to be faithful and prayed that the blessings of god might rest real upon the people I 1 A priesthood meeting was held on olm saturday evening aud and the subject of pub publishing dehing ready beady references in the he maori language was introduced by elder stewart the native bemben heartily sustained the propositions proposition and expressed their willingness to assist aegis ak la the publication this valuable work can be used to greater advantage among the maori people than in EVY any other section of the missionary field the members are very diligent in studying the scriptural references in ig their daily karak kara kiss lae or prayer meetings in a lew few months after the little volume is issued leany of the natives will have committed its contents to memory the third day of conference was waa christmas day elder C W taylor was the first speaker and he delivered lis farewell address to the NOW new zealand saints having been released with elder bennion to return to zion he r referred to his bis labors and earn earnestly earnesta estl exhorted the members to faithful neW elder B goddard reported th the Man awater district in a condition and referred to the abe progress recently made two new branch having been established and baptise sn were quite numerous referred to td the labors la burs of the elders on the bouth island and refuted the spaulding s stry circulated by an archdeacon in the nelson diocese copies of which haq had been sent sill all through the mission I 1 he showed tue toe necessity of a chures churba organization as taught by the Apost toa with the ordinances and blessing ot the gospel in 11 in the afternoon there was an lag creased attendance sacrament woj waa administered by elders M bennion and C W taylor after elda J M hixion president ot of the maemi district reported their labors in tha part of the mission he referred to 06 exemplary lives of the presidents of oft branches bra nohea and the good feeling whit prevailed 8 elder JL 0 Bos reported tile poverty bay districts district and also ad 04 4 dressed the congregation on the coming of christ exhorting the people to live so that they might be prepared to reign with him on earth elder bider john Q G KeI kelson president of hawkes hawke bay district stated that the S saints A n to were on surrounded brou by great world ly temptations and this necessitated much labor among those who were wee weak in the faith he bore a faith faithful fal testimony to the work of god and urged tie te members to be diligent JIM in their callings elder W T stewart testified to the food spirit which had prevailed during ce the conference he referred to the sad death ath of elder chipman in the waikato district and bore testimony to his hie zeal and good character he spoke poke on the subject of the condition of dwarfed spirits aud and the labors sary for the redemption of the dead and expressed a belief that elder eider man had bad been called to continue C chipman bif hie blo labors behind the veil the testimony meeting held in tb the evening ing continued till about eleven cb and twenty two members bore olo thit faithful ticul testimonies A good spirit prevailed and much good will undoubtedly result from the meetings a MIDSUMMER CHRISTMAS IN NEW ZEALAND christmas in the antipodes has a changed aspect we miss thi the frosty blasts and fleecy snow nind and santa claus cannot appear in his time honored garb of white I 1 instead of the merry jingling of leiah bells belle we hear bear the sweet finx of the feathered songsters song and the alark skylark oars aloft with alad song to geet t sol 1301 as he rises in the glory ol of kree gi miner immer weather is almost oppressively TJ the tle hot holl which often indicates a hea heavy vy thunder shower A sumptuous christmas dinner was tor for the elders who gathered t lo 10 attend conference at waitangi Wai tangi new zealand the dinner room was very similar to one of our bow eries and wag tastefully fully decorated and fes festooned festoon tOOLed ed with native grasses and vines A merry Carist christmas mas to all greeted the guests as they entered and the babl tabled efe groaned beneath their loads 0 or f beef pork boik vegetables plum pud puddings dingo torte tarui it is ue needless edless to say that full justice was done to the bounteous re oset christmas eve WM was a memorable doo sion our conat conference rence meeting till after 10 oo look but tw 1 the late hour it il was to a m d advisable to celebrate the festive eve with an appropriate A master of ceremonies program w was appointed and the merry ug bur and joyous shouts continued slighter to the early morning hours santa taus s was was present and the brethren cheerfully surrendered their socko seeks in the hope of receiving elegant tokens from om his ever evec bounteous hands bands the gifts were too varied and numerous to permit a description in this letteri ata 10 late delivered by 67 emera on C W taylor and W T BIG Bt t and these were followed with gm daga 8 recitations IT the a sentiment ou on our wives and sweethearts was enthusiastically received and the unanimity which prevailed indicated that the loved ones at home were not forgotten i 4 Alter singing home sweet Swee sweethome homec tHome md star spangled banner P the company dispersed after a general handshaking hand shaking and christmas greetings greetin gw gp pew it any retrained refrained from reflect of the happy gatherings gathering and family reunions in glahs vales but ibia to also proved a family gathering for all were ware brethren united in doing Fath ests will and laboring to proclaim artieve Ohrt ets mission for the salvation of hib ab children ildron it t was fitting therefore that they ab should celebrate the advent of him who was heralded with peace on earth good will towards man |
