| Show THE SOUTHERN STATES MISSION ITS CONDITION CONDITION AND PROSPECTS at our request elder elias A kimball just returned from the southern states penned an article upon the above subject which is herewith presented at the su suggestion of our esteemed president 01 lepire the southern states mission 7 and a desire within myself I 1 am happy of th the privilege of answering your queries regarding the missionary interests lute of the southern states mission and placing the tr true state of affairs there before the people as in justice to the President of th eMission the traveling elders the saints and friends this is if due also also it is due to the people of the south in general who are in in possession of so ral many y virtues the chief which is i s u hospitality born of charity the fairest of graces an in that respect we with happy re suits might pattern after them yet we also are a hospitable and charitable people beope 1 but open to improvement f hospitality i ity among the people of I 1 he south southern hospitality is a characteristic pecullar peculiar to them though they I 1 are not the only hospitable people whom I 1 have met yet no other people whom I 1 have associated with are in this respect like them it is true that the he people of the south do not have the advant advantages aXes of mental training enjoyed en joyed by the keople ople of the north but they are endowed with good hard native sense and tru true e hearts which they know how to use in the right direction many of them being willing to accept the true light of intelligence the perfect laws ot of liberty the gospel which entitles them to consideration as intelligent people as to seek first the kingdom of god and his ais righteousness is an evidence of it the wicked persecution our missionary elders of the south have received lec elved in the past at the hands of a few olgo bigoted ted intolerant into lerent un christians has resulted in an anxiety springing ngin up in the minds of the saints a against their leir sons brothers and fr lends going to the southern states on mis this is natural batia but if rightly understood this fear to a great extent at least should be replaced by conA confidence dence zd and assurance that their loved ones are arc as safe there amelse as elsewhere inasmuch as they are under the divine protection of 11 mighty god who is well able to shield and protect them from danger and harm our elders ol of the south in the past have been subjected to threats of violence by that class referred to above and have haaf ina few instances instanced been inhumanly treated for which we have pal enst st caisse cause of complaint but this year the aspect of affairs has be been en brighter and more encouraging inasmuch as no bodily violence to the kelders has characterized the unchristian as well a actions of the afore mentioned classi class this state of affairs is encouraging to the elders as well as all others who are in interested terestea th in the of fallen VV it demonstrates these facts act that the people are becoming inora ened anedas as what the cormons mormons Mor Mori mons boWl believe preach proclaim and practice and that they are not the refuse and off scouring of all things as the they y have been falsely to believe also that there is something in imor mormonism mo nisin that inspires the heart and enlightens the mind and as a sequence of this they are and becoming more tolerant willing that we should with them en enjoy joy some of the fruits of vouchsafed us every american citizen while or black pagan infidel or christian who res rests ts under the starry folds of the flag of liberty by our glorious constitution this is not all we faveto have to be encouraged over the elders are making ra rapid id progress in opening up new fields ads of labor making many friends dispelling prejudice rs judice and inducing many into the true church of christ with the promising prospect ere the year 1886 closes 0 of baptizing baptising bap a goodly number more there are a groat great many branches of the church iu ILL this Alis mission sion and more being created as necessity demands az giving 04 the saints the advantages of r regular I 1 ar meetings and sunday schools the health of the elders is generally y very g good 0 0 d only in these localities where t the h e country is low and wet a portion of mississippi and alabama do they the elders suffer any ana very great inconvenience from sickness and this can be avoided to a great extent as the authorities of af the mission have requested andery and try to impress on the minds of tile the elders the wisdom of learning for the time being through the wet seasons those unhealthy localities cali ties and go to higher and more healthy sections sect ioas this advice is being followed out with good results it is a great mistake to suppose the south to be an unhealthy country I 1 call it extremely healthy only in those parts to which I 1 have referred and they are unhealthy only in wet seasons there have been sent in the last eight or ten years about elders to tle the southern states who have labored from six months to eleven years and but one has fallen and disgraced himself I 1 am wiling to state slate that a finer nobler booler lot of men than those now mooring in the south it has never fallen fallan to my lot to meet they are honorable representatives of the church baurch and kin kingdom dom of god energetic earnest and sincere I 1 am pleased to say jy that the Is a factor of power in doing good abi is being circulated to some extent throughout the south but not so 60 extensively as it should be this can be otherwise toy by the saints at home sending to the address of the elders their papers after they have perused them |
