| Show written for this paper kapff INDIAN TERRITORY MISSION the year just paiit has baa been to the indian territory mission one of the most moat prosperous oua and interesting it has baa ever experienced there have been 27 elders from zion in the field during the year and we now have 21 there haa ban been an average of about 10 the entire year all are now in good health and spirits we also have 7 local elders and while we have had bad no particular aid from them in the traveling mini ministry we have been greatly aided by the local priest bood in our organizations as aa officers and teachers in sunday school aau the valuable temporal assistance they with their families have rendered us by way of entertaining the servants ol of god of the 6 elders that returned home during the summer and fall but two wo were released on account or of sickness sio knese I 1 attribute the great improvement in health the post past year to the experience we have gained rom from what iu there fliers have buffered credd carefully carrying out the rules of the minion and observing the laws of health by keeping strictly the word of wisdom and to the fact that our field has haa been enlarged naturally overcoming the hampered con condition altion ot of former years and giving us a wider cope for changing about it is a demonstrated rated fact in our experience that a change of air food sail and water la is the best beet medicine fo for a sick elder away from home borne this report covers our elders traversing the country occupied by the five civilized tribes cherokees Chicha chickasaws saws creeks anu anc Semi seminoles noles the latter two nations nat tone have only been visited by way of exploring the country and investigating the prospects for W we have also canvassed that portion of oklahoma most thickly settled and paid a winit visit to some of the wild triberg in the western part of the indian country our is in necessarily incomplete our report system having only begun with the present year ol of 1895 during the year 1894 there have been 39 89 baptisms which added to the fornier forner baptisms we have on our record make a total of nine have em eoa grated rated and aad 2 apostatized leaving 47 separating from this number those who formerly emigrated to zion and fallen sway away we mill have log members of the ob arob somewhere in indian india territory the aders alden have blessed 81 children which added to those of former years give UH on a total of 84 at lost last report we w had 6 priests and I 1 which time 6 5 of the former and 8 of the latter have been ordained making makina a eluding the 7 elders aheady named of 22 local members of the priesthood the elders have held mee logn with an average attendance of 21 distributed 1146 tracts and sold aou and given away a great many books we have organized 4 branches aud 6 5 sunday schools the elders eiders erected a meeting house bouse at massey macsey settlement choctaw N nation aaion all cost of the ground was niro dedicated td oaring my visit in that region in jan 1894 elder lease isaac A jensen had bad the labor directly in charge assisted by local elder eider james E valley who with ale family have since emigrated to utah and traveling elders herman E campbell R 0 winter and E JL vaunden da contributions were received irom from some of the saints and some gome of the traveling eider the cash expenditures amounted to and the labor aggregated this unique log meeting house bouie and the one on erected at manard also the work ot of eiders have the name ef cf being the best beat log houses in the indian nations our sunday schools with the branches are a great aid in teaching the saints the plan of salvation and in keeping them to in the fold until they become grounded in Us gospel two of our sunday schools are presided over by traveling El elde dere lexe belne being no local priesthood to in the locality our report shows that sunday dunday school sessions have been hold held with wish an enrollment of 60 50 tut iu lie anu wa a i average attendance of 30 19 embere and teachers tea oben with an average attend mice ance of 16 total officers ficere of teachers and pupils 69 we alao have a day school at massey settlement can conducted ducted n our new meeting house and taught by elder J 0 lyon lyod never mover have we had a better lot of elders in the mission mi aaion they are doing well to la every department they hold from one to five meetings a week including our branch meetings mee tinKa ala abid sunday not only latter day saints but many who are ale investigating the truth assemble to listen to the teachings teaching of the servants of god the elders are also active in dg the boguse of all classes where they cou converse verse by the fireside on the truths enunciated nuncia ted by the prophet joseph many tracts and other religious peri pen are read by which me bonest lb ju heart learn many truths which help to overcome pre prejudice edloe and prepare the way for the ellers El itera who are rarely refuted refused entertainment and when they are it generally develops in good tu to themselves or of the cause which they represent there are no people more hospitable the bau are the five civilized of indiana and the many good white people who have thel ridle 0 land daod as luehr abode while the indian territory is in somewhat sickly there in 1 more anxiety borrowed at home regarding loved ones laboring in that field really necessary our brethren breth reu are to la the hands of the lord J biord as mu b in the missionary field as at home if we would exercise faith for them anu assist them by our buoyant encourage ment their faith and wisdom would increase that through the powers 01 god they could baffle all obstacles aules that may arise and MI fill their missions to their own satisfaction and the wishes of those who sent them before concluding and by way 0 justice to elders elbers who attended our reunion last april permit to add aad he following the names ames of elders jed W ambion and ezra 0 adams were or erroneously omitted in the historical sketch which was read during the evening let me bore bere say that those elders filled their place pice to in the march of aslou of the indian territory mission as aa abl ably v and faithfully RS aa any elder M W dalton succO oded apostle george teesdale teasel ale instead instein I 1 of brother Feltin felt in carrying on the work of the mission while elder pelt felt was bin bia able companion elder teesdale Tea adale continued in charge ot of the mission until the spring of 1887 when the responsibility fell upon nay shoulders shoulder lot let me here thank all who have and are now kindly contributing to the wood work which is ia being carried on in tuat laud if through typographical 1 l errors or omissions omie aiona of the writers of any of the noble workers abo old be overlooked or god who sees ees tae sparrow when it fallia f illg will nut fail to reward all in their turn for the noble works of life respectfully respect fully ANDREW KIMBALL |
