Show written for this paper INDIAN TERRITORY MISSION LETTRE LETTER IX II ST JOHN september the saints and elders were gathering to st john prior to the arrival of ader andrew kimball and party irom from utah elders eldera wm D bowring and alvin alvan A beesley nave have been released from their heir former gold field to travel to la the now new conference they had been joined voided by bros broe P H margetts Marget tc aind nd A N wallace and all were on OB their way to our future field of labor arriving at kansas we were struck with the simil larity between this little city and home tor for on each side aide of the streets a row of shade tress trees could be seen for miles the streets are also alio wide and improved presenting a pleasing appearance to visitors on entering the train at 1010 pm bound lor for st john we were agreeably surprised to find our utah party on the same ame oar car after a years separation from our friends frienda it was a pleasure plea aure to abade handa bands with some ome one just juet from zion A ride of two hours houra brought us to our destination where brow bros lyon and coolbear awaited our arrival the party pany went immediately to our now new house of worship which stands as a monument to the untiring efforts of aldera lyon Cool coolbear boar davit DAVIS and AE ac derson it to ia on a beautiful of land overlooking all stafford county for many days the hospitable people of st stjohn john had bad been awaiting our arrival so 10 brother cool bear had UG no difficulty finding binding accommodations for tired and weary missionaries ou on the afternoon of saturday sapt hb we held a priesthood meeting many dany institutions were given and reports report made and elders AN wallace D W coolbear Gool bear and A H davis released to return home it was that thag hereafter there will be no presiding elder here but elder W D boring will act as secretary and assistant president of the mission at 8 v in a general meeting of the church churell members was hold held there were on the stand eighteen elders imm from utah besides elders edward if stevenson and A kimball and four josal elders sunday morning sept jtb the elders and friends of st john numbering about met and under the direction of brother kimball organized a sabbath school with jtb officers and teachers an informal meeting was waa gone through with and service was closed till 2 pm jong before the appointed hour the house was crowded to its utmost capacity more chairs were brought from tile the adjoining building so that by 2 pm it IS was estimated that fully had come to witness the dedicatory services elder coolbear called the assembly to order and the choir consisting of thirty three voices assisted by prof kan kaae P H margetts lloil violinist lat and fluor henry heary kirk man organist sang the hymn this house hour we dedicate to thee 0 the opening prayer was by J 0 lyon dijon the choir rendered por for the strength of the hills we bless theo thee 9 brother coolbear was waa the first speaker he told of the erection of the house ana of his bis work in connection with elders lyon davis and anderson also alio gave an account ot of money received and disbursed which amounted to 1686 he closed by thanking the people of st john for their many sets aota of kindness to himself and follow fellow laborers laborer A mandolin man dolio and guitar selection followed by brothers byron and alvin beesley Be enley elder andrew kimball then arose and offered a dedicatory prayer although the hall ball was packed almost to suffocation perfect order was maintained throughout and a heartfelt amen was wan detected from many not of our falth faith oh my father thou that dael lost leet was ung sung by elders samuel and henry kirkman pi P H margetts margetti J M fullmer aud and alvin A beesley Be ealey elder Steve Deon then than spoke and the citizens ci of st jotin john were promised rich blessings and that they would never regret the assistance rendered A violin solo eolo by elder P H margetts margetti followed and was wa appreciated by all elder kimball spoke of the be success aoh levad by elders eldera lyon coolbear cool bear davis and anderson An denon and the saints and their friends friende in st john and said bald kaunas would yet grow to be a great mormon commonwealth it the citizens of kansas would continue coutin ue in their good work p prosperity rity would be showered bow ered upon them the words of log ing this land the choir sang bang praise to the man etc and benediction was pronounced by elder bider A H davit davis although our beautiful little meeting house bouse has baa the largest seating capacity of any in the city of st john it was found to be inadequate for the crowds that gathered at night to learn more of the latter day saints sainta owing to this the enterprising cil citizens zoua procured ibe large flop which has baa a seating heating capacity of seven hundred people for us to hold our evening session in at 8 p m elder goo aeo W baker of st john welcomed the people previous to brother stevenson commencing hla big subject immediately after the musical exercises the valuable and interesting log charts belonging to te elder eider stevenson were produced and a more instructive lecture or interested ed audience would be hard bard to find anywhere for fully two hours his bearers were held bold spellbound drinking in every word he be uttered regarding that important subject the book ol of mormon many regretted his having to stop atop before finishing but owing to the late hour he announced he be would finish the following evening in the same hall ball once more the good people of st bt john stepped forth and selected from one to four of our party to accompany them home where they could partake of a refreshing sleep before our next day days daya a gathering at a m monday the musical sound of the great bell warned all of the approaching hour for our morning session by pealing forth its notes to the inhabitants ot of the city numbering about one thousand souls our morning services were devoted to the bearing of testimonies by the follOW following IDS elders elden J M fullmer J M knight P H margetta charles solomon and alvin A beesley rider elder kimball followed giving an interesting account of his bic personal ex parlance per lences in the indian I 1 ad tan territory mission lon in 1884 and 1886 1885 after appropriate singing ringing elder john A eardley dismissed immediately after the closing of the mornings morning s fl session our party were happily thrown in contact with more of the liberalities liberali ties ot ol our friends friende A loleat number of vehicles were at our dis disposal with guides who drove us u to all the principal points of interest and through their immense fields of corn whose crops are second to none la in the world during the drive they were so BO impressed with the subject ol of irrigation practiced 0 so o uc sue ceia cosa fully in utah that brothers brothen stevenson Steve naon and kimball were urged to remain a day longer than they expect ed and devote au evening to emigration to utah and we the advantages Advant agoa of irrigation IP promptly Prom at 2 p in brother J C lyon president pre aident of the kansas uon ereole ereo oe called me me maettria ettria to order his wife daughter of the pioneer arn H foster of we the seventh ward salt dalt lake city at the organ singing 81 aging prayer by elder W A Brat brathol dol of st john singing al nging elder Bluer heber kieber C anderson anderaon gave some ol of his hia as an traveling eider in the cherokee conference elder A A H davis davia who had bad been honorably released relea abd to return home immediately after conference addressed elder eider JO J 0 lyun lyon spoke briefly on the firt first principles principle of the gospel followed by elder bider evan evaa evanson Eva naon who was wae un on his way for his second mission he spoke very interestingly of his bis first mission mi aalon brother george baker sr was wa pleased beyond expression for the opportunity port unity alty of meeting with the elders elder aud and saints of ilia his own faith brother baker was formerly a member of the church bein led to this section ot or country by their leader many years ago but has since united in connection with his family with our people singing prayer by elder alvin A beesley Bee eley by 8 pm the large pavilion was seated with expectant listeners eager to hear bear more of our doctrine after toe the usual exercises of ingling ing anil and prayer brother A H davis davia presiding pre Riding elder bider stevenson dwelt for a halt ball hur on the subject of the previous pre night viz dixi the divinity of the book of mormon and calling of the prophet joseph J oseph smith elder andrew kimball followed on the be origin of man and hr his destiny at the close of the a larese our chorus sang bang the spirit of god like a are fir la Is burning pl and prayer was waa offered by william E newman tuesday morning sepi 10 was wa selected elected an aa inn appropriate time for a meeting to be held under the aus of the it was waa conducted by elder goo geo W baker attar after the musical exercise a brother stevenson Steve naon rave valuable advice to the seventies just etite entering ring in their now new avocation re ae the experience he had had bad with wm win bickerton while at abst st john jobe mr bickerton claimed to have the authority necessary to further gods god Is work given him bim by the lord through sidney rig big don brother stevenson then told of his hie having taken part in the excommunication of sidney rigdon bigdon before he be bad laid his bands on woo wm bickerton Bio kerton after dwelling for a few moments on the succession of presidency of the church he invoked gods blessing on all elder kimball spoke for a few minutes on the care of elders just juat entering the field regarding their health and as to the course to pursue when stricken down dowd brother W E newsman newman occupied the balance of the time speaking on the restoration of the gospel and closed it bad been previously announced that sister sifter stevenson would address the congregation tuesday afternoon so 0 o that by the appointed hour the house was nearly full of listeners eager ly waiting to bear from the women ol of utah elder A H davis was the first op speaker eaker dwelling on the second coming of christ his time having come for him to return home herne be bade farewell to the good people of st john joha and vicinity it y and hoped bored he would be able to pay them another visit some day elder coolbear followed thanking the people present for all favors grant ed he be too having been released to return home brother kimball then introduced sister stevenson to the congregation who said she felt honored for the privilege of addressing her friends when a girl she had often wished she bad lived in the days of the ancient apostles when she first heard the gospel preached by the followers of the modern prophet she knew it was the truth when our boys go out to preach it is not for glory wealth or any remuneration in this life but for boner and the love of their religion she spoke from experience having had a son fulfill a three years mission to the sandwich islands she said the downtrodden down trodden women of utah as they are often termed are granted greater rights than anywhere else in the world she closed thanking the abe people for the demonstration of regard to our people A violin and organ selection by brothers margetts margette and beesley followed after which brother stevenson presented the officers of the church by name and by the saints saint and elders they were unanimously sustained after closing the anole body of people were photographed just la in front of she meeting house never in the abe history of the st john opera house did such a crowd of peo pie ale turn out to an entertainment as that which greeted the missionaries of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints on tuesday night it was estimated that fully people witnessed the abe proceedings the citizens had bad kindly donated the opera house for our use for this occasion as well as other times when out our own house bouse of worship was entirely too small for the throngs of people mat hat turned out from time to time our choruses had been especially prepared for the event so that all went off admirably prom from 8 till 11 the people were either as still as it was possible for such a crowd during the rendering of the numbers or clapping for delight after each number an AD important feature was waa assistance rendered by protestor professor kane cornet soloist who furnished furni ebed two solos besides assisting in the choruses the program as aa it was wag originally arranged was as an follows fol lowe though many more pieces were added owing to the enthusiasm opening chorus elders recitation citation Ke I 1 dont run in debt win ame B newman double quartette iier woodland roses eight bight elders mandolin and guitar dust duet byron and alvin beesley comic 0 recitation P H margetts organ solo henry kirkman soprano solo song that reached my heart mrs A kimball accompanied by mrs J 0 lyon trio elders margetts coolbear and beesley recitation BI blacksmiths ack smiths story A kimball song bong one thing and the other PH marietta cornet solo prof kane eane comic recitation J M knight solo and quartette 0 my father 11 kirkman 8 kirkman PH mar getts J SL fulmer recitation miss annie baker oc come ye disconsolate eight bight elders violin solo P H margetts margette bass solo 1 I am dreaming J M fullmer tenor solo samuel kirkman closing chorus elders prayer EL kirkman alvin A beesler accompanist thum chuo ended another pleasant and in day wednesday morning mornin gg september 11 th 1895 owing to the illness of bro bowring which however to is a thing of the past priesthood meeting was called at the house houie where bro boari r g was waa being oared cared forso that he be could listen to the instructions instruction A short abort meeting followed in which the following officers were chosen to act in the various fields throughout the indian territory mission which comprises the indian territory the states of kaunas kansas and arkansas Ar kaneai kaneas and oklahoma territory secretary treasurer trea and assistant president pre aident of the mission mia aloo wm D bowring presiding elder of the cherokee conference indian territory P H margette presiding elder of the chickasaw conference indian territory henry kirkman presiding elder of the oklahoma conference wm E newman presiding elder ol of the arkansas conference 13 P gheen presiding elder of the kansas conference J C lyoo lyon president deot of the st john branch quo GOD W baker superintendent of st john sunday school wm brandon resistant aria esi tant stant dents dente Q G W baker aker and C miller secretary and treasurer trea aurer nicholas baker grandpa baker was waa given a ablee blessing aing under the hands bands of presidents dento stevenson and kimball and meeting was dismissed by alvin beesley not the he least thing of note during our oan oin ference was the baseball game of wednesday afternoon which moored a victory for boys boy little did we expect when we accepted the challenge from the crack team of stafford county we would be in it but we went in to win and came out with a score of 18 to 16 in our favor with the privilege of another innings but it was not needed at 7 pm a concert was waa given by kansas concert band in honor of oc their mormon friends frienda fri endi though the band Is i yet in its infancy I 1 it plays play a good grade of music comprising uch much elections an ai the bohemian girl poet and peasant etc their leader prot prof kane Is ia a musician of note not rod and la Is doing much toward the advancement of the art in st john each bach number brought forth great applause the last meeting of our eur conference was given by special request and |