| Show conference IN NEW ZEALAND N Waira rapa now new zealand july 1895 the past few months having been a season ot of great rejoicing in this portion of now new zealand both among the elders elder and saints I 1 take this unity eunity and liberty of penning a few lines to you and the saints of zon concerning the cause cabie of foremen tinned fad face thinking also that perhaps it way maj be of interest to those who rejoice coo con in the work of the lord hmong the different nations of the earth earb while upon this tak taik I 1 hear bear the good advice given by our beloved loved te president preel dent of this mission redounding resounding redound ing in my earr ear baying B be brief in all your correspondence 0 realizing that it to is good counsel especially to an elder io in israel who lit engaged in promulgating the abe everlasting gospel I 1 will endeavor to put the same game into practice on june letb I 1 left my district for the purpose of escorting president wm win gardner who was wag in the district into the portion of the lord vineyard owing to neglect of a post postoffice office ofil official olal we were war put to much inconvenience and expense having to travel exceedingly long distances in order to reach Grey Urey town where our semiannual semi annual conference had bad been appointed to be hold held traveled itty sixty mlle miles one day forty of which was done on foot though tired on reaching our ur journey journeys our Is end we soon became well paid for the haste we had made to enable us to fulfill our appointment it ever there was a time when the saints desired earnestly to b be 6 a spiritually fed with the word of life a and nd salvation it was upon this occasion though the maori land court was in busy session cession the saints arranged their affairs and eagerly made it a point to be in prompt attendance attend aBoe at the time specified for our hul to commence at 10 a m on june elder george ceorge bowlds called the large congregation to order and we commenced what eventually proved to be one of the largest and best beat conferences ever hold held in Waira Wair rapa araps there were present the following from alon elders william gardner president ot of the australasian mission george gaorge bowlus bowles P resident president of the Waira rapa conference a and nd james barrow lee bradford george jarvis jar vis and john walker good and encouraging reports were given in by the several branch from which could be teri very satisfactorily gleaned that the saints both european ind and maori were striving to fulfill their callings as an saints I 1 indeed a dead elders barrow and bowles reported the district M a whole from their report it could be seen been that much good work was waa betas done by them and their companions among both races of people that many were on the verge of enter lug ing into the gospel also many who ano were seeking to know for themselves vee me as to the truth of so called mormonism niem the following report will partially speak peak for itself as an to how bow the inhabitants of this district are feeling toward the church and lr its doctrines or the principles taught by the servants of the true and living gou god since april last twenty six sis have been initiated by baptism and lour four by blessings ac according gording to the be pattern which our savior gave while he in the flesh during the conference session eight meeting were hold held conducted entirely in maori though a number of pa kehas 90 were present interpreters being chosen to translate unto them the many good and valuable instructions which were delivered before those M emblem em sem bled many principles of the gospel were dwelt upon and explained clearly by the many elders and maori brethren who were called upon to address us ni ane saints were especially urged to live worthy lives that they might secure every ble blessing aging promised unto those who keep the commard omenta of god that they might also in the lords due time be gathered out from the midst of babylon unto zion to fit and prepare themselves to become saviors on mount zion if it so BO be the lards will for them to so beame beo ime A very notable fact act W was witnessed ed in the attendance of a large number of non saints who listened very attentively to all aid the outcome is that they are at present aresen t busily engaged in searching the and endeavoring to assure themselves that we are in the possession of the one faith and one baptisms baptism which the apostle paul spoke of in his epistle to the Epho ephesians after we had oil all been fed with an abundance of gods word the saints dispersed for their several homer feel lug thankful for the blessings which the gospel had brought them in these latter dayal day determined also in their hearts to serve the lord in righteous neon nan elder bowles bowleg was called to accompany elder gardner to the south islands for the purpose of proclaiming the gospel dospel unto the maori laoris who resided in the indifferent near Christ christchurch church we left wellington per 8 8 Bot a 4 large anu and stately vessel after enjoying our supper we concluded that it would be advisable to go to tied lest we might eater entertain taiD a love for the fishes and food feed them with the delightful repast which we had just partaken partaker par taken of yet how ignorant we were concerning the mighty deep how rudely we were awakener awake from our brief slumbers and literally forced to feed those fishes to part company pany with that which we desired to reta retain liol how we wished we could got get offend off and walk but no we must continue on to our destination I 1 and treasuring a hope bode within us that tb at we might be able to endure all things f s our mission proved to be a very enjoyable one both temporarily and spiritually meeting with splendid receptions opening their heir balls and kadakia meeting house to us and attending in large numbers to bear the principles etc ate of the latter day saints sainte expounded unto them during the time of our visit to katapol a maori pah which has an eventful history of itself a certain european minister who had evidently never had bad the privilege of meeting a mormon elder oame came to listen to the discourse of elder gardner at the close of the meeting privilege was given all to ask questions if they desired the minister at once arose and requested that he be be allowed to address his bis own congregation congre Ration even the one which had gathered to kether gether to listen helen to elder gardner hew he was permitted to do so go and after trying in his bis supposed superior knowledge and power to tear and pull down our doctrines doctrine upon our heads and expecting our discomfiture he stopped fully expecting to see his desire manifested in having us banished forever from the presence of his bis congregation elder gardner then turned to refute all the false accusations which had bad been made by the power of the holy spirit of god which was poured down upon him he be proved from holy writ that the church and gospel which we represent is the true and only plan of salvation that it to is built upon the rook of revelation that it is of divine origin not of man maio and thus thug will stand forever great was the perplexity rod and discomfiture of that minister more es deolall peo lall as an it occurred before his own flock book his accusations were that the book of mormon was waa written by a woman and purchased by joseph smith for the sole purpose of moneymaking money making the ibe old old illusion of polygamy trying to show to his bla bearers what a blot it was upon the ully framed constitution of the united states the incorrectness of the bible when compared with the greek translation yet he be himself had been and was teaching from king jamess james translation he went so far as to say nay that jesus condemned polygamy when he ele was upon the earth upon being asked for chapter and verse he could not furnish same thus suffering buffering another defeat he eventually had haa to leave crestfallen indeed leaving the humble bumble elder master of the situation who turned and gave unto god all the honor and glory realizing that it was through him above that truth had bad triumph eJ over falsehood many members of that flock are at ireae present rit investigating our principles they have acknowledged them to be scriptural and have expressed them selves as being desirous of entering into the told of christ in the near future it would be encroaching upon the valti valuable uble space of your paper to report all our travels suffice it to say that we returned as aid tile the seventies of olds old rejoicing exceedingly and hope that we have sown many good seeds upon good ground to eventually grow mature etc president gardner left this district on july on kilo way north to auckland a long and tedious journey fourney upon tow too horse borse and steamer expecting to reach the above named place sometime in september we who are laboring in have greatly enjoyed the visit of our beloved president and feel renewed and strengthened in our high callings to work hard and also earnestly while the day mets laeto our oar hearts feel bad aad at the premature release of our co laborer elder eider john walker who 00 oo on account of health Is ii unable to perform his bi labors jaborg it was therefore deemed ad d by president gardner to release him to return home may he be speedily recover on bin hi arrival at our mountain home the niwo comes frequently to hand band JA read with interest by the elders and swats and is then mailed or handed to non bon saints sainta who are friendly towards us OR and investigating the gospel which we represent may zion prosper and flourish fl as the babit habitation stion of the he saints sainto of god hori HOKI 11 |
