Show pennsylvania conference CE cumberland maryland july 18 1896 96 I 1 will endeavor to give you some facts in relation to the work in this the pennsylvania conference of the northern states mission on july ath we were called upon to hold funeral services over s sister nancy hartsoak Hart one of our in most ost faithful saints and one who was lo 10 loved ved by all services were held at the grove on brother wesley collins farm in bedford county pennsylvania of the traveling elders there were present elders richardson joseph M green E tanner G W parrish P R gillespie A M palmer A J allen alien and joshua selley president richardson presiding services commenced by singing come come ye saints prayer by elder joseph M green singing resting now from care and sorrow sorrow before passing away sister hartsoak Hart expressed a desire that elder A AJ J allen alien should speak at her funeral agreeable to this request brother allen alien addressed the congregation which was a large one most of the audience attending out of respect to the dead some coming for information relating to our doctrine while others came for curiosity brother allen alien sooke with much feeling and kind words of peace an and d consolation to the bereaved family he showed them by frequent quotations from the scriptures how they could again meet their loved one in the better world he exhorted all to lay their prejudice aside and investigate the principles we preach and if they will go to god in faith and prayer he will show them the light he explained how the gospel was vas restored irl in the last days and ghobad who had authority to act in these ordinances also what whal ordinances were necessary the speaker bore a strong testimony to the truth of the gospel and closed b by asking askin g the blessings of god to be with the family who are called to mourn and to all who are seeking the truth elder alder richardson president of the xon conference ference then addressed the congregation on the gospel and spoke words of peace and consolation to the bereaved family he closed by asking the blessings of I leaven heaven on all to lead and guide them to all truth and righteousness after afier meeting was dismissed many questions were asked by the people and answered by elder richardson many who had come with hatred and prejudice in their hearts went away with kindly teel loks towards us we have all felt that the influence of this funeral service has done more good than any other half dozen other in meetings held in the county we visited frie friends rids and saints for several days in bedford and the adjoining county of allegheny alleghany Alleg A hany maryland all the ae elders leaving for their several fields s of labor we continued our journey and arrived in cumberland maryland july ath tuly july ath we left cumberland for ridolph randolph county west virginia vis cited saints and friends at elkins and at harding and came to in this county randolph july at which place we held a very nice meet ms the audience was small but the seed sown will grow as a very much bett better er feeling is being manifested in this part of the conference next day we returned to harding from where we went to beverly the county seat of this county while here we visited friends among others mr 1 E kildow the editor of the randolph county enterprise leaving beverly for lee bell we visited sev several eral families of saints all of whom are faithful and have been very good to the elders traveling in this section of the state on july irth we held meeting with the saints at the ho home me of mccloud there bere were present president richardson and elders john ro ur i rawford awford joseph M morris joshua selley and some saints A branch was organized wife elder pierce pratt presiding elder miss ida mccloud secretary and friha mccloud baxter white john and daniel cutlip priests this branch is in a flourishing condition we now have two members in randolph county on july aoth we started on our return trip to cumberland visiting revisiting re saints on the way july aist two souls were bap tided sized into the fold the ordinance being performed by elder joseph morris we arrived to in elkins july but on ac count of the terrible destruction wrought by the storms we were compelled to jay f ever until the the railway service is very badly demoralized the damage tf td property and crops is beyond estimation on the we took train at 7 a m lor for cumberland where we arrived at 2 p m thankful to our father for the preservation of our lives in passing through the dangers of this journey we eel well in the work which is progressing as it never has done before in this conference CORNELIUS richardson president pennsylvania Con conference ferenee JOSHUA SELLEY |