Show IN EASTERN OREGON city oregon march JW recent events associated with the work of establishing the gospel io eastern oregon portends the reaping of a grand harvest in the due time of thee the lord baker city is the center of this thi promising 0 bising vineyard it is the seat of A arr large ge and growing colony of latter day azy saints who from time to time have left their utah homes to find employment with the oregon lumber company a corporation ot or vast magnitude and growing power owned and controlled by br utah men the saints at baker are enjoying ther benefits and blessings of a comp complete left branch organization there as an efficient sunday school thoroughly organized and ably conducted having a membership of a young mens iud and young ladies mutual combi oner ona association and conducted strictly upon the lines laid down in the guide and at tr acting an average attendance of about a relief society active and busy with labors of charity a primary association numbering go 90 and presided over in the spirit of deepest devotion at least it a third of whose little ones are the children of non mormon parents a general priesthood organization including all the offices of both Priest hoods an acting teachers quorum whose members enjoy the spirit of their calling and by whose faithful labors prof profanity fanity has been almost entirely banished contention measurably removed and respect and obedi obedience bence to the priesthood promoted an active deacons quorum whose minute took look shows that for two years past mast they have met regularly every two weeks and given due credit to each member for the faithful services they have rendered to the branch and last but by bv DO n means the least a choir organization niza tion numbering twenty five members CS trained in constant weekly rehearsals by a competent leader their air music anusic is is always justly praised by visitors and deeply appreciated by the saints while in the peaceable pea cable u enjoyment of these blessings there came one day into our war mi midst ast dst a seventh day adventist of considerable sid idd erable arguien argumentative dative ability who diligently applied his seventh day doctrine to some ot our newly received bemb members ers not having as yet thoroughly grounded tn themselves in the principles of the gospel they were liable to be disturbed godgel by y the cunning sophistry and plausible Blau sible glitter of his reasoning and juad blade to tw fear that t the mormons cormons might after all allbe be on the wrong S track in respect lo ito their day of worship our elders took the matter up for two tm bights the subject was discussed at the home of one of the brethren in a spirit at the end of which time friendly our visitor made fold to offer a challenge fora for a debate but according to counsel the idea ot of a public debate was discouraged courvi cou raged ged as tending more to confuse the i inquirer than to lead him or her to of eternal truth however p principles the temporary absence of the durin during r V isato isito 7 the whole matter was laid bea before ore fider elder george bearg C parkinson by letter in view few of 8 all the e circumstances the conn dent tam talk of the adventist his bis coming into our field of labor the widespread discus discussion sion provoked among our people those who more dili as s well as among gentl r inquiring into the principles ot of ae gospel Os pel elder parkinson advised us to make an exception to the general practice accordingly upon the return of the adventist and during a visit from elder ar H s tanner of salt lake city we called upon him and formally accepted the challenge for a public debate to our areat 1 surprise the gentlemen declined we when 1 forced to meet his bis own words word he be squarely sau arely admitted that he was only bluffing and it was with the greatest difficulty that he was induced to meet elder tanner in in a private discussion say nothing about his coveted debate the two gentlemen however met with about twenty of the saints and discussed the subject from six until after midnight each taking fifteen min totes alternately the saints were well satisfied with the result and the following night elder tanner lectured on the subject hect before a crowded house of both Moir cormons mormons mons and non mormons cormons the salutary effects of which were most remarkable the spirit of disputation which had spread d throughout the entire branch mediately immediately edia tely disappeared the mormons cormons had bad maintained a most successful defence against an insidious attack upon the christian sabbath a defense so complete and sweeping g the christian denominations could we well I 1 I 1 take refuge under its ample folds these events had the good ten dency of arousing a lively spirit of inquiry and prepared the way for the sending of three missionaries from southern idaho to labor in this new field these were elders J F hunt D jensen and 1 1 golightly they arrived on the loth day of january ot of this year with instructions to labor first among the saints of our branch and then to prospect the eastern oregon field with a view of establishing ta tab blish lishing ng permanent missionary work these investigative labors were terminated at the ward conference held at baker on the ath and ath dinst the brethren will doubtless make a full report of their la borsand we do not wish to trespass upon their ground in this article but beg the privilege of a brief word wora of a nature which could hardly be expected from them their labors among the families of the saints have been greatly appreciated by usall us all the spirit of the gospel rested upon them and all received attention wise counsel and faithful instructions were imparted to both old and young at every family fireside and the blessin blessings s of the lord left in every home R the e branch associations association sand quorums were also visited and evils and errors kindly corrected indeed it may truthfully be said that individuals families and quorums of the branch have been greatly be benefited and blessed through the devoted labors of these humble and worthy brethren and we feel to voice the deep gratitude and love of all the saints to tor for their untiring labors and the Oes blessings jessings sings they have left with wilh us after completing these labors in baker they entered upon the contemplated missi missionary onay work two going by rail to hood river oregon near portland where some of our people are located and irom there worked their way back to baker over a distance ot of three hundred miles while the third one was joined by one of our local elders brother bra W J wale for a season and then by brother tei vicinity jed ed ballantyne and labored in the vicinity of baker until the brethren returned this labor was faithfully pursued until the opening of our conference which began on sunday the ath dinst the opening of this field is timely the people everywhere are fairly famishing for the bread of life and the eager ness with which scores and scores nave have received the word in this brief period av es overwhelming evidence that a jives eld is opening up second to none within the bounds of the united states at one little town twenty lour four people came to the train to bid our brethren good bye and bid them godspeed and this though they had spent but two or three days in the place the cry has come from these people to our brethren do not leave us we want to know more of these things and they cry out against the emptiness of sectarian revivals though they attend them in in great num ers the people are thirsting lor for the water of life and it is as the shipwrecked man in the midst of the salted sea water I 1 water everywhere but not a d drop cir to drink so these people in the mat midst of a land of steeples and bells and ministers are fainting and perishing and more than this scores of them appear to realize their situation our conference was attended in large numbers the commodious meeting house being filled on every occasion there being five meetings held in the two days the room was most elaborately and beautifully decorated with evergreens ever greens the work of the sabbath school A large photograph of president woodruff hung in front with a picture of the savior on one side and the vision of nephi on the other encircled with evergreen and the words over and beneath welcome to all 10 the ceiling was ever greened with diamonds and crescents and stars while the walls were tastefully looped wh the same material set off with large beautiful butterflies made in a variety of colors and with a profusion of dainty paper flowers adwers and tapestry balls elders solomon H hale and M F P cowley of the oneida stake of zion were in attendance and also our three missionaries the conference was opened with that time honored hymn the spirit of god like a fire is burning the choir composed of singers rendered stirring anthems from time to time and at the close of the sunday services the male quartette sang sane most beautifully 0 my father after each meeting the people lingered long and seemed very loth to disperse the general authorities of the church of the stake and of the branch were presented on monday afternoon and sustained the spirit of the gospel rested upon the speakers throughout ghoUL the conference the last meeting of the conference was taken up by elder M F cowley ink im a discourse upon the restitution which in the fullness of times is to be brought to pass upon the earth the spirit was with him in in power testifying with the voice of eloquence the voice of wisdom and the voice of reason to the eternal truths which were set forth the gene eral expression the fo lowing day among mormons cormons and non mormons cormons alike was that it was one of the most remarkable of discourses and yet when brother 50 cowley aley retired that night he said to his companion brother hale the lord is with us and with these then brethren but I 1 am getting gettin weak I 1 donot recall passages and aleas ideas as a I 1 ought to I 1 must go home and pray mind and study after this discourse and the rendering of the beautiful hymn beams the sacred dawning brother hale closed the conference with prayer and fatherly blessings upon the saints we were loth to let the brethren go but their labors were finished and on tuesday they took the train for their homes in idaho H E BAKER |