| Show SUNDAY SERVICES elder angus M cannon president of the salt lake stake presided over the services at the tabernacle sunday afternoon atter noon june 19 1898 the choir sang saner the hymn lo 10 the mighty god appearing prom from on high jehovah speaks prayer was offered by elder lewis mcannon the choir further sang 0 my father thou that dwell est in the high ind and glorious place elder wallace castleton a returned missionary from new Zea zealand laud was introduced trod to the congregation as aa the first speaker three years ago said he he had been called upon to perform a mission in a distant land it took him but a short time to decide asto as to whether he should go or not as the testimonies of those who had returned beturne 11 up to that time had had a strengthening effect upon him they having declared that god had abundantly blessed them in their labors elder castleton first labored in the canterbury district among the european people where he found much joy and satisfaction natis faction in the promulgation mul gation of gospel principles although said he there existed some prejudice against the mormons cormons Mor mons the el ders were doing a good work the lord blessing them in their labors in the ministry later on elder castleton was transferred to the north island where he was appointed clerk of the mission and where he be also had much occasion to rejoice in his labors there was considerable sid erable inquiry said the speaker concerning the mormons cormons and their apparently strange doctrine and thus the elders were given abundant opportunity to do good and enlighten the people concerning the true church of christ and its restoration in the latter days at present 33 elders were laboring in new zealand and there was much room for more although the borders in which the gospel can be preached at present were somewhat limited in extent the work was progression however and many converts were being baptized into the church especially among the maori people fifteen conferences had been established and 75 branches organized gani zed together with 53 sunday schools which hat ha a membership of 1437 in the mission souls were members of the church and most of these were true and faithful to the principles which they rhad had espoused elder james iverson lately returned from a mission to scandinavia next spoke he too had had much satisfaction in his labors his field being in the kingdom of denmark the lord said the speaker was vms opening up the way for the elders and was blessing not only them but all who manifested a desire to do his will and keep his commandments despite their lack of learning the humble missionaries sent out were accomplishing that which was expected of them convincing the honest in heart that the gospel had been restored in this dispensation and baptizing quite a number into the church elder iverson narrated the difficulties at first encountered in new districts and testified that the lord was wao working among the people and had truly been with his servants in the ministry his prayer was that the saints would remain true and faithful and lend assistance to the rolling OR of gods kingdom elder willimm van who had bad labored as a missionary in great britain was the next speaker his lot lob said ai dhe he had been ant cast with the people of 0 the berkshire district london i caefer conference enco 4 hare he found people had joined the in ia ear ow r ly 1 aay but fekadu W not no bom been privileged eged to tt gUber her wilom deeply their ro dence in the old country wms ome had remained true and faithful and were able to bear a powerful testimony to the divinity of the gospel elder stoneman had moo also labored in thenor the nor conference where he found many of the honest in heart who were willing to listen to the testimonies tonies of the elders in this section there was much opposition but in all the found themselves blessed inasmuch as they put their trust in the lord the speaker testified that the work was waa rolling on en and in conclusion exhorted the young men and women of zion to become acquainted with the gospel and its principles that they might fit lit and prepare themselves for future responsibilities ties elder david R gill whose lot for the past two years had been cast with the people of pennsylvania next addressed the congregation it had been his privilege to assist in opening up the work of the ministry in that state and a nd although considerable opposition was wa a at first encountered the clouds had eventually rolled away and success was w crowning the efforts of those engaged in fit the dissemination of the word of the lord the same signs said elder gill were following the believer la in pennsylvania today as followed those who yielded obedience 30 years ago A foundation for a great work hd been laid in that section and the fruits of at the labors performed were about to he be realized many of the people being on the verge of baptism the prejudice that existed there several years ago age was fast being allayed and joy unspeakable was manifest in many daml 1 lies because of their having been privileged to hear the gospel the people as a rule were kindhearted and treated the elders with much respect so BO that the way was being opened up for the accomplishment of gods purposes in that part of the earth I 1 president joseph F smith was the closing speaker he expressed his satisfaction at hearing the testimonies of those who had returned from the mission field and rejoiced in the fact that the children of the latter day saints were following in the footsteps of their fathers to such a gratifying extent and that they were manifesting an inclination and desire to serve the lord his remarks were full of exhortation to the parents urging them thein to set good goad examples unto their children that they might continue to waw walk in n the ways of the lord president smith made a clear statement concerning the connection of the first presidency with Sal Salta saltair tair lr and his remarks last sunday on the desecration of the sabbath day he wanted A it understood that the first presidency of the church was against the breaking of the sabbath day at saltair or any other resort and made plain the fact that the quorum mentioned had no responsibility in n the inducements 7 offered to draw people away from the duties they owed to their maker the full text of president smiths remarks will appear in those columns later on om the choir sang the anthem let the mountains shout for joy I 1 I 1 after which the congregation arose vad and joined in the doxology and benediction idt was pronounced by elder joseph E taylor |
