Show MISSION TO ENGLAND report of an elders labors in that country the following account of elder edward davis mission to england has been furnished us for publication PARIS bear lake co I 1 idaho june 21 1687 dear brother bichai Kich aids ds according to my promise I 1 write to give you a brief report of my labors while on a mission to great britain I 1 was set apart under the hands of apostle J H smith and F M lyman and elder seymour B young the latter being mouth in the historians historian 6 office salt lake city april ath 1885 the blessing bles bing pronounced upon my head on that occasion was fulfilled to the very letter I 1 arrived in liverpool april 1885 and was appointed to labor in the lonbon london conference under the direction of elder 0 W penrose Pen roee I 1 traveled in bedford and Hertford shire districts for over one year the remainder of my time I 1 labored in london in october 1886 1 was appointed to preside over the london conference until I 1 was released to return home last may I 1 found it rather discouraging work when first I 1 undertook to preach in the open air being alone the people would not stop to listen as they are used to listo listening to more attract attractive iv music than 86 pig S single agle gre individual vidual coula coul furnish I 1 was unaided at first by other elders or saints but after fasting and praying to the lord he directed me aae how to work Iwa I 1 was sinthe in the town of hemel hemstead stead herts what few saints were there did not feel anxious for me to attempt to PREACH IN THE AIR and assured me I 1 would accomplish no good it was a town of about 30 inhabitants and I 1 did not feel like like keeping silent I 1 employed the town crier to go 90 through all the principal streets ringing his bell and announcing to the people eople that elder davis from salt lake lake city utah would preach from the fountain on main street at p m this he did t wice twice and ana at the ap pointed time I 1 was there and after some discus discussion bion with tile salvation army p party arty W wab tro had gathered at the same place with the intention of holding ai meeting I 1 which incident assisted to draw together a large audience I 1 stood up and addressed the people com commencing roene with declaring to them that god had again spoken from the heavens heaven and sent his angels and conferred the power and authority upon men to preach reach and administer in the holy ordinances bances din ances of the gospel and that he had established his church rule and government upon the earth I 1 continued contini explain explaining in what the gospel was stating the I 1 first principles and describing the rise and progress of the church etc my audience gave eager attention a and nd the spirit of the lord gave me strength and brought things to my memory I 1 mention this incident as showing that 91 although though the members 0 of the church located there assured me it was no use to try to do anything in that place one elderly sister say saying ing she would give me halt half a crown for every one I 1 baptized there yet I 1 through seeking earnestly unto god was able to th get a large audience and sound the IMPORTANT MESSAGE in their ears notwithstanding not one of the resident saints came to 40 my assistance si I 1 baptized one in that town shortly after and received a letter from another thanking me for enlightening his mind with the gospel and the latter person came over miles to the london conference held last april in london and said he and bap me to come down aize him but as there was a traveling elder iu in that district I 1 ret referred erred him to co that elder telling him aim not to be cou converted to man but to the gospel with the assistance ot some seme of my brethren I 1 succeeded in organizing two new branches in ia the london conference known as the west london and north norm london branches my greatest erea test desire while on a mission has been to warn the people and I 1 have lifted up my voice by the way side at street corners and in all places wherever opportunity offered frequently when alone I 1 have come across large audiences being addressed by sectarian ministers minis tery and have waited patiently cladi they were through prea preaching chiny I 1 would then step in their place a ee an and announce to them the startling i g message that joseph smith bad received and aad the power and authority auth onty and apostleship and the great and marvelous work that is being accomplished shed although this was A BOLD COURSE to take and might not have been wise under some circumstances yet I 1 found by this course I 1 arrested the attention of the people and when I 1 had bad proven from rom the scriptures that the principles we taught were the same as those taught by jesus and his apostles formerly I 1 frequently was shaken by the hand band by some honest soul who had been pricked to the heart with the testimony the work in the british mission is reviving a little under the zealous labors of apostle teasdale it is well for an elder to be able to receive a little means from home to supply his bis necessities yet the humble servants of god who will share the hospitality f the poor people are more likely to become acquainted with baem and draw them into the fold than are those who with a well filled purse puree supply their own wants at i restaurants I 1 am convinced that there are hundreds of faithful honest hearts in the lb london adon conference who have never vet heard the gospel and who will yet receive it when it is brought to them in a way that they can understand it my testimony is strengthened by my experience in the missionary field and now that I 1 have returned to my dear family I 1 wish to do all I 1 can among the tae people for I 1 can see quite as great a necessity for good work here as abroad I 1 know not if these few lines will be of interest to you but trust that you will accept them in the kind spirit I 1 desired to write them in praying god to bless you I 1 remain your fellow servant in the gospel EDWARD DAVIS |