The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-01-26

ON Sunday afternoon was so large that
many were obliged to stand. The SER
vices were opened by the choir and &C n
gregation singing:
"Praise ye the Lord, my heart shall j,in
In works so pleasant. so diyine,''
after which prayer was offered by
Bishop Frederick Kessler.
The choir then sang:
"Oh God, the eternal Father
Who dwells amid the Skies"
The sacrament was administered by
the priesthood OF the Sixth Ward. o.
ELDER GEORGE s. TAYLOR arose to adj
dress the congregation. He said that
he had been laboring as missionary
Of the gospel for the last three years
amongst the natives OF New Zealand
When he arrived on the island, there
were elders laboring in three districts,
but since that time the gospel has
spread considerably, and now the work
is represented in seven or eight dis
tricts. The number of members in the
church there has now increased to
about $500, 300 of whom are Euro
peans. Before proceeding on his mis-
sion, Elder Taylor received a promise
that be would be successful IN acquir-
ing the native language, end that be
| would not lack the necessary comforts
of fife. He could testify that these
promises had been fulfilled, and that he
truly enjoyed himself in the work of
proclaiming the message of salvation
unto the natives. The Maori people.
/ among whom ne was laboring, were
very kind and hospitable race The
work of the ord amongst this class
was increasing very rapidly. Large
numbers were being added to the church
every month. Two of the elders are
| now engaged in translating the Book of
! Mormon into the Maori language. The
completion of this work would help the
elders greatly in spreading the gospel
throughout the island. Only about
forty years ago the natives of New
Zealand were a eannibal race. Since
that time, they have ceased eating
| human flesh. Many Of them have
adopted European modes of living, and
are ow making considerable advance
ment in civilization. Many who had
joined the church, greatly improved in
so doing. When the work of the Lord
| was commenced amongst them, they
we're greatly addicted to strong drink
and tobacco; but they gave up
the use of thase, some even
observing the strict word of wis
dom. The elders had experienced
some trouble from number of the ma
vuh n Cd IN he
One OF these protested to be an Israel
lie, and to be following in the footsteps
of Moses. He also called his followers
Israelites. A few of the Saints had been
led away through. their false teachings
Many of the Saints, however, were con-
tinuing st adfast in the cause of truth,
aud were ever ready to receive advice
from those who were sent to teach
them. Some of the native members of
the church were well educated and were
very serviceable in assisting the elders
10 promulgate the gospel amongst the
people Ministers of other religious
bodies were endeavoriag to hinder the
work OF the Lord in their midst some
of them counselling. those who were
outside the church not to entertain
Mormon elders in their houses. The
natives, however, would not obey this
advice. In closing his remarks, Elder
Taylor prayed that the Uiesst- of God
might rest upon the cong1e, md
upon those who were engaged he
| work of the Lord.
The congregation WIS then address I'd
| by Elder William 81. King. He said
tnat it afforded him much pleasure to
listen to the testimonies of the servants,
OF God a to know that His work is
onward and ueward; that the gospel is
I gaini ground in Other lands and that
tie b: athen are forsakiug idolatrF.
According to propht ey, The gospel wss
t., be declared unto all nations as wit
ness before the end should come. The
work of God Yves progressing in the
Isles of the sea and,in the continents of
the earth. The speaker proceeded.t9
show the striking resemblance which
existed in the pronunciation of the
| gospel to-day to what existed anciently.
1t met with similar opposition. The
rich and the wise of this world reject
the blessings of salvation, while. the
meek and humble accept them. AS the
unbelieving Jews, Boosting of their re
ligious observanees and their edhe1-
aBce to the Mosaic law, strenuous2W OF
posed the teachings of Christ and the
B. humble fishermen of GalIlee, so To-day,
|
Christ prove the most bitter opponents
to the doctrines of the gospel revealed
through Joseph Smith aud preached by
the authorized servants of God To-
day, as ancisntlv, comparatively few
show respect unto the message of God.
These things, however, made manifest
1.-THE divine evidences of the great Lat
ter-day work; it tended to prove that it
was of God, and not of man. Thus.
history is repeating itself, and men who
are seeking to diffuse the principles Of
truth, find their motives aaiseonstrued.
j and their efforts repulsed. 1t soon be-
came apparent to those who embraced
= the truth, that Gods ways were not IS
mans ways; that his wisdom differ d
from that of the wiss and learned of
this world. The gospel anclently was
received and preached by the meek and
the lowly, and it was the same to-day.
H.seemed strange that, in spite of the
advancement of leaTnlng and ciyilizaE
ton which at present exists, the world
elrshouid be so Blinded against the pTinci.
Sfples of truth. This opposition was ex-
l,empIidedin alrnest every department
~