Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-04-13
FRIENDS IN ARKANSAS.
Mot-ou Elders FIND Them There a.
Wen a. Elsewhere.
PiGuoTr, clay Co., Ars.,
April 10, 1895.

PiGuUTT Clay Co., Ars'i
April 10, 1890.
10 tho Editor
Thinking the readers Of your valu.
ab.o pspsr would no doubt feel some.
what interested In the advanot ment
sud spread OF the Gospel Ia tho state Of
Arkansas, II IL with much pleasure 1
devote few spare moments 10 Gu
doAvor 10 crafty the interested minds.
Thisstate has been for the last seven
years without the voice ~ true
servant VI God 10 DO heard within it,
botdau on account Of the Intense
prejudice which existed against the
Lalter.day Saints and their belief.
Tie state being recently addoi 10 the
Gudlsn Territory mission. two Elders
were sent here by this president Of that
missiOn last fall. Their FIRST visit
WA 20 the state building At
Little Rock, where they interviewed
Governor CLARK aud Informed him OF
% o e belief ana their mission into this
state. They were COuttc Yusly received
protection As long as he was in that
nlria POSITION. From Little Rock
they wendud thelr way TO tne north
eastern uatt Of the state, where
delightful headquarters was obtained
Win rquire &, &. Gates, one Of the
most prominent citizens OF this yicin-
ity.
There are NJ present four Elders
lahuuug 81 ATkansas, Elders J. M.
Knight and j. l.. Eielson, who are Ia
tho crntcf Of the state and are meeting
with uuC1Itc tod success. They have
been Ia that vicinity but a month,
have done come bapiizlng, and there
are Othrn whom IL y expect 10 bAp-
tiZe A. soon AS the weather VIII permit.
Many Ia that viciuity are earnestly
Investigating the Gospel.
Elder J. l.. SOIenson and myseli
are labuTiug IA the northern part OF tue
slate, aud are meeting with splendid
success. We have host Of kind
hearted friends, Ani uTs fast gaining
| the good viii " others, where before
| Intense prejudice had existed among
/ them. We cannot think otherwise
than tha!a great many queer ideas
should exist among Inc people here,
as they nave been void " the truth,
ANA bad heard nothing but the stories
| VI tue opposing element, who have
l sent publications broadcast throughout
/ this portion OF The country, containing
IN at Unreasonable and ridiculous ideas
] CUucuTulng tue sO-calieu hutmOne.
/ The people Ia one Of the n6ighBoTing
/ villages threatened 10 run Us cut Of
/ the country, because they thought
NJ Hrst that We taught doc.
| ifiue inferior 10 that which their
| minister hau taught them. The mOsl
/ difficult obstacle W. have to contend 10
| Do certain class VI eectagian uiviues " hO
| arc continually oudeavoTing 10 over
| throw tnu ruth, They gather their
| utlls iiJCk- together aud endsayor to
/ pfragu the farewell sermons VI the
| Lal,et-iay Saint Elders, but have
| found n all IN vain, rs 20 has made rs
| nnu cur doctrine better known, anu
has aroused n greater interest among
the maiOrity OF their listeneTs, causing
! them TO think there must Us sumo
] thing In ths doctrine advocated by tue
| young Mormon Eiuers. In hearing OF
/ the prosecutions which the s lnts
have endured In the latter
days, ant the progress that they
| have made 10 transforming a desert
iulo fruitful garden, Il causes the
people 10 think tina. there must DO
some other power Than that Of mAu
ass sting IN tho great work.
We have been very successful In the
pact Ina obtaining ouIhoes In which to
hold our meetings, aud always have
good audiences, VINO usually keep tho
Upst VI 0ruer. We are az present maxi
ing arrangements Tor three dAys'
conference 10 DO held here about toe
lst OF May, which will no DOUBT DO tns
nfst conference held Ia this state under
tue auspices Of the LaIter.day Saints.
Notwithstanding the newuvHE Ui the
held aud the Intense prejudice which
has formerly existed here, me proc