Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-08-01

interest to your many readers as wei as
the relatives and friends Of the mission.
aries, !, occurred to us ,hatw We have
Just celebrated our Sunday school picnic
few lines iu relation TO tle saline might
not be devoid oiinigtc. aas aaoFIng how
the work of the Lord g. Progressing 10
the northern part OF Australia.
About two years ago Mormon sun
day school was started DO co1paroo,
Queensland, with John i. Burton OF
ogden as superintendent Us Begin
ming was surely humble enough, for ON
the first morning there were only q
dozen children prcspntall non members
OF the Church. However Dos influence
spread from child toeb.id and ,hus from
home to home, until In spite OF the OPP
probhum that usually attaches to the
word Mormon" the attendance has iu-
creased so that We have now ninety
names enrolled with an average attend.
ancc OF eighty. our Sunday sghool has
now become widely known all over THIS
section oil th. country and has been the
means OF advertising The Elders aud the
work they are seeking 90 accomplish 90
very favorable way.
While tracing out some distance "a
short time agl the writer met an intel
ligent lady who inquired about The
Mormon sunday school, Jas she had heard
It spoken OF very iayouhly, she said,
while visiting friends, and asked me u
we would accept her two boys as pupils
When answered alimutycly she SAID
she was 80 glad as she wanted them TO
70 TO some good place where they Will
learn something, and this In spite Il the
fact that there are scciafiln Sunday
schools near by.
The number OF children has increased
so rapidly during the past few l.onlhs
that Il became necessary TO seek more
commodious quarters Ia order to sue
cessmlly hold three classes each Sunday.
This fact has so inccnsed our Salvation
Army friends a little further down the
street that they have felt that something
was due on their part topfcycnt the tide
Of favor which 90 present seems TO DC
flowing our way. Ia cpcn air meetings
on the streets as well as 10 the sluctum
ol the business meeting Mormon ~.
llucnce Is constantly deprecated and
various measures are taken TO combat
H. The only result we see az yet VI
their exhaustive thought upon this mat.
ter is the application Of the name
''shcep-slcalets" 10 tie EldctBi aud an
increased attendance ut Sunday school.
Needless to say we hope aud trust that
good seeds are being Bown ia tie hearts
Of the children, but we also hope 10 be
able to reach many homes through the
influence Of the Sunday SCHOOL aud
present the grand truths Of the Gospel
TO parents who, though good aud honest
hearted, pafiakc Of the common spiiit
Of religious Indifference and not knowing
much OF Bible truth are inclined 10 pass
h by as one Of the many man made sys.
tens OF the day with which many OF
them seem disguised.
The s4th, OF May, Queens birthday.
Is celebrated In Queensland by giving
the Sunday school children au annual
picnic. II Is the custom OF the place
and the children look Tor t. Many OF
the seciafian schools meet IN the city
and march to the public domain where
they enjoy themselves, others 30 down
the river and some 10 out ~ the bush"
as all Australian forests are called,
Alter due consideration We decided
TO take the school Out into the tush and
quiet stroll through the woods one day
revealed a lovely green lawn situated iu
shady hollow, being almost surrounded
with timher. Well pleased with
natures contribution IN the shape of an
extensive grass plot, plenty Of shade
and trees for swings, VIC went mp day
" two before and arranged tor the
swings, built huge hoWuy in case old
Sol should forget that winter is near and
Try TO roast us, and Boz sailor phrase
made things ship shape generally.
Early ON the morning OF the 25lh ult
while the children were assembling at
the school under the objection ui Brother
Livingston, one OF the brethren aud the
writer went up 10 attend TO some pre-.
limiuarics ana were just about finished
about 1870, when the spUug wagons
made their way down the bush track
loaded with seats, tarpaullns in case OF
rain, and refreshments, etc, which had
been generously contributed hy the
parents Of the children. Shortly after
the arrival ot the wagons the merry
laughter OF the children was heard &c.
sounding through the hollow ag they
made their way down the hillside 10
the fiat which was SO nicely Caputgd
with green grass A desire Tor iuu aud
enjoyment was depicted ON every coun.
tenance as they marched mp the hollow
10 our boWery The parents too par,
took OF the sriut OF the children aud
seemed determined to Danish dull care
for that day at least The neat appear.
ance OF all the children told OF the
anxious desire OF many kind mothers 10
have their children brought mp well
As soon as the swati was reached q
rush was made ior the swings, and twas
very short time before they were being
tested IN such q way that showed as that
TOO much care was not used in putting
them up. Cricket teams were soon ulay.
ing further down the green, and tlt
much-llyud loot ball was soon To be
seen being kicked aud Rugged in turns
For some time tho Elders were ken,
busy swinging children Of 100 uges. They
were not supposed 90 tire. and 81 they
sought 20 rest awhile the inevitable
"Plgase swing me- was sure 70 follow
thent Il was somewhat of relief
when Elders C., S. Crow aud A. T. Ham.
ilton arrived from Ipswich, wenty.siy
miles iuldnd from Brisbane, and WE.
Armstrong and II N. Argyle came over
rom West End ir. llua
The people continued 20 comic, and
when noon came around Do found about
one hundred children and ulty adults on
the gTuunCs 'uClud.Gy nearly all the
Saints in the Queensland hvlCh,
The day Wac ail laat could Dee desired.
The Sky was clear and "a cool western
wind tempered the warmth ul lhe SUMS
RAYS and made fhnug ylIu rI.H.4ttf.