Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-04-14
PUBLICSCHOOL IN ALABAMA
A Utah Boys Experience as Visitor
and Teacher
Attending n hississiDpt funernl -
Preaching 20 the Psopie-ni-sior'
aries Hospitality Received.

RILEY, Mi,s, March 25, 1893.
To the Editors
It's some five or elk months since
there appeared In the NEWS q state.
meut Of tho condition " the Norm
Alabama conference. II your valuable
paper IL not overburieued with mis-
slonafy writings, perhaps a few Items
from here now would not be without
interest to some Of tho friends OF the
Gospel laborors who arc In this part Of
the South.
Less than one year ago, there we're
only twelve Elders In this field. ~
tho majority Of these were In
experienced In missionary work, the
North AlAbnma confidence was Islly
considered among the weakest iu the
mission. Since that time II has m
crossed rapidly both IN numbots anu
ia strength. This has not taken place,
however, without n struggle. Win
but limited training In the field, Elders
have found themselves unaor tue
necessity Of taking for their cumpsh'
ions inexperienced lhnorer' from hum'i
when tho Elders themselves iclt much
more capable Of receiving than impatt-
ing Instruction. Thus each Elder
found himself under u load when,
however, has served only 10 develop
his power, 20 that he soon became ablu
~ cope tuCcossiully with the duties OF
missionary life. That energy 20
essential TO success In any lur'
uuit In liio has grown NJ our
numbers have Increased until TO-DAY
we have twcnty.eiRht jealous l1b0fef',
Notwithstanding our recruits have
uOen raw wUfRets from home nud
some VI our strongest brethren have
been called 10 labor In other ,Onfof-
euces Of the mission. We believe that
nothing thutt Of wrll,dlruCied aud
persislent tiilft among tue Elders
coupled with aid from higher source
would have brought about a change no
marked aud improved.
Now, the term "fhw-wOrkef" 10 not
used opptObrl0usly. No matter how
well informed In the doctrines " the
Gospel tho row missionary may be,
stlll he cRn not work 10 tho best al.
vantage Ia the mitaiUuaTy Held with
out experience. Al least the general
habils, manners and customs Of the
people must b. learned by him. BE.
lore he eau become emincntly success.
ful Ia his lahore hu must study tho
people almost ha closely ~ no has
studied the doctrines which hu would
have them believe.
At our annual conference meetings
held last October, "A few new features
were introduced into the conference.
II was thought advisable for ono air
% Elders 10 spend their time In well.
ing Saints rnd friends In closed COuu-
tios. II was also deemed wise Tor the
president OF the conference to visit the
Elders In their respective counties And
there hold eetlos OF six OF eight meri-
inRe In localities wherever poo le
might DO found desirUus Of hearing
our teachings. This was required oil
dim, As well AZ to encourage ant cuun.
sol the Elders IN regard TO their dutIes.
Perhaps no other Two changes have
been productive Of more good. On hear.
Ing that "big Mormon preacher"
would no along, an exciting interest
has often been aroused IN the
minds Of many people, which
has had for It's fesull some
well attended meollngp. Indeed,
persons not having been within chuTch
y
~ the meetings. IL must not be- sup.
posed however, that friends have Of.
ways been found with "gteedy ears
ready to dovour ~ our DISCOURSE"
Opposition often has been met; slill
We are thankful that ways t.r over
coming this opposition have been
found NJ often.
o. one occasion ia Alabama, the
principal Of school was invited 10
live notice 10 the students that We
would hold meetings al a gwen place,
This no did, and no also gave the
students 10 understand taat " would
not be- IN keeping with hiH wishuB tor
them 90 give such "bssU. anu tiguUt-
Aut ieliOWs" a nearing, Aiier
our meetings were over we
visited his school, telling h IA that
VIZ were Interested Ia educational
work aud that We were deslr US oil
learning the methods Of teaching en-.
plOyed Ia the SOuth, Ito asked n we
ever had the pleasure vi teaching
school. On his receiving an Aiiirm.
alive antWer, seemingly 10 test thu
truthiulutBi u our words, he Invited
W 70 take charge VI one Of hls nd.
vhnctd ClRsstg, The invitation was
accepted. A. the dIfmlssal " tue elias.
he requested that we take charge ut
another; anu 10 ON he continued until
nearly halt tbs day had been spent by
the "MormDL" ActiuE M teacher aud
the teacher ~ critic. by this time he
evidently hGd "chauRo " heart" M
hu desired US 20 speak 10 tue stu.
dents on educational topics. This
we attempted TO do by telling OF the
dgvelgI mint n educbtI0u IN Utau; of