Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-24
IN rENNsyLvANIA.
Report of rrcrress VI ado in tho East
era STATE, MA ~iU,t.


Report of rrcrre,- Made in the East.
era stat"' MA ~ip,.
go CONCORD ST, Brooklyn. Dec. II,
1896.
To ihc Editor;
A conference OF Elder laboring IN the
Eastern States mission wa h ID at Peck
vile. LacSswanna county. Penn, ON
Monday, Dec. 7, 1896 Most OF the
Elders present were worSiug in the
vicinity. and with FIVE from other pats
made a total OF eighteen in attendance.
Elder S. w. Richards, president OF the
mission Elder Joseph Wallace. ist az
rived from Ogden, and Eldsr d ].
Watts went up from Brooklyn, Elder NJ.
X. Mcfarland from Conocion, n Y,
and Elder Chas. Giles from North Troy,
Vermont, were also there.
Reports were received from the Elders
laboring in the districts OF Carbonate.
Peckville, Oiiphant. Providence and
Scranton The following represents the
reports combined ans condensed: The
work in the eastern pari OF Pennsylvania
was enlarged to its present dimensions
during the past summer. Last April
Elder d. X. Gill was sent to take charge
OF that field, and Joined Elders Crockett,
sent there at different times through the
summer, until they now number fifteen.
The people are principally Welsh, and
the leading INDUSTRY is coal mining.
| Indifference to the Gospel is general
among the people. Same who might
listen are inundated by their ministers
and censured tor even accepting tracts.
| The Catholics, who arc numerous, will
no; take tracts on any accouut-to do so
| would be confession OF sin. Most
| people interested in what the Elders say
| are either dissatisfied with their own
| church or else not church .goers at all.
| Several out door meetings have been
| held through the summer, but the min
| tiers soon in,eriered and had them pro-.
| hibited. The ministers also attacked h
| Elders through the press and worke ed up
| quite an excitement in Scranton, How
| ever, this had the good effect OF arous.
| ing curiosity and investigation, and
many people were thus made acquainted
with the Z ders who Other wise, perhaps,
would have been unaware 81 their
existence among them. Already some
had given their houses for holding meet
ings and were taking keen interest in
the Gospel, Several baptisms have
taken place, with others probable in a
short time. Elder Gill believes that
many honest souls are in that part and
feels sanguine over the prospects tor the
| coming summer
Elder NJ r. Mcfarland, laboring at
| Cohocton, N Y gave the following re.
| port: The field had been opened about
i a year ago BY ID. III. Walker, and several
baptisms we're performed by him. Alter.
| ward there came, at different times
Elders Mcfarland, Shaw. Woolsey and
Derr. The district is agricultural and
the people scattered. Very many are
not religiously inclined, but this is the
/ very class who treat the Elders best;
| those who make no profession OF re.
| ligion accord the most Christian treat
| ment In many cases. Since April
Brothers Woolsey and Mcfarland had
labored together and were joined. re-
Gently by Brother Derr. Three were
baptized last spring and two this tall
| since Elder Richards visit. Cohocton
branch now numbered twenty-five mem
bers, and all were energetic workers. A
Sunday school was organized recently.
It is most interesting work and
accoalplishes much good, as some who
would not come 10 other meetings will
visit the Sunday school.
Elders Walker and Shaw are now at
Hornellsville, near Cohocton, where
they have some friends, but no mem.
bers.
The condition OF affairs in northern
Vermont, as reported by Elder Chas.
Gdes, is like thai in other districts. The
people seem satisfied with their present
condition and pay little attention to the
testimony OF the great latter-day work.
In behalf Of the Brooklyn Elders,
will say that we enjoyed our visit very
much We found the brethren feeling
well and making noticeable progress,
under the divine blessing, in the study
OF theology and Bible hs.ory, and in the
ability OF announcing their importan