Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-05-09
Jenson's Travels.


Maori Saints ~ the city Of Auckland
New Zealand. anxiously waiting to take
their departure Tor the distant town Of
lie Aroha, where general conference
ior all the northern districts OF the New
Zealand mission had been appointed for
the following Friday, Saturday and Sun
day. As the people Of New Zealand
arc great observers Of both Christian
and national holidays that is they OBJ
serve them after iashion-no train len
Tor the south that day. SO We waited
ull the Thursday January 'ndl when
thirteen Elders and sixteen native Saints
LETT Auckland per railway train in
special car on q one hundred and fifteen
mile ride to lie Afoha. OUT number
was augmented by more Elders aud
native Saints as We passed through the
Waikato district, and when we arrived
a, our destination We numbered sixty
souls, besides several non-Momons,
who seeing that there was plenty OF
room In our apartment, while the rest
Of the cars were crowded insisted upon
coming in TO Us. As a punishment Tor
their persislency they were made them
victims of Gospel conversations, as the
Young Elders with which the car
abounded are anxious and ready at all
times and at divers places to declare
the principles Of truth that they have
been sent out in the world to preach.
Most Of the strangers took their medi-
cine In good part, and several Of them
on taking leave expressed themselves
as being highly delighted with what
they had heard. and one or two even
invited the Elders to call on them II
convenient.
On our arrival at re Aroha, which Is
the Maori word Tor love. we were met
by still more Elders and Saints. and
during our three days, conference, the
minutes OF which have already been sent
to the Nrws ior publication, twenty
eight Elders from Zion were present
besides about rso native Saints and
strangers.
The conference was held in a new
meeting house, which had just been
erected in the little native village which
is situated about one and a half miles
up the river from Tie Afoha. Both
Elders and the other conference visitors
were well cared for by the local Saints.
who had raised tent over a long table
at which one hundred could sit down
and eat at once. This number also
represented the visitors present, only
about fifty local Saints being In aiten-
dance, as the Haufaki district OF which
lie Aroha, IL one OF the branches, Is
only a small one. The llaumki dis.
trict consists OF three branches and t25
baptized members, or I74 souls includ-
ing 81 children, OF whom ] Z are EURO
peans. The district embraces a country
bordering on the east coast OF the
North Island, including the Coromandel
peninsula which terminates IN Cape
Colville. II extends southwark on the
east coast as far as Katikati, west aud
inland II extends TO and includes the
European town OF Hamilton, situated on
the Waikato river. The names Of the
branches are TIE Aroha, Kirkiri and
Whiiianga. Elders Joseph NJ. Folkman
and Moroni lazenby are the two Utah
Elders laboring in the district at
present.
Te Aroha branch consists Of native
Saints residing In and near small
village which lies between the Te
Aroha mountain aud the Waihou river,
about one and half miles north OF ths
European town Of lie Atoha, which is
AS miles by rail or about IS miles by
water from Auckland. Reha Aperhama
presides over the branch, which was
first organized December I7ih, 1885, by
Elders William Paxman and William
Gardner.
The Kirikid branch comprises the
Saints residing in and about a native
village OF that name which is situated
about six miles south OF the European
town OF Thames, aud nearly halt a mile
east OF the Waihou or Thames river,
It is also about thirty.iive miles north OF
Tie Aroha, The branch was organized
September goth, 1883.
The Whiuanga branch, organized By
Elder William Gardner October s7nd,
1856, consists OF Saints residing In a
district Of country known as Whiianga,
most OF them IN a village called Kuau.
tunu, which is situated on Mercury bay
ON the east coast OF the Coromandel
peninsula, about twenty miles east OF
the town OF Coromandel, and about iis
miles northeast OF Tie Aroha.
The European town OF Te Aroha Is
claimed to be one OF the most iavorite
health resorts in the world. ltis town
OF about 800 inhabitauts, prcllily situated
on the left bank OF the Waihou or
Thames river and at the foot OF a noble
mountain, which rises 70 height OF
over three thousand feet Immediately
back OF the town. There are eighteen
springs within the town limits under the
control OF the Domain Board; fifteen of
the springs are hot or tcpid, and there
are seven large bath houses. The waters
are, with the exception OF the sulphur
springs, saline and leeby alkaline aud
strongly charged with carbonic acid gas,
which IS constantly escaping from the
springs IN large quantities.
Our conference being held so close to
this European town, some OF the Elders
suggested that a hall be rented and a
meeting held there, which was accord.
lugly done In the evening, Saturday,
January 4th, Elder h. Leo Bird and
Thomas J., browning were the speakers,
but only a few attended, and mott OF
those who did refused to become IL.
tetesied. While the meeting was in
progress. stepped quietly in, accom-.
panied ny another Elder. and wc both
took our seat among the congregation
acting strangers. After the services
were closed, arose and asked Tor per.
mission to DTODOuuI "A few gIIgltiuue