Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-03-06

JAsPER, Alabama, Feb. 18th, 1897
To the Editor
1t has been minated to Us by past
associates that we are playing the part
of the Quaker down here in Alabama
by keeping ourselves quiet SO long
This fault, il fault 1t be, can be overcome
easily as we are not without,
experiences profitable to us, aud per
haps interesting to some OF Gus friends.
AT last writing we spoke OF some re.
quiremen.s made OF us. Since then we
have been busy endeavoriug to fulfill
those requirements After cur annual
conference, held last August, the Elders
entered their new fields with hearts
bouyant and hopeful for success.
Evidently their spirits had been strained
TO their utmost tension, as they seemed
to think that no obstacle would arse too
great for them to surmount. But diff.
culties too intricate TO cope with single
handed were met. In their desires to
excel in works OF righteousness, they
were baked in many ways. Avenues,
in which effective missionary work could
have been done, closed as steadily as
they were approached and all efforts to
reopen them seemed futile. The entire
conference came almost TO a 5tand.slill
and 1t became apparent 10 us that moth.
ing Blu; the power OF God could bring
the much needed help.
Sufficient time has elapsed since then
to establish the face that that experience
was invaluable to us. Today the Elders
are more humble and more willing than
ever before; they enjoy the comforting
influences Of the Holy Ghost to de,
gree unprecedented, and they are doing
works, which d year ago, belonged TO
the realm OF the miraculous.
Before us we have the report OF work
done in the conference Tor the month.
(iour weeks) ending January goth 1897.
BY it we see there were 275S families
visited, none OF whom were left without
tracts, sos meetings held, I25 books
Voice OF Warming and Book OF Nor.
mon distributed, and ALSO Gospel con-
versations held. Each OF these con.
versations consumed not less than
twenty minutes. A Sunday school was
established at Peaks Hill, Calhoun
county, and another was organized al
Blocton, Bible county.
In January We had thirty six Elders,
SO it will be observed that each pair
averaged about twelve meetings and
thirty.eight Gospel conversations a
week. To hold this number OF meet.
ings and conversations weekly when
weather and opportunities for doing so
are favorable, Is not prodlgious leat,
but 10 do so IN the lace OF many hind.
RANGES, requires display OF energy and
integrity blessed by the inspiration OF
the Holy Spirit.
At present we have ,hirty-eieht Elders
here. Two more will join us in few
days. Since che several conferences OF
the mission have become SO large, as
sislants have been chosen to do most oil
the work which attached TO the calling
Of the presiding Elder. The Elders OF
lhe conference, as well as myself, feel
ihat happy choice was made in the
selection OF Elders Nels z. Nelson and
Joseph +. McGregor TO these positions.
They are men Of clear heads, pure
hearts and willing hands. Elder Kim
ball wrote that we were exceptional,
fortunate in having such men TO call on
for aid.
II our conference can be commended
for any one thing, ii must be Tor the love
and union existing among the Elders
and for their implicit obedience TO Coun.
sci. Sometimes we are almost led to
think, that il similar spirit pervaded
every department OF the great latter y
work, millennial morning, in all is
splendor, would soon break on the
world.
Herewith we present the names and
addresses OF The North Alabama Elders
Albert Matheson, Erastus Christensen,
Cullman, Cullman county, Alabama.
Nels z. Nelson, AdelDert Cranney,
Huntsville. Alabama.
Joseph +. McGregor, Walter Slack,
Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Clarence Ovens, Aaron Call, Hunts
vile, Alabama.
James T., Brown, Edward Ried, Jas,
per, Walker county, Alabama.
Rodney Ashby, Moses Jorgauson,
X pley, Tippah county, Mississippi.