Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-10-09

Buclthead, Cleveland Co. Oklahoma,
Sept. 20 1897.
To the Editor:
We know that the communications
from various missionary fields are in
teresting to many readers OF the
News" We include ourselves among
those who are much interested in
them. As the Oklahoma conference
has not been heard from for long
time, and as we believe that not many
less than dozen anxious mothers are
watching your columns for news of 1t.
we now have the pleasure of writing
to your estimabie sheet.
We will begin by stating that their
sons are all O. X. in very deed. our
vicinity has had most enjoyable
time in the assembling of the Okla
homa conference in our midst. a
year ago when the Latter-day Saint
Elders first made their appearance in
this locality, certain parties said, THE
people of this community don't want
MOrmonism among them, and they
are not going to have it," l wonder
what they think now? as we have
captured several of them, converting
them to the truths of the Gospel. and
leading them down in the waters of
baptism. The opposition manifested
then, with the increased prejudice
since. has been the stepping stone to the
DldullIlE VI AOIlllbulSIl lltIllA bll lllt
same forbidden ground This is one
instance among many where Mormon
ism has been kicked up hill'' by It's
enemies. This community for the past
week has been favored with one of
the greatest displays of the sublimity
and grandeur of the Gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ, that 1t has ever
witnessed. There was quite respect
able crowd out each night to listen
to the strange doctrines advocated by
the Mormons Doubtless most of
them came for curiosity, expecting to
hear something akin to Mohammedan-
ism, but instead they heard the plain
simple story of the cross The first
principles of the Gospel were taken up
In their order and treated upon with
such clearncss and simplicity that
tho a fool" the enquirer need not
err in understanding them. Elder C..
NJ. Holmes explained the origin of the
Book of Mormon, and proved by in
contestible scriptural evidence its di-
vinity. The organization of the
Church was portrayed with all its
helps and governments by Elder
Geo V. Morris. Elder Il. ID. Nebeker
explained the second coming of Christ
and the destiny of the human family.
The peoples wonder was aroused, and
| when our worthy president, VIM. T.
| Jack, gave them a sketch of the his
tory of the Mormon people, and ok
! planned the object of the Elders ira
! yelling as they do their hearts were
| touched, and tears welled up in the
| eyes of some unused to weeping.
| one pleasing feature of our confer
| ence was the singing. All the Elders
are blessed with good strong voices,
| and we made the air ring with the
songs of Zion. We were privileged
with the presence of Bishop VIM. 7.
| Harper of Albion, Idaho. whose coun-
| sells and advice are always appreci-
| ated by the young Elders of Israel.
Wednesday and Thursday the FL
| ders met in Priesthood meetings and
reported their labors, also received
some valuable instructions from our
| mission president, Elder Jack. The
| Elders We're assigned to labor in
| Cleveland county until the first OF
November, and then all will march
south to spend the winter preaching
the truths and bearing their humble
| testimonies to the Chickasaws.
The Elders laboring in this confer
enCe are as follows: G, NJ. Holmes
and r. G. Naylor; Il. d. Nebeker and
Franklin Raleigh; c. V. Norris and
j. NJ. Kearns; VIM. r. Harper and j.
A. Eardley. An friends wishing to
write them can find them at LeXing-
ton, Cleveland county, Oklahoma.
The time we spent together was
short but pleasant, and It was with
eyes bedimmed with tears, and with
prayers for Gods peace and blessings
upon each other. that we parted fol
another six months: our souls tlllet
with the spirit Of God and a determin
alton to bear the glad tidlngs to the
honest in heart.
The Elders are travelling withou
purse or scrip, and by so doing arr
accomplishing a great deal of good
because they put their trust in God