Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-10-15
GOOD WORDS FROM SWEDEN.


Gothenburg, Sweden Sept. 90. 1897.
To the Editor;
The Cothenburg conference em-
braces the central purt OF sweden and
while not so large as the Stockholm
conference, 1t is much more thickly
settled. 1t is divided into eight
branches and at present fourteen Utah
aud two local Elders are laboring here.
II. NJ. Pearson of Sandy, Utah has been
presiding since last March, and more
popular conference president would be
hard to find. He allows no Elder to
Guido him in tramping through the
woods and swamps searching for the
scattered sheep Of israel. Where he
breaches once the people always want
him to come again. The headquarters
of this conference is in Gothenburg, n
lively place of something over one hun
dred thousand Inhabitants, and the
chief commercial city of Scandinavia.
Last Saturday and Sunday we held
our fall conference. Wishing to give
ali our friends chance 70 hear the
truth, Pres, Pearson hired a hall cap
able of seating a thousand persons, and
we thoroughly advertised by means of
handbills and in the newspapers.
Handbiils are rarely seen IN Sweden,
and hence are very effective in ad-
vertising.
ON Friday the Elders began arriving,
and what u lot OF handwriting, The
boys seem overlooking with love Cor
each other, and conference means
something more for them here than
1t did at home The Saints gave them
a royal welcome and took to their
homes all they had room for Saints
short OF house room contributed money
to board those who slept at the Office,
and all this was done voluntarily
without any soliciting.
In the evening the presidential party
arrived by rail from Chrstinnia; the
party consisted of Rulon S. Wells, JOS
w. McMurrln and c. n. Lund. Some
local brethren went to the station with
us. and imagine their delight when
President Wells saluted them in cor
rect Swedish.
Saturday evening, sept lSth confer
ence convened in our cosy hall on
Husargatun The good sisters had
decorated the room with flags, flowers
and evergreens and the effect was de-
lIghtful, At o'clock the house was
packed and President Pearson bid all
welcome. The Elders have most en-
couraging reports. stating that new
places are being opened, prejudice Is
fast decreasing, and many honest peo-
pie are investigating the Gospel. Since
| the list of May forty-nine have been
| baptlzed and of this number the
| Gothenburg branch has furnished
| fifteen.
Sunday morning we were all on hand
| at the large hall and President Pear
son had the pleasure of addressing
the largest congregation ever assem-
! bled in Guthenburg to hear the Utah
Elders. one hour he held them spell
| bound The subject was: can saliva
ton be obtained after death?' The re-
mainder Of the time was occupied by
| President Wells and Elder McMurrin,
who discoursed eloquently on salvation
/ for the living, Elder Pearson being In
| terpreter. The Holy Spirit rested
nightly on the speaker and who, eN-
| oept the Lord, can estimate the re-
| suit?
our meetings at and were also
| well attended and we had the pleasure
/ OF hearing President Lund talk Danish
] to us. President Wells sprung pleas
| ant surprise on all by bearing his tes-
| tlmony in the Swedish language at the
close of our last meeting.
our Priesthood meeting. Monday
morning seemed much too short though
by the clock It lasted three hours.
| believe the Elders all determined &c
| redouble their efforts for the spread
of the Gospel this coming winter Al
are active. energetic workers, and only
| NnN-=AnufHw -aA4utIthn--lE blu tHoubl
| to Justify him In wearing full beard
II did not please this brother any toe
| well when President Lund told him III
| seemed old for missionary. In spit
OF his three-score and odd years, he II
not avorse to talking thirty miles PEE
day, and to fill an appointment walked
| that distance in spite of n heavy rail-
| storm the other day.
Tuesday evening the Saints ant
| Elders met at the hall to bid eacl
| other good bye. Songs, recltation
and stories followed each other II
rapid succession, and to wind III
Brother Anderson related his stirrinl
adventures in crossing the Plains an,
fighting Indians.
have been laboring in the Gotebor
branch for the last three months an,
my companion is JohnE. Croberg o
Farr West, who arrived about thrt
weeks ago We are giving this cit,
a systematic house to house canvass
The people generally receive us wei
and many accept our tracts with pro
fuse thanks. The Saints in this brlnc
number nincty-seven. They pay a
honest tithing and keep the Word O
| Wisdom. Tine latter principle was en-
phas.zed by our former president, I
Tobiason, OF Salt Lake and the goo
work Is being continued with excel
lent results by his successor. Eide
Tobiason also organized Sunda
school which now tluurishes under tn
able supervision Of Brother Mis- Sod
erberg and Of which we are justl
proud. Last month we were obllge
To organize a branch school in Kroks
let, three miles from the hall. / h0y
a class IN English which already mum
bors thirty members. One-thlrd ar
non-Mormons ana more are Joining
Every Elder IN the conference On
juNs good health Following are thel
names and addresses:
Andrew Anderson and ]. d. Am
undsOn. Dragsgatan, rs NOrkopiue
Aug IL. Rose and Joseph IL. Jensei
oar Juno 6, Trollhal.an.
William Anderson and John "