Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-08
your brethren.
w. =. ROBINSON. Prest..
f. G. WARWICK. Clerk.


| To the Editor:
Ere the year 1897 closes. adding
another period to past history, we
of the News" of the progress of the
work of the Lord in this part OF the
vineyard. A valiant band OF workers.
| forty-two in number, are now march
ing to their fields of labor from the
conference recently held.
our conference convened at Duck
River. Hickman Co.. Tenn, on Dec.
18th. 18th and 10th. We were accorded
the use of a large Christian church,
in which we held our meetings. Due
to the inclemency OF the weather not
very large crowds were in attendance,
but we who did attend enjoyed Il
spiritual feast. Elders +. NJ. Lyman
and NJ. +. Cowley OF the Council OF
| Apostles, and u. $. Kimball were with
us and did most of the speaking.
| However, during the services Satur-
day each Elder was requested to bear
testimony. The principal topics spoken
upon by the Apostles and Elder kim
ball We're. divine authority, acceptance
of all truth, and the Elders as wit
nesses for God of the truthfulness of
the Gospel.
In our Priesthood meeting of Mon
| day, the Goth inst. we were advised
to be very careful among the people,
endeavoring to make friends of all, but
| to do 1t in righteous way, also to
not prepare sermons from which to
| speak as do the ministers of the world,
but to depend wholly upon the Spirit
of the Lord to lead us TO preach ON
subjects that will be proper to be ut
tered at the proper place and time.
The people of Duck River did all In
their power to make us comfortable
| and feel at home. For such kindness
/ taf ii TN.
| the blessings of Heaven upon them
| because of their acts of hospitality
The energetic efforts of the Elders,
| through the merces of our Father,
have klndled a spirit of investigation
among the people OF middle Tennessee
until in the majority of the counties
the cry is now being heard Send us
some of your preachers"
More brave Soldiers of the cross
are needed here to do the work that
must be done.
Though the majority of the state
Included In this conference has been
canvassed, 1t has been thought best
county, beginning at the mountains
and moving westward as fast as the
counties can be properly worked.
Elders are to visit all the families in
their respective counties as though no
canvassing had ever been done, also
az many books as possible.
During the past few months a num-
Der of Sunday schools have been or
Eanized in various localities and more
will shortly be organized. Elder j. L.
Bench, who has charge of the Sunday
school work. is a very efficient worker
and much good is being accomplished
through his earnest efforts.
1t Is amusing, and yet how ridicu-
lous, to notice the aptitude of men of
biased minds to invent all manner of
falsehoods, Formerly the main cry
against Mormons was that the Elders
were in the world to get women; now
when polygamy is neither advocated,
practiced nor tolerated in Utah, the
cry has nearly sunk into Oblivion.
Recently one of the leading papers of
the state gave an account of two Nor
mon ladies' arriving at CHATTANOOGA
with a company of Elders.
The cry was formerly heard Watch
your girls or the Mormons will get
them" Now some of the men referred
to are saying that Utah has a surplus
of old maids (Which may be true), and
they are now being sent into the world
to decoy the young men into their
traps and carry them away. hence the
people are being cautioned to guard
against the intrusion of Mormon old
maids"
But no deceptive means are sufficient
to submerge the Gospel. for as the poet
says; Truth is mighty and will pre-
vail" and though crushed to earth will
rise again. The Lord is with His
Elders and strenuous efforts are being
put forth to hoist the yoke of tradition
and error with which the people are
encountered.
Ten meetings are being held and
twelve books sold whore year ago
hut one meeting was held and one
book disposed of.
Wishing the News" and its readers
a happy New Year. l am yours In the
cause of truth,
JAMES LARSEN.
Secretary of Middle Tennessee Confer
ence.