Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-05
THE GOSPEL IN GERMANY.
Opening and Development of Missionary
worisin the City of Darmstadt.

Louisen Str. SO. Darmstadt,
Hessen. Germany, Feb Is, 1898.
| To the Editor:
1t is more than n year since the work
of the Lord was commenced in this
| city, of which 1 think nothing has yet
| appeared In your columns and trust
therefore that short account of the
| opening. present condition, and future
prospects of the work here may be of
interest to the readers of the News"
Darmstadt is the capital Of the Grand
Duchy Hessen and the residence city of
the royalty. has population of about
$1,000. II is very arlstocratlc city,
being the home of many of the wealthy
| business men of Frankfort on the
| Main, and IL only about twenty miles
| from that city. The streets are clean,
| wide, and are, as a rule. straight. The
state church is Protestant
| Elders Bushman and Maggie each
| labored here II few weeks In the year
1896, but no missionaries remained any
length of time until Elders Seogmiler
| and Stevenson were sent here from
| Frankfort in November 1896, and with
| but few ceremonies obtained the privi-
lege of distributing tracts from door to
! door and holding public indoor meet
l
called to preside over the Frankfort
conference, Elder Sperry Lawson
labored here short time.
After spending nearly 10 months in
| Munich, Bavaria, / was called in No
| vember. 1897, to continue my labors in
Darmstadt and, with the exception of n
few weeks absence to attend the Swift
2erland conference. / have been here
| since that time. Elder II. w. Y. Steven
son Is my companion and. with the help
of the Lord, We are endeavoring to
| continue the good work which has been
begun in spreading the seed of the Cos
pei in the hearts of the good citizens of
| this city.
The number OF members is, as yet
| small, hut we have many warm friends
! ana sincere Investigators. several of
whom are about ready for baptism.
The city is being tracted systematical-
| ~. We take one street at time and
! do not leave II until we are either ac-
| cepted or rejected by each family.
| About 5000 tracts have already been
| distributed.
We feel to thank our Heavenly
| Father for opening the hearts of the
! government officials, for they have
given us perfect freedom and we do not
feel In the least checked In going
ahead and doing all we can. The peo-
PIE as rule accept our tracts. but
great majority feel Indifferent as to
the contents of the pamphlets, and
| many of those who do read them an
swer; oh yes, 1t is very nice. but
shall remain with the church in which
was brought up, 1t is good enough for
me. When we bear our testimonies to
them of the divinity Of the great latter
Jay work II arouses their attention for
snort time. but this interest is soon
| crushed by indifference. But this must
not be said OF all the people. Here and
there we find an honest soul to whom
our glad message brings great 10y
only those who have had the expert
ence OF a mission can understand the
great JOY OF an Elder who hears:
Thanks to the Lord this is Just what
l have been looking and waiting for.
for years, the Gospel in It's purity as
taught by our Savior" Yes,
GEAR readers, such an express
sion fills heart to over
flowing and adds one more proof to
my testimony that the blood OF Israel
is scattered among the people of this
nation, and when such Il descendant
or the great Patriarch Abraham hears
the true Gospel Of Christ 1t thrills his
soul and he recognizes it through the
workings of power from on high in
fulfllment of former and latter-day
| prophecy.
President I,outensock was with us
last week and We had glorious time.
| large public meeting was held Thurs
day evening In Schafferhof, and the
Priesthood meeting Friday morning.
There We're present; President Louten-
sock, Secretary VIM. +. Olson and
| Elders Frank Penrose. Bruce Brown,
sperIy Lawson, FIX. Seegmliler. David
Heigh. Ernest Schettler. 4. w. Y. Ste
venson, Tring and the writer.
The subject of President Louten-
| socks address was: The social and
religious character of the Latter-day
Saints in Utah"
| He handled the subject very well and
| proved clearly that the Church OF Jesus
| Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only
Church on earth which possesses the
necessary features to distinguish 1t as
the kingdom of God. He spoke to a
very attentive and appreciative au-
dience. Too much cannot be said in
praise of the sweet singing rendered by
| by Elders Olson. Penrose, Lawson ana
| Brown. Such meetings result In much
good in removing prejudice and In
| opening the why for the Elders.
The prospects of doing much good
here In Darmstadt are very encourage
ing. We now hold Sunday school and
a public meeting every Sunday, and a
Bible class every Wednesday evening
We shall soon endeavor to make open
ings In the surrounding villages and
not devote all our time in the city.
We feel that the work OF the Lord
Is progressing with greater strides than
ever before. and / as missionary feel
thankful that / was thought worthy
to bear the great Gospel message and
add my little mite to the furtherance
of the great work OF calling mankind
to repentance, and proclaiming the true
plan of salvation.
1 wish to say to the young men in
Zion who have not yet received calls,
study the Gospel, take advantage of
the young peoples organizations and
be prepared after receiving your cali,
to enter upon missionary duties on
reaching your field. The humble mis-
sIcnary who spends his entire time in
fulfilling HIS duties must admit at the
close OF his mission that 1t has been
the most advantageous and happiest
time of his life. / trust we are never
forgotten in the prayers of our dear
friends at home.
LIE RoI C. SNOW.