Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-23
Tho atua Conference on UpoIu, samoa.

The Atua Conference ON upolu, Samoa.
The day Of October 10, 1899 Friday,
promised fair for an excellent confer
ence, TO be held at Supapa, the branch
Of the Elders Alexander H., Archibald
and Ray Il. Stewart Elders VIM. G.
Sears, W. l.. Worsencroft and f. H.
Smart, arrived from different parts Of
the island and were the visiting Elders
10 the conference. There were repre-
sentatlves from four OF the branches
IN the two schools Of other conferences,
the one at Tlfitiii on this island ard the
Tuaslyi school on Sayaii. our dear
Brother Archibald was sick when the
Elders arrived, but he was administered
TO, and through the mercy Of the Lord
he was relieved so that he could meet
with the Elders on the morrow In their
meeting and be present at all the meet
iugs Of the conference. Friday evening
a little entertainment was given by the
schools.
Saturday morning there was an FL
ders' meeting. At II o'clock the Saints
gathered in the new meeting house
The singing was very well rendered
after which President Sears was called
10 give the dedicatory prayer. The
NNNahAAr was lfiAAiNf " Aiir new llVusts
IL was begun last year by Elder n. G.
Strinsham, who has returned home
His successor. Elder Alexander II. Ar
chibald, and Elder Ray L. Stewart have
finished IL. So now stands a tin-roofed
house with bamboo sides and lumber
floor with seating capacity Of about
l75. The aggregate cost without the
labor, was not quite 5000. The labor Is
a credit to the Elders and the Saints,
and the returned Elders will be glad
TO learn OF the success. Immediately
after the dedcatory services. for the &C.
casion feast was given consisting Of a
roasted pig, five gallon can Of crack
ers. a case Of salmon, six kegs Of beef
and an abundance Of talo and palusami
After this the talolo food offering) was
given The Saints and Elders gathered
in the faletele Oarge house) and looked
on the procession with their dancing
and singing.
When they give a talolo, a number OF
Samoan young people form In line
dressed In their peculiar costumes of
native clothes or Of kits. made Of slen-
der leaves Of Varied hues. bands Of
these on their legs and arms. They
all carry some kind Of food to present
% the person or persons they wish TO
honor and to whom they are singing.
A hen is considered the most appropri-
ate thing for gift, though there Is
never more than one hen given to the
same person. The gifts mostly are
raw taro They all take their places
about 100 yards or so distant from
the people 10 be honored and then COM
mence By singing one Verse In their
song slowly approaching as they sing,
after which they stop and dance by
jumping about and going through all
Kinds Of performances to the time OF
the beating Of tin cans and the clapplng
OF hands. and there Is a charm and
rythm and perfect harmony In It all
that fairly captiVates one. After their
performing in this way, they sing an
other verse and then perform again,
repeating these alternately, until the
song is finished, when they lay down
their offerings In front OF the ones to
whom they We're singing. The dancing
" forbidden by the Elders here. Of
ferings were given to Elders Sears and
g. c. Spllsbupry; anso to the several
schools.
After the talolo We're over another
meeting was held in the afternoon,
Elder Salisbury presiding In the even
ing a very creditable program
was given by the Malacla school, Of
which Elder Salisbury Is principal and
Elder Horace n. Fish assistant The
exercises rendered We're singing. recit-
ing. reading and pantomimic exercises.
The applause was continuous. After the
entertainment We heard from the
graphophone.
on Sunday there were three regular
meetings, with good attendance. In
which the Spirit Of the Lord prevailed.
Sunday school conference was held at
10 o'clock with a good attendance. The
children sang the songs Of Zion In Eng
llsh with different parts In the music
and gave exercises in Samoan and Eng
llsh The subject taken up in Sunday
school was the divinity Of the Book Of
Mormon.
This was very successful confer
ence. Our Priesthood meeting was
different one from the usual one on
Samoa. 1t was very much like PRIEST
hood meeting at home Immediately
consideration was given TO the building
Of q house for the central school Of the
Atua conference, TO be er cte1 at NJ llae-
Ia. Accordingly a distribution Of the
cost was made 10 the various branches.
Inc Cost II tsNlIldttu az fvVv i nc NdluNS
feel well about helping in a cause like
this, and they shall be blessed for Il.
Six baptisms were made, among whom
were John Schwenke and his wife.
We have a sister in our conference
whose lahore were shown in dresswork
IL not IN schoolwork. The girls that our
Sisted Witbeck dressed were very neat
indeed
Tho Elders held sacrament meeting
Monday morning and after a little
amusement. for the school children. all
went TO their several branches Your
brother IN the Great Work
HORACE n. FISH.