Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-16
In Kansas.
Huron, Atchison Co., Kan.
Dec. Sth. 1899,
To the Editor:


Dec. Sth, 1899.
To the Editor:
The Elders OF the East Kansas con-
ference, Of the Southwestern States
mission, OF the Church of Jesus Christ
OF Latter-day Saints, met In conference
on Oct. q, ~, and %, at Weyman's hall,
Lawrence, Kansas.
There were In attendance nineteen
Elders, many Saints and friends.
Many OF the Saints came a distance OF
one hundred miles 10 hear the prin-
cples Of the Gospel explained, and TO
mingle with others Of their brethren
and sisters.
We all felt,t to rejoice In the knowl-
edge Of the Gospel that has been made
so plain TO US. Some people look upon
the principles Of the Gospel as being
shrouded in mystery. Far better for
humanity would IL have been had the
Lord not revealed sacred laws than to
shroud them In mystery.
The Elders left for their respective
fields of labor on the 24th OF October.
=. +. Van Orden, our conference
president, is located at Laurence, head
quarters for this conference.
our field Of labor lies in that tract
OF country over which so many OF those
sturdy pioneers wended their way to-
wards the unknown West. Not far
from where am writing. say. ten miles
east Of here, Is place which Is now
known as Mormon Grove" Here, SO
we arc told, many faithful Saints sue
cumbed TO that dreaded disease, cholera.
one. Nate f. Howell, remembers,
though only a boy at the time. seeing
the people pass In every conceivable
conveyance. Wagons, carts, both
road and hand. passed between his
fathers house and barn in continuous
stream. He showed us the old salt
Lake and Atchlson trail.
While We have been laborlng In this
section of the country, We have often
times felt that We were enjoying a
privilege in passing through country
once traversed by a band known as
"Latter-day Israel
We feel that the time Is not so far
away when Gods chosen people may
again traverse this land. but under very
different circumstances 10 those nifty
years ago. We feel that we have had
fair success since this conference was
opened.
The East Kansas conference was or
ganlzed May 29, lSeS. At that time only
two or three members had been bap-
tiled In this section. At the present
writing, there are seventy-two men,
bers In the conference and our work
ing force is better now than II has been
before. We have had six accessions TO
the Church since conference. We may
have a few ups and downs, but what
Elder does not? We realize that he
darker the cloud. the more radiant Will
be the sunshine.
The crusade. that has been recently
inaugurated against the Mormon"
Church ostensibly In defense OF the
american home Is not working as the
coterie OF sectarlan preachers In Utah
desire. God has said He will prove that
His wisdom Is greater than the cunning
OF the adversary, and II Is indicated In
this new crusade. The adversary and
his host OF aides desire TO crush. II pos
sible. the Mormon" doctrine. They |
do not want II brought II they can |
help Il, before the public eye. But the |
thing they are doing brings II into |
greater prominence than the efforts OF |
/. 600 Elders could do.f
But It does look Just a little ridicu-
lous. 10 person not
Bound meath the cruel weight Of idle
vampires,
Draining their llfe's blood"
TO see people blind TO the corrupt condi-
ton Of things around them. They |
wade knee deep IN the sloughs Of social
impurity while valnly trying 10 tip toe
themselves into a position to gaze over !