The San Francisco call., 1901-10-14
MISSION WORK
in THE WEST
Practical! Addresses by
Noted Bishops at ST.
Stephens.

The Bishops were Rt. Rev. Funsten of
Boise, Idaho: Rt. Rev. Wells of Spokane,
Wash, and Rt. Rev. Leonard of Salt
Lake City.
Bishop Funsten was introduced after
the praise service He said he was glad
to see signs of vigorous growth in St;
Stephens Church. His experience taught
him that it was much easier to talk with
progressive than non-progressive people.
Resuming, he said:
progress. To those who have the true
missionary spirit the work of extending
the kingdom of Jesus Christ is one of
supreme pleasure. In the Jurisdiction of
Boise we are working zealously. That
city, being the capital of the common
wealth, exerts an influence and impor-
tance far beyond anything the size of
its population would seem to warrant My
missionary district is 600 miles long and
about 200 miles wide, the tract embrac-
ing 112, 900 square miles of territory. We
cannot compare with your proud State OF
California, except, perhaps, in earnest
ness of purpose. Since / came to this city
l. with many others, have felt that the
greatness of this State does not exceed
cence of your resources equal your inter-
est in the affairs of our church"
The speaker then alluded to the charac-
ter of the people of the missionary dis
trict of Boise. The residents of the coun-
try, forests and mountains, he said, Were
unaccustomed to the comforts of civiliza-
ton such as are found in the older COM
munities, but they represented the true
spirit of American citizenship-that spirit
which enabled them to adapt themselves
uneomplainingly to circumstances. Men
engaged in the mines thought too much
of material and not enough of spiritual
things. Yet the work of rescuing men
and women was progressing most Satls-
factorily. Among, the Indians, too, the
gospel was spreading, there having been
122 Indians baptized on the reservations
last year Throughout the entire district
the Christian spirit among men was
growing, and the promises or the future
were most brilliant.
Bishop Wells Of Spokane was the next
speaker. He illustrated in practical
way the missionary work Tb@d being done e,oni IN
into the field there was one town of less
than 1000 people, and of that number
there were only six church commun!-
irgs have been erected, with diocesan
schools and / hospital. Instead Of l town
with 1000 inhabitants there are now IN
the district s 80 towns nun numbering from riO lo3O
tory, as well as the remoteness of COM
munieants from houses of worship, rem
dered ministration more or less diff
cult.
Bishop Wells interspersed his address
with many pathetic and humorous anec-
dotes AS illustrating the zeal of men
who Travelled thousands of miles in order
church. he told of a man who left his
home in Iowa with a sick wife in order
to settle in Washington. When they
op at that time was residing, the first
object to attract the emigrant's attention
was a gilded church spire. In a voice trem-
bling with emotion, he called to his wife,
but She answered him not. On turning he
found her cold In death Then came a
snowstorm, in the midst of which he
reached the Episcopal residence-a poor
log hut. There the Bishop welcomed the
stricken husband and father, and made his
miserable lot comfortable. On the follow
ing day the remains of the wife and
mother were laid to rest on the bleak hill
side within the shadow of the church she
had travelled so far to see, yet never be-
hetd The Of the or
being done by missionaries in the cause Of
Christ in the great Northwest and closed
his address with a plea to all to remain
by God and the church for the regenera-
tion of men.
Bishop Leonard Of Salt Lake followed
with an interesting account of the work
Utah, Nevada and Colorado OF the 400, 900
people in his jurisdiction, 25O,0O0 are Nor
mons. Yet the situation was most en-
throes, and according to the speaker 1t
will have died out with another genera
ton. Resuming, he said:
district in despite of many difficulties. We
are ERECTING houses of Worship, and not
one of them is umDered with debt. That
there is a wide field for missionary work
can assure you. One day | went to q town
in Nevada and talked to the children in
Sunday-school about Christ. 1 asked them
if they could tell me who and what Christ
was. One girl said she could. 1 asked
her if Christ was a man like me- and she
replied, No, he was a good man. On
another occasion / went to a place in
Colorado where, one Sunday, a special col
lection was taken up for the cause A
rough miner was asked to pass around the
hat, and the first man put in twenty-five
cents. The miner, pointing a revolver at
the head of the man. made the announce
ment that no donation under a. dollar
would be received. The result was one Of
the largest collections in the history of
the church. This zeal, when the religious
spirit is once aroused, accomplishes won
ders. believe in advertising the church
as a business man does his wares When
! travel, travel like drummer for a bus
mess house. | let everyone know that 7
am a servant of the Master. Sometimes
am mistaken for another. One day. while
on train in Utah, observed a woman
eyeing me- as well as my grips, which. I
confess, had a very business-iike appear
ance. Finally she asked me if would
not kindly lend her my corkscrew as she
had a. bottle of wine she desired to uncorll
While 1 could not provide the desired ar
ticle, | was gratified to learn that I had