Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-06-30
Southern States cNiSSion
HonorS President Ben E. Rich

, cess. and no surprise could have beea
conducted riore perfectly 10 the sat
isfac.ion Of all concerned.
| A REVIEW OF THE EIGHT YEARS
WORK.
Briefly reviewing the work accom-
plIshei by President Rich, aud his CO.
workers IN the field. II might be sara
that the following amounts OF liIera-
ture has been published here and dis
tribIted. 10000 Duranis, 1000 Cow
ley's Talks. 1900 Orson Pratt's Works,
1000 hymn books, 10000 Voice OF
Warnings, besides $4,000 other miscel-
laneous books and pamphlets. There
have been distributed also 1900 Books
OF Mormon and 5000. 900 tracts, all or
which were the output Of the mission
The Southern Star was published for
two years with much success, and cea5-
cd rs existence purely because OF the
policy adopted by the Church, when
reduced the missionary force from 700
TO 200 elders. The publication had a
circulation OF about $500 and was oIt
OF debt when It was suspended FROM
public alton. The Elders Journal, nov
nearing the end Of its third volume,
was begun only as a means OF keeping
IN touch with the elders. II met with
so much favor also with the Saints,
that Il rapidly reached out into their
homes. and so rapidly did its circulation
Increase among the Saints that Il was
enlarged. and conducted on a basis suit
able tor both the elders and the Saints,
and today IL has a circulation " nearly
{. 1000 subscribers. and Is sent 10 all parts
Of he south, throughout every stake ip
Zion, 10 the Islands OF the seas where
our brethren are al work. aud 10 many
Of the elders In different missions. All
OF the elders IN the Hawaiian and he
Colorado missions have their names on
the subscription list and many Of the
elders from different fields are also TAX
ing H. There have been about 5000
souls baptized. among whom are three
~ President Rich's children. who have
grown 10 baptismal age In the south.
Several thousand have emigrated, and
there are now In the south. according
to .he last report. 1866 members Of The
church IN the mission. The mission
home has been purchased and paid for
AT an original cost Of $500 with an adj
dltlonal expense on repairs and fur
nishings Of about 81 600 Since the
prop srty was purchased, II has lncreas-
"a w value about 50 per cent on account
of the Increased rise IN real estate IN
the city. There have been built 10 or y
church buildings In different parts Of
the mission among which Is the bead-
tiful church al Jacksonville, Fla,
which represents an outlay Of about
t9,500. The labor on this building. as
&c af ha Af n.
churches. has been performed By the
elders. The building at Jacksonville IL
as well built, and as finely furnished as
any other church Of It's size IN the city.
The influence OF the mission is fet
for good throughout the city, especial
ly In a commercial II not so much w a
religious way, and It's standing with
the railroads Of the south Is such that
orders FOR clergy tickets by letter or
wire, VIII be honored by all OF the
roads over which our elders travel o
any extent; this makes Il possible for
the mission TO move its elders from any
point within her borders. This innu-
ence extends also TO the steamship lines
along the coast touching the states In
cluded in the mission. With the mer,
chants IN the resident city. the mis-
sion Las The distinction OF being listed
with the highest commercial standing.
and so also IS this true with the banks
where business Is done
President Rich has Travelled about |
230.0 miles during the eight years ne
has been IN the SOUTH and six years
out Of the eight he has had HIS family |
here with him.
J. STOKES. JR.