Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-07-29

cess, for out of a population of less
imam $4,000 natives 5,527 are now
members of the Church. The mission
also includes membership of about
800 whites, but as the Europeans in
variably emigrate to Zion within
period of four to five years this num-
Der seldom is Increased.
Elder Hoagland said the Maories
were a very good people, showing as a
rule marked faithfulness TO the gos-
pei. Among them were many filled
with desire to gather with the saints,
but as the time was not ripe for such
a movement they Were counseled to
remain In the land Of their forefathers.
While they stayed there the Church
was doing all 1t could for their
moral and religious welfare. A system
OF Church government essentially the
same as that maintained in the stakes
or zion was organized among them and
the missionaries were doing all they
could to further their progress.
Those natives who have embraced the
gospel understand the promises made
TO them in the Book of Mormon regard
ing the land of America and are look
ing forward to their fulflllment.
Several of the various Christian de-
nominations have established schools
and colleges among the Maories. but
without exception they have made the
mistake that they have educated the
young natives In the studies of mathe-
mates, letters and the arts without
giving them any education along such
lines as they would find useful in gain
ing living. When the young people
have received these educations, fitting
them for work at It, then they ind that
the whites will not employ them and
consequently they are prepared TO work
along lines which they cannot find work
In, and at the same time having become
inbued with the idea that physical
work is degrading The Latter-day
Saints in their educational work among
them are teaching them practica,
things such as the trades, the building
of homes and farming. a movement is
under way to establish a college which
will be an institution where they can
receive manual training. There are
GA missionaries working in the New
Zealand mission, four of whom are sis
ters. During recent times the press
of the country has taken notice of the
efforts of the Latter-day Saints to i'm
prove the condition of the natives and
is giving the missionary work favor
able mention.
Elder Hoagland told OF Incidents
through which a large section of the
native population lost confidence In
the ministers and the missionaries of
the other Christian sects and churches.
He said the Latter-day SAINTS had won
the respect and confidence of these ma
tives because they went and lived
with them and have never asked them
to give them large tracts of land. He
told of the superstitions and beliefs
which the natives have and entertain
and how slowly they give up thinking
that their medicine men have power
to curse them with the evil eye.
The speaker said they had preserved
a tradition that coincided with the doc
trines of the Book OF Mormon regard
ing their origin. They believed that
there were three distinct migrations,
greater distance and third from the
greatest distance. Each of these -
grations have its own name and in the
most remarkable manner does this
tradition agree with the belief OF the
Latter-day Saints that originally their
forefathers came from Jerusalem, At
terward during another attempt under
Hagoth TO go In ships to the land
northward how they drifted out
into the islands of the Pacific ocean,
and how finally from this resting place
they were established In New Zealand
In corToboration of this belief Elder
Hoagland quoted from a statement OF
Sir George Gray late governor general,
that the natives of New Zealand were
descendants of the Aztecs Of Mexico
Elder Hoagland concluded his remarks
by telling OF the good the missionaries
experience In their own lives In try
ing TO assist their brothers and sisters
10 an understanding of the gospel
Upon request from the authorities,
Elder Hoagland talked for q short
time In the Maorie language.
ALEX BUCHANAN. JR.
Elder Alexander Buchanan. Jr adj
dressed the meeting upon the belief OF
the Latter-day Saints in regard to the
different degrees OF glory which are
prepared for mankind In the life here
after He read extensively from the
writings Of John the Reyelator and
other writer's In the Bible where they
had written sustaining such a belief
The speaker said only by having such
n knowledge and belief of the purposes
of the Lord could there be any incent-
i've to doing better among men. Elder
Buchanan read the 10th section OF the
Doctrine and Covenants explaining the
position Of the Church In regard 10 the
teaching that men viii be graded ana
classified after death according 10 their
works In life He also read section
10 of the Doctrine and Covenants in
explaining the nature Of the eternal
punishment that will be meted 10 the
wrongdoer. aud said from this we un-
derstand that the punishment VIII not
he etor,al or endless In its lcnuh bnt
In ts degree, for inasmLrh as God is
eternal and everlasting 50 Is every
thing He does eternal and endless.
Knowing that each will be Judged anu
viii receive according TO his acts IN
life the great lesson OF the gospel Is
10 prepare for the life 10 come