Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-04
a SCANDINAVIAN REUNION.

sundy, June IL. and the following two
T days, there win be held In this city "A
Z Scandinavian reunion. I'm commomora-
/, ton of the introduction of the Gospel
lin the Scandinavian countries, sixty
years ago. scandinavians from Utah
iand neighboring states have been In
ivited to attend, and a large gathering
IS anticipated.
4 There VIII be- two meetings In tho
D Assembly hall, on Sunday. one at 10
I, o'clock a IN. and one at o'clock D. m.
! At o'clock p, m. the visitors will at
Il tend the Tabernacle services On Mon
I day there will be a meeting I'm the As
sembiy hall at 10 o'clock In the morn
! ing. and In the afternoon the visitors
= will go to Wandamere. where a pro-
.lgram will be carried out. The reunion
s,wili close with meeting in the As
'sernbly hall on Tuesday at 10 o'clock
Z am.
q Similar reunions have been held every
!, year for some years. In various parts Of
4 the state, and they have always been
occasions OF pleasure and spiritual re-
!, freshment.
:, The planting OF the Gospel standard
+ in Scandinavia Is an event worthy of
commemoratlon here.
In the first place. It was evidence of
supreme faith in God The mission was
I decided on in 1893. only two years after
1.-THE Pioneers had entered this Valley, at
"A time when poverty and famine,
seemed To threaten destruction. And
not only were messengers sent to
Denmark and Sweden, at that time. but
TO other countries. Erastus Snow went
TO Denmark; John Taylor to France;
Lorenzo Snow TO Italy, and Franklin ID.
Richards 10 England. There were thir-
ty-nVe men in all in the party. II was
late In the season to cross the noun
taius. but Notwithstanding all obstacles
they went, relying on Higher Power
for success. Was there ever more
marvellous faith exhibited? s,there
anything in the history Of missions that
surpasses this wonderful story OF the
first missionary enterprise from Utah2
In the second place. the results have
been truly grand. Ten years ago. when
the great Scandinavian jubilee was
held In this City, statistics were given
showing that the first pioneer mission
aries had been followed by a little
army of /, 800. who had labored at y7tri-
Gus times in Denmark. Sweden. and
Norway and about $4,000 people had
Joined the Church by baptism. The
ten years since the jubilee have added
considerably to these figures. What
a glorious harvest OF souls!
Further. as result Of the Scandi-
navIan mission. thousands have come
to the valleys Of the mountains aud
taken their fun share of the develop
ment of this region
At the jubilee II wai shown that
there were about $1,000 Scandinavians
in Zion. They are -four d In every set
element and everywhere the fruit OF
their industry Ia In evidence. They
have been pioneers In many places and
endured the hardshps and privations
~ first settlers, They have been rec
,gnizcd as an Indispensable factor in !
the building up OF the country. They
are now represented in all the avenues
81 trade. az well as IN ecclesiastical |
and. 20 limited extent I'm political !
c1lcleNs ADNuS CIV BISHOPS ana bishops |
counseiors are OF scandinavian origin. |
while others are found In the most re- |
.p1nsihlc positions in the Church Even |
n literary and educational circles |
hey have won recognition
But for an that. we dare say that
here are no people more free from |
natlonal preiudices than tho Scam
tinavians. None assimilate more |
-eadily with the other cle-
nents In the great American |
melting pot" Popular government Is
Natural TO them And they have come |
o America not TO perpctuate old-coun- |
Try prciudiccs but to become good
Americans.
IN view Of the wonderful /
aith that inspired the first wis /
sion to the scandinavian cuun-
ries, the marvellous results that /
'oilowcd and the Importance of I
he mission 10 this entire region. the I
,elebration Of the siNtieth anniversary /
" the landing Of Erastus Snow and
lis companions in Copenhagen. Is an
went in which general interest should
DC manifested. We hope many Sean