Report on the Northwestern States Mission

(President of Northwestern States Mission). ¶

I rejoice, my brethren and sisters, in this glorious privilege which I have as a missionary to return, occasionally, to the bosom of the Church and participate in these assemblies of our general conference. The providences of God are daily manifest in our welfare, as Elders traveling in the missionary field. We appreciate that we have your confidence, and your faith and prayers in our behalf; but it does our hearts good to come and see you, face to face, and to feel that we are indorsed and appreciated in the course we are pursuing in our labors abroad in the world. I am sure the letters which come from the fathers and mothers, wives and sisters of the Elders who are laboring in the missionary field, are a great source of comfort and inspiration to them. It gives them courage to perform their labors when, as sometimes, clouds lower down before them and the way looks dark and discouraging. Often you are able, by the cheering words that you send, to lift their spirits and buoy them up, for then they feel that, no matter what their circumstances may be, at home there are hosts of friends and dear ones standing behind them, who are expecting each Elder to do his full duty ; and it spurs the Elders on. I am sure that it inspires and strengthens those who are absent from their dear ones, laboring in the great cause, for which they are sacrificing the comforts and society of home ; and I hope, as you are an inspiration to us, that our labors shall prove an inspiration to you, and that we shall be able, when we return from time to time, to show forth by the improvement we have made that the time and means have been well and profitably spent, that, if we have not been able to save many souls, we have most certainly benefited ourselves. I want to say to you that we are delighted to be able to accomplish the work for which we are sent, and for your encouragement and that it may be, perhaps, a source of inspiration to you, I will give you a brief comparative report for the four months of May, June, July, and August of 1908 as compared with the same months of this year, showing the progress in the Northwestern States Mission with an average of eight more Elders than there were last year. We do not give this in a spirit of boasting but in one of gratefulness to our Heavenly Father that we have been able to accomplish the labors we have performed. ¶

Families Visited : 4 months, 1908, 17,397 ; 4 months, 1909, 39,468 ; Increase, 22,071. ¶

Families Re-Visited: 4 months, 1908, 5,742; 4 months, 1909, 21,984; Increase, 16,242. ¶

Tracts Distributed: 4 months, 1908, 25,092 ; 4 months, 1909, 79,621 ; Increase, 54,529. ¶

Hours Work. 4 months, 1908, 13,982; 4 months, 1909, 30,658; Increase, 16,676. ¶

Gospel Conversations : 4 months, 1908, 6,981 ; 4 months, 1909, 22,203 ; Increase, 15,222. ¶

Meetings Held : 4 months, 1908, 269; 4 months, 1909, 1,296; Increase; 1.027. ¶

Books Sold: 4 months, 1908, 628 ; 4 months, 1909, 2,605 ; Increase, 1,977. ¶

Of books sold, 833 were Books of Mormon, while only 412 were sold in the mission for the entire year of 1908. ¶

In the matter of baptisms there is an increase of 25 per cent, and from the increased seed sown there are splendid indications of an increased harvest. ¶

So we feel glad to be in the field, and in the fight, and each man has expressed himself as feeling eager to push the work. We are determined to keep the banners waving wherever they have been planted, and to carry them to other places, until every soul in that land shall have heard the truth, and have an opportunity to receive the same; and we shall endeavor to set examples as worthy servants of our Master. ¶

If there is one thing that has given us sorrow it is finding so many of our girls who have married outside of the Church and located in the northwest country. I could relate stories from their experiences that would occupy hours, telling of the disappointment and sorrow they have known through disobeying the counsel of their parents in this matter. I remember one told by a Mormon girl, a grand-daughter of one of the prominent brethren of this Church, and I give it as a testimony to support the advice of President Smith on this matter. She married outside of the Church to her sorrow as shown by her life today. ¶

Her husband was bitter toward the Church and laughed at the men and things she held sacred. He was not a moral man, but rather seemed to delight in the sorrow he caused his wife, as she learned of his infidelity to her. No pleading could induce him to change his manner of life, while she was compelled to endure terrible mental torture. In the midst of strangers, there was only one being whom she could trust, from whom she derived any comfort or consolation ; it was her only child, a little six-year-old girl upon whom she lavished her heart's affections. A few weeks before I met her, the little girl sickened and died. It seemed then that her only comfort, her hope, her all had gone, and, under this terrible strain, she was so beside herself that she even thought seriously of taking her own life. She said to me, shaking her sorrowing head, "If Mormon girls could only profit by my experience, they would gladly accept their father's advice and their fond mother's wishes, and marry within the Church men whom they could trust, whose sympathies would be with them." ¶

I want to say to you, my brothers and sisters, that I sustain the advice and counsel that was given along this line by President Smith, because of the experiences that have come within my observation. While there are honorable Gentiles who marry Mormon girls, every girl who is thus married is risking her happiness here and hereafter. I believe that marriage is one of the most serious and important steps in life. Whatever we may accumulate in life, we will leave when we die, but the woman who is sealed to a man according to the law of God is his for time and all eternity, and the children that are born to them in that covenant will be theirs eternally. There is nothing else that we can gain in this world, outside of our resurrected bodies, and experiences, that will cling to us and stand with us forever. I believe that every girl should feel the importance of that step. She should realize its far reaching consequences, and satisfy herself, by a testimony through the Spirit of God, that her decision is a right one, just as thoroughly as she may know that God lives and that the Gospel is true. If she would take this course and listen to the advice of her parents, she would be spared much trouble and sorrow. After all, they come back to the counsel of father and mother, after years of distress, with stripes and scars upon them. We are doing what we can to comfort these girls. We encourage them to raise their children in the Church, and we are teaching them to set an example to the community where they reside that shall reflect credit upon the work of the Lord, and assist to redeem them, so far as can be, from the errors into which they have fallen. God is helping us in this direction. ¶

I want to speak of the fair at Seattle, and of the Church exhibit in the Government building. We think this has been one of the most important events in the history of our Church, because, unsolicited by us, we were extended an invitation, by the Smithsonian Institute, to make an exhibit showing the influence of the Church in developing the west. You who were there saw the fine representation we had in the models of the tabernacle and the temple ; maps showing the route of the pioneers and the Mormon Battalion, and others indicating the hundreds of towns and cities which the Latter-day Saints have founded; the press upon which the Book of Mormon was printed, and the one on which the first issue of the Deseret News was printed ; the odometer with which the mileage was measured and recorded as the pioneers traveled to these valleys ; portraits of some thirty leaders of this great latter day movement, and other things of great interest and historical importance. These were in the Government building, the most interesting one at the fair, and most of the people visited it. There have been in attendance at the fair nearly 3,250,000 people, and it is expected by the close of the fair that 4,000,000 will have visited it; without doubt 90 per cent of those who visit the fair go into the Government building and see our exhibits there. It has been our privilege to have some of the brethren located in that section to give information concerning the exhibits. We have by this means corrected many stories that would have been told by those who pretend to be well informed, and who would have related the old falsehoods. In this too we have enjoyed the friendship and good feelings of the crowds, and those in authority at the building, and they have told the truth with reference to our people. It has certainly done my heart good to see after long years of waiting, due appreciation of the Mormon pioneers, and though most of them have passed away and did not hear these words of praise, but were under constant misrepresentation by the world, to see them come to their own, and receive the credit which is due them, I say, does my heart good. I am pleased that their children can listen to just eulogies, as they come from the thousands who now witness in its true light the work of the Latter-day Saints. One of the officials of the fair, in a reception given to the governor of this state, said that Oregon and Washington, and the other great states of the Western country, would never have been what they are today had it not been for the labors of the Mormon pioneers. I believe that is true, and I rejoice that, after all these years, recognition comes, and that it comes from our great government in the invitation proffered to our Church to present these exhibitions of facts to the people of this country. ¶

The choir also visited the fair, and I know that they accomplished an immense amount of good. In Portland, Tacoma, and Seattle, the houses were crowded, and I have a mind to read you two brief extracts from a leading paper in Seattle, showing how well they were received, because it remained for the Salt Lake Tabernacle Choir to establish the highest mark in the matter of attracting the largest number of people in one place during the fair, and perhaps in the history of the northwest. Even the visit of the president of the United States, a few days ago, did not attract as large a crowd to the Natural Amphitheatre, by several thousands, as did the choir in that place at their Sunday evening concert. Their first concert in Seattle was given in the Auditorium building, on the fair grounds, on Thursday evening, August 16th. I have attended numerous entertainments in this building, some of them grand musical events, when the doors were thrown open to the public, and no admission charged, but in no instance was the building filled, and, so far as I know, only once has it been filled to overflowing, and that was upon the occasion of the concert given by our choir. Although an admission of 75c and $1 was charged, every seat was sold, and hundreds paid to stand, while more than five hundred people were turned away. I stood on the steps, and actually saw people shed tears because they could not gain admission. ¶

The Post Intelligencer of Seattle said of this entertainment : ¶

"Three thousand people were enraptured by three hundred voices in the exposition auditorium last night when the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir gave a concert. . The audience tired itself with encoring the numbers. Many musical treats have been offered the people attending the fair and others are to come, but there has not been, so far, any program, vocal or instrumental, that seemed to be received with the same satisfaction as that caused by the Tabernacle Choir." ¶

We all regret that the choir did not enter the contest, for everybody conceded that it would have taken the prize, but I believe that it was justified in declining. The prize money was furnished by the fair officials to the Welsh Association, who were to make their own arrangements for the contest. They seemed to have taken an extra dose of the "Seattle Spirit" and employed methods unheard of to charge each singer 75c admission, notwithstanding they had paid their own way from distant homes. There was no provision for seats for the singers. On eleven other occasions when the choir has sung in contests they were not charged admission, and so were not prepared for this surprise. The officials in charge of this entertainment were not as civil to the singers as they should have been, and as you know, singers are sensitive, they felt that this was adding insult to injury. And who were their opponents in this contest? A local company of singers with little reputation in this line, not in the same class, not "a foe worthy of their steel;" after all to win the prize would only be an empty honor. The choir committee, however, sought the management of the association, and were prepared to pay the unjust admission fee asked, but a determination was evinced to keep them out, and further insulting and abusive language was used. The committee, therefore, decided that the choir should withdraw, feeling that the matter of this contest was only a disagreeable incident of their trip, and that they would not humiliate themselves before such intolerance. ¶

The shabby treatment of the choir by the Welsh association was resented by the fair officials, who immediately offered $500, and admission for two days, if they would give a sacred concert in the Natural Amphitheatre on the following Sunday evening. This was agreed to. And a great majority of the people also resented this treatment was manifest, by their large attendance at this sacred concert. The grand ovation given the choir marked the largest gathering, as I have said before, in the history of the fair. Of this event the paper before quoted had this to say : ¶

"Seattle's tribute to the grand concert of high class music last evening, by the Tabernacle Choir of Salt Lake City, under the direction of Evan Stephens, assisted by Ellery's band, in the Natural Amphitheatre on the Alaska- Yukon-Pacific Exposition grounds, was a crowd numbering between 20,000 and 25,000 persons. Nothing like it has ever been seen in the history of the city. Distinguished persons have come and gone, have had their hearing and been cheered by assembled thousands, but all these tributes sink into insignificance in comparison with the spectacle of last night." ¶

We are enjoying the most friendly relations with leading men of that section ; some of them have said to us "We want you Mormons to come out into our country, we have seen what you can do. We want you to come and establish yourselves with us." I will state just one instance to show the favor with which we are received, and the lack of interest that is shown toward those who are trying to raise funds to "convert" the Mormons. One of our distinguished ministers of Salt Lake City attempted to hold a meeting in the city of Seattle on the 23rd of September. I speak with due regard for the gentleman ; I wish that all ministers were as fair and honorable. He was engaged in the business of securing means with which to establish missions for the conversion of the Mormons in Utah, and was trying to interest the people in this matter. I have nothing to say regarding what he said, but only concerning the response that was given to his appeal. Several articles appeared in the papers, advertising his meeting to be held in a building that would seat at least 3,000 people, a magnificent church, one of the finest I have ever seen. Two rectors appeared with him, and tracts were distributed on all of the seats for the thousands who were expected to attend, but only fifteen persons gathered in the building to hear his address, and three of these were Utah people who came out of curiosity. As a contrast to this, a few days before we held a conference in that city, and though we have only about 150 members in Seattle, and we did not get much newspaper notice, yet at our humble gathering there were 350 present. I felt in my heart to say that God has turned the tide in favor of Zion, and we feel fired with a holy zeal to seek to establish the truth. We know we have the interest and sympathy of the Latter-day Saints, and also of thousands of honorable men and women of the earth. ¶

God bless the Latter-day Saints, that they may continue to live worthy lives, that more than ever we may be able to point with pride to them and their glorious achievements. We thank God for the integrity of the men and women of Zion, who abide in the faith, and for the young men and women who are determined to take the same stand that their fathers have taken. May God increase our efficiency to do the work He has placed upon our shoulders; may we be valiant for the truth; and may the Lord bless us that we may establish the standard of truth, and keep it waving until all men everywhere may learn to love it, that they may receive the reward of the righteous, which may God grant in the name of Jesus. ' Amen. ¶

The hymn, "Sweet is the Peace the Gospel Brings," was rendered as a solo and chorus, by Sister Edith Grant and the choir; musical composition by C. J. Thomas. ¶