Missionaries

This morning the following named Elders left by U.P. train for the East on their way to Europe to fill the missions to which they were appointed at the St. George Conference—Joseph F. Smith accompanied by his wife and son; Franklin S. Richards, Charles Nibley, Alma L. Smith, Edwin D. Woolley, Jr., B. Nelson, Carl Olsen, Joseph Cowley, Samuel L. Adams, Jr., Jens Anderson, John Petersen, Hyram B. Clawson, Jr., Joseph Bull, Jr., Royal B. S. Young, John McCarthy, Samuel Claridge (accompanied by his sister), Warren B. Smith, Daniel Jocobs, John R. Young, William H. Branch, Jr., Erastus W. McIntyre, Thomas Lockyear, Job Rowland, Thomas Hancock. President Franklin D. Richards, and Elders Lester J. Herrick, Joseph A. West, Lorenzo Richards and others accompanied the missionaries as far as Wasatch.

[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, May 8, 1877, 1]
[Ogden Juction, May 8, 1877]

[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, May 2006]

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Missionary Labors

Elder Royal B. Young, President of the Durham (England) Conference, has written a letter to his family, in which he gives some interesting details of his missionary labors in that part. Recently he, in conjunction with Elder Jos. O. Young, Joseph Taylor and other brethren, held a camp meeting at a place called Shildon. The gathering had been previously liberally announced, the merchants freely giving the use of their shop windows for the placards. The brethren used a wagon for a pulpit, and the number of people that congregated was about 2,000. The strictest attention was paid to the preaching, till, at the instance of a Methodist preacher, a stream of water was turned on from an engine, completely drowning the voice of the speaker with its noise. Elder Young and his associates retired some distance, posting themselves against a stone wall, the congregation following and listening closely to the preaching, which was resumed.

Foiled in his first attempt to break up the meeting, the Methodist gathered together a band of his followers, who started singing at the top of their voices. This aroused the indignation of the people against him and he finally left the place in a rage. On the evening of the same day the brethren held a very successful meeting.

Subsequently, at Middlesboro, Elder R.B. Young held a couple of similar meetings, also attended by about 2,000 people. On both these latter occasions he was mobbed with great fierceness. At the first of the two gatherings he was struck on the head, receiving a slight injury; at the second he received a shower of stones upon his head and face, but was not very seriously hurt. While pelting him, the infuriated crowd shouted “kill him; kill him.” Considerable alarm was felt by some of the Saints of that locality who were upon the ground, lest the crowed should execute their threats.

Notwithstanding this disagreeable experience Elder Young feels encouraged, and has no fears, knowing in whose service he is engaged.

He has since received an invitation from some of the leading men of Shildon, who promise to secure him every needed facility if he will return to that place and deliver a course of lectures. He has accepted, and will take for his subjects—“The Necessity of Revelation form Heaven; Was Joseph a Prophet of God? The Godhead; Polgamy.

It is pleasing to note that some of the Elders in the ministry are prosecuting their labors with commendable energy and earnestness.

[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Aug. 3, 1878, 7]
[Deseret News, 27:425]

[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, May 2006]

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Minutes of a Conference
Held in the Central Hall, Chapter Row, South Shields, Sunday,
August 4, 1878

Present on the Stand—Wm. Budge, Prest. of the European Mission; Elders Naiabitt and Nibley from the Liverpool Office; Royal B. Young, Prest. of, and Elders J. Taylor, J. Cowley, and J.O. Young, Traveling Elders in the above Conference.

10:30 a.m.

Conference called to order, and service opened as usual.

Prest. R.B. Young then briefly stated the objects of the Conference, saying he was pleased at having the privilege of meeting with the Latter-day Saints. It was not often they had an opportunity of enjoying the society of so many together who had covenanted with God to obey his laws and keep his commandments. He trusted that while they were assembled they would have the Spirit of the Lord in their midst, this he realized as indispensably necessary to enable them to transact aright whatever business might come before them…

Prest. Young next reported on the whole Conference, stating that there were now upwards of 400 members. Financially and otherwise the Conference was in good standing, with of course solitary exceptions. In exhorting the Saints to live up to their duties, he stated that the was proud of the Conference as a whole…”

[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Aug. 4, 1878, 9-10]
[Millennial Star, 40:539-556]

[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, May 2006]

-End-

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