CHARACTER OF MEN CALLED AS MISSIONARIES.

The manner of conducting missionary work by the Latter-day Saints is unique and marvelous; and the further one inquires into the details of the method the more wonderful it appears. The remarkable features of this work will be better understood when it is known how it is carried on, and what some of its results are.

At present the great majority of Latter-day Saint missionaries who are sent out into the world are young men, ranging upward from sixteen years of age. They are selected from all avocations of life. Some are farmers or farm-laborers, sheep herders or followers of other common occupations; some are mechanics or mechanics' assistants; others may be clerks, book-keepers, merchants or school teachers, while a very few are lawyers, doctors or other professional men. But many of them are so young that they have not begun to follow any regular pursuit. Some of the latter may have received a fair common-school or even collegiate education, while others are called from remote parts of the country, newly settled, and where the educational advantages are but meagre. None are trained especially for the ministry outside of what teaching they get at home, in the Sunday Schools, Church schools and Improvement Associations.

Generally when called, these young men are given only a short time for preparation before taking their leave of home—usually a few weeks, sometimes only a few days, and in some instances only one day. They are sent with the expectation of bearing their own expenses to their fields of labor, wheresoever they may be called, whether to the adjoining States or to the far off islands of the southern seas; to the sunny south or the dark and frozen regions of the Arctic circle. Except in countries where it is possible to carry on missionary labor "without purse and scrip," they are also expected to support themselves with their own means while away from home.

It is a notable fact that there are but very few young men called to take missions who decline to go; and very frequently men whose circumstances apparently might justify them in being excused accept the call, trusting in the Lord to overrule circumstances in their favor and thereby enable them to respond. Those who thus place reliance in the Lord are not neglected by Him. Invariably the way is opened for the accomplishment of the duty imposed upon them.

It is also remarkable how willing many young men are to accept the call to go out into the world to promulgate the Gospel, fully understanding that they are expected to preach in public as well as to teach in private, when in the majority of instances they have never made the first attempt at public speaking. Such willingness is an evidence of great trust and confidence in the help to be received from the Lord. In going out they may not all have a knowledge of the truth of the Gospel they go to advocate, but faith is implanted within their hearts in a sufficient degree at least to cause them to start upon their mission. The testimony of thousands of such young men who have thus gone out and returned with a perfect knowledge of the truth of the Gospel, is strong evidence that such confiding faith is by no means exercised in vain.

Invariably when missionaries have gone forth in response to the call of the Priesthood and have faithfully, and in strict obedience to instructions received, performed their duty they have been enabled to fulfill honorable and useful missions. They have been abundantly blessed of the Lord, helped in their efforts in a wonderful manner, and ofted miraculously preserved from threatening dangers and led to take a course that brings about the most satisfactory results from their labors.

The narration of some of the interesting and remarkable phases of missionary experience will be the subject of following chapters.