EXPERIENCES IN HOLDING MEETINGS.

Many unexpected things happen at meetings held by the Elders in the mission field. A few years ago an Elder in Sweden was holding a meeting. A local preacher attended it, and the people present expected the preacher would be able to refute the doctrines advanced by the "Mormon" missionary; but they were disappointed and no doubt greatly surprised. When the Elder finished speaking the minister knelt down in the meeting and thanked the Lord that he had found the truth. Three weeks afterwards he joined the Church. A similar incident is related by Bishop Lars Neilson, of Leamington, Millard County, Utah. In the year 1851 a young man invited him to attend a meeting to be held by Latter-day Saint missionaries in the village where he was then residing. He promised to attend, adding a threat that he would tell those men that in the last days false prophets are to come and deceive the people. He went to the meeting and found the house filled, but he made his way to the front, where he would be in readiness to denounce the preachers at the proper time. The missionaries presented the Gospel in such a humble and clear manner that Mr. Neilson became convinced that it was true. It was the Bible doctrine, and he dared not deny it nor scoff at it. From that time his friendship was won. He entertained the Elders at his home, defended them before the people, and eventually he joined the Church.

Two missionaries in the Southern States, who had been sent to open a new field of labor, commenced by holding a public meeting in a hall which they had secured. A prominent citizen of the town, who was well posted on the scriptures, attended this meeting, and to learn if the speakers taught Bible doctrine he secured a front seat where he might hear distinctly. He was well pleased with what he heard, and at the close of the meeting he approached the Elders and told them that as long as they preached the kind of doctrine set forth that evening they were welcome to his hospitality. He thereupon invited them to his hotel, to make their home there as long as they desired.

Inexperienced missionaries are usually assigned to labor for a time with those who have had more experience. Sometimes, however, an Elder who has newly arrived in the field is, through force of circumstances, left to himself for a time. It is then he feels more than ever the necessity of relying upon the Lord. Some four years ago an experienced missionary in Great Britain was holding open-air meetings. His companion had newly arrived from Zion, and had had little or no practice at public speaking. At the close of one meeting he gave an appointment for a subsequent meeting, and invited the people to attend at the designated place on the street. Circumstances prevented the senior Elder from filling the appointment, so he sent the new missionary to apologize for his absence. The young man went, and finding a gathering of people at the place selected for the meeting, he was impressed to preach himself, trusting in the Lord to assist him. The Lord did assist him, and he preached to the people with a freedom beyond his expectation. It was a valuable experience for him, and from that time he continued to labor most energetically and earnestly during the remainder of his mission.

Two other young missionaries upon another occasion were left to hold a meeting without experienced help. Before the time of meeting they learned that certain parties intended to be present to oppose and if possible confound them. But undaunted, the Elders fasted and prayed, and when the time came, went and held their meeting, and bore their testimonies in humility to the assembled people. Their opposers were there. The young men knew them, having heard them interrupt some of their more experienced fellow-missionaries upon former occasions. But this time they had no opposition to offer. Instead, they listened attentively to the Elders' remarks, and then bore testimony that they, the Elders, had the Spirit of the Lord with them, and that its influence was felt in the meeting.

Apostle Anthon H. Lund in a letter to the Millennial Star, dated at Nuremberg, Germany, May 19, 1894, tells about meeting with the Saints in Zurich, when he was introduced to a Brother and Sister Hoffman who had recently joined the Church. Brother Lund says about this family: "I was very much interested in hearing them tell what led to their conversion. They had rented rooms in the same house where the Saints of Zurich hold their meetings; but as they were Catholics they were forbidden by their priests to attend the meetings of the Saints. Their room adjoining the room where the Saints met, the lady could often hear Brother Duback's sermons. She became much interested and told her husband that 'Mormonism' was not what it had been represented, but that it was founded on the scriptures. They sent for Brother Duback, and he explained the principles of the Gospel to them, furnished them with books to read, and told them to pray earnestly to God to show them whether these principles were true or not. They did this one Sunday evening after having attended their first meeting with the Saints. In the night Brother Hoffman heard a noise as of a rushing wind, and a voice called his name distinctly three times and said: 'This shall be a testimony to you that what you have heard this day is truth.' The manifestation made a powerful impression on his mind. He awoke his wife and told her what he had heard. The same night she had a glorious vision. The room was filled with light and a heavenly personage appeared to her, pointing to her husband. She understood this to mean that she should follow him and that what he had told her was truth. They rejoiced greatly in the goodness of God, and requested Elder Duback to baptize them. They told me that they had never felt such joy and happiness as the obedience to the principles of the Gospel had given them."

Quite frequently attempts are made by unprincipled individuals to interfere with the labors of our missionaries in spreading the Gospel. Often men will deliver lectures against the Elders, circulate falsehoods about the Saints, or interrupt their meetings. Generally such attempts to hinder the missionary work result in good. What their enemies do to injure them is in most cases a help to the cause.

Some Elders laboring in the Scandinavian mission several years ago were opposed by two local ministers in the neighborhood where they were located. One minister delivered a lecture against the Saints and he was joined by the other in his attacks upon the Elders. The latter requested the privilege of defending their cause at the lecture, but were refused. They, however, managed to secure the same hall as was used by these ministers, and announced that they would hold a meeting there the next night. The lecture of their opponent aroused considerable interest in the subject of Mormonism, and on the following evening the hall was filled to overflowing, notwithstanding the assertion made by one of the ministers that the people would not turn out to listen to them. Had the ministers remained quiet it would have been difficult for the Elders to awaken such interest in the religion of the Latter-day Saints. Missionaries in nearly all parts of the world have had similar experiences to this one just mentioned.

Another occurrence which took place in the Scandinavian Mission will further illustrate how the Lord overrules for good the attempts made to annoy or vex His servants. Some men who were employed on a canal informed two Elders who were laboring in the neighborhood that there was a man working on the same canal who desired to see them, and who would open his house for holding meetings. One of the missionaries went in search of the man spoken of, but he soon learned that there was no one laboring on the canal answering to the name which had been given; and he discovered that the men who gave the information had been playing a practical joke. The Elder, however, made the best of the situation. Instead of turning away disappointed, after having waded through considerable mud and slush in search of the mythical person he had been told about, he spoke to each of the workmen, and presented them with a Gospel tract. In doing so he found a man who offered to open his house for a meeting that same evening. The offer was accepted and all the workmen were invited to attend. They had a good attendance, and soon afterwards the man in whose house the meeting was held and his wife were baptized, and others became interested in the Gospel.