Brother Tietjen. We have had some excellent meetings there; many strangers were present and they were very attentive. A good many in Malmo seem to be inquiring after the truth, and I hope that before long we shall hear of several joining the Church there. There is still considerable life here in this Branch, which comprises just the city of Copenhagen. Our meetings are well attended both by Saints and strangers. Sunday and Friday evenings the hall is generally crowded. The strangers are very quiet, and pay good attention to what is said, I am well satisfied with our change of halls. We were nearly always having disturbances in the old hall, but here we are free from everything of that kind, and our visitors are of a more genteel class. You remember that our hall is just opposite the university. Sunday the great zoological museum is open from 12 to 2 o'clock. When the visitors leave the museum, they see a good many going in through the gates to our hall, and, as they are out sight-seeing anyhow, a few drift with the stream into our hall. "During the winter we have had baptisms take place nearly every week; one evening there were as high as six. Last Monday three persons were baptized, Tuesday two, tonight, I think, there will be one baptized, and one has applied for baptism to-morrow evening; that will make seven added to the Church this week. "The President of the Conference, E. A. Anderson, is very diligent in his labors. He is off early in the morning and seldom returns until midnight. Brother F. Christensen is helping him here in this city. We feel very much blessed in our labors, and thankful to the Lord for bringing so many into the fold." ILL HEALTH OF ELDERS. President Wm. S. Geddes, writing from Glasgow, Jan. 16, 1884, to President Smith, says: "I have been suffering for a few days, in fact, ever since Conference, with a bad cold, but I am happy to say I am improving fast and will soon be 0. K. Some of the Elders since returning from Conference have also been bad with colds, but I think are about recovered again. Brother Angus McKay was very bad after you left, but he started to the Isle of Skye last week greatly improved in health." FROM A RETURNED MISSIONARY. Elder B. E. Rich writing from Ogden, Utah, Jan. 3, 1884, to President Smith, says: "Everything is very quiet in Zion at present, with the exception of sleighing, which has been the order of the day for a short time past. From this you may have a faint idea of how the Utah boys are enjoying themselves, instead of wearing a long sanctimonious face and mourning over what our Gentile brethren say is to be the fate of Mormonism' before the close of the present Congress. "It may be interesting to you to know how I spend my spare time, aside from regular employment: I am still a home missionary, and go into the country every other Sunday. Monday nights I teach a class in theology in the 3rd Ward, Wednesday nights I attend the Y. M. M. I. A., to-night (Thursday) I am to be ordained a Seventy, and consequently I will spend Thursday evenings meeting with my Quorum. Sundays, when not away as a missionary, I teach another clase in theology, besides attending the public meetings. By this you may see that my time is well spent, and I have none to throw away foolishly, as I used to do; and now that I am to be a Seventy, it makes me a candidate for another mission when wanted. My wife is happy, and I believe that it is due to the mission I took to England, for while there I learned the necessity of serving God, and I intend, if possible, to live in such a way that I will have the privilege of being with my father in the life that is to come. Before father died he bore his testimony to me, and gave me to understand what I must do if I wished to be with him in the great hereafter. I never saw a dead person look so much like a warrior in my life as did father; he did not look like a corpse, but like one dressed ready to associate with the Gods. He looked like he did before his sickness, and anyone to see the happy look upon his face, would have more cause to rejoice than to mourn, especially when he knew that father had fought the good fight and had been faithful to the end. I am determined to try and live to meet him in the celestial kingdom of God." PROCEEDINGS AT THE FUNERAL OF SISTER GROESBECK. Elder E. Hanham sends us the following, under date of Dec. 31, 1883. 66 Yesterday (Sunday) was a solemn day in the 17th Ward. A funeral service was. held at 11 a.m. in the meeting house, over the remains of Sister E. T. Groesbeck, the dear mother of your wife Josephine, and the beloved wife of Elder Nicholas Groesbeck. After a brief sickness this good Latter-day Saint has left her family, to whom she was most affectionately attached, and a large circle of friends, for a better world. As the supreme moment drew near for the invisible messenger to extinguish the vital spark for ever in this world of tears and sorrow, she earnestly exhorted her children, all of whom were present, except Josephine, to be faithful in the great cause of truth, bearing testimony to its divinity so long as her pure spirit lingered in its mortal tabernacle. She departed in the fullness of Gospel peace. She seems to have had a presentiment that her time to leave us was near at hand, and hoped she would pass away in peace. She was beautiful in death! The lid of the richly ornamented oak casket, in which she lay, was decorated with floral tributes of affection, forming an anchor, wreath and harp. "The services were conducted by Bishop Tingey. Our well-beloved brother, Daniel H. Wells, after singing, prayer, and the singing of a second funeral hymn by the choir, addressed the mourners and people in a very consoling and edifying manner from that beautiful text of scripture, "Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.' His remarks were full of comfort, not to the present mourners only, but to each and every one that had ever been called upon to mourn the loss of a dear relative or bosom friend. The large congregation listened with rapt attention and emotion. "President George Q. Cannon also spoke upon the virtues of the departed sister-of her devotion to the work of the Lord, of her sincerity and faith, and the lively interest ever manifested by her in its defense, under every circumstance of life. He made allusion to her kindly acts of charity to the infirm and needy among her neighbors-to the fact that she had comforted the afflicted and healed the heavy-laden in spirit. Having read, at the commencement of his remarks, a section from the Vision' (Doc. & Cov.), touching celestial glory, he enlarged upon it, and all felt its inspiration. He feelingly addressed the mourners, exhorting them to be faithful, so that they might live with the departed wife and mother in the great hereafter for ever. "Bishop Tingey followed with a suitable discourse, alluding to the deceased sister as being a faithful member of the 17th Ward for a long series of years. He said her wish was, as expressed to himself before her death, that the congregation should join in singing the beautiful resurrection hymn, composed by the late Elder W. Clayton, commencing: "When first the glorious light of truth Burst forth in this last age, How few there were with heart and soul Tobey it did engage! Yet, of those few how many Have passed from earth away, And in their graves are sleeping Till the resurrection day! "After benediction by President A. M. Cannon, all took a parting look at the true Saint's features as she lay in her coffin." MINUTES OF A DISTRICT MEETING. HELD IN ORSON'S ASSEMBLY ROOMS, 23, NEW ROAD, COMMERCIAL ROAD, LONDON, E., JANUARY 13, 1884. PRESENT on the stand: Apostle John H. Smith, President of the European Mission; E. H. Nye, President of, and Geo. Atkin, L. P. Lund, Leo. H. Clawson, C. C. Harris, Job Hemsley, F. Gibbons, John L. Bench, C. E. Angell, Robert Braby, Chas. Denney, Arthur Stayner, jun., Geo. J. Dent and John Reeve, Traveling Elders in, the London Conference; also Elder W. G. Reese, of the Welsh Conference. At 10-30 m., after singing, prayer by Elder R. Braby, and singing again, President Nye called upon the Elders to report their labors and the condition of the work in their several districts as follows: John L. Bench, Southampton and Portsmouth; C. C. Harris, Berkshire and Wiltshire; Job Hemsley, Sussex; F. Gibbons, Berkshire and Wiltshire; Geo. Atkin, Lambeth Branch; R. Braby, Kent and Essex; Leo. H. Clawson, Whitechapel Branch; L. P. Lund, North London; C. E. Angell, Bedford. President Nye expressed the pleasure he felt at hearing the reports of the Elders, and learning of the condition of the districts and the prospects for the spread of the Gospel in the future. After singing, the meeting was dismissed with prayer by Elder C. Denney. At 2-30 p.m., the meeting opened with singing, prayer by Elder C. C. Harris and administering of the Sacrament by Elders Angell and Clawson. Elders C. Denney and Geo. J. Dent, then reported their labors in Essex and Kent, and Elder Arthur Stayner, his experience in Berkshire and Wiltshire. Elder John Reeve followed with an account of his experience in the Norwich Conference, expressed his pleasure at meeting with the Saints of London, and testified to the truth of the Gospel. President Nye occupied the remaining time. Said he had visited most of the districts in the last three months. Spoke upon the spirit of emigration, and showed that true faith must be accompanied or followed by good works. After singing, benediction was offered by Elder Hemsley. The evening meeting commenced at 6-30, with singing, prayer by Elder Geo. Atkin, and singing again. Elder Reese was the first speaker; said he was pleased to meet with the Conference. Spoke upon the power of the Spirit of God that had been manifest through him. Said he felt well in the Gospel, knowing that he was in the hands of God. Desired to go on in his labors and do all the good he could. President Smith then addressed the meeting, delivered an interesting and instructive discourse upon the marvelous work and mission of our Lord Jesus Christ both to the living and the dead, and concluded by explaining the situation and feeling of the Saints in Utah, politically and otherwise. President Nye announced that there were three children present to be blessed, and the ordinance in behalf of each was attended to. After singing, benediction was pronounced by President Smith. After meeting, one lady who had attended the services of the Saints that evening for the first time presented herself for baptism, having become convinced of the truth of the Gospel. She was, baptized on the following Monday night by Elder Nye. A RECENT issue of the Deseret News contains a communication from James F. Wilkins, Mesa City, Arizona, from which we extract the following: "Since the last of September, we have had glorious weather. The highest temperature during September was 108° at noon. The weather during October was somewhat cooler, the highest point of the thermometer being 84°, and the lowest 46. During November the mercury registered 82°, the lowest being 36. During the present month as far as gone, the greatest degree of heat has been 87 at noon, and the lowest 38 in the morning. These are official figures, as taken from a standard thermometer, and show a climate compared with which sunny Italy falls into insignificance. Tomato vines still continue to yield their luscious fruit in abundance. After the fruit is all gathered, by protecting the vine root with straw, they will bear again in May. This will occur four years before the vine dies, and green peas will be a Christmas plenitude here. "On December 19th it began raining and continues at the present writing. Some of the people lost a large amount of hay, as they had just cut their last crop of lucern, being the fifth cutting this year. Rain is a blessing that here for the next three months will be a frequent visitor. 66 "The acreage of land under cultivation in our town is increasing rapidly, as there will be nearly 400 acres of wheat in this winter, and some of the enter⚫prising ones are contemplating orchards of from five to twenty acres. "The Salt River Valley, generally speaking, is in a very flourishing condition; the number of acres in grain this coming year will be about 80,000, of which Phoenix and vicinity have the lion's share. George W. Crismon, of Salt Lake City, has this fall put in 100 acres more of lucern under the Tempe Canal. "The Great Arizona Canal is being rapidly pushed ahead, some 15 miles of it being under active operation. It will cost $60,000, and is 35 feet on the bottom and 5 feet deep, with 2 feet fall to the mile. "The Mesa Canal Co. gave their canal a very thorough cleaning this fall and widened the canal to 18 feet wide near the dam, making an average of about 13 feet from the dam to Mesa, a distance of nine miles. As the Arizona Canal will take all surplus water in the river, it is generally conceded that the smaller canals will not have another chance to enlarge. "It is said the Arizona Canal will reclaim 25,000 acres, some of which is being cleared preparatory to receiving water in May next. "Our neighbors in Jonesville also took advantage of time, and have a new large and finely graded canal. The sorghum crop there was a grand success, some few getting 300 gallons of sorghum on one acre, the cane being of the Honduras variety, the stalks of some cane having to be mashed before being the required size to feed in the mill. This produce commands a ready sale among the Indians on the Gila, of which there are 6,000, most of whom are farmers raising a large amount of wheat and beans; the general trade is one gallon of sorghum for a bushel of wheat. The Indians referred to are 30- miles from here, on a government reserve." (For Books, “Stars,” “ Journals,” etc., up to Jan. 1, 1884.) BARRADALE.-At Cheltenham, January 5, 1884, Elder John Barradale, aged 80 years. HUNTER. At her residence in Bennington, Bear,Lake Co., Idaho, Mary Hughes, wife FIFE. At Providence, Cache Co., Utah, Dec. 22, 1883, of old age, Margaret Fife, aged 82 years, 9 months and 27 days. Deceased was born March 15. 1801, at Peebles, Scot- DURFEE.-In Aurora, Sevier County, Utah, Dec. 27, 1883, of pneumonia, Jabez Durfee, Bishop of Aurora Ward; born in Williamstown, Oswego County, New York, |