Letter from William Paxman, 12 April 1888 [LE-40108]

Hastings, Hawks Bay,
New Zealand.

April 12^th 1888.

President Wilford Woodruff
and Quorum of Apostles,

Dear Beloved Brethern:

It is through a kind Providince, and a loving
Father, that we are once more permitted to address
you by letter; and in doing so feel to offer up a
silent, but fervent prayer that it may reach its
destination, and find you all, in the full enjoyment
of health, and under the Divine care and protection
of our ever kind and loving Father in Heaven; for
when I reflect upon the present condition of your-
selves and the Church, I see and feel that you need
an increase of the power, wisdom and blessings of
God; and to this end very earnest prayers are offered
up daeily, yea hourly, by the Elders and saints in
this far off land, the nethermost part of the earth.
Fearing as we do, from the reports that reach us,
from the various parts of Zion, that the saints have
not harkened unto the voice of God through His in-
spired prophets, in honoring God, and setting their
houses in order, and purging out sin and iniquity
from their midst, which if done would have given
us unity and strength, so much so, that our enemies
would not have the power over us that they have today.

but thanks be to Our Heavenly Father, He has promised
to give us a glorious victory; to raise up one Mighty
and Strong, to deliver us, in the appointed time.

We pray God to bless you, and the faithful
with patience, wisdom, and every needed blessing,
until that happy times arrives.

I am truly thankful to state that my health
is good, and I am rejoicing much in my labors,
but, feel a little weary in body through the great
amount of labor that has been upon me during our
conference, which commenced on Friday the 6^th, and
closed on Monday the 9^th inst. During the four days,
twenty three meetings were held by the Saints, priesthood
and Elders from Zion; there being twenty five in
attendance, and two Sisters, as also a large gathering
of the saints from the various parts of the Island;
and above all the Lord Our God was with us by
the power of His spirit; to the great rejoicing of all
the saints, and Elders present. In our council
meetings we truly had a time never to be forgotten,
for so great was the power and inspiration of God
poured out upon us, that we shed tears of joy, and
our hearts swelled within us for the goodness and
loving kindness of our Heavenly Father thus bestowed
upon us. The saints of this district built a fine
meeting house for the Conference, with seats, capable
of holding three hundred people, the first house among

the saints of this Island that has been furnished with
seats; it was filled to its upmost capacity during
the meeting of Conference, and their dusky faces beamed
with joy as they listened to the inspired words of the
Servants of God, and those that had the privilege of
speaking. During our meetings many expressed them-
selves as being filled with joy and rejoicings for the
things they had heard, and the power they had felt,
and desired to be firm and steadfast unto the end for
they knew it was the true Gospel, Ect.

During the whole of our conference there was nothing
occured to mar our pleasure, or the peace of the company;
all was love and good will. Ample accommodation
were made for feeding and caring for the whole com-
pany of not less then four hundred souls. Quite a
number of these where outsiders, who had come to
listen to the truth. It is no small affair to provide
and care for a gathering of this kind, as all that come
have to be fed during the time of their stay, by those
who live at the place of gathering. It is done by free
will gifts, some making large presents of food; a
non-member of the Church, brought a large van, drawn
by four large horses some fifteen miles, containing
a ton of flour, eight 40 lbs bags of sugar, a sack of rice,
a box of tea, four sacks of shell fish, and a quantity
of sweet and Irish potatoes. I mention this to show
the liberality of the natives, in this respects, and the

manner in which the large gathering was fed.

For the accommodation of the Elders, a large
tent was erected and a temporary table, sufficiently
large to seat thirty persons, with plates, dishes &c.,
to make it very pleasant, and the food furnished
us was extra good. The Elders greatly rejoiced at
having the opportunity of thus meeting together, it
being thirteen months since our last general con-
ference of the mission.

We also had the pleasure of Elder John L. Blyth's
company, who has been laboring in Australia for
the past three years, comparatively alone, in the midst
of much opposition, and has by the blessings of God
succeded in opening up the work in that part
of the vineyard, organizing two branches &c.
He is now on his return home to Zion, and will
accompany Elders, Ezra F. Richards, F. H. Wright,
Elias Johnson, A. W. Harper and Alma Hayes, all
of which, except the last names, have performed
good and faithful missions, laboring untiringly
for the advancement of the cause of God, among this
strange people; and they now return with an honor-
-able release, my blessings, and blessings of the Elders
and saints, and above these, the blessings of the Lord.

Elder Hayes returns through sickness; his constitu-
tion seems to be broken down. He tells me that
he had two conjestive chills before he came here,

and since his arrival in this land, he has had two
severe attacks of sickness, suffering much with his
lungs. For the last two months we have had him
staying with a kind family of europeans to be nursed
up, but, in it all, he improves but little; he cannot
ride horse back, nor walk but a short distance, so
it became neccessary to release him to return home.

Elder Robert Lindsay, who was sent to Australia
last nNovember has also got a constitution that has
been shaken badly by sickness and exposure in his
youth. Since his arrival in his field of labor he
has gradually failed in health, suffering much
from his lungs, until he got so weak that he could
not walk around; yet, he has a great desire to fill an
honorable mission. So he wrote to me, desiring to
have the privilige of going to his native land, Scotland,
to visit his relatives, and there fill a mission. I have
released him to go and report himself to President George
Teasdale at Liverpool, and have appointed A. L. Stewart
to go and labor with S. D. Chipman, who has been
appointed to succeed Elder Blyth.

Through the faithful and earnest labors of Elder's
Ezra F. Richards and Sondra Sanders Jr., assisted by
some native helep, the revision of the translation
of the Book of Mormon was completed in time to
present at our Conference; making it a little less
then one year from the time of commencing the

translation. To get it finished by this time, they
had to work early and late. Some portions of the
translation was read at the conference, and pro-
nounced by the best Maori linguist as being very
good and plain, 400 pages of the book is copied or
rewritten ready for the press. The work now re-
maining, is to finish writing the manuscript and read
it over before a suitable Maori. Elder S. Sanders Jr.,
have been appointed to this labor, assisted by sSister
Katie. He has also been appointed to preside
over this, the Hawks Bay district. In presenting
it to the conference, and calling upon the saints for
the means necessary for the printing and binding
of the same, it was not received with that spirit
of liberality that we could have desired.

This people have a great dread of being asked for
means, as they have been so badly duped and
swindled by the former churches; stating, "that
the ministers pointed to heaven with one hand
while they would steal their lands from under their
feet with the other, yet, I have faith that the means
will come from some quarters when needed.

Elder John L. Blyth, seeing the feelings and con-
dition of the people, was inspired to give £50 fifty
pounds to assist in this noble work. This means his
brother gave him in Australia, to pay his fare home.

I will enclose with this a Financial Statement

of means collected and expended, up to date of our
conference since which £18.8.0 have been collected,
besides the £50 from Elder Blyth. The great majority
of the people are very poor, and handle but little means.
How the means will be collected I do not know,
but, have faith that it will be forth coming in some
way. The feelings at conference, was to have 2000
copies printed and bound.

We much regretted that we detid not receive any
letter from you in answer to our inquiries, feel-
ing as I do, that there had been a letter sent that
should have reached us, but owing to some unknown
cause it did not arrive. I cannot tell how great
was my disappointment, and those of the Elders.

We shall take no action about the printing un-
til we hear from you. The remittance, for the
return fares of the Elders, came safe, as also the
amount sent in January for Elder Haight's return
Ect. Both drafts being in excess of the amounts
sent for. That of Jany. £9.0.0 and the last £8.0.0
making a total excess of £17.0.0 which amount I
will use for the return fare of Elder Alma Hayes,
with the additional sum of £13.0.0 which you will
please send to me at your convenience on the Union
Bank of Australia at Napier. N. Z.

This amount of £13.0.0 will balance our accounts
up to date. No doubt, but the fault is with me,

in these amounts having being sent, through not
making it fully plain to you. With this I take
pleasure in forwarding to you the Statistical report
for the year ending Jany 31^st 1888 by which you
will see an addition of nine branches, and two
new districts. At our Conference, the Wairarapa
district was devided into two, making twelve districts
or Conferences in the mission; 343 have been added
to the Church by baptism, and 163 children blessed,
making an increase of 506. Since January 31^st there
has been over 100 more added to the Church, and
the prospects for the future are very flattering in-
deed, especially in the North.

The Elders and Sisters have now been assigned
their fields of labor as floollows;

Wairarapa District. N. S. Bishop Prestident
Boyd Stewart Traveling Elder,
Manawatu Dist. J. W. Kauleinamoku Prestident
David Muir Traveling Elder,
Hawks Bay Dist. Sondra Sanders Jr. President
John A. Sutton Traveling Elder,
Mahia Dist. M. S. Marriott President
John T. Smellie, School Teacher with
Sister Georgina Marriott as his Assistant,
Poverty Bay Dist. Angus T. Wright, President
Joseph L. Mecham Traveling Elder

Waiapu Dist J. E. Magleby, President
J. J. Jackson Traveling Elder, and
Ezra T. Stevenson School Teacher,
Tauranga Dist John W. Platt President
Alex Bullock Traveling Elder,
Waikato Dist H. J. Manning President
Charles Johnson Traveling Elder
Hauraki Dist H. J. Burgess President
Jos T. Waldron Traveling Elder
Bay of Islands Dist George Romney Jr. President
Geo W. Davis Traveling Elder
Australia Stephen D. Chipman President
A. L. Stewart Traveling Elder.
Elder Sondra Sanders Jr. has also been appointed
to finish the writing of the Manuscript, and reading
the same before a Maori committee preparatory
to printing the same; with Sister Katie Paxman
to assist him.

I am truly thankful to be able to state, that
they go to their respective fields of labor fully satisfied,
and with a determination to do all that lays in
their power to fully magnify their high and holy
callings; to the saving of souls, and the glory of God.
There has not been a murmur, nor the least com-
plaint presented, but on the other hand a willing-
ness manifested, that fills me with joy and thanks-
giving; for I feel that I have a noble lot of colabores

to associate with, men of faith, and firm integ-
rity; the health of which is good; with a few
exceptions.

In a few days I will levave on a visit to
the South and west Coast, holding meetings,
Conferences Ect. During the whole of our con-
ference through a kind Providence, we have been
blest with delightful weather, more fine pleasant
weather then we have had for some time past.

All the Elders and Sisters unite with me in
sending fond and earnest love, and sincere
wishes for your safty and prosperity, with a
longing desire to hear from you, to learn of
your welfare and that of Zion.

Ever praying for the blessings of God to
rest upon you, suited to your present needs,

I remain your Brother in Meekness.

W^m Paxman

[sideways text]
W^m Paxman
12 April [18]88
[end sideways text]

Financial Report of the Publishing of the
Book of Mormon in Maori.