| 77 of the exhibition of the principles of virtue and integrity by those among whom and to whom our mission of ministration is, we should justly prize and strive for.
We are urging our warfare against fearful odds; and he who underrates the difficulties lying in the way, or who overestimates himself and his abilities for the fight, must needs run certain chances of defeat; while he who justly states the powers of his foes, and has a correct understanding of himself, will wage his battle doubly armed. For these reasons it behooves the Saints to remain steadfastly persistent that only righteousness and peace, and those things which tend to their establishment and continuance, shall receive their support; for these, and these only, will secure to the combatants against error and evil the Spirit of truth, which will give the victory and the triumph.
One very interesting and very comforting circumstance which transpired during the late conference, was the application of certain old-time Saints to be received into fellowship upon their original baptism. Bro. B. P. Boydstun and wife, of Rockwall, Texas; Srs. Bennett, [Wells,] and Lowe of New York State; Sr. Bond, of Kirtland, Ohio, and Sr. Mary Page, widow of John E. Page, of Dekalb, Illinois, were all members of the church, when, as it is everywhere acknowledged, the Spirit bore witness to those who received the preaching and obeyed, that the work was of God. These, now moved upon by that same Spirit which accompanied the word years ago, are directed to the church again. Their coming is welcome; and the testimony which that coming bears to the work itself, is by no means a weak, valueless one; on the contrary, the evidence thus given is very assuring to them lately engaged in that work.
When these names were being presented and the votes thereon were being taken by the uplifted hand, there were many eyes suffused with tears, as many hearts grew tender and responsive at the Spirit's kindling touch.
Bro. Boydstun says that he can no longer preach; but his home is open to any one who will come and declare the word. Sr. Page is a ready and reliable coworker with the gospel heralds in the regions where she dwells; herself and family being anxious and solicitous for the spread of the truth. Sr. Page's fidelity and steadfastness have been tested and approved. So we may write of others, and may God long spare them, though now aged, to aid in the good work, and share in the glories of its triumph.
The conference minutes give but a faint conception of the numbers and names of the notable ones of the church that were present at this session; we give from memory the names, and present localities of some of them. Wm. C. Sides and Carl A. Gross, of Nevada; Alexander H. Smith, of Nauvoo, direct from his field of labor for the last year and a half in California. Sr. Glaud Rodger and family accompanied Bro. Smith from the West, and have gone to Lamoni, Iowa, to stay for a time. Sr. A. D. Boren, and daughter Mary, of San Bernardino, California, on their way
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