| 157 gathered and listened with good attention. Again in the evening, and the evening following, we spoke in the Saints' chapel. A respectful hearing was accorded us, and we trust good was done. We tried to tell the gospel in plainness and as we understand it.
We visited many of the old Saints; found them watching and praying for the full redemption of Zion to come. They are ready and willing to welcome the day dawn of full release.
We met quite a number at this place who had been with the church almost from the beginning, Brn. Richard Allen, Sr., Stephen M. Saint John, - Shephard, Q. S. Sparks, - Ridley, John Garner, Sr., Judge A. D. Boren, David Aldridge, and many others, all of whom greeted us with friendship and aided us on in the labor of preaching the word; and when we bade them good-bye, we did so feeling that the work had warm friends who were friends to us for the work's sake. . . .
After returning to San Francisco, on the 29th of September, we spoke in the Grand Army Republic Hall, the Saints' place of worship, on Sunday, the 1st of October. The audience on this occasion was not so large as at our first visit; but some interest was manifested. On the evening of the 4th we gave a lecture on the subject of the Marriage Relation. Some seemed satisfied with the views we expressed, and the Saints generally indorsed [endorsed] them.
Friday, October 6, we met the Saints in their semiannual conference. We assembled at Oakland, in the Music Hall, which had been secured for the occasion. Quite a gathering took place on this occasion, and a fair representation of the various districts composing the mission was made. An idea of the business that was done will be obtained from a perusal of the minutes.
Conference lasted for three days; Sunday being occupied only as the law of the church directs-in paying our devotions and in the ordinances of the house of God. Five were baptized, one received on original baptism, the sacrament was administered and the word preached. In the evening the Republican tent, kindly lent us for the day, was filled and good attention was paid to the word spoken. It seemed a matter of some surprise that there was so good ground for our faith as there appeared to be.
During the week after conference, we had the pleasure of leading one into the waters of the Pacific, thereby setting the seal to our ministry on the Western coast, as we did last year at Jonesport, Maine, on the Eastern coast. They were good, earnest souls who obeyed at that time, and so was she who obeyed here. May God keep them of the East and the West to strike hands in the midst of the land with a redeemed and saved people.
At conference we had the pleasure of listening to a sermon by Elder H. P. Brown, formerly of Waverly, Iowa, now of Sacramento, California. Earnest and positive in his evidence he made a strong defense of the "faith once delivered to the Saints."
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