| 282 In the Herald for September 15 the following information was published from Papeete, Tahiti; written by Elder David Brown:
Our new church is about finished, or will be in two or three days; Bro. Nelson says it is a fine building. It cost about three hundred dollars for the material, and the brethren built it themselves, as several of them are carpenters. Several of the brethren are here now, visiting Tiona and Bro. Nelson. Bro. Nelson wrote you some time ago that he could have his "permit," or was told so by the commissary of police to go and get it, but when he went he was told he could not have it. But since then the authorities gave it to him, as an Orematua or missionary, of which when we heard it we were very glad, and ever since then blessings seem to surround us, and especially Bro. Nelson. My Heralds come regularly, with very few exceptions. Reading matter is very scarce here, and the Herald is very welcome; we wish it came oftener. Bro. Nelson is learning fast to talk the language. There are many calls for him to the other islands, but he has not gone yet.
About this time the sisters of Providence, Rhode Island, organized a society called the "Daughters of Zion," with Eliza Hawks, president; Abbie M. Barnes, vice-president, and Ida Sprague, secretary and treasurer. The purpose of this organization was "for the mutual good of each other, and to aid in the advancement of the latter-day work." This was a local organization preceding the general organization, bearing the same name, over thirteen years.
The semiannual conference for 1879 convened at Gallands Grove Iowa, September 24; President Joseph Smith and W. W. Blair presiding; R. M. Elvin, E. W. Tullidge, and E. T. Dobson, secretaries. The usual reports from missionaries, missions, and districts were made, which upon the whole were quite encouraging.
The committee on location reported as follows:
The locating board respectfully beg leave to submit and report, that the route of the railway having been determined through Decatur County, Iowa, in such direction as to render the land heretofore purchased by the board unavailable for the purposes of location, it has been deemed wisdom to offer the same for sale, that the money may be otherwise invested as may be necessary to do. Joseph Smith, John Scott, Israel L. Rogers, W. W. Blair, David Dancer, H. A. Stebbins, locating committee.
The music committee made a lengthy report, closing with
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