ELDER PIERCE’S ANVENTURES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2233, 14 May 1880, Page 2

ELDER PIERCE’S ANVENTURES.

The “ Deseret News,” a Mormon organ published in Suit Lake City, refers in the following terms to the lute Mormon mission to New Zealand: —“Elder Pierce was obliged to return home on account of ill-health. lie has had a very successful mission, and in company with his confreres, has done a good work, which is still growing and spreading in that far-otf land, lie left here on November IG, 1878, and landed in New Zealand without a penny, but was blessed and sustained in a wonderful manner from the very beginning. In the patriarchal blessing, given previous to leaving Utah, he was told that on reaching New Zealand he should be met and assisted by a stranger, and that would be a testimony to" him that that land would receive the Gospel. This was verified to the letter. A gentleman named Adams heard Elder Pierce preach on board the vessel on the way across (a privilege accorded him by the captain every Sabbath), and on their arrival in port walked up to him and putting his hand upon his shoulder, said ‘I know you are a man of God.’ lie then gave him ,UlO to assist him on his journey. Brother Pierce has presided over the New Zealand mission, which is now in a very prosperous condition, since first arriving in that country, and has had a very thrilling and interesting experience. He was mobbed once by 1500 people, and shot at four times, but escaped uninjured in every ease. The mobbing took place in Christchurch, at the instigation of “Christian” ministers, who first turned oil the gas in a meeting where the elders were preaching, and then incited the multitude to surround the brethren after they had emerged from the building, and followed them for a distance of four miles throwing rocks at them, hitting them with flour sacks, and heaping other indignities upon them. The time Brother Pierce was shot at was at a time when some baptisms were performed, while he was standing on the beach after the ceremony. The would-be assassin it was strongly suspected, was the husband of a lady who had joined the Church, he having given his consent to her being baptised, and afterwards becoming violently angry because it had been done. A great many had been baptised, and quite a number had emigrated.”