holy water; others walking about burning incense. And to keep the priests from slaughtering one another, the Turkish Government has to keep a guard of soldiers to compel the Christians to keep the peace. Oh, what a reflection upon Christianity and the name of the Holy Child Jesus, whose mission on earth was to establish peace and good-will among men. Near by, underneath the building, is to be seen the tomb in which it is said were placed the bodies of the infants that were slaughtered by the order of King Herod, and adjacent to this is the tomb of Jerome. We leave this sanctum sanctorum which the Savior of all men would be ashamed to enter, unless it was to cast out those scribes, Pharisees and hypocrites. Such conduct and scenes witnessed in these places only tend to make honest men disgusted at pretended Christianity.

The next point of interest is the Chapel of Saint Helena in which are fourty-four marble columns which were taken from Mount Moriah, supposed to have been in the porches of Solomon's Temple. If the porches had such beautiful columns, what must have been the grandeur of the interior? On leaving this building we obtain a fine view of the Shepherd's Field. "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them," (Luke 2: 8, 9.) It is also believed to be the field of Boaz where Ruth gleaned grain (Ruth 2), and in-the same place David, Ruth's grandson, kept his sheep. To the southeast, about four miles off, is the Frank Mountain, on top of which is the Tomb of Herod, who decreed that all male infants were to be put to death. There is no monument to mark his resting place. His memory is held in abhorrence by all.

So we returning to Jerusalem after the day's sightseeing, pondering in our minds over the experiences gone through during the day, some of which were delightful and others sad, and among the latter, the conditions and environments which exist among so many poor, unfortunate ones, whom we are powerless to relieve in their distressed and pitiful conditions.

Our prayer is that the God of mercy will soon come to their

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A Trip to Australia.

By Paul M. Hanson.

Chapter 2.

FTER leaving the islands our boat is headed toward New Zealand. The seas are running high, the vessel rises and falls, pitches and rolls, and creaks as it is thrown about like a cork upon the water. Dark clouds have

Rain acts

covered the sky, and we are in the midst of a storm. The vessel trembles from bow to stern as it is struck broadside by a heavy sea, but she rides triumphantly over the waves. as a mighty agent in calming the turbulence of the sea. And presently a sense of gratitude comes over us as we look from horizon to horizon upon a peaceful sea; how mighty must be the One who holds in control the great waters!

Many of the passengers through the day spend their time playing quoits and deck billiards; frequently, in the evenings, concerts are given; splendid talent being often displayed. So the time goes by, if not merrily, at least pleasantly.

Flying fish occasionally rise from near the boat, fly a considerable distance by the use of their fins, then dart suddenly into the water. Near land is heard the shrieking of innumerable sea gulls, and with their plaintive cries, there comes over one a feeling of sadness. Not far away are a couple of whales spouting.

Just before reaching New Zealand, we cross the International Date Line, the 180th meridian, where a day is to be dropped. Here we shall go to bed Saturday night and arise Monday morning -and sleep but one night. Coming eastward, one would in crossing the date line, gain a day; for instance, go to bed Wednesday night and get up Wednesday morning-this would make up for the day lost in going over. This dropping or gaining of a day is necessary in establishing an equilibrium in time, and is convenient for navigators. All should know there is a difference between eastern and western time, even in our own country. In going around the earth westward, if no day were dropped, we would when we reached home, be keeping a day later than the one at home kept by our friends-they would be keeping Sunday and we would be observing Monday.

We now see New Zealand, and our vessel is soon moored at the wharf in Aukland, a city having a picturesque site, wide streets, and many fine public buildings. The chief cities of the country, Elder Tucker and I visited, viz: Aukland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill; our purpose being to establish the church. But no great present results appeared; the advocates of the Latter Day Saints' Church in Utah had for many years been laboring in the colony, scattering their literature over all the country, and when it was known that Elder Tucker and I were connected with the work brought forth under the instrumentality of Joseph Smith, we were at once classed with Brigham Young, and his coadjutors. But our work was not in vain, several were baptized, and

a great deal of misunderstanding was removed from the minds of the people concerning the church.

The forests of the colony are characterized by stateliness and grandeur; ferns and palm lilies delight the eye; in many districts the ground is carpeted with ferns of every tint of green, some of them being more than thirty feet high. The scenery is beautiful, the vegetation evergreen, and near by are brooks and waterfalls murmuring forth nature's songs. On some of the mountain peaks green forests meet perpetual snow. "Beauty is its own excuse for being."

This is the home of Bro. Charles Loving, Argents Hill, New South Wales; a typical Australian homestead in "the bush." This home was carved from nature. All boards, shingles, fence boards, etc., were made by hand.

Extinct craters of volcanoes are seen from which once burst forth fire, lava, ashes, and smoke. Now and again the inhabitants are called upon to stand in fear while an earthquake seems to shake the earth loose from its moorings. An earthquake causes a peculiar fear to come over one; a feeling of uneasiness, alarm as to the earth opening and then closing again, a wondering when the quaking shall cease, and what the end shall be. And with the trembling and rocking of the earth there comes, at least it was so in the earthquake that I experienced in New Zealand, a weird, indescribable, unearthly reverberating of sounds from subterranean regionssomething like the rumbling of distant thunder.

The seasons are the reverse of those to which we have been accustomed. The country in the South Island is frequently covered

with a mantle of snow in the months of July and August. We are now about as far south of the equator as we were north of it in Iowa. Spring comes in September, October, and November; at Christmas the weather is delightful.

Some of the feathered tribe in New Zealand live by the seashore, some in the mountains, others on the ocean, some have no wings, some spend their lives in a certain district, never venturing far from home-others fly to the polar regions. One bird, noted for its highly developed migratory instinct, is the godwit, which appears to be doomed, or appointed, to wander over many lands and seas. In the beginning of April of each year the godwits gather in the northern part of New Zealand, and leave in great flocks for Siberia, where the young are reared, then return to New Zealand in October and remain until the time comes for leaving again. What is it that prompts these little creatures to start on their long journey, whether the weather be fair or foul? And how do they know their way across the great waters? We call it "instinct”what is instinct?

The Maoris, the aborigines of New Zealand, are said by learned men to be Polynesians. It is supposed that the Melanesians, whose skins are dark, and hair frizzy, noisy and demonstrative by nature, came from India or from a region near by; the question respecting the Polynesians is whether they came from the direction of India, or from America. In Easter Island, twenty-five hundred miles west of Chile, and in the Caroline Islands, ruined stone temples have been found resembling the ruined temples of Central America, and the conclusion has been reached by some that the ancestors of the Polynesians came from America, found their way to the Samoan Islands, then went to Tahiti, the Hawaiian Islands, and to New Zealand. If this reasoning be true, the Maoris are Lamanites; it would seem that they are descendants of the colony that reached American shores about 600 B. C., of which the Book of Mormon gives so wonderful an account.

From this beautiful country we now go to Australia. In entering Sydney harbor, of which the Australians are proud, we enter one of the finest harbors in the world. Here the deepest vessels can find shelter. At the quay, where we land, is a large vessel from Germany, another from Marseilles, another from China, others from Liverpool and South America-the boat in which we came is at the wharf unloading.

Sydney is much like an American city; the people are well dressed, very sociable, rather tall, fair, and good-looking. Along the streets we see arcades, fine display windows, and magnificent buildings. Goods are marked in pounds, shillings, and pence. Druggists are known as "chemists." The English language is spoken. If one were unconsciously transported to Sydney one. would be likely to conclude that he was in an American city. Melbourne, more like an English city, has beautiful streets and boulevards, palatial residences, imposing buildings, gardens and fountains. It is marvelous to find such large cities, each having

a population of about 500,000, in a country the entire population of which is only four or five millions.

Before leaving Australia, I visited New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and West Australia; became fairly well acquainted with the character of the country, its capabilities from a mineral, agricultural, and pastoral viewpoint, its climate, vegetation, and people. It is surprising how little some know of this great islandcontinent. I have been asked if the people are civilized. The Australians would smile if they were told that in foreign countries the question is sometimes asked if they are "civilized."

In entering the country our curiosity is aroused by the animal, bird, and plant life, which differ from anything we have ever seen. There is so much in the world to make one think. In the museum in Christchurch, New Zealand, we saw fossilized bones of the moa, a large wingless bird which attained to a height of fifteen or sixteen feet-why are the bones of that bird found in New Zealand, but not in Australia, or in any other country in the world? And nowhere excepting in Australia are animals of the kangaroo species, belonging peculiarly to Australia, ranging in size from the great kangaroo to the kangaroo mouse. The eucalyptus tree flourishes on the hills of Australia, but is not indigenous to New Zealand, only twelve hundred miles away.

Australia is a solid tract of land, about the size of the United States, and has great plains and plateaus. Along the eastern coast is a range of mountains, running north and south, called the Dividing Range, which separates the coastal valleys from the great level interior frequently spoken of as desert. This inland country suffers from drought. Along the coast there is plenty of rain; on the inland side of the range the rainfall is scanty, and irregular, and continues to grow less as one travels from the coast. As a result of there being more rain in the coastal strip, the greater part of the population is found there; in fact, four fifths of the entire population of the country live within one hundred miles of the

coast.

Agriculture is carried on in the coastal districts; grazing in the "back blocks" or interior; while from the mines come riches of copper, coal, silver, opals, and gold. Bananas, oranges, pineapples, grapes, etc., grow with little care and are raised in abundance.

A large part of West Australia lies unexplored; there are rich lands in this State, but in the western prairies are vast tracts where neither bush, scrub, nor herbs are seen, clouds of dust being borne on the winds. In this State are some thriving gold mining towns, situated far inland, and supported by a gigantic water system which reaches to the coast.

Australia has desert patches, rocky wastes, and cyclonic disturbances, but there are also in her possession rich agricultural districts, valuable forests, enormous mineral deposits, and a fair climate. Usually the morning dawns as fair as a morning-glory. "Bush" in Australia is a term applied to the forests; "NeverNever Land," some have named the unknown regions.

Scenic beauty abounds; some of the world's best scenery here