Autobiography 1865 Millennial Star
—I preached at Mr. Nathan
Tanner's, in Green county, Missouri,
the first time we had found a congre-
gation we could preach to in safety,
and the first time that I had ever
attempted to preach as a missionary.
I had great liberty, and was followed
by Elder Brown. During our preach-
ing, there was a snow storm.
We arrived at Petty John Creek, in
Arkansas, where Mr. Alexander Ake-
man resided, with a large family of
sons and one daughter, settled around
him. Mr. Akeman, and a part of the
family, were members of the Church
in Jackson county; his wife died
strong in the faith in Missouri. His
whole family were mobbed, and some
of his sons were whipped severely;
but he could not stand the persecution
and the loss of his property. He
moved to Arkansas, to get rid of
"Mormonism," had apostatized, and
was bitter against the Work. When
we called upon him, he opposed us
strongly—spoke against the leaders of
the Church and the Book of Mormon.
He had one son who received us, and
had a little faith. I dreamed the
night before, that we were required to
walk in a straight, narrow path; and
while following the path, it led to the
door of a house, which was placed in
a high wall that we could not get
around. As I opened the door to go
through, I saw the room was filled
with large serpents. I entered, and
they all coiled up to jump at me; as
they made a spring to bite me, they
all fell dead at my feet, turned black,
swelled up, burst open, took fire, and
were consumed before my eyes.
We met with much opposition from
Mr. Akeman, and many in the neigh-
borhood. Elder Brown wished to
leave the place immediately. I told
him I should stay, and see my dream
fulfilled. We staid in the neighbor-
hood twenty-five days, during which
time the Lord brought judgment upon
those who threatened to mob and kill
us; many of them died suddenly, and
I was warned three times by the Lord,
to go to Mr. Akeman, and bear testi-
mony unto him of the truth of "Mor-
monism," and the wickedness of his
course in opposing it; and the last
time I called upon him, he was filled
with wrath against me, and when I
left his house, he followed me in a
rage, apparently with some evil intent.
