Autobiography 1858 Deseret News
—I preached at Mr. Nathan Tanner's
in Green county, Missouri, the first time we
had found a congregation we could preach to
in safety, and the first time that I had ever at-
tempted to preach as a missionary. I had
great liberty and was followed by Elder Brown.
During our preaching there was a snow
storm.
We arrived at Petty John Creek, in Arkan-
sas, where Mr. Alexander Akeman 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 pro-
perty. 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 staight, 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. Ake-
man and many in the neighborhood. Elder
Brown wished to leave the place immediately.
I told him I should stay and see my dream ful-
filled. We staid in the neighborhood 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 testimony unto him of
the truth of Mormonism 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 fol-
lowed me in a rage, apparently with some evil
intent; when I had got a few rods from his
door, he was nearly treading on my heels, and
fell dead at my feet, as though he had been
struck with lightning; he swelled and imme-
diately turned black. This created a great
wailing and mourning among his family. Br.
Brown and myself assisted in laying him out
