I had to cross Bloody River, which I
had to swim in, in consequence of heavy
rains. While crossing, my horse became
entangled in a tree-top, and almost
drowned; but I succeeded in getting
him loose.
We swam to the shore separately. He
reached the shore first, and waited till I
came out. I got into the saddle, and
went on my way in good spirits, and had
a good meeting.
On the I baptized
three Campbellites, one of whom was a
deacon. I then rode twelve miles to Mr. Greenwood's, who was eighty years old,
and had been a soldier under General Washington. His wife, who was ninety-
three years old, I found quite smart, and
busy carding wool. I preached at their
house and baptized both of them.
On the following day I preached at the
house of Benjamin L. Clapp, and bap-
tized seven Campbellites and one Bap-
tist.
On the , I preached
at Brother Camp's, and baptized three.
On , it being Sunday,
I preached again at Brother Clapp's, and
baptized five. At the close of the meet-
ing I mounted my horse to ride to Clark's River, in company with Seth
Utley, four other brethren and two sis-
ters. The distance was twenty miles.
We came to a stream, which was so
swollen by rains, that we could not cross
without swimming our horses. To swim
would not be safe for the females, so we
went up the stream to find a ford. In
the attempt we were overtaken by a se-
vere storm of wind and rain, and lost
our way in the darkness, and wandered
through creeks and mud. But the Lord
does not forsake his Saints in any of
their troubles. While we were in the
woods suffering under the blast of the
storm, groping like the blind for the
wall, a bright light suddenly shone
around us, and revealed to us our dan-
gerous situation on the edge of a gulf.
The light continued with us until we
found the road; we then went on our
way rejoicing, though the darkness re-
turned and the rain continued.
We reached Brother Henry Thomas'
in safety about nine o'clock at night,
having been five hours in the storm and
forded streams many times. None of us
felt to complain, but were thankful to
God for His preserving care.
On I preached in Damon Creek, and organized a branch
called the Damon Creek Branch, and
ordained Daniel Thomas a teacher.
On the I again
preached at the house of Brother Clapp,
and baptized five persons; one was a Campbellite preacher.
On I preached at
the house of Brother Henry Thomas,
when a mob of about fifty persons ccl-
lected [collected], headed by a Baptist [CBI|preacher]],
who, after asking one question, advised
the mob not to lay hands on any man
on account of his principles. The advice
was good and well taken.
At the close of the meeting I baptized
three persons, one seventy-eight years
old.
This brings the year to a close—
the first year of my mission—during
which time I had traveled three thousand
two hundred and forty-eight miles, held
one hundred and seventy meetings, bap-
tized forty-three persons—three of whom
were Campbellite preachers—assisted
Elder Parrish to baptize twenty more,
confirmed thirty-five, organized three
branches, ordained two teachers and one
deacon, procured thirty subscribers for
the Messenger and Advocate, one hun-
dred and seventy-three signers to the
petition to the governor of Missouri for
redress of wrongs done the Saints in Jackson County, had three mobs rise
against me—but was not harmed—wrote
eighteen letters, received ten, and,
finally, closed the labors of the year
1835, by eating johnny-cake, butter and
honey, at brother A. O. Smoot's.
I spent the fore part of ,
(the weather being very cold) at the
house of A. O. Smoot, in Kentucky,
studying Kirkham's English Grammar.
I continued to travel and preach in Ken-
tucky and Tennessee and baptized all
that would believe my testimony.
On the we held a
conference at the house of Brother Lewis
Clapp (father of B. L. Clapp). There
were represented one hundred and three
members in that mission. I ordained
A. O. Smoot and Benjamin Boyston
elders, and Daniel Thomas and Benja-
I had to cross Bloody River, which I
had to swim in, in consequence of heavy
rains. While crossing, my horse became
entangled in a tree-top, and almost
drowned; but I succeeded in getting
him loose.
We swam to the shore separately. He
reached the shore first, and waited till I
came out. I got into the saddle, and
went on my way in good spirits, and had
a good meeting.
On the I baptized
three Campbellites, one of whom was a
deacon. I then rode twelve miles to Mr.
Greenwood's, who was eighty years old,
and had been a soldier under General
Washington. His wife, who was ninetythree years old, I found quite smart, and
busy carding wool. I preached at their
house and baptized both of them.
On the following day I preached at the
house of Benjamin L. Clapp, and baptized seven Campbellites and one Baptist.
On the , I preached
at Brother Camp's, and baptized three.
On , it being Sunday,
I preached again at Brother Clapp's, and
baptized five. At the close of the meeting I mounted my horse to ride to
Clark's River, in company with Seth
Utley, four other brethren and two sisters. The distance was twenty miles.
We came to a stream, which was so
swollen by rains, that we could not cross
without swimming our horses. To swim
would not be safe for the females, so we
went up the stream to find a ford. In
the attempt we were overtaken by a severe storm of wind and rain, and lost
our way in the darkness, and wandered
through creeks and mud. But the Lord
does not forsake his Saints in any of
their troubles. While we were in the
woods suffering under the blast of the
storm, groping like the blind for the
wall, a bright light suddenly shone
around us, and revealed to us our dangerous situation on the edge of a gulf.
The light continued with us until we
found the road; we then went on our
way rejoicing, though the darkness returned and the rain continued.
We reached Brother Henry Thomas'
in safety about nine o'clock at night,
Column 2
having been five hours in the storm and
forded streams many times. None of us
felt to complain, but were thankful to
God for His preserving care.
On the I again
preached at the house of Brother Clapp,
and baptized five persons; one was a
Campbellite preacher.
On I preached at
the house of Brother Henry Thomas,
when a mob of about fifty persons ccllected, headed by a Baptist preacher,
who, after asking one question, advised
the mob not to lay hands on any man
on account of his principles. The advice
was good and well taken.
At the close of the meeting I baptized
three persons, one seventy-eight years
old.
This brings the year 1835 to a close—
the first year of my mission—during
which time I had traveled three thousand
two hundred and forty-eight miles, held
one hundred and seventy meetings, baptized forty-three persons—three of whom
were Campbellite preachers—assisted
Elder Parrish to baptize twenty more,
confirmed thirty-five, organized three
branches, ordained two teachers and one
deacon, procured thirty subscribers for
the Messenger and Advocate, one hundred and seventy-three signers to the
petition to the governor of Missouri for
redress of wrongs done the Saints in
Jackson County, had three mobs rise
against me—but was not harmed—wrote
eighteen letters, received ten, and,
finally, closed the labors of the year
1835, by eating johnny-cake, butter and
honey, at brother A. O. Smoot's.
I spent the fore part of January, 1836,
(the weather being very cold) at the
house of A. O. Smoot, in Kentucky,
studying Kirkham's English Grammar.
I continued to travel and preach in Kentucky and Tennessee and baptized all
that would believe my testimony.
On the we held a
conference at the house of Brother Lewis
Clapp (father of B. L. Clapp). There
were represented one hundred and three
members in that mission. I ordained
A. O. Smoot and Benjamin Boyston
elders, and Daniel Thomas and Benja-
