Saints, and had lately moved here,
depending upon his gun mostly for
his living. It was sixty miles to a
house on the north, and twelve miles
on the south. He and his family were
living in a small old log hut, about
twelve feet square, and one bed in the
room, upon which lay his wife, several
children and three young dogs. He
lay stretched out upon the bare floor,
with his feet to a small fire. There
was no door to the house, but a rag-
ged quilt hung up in the door way; it
was past eleven o'clock at night. I
turned away the quilt, looked into the
house, and spoke three times; no one
stirred, not even a dog. I walked in,
and laid my hands upon the man's
shoulder, and spoke to him. The mo-
ment he felt the weight of my hand,
he leaped to his feet, and commenced
running around the room, leaping as
high as he could each jump. I told
him not to be frightened, as we were
travellers and friends, and did not
wish to hurt him, but wished to stop
with him over night. When he came
to his senses, he gave us permission to
stop with him till morning, if we
would take the bare floor, as he did.
We asked for something to eat, as we
had walked sixty miles without a
morsel of food. He replied, he had
nothing for us, and assured us he had
to kill game for his breakfast in the
morning. He informed us that the
reason of his fright, was in conse-
quence of his having shot a large pan-
ther, a few nights previous, standing
in his door, and he thought his mate
had lit upon him. We lay down upon
the floor, and we were glad of this
place, as it soon began to rain, and
rained through the night.

In the morning we arose, and went
on in the rain twelve miles, to a Mr.
Conner's, who was also in the Jackson
county mob. He gave us breakfast,
but damned us while we were eating,
because we were "Mormons." When
we had finished a hearty breakfast,
we thanked him very politely, and
went on our way, leaving him swear-
ing. We felt thankful for breakfast,
for we had walked seventy-two miles
without eating food. We taught from
house to house as we journeyed.

Jan. 24—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.

Saints, and had lately moved here, depending upon his gun mostly for his living. It was sixty miles to a house on the north, and twelve miles on the south. He and his family were living in a small old log hut, about twelve feet square, and one bed in the room, upon which lay his wife, several children and three young dogs. He lay stretched out upon the bare floor, with his feet to a small fire. There was no door to the house, but a ragged quilt hung up in the door way; it was past eleven o'clock at night. I turned away the quilt, looked into the house, and spoke three times; no one stirred, not even a dog. I walked in, and laid my hands upon the man's shoulder, and spoke to him. The moment he felt the weight of my hand, he leaped to his feet, and commenced running around the room, leaping as high as he could each jump. I told him not to be frightened, as we were travellers and friends, and did not wish to hurt him, but wished to stop with him over night. When he came to his senses, he gave us permission to stop with him till morning, if we would take the bare floor, as he did. We asked for something to eat, as we had walked sixty miles without a morsel of food. He replied, he had nothing for us, and assured us he had to kill game for his breakfast in the morning. He informed us that the reason of his fright, was in consequence of his having shot a large panther, a few nights previous, standing in his door, and he thought his mate had lit upon him. We lay down upon the floor, and we were glad of this place, as it soon began to rain, and rained through the night.

In the morning we arose, and went on in the rain twelve miles, to a Mr. Conner's, who was also in the Jackson county mob. He gave us breakfast, but damned us while we were eating, because we were "Mormons." When we had finished a hearty breakfast, we thanked him very politely, and went on our way, leaving him swearing. We felt thankful for breakfast, for we had walked seventy-two miles without eating food. We taught from house to house as we journeyed.

Jan. 24—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 attempted 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 Arkansas, 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 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 neighborhood. Elder Brown wished to leave the place immediately. I told him I should stay, and see my dream fulfilled. 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 followed me in a rage, apparently with some evil intent.