Show MOBBED AND BEATEN bawa requested to furnish an account of some of my missionary perie noes I 1 cheerfully comply during the week previous to sunday august 1888 elder A S puller and myself were visiting treads in the eastern part of crockett kett county bounty tennessee among whom as the family of brother jas P F fi bamks rooks we had been laboring in ahm locality for several months pre boualy lou aly holding meetings whenever could get an aa opportunity and particularly in the section east of fields depot about five milea the school ool building generally occupied aa always opened to us by trustee without any objection what over er and all appointments except the firak were by the com ra OtHni unity ty during our the week above mentioned brother Brooks expressed ft 1 destro deedre to be baptized and after giving general instructions such as alle customary upon these occasions occasion we consented to perform the ordinance and fixed as ae the day august in 1 Q the mean time we permit ted fed the circulation of an appointment for preaching for saturday night august between the time of the visit and the appointment for baptism we had sufficient time to inform elder ellas elias the president of the conference whom we had just left in the adjoining county dyer of the request of brother brooks and asked him to come and take part he came the meeting on saturday night was held and we announced another for sunday which we also filled and made as public as possible the intention of brother brooks the time arrived for baptism a few being assembled to witness the same some of thew these sneered and others offered insult such as speaking of the confirmation fir he receive the holy ghost I 1 saw him go by on a butterfly etc we paid no attention to these remarks but returned to the residence of brother brooks and continued our instructions to him during the tee evening we had a pleasant con conversation venation and to close the passing day sang some spiritual songs had prayer and retired about nine bine o it being very hot weather we left both doors to our room open and were soon quietly enwrap en wrapped pod in slumber about 11 pm we were awakened awake aed by an armed mob of about twelve or fifteen persons who order ed us to get up and accompany them to the us they did not wish to hurt us elder fuller commenced counting them stating at the same time I 1 you are a pretty looking lot of fellows at this juncture I 1 arose to a sitting posture and said you are a pretty looking lot of fellows am amt amit it you what do you think christ would think of you it he were here why do you disturb the quiet of peaceable citizens at this time of night with those these hideous masks if we have transgressed any of your laws we are amenable take us before your magistrates and we will answer to any charge you may prefer one of their number then said mid we dont want you to preach any more in this locality we answered the best beat way to stop our preaching is for the people to cease attending our meetings while Ws this conversation was going on brother brooks and wife were aroused and came in in their night clothing and the former walked among them taking a look at each one A voice was now heard outside saying captain Captai nl captain enough said enough said 11 As they walked away brother brooks said 1 I hope I 1 shall meet you on the judgment day A few minutes later a volley of twelve or fifteen shots was heard in the woods near by all having a tendency to make the former scenes more hideous A little conversation between us and we lay down as before leaving both doors open and were won soon sound asleep onabe on the following day we remained and while so doing had a chance to observe passers by many of whom stopped dand and had a chat with some member of the brooks family thus giving evidence of their guilt gallt their calls being so uncommon we now leave leate the locality and spend our time visiting with friends in other parts of the county and some in dyer county for the next two weeks when we are informed of the anticipated return of f elder thos M holt it has been previously arranged that brother fuller shall accompany him to weakley county we all go to bells depot to meet him at the appointed time but instead of all passing through the town knowing the prevailing tc feeling brother wright goes in town while brothers Br othere puller fuher and 0 o to avoid publicity and alt ak to ift the woods awaiting tbt tb arrival anival of brothers wright andU and jett olt uon h leeng g a hearty bandh indulged ed in and while liste listening 91 to news claws from home we all partake of some delicious utah fruit also some nice light bread and splendid plum arves obtaining enough to satisfy the inner man wa 44 meander learid et awards the residence of brother brooks taking the country road in order to avoid publicity on our way a fe few w insults are hurled at us but being such a common occurrence with the elders we pay no attention to them at 6 5 p m we arrive having met but few persons on the way prom from this until bedtime we talk pleasantly upon the gospel utah and her people sing some songs and have prayer before retiring A little nervousness to is caused in the family by the barking of the dog an unusual thing at brother brooks house we soon retire and each is left to himself to meditate upon the days doings and the sweet recollections of home so plainly portrayed before him the next we hear is on the morning of september 2 about 2 a m the terrible sound of surrender surrenders and simultaneously we are surrounded by a horde of demons in human form all armed with guns pistols and clubs each one pointing his weapon towards us at the same time ordering us to get up using most blasphemous language and swinging their weapons in our faces in a very reckless manner we do not obey orders as quickly as they think we should and are am seized by the arms and dragged from our beds in an inhuman manner when we are commanded to surrender we know that resistance under such circumstances cum stances would mean death brother brooks attempts to enter our room whereupon one of chef baese coward cowardly ly villains strikes him an awful blow across the forehead exclaiming 1 if I you show your head bead out of this house before six tomorrow morning we will kill youl you 11 E S wright A 8 fuller fuder T M holt and myself are each seized by two of the cowards one on either side followed and headed by others of the crew all of them using the blackest oaths that mortals can utter titter then we are marched through the mud about one eighth of a mite mile in our st summer mer night clothing which Is ie exceedingly thin all AH this time no charge is pre berred against us we are marching along taa flao feye g W know not we ve ask toy their curfis if e e b broken on the laws but we the re cepl co comte we re tow emighjr enough they thion coma corn me nee cutting limbs of trees froal four to six feet belta 7 alq nd as tho hastily triva trim 54 ugly kaete wy are fore for olover 9 aver ag log ameci two feet att h h heads ds 04 on one side and ud an knece on th liae other the terrible d ooin doom ja claig to ua wad terrible ldA fit la 18 lash after lash to ia upon us s without a question being a asked A e cal or an air Us be to appeal we raise our heads occasionally sio nally to say aay a word but they are immediately thrust down again by some of those behind us with or club three of us receiving wounds an op our heads from weapons of this kind ry by thas time we w have ree receive elv ed possibly thirty fi five severe lashes each and our groan groans sl 1 pm am sati satisfied aed are AM ring ingin some dome of their eare A moments si silence lenee and ami a request I 1 lie iia made that we leavette lea leave the county any reason being given for their ordering us ua away we hedi tate with redoubled fury avy we are again attacked a demoa weighing probably two hundred pounds filled with a legion of devils at the end of adix foot knotty beach limb pounces down upon us win again making us cringe as each blow falls we know not what chatto to do we have wronged no BO man and the thought of loving friends coming up in our oar minds we still hesitate which brings down more stripes and we receive i i perhaps fifty each ah how terrible we finally Promise to leave the county never more to return and are permitted to return to brother brooks house being allowed until 10 am to leave the place returning to the hoode hoew we aro are in a terrible condition our backs being fearfully lacerated we find brother brooks sitting at the door with wounds breeding profusely all a pitiable sight eight indeed wounded and bleeding heArt heartsick and tore we alternately rub ach other aher with and afterwards lie down doh and gryto try to rest until morning when we bid farewell to never more berh perhaps to return JAMES H |