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Show FROM KENTUCKY. lT.TTEll FTtO. P.T.D'EIl "vVILIA.VM g. in.r.rs. jr., or Tins city, XOW IS THE MISSION PIP-LD. In order to give the readers of TilE News an idea, of missionary life in Kentucky, I venture to write a few of my personal experiences while engaged in the great work of our Master, trusting trust-ing they may prove interesting'. On the morning of the 23rd of March, my companion, Elder, Joseph F. Tingey, and I left the homo of a kind friend, located on a small but beautiful stream called Osborne creek, and proceeded on our way to a new neighborhood; our intentions being to visit the families and endeavor to obtain a public house in which to preach, the gospel. Os-borno Os-borno oreek, like many other of the streams of east Kentucky, takes its start at the foot of a broken spur of the Cumberland mountains, and, after a run of several miles, empties into Marsh creek, a much larger stream that flows in a northwest direction to the Cumberland river. I take great pleasure in mentioning the former creek, because on and near it will be found many warm-hearted friends whose doors are always open to the humble servants of God; and upon leav-ins- we were always told to call again. Continuing our journey we found it necessary to recross Marsh creek and visit two families whom we had unavoidably un-avoidably missed in our travels. We are instructed to call at every houso in our field of labor, that each individual may have the privilege of hearing the gospel and be left without an excuse; but at times we find it very difficult to carry out this counsel, as the houses are scattered here and there, in hollow and on hill, and at times hidden from view by the dense growth of timber. Previous to our call at the last of the two mentioned houses, we had expected quite an interesting time, having been told that the gentleman professed "Holy Salification" and made great pretentions, besides being a. good talker. We had come in contact with several Of this kind before, so knew what to expect. We were somewhat mistaken tho, as we found this man very sociable and apparantly humble and honest in his convictions. He was engaged in plowing, and as we advanoed, inti-odu-cing ourselves, I reached over the fence to shake his hand; but it was with reluctance that he took mine, saying that he did not sanction handshaking but believed in greeting the brethren with a holy kiss. I did not happen to view the point just as he did, so we let the ceremony go unperformed. I asked him if he kissed the women as he met them, to which he answered no, only the brethren, the sistors do their own kissing; he said it was hard on him among tobacco chevvers, and I heartily agreed with him, especially among the women, for I would choose a man every time in preference to a woman who chews tobacco, because somo of them do not always take good caro of the juice. Our brother drew his idea of such a mode of greeting from "Paul's" words, as recorded in Romans 16: 10, and I Thes, 5: 2G. When we asked him how he knew as to the correct mode of procedure with the ceremony, he answered "by revelation." I was very doubtful of his "revelation," and became be-came more so the next day we spent the night with him when he said God had revealed to him that we had revolvers. revolv-ers. I knew he was deceived in this, and thought it probable he was in other things. He entertained many other curious ideas, believing that it was not right to shave the face; and as we hap- pened to be with him on Saturday, he would not permit us to shave, saying that after a close study of tho scriptures he was thoroly convinced that we were deceived in regard to the Sabbath, that Saturday was the day set apart for rest. Continuing our travels we find ourselves our-selves in a neighborhood of "United Baptists," and just entering the fiat woods of Whitley county. The lay of the land in this section is generally level, with small streams of water intersecting the country in almost every direction, uniting with larrer streams which make their way to tho Cumberland Cumber-land river: lying b.f.vcun these creeks, are level tracts of land which are either devoted to corn raising or covered with timber, such a- ,Vm, white oak, poplar, hickory, a-.!;, etc. K. Coring into our new ei-'riet. ,ie"M is upon us: we begin t to E'-s": a phfe (:" i '. We i 'it-.-r the |
