| Show Smi emi wm ri in leant f a PA paintsville PAINTS X VILLE johnson co kr ky march lith 1879 1979 mits editors evening neus news about the middle of jast last D de e eem cem berthe the people of big sand band sandy bandy y valley east kentucky w were ere thrown into a state of curiosity and excitement by the arrival of mor mo nion moll missionaries we had bad scarce tchun our missionary labors in i public when we found ourselves the subject of conversation throughout society and tile the victims to numerous discreditable attach from rom the press many however expressed impressed a willingness and some even a desire to listen to our preach inga ng while others othera were sufficiently interested to furnish us with halls halla in n which to hold services prompted more by a desire to gratify curiosity curio curie sity than anything else this feeling of tolerance let it be understood kasnot wag was not universal for there isa is a certain class of individuals here who would rather that we wa had been swept down the ohio river by an iceberg than to have us suddenly burst in upon their proceedings at that time the whole populace or rather the religious portion of them being by great odds odda the majority dereen were engaged in protracted mee meetings tidos tiDas or what are more commonly known as revivals these were agitating the country for miles ar around prid extending into the adjoining states the clergy regarded our arrival aa as a dangerous invasion and were not slow in denouncing usi and our doctrines in the most language through the kindness of the more liberal minded few who were n not ot so radically brej prejudiced and others not participating in the revivals we were enabled to hold several c meetings with good attendance but unfortunately for us the clergy who have entire control of the church houses and other public halls aa though fearful of the result invariably shut the doors against us positively refusing refu sing aing to permit a repetition of courser our services with these and other equally antagonistic obstacles in au our way we have bave E a continued persever to advocate the principles of the gospel wherever it has benl been practicably abl abi 1 1 am pleased to state we now have friends in every town and where we have raised our voices in proclaiming the truth truths 4 being denied derl deri led the use of public halls we havo have held heid ser services vices vicea in private dwellings jyl results for por or past vast we have hild held weekly meetings in and in several of the adjacent settlements during our three months experience we have visited many of tha the country districts on both sides of the sandy valley and have been received in many instances with ho hospitality ty and kindne kindness SS rel rei religion ia is represented here by W and campbell leswith ues Ue with dIV divisions and subdivisions slon blon until alo aio altogether gother gether there are abbu abiu t eight or nine reli reil religious f olous par 1164 dil all depre db fedIn ne nearly ar ay every little town and village there are ae many honest bonest hear led souls among them all ani and also percentage of 0 enthusiasts most lost of fet let we have endured and arld those under which chWe wo are aro now bl bearing earing up have eman emanated aled from the ministers of Christen christendom domi but with all their evil vii work misrepresentations dds als and calumnies calum nies our oun lettla drak drav prak Vf truth has haa ridden the surging waves and strong current of opposition avoiding ali all the shoals and breakers that have havo been thrown in her cour course se and after a three months cruise amidst tem tern 1 pests and squalls equal ls she has entered the harbor of success success witha within cargo of eleven souls all rescued from the floating wreck sectarianism last thursday we baptized ten honest hearted believers and on sunday they with one who had bad been bi previously baptized were organized into in to a branch of tue the church chu roh foh of jesus christ of latter day saints the organization will be own as tiie the muddy creek branch with thomas S brown presiding those these who have received the gospel are among the tho poor but til tie tuey possess what riches seldom bri bring ngi ngy whole charity and would willingly deprive themselves ordinary comforts to entertain a servant i ant of god the past winter has bee been the coldest and se ee every respect that has ever been experienced in this thid locality 30 say the old residents twelve welve degree da gi reus reub below zero isa is a temperature quite frequently experienced about last christmas and will very favorably compare with that cleome cf some of the middle and noi nol northern thern states P the kentuckians Kentuck ians are familiar with neither the doctrine nor history of the cormons mormons Mor mons but are as a whole filled with prejudice r resulting e P u from n newspaper scab dais and aud d other fabulous publications we have hale wal wai walked lied moro more than 8 of miles in our ministerial labors already and still bonti continue nue nuo to tramp through h the mud to our numerous appointments in tho the neighboring proclaiming claiman 9 the immutable truths of the gospel gob gos peli knowing that there are a re ina iua many ny here hero who are searching for truth with a desire to serve god and who will accept our message when understood for thib thia reason and with a knowledge of the lm importance of this thia latter day work we bear persecution trials buoyed up by the comforting words of christ blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake eiders elders JohnR john R holt and jesse vincent and myself feel to thank almighty god for the success that has hus attended our labors and shall continue to work with energy until we shall have finished our mission in conclusion I 1 feel assured in stating that our little branch oi of eleven will soon receive several additions dit ions and ere long iong will wil present an important feature in the history of i mormonism respectfully D C DUNBAR |
