Show IN THE HANDS OFA MOB an incident of missionary life in the southern states the elders of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints are at all times liable to be called to en and proclaim the principles of the gospel to avy any portion of the earth many thousands of them haye passed imaged tb through tue the elpe experiences rien ces of traveling without purse urse or scrip among stran strangers gerd and in i strange lanas preaching christ and him frequent and severe have been adversities many of them have had to contend witt in some cases resulting in their martyrdom anil and a missionary starting fig out goes goes as it were with his fits life in his hip rand hand yet with the spirit of the lord resting esting upon the humble hamble elders they realize in their labors a joy and power than can come only from the divine source of all truth the return of elder elias S wrighta of this city from the Snut southern hern states as noted in yesterdays suggests an am instance of which hut but brief mention was made at the time that indicates the spirit manifested by the opponents of toe the truth ind and tha faith and courage exhibited by the elders about the middle of april of the present year elder wright who was then over the west TL Te unessee conference started to visit two elders laboring iu in a distant part of the conference Us ile was traveling alone and on arriving at a village was invited to attend the funeral of one who had been tr 1 leolly e 1011 y but w who h 0 w was as no not ta a member of the church he did so and was requested to preach the funeral sermon anis chis he was somewhat averse to doing as tin the decea deceased red was not of the samp same faith and the relatives we known to be anti cormons mormons 11 lie ile was strongly urged ko however wever and at last consented at the close of his bis remarks brother wright was asked some questions and was earnestly requested to stop at the place ind and hold a meeting in a private house bouse the next nest day he remained and the meeting was of a most pleasant chur character acter his friends pressed him to stop another night and he be stayed with the gentleman at whose house the meeting had been held that evening the tarn tam lly ily retired early about 9 oc losk everything being quiet and peaceful late in the alight night however elder wright was aroused by bearing a gruff voice at the door of still house utter the word colic there was something else said betit but it was unintelligible toji lm though he be comprehended the si tation far enough ah to realize that there wits was someone outside talking to the master of the house who had haa arisen and from whose replies it was ascertained J that the stranger wanted a horse to go and get some medicine medicina for 9 someone ome 0 ile whom he said was sick the gentleman inquired the name of his bis visitor alaor auda andi unfastened the door when the next moment revealed toe the fact that the request fot for gi a horse was at t a ruse on the part of a lot of vilana ivins to gain an entrance to the house bouse nine masked men forced their way into the room before the startled owner could realize what was com coming ing his first exclamation on witnessing the strange scene was hello there fire are lots lotof of you yes was the reply accompanied by b oaths I 1 land and we want that mormon preacher the gentleman ventured a suggestion florl not in accordance with their plan shut up quick tick or well fix you 7 ca came me from t the e leader of the mob were going to have that mormon upon this declaration a search of the house bouse was immediately inaugurated the women and children were greatly by the rudeness a and d angry anar manner anner m of the intruders its as vey pey dis faces them and peered lip their elder had bad heard what was As bolgou hearese he arose lind and dressed himself b ut bad barely accomplished this task vuen the mob entered his bis room the their r appearance was made web hideous by t their h air garb which had been arranged to di disguise them and by their masked faces 0 es the masks consisted of a strip of factory fastened about the head bea two holes being cut through to enable the bearers wearers to see the orders were iven alven by the leader in a stern voice f lor or elder wright to accompany the t kang hang forthwith he demurred and asked whether ho bb could not settle the matter there 0 o 11 was the reply youve got to come w ith us weve had of ef YOU yoa we e want no mormon preachers nere here they then seized WM him roughly and bustled him out oat of the house 40 they the were mere passing through the door the master of the house said eaid bep men tor for gods goda sake dont kill the man loan ile he has done no harm he was quickly silenced however by tie ruffians aos aad an elder wright wryght was hurried of finto the woods near by the company followed a blind road or path leading into the depths of the forest after going a short distance one of the party arty erect red two shots from a pistol probably with the idea that they would oe heard beard at the house and aad convey the he impression that the tha prisoner had bad been murdered mar dered going goinga a little farther the th parta cartr came to a large tree which had evidently bees been agreed upon for the purpose in view they there told the elder that nat they proposed to ft fix win him he asked the offense with which tie he was waa charged but bat they deigned no reply except to 10 repeat crepet the threat to fix him to elder wright responded better men than I 1 am have had hd their blond blood shed tor lor the principles pies of the gospel and if it ls is the lords loidl will my life cabbe offered fee berthe the truth 11 well saeid see if god will protect you now if was the tati atin remark that fol followed lovied P Y I 1 I 1 A rope was then produced au a noose made and slipped over the elders eldera head aud drawn so PO tightly arcand lis reck neck as to cause him some difficulty in breathing he i a gala gain asked with what offense he was charged aud and was informed or e d ll reaching about abo t bore 11 well replied elder wright 1 I dl t preach reach ti till I 1 I 1 I 1 was wag asked you wt wanted d p me e to ta talk k and asked me to before I 1 did so throw the rope over the limb was the next exar expression asio u a and rd oue 0 ast o f the crowd called to haul him up they demanded bowe however vei that he be renounce mormonism but bat elder wright met this by an emphatic refusal some of the party then afien suggested waiting a bit while others wanted the hanging to go on it was a critical moment f for 0 r the el eler vr but bat hla his manner indicated excitement in faccas he says himself he be felt perfectly cool and prepared to meet his bis fate A discussion arose amons among the mob and it was finally determined to vote on the proposition preposition whether it was to iua ing or not one may easier imagine than describe the interest of the tap prisoner who thus saw a ray of hope I 1 tor for deliverance the vote was close five of the nine assuna lr one on pesi tion and four the other oilier the minority were in favor of banging aud and the proposition was declared lost now who says for hickories said the leader of the gang and the vote in the affirmative was ud unanimous 1 I prefer han hanging gring to being beaten to death with those thase clubs said the elder as he looked at the pieces of hickory carried hy the men go goon on with the hagains han ains 6 oh we wont kill you was the response well use hickory withes not tile the clutia clubb 11 it dont matter as to that remarked brother wright VV right 1 I would as soon poon be killed is as lashmi lashed witt with them go on with the hanging but they would not A number of strong hickory withes were brought many questions were then asked about the prophet joseph smith the ja inquiry was made whether lr the mor ab mons old did not consider him as equal to Je susand jesus and answer was madeko made no but that he was one of the greatest prophets prophet the world has ever seen questions regarding new revelation and other principles were also asked and answered a demand was then made that the missionary leave the state of tennessee forthwith this he informed them he would not do the mob next made a requirement that lin would renounce mormonism elder replying not as long as I 1 have any sense 11 he continued to talk to them bearing testimony of the gospel yon come out here preaching shouted oue one of crowd the elder was aware of this but as another called bilea out let him go on he herald old not fail to take advantage of the opportunity port unity thus offered to say aay a f faw w words regarding the divinity of t the e principles ples he had been advona advocating diug the mob degan began to relent jat bets lets take him back house bouse said one aad another suggested he can ina his way bacev A discussion ensued rt regarding garding the punishment that should upon the man who had permitted a mormon to preach in his bis this w was ft s In interrupted terru cited by elder wright remarking re markin 11 if he e has been very kin kind to me and ir there id to be any punishment loan take him 1 oh he clin can cantale take his big awn 11 came f from roin the mob f kinq no matter IS ij h he can it lv Is on my account and I 1 will take it I 1 paid eaid the elder there was some further fur fiher talk when when one of et the party removed the rope from elder wrights neck at the same time growling between adis ait clenched teeth it you evert come here ere again hang bang you yoa till you are dead dead DEAD 1 t when the elder wu was once free a fear seemed to take possession of the mob and they wanted to ret ieli away from the place brother wright asked them to hands with him and they all did so and took their departure in haste he then returned to the house where all was excitement the women an children were crying and one lady was so greatly shocked by the sudden intrusion of the ruffians ruf flans that a chill came on and she was all tor for some time when they learned what the lord had bad done in changing chan RinK the anten tion dionot of the mob and rei ree pAsing asin i the elder they felt considerably calmer it may be well to state thet that in all parts pans of the south such scenes as these are not enacted in many portions the elders are treated with great goat kindness and their labors are re always productive of lood good results at Js s but occasionally that L violence is s actually resorted to though the threats are many and it it only by caution add an d wis doii that the elders get along with as ten few extremely experiences wi ad they do but sometimes soMetime 4 the utmost care will not avail them ai WILS was the case in august last when elders wright douglass fuller and holt were severely beaten with beckery withes by a large and infuriated furia furta ted mob the circumstances of which were retailed ae detailed tailed in the sl Myrtly after its occurrence |