| Show A mississippi experience RALEIGH smith county miss ANIM ft KA july ath 18 1896 96 the DESERET NEWS is appreciated very much by the elders and with your permission I 1 will drop a few lines thinking some ot your readers may be interested in the labors of two hap happy py mormon boys traveling in smith county mississippi the of april 1896 1 I arrived at jones county mississippi surprised at not finding my companion there to welcome me to my piney woods home but in a few moments after arriving brother john overland intro deuced himself tome and informed me that elder shelley was at his home awaiting my arrival and being somewhat sick was unable to meet me elder shelle shelley soon improved in health and on th the e ath day of may we started for smith county were we were assigned to labor since that time we have our labors very much and met with many friends and will say the southern people are deservedly noted for their kind hospitality to strangers among those who have treated us with kindness and told us to make ourselves at home are mr henry oniel deacon of the sylvan grove baptist church frank thornton peter thornton carrie brothers mr tims and many others too numerous to mention here mr oniel is a fair minded man and gave us permission to hold it a meeting in the sylvan grove church and following this we received three invitations to hold meeting in private houses at times we met with opposition principally from ministers of different denominations but being accompany aed b the spirit of the lord we are allaying prejudice which before hand existed among the people to a great extent I 1 will just note one little incident that took place sunday june aith during the week we canvassed the good water neighborhood and many seemed anxious tor for us to hold a meeting we succeeded in getting permission to use the spinola sc school hool house and gave ou out t notice that we would hold two meet meetings in on sunday june aith one at il 0 and one at 4 in the evening on sund morning while in conversation with t tw or three gentlemen at the home of ml clay currie a messenger rode up t the gate and informed us that a nao consisting of eight men had con concluded cluI to meet us on our way to the sch house give us a whipping and us to leave the country we W e told t itei young mail maia to inform our posers op th we would be at the appointed place a ix ii to hold our meeting well he said 1 I felt it my duty to come an tell you because I 1 like ft see you gentlemen abused at I fi with our grips and umbrellas w started on our journey to the sch house bouse on arriving there it bool booko like a fourth of july celebration ped pie had gathered from all parts 0 of tb neighborhood but our enemies 1 failed 11 to make their appearance am we had the pleasure of laying bedfor bafo those assembled some of the first prid caples of the gospel for their considers confide con sidera tion at the close of our meeting ml tims invited us home and sat us do dow to a fine dinner which was greatly ap ted after which a crowd gathe gathered around us and asked a great mant man questions pertaining to the gospel W talked to them until meeting time a and then all p proceeded proceeded roce eded to the meeting house upon arriving there we found more people than could obtain sea seatse and we again portrayed to them rno more ot of the principles ot the gospel and re many invitations to call eve eveh more than we can nil fill in a week some som are investigating the doctrine we adv aavo cate and we hope in the near future t tc add more to the fold of christ brother grissard Griss Gris sarn amand and wife who join the church some time ago lived wit withie three miles ot of raleigh and do all the cantor can tor our comfort and we appreciate their kindness for the same we a ard enjoying the best of health and fe fed proud poud of the work we are engaged i in young men can gain experiences in th missionary field that could be gain gained in no other way we advise all 0 them to improve their time and bec become interested in the gospel for it is a great t study and we are all invited to give helping hand to the accomplishment of the great work before us as bemb members of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints on july and we received an invitation from elders R W brown and C block traveling in jasper county t ta come over to brother tuckers I 1 a di dig tance of about thirty miles and spend the fourth of july with them we ac cepter the invitation and have enjoy enjoyed the company of our co laborers ve veri much brother tucker and tam family i y he hav done all in their power to make thin ahinga i comfortable for us and we pray th that god will bless them for their kindness to the elders WILLIAM R GEORGE T SHELLEY SHELLBY |
