| Show A MODEL missionary LETTER it in 1 in parve WHITTIER swaine county N NC C may 1887 editor deseret news that my friends at home may know of my whereabouts and labors in the vineyard I 1 abridge my experience in the youth south thus far and trust truss it may be of equal interest to all who are inter ested in the spread of the gospel I 1 left my home in southern utah on the oi of june 1886 and made a safe transit to my appointed ap 0 i abed field of labor in carroll and ap pp patrick 1 trick counties virginia I 1 began bean my labors in company with stephen L chipman of american fork in about three weeks I 1 made the ac quain cance of the common pest one of the fruits of christianity a mob truly an element of success ri good friends and overruling overruling providence prevented an overflow of 0 gall and bitterness and we were not molested subsequently this same combination sent us a petition praying tor for our departure that their morality might not suffer this was supplemented by a bill which they kad had pass edthe day previous at a big revival of anti mor or won mon slum we exercised ells elis power and vetoed it and were troubled no more though the oft attempted obstruction st of our liberties met with no censure from the law of the land but on the contrary was participated in by its sworn administrators yet the clouds of divine judgment hovered near and meted out a foretaste of their eternal doom save they repent time would fail me to recount instances verifying the oft repeated though ever inspiring assurance of isaiah that no weapon formed against zion shall prosper while laboring la in virginia L had the pleasure of baptizing six persons perc ions and assisting in baptizing two others not a few in that vicinity in the near future bid fair to link their destiny with the latter day saints in IB february last I 1 met elder C roe from garneld garfield county with whom I 1 labored till the of april when I 1 was called in connection with wm win H rich of morgan city to open a field of labor among the eastern band of cherokee indians in southwestern north carolina accordingly on foot and by rail we wended bended our way to this place finding a friend in mr WV parley farley about six miles from indian kead headquarters quarters we visited tile the chief who seemed interested in the gospel and left him the book of mormon to read from him we learned that bis llis tribe numbers about eleven hundred not twelve thousand as reported located principally iii iff this and jackson county adjoining within a radius of fifteen miles schools are carried on among them by the quakers who are agents for the government most all of the younger members of the tribe talk good english A umber number n of creeds have been connected with them for a long time principally the methodists and baptists to whom about three fourths of the Indians have formally joined themselves their literature comprises tha translation into their language of the new testament and a few books of the old testament some of the indians are quite intelligent they are law abiding and inoffensive but on account of the depredations of the whites in times past they are shy suspicious and communicative non they are comparatively free from the social corruptions corrupt ions that have characterized other tribes on the whole if the time has arrived they are in a good state to receive the gospel A thorough canvass among the whites in the neighborhood of the reservation brought us face to face with the most bigoted prejudice imaginable agi truth and reason alike failed and nothing but calemy and abuse was given in return they had bad no use asfor for such people they had gospel enough they knew all about the golc golden ten plates and would not dot hear any f farther arther commentary especially aromus from us the indian agent posed ass as a disinterested party but a meeting among the indians soon exhibited the cloven f foot oot he came out in open rebellion As we wended bended our way up the river a notice adorned a a big tree which suggested tar and feathers as a remedy to prevent pi event mormon doctrine from spreading up and down the river we canvassed the river and found one man on whom brother caines speech had made a good impression lie offered us a house to preach in we I 1 left ef t an appointment and came over to toBar barkers kerls creek where we found quite a number who belonged to caesar that wanted to hear the faith once delivered to the saints proclaimed we accordingly held a meeting which was largely attended A baptist preacher who had been toasting to excess was there to clean us up Ashe As he heard the principles of adoption on thundered in uis ois ears and the body of of christ long since dead pictured picture d iu in its glorious perfection of parts with a scriptural block under every assertion he suddenly darted for the tae door and disappeared A committeeman committee man named brown who was full of horrible muss massacres acres and whose feelings were hurt over so many wives abused us awhile butchis only made us more friends whose hospitality hospitality we accepted tor for ten days with a promise to return and jill fill more appointments we now HO go to hold mure meetings among the Lama with tile the hope that ere long god will turn them f from rom their benighted beDight ed condition to the gospel delivered to their forefathers and graft them again into tile tame olive tree where they can receive the nourishment so essential to their spiritual life ever praying for the triumph of truth 1 I remain your brother in the gospel EDWARD H SNOW |
