Show THE TILE missionary FIELD an boes experience in the south z Think thinking ilig a few linea lines from the sunny south would be interesting I 1 write you a short sketch of my ray travels durine during the pait few months on nov the ath 1886 the bonfy on family of saints who resided in this vicinity started for the valleys of the mountains cleaving leav in myself and companion lars R madsen of mt bit pleasant sanpete co with few f ew s friend friends to take care of us under these circumstances circum wo we had to shift around from house houte to house and in our travels we called on a methodist minister Bl inister As we were the first mormon elders he be had ever met he be was keen n to argue on 1 scripture lc r ip ture we eat up until a late hour h 0 u debating on the plan of salvation tio and next morning continued our discussion for several hours when ho he saw that we were not easily convinced he challenged us for a public discussion we accepted capt ed his challenge providing that he should furnish the house this he agreed to do and the time set forthe for the discussion was the of december wo we left him to make all arrangements and started out in a new field circulating the new news as wo we went after tramping around the country and meeting with numerous interesting experiences we returned i iti time to participate in the discussion sio n with our methodist friend to our great surprise lur prise when we met our opponent ho he informed us that he be had studied up the subject the gift of the holy ehst gh at and had come to tho the shaji eck at it was not a debatable subject therefore ho he declined to meet us this strengthened our testimony in the divinity of tho the gospel which we wert were teaching and that tho those ac who are preach lag jig for hire and divining for money have nothing more than a man made system that can not be measured by an inch of inspiration leaving him we turned to a new field and held several meetings meetings tings soon all manner of yarns yarn mie began gan to be circulated about us such as look out for your women there are Alor mormons mons in the settlement and if they get a square look at our fe they will capture them and take them to utah we wo P paid aid very little attention to this abusive talk but went on holding meetings every time an opportunity presented itself we made a number of friends and there seemed tabe much inquiry about the gospel satan became aware of the fact that his flock was in danger dan gerand and began to stir up the people until they become so enraged that news was circulated over the settlement that the ku klux was coming from owls hollow to bushwack us but we were born too close to the woods to be scared of owls and did not leave tho the talk of mobbing soon stopped and the devil be pan gan to invent other to pet get rid of us but ho lie has not been successful in doing so yet prospects are favorable for a good work to be dono in the settlement our meetings are well attended and many are hinves investigating witha with a determination of finding out whether the doctrines wo we are teaching are from god cod or dot n ot sauce my sojourn in the south many things have transpired which have b had ad a tendency to strengthen my testimony in the divin divinity ty of the gospel as it has been res restored in this dispensation I 1 feel to rejoice that the saints are coset their households in order and live nearer to god day aft enday if all can succeed in doing better and live up to the light which we have received I 1 believe that our delivers deliver anco ance is nigh and that the time is close at hand band w when ben righteousness will cover the earth as the waters cover the mighty deep that god may bless blesi the tile saints in in all the trying scenes which they arc are called to pass pan through will ever be the prayer of your frie friend nd and brother in the cause of truth P F W STRATFORD march 24 1887 |