Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-12
EZRA CHRISTENSEN,
Clerk of Conference.
Belen. Quitman County, Miss.
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| ~ feDruary q, 1898.
To the Editor
After cur conference which was held
January Goth and SOth, 1895, in Ponto-
| loo county, Miss, Elder Orosnly l..
Martin and myself We're assigned to
lhhor in Quitman county. Miss. We
| thought We We're somewhat favored
| IN being appointed to labor together,
as we both came in the mission field
together. When we reached the edge
Of our county we found that we had
| eighteen miles of bottoms or swamps
to cross before we could get to where
the people lived and that II was very
muddy and dangerous crossing this
time of the year, If a storm should
| come up we might have to climb d
tree and take chances on a boat COM
ing along and picking us up, which has
been the case more than once with
people who have got caught in Il storrl
in these OVERLOOKED districts. Eut we
hoped that Providence would not per-
init us to run into too great danger
without forewarning us. so we made
the start into the woods and swamps.
We were quite particular at first about
getting our feet wet. but presently we
splashed through the mud and water
over our shoe tops till o'clock in the
afternoon when we came to n bayou
the other eide of which we could not
reach without swimming. We could
so we started back on different road
to what we went In on. After travel
ing II about four miles It intercepted
another road. We decided that this
was our road and that we had been
lest. This revived us somewhat and
we made another start. After travel
ing all day on a somewhat better ROAD
10 that of the morning, we came to
Captain William Halls, who served In
the cavalry under General
Forester. Although he was crowded
for room, having ten men
building new houses for his tenants, yet
he took us in and made us welcome.
We stopped with him till after dinner
the next day and made an earnest in
vestigator of him. We left him tracts
and a Voice of Warning and he prom
ised to purchase n Book of Mormon as
soon as he gets settled in his new house.
After dinner We again made our way
through slush and mud for four miles.
when we came to the mouth of Cold
Water river. The ferry boat was part
ly sunk having sprung leak the
night before, but the ferryman was
very generous and put us over the river
in a skin free of charge. We then
made our way up the river four miles
to a settlement whore we stopped for
three days and held meetings, dis
trlhuted tracts and sold number OF
books. We again followed up the river
four more miles to the next settlement,
River Side, formerly the county seat of
this county. Here we found one of the
finest plantations we have seen In the
South, something over four miles in
length and two miles wide. owned by a
Jew, a rich planter. Lepolian Marks.
Mr.. Marks received us very kindly and
appeared to know more about our mode
of travelling than most people of the
South who are accustomed to our
Elders, though he had never seen any
of them before. When we Informed
him of our business he granted us the
use of a fine church building In which
he owned half interest. He also said
that he would see that 1t was properly
prepared for us with lights and FIRE
He paid our bill at the hotel for six
days while We preached the Gospel to
the people and disposed OF much itera-
ture.
Our next place was the county seat.
We first called on the sheriff. who
granted us the use of the court hous.
before We applied for It, This is a very
fine brick building recently built. Court
convenes the first Monday in neat
month. when a great many people will
be In the city from the surrounding
country, when we expect to begin our
meetings. We then called at the resi-
dence OF Mr., John A. Cooper, the
MAYOR, whose welcome guests we are
at the present time
JAMES A. LEE.
North Alabama Conference.