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Source: Church History Vol. 1 Chapter 17 Page: 468 (~1834)

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468 was not previously a member of the church, yet had accompanied us all the way from Kirtland.

"We pursued our journey and followed the bank of the river for several miles. As we left the river and came into a very beautiful prairie Brother William Smith . . . killed a very large deer, which made us some very nourishing soup, and added to our comfort considerably.

"On Wednesday, the 18th, at night, we camped one mile from the town of Richmond, Ray County. On Thursday the l9th, we arose as soon as it was light and passed through the town before the inhabitants were up. As Luke Johnson and others, were passing through before the teams came along, Brother Luke observed a black woman in a gentleman's garden near the road. She beckoned to him and said, 'Come here massa.' She was evidently much agitated in her feelings. He went up to the fence and she said to him, 'There is a company of men laying in wait here who are calculating to kill you this morning as you pass through.' This was nothing new to us, as we had been threatened continually through the whole journey, and death and destruction seemed to await us daily. This day we only traveled about fifteen miles. One wagon broke down, and the wheels ran off from others, and there seemed to be many things to hinder our progress, although we strove with all diligence to speed our way forward. Our intentions were when we started to go through to Clay County that day, but all in vain. This night we camped on an elevated piece of land between the two branches of the Fishing River, the main branch of which was formed by seven small streams or branches, these being two of them. Just as we halted and were making preparations for the night, five men rode into the camp and told us we should see hell before morning, and such horrible oaths as came from their lips I never heard before. They told us that sixty men were coming from Richmond, Ray County, who had sworn to destroy us; also that seventy more were coming from Clay County to assist in our destruction. These men were armed with guns, and the whole country was in a rage against us, and nothing but the power of God could save us. All this time the weather was

(page 468)

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