For the Increase of Faith: The Voice of the Spirit

FOR THE INCREASE OF FAITH THE VOICE OF THE SPIRIT. BY ELDER HENRY S. TANNER. The following is part of a blessing pronounced upon my head March 11, 1890, by Heber J. Grant and Abram H. Cannon, Elder Grant being mouth: That through your humility of heart and faithfulness you shall be blessed of the Lord in this mission, that you shall go in peace and return in safety. * * * You shall be warned by your heavenly Father and the inspiration of his Spirit; you shall be blessed with knowledge and wisdom from him to enable you to avoid the snares and pitfalls that may be laid for you by the enemies of right- eousness. * * * inasmuch as you follow the admonitions of the servants of God, and shall listen to the counsels of those who preside over you in the South- ern States Mission, that you shall eventually return to your home in peace and safety, having accomplished a good work, and rejoicing in the labors you have been called upon to perform. During the evening of March 28, 1890, Elder David T. Le- Baron of Mesa, Arizona, (then president of the South Carolina Conference) and I were at the residence of John Gordon, a few miles north of Gaffney, in Spartanburg county, South Carolina. A forest fire had been ravaging the woods during the day, which brought together an unusually large number of men. After hav- ing extinguished the fire, many of them retired to the Bethel church, where they perfected an organization to exterminate the "Mormons." Just before supper, and while in the yard, I heard a voice say, "You'd better go." I looked around, but saw no one. Had it not been for the strange and unusual effect which followed with the repetition of the words, I would not have noticed it. I

536 IMPROVEMENT ERA. became nervous and uncomfortable, and suggested to Brother LeBaron that we leave the neighborhood. He, however, not feel- ing as I felt, could not see the necessity of such a departure, when we were among our friends, and there was not even appar- ent danger. A second and a third time I heard the voice,- and each time went to my companion and told him what I had heard and how I felt. Brother LeBaron, who was always very deliber- ate, and knew no fear, thought it somewhat inconsistent for us to leave our friends, hoping to find security elsewhere. There were, however, a number of families of Saints in the immediate neigh- boihood and ordinarily it would be considered suflficiently safe. As the evening passed, I became more restless and unsettled. My heart beat faster and my blood rushed through my veins with greater rapidity, and I felt that I should flee from the conditions which were so unnerving me. was not frightened of my fellow- I men, but I felt the Spirit of Light gradually withdrawing from me, and I knew that something calamitous was about to happen. Minutes seemed hours; and hours, weeks, and the impressions of that evening, time cannot efface. The house was simply a log structure containing one room, which served the family as dining-room, sitting-room, parlor, pan- try and bed-room all combined. We knelt in prayer around the family hearth, and while my companion was offering words of sup- plication to our Master, my body was covered with great beads of perspiration, and I felt that I was nearing perdition. An appar- ent panorama appeared to my mind. I saw in vision what was actually happening : a crowd of men come from the road and sur- round the house, and when they raised large boulders, my fear was complete, and I lost power over every muscle. No sooner had the stones struck the door than I hit the rafters. I jumped back between the beds with the hope of security, expecting to get a gun or ax for defense. Finding no weapons, and while trying to pull off one of the bedposts, six or eight rifles or shotguns were leveled on me, and I was unceremoniously and in thundering tones commanded to lead the procession. My companion and I led, unwillingly, the clamorous brigade. They followed in close prox- imity, in fact we could feel their presence for several days after. The experience was more exciting than pleasant. The climax

FOR THE INCREASE OF FAITH. 537 came when we reached the forks of the road where others were waiting to receive us. Judgment was rendered, and we were ordered stripped, each to receive forty lashes on our naked bodies or to be shot, andif we would not promise to leave after the whipping, they would shoot us anyway. We failed to convince them that their judgment was not well taken, and they proceeded to relieve us of our clothes. Our coats and vests lay on the ground, and the leader of that august body asked why we came there when we were just beaten in our own country. My answer did not seem to be sufficiently courteous, and with vicious, vulgar, and thunderous oaths the hickories fell. The blows acted as a quietus, and my composure immediately returned. I remembered my blessing and that part where I was promised to go in peace and return in safety, and I thought, ''Lord, you made a mistake this time." This was immediately dispelled with the words, "You did not obey the Spirit of the Lord." I fairly wilted, offering a secret prayer for forgiveness and deliverance. I commenced reasoning with them, and soon showed them the fallacy of their position. They advised us to go home, turn off all of our women but one, and live like "we uns," then told us to "hit the grit." We had no sooner started than they tried to recall us,but in pursu- ance of their other order we "hit the grit." Thus thwarted in their design, they began to throw stones and shoot at us. A great number of shots were fired, and bullets and missiles fell all around, but not one hit us. Thus we were delivered from the mob, and by following the whisperings of the Spirit always after avoided them. Within a week of the above occurrence and at about nine o'clock at night, we were warned as before, and as soon as we could tell the folks good by and pick up our grips we commenced to travel. As we were leaving the yard a friend came running and told us to go quickly for a mob was coming. As we left the clearing on one side, the mob entered on the other, thus we missed an entangling alliance. Elder William A. Reeve of Hinckley, Millard county, Utah, and I were sent to labor in Union county, but because of persecution coming upon the Saints and threatened extermination, we were requested to return to Spartanburg. At eleven o'clock p. m.,

588 IMPROVEMENT ERA. after having walked about thirty miles that afternoon and being within a mile of friends, I was encompassed with a peculiar sensa- tion. It seemed like a cloud had come over me. I was rendered motionless and laid on my back in the dusty road entirely helpless. After remaining in that condition for about half an hour, this temporary paralysis ceased, and the cloud left as it came. At the time those mysterious feelings came over me, I was completely jaded, but immediately upon arising, I expressed my feelings to my companion that I never felt better or happier in the world, and that I was completely free from the effects of our long walk. In about five minutes we came to Widow Wood's where, between her two houses which were joined by a roof, we saw a crowd of men drinking and heard them swearing and cursing the "Mormons." Two or three large, ferocious hounds lay at the gate, but did not appear to see us. It was a very bright, Never before had moonlight night. people passed Widow Wood's without those dogs rushing at them as if they intended eating them up. However, we did not under- stand the purport of what had actually occurred until we arrived at Loss Wilson's, about half a mile beyond. We rapped at the door and Brother Wilson answered, and as he opened the door said, "Elders, it hasn't been twenty minutes since the mo^ left here." During the latter part of September, 1892, I was at Pireway, N. C, where I was preparing for conference to be held on the 1st and 2nd of October. Early in the morning when I was returning from the woods where I had been in prayer, a voice said, ''Go to Long Bay." I looked around, but could see no one. The words were repeated and I felt a power accompanying them. I was con- siderably agitated and began to wonder why I was told to go to Long Bay. During my meditation the words were repeat^^ed, "Go to Long Bay," and I answered, "I'll go." I went immediately +o the house of Monroe Long, where I was staying, and asked for the use of his horse and buggy to drive to Long Bay. Mr. Long wished to know what I was going to Long Bay for, and I told him that I did not know except that I felt impressed to go the^e, to which he answered, "You 'Mormons' get funnier all the time; I can't understand you." However, he lent me his horse and buggy and I proceeded to Long Bay. Long Bay is on the Atlantic coast in Horry county, South

FOR THE INCREASE OF FAITH. 539 Carolina, and I was in the adjoining county on the north, Columbus county, N. C. I drove to the house of John Patrick at Long Bay, tied up the horse and walked into the house Finding no one in . the front room, I went on into the bed-room, in the rear of the house, and found two elders down with the ague. Henry D. Wal- lace, of Salt Lake City, was lying in one corner of the room, and James S. Carlyle, of Mill Creek, in another. My anticipations had been great. All day I had tried to determine for what I was going to Long Bay, and what I would find upon arriving there. I never once thought of elders being in that neighborhood. When I last heard of these two elders they were down near the mouth of the Little Pee Dee river. My expectations had worked me up al- most to a fever heat, and when I walked into the room where they were both lying prostrate, I felt that I should collapse. I went to each of the elders in turn, took them by the hands and commanded them to arise in the name of Jesus Christ, and be made whole. They arose and dressed, and rejoiced because the power of God had been made manifest in their behalf. Elder Carlyle returned with me to Pireway, and Elder Wallace came a few days later. Salt Lake City, Utah. FROM THE MISSION FIELD. Elder Albert B. Foulger, writes from Kimberley, Soath Africa, January 27: "Twenty-two months have passed since I left my loved ones and our dear old mountain home, with a heart full of gratitude to my Heavenly Father for the privilege of becoming an ambassador for the cause of truth. I little realized the encounters that would ensue, but they have only tended to strengthen my testi- mony and give me greater confidence in the cause which I represent. My heart goes out to the young man who does not take advantage of a mission. You know when the returning missionaries have given their experiences in the field, they almost invariably remark, 'It has been the happiest time of my life,' and the question often presented itself to me, is it really a fact that this is so, or is it because they are at home again and have the satisfaction of knowing that they have been honorably released? Now I am in a position to answer the question to my own satisfaction, and I thank th3 Lord with all my soul for placing me in a position where my mind is centered upon life and salvation. The work of the Lord is progressing nicely in Soutli Afi'ica, anl from all indications the year 1908 is going to be a banner year for the cause of truth with us. A great deal of prej- udice is being removed, and many of the people are giving the gospel prayerful investigation."