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CHAPTER XI.

A TENNESSEE PLANTER MAKES IT HOT FOR PARSON LEE.

    DURING the winter of 1841, a letter was sent to the Prophet from the leading men and members of the branch church on Stone River, Tennessee, and Cripple Creek, Rutherford County, Tennessee, desiring him to send me back to labor in that country, as there was a wide field for preaching there.

    They stated that I had so ingratiated myself among the people that no other man could command the influence and respect to do good that I could among them. This was enough. In the latter part of February I took leave of my family and entered upon my mission.

    To refuse to comply with the call of the Prophet is a bad omen. A man so doing is looked upon with distrust, renders himself unpopular, and is considered a man not to be depended upon. At the time I started the river was blocked with ice. I traveled on foot, without purse or scrip, like the apostles of old, carrying out the motto of the Church, the bee of the desert, "Leave the hive empty-handed and return laden." In this way I, as well as many other elders, brought in money, thousands of dollars, yearly to the Church, and I might say many hundreds > of thousands, as the people among whom I traveled were mostly wealthy, and when they first received the love of the truth their hearts as well as their purses were opened, and they would pour out their treasures into the lap of the Bishop. All were taught that a liberal man deviseth liberal things, and by his liberality shall he live, and that he that soweth liberally shall reap bountifully, etc.

    As I passed along my way, I strengthened the brethren of the various branches, reminding them of their duties, especially of the necessity of building the Temple. That duty was more important than all others, for in that alone, when completed, they could attain to the highest exaltation of the Priesthood, together with all the spiritual gifts that belong thereto. When I arrived at my old home, the place of my childish days, I found Elder John Twist, who was waiting my arrival. We staid in that, neighborhood a few days, and then started on again. My uncle was going on our way with a wagon for about one hundred miles, and we accompanied him. I passed through Kaskaskia, where I was born, but did not preach there, for my uncle was in a hurry to reach the point of his destination in Jackson County, where be was establishing a wood yard on the Mississippi River. Here we intended to take a steamer for Nashville, but no steamer would take us on board at the landing, for it was a bad one to bring boats up to. While staying at that place we preached to the people, and made our home with Mr. V. Hutcheson, and his sister Sarah, where we were treated very kindly. Finally a flat-boat came in sight. We hailed it and went aboard. We were soon on good terms with the Captain and crew, and went with them to Memphis, Tennessee. At this place the Captain of the flat-boat sold out his cargo, and then offered to pay our fare on a steamer from Memphis to Nashville. While we were in Memphis, General William Henry Harrison, then a candidate for President, arrived, and a great political meeting of the Whig party was held in the open air. After my friend Wm. Springer, the Captain of the flat-boat, had sold his cargo, and received his money, he invited my friend Twist and myself to go with him to a saloon. There were quite a number of men in the saloon, fiddling, eating, drinking and otherwise enjoying themselves. Captain Springer was not used to drinking. He soon got mellow, felt rich, and commenced throwing his money around in a careless manner. The saloon-keeper was a man with an eye to business, and was particularly interested in friend Springer. He treated him often and insisted on his drinking. I tried to get Springer to go to his boat, and took him by the arm and started off with him, when one of the crowd told me not to be so officious, that the man knew his own business and was capable of attending to it. I said nothing to him in reply, but I sent Twist in haste to the boat for the crew to come at once before Springer was robbed of his money. They came, but not any too soon for his benefit, as a row had commenced, with the design of going through him while it was going on. when the crew came, I started for the boat with Springer, the crew keeping back the crowd of drunken robbers. By acting in this way we saved him and his money too. Twist and myself refused all kinds of drinks that night. We were therefore sober and in good condition to protect the man who had favored us and been our friend. Next morning Springer wished to reward us, but we refused to let him do so.

    I told him we had done nothing but our duty. We parted with him and his crew, and took passage in a new steamer that was owned in Nashville, and was then making its first trip from Nashville to New Orleans. The boat got into a race with the Eclypse, another fine boat. The Captain was a fine man. The crew were all negroes. One of the firemen on our boat took sick, and was unable to do his work. I saw that the Eclypse was crowding us closely. I threw off my coat and took the negro's place as fireman. I saw a barrel of resin near by; I broke the head in with an ax and piled the resin in the fire. This soon had its effect, and our boat soon left the Eclypse far in the rear. The steamers parted at the mouth of the Ohio. The Captain was so well pleased with my work that he gave Elder Twist and myself a free passage.

    When we reached Nashville Elder Twist became homesick and left me, and returned to Nauvoo. I gave him $10 to pay his way home. I was thus left alone once more. I found the Branch at Nashville in a healthy condition, and much pleased to have me with them. I then visited the Branch in Putnam County, and preached to them, advising all to go to Nauvoo. I added several new members to the Church. By the next Spring that entire Branch had gone to Nauvoo. The Branch on Stone River also went to Nauvoo soon after I returned home. A delegation, headed by Captain John H. Redd, came to invite me to go and preach in the settlement where Captain Redd lived. They said I could not preach publicly, for my life would be in danger, as many of the citizens were very hostile to the Mormons and had run one man out of the neighborhood for practicing Mormonism, and Randolph Alexander had been run off for preaching Mormonism. Captain Redd was formerly a sea captain and a native of South Carolina. I told the delegation I would preach, provided they gave general publicity to my appointment. They were startled at the proposal, and said my life would not be safe a moment if I undertook to preach in public. I told them to trust that to me. They returned home and gave general notice of when and where I would preach. At the appointed time I started for the place of meeting, which was twenty miles was from Murfreesborough. I was met by a guard of ten men, headed by Captain Redd, who came to meet and protect me. The next day I preached to a large number of people. I spoke two hours to them, upon the subject of our free institutions and the constitutional rights of American citizens I told them who I was and what I was; that I was a free American citizen; that I claimed the right of free speech as a free man; that I held myself open for investigation; that if the people wished me to set forth the tenets of our faith I would do so, otherwise I would leave; that if they did not desire to hear the truth they could make it manifest and I would leave their country. The vote was unanimous for me to tarry and preach to them. I preached there twice. My first sermon was upon the apostasy of the churches of the day and the necessity of a purer gospel, proving what I said by the Scriptures. I then followed up with the origin and authenticity of the Book of Mormon.

    I was then induced to continue my sermons. I staid there and continued to do my Master's will. After the fourth sermon I commenced to baptize members. The first one that I baptized at that place was Parson John Holt, of the Christian faith. Then I baptized seven of the members of his church; then Captain Redd and his family. This unexpected success of the gospel created great excitement in that section of country. About ten miles from there lived two men, lieutenants in the militia company of Captain Bogardus, of Missouri fame and disgrace. These men had strayed into this section of the country, and were employed by two wealthy farmers, and were acting as overseers. They told fearful stories about the Mormons in Missouri, and gathered up a mob of about twenty-five men and came with them, determined to tar and feather me if I preached again. Word reached the settlement of what was intended. The people came to me to ask what they should do. I told them to wait and let me manage the affair. The next day, Sunday, while I was preaching, one of the lieutenants, by the name of Dickey, made his appearance with ten men. He informed me of his design, and that I must quit preaching and leave for other parts of the country. "Not just yet," said I. At this he and his men made a rush for me. As they started the women next to the stand formed a circle around me. While thus surrounded I continued my sermon. I refuted the absurd stories of Dickey and his crew, and I then told the people there what I knew had been done at Far West by Lieut. Dickey and the members Captain Bogardus' company. The mob tore down my stand, but could not get at me. Then they retired to consult. Captain J. H. Redd then appointed a meeting to be held at his place that afternoon, and he told the people that he did not want any person to come into his yard unless they came intending to behave that if there was any violence used there some one would get hurt. I preached at his house that afternoon. A fearful storm raged during most of the time, but this was fortunate, for it kept the mob away. While I was preaching a drunken wag interrupted me and called me a d-d liar. Captain Redd was sitting near me with two large pistols, which he called his peace-makers. This insult was not more than out of the fellow's mouth when Captain Redd caught him by the neck and rushed him out of the house into the rain. The coward begged hard for himself, but he was forced to go out and sit under a porch during the rest of the sermon. Captain Redd was a kind-hearted, generous man, but would not stand abuse. The next Sunday was a cloudy day, so the meeting was held within doors. Dickey had by this time raised his mob to about fifty men, and had made every arrangement to give me a warm reception. Two men who were intoxicated were selected to start the disturbance, Or "open the ball," as they called it. I had just commenced speaking, when one of these men began to swear and use indecent language, and made a rush for me with his fist drawn. I at once made a Masonic sign of distress, when, to my relief and yet to my surprise, a planter rushed to my aid. He was the man who employed Dickey. He took the drunken men and led them out of the crowd, and sat by me during the rest of my sermon, thus giving me full protection. That man was a stranger to me, but he was a good man and a true Mason. His action put an end to mob rule at that place. After the meeting I baptized some ten persons.

    Soon afterwards I was sent for by Col. Tucker, of Duck Creek, Marshall Co., to come there, a distance of thirty miles. I attended, and delivered three lectures, which were well received by all, the Colonel in particular. He was a wealthy Virginian, and pressed me warmly to make his house my home. His wife and family were favorably impressed. They were of the Presbyterian order, and two of her brothers were ministers of that faith. I remained here a few days, and left an appointment to preach on the following Saturday and Sunday. Before leaving I let the Colonel's lady have books on our faith, and returned to fill some appointments that I had made at Capt. Redd's. At the appointed time I returned to fill my appointments on Buckskin River.

    Within half a mile of Col. Tucker's house was a Methodist chapel. At this place lived a New Light preacher, an old man, who invited me to stop with him. He informed me that Col. Tucker had become bitter against the Mormons on account of his wire believing in them, and that she wanted to be baptized. She had left word with him requesting me not to leave without baptizing her. This was something that I wished to avoid, so to prevent trouble I concluded not to go to Col. Tucker's at all. I filled my appointments, and returned to my Christian friend's house for refreshments, intending to make my way over the mountains that night, and thus avoid meeting Mrs. Tucker. I had just finished supper, and stepped to the door to start back, when I met Mrs. Tucker. She upbraided me for not calling to see her. I said to her that it was contrary to the rules of our faith for an elder to interfere in any man's family against the wish or will of the husband or parents; that she should keep quiet and the Lord would take the will for the deed. The more I tried to reconcile her, the more determined she became to be baptized. While I was talking with her a young man came to us and reported that Col. Tucker had ambushed himself, with a double-barreled shot-gun, near the place of baptizing, swearing vengeance against the man that attempted to baptize his wife.

    I was in hopes to persuade her to return, but in vain. She said to me, "You have declared your mission is from Heaven, that you are a servant of God, and I believe it. Now I demand baptism at your hands. If you are a servant of God, don't shrink from your duty."

    I looked at her for a moment, and said, "Woman, if you have faith enough to be baptized under these circumstances, I

have faith enough to try it at least. Some ten personal friends who lived in the little village accompanied us to the water, a short distance above the usual place of baptizing, and attended during the performance of the Ordinance. They advised her to return home immediately, with her two servants, and never let on as though anything had happened. We started to return to~ the house of my friend, carrying my boots in my hand. It was now dark. As I got to the top of a high fence, and cast my eyes about me, I luckily saw a man near me in the rear, with a double-barreled shot-gun in his hands, or what I supposed was such. He was within ten steps of me, or nearer. I at once recognized him to be Col. Tucker. Having heard of his threats, I was induced not to tempt him too far. I placed my hands on the fence and sprang over it, alighting on the other side, near a cross-fence which separated the garden from a field, of corn, to avoid a collision with him. As quick as thought I got on the opposite side of the fence, among the corn, which was at full height. I was within twenty feet of Tucker and could hear all that was said. I heard him rave, draw his shot-gun down, and demand with oaths what they were doing there. Had they been baptizing his wife? I recognized the voice of the Parson's lady with whom I was stopping. She had the wet clothes of Mrs. Tucker.

    "Tell me," demanded Tucker, "if my wife has been baptized, or I will blow your brains out." The reply was, "She has been baptized." "Where is that infernal Mormon preacher?" demanded the Colonel; "I will put a load of shot through him." "He is in that corn field, was the reply. The Colonel then raved the more. Finally some of his friends persuaded him to return borne, and not disgrace himself. He pretended to do so, but it. was only a feint to get me out, I feared. After waiting until all was quiet, I returned to the house of my friend, and passed through the door and went out on the porch. I sat down and was slipping off my socks, to put on dry ones, when I heard a rustling in the room behind me. The next moment Col. Tucker had his gun leveled on me, and it flashed. He then whirled the butt of it to fell me to the earth. Seeing my danger I sprang and caught him around the waist, with one of his arms in my grasp, which left him with only one arm loose. He said, "I have you now, d-n you, where I want you." He was a strong, muscular man, and, no doubt, supposed I would be no match for him. I ordered a young man that stood near by, to take his gun. I then gripped him with an iron hug, and sent him back into the room. The old gentleman with whom I was stopping, ordered him out of the house unless he would behave himself. He said he had invited me to his house, and felt that to was his duty to protect me. The Colonel replied that he would go if he could, that he never knew before that when he was in the hands of a Mormon, he was in a bear's clutches. I said, "I will take you out if it will accommodate you." Thus saying, I stepped out on the porch with him. I saw that he was willing to go. This gave me new courage. He said, "D-n you, let me go or I will blow your brains out when I get loose." I replied, "There is but one condition on which I will let you go, and that is that you will go home and be quiet and trouble me no more." He replied, "D-n you, I will settle with you for all this." I felt that a man who would treat a stranger as he had me, could not have the moral courage to back him in so shameful an act as the one he was engaged in. This was in the month of July, and it was very warm. I had hugged him closely, and he was growing weak. He said again, " Let me go, I am getting faint. I will be still if you will let go of me, and I will make it hot for you if you don't let me go." As he said this I renewed my grip upon him, and raising him up, said, "You have tried to take my life without cause, and still persist in doing so. If you don't behave I will throw you out of sight on this hard ground." I said this with an emphasis as though I meant it. As I was, as he supposed, in the act of dashing him to the ground, he begged of me, saying that if I would let him loose, he would go and trouble me no more. I let him fall to the ground, and handed him his gun, and let him live. When he got a little distance away he began threatening me, and said he would be revenged. After all had quieted down I retired to rest in the upper story of my friend's house.

    About one o'clock in the morning I was awakened by the voice of a female, which I recognized as the voice of Mrs. Tucker, in company with two or three other ladies. She informed me that her husband was bent on my destruction, and that he and ten men were way laying my road, and advised me not to start in that direction; that her husband had accused her of wetting the wads in his gun to save my life; but for me to be of good cheer and put my trust in God, and that she had not regretted the steps she had taken. I thanked her for her kindness, and told her that I wished her to return home and not come to see me any more; that I was in the hands of God and He would protect me and deliver me safe; that her visits to me would only make her husband more enraged at her. They retired, and I fell asleep.

    At four o'clock I awoke, dressed myself, and ordered the servant to saddle my horse. As the servant hitched my horse to the post, Tucker and several men appeared upon the ground. Tucker told the servant that he would cut him in two if he saddled my horse. I spoke to Tucker kindly, saluting him with the time of day. His reply was, "I have got you now, d-n you." Thus saying, he ordered his nephew to bring Esquire Walls immediately. After washing, I took my seat on the porch, and took out my Bible to read. Tucker stood about ten steps from me to guard me and my horse. My old friend, the New Light preacher, with whom I was lodging, had a fine horse saddled for me and hitched on the south side of the cornfield. He advised me to pass down through the corn-field while I could do so without being detected, and thus get away out of the county before a warrant could be issued for my arrest. Deliverance was very tempting, yet I did not like the name of running away from trouble. It would convey the impression of fear, if not guilt, to most casual observers. So I chose to face the music and abide the consequences.

    A little after sunrise I saw Justice Walls coming, and some fifty men with him. At this my heart leaped for joy. Among so many I was satisfied all were not against me, as many of them had attended lectures and were favorably impressed with them. After a short interview with Col. Tucker, Justice Walls informed me that Col. Tucker demanded from him a warrant for my arrest, for having baptized his wife without his consent. I asked Col. Tucker if he ever forbid me to baptize his wife; if he did not invite me to his house and invite me to stop there when I returned; that I had not seen him, after this conversation, until after his wife was baptized. That I had not urged her to be baptized; that she came to me and demanded to be baptized. I told the Justice that I had violated no law of Tennessee. The law allows a wife much greater privileges than being baptized without the consent of her husband; that she could sell one-third of his real estate, and her deed would be good. The Justice said I was right, and told the Colonel it would be useless to issue a warrant without just cause. The Colonel then demanded a warrant for my arrest for assault and battery. He said I had abused his person, and that he was sore all over and scarcely able to walk. The Justice told the Colonel that it seemed to him that he was the one who had made the assault; that he snapped a loaded gun at me and had attempted to take my life, and that what I had done was in self-defense. He told Colonel Tucker he would talk with him again.

    He then beckoned to me to follow him, and I did so. We went into a room by ourselves; when he said to me, "Parson Lee, you have many warm friends here. I have been very much interested in your lectures. I believe you to be honest and firm in your faith, and I will do all I can for you. Colonel Tucker is a desperate man when aroused. As a matter of policy, to humor him, I will give him a writ, but I will manage to delay the time to enable you to get out of the county. I will send for my law books, with instructions to delay in getting them here, and will argue with the Colonel that I must have my books here to examine the law. It is only four miles to the county line, when you will be all right. Then take the trail over the mountain, and they will not know which way you have gone. When you get into your county remember me on election day. This county and Rutherford County send three members to the Legislature. I am a candidate, and the vote of your friends in these counties will secure my election. When I send for my books you appear and bid us good-bye, as though you were not afraid of any man. Colonel Tucker has promised me he will use no violence if I will give him a writ. The Justice then gave me a token of the Brotherhood, and then walked out to confer with Colonel Tucker, and sent his nephew back for his books, instructing him to delay in getting them, so as to give me time to get out of the county, before an officer could overtake me. He told the Colonel to keep cool and he would soon have a writ for me.

    I went into the dining-room and sat down to breakfast, and ate a little as a blind. Then taking up my saddle-bags, bade them all good-bye.

    I walked to my horse, that stood hitched where the servant had left him. As I left the house Justice Walls followed me as though he was very much surprised, and said, "Parson Lee, I hope you will tarry until this matter can be settled amicably. I told him that I had violated no law, that my ministerial engagements compelled me to leave, and that I should have done so before had not this unpleasant affair detained me; that I chose to serve God rather than fear the ire of man. Thus saying, I placed my saddle upon my horse. Colonel Tucker leveled his gun at me, and said, "D-n you, I knew you would run. I turned and eyed him and told him to put up his gun; that I had borne all I intended to from him; that if he attempted violence he would never trouble another man. At the same time the Justice told him to be careful, that he had made himself liable already. I mounted my horse and turned to the Colonel and told him he might guard that wood-pile until the day of judgment, for all that I cared. He again raised his gun, but was prevented by the bystanders from shooting. I rode off leisurely, and when about seventy-five yards away I stopped and watered my horse. Tucker again drew his gun on me, and I expected him to shoot every moment, but I durst not show fear. My road lay along the mountain for some two miles. When I passed a house I would walk my horse, and sing and seem to be wholly unconcerned, but when I was out of sight I put my horse on the keen jump, and was soon safe out of Marshall County and in Rutherford. Finding an out-of-the-way place, with good blue grass and plenty of shade, I got down from my horse and returned thanks to my Father in heaven for my deliverance.

    In the afternoon-I arrived at the house of Capt. Redd, where I generally made my home. The brethren all came to welcome me back, and I related to them my experience and deliverance. A short time after this James K. Polk and Col. Jones, both candidates for the office of Governor of Tennessee, and the candidates for the Legislature, including my friend Walls, met at Murfreesborough and held a political meeting. Walls related to me the sequel of what happened with Col. Tucker. When his nephew went for his law books he permitted his horse to get sway, and was nearly ruined in the brush and grapevines while I was escaping. Col. Tucker did not blame the Justice at all, but rather sympathized with him in his misfortune. Mrs. Tucker still remained firm in her faith. The kindness of Justice Walls to me in my hour of peril was not forgotten. I spoke of it in all my meetings, and to my friends in private. And to this act of justice and humanity he owed his election, as he was elected by majority of only five votes.

    I visited the branch on Stone River and made arrangements to return to my family at Nauvoo, the City of Joseph. The two branches now numbered about sixty members. I organized a branch west of Murfreesborough, and ordained John Holt to the office of Elder. I baptized a young girl at Readysville, by the name of Sarah C. Williams, of rich parentage. She was about ten years old, and afterwards emigrated to Nauvoo, with the family of Wm. Pace. She was sealed to me in her fourteenth year, and is still with me. She is the mother of twelve children, and has been a true, faithful companion to me. I lectured at Murfreesborough for about ten days, and about the first of October, 1843, I took the steamer at Nashville for my home at Nauvoo, arriving there on the 14th at October.