For the Messenger and Advocrte.

Hickman county, Tenn. June 28, 1836.

This evening, while meditating upon  the variegated scenes of human exist ence, the ever fluctuating current of  mortal life, which sometimes threatens  to overwhelm the way-wandering sons  of men like an irresistible torrent, and  hurry them to an untimely grave, while  far separated from those who are bound  by the dearest ties of consanguinity,  my mind flits back to those happy sea sons I have enjoyed in Kirtland, in the  society of my brethren and friends.— The loss of this society is more than  usually impressed on my mind from a  combination of circumstances which  have transpired since I last wrote.

On the return of brother [David W.] Patten and  myself from Clarks river, to brother  [Seth] Utley’s, we were informed that many  of the citizens of that county (Benton)  and some of the citizens of Carroll  county, had met in convention, headed  by a Methodist priest, who was called  to the chair, and the County Clerk ap pointed Secretary. They drew up re solutions to drive all the “Mormon”  (Latter Day Saint) preachers from  their coast. These resolutions were  signed by the Sheriff and many who  are sworn to be civil peace officers, to  suppress all riots and unlawful assem blies and support and defend the con stitution of the United States and of the  state of Tennessee; also military offi cers who are sworn to do the same.— From Colonels and Majors down thro’  all the grades of officers, enrolled their  names, with this lawless banditti, to  abuse the servants of the living God,  by abridging their privileges and tramp ling upon their rights.

We enjoyed our meeting unmolest ed at br. Utley’s, on Saturday the 19th  inst. although almost every breeze  brought us news that the mob intended  to carry their resolutions into effect,  and that some hundreds had entered  into this conspiracy. In the afternoon,  a little before sunset, a company of  some forty or fifty men made their ap pearance, some on foot, others mount ed two on a horse, with guns, sticks,  clubs, &c.; they were led by a Sheriff,  Colonel, first and second Major, with  some other officers, and a Methodist  priest, with a gun on his shoulder.

The Sheriff informed us that he had  a States’ warrant for D. W. Patten,  W[arren] Parrish, and W[ilford] Woodruff; issued [p. 365]