An
Experience of Morris Wilson, Jr. While in the Mission Field
Kershaw
County, South Carolina 20 August 1897
For
six or eight weeks men had been working together to organize a mob to drive us
out of the state. Many threats were made
and the homes of some of the saints were visited and threatened with violence
if they let us stay with them.
The
Church had burned down in Fairfield County.
We had five Sunday Schools to look after so we kept moving from place to
place and kept out of the way of the mob.
On the above
date, the Methodists were holding a Sunday School convention at their church
about a half mile away from where we had a number of Saints and a Sunday School
organized. They learned that we were
there, and about 11 o’clock at night they came to the home of Brother James
Dixion, broke the door down, and about 35 men rushed into our room, drawing
their guns and pistols on us. They
ordered us out of bed. We got up and
dressed. Two men took a hold of me and
two took a hold of Elder Behrmann, and marched us into the woods. There they gathered around us, and the leader
of the mob told all of those present to take a good look at the Mormons.
I tried to
talk to them, but they would not listen.
They had two leather straps about 2 ½ inches wide and 6 to 7 feet long,
with which to whip us.
The two who
held the straps asked me to take off my clothing. As I was warning them regarding their
proposed actions, they started to whip me over the head. I knelt down and four men grabbed me and took
my clothing off my body. When they came
to my garments, they examined them closely, but made no attempt to remove them. They took hold of my hands and feet and
stretched me out on the ground, while the two men whipped me until they were
satisfied. Then, two more men took the
straps and satisfied their hatred. Thus,
six men poured out their vengeance upon me.
Then, came
Elder Behrmann’s turn, and they ordered him to remove his clothing, which he
did, leaving the garments on. As in my
case, they did not remove them.
As they were
whipping him, I lay on the ground not far away, looking at them, when a big ruffian
struck me with his fist over my temple.
This is the only time that the spirit of anger came upon me, and I
doubled up my fist to hit him, but in a moment that anger left me, and I smiled
at him and said, “Oh, you poor wretch,” and he left.
When they
finished whipping Elder Behrmann, they came back to me and said, “This is the
one you want to whip, as the kid will go wherever he takes him.” So they stretched me out on the ground and
whipped me again.
The leader
then asked if we would leave the state.
I told him yes, but did not say when.
Then, a voice said to me, “Forgive
these men.” I stood up and a power
came over me so sweet and peaceful and I said, “Men, we forgive you for what
you have done tonight, and we will ask God to forgive you.” They then fled, cursing and in a moment we
stood alone.
Just then
Brother Dixion (in whose home we were staying) came. He being absent from the home when the mob
overtook us.
The power of
the Lord was with us and gave us strength.
We were perfectly calm, and no fear was upon us. They tried to hurt us with all the power they
possessed, but we were protected by the power of the Lord.
The next
morning we arose from our beds and felt no ill effects from our experience. The people were surprised and the Saints
rejoiced with us for the gift of God in our behalf.
