| 96 purpose of attending to the confirmation of those who had been the same morning baptized. The time appointed had arrived, and our friends had nearly all collected together, when to my surprise I was visited by a constable, and arrested by him on a warrant, on charge of being a disorderly person; of setting the country in an uproar by preaching the Book of Mormon, etc., etc. The constable informed me (soon after I had been arrested) that the plan of those who had got out the warrant was to get me into the hands of the mob, who were now lying in ambush for me; but that he was determined to save me from them, as he had found me to be a different sort of person from what I had been represented to him. I soon found that he had told me the truth in this matter, for not far from Mr. Knight's house the wagon in which we had set out was surrounded by the mob, who seemed only to await some signal from the constable; but to their great disappointment he gave the horse the whip and drove me out of their reach. Whilst driving along pretty quickly one of the wagon wheels came off, which left us, once more, very nearly surrounded by them, as they had come on, in close pursuit. However, we managed to get the wheel on again and again left them behind us. He drove on to the town of South Bainbridge, Chenango County, where he lodged me for the time being, in an upper room of a tavern, and in order that all might be right with himself and with me also, he slept during the night with his feet against the door and a loaded musket by his side, whilst I occupied a bed which was in the room, he having declared that if we were interrupted unlawfully, that he would fight for me and defend me as far as in his power.
"On the day following a court was convened for the purpose of investigating those charges which had been preferred against me. A great excitement prevailed on account of the scandalous falsehoods which had been circulated, the nature of which will come out in the sequel.
"In the meantime my friend, Joseph Knight, had repaired to two of his neighbors, viz.: James Davidson and John Reed, Esqrs., (respectable farmers, men renowned for their integrity, and well versed in the laws of their country,) and
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