The water kept deepening until the horses began to swim. The water came into the wagon box, and we stood upon the seat. As we stood there, the water came half way to the tops of our boots. The swift current twirled one of the end boards out of the wagon box, and what would come next? It looked very much as if we would have to swim in the cold water. Just then the water became shallower, and soon the horses struck bottom, and we came out all right. When we reached the long bridge across the outlet, we found a large share of it had fallen flat upon the water, and there were rods of water between the far end of it and the dry land. I met a man on the bridge who said he had poled himself from the shore to the bridge on a flat stick of timber. I took his pole and stick of timber and was soon on terra firma.

That evening a goodly number were present, and we had a good meeting, and I was happy to be able to fill my appointment, and speak an encouraging word to God's children. After a few days I was joined by Brother Ellis, and we went on to Milford. The distance was about thirty miles over a vast rolling prairie. About midway between Tenhassen and Milford lived a Brother Crumb. We invariably stopped there, going and coming, for rest and refreshments. So his place was appropriately termed Crumb Station. At Estherville, we found the bridge across the Des Moines River carried away, and we crossed in a small boat. There was a great hole in the mill. The water had thrust a great cake of ice clear through it. The place looked desolate enough.

In the new earth there will be no such scenes of destruction. May the happy change soon come!

We held a series of meetings with the Milford church, encouraged them what we could in the way of holiness unto the Lord, had a baptism in the lake Okebogee, and started on foot for Tenhassen. Thus, in weariness and painfulness, was the cause built up in those early days.

St Peter Summer, 1881

The following summer Elder Ellis and myself held tent meetings in St. Peter. The interest was not great; but some embraced the present truth, and were baptized. One hot, sultry day, as I was preparing to write letters, a couple of men entered the tent. I invited them to be