110 Sioux City Academy of Science and Letters. 
sent suddenly to each by a messenger telling them they 
were commanded to go instantly, just as they were, to 
the places named to them and to take no money. 
Take two instances, as related by two of the parties 
afterward. Rowland Cobb, about 70 years old, one of the 
chief stewards, was coming home from towards the Mis- 
souri river with a load of lumber, and was met by a mes- 
senger from Thompson, telling him he was commanded 
by the Lord to start without an instant’s delay, without 
money or change of clothing, and go to Virginia I think 
it was, to the Legislature in session there, and pronounce 
the vengeance of the Lord upon them if they did not free 
the slaves. Cobb at once gave his team to Thompson’s 
messenger to take home, and started across the country 
on his mission and actually went to Virginia, and deliv- 
ered his message to the state officers. They treated him 
decently, and from his dress and the strangeness of his 
mission evidently thought him insane, or what we would 
now call a crank, and most likely from his relation of it 
afterwards he had himself lost faith in the likelihood of 
his mission being successful. 
He then wrote Thompson for permission to visit his 
old home at Elliottville, N. Y., where he had been once 
a leading business man. He got such permission in due 
time, and made the visit, and while there received a let- 
ter from J.J. Perrin, one of the leading stewards of 
Preparation, which indicated that all was not harmo- 
nious there, and Cobb at once hastened home. 
Another chief man, Thomas Lewis, a well educated 
and intelligent man, originally from Kentucky and very 
devout, who was ploughing in the field, had taken off his 
boots and stockings, coat and vest, and left them at one 
end of the field, was met by a messenger from Thompson 
with the same command for Kentucky that Cobb had for 
Virginia, and he at once started instantly in his straw 
hat, shirt and pants, without crossing back to get his 
other clothes, and without money, went to the Kentucky 
Legislature. His advent seems to have been regarded as 
a huge joke, and the members of the Legislature and 
state officers treated him with mock distinction. He was 
allowed to address the Legislature either in or out of 
official session. They got up a supper for him; raised 
quite a purse with which they got him new clothes, and 
