Before he had left Mount Carmel and split from the rest of the branch divinity and organization,

Vernon Wayne Howell had spent years living with and among them.

He had befriended and grown close with several, dating back to the time before he'd come

forward with prophetic visions from God in 1983.

Among the individuals he'd grown rather close to was Perry Jones, a longtime dividian who

had more than ten children living at Mount Carmel.

Perry had become a supporter of Vernon when he had come forward with his serpents route

Bible studies.

He later recalled to the Waco Tribune Herald, we accepted that Vernon Howell had a prophetic

message, all of us except George that is.

Perry Jones was one of the followers that had gone with Vernon after he had been driven

out by George Roughton in 1985.

But for good reason, you see the year prior, Perry Jones had given Vernon permission to

marry his 14 year old daughter, Rachel.

Shortly thereafter she had gotten pregnant.

Just a handful of years removed from having nothing in his life, including purpose, Vernon

Howell now had almost everything he'd ever wanted.

The purpose, goals, family, a wife, and soon a child.

But there was one thing he had always craved and never been able to find, save for in short

burst, stability.

Ever since being evicted from Mount Carmel, Vernon and his followers had been moving around

central Texas, trying to find a place to establish themselves.

...