New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-20
SUNDAY SCHOOLS IN THE WEST.

To He Editor C ne " J. IvbpHs
SIR: | am permitted TO copy letter Just received
from a missionary Of the American Sunday School
Urion in Indiana for two gentlemen Of this city con-
trlbutpg to hi. support. ! Think you will agree with
that it presents graphic picture OF the pioneer and
mission airy life in the settlements of the West.
koen, the hm S. s. Cn,on No 80 Chaneui street JGa'
vGrys 1851
"AUBURS, De Kalb Co, Ind Jan. 81, 1851.
"MyssRs- Sirs: As missionary OF the
American Sunday-School Union 1 am requested, by
the Secretary Of Mssions TO write you quarterly lei
ters az ZONE small acknowledgment Of your hberality
in contributing to the funds of that noble institution.
Permit me, therefore, to Introduce myself 10 you a.
one Of the early settlers Of this part OF Indiana.
Nearly twenty years ago, when boy, not yet
seventeen years OF age e the place of my nativity
Franklin County Pennsylvania and Travelled alone
10 this county, Northern Indisna was then an almost
unbroken Wilderness into which, however, the tide of
emigration was rapidly pouring. The worst part OF my
Journey was performed on foot. In this way came
from Dayton, OHIO: crossing the famous black
Swemp, ON the old Military 1ract-.omeumes trav.
cling many miles without seeing house or the face OF
a human being From Fort Wayne to the termination
of my journey hac 10 road at al-the 81. JotePh
River being my only guide. found the country WIN,
out roads mills stores, villages schools, churches and
preaching, and almost without inha6ltann-although
they were rapidly coming in.
1.-The face of the country was covered with heavy
timber; sometimes il was broken by marines some
time. full Of thick tangled brush sometimes with stately
taarsck Ia tree resembling the spruce, but not
evergreen, and sometimes open as meadoS coVereu
tall coarse Here and there also, the tili
forest was broken by small clearing around lit e
round log cabin with floor Of puncheon door and
chamber floor of clapboaIds; window III any com.
posed of creased paper, and chimney OF sucxs ana
mud, with furniture to match, viz table OF puncheon
or clapboards stools of puncheon bedseads OF round
% Ies with the bark shaved of If the owner was par
tcularly tasty and chests and bureaus OF the rough
stope boxes in which their goods we're brought iron
the East or Of clapbcards laid rough pins drives
into anger holes in the round-log walls The hrst SIX
yeaIe Of life In Indiana were spent IN clearing land
and in digging among the green rosfs TO rare the
pectssary crops, during the Summer and IN teaching
school during three or four of the last Winters. Ny
schoolhou of the same description AZ the cabins
of the settlers; and school bills paid IN almost
everything imaginable that the settlers could possibly
spare
:" Amer those elk years were past, | entered the
ministry and for Elk years more raversed nifty coun-
ties in Indiana from the swsmps Of the extreme north
10 the hills in the vicinity OF the Ohio
During those six years l never IN one year, re-
ceived more than SlC0 for my ministerial labors,
though having small family to support nearly all the
time. The settlers, being poor ana subject often 10
long and distressing sickness, were really unable to
give much more and the remainder OF our scanty sup
port had to be supplied from the labor OF my hands and
those of my excellent and beloved wife.
"For The last seven years have been permanently
.ettled in th. county where first resded. M time
has been spent mostly in sunday school abon or in the
work of the ministry When | returned here. Sunday
rchCol were, like angels visits few and Tar between
These I, were mostly struggling for existence against
the poverty which prevented the procuring OF neces
sary books and information.
perhaps near 200 schools have been organized
directly or indirectly through my agency, over some
nine or ten counties in this State and north werterl
Ohio and more than these visited or assisted that for
mery had languishiug existence.
MANY of the new schoos were formed IN the most
destitute neghborhoods and often proved harbnges
of preaching, revivss churches, houses for worship
and all the ordinary blessings Of Christianity But
sl there is ROOM and still the cry Is Come over and
help u.s. Surely there is no way OF doing greater
auouL OF good with the means than in the estab
lshment and encouragement OF the Sunday school in
.tuton as far 5 possible in rly neshborhood.'
Now, Sir, thi. is specimen OF letters received from
the missionaries Of the American Sundsy-schoo mon
at the West, by whose necessary lasors more than
, 800 new Sunday School, were organized last year
having some 1900 teachers and 10000 pupils
Ou.ht such an institution to be crippled by the waat
Of means Are any abOs so hopeful as tho.e for the
Young VIII not the wise and good, the wealthy and
liberal re,pond s.. s'as.