Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1874-03-21
Twenty Dollar Cb urches
BY REV. C. ). sToDDARD, D. D.

Far out In Northern Michigan there
lives man whose life is spent in doing
good to his fellow men. He is mis-
sfonary in the best sense of the word.
He knows how to preach to the settlers
on the frontier better than our eloquent
city clergymen. He can swing an axe
with the best 1umberman that ever
felled tree. He can make fifty miles a
day on foot through the woods with
heavy pack on his back, sleep with a
log for his pillow and boughs for his
bed, and dream of Jacobs ladder with
the angels of God ascending and de-
scending around his Bethel. Five SER
vices on Sunday and fourteen miles of
walking to conduct them, only help
him to sleep sound in the healthful pine
wood air, and he rises early on Monday
with keen appetite for work. Every
man, woman and child in three counties
knows him. and many of them have
great reason to bless him. Last year he
gathered one hundred and thirty-five
Sunday schools, large part of which
are now self-sustaining, and churches
have already grown out of some of
them.
A few Sabbaths ago this missionary
stood in one of our city churches and
told the simple story of his daily and
Sunday life in Michigan, to a congrega-
ton, many of whom were children.
His tall form rose nearly seven feet
above the platform, his long fingers
clasped around the hymn-book, and the
keen eye which had often followed the
hunters trail, took in the whole scene
at glance. He told of emigrants most
ly from the eastern part of our own
land, who came into the woods with
only what could be carried on their
backs, and for the first two or three
years never had dollar of money, who
would yet come regularly to a Sunday
school in the woods, and give out of
their poverty days chopping to build
a log school house or church. He spoke
of children, who in scanty neighbor-
hood, made and brought bushel of
cakes of maple sugar to pay for the door
and windows, and nails and shingles.
which had to be bought with money be-
fore the church could be finished; and
then he drew the picture of the Sunday
school organized in the pine woods,
with 150 members, the whole population
of the district, classes of stout lumber
men in their shirtsleeves, young men
and women, boys and girls. and the
1sinfant class" composed of seven moth
ers with their babies in their, arms. In
brought tears to eyes unused to weep, he
told of men who had failed in the east
and had come into the woods to hide
from the sight of their fellows, and die
lonely and forgotten, how he had found
them out, clothed and brought them into
Sunday school, revived in their hearts
the ambition and self-respect which
seemed to have died out of their natures,
and put them, by the influences of relig-
ion, morality and friendship, on the
high road to prosperity. and in more
than one instance to wealth. For two
hours, grown people and children lis
tened eagerly to the plain, earnest
speech of this good man, whose tender
ness and simplicity seemed wonderful
in a man of SO large frame, and whose
life had been passed in rough and
wild country.
When his speech was done, those who
had heard him describe the building OF
churches in the woods. and how for ev.
cry twenty dollars in money one rustic
place of worship could be reared and
dedicated free from debt, to the service
of God, crowded around him with t1leil
offerings, and the good man went away
leaving blessing, and carrying gift
enough to build several new churches
in his far forest home. We would glad
ly welcome this Sunday school mission
ary every year, and if twenty dollars ir
money will build church for such
preacher. we will guarantee the forma
tion of cheap church erection society
in every congregation that listens to hi
words.