The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-05-21
Home Missionary Incidents.

The experience of some of the pioneer
missionaries among the ignorant people on
our western borders, and in the dark and
neglected corners of some Of our states,
would be amusing if they we're not so
pitiful. We quote from the letter of one
of the wide.awake Sunday school mission
aries of Missouri. After mentioning
quite number of places he visited,
preaching and holding prayer-meetings,
he says:
Visited E, a small village about
twenty-five miles northwest of Spring
field (Mo.). Preached in room over a
stors. Had the promise of new school
house for winter use. In the absence of
blackboard l tackled sheet of brown
paper to the wall, and gave the children
an outline exercise on the Homes and
Journeys of Jesus. Found boys who did
not know that Jesus Christ is a person.
They supposed that the name was simply
swearing word Also visited c.,
where there are about half.a-dozen
houses, two stores and one saloon. The
original settlers of southern Missouri
mostly came from Tennessee some forty
or fifty years ago. Those who stayed in
the mountains are very poor. Frequently
a family, comprising grandparents, mar
ried brothers and sisters aud their chill
dren, all live together in the original log
cabin built years ago. Many of them
cannot read or write, and have seen
scarcely any one but their neighbors.
One man told me that when he was a boy
the republican and democratic armies had
scrimmage near by. He supposed that
the war was simply an election quarrel
such as is familiar in the south.
cat this place, c., after Sunday
afternoon meeting for young people, they
all adjourned to an open space and played
'Snap and catch 'em till dark. They
came in from the little farms around, and
wishing to remain till evening service,
suppose they knew not what else to do.
The room was packed by forty people at
night. had just room for standing
Immediately in front of me was mother
who had contest with her weaving baby.
During the whole service the little fellow
refused to be oomforted in any but his
own way, which his mother would not
consent to. Some of the preachers can
not read. One preacher near c. ex-
changed with brother from distance.
The latter began by saying:
Brethrin, amt no larnin'. can't
read in the Bible nor what they call a
grammer, nor dictionary, or any other
dead language "a book is called dead
language because it produces no audible
sound). But, brethrin, I've hearn tell of
a passage of Scripter' what tells of goin'
to heaven in calvus. o brethrin, don't
you want to 60 to heaven with me in a
calvus p
"Amen,' responded an ardent brother.
"Now, my brethrin, mebbe you want
to know what calvus is. Wal, can't
'zackly describe it, but, my brethrin, l
think it suthin' like one-horse buggy.
think so cause it tells bout lesdin' forth
out of the stall. An that's what you do
with horse, amt it? An as a calvus
amt saddle, l think it must be buggy.
o my brethrin, wont you jine me? BY
the eye of my faith see myself a.ridin'
along the highway of Zion in calvus.
The preacher reiterated this description,
and exhorted till he was out of breath.
=" In the audience was quite an intelli-
gent man, reputed infdel. During a
pause he arose and said:
"'Mr. Preacher, you are wild on that
AR text; calves don't spell calvus, it
spells calves, an pretty figure you'd cut
ridin' to heaven on calf
"My informant said that the Interrupt
ton 'spiled the meetin'.' The illiterate
preacher had heard quoted Malachi iv
2."-Boston Watchmdn.