Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-07-19
A FOREST FUNERAL.
The Rich Experience of a Pioneer
Preacher.
Taught Ry the side of u Little Gcave In
the Forest Ia DO the Masters work In
the Masters way-The burial and
the sermon Hy the Roadside.
IDetroit Free Prcss.l

On road that winds through miles VI
this unhroken forest scenery, on hoauti.
ful day In early summer, comes "A solitary
horscman. He has not ridden out IT one
of James novcls, as you were going to
exclaim, but has just left behind him the
wido, old-iashioned farm-houso whore ho
was born. His mothers kiss and fathers
blessing are fresh upon him. He was the
youngest and slightest of the boys at
home and no match for them ci her in la
bor or spirit. His pale face and slight
form were often subject of guoi-natured
jest whore brawn and muscle counted for
so much. Though he tried TO take his
share of the farm work he succeeded but
poorly.
lie could not plOw OF SOW, or reap
or daily tend the herd and swine,
HIS shepherd soul was othcrwhCre.
The fucks he tended were the birds
And stars that nh the folds of air.
From childhood h was "A dreamer and
heard voices, like Joan dare, calling him
to the battlefield. But the warfare lie was
to wage was spiritual SO he rode out,
not to n siege of Orleans, but tho voice
said: "Go ye into all the world and preach
the gospel" The church sanctioned the
call so he wont forth
His aivhition overloapcd the little thin .
In his way. In dreams he had brought
multtudos to the foot of the cross. He
was going to storm the world for Christ,
but he was going TO do it in his own way.
All the hardships of pioneer preachers
life lay before him. He was TO live in the
saddle, to have no settled home, to travel
muddy roads and ford swollen streams,
In nj in MI
goods His companions were to be the
rude but kind settlers, the latch strings of
whose cabins always hung out for him.
This was the frontier life that lay before
tn young preacher who rode out through
the forest. He who was not equal to do
the work at home, was he to do all this?
Aye, and much more. but he was to do il
in Gods way. In reaching after grand
results he was not to despise the day OF
small things. This first sermon and its
lesson were near at hand.
He had just reached a turn in the road
and stopped to look back on the glory of
the sunlight through the trccs, when he
hears strange sounds. First low wa | of
grief, then q shriek as of despair. Min
gled with this were the deep toned voice
Of man and the cries of children He
listened for q moment, then followed the
sound around the foot of the hill till he
came full upon the scene. In this open
ing, surrounded by tall trees, was the
strange group-the emigrants' wagon with
all their household goods. The horses,
free from the harness, were feeding on
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"nlle the evening shhh""s gathered
about them lie put iorth his hands and