The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-10-08
FiRsr sUNDAYmKAHsAs.

E1ESV AUNOAV VH kAHHAA.
Referring to previous article, the
reader will remember that the young
missionary was left In the historic city
Of Osawstomie, where he spent q por
ton of his first day and second night in
the territory. He was Hospitality enter
tanned at the FIRST hotel of the city, SAM
uel Geer, proprietor. There were three
or four rooms In the building, none Of |
which were finished. But the beds
were clean and fairly good, and the |
preacher slept well.
He then had two days to spend in spy
ing out the country and making ready
for the coming Sunday. He left an sp-
pointment for Sunday evening at osa-
watomie and proceeded up Pottawato-
ME creek In search of the "Squatter
Sovereigns'' who were settled along in
the timber. He called ct every cabin to
let the people know there was q preacher
in the land. Some of the people greeted
him heartily, while others gave HIM TO
understand they had no welcome toy an
itInerant missionary.
By the way, the cabin was = very
convenient dwelling. It consisted of =
room below, which was used for parlor
dining room, kitchen and spare bed
room and "loft," which was used for
general lumber and family bedroom.
One uDscquainted with their capacity
would be surprised to know how much
lumber an ingenious woman could hide
away in a loft and yet leave loom for
two or three beds.
By Saturday evening every settler on
the creek had been informed that
preacher was in the country, and would
preach at dutch" Henry's Sunday
morning and at OssAwatamle in the
evening. Among others local preacher
was found on a claim adjoining the
Sherman ranch.
The first Saturday night was spent in
the local preachers cabin. When bed
time came the local brother, his wife
and six or eight children slowed them
selves away in thu loft and left the new
preacher and two stout, kicking boys to
occupy the bed below. The reader can
imagine how sweet were the slumbers of
the "weary itinerant."
But Sunday morning came with
clouds and drizzling and q cool north
west wind. The preacher wished it
would rain and prevent the people from
turning out. Somehow he dreaded the
idea of having to preach. He was not
inspired with the hope of great success
and promised himselfto return home at
the earliest possible day. But as the
time for preaching drew near the clouds
broke away and the sunshine and cloud
shadows played alternately the rest of
the day. IL O'Clock came and the
place in the presenc of eight men one
woman and three children Dutch
Henry's house hal been selected "a the
preaching place because 1t was the lar z
est one in the neighborhood. He and
his brother. who lived with HIM were
bachelors and did not keep a very tidy
house. They we're deeply interested
during the service in a pot
OF beef and turnips which
were boiling away over the fire. Nor
than once the meeting was disturbed by
the pot boiling over. The whole ser
vice was seasoned with the rich odors
of boiling beef and turnips.
After the service was oyer, the
preacher accepted the one invitation to
dinner, which proved to be the cabin OF
James s. Dayle. Mrs. D. was a refined
southern lady and kept very neat cabin,
the old man Was an intense hater of abol-
itIonists. He and two of mis- sons. and
William Sherman, Ouch Henry's
brother, were victims of the Potawat-
ME massacre in '56, Henry was away
from home and escaped the edge of the
sword at that time. Many persons
think he was murdered a few months
afterward.
After dinner at Mr. Dayles the
preacher rode down to OsaWatamie to
fill the evening appointment. He found
about twenty persons. good congrega-
ton those days, assembled in an an un-
finished log cabin near town.
1t was dimly lighted with two candles
which were melted down In a short time
by the intruding fall winds. Under these
circumstances the fret sermon by a
Methodist was preached in Ossawato-
mic. Rev. 8. L, Adair, Congregations
al minister, who had taken a claim, had
preached once or twice before.
At the close of the sermon a debate
arose concerning the position of the
preacher on slavery question. He at last
felt constrained to strongly, if not wise
ly define his position. he did not come
to Kansaa stir up political strife, but 10
preach the gospel to all whe might hon
or him with his presence. This did not
satisfy everybody, but the people were
promised another pure gospel sermon in
three weeks.
So the first Sundy was spent in Kan
sas. What changes have taken place
along that creek and about Osawatomie
since that Sunday. VIII the next thir-
~ years witness as many changes!