Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1888-01-12
Published by Request.l
A Good Pield for Missionary Work.
To TILE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND
SUNDAY SCHOOL, ELLSWORTH MAINE.

PLEASANT HILL, Tenn, Dec. 81, 81.
Dear Brethren aud Friends
Some of you will remember me as ma
tive of the noble State of Maine, a gradu
ate from Bangor Seminary and minister
in Maine and Massachusetts, and now, as
you probably know, with my family we
are missionaries on the Cumberland noun
tains of Tennessee, among that class of
people often called the poor whites"-a
white race all American born, and most of
the parents and think all the young peo-
pie loyal TO the ''old flag race which
have long lived on those mountains in
| great seclusion in the forests, and in this
| primitive condition have lived with very
fe" advantages of school or preaching.
consequently in lliteracy, few parents
knowing how TO read or write or how old
they are dwelling in rudely built log cabins,
many Of them but one room, ami some no
window, but in nearly all large families
The people are naturally sharp and
shrewd IN bargains and nearly all the old
er ones have professed TO be christians
and have been baptized at some big"
noisy. shouting, circuit riders meeting:
but their religion Is utterly divorced in
most cases from morality and does not
hinder them from lying, cheating, stealing
and sabbath breaking. So you can Judge
how much their religion does for them or
for their children who are growing up
under such influences
When we came here. oct /. 1884, care
fully surveyed the field and took note of
their condition and at once decided that
the people needed first and most of all to
have pcrmanent school established among
them. which should take all the young into
. regular course Of training, both In books /
and in the true way to live. md have the !
school peryadcd with religious influences. /
- started 10 build an academy. and by
the help of churches and SUNDAY school.
.n the North. after two full years Of hard
and -elf-drnying labor the academy stood
On III solid base finished furnished and
paid for t" the last nicklc The school at
once was removed from our pent-up school
house % The academy, and now the school
IF nine months j. going forward in most
prosperous condition with two teachers
M about seventy pupils and might have
.wice that number hal We room for stu
lentS 10 lodge and board themselves.
Ih" school has stirred up an earnest in
iutry among the natives for education
omcthjng entirely R.tr. as at first they
ccmed fast asleep on that question
very room available in log cabin or mi
ate family Is now packed with sclf-board- !
r while the multitudcs scattered all
trough these forests are Kept away for :
lcN uf dormitories Seeing this last
PrIl set about building boarding hall
ircr stories high, ~ feet long. 80 wide, :
) contain 70 rooms began without
loney. | sold COW to sf,frt the founda-
"n. soon help began to come from /
iurchcs and sunday schools Bangor !cd
ne way, I'LL now tn" hol.,e is nearly TN t
'' S77 ne outside. Expect to have it
nished and painted ID alaut two werss,
\ me ,"T and n viii VII, a. asssn nffthe goou ~ ea9
our church aud Sunday school and per t
ap, i'll ,our clty, viii lend helping hand' "
B. DOpGE.