The Indianapolis journal., 1893-06-26
YESTERDAY In THE PULPIT
Rev. Wright Talks of the Life of the
Mountaineers of the Sonth.
Bishop BrOOke's Appeal for Aid in Episcopal
Church Work in Oklahoma-Sermon
by Rev. W. +. Taylor.
POOR WHITES IN THE SOUTH.

Rev. e. c. Wright Describes the Life of the
Mounsaineers of Tennessee and Kentucky.
Rev. Z. c. Wright. of the American Mis-
sionary Society. spoke at Plymouth Church,
last night. on the mountain dwellers OF
Kentucky and Tennessee. Rev. Wright Is
from Cleveland. and has been doing mis-
slonary work in that part of the country
for several years. In opening his remarks
he said that he did not intend to mention
the work of the society which he repre-
sented In q general way. but particularly
among the inhabitants of that region in
Kentucky and Tennessee which is inhab-
tied by the poor white population. A gen.
ersI picture of these people was given from
the scenes which he had witnessed
recently, he said. at college
commencement in little town
which just bordersd this territory.
Ii was q great day or the surrounding
country. and the people living up in the
mountains came in to see the sights to the
number of about fifteen hundred. Some
had teams which might consist OF mule
and horse. q pair of oxen. mule and an
OK, or most any other nondescript animal.
Many rode horseback. Sometimes there
was one person on the horse and sometimes
there were four. just as the wealth of the
family would permit. Their clothing was
of the roughest and scantiest character.
and nearly all of the men carried re-
volver in his hip pocket. No liquor was
allowed so be sold In the village,
but that deficiency was overcome by
many o'nE Illicit dsssrls. whsR IS% et.s ns
In the mountains. and which would be both
hard and unsafe TO hunt after. he said
that about one-half of the population of
the district was Of English descent. one
third of it Scotch-lrish and the rest of it
French Huguenot with few scattering
The principal evidence of the fact that the
people were of these deseents was that they
do not know what q Catholic church is.
and all the religion that there is is of q
Protestant nature.
Churches and schools. be said. were few
and very far between. and were In the
main but log shanties OF miserably con-
structed buildings. Church was usually
held about once q month and the preaching q
was OF character In conformity with the
churches. The people have been steadily
going back for the past three generations.
very few OF them knowing how TO read
and write and all of them living in
q from.hanc-to-mouth sort of style. and
their ministers are generally men who
work for q living. and who are as illiterate
as those whom they sought TO instruct
been pointed out TO him as q man of un-
usual education. He said that it was
doubtful if be could read or write. and, in
starting out with his sermon. began it in
the following style: Pm pear on to sew
enty year cid. and won't be here to preach
to you much longer. You'll find my text
between the lids of the BIble and when
you get home you can look for it." And
then quoted some passages of Scripture
which the speaker said he had never heard
before.
Dr.. Wright said that this country was
rapidly being developed by Northern CAPT.
tai and business enterprise. and that now
was the time for the churches to introduce
theTeligion of Christ and Christian educa-
tion. He said that while the contact with
the outer world was an education of itself,
still it was apt to be of a kind that would
draw them away from religion rather than
- it. As an instance of that he spoke of
the drunken debaucheries of the men who
are employed IN the mines which have re-
Gently been opened in Tennessee, and said
that very often the introduction of new in
dustries meant the introduction, also. of
new vices and crimes. He said that there
are about 2 100000 people in the district
and that the present work which is being
done among them ought to be increased
tenfoId.