The Portland daily press., 1895-06-01
HE COOKS TO PREACH.
How Capt. Allen Earns Money to Be
come Missionary.

Interesting Letter From the Probable Sue
cessor of Capt. Lanc.-He was here
why He Intends to Go to South Caro-.
lima Next Winter.
Capt. H. J. Allen, of fremont, who
was in the city, Memorial Day, and tried
Capt Lanes missionary sloop Alert,
with view to buying it, is sailor
preacher and missionary, who is desir-
Gus of continuing Capt. Lanes good
work along the Maine coast The latter
is i'll at his home in Massachusetts and
the Congregational society, that owns the
Alert, recently put her in the hands of a
Portland man to sell. Capt Allen has
recently been at work in Bangor, trying
to raise sufficient money to pay for new
missionary sloop. From Bangor last
Wednesday he wrote the following letter
for the PRESS. Since writing it he
came to Portland with the object of buy
ing the Alert Probably satisfactory
terms will be made and he will continue
Capt. Lanes work in Capt. Lanes sloop.
Bangor, May goth, 1898
Dear lr:-Yours OF 9th at hand and
contents noted. In reply will tell You
about the work that l am about to en-
gage in. When boy I began to go to
sea and worked my way from prentice
boy to mate and then to master of small
vessels Then went as steward of large
ones. Six years ago l was converted to
God and always felt that my call was to
preach the Gospel to the seafaring men
sailors and fishermen, and I have done
that on our coast of Maine and throughout
the country and God has blest my iabors
and given me many souls for my hire in
the past and 1 know that this is His work
that | am about to engage in now.
have been thinking of it for over two
years and have put it off but the Lord
would not give me any peace until took
it up and He has helped me to make
start.
/ am having built at sargentville,
Maine, by Mr.. Parker B. Billings,
sloop, 2 feet keel, and IL feet beam, 6 feet
from top of house to floor the house being
11K feet long and 10 feet wide This viii
be my home for all / have | have given
to the Lord. / gave up the Gospel work
and went to work cooking in a hotel to
earn the money to pay for the building of
the boat but the wages were SO low that
found it would take me two years to earn
the amount Seven hundred dollars will
fit me out and 1 hope that the dear Lord
will put it in some of these good peoples
hearts to give a part of it.
My wife has worked all the spring and
is working now to earn her board and
what she can to help on the work. have
no missionary society at my back. no rich
church to help me, but God will give me
and my wife health and strength to labor
on. I have had cards printed to sell at
ten cents piece to try and help me, but
it is hard work to dispose of them. /
thought perhaps could get the pastors
of the churches here to let me present my
work to their people and then offer my
have all on their hands that they can
handle. The Rev. Mr.. Penman of the
Central Congregational church here gave
me the privilege last Sabbath evening I
shall go to work cooking again the last of
this week. | can get $40 per month and
that will give me $500 by the time that
the boat is built and then I will have to
let her remain on the stocks all winter,
without some good rich man or woman
comes to my rescue. ASA =
Now / will tell you about going to
South Carolina. was there year ago
last March, as steward on vessel, and
when we loaded, up the Ashley river the
people told me that there was not school
within 20 miles and there were over 200
children without any one to teach them.
Well, my heart was moved. held three
meetings there and 13 gave their hearts
to God and they wanted me to come back
to them. Now there are lots of our north
ern vessels that go there to load and lie
off in the harbor. 1 intend to visit those
vessels, distribute tracts and religious
papers and hold gospel temperance meet
ings on board the vessels and have a
gospel temperance shore work. The boat
will be my mule team and railroad car
church and home altogether If I want
to move all will have to do is to heave
up anchor and hoist my sails and 60 I
can do better work that way than any
other way and not cost half SO much to
live.
You may ask, how do you expect to get
your living? God has provided me my
bread and water and all else He gives
will be thankfully received. I am going
to work for the Lord and he feeds the
little birds or provides the food for them,
and they scratch to get it and 1 find il
man is willing to work, God is willing to
give. Now sir, if you care to use this
letter, do so and may God bless you and
your most valuable paper is my prayer
and if it brings any good to me you will
receive my most hearty thanks.
Yours sincerely,