The Portland daily press., 1895-10-19
CALL TO BACK TOWNS.
Farmer York Was Moving When the
Call Came.
Interesting Account of the Rev. S. s. York
a Maine NTissionary.-His Extraordln-
ary Devotion and Labors.


At the Tuesday evening prayer meeting
Of the Second Parish church this week.
one of the missionary reports then pre-
sented was in the form of a letter from
Mr.. James W. Parker. Of the Berlin
Mills Company, who passes much OF his
time at Berlin Mills. His letter made
the following interesting statement cop
oerning Rev. s. S. York. missionary for
Oxford county, Me-, and Coos country,
N H:
Mr. York is about 90 years old. He
was formerly a farmer and very ID
genious man, good carpenter, piack-
smith and general mechanic. He was
converted when about % years old. He
used to attend the conference and be-
came very much interested in regard TO
what ought to be done in the back towns
where they had no preaching or religious
services.
About IA years ago, when Mr.. York
was about As gyears old, while moving
one day, the call seemed to come to him
to go out and do missionary work in the
back towns. He entered upon the work
Immediately, all alone and with no back
ing whatever. The first two years he
received box of goods and 50 in cash
from pr. Fenn's church in Portland and
q few other presents. The next two
years, he received about $40 He tavelled
on foot or with team and the people fed
and took care of him.
About II years ago Mr.. York asked of
the Bangor Theological seminary. the
privilege of going there for q few months
in the winter. They did not allow it,
claiming that he was not properly edu-
Gated for the ministry. Later on, how
IL, Of pnp Mr IN
and Prof. Stanley Of Bates college, he
was admitted to the seminary for few
months free of charge.
Mr.. York is member of the Congre-
gational church of Wilton. Me-. For the
last ten years, the Maine Missionary So
ciety and Oxford county conference have
paid him from $3.50 toS400 per year. Last
year New Hampshire helped him little:
When he started out he had small
farm and had reared a family of seven
children, five of whom are living. He
has had much sickness in his family ana
says that he has lost more than 1000
nights sleep, because OF this sickness.
During this time he has built himself
comfortable home, chiefly with his own
hands He has been injured twice. break
ing ribs both times, but carried an accl-
dent policy on which he received $95. For
the last two years, he has not been able
to keep up his policy. Last fall, for the
first time he was square with the world,
having been in debt all his life Last
summer his son, "a years old, was taken
with appendicitis, which cost his father
nearly $400.
/ will here insert sample of Mr..
York's work Last Thursday, preached
at Magalloway Plantation Saturday
night, held meeting at Wilson'S Mills,
and Sunday morning at Magalloway; Z
p. M. Sunday at Drummer, n. H., ID
miles from Enrol; Monday, attended a
funeral. Tuesday night. held another meet
ing as before For six months he has
preached an average of five sermons a
week, and twice has held nine meet ng 8
in eight different towns in one week.
When the Canadian Pacifcs.railroad was
being built, he travelled onsfoot, in win
ter, along the line for two winters. His
feet were frost bitten.
When / met him and ssgot this informa-
tion, he was on his way to Wilton, Me-,
onsaccount of very lame knee, the re-
suit of small cut which he received last
winter and from getting cold in the same
by getting into the water on his way to
attend % funeral at the time of the great
freshet last spring. Many times he has
started out on his trips with scarcely any
money, sometimes with less than 25 cents
in his pocket. Still he has been able to
get around without begging.
/ can truly say from the experience Of
my own in travelling among these people
and meeting Mr. York, myself, that he is
the right man in the right place. Mr..
York feels very much burdened by this
debt, because of his son Stiffness, that
rests upon him and would feel very CRATE
ful~for any help which Christian people
could give him to assist in his present
distress"
After the reading of this letter by
Rev. Mr.. Hack, collection was taken
up for MIR. York.