The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-03-12
TELLING THE TRUTH.
The Mountain Whites of the South
An Interesting Article and Some
Comments Thereon.
(Charlotte Observer.l

tain Whites of the South" by the
Rev. w. Bryan, D. D. 1t was deliv
cred at the Church of the Covenant,
Chicago, of which DR.. Bryan is pastor,
on the occasion of the concert Of
prayer for missions, for December,
1895. DR.. Bryan will be remembered
as the former pastor of the First Pres
byterian church at Asheville, whence
he afterward went to Cincinnati, and
then to Chicago.
The lecturer first protests against
certain gross msstatements, regarding
the "mouutain whites OF the South,
which have found their way into
Northern publications, and endorses
this language of the Baltimore Sun
in refu,ation of such misstatements:
Sectlonallsts who desire to create for
themselves a field of operations and an
income in a charming and healthful
Southern climate, not intrequently
write very touching articles for the
Northern press on the deplorable con-
dition of the ''mountain whites of the
South and the need Of mission work
among them. Such persons in descrip-
tiOns of life among the mountains Of
western North Carolina aud east Ten
nessee, ''ple on the agony" in mar
velous manner. Sometimes they do it
with all utter disregard for the truth.
They represent the exception to be the
rule, and picture scenes and conditions
common enough in parts OF the North
and West, perhaps, large cities as well
as country places; but very rare among
the people of the Appalachian region
of the South. One would think from
their accounts that the Southern noun
tains were swarming with cavedwellers.
The aim seems to be to perpetuate the
idea of that class of philanthropsts
who find a peculiar pleasure i'll con-
templating poverty, ignorance and deg
radtion in the South since the civil
war.
Defining the terms "mountaln
whites" in its broadcast sense, DR.. Bry-
an says it properly includes all the
white people living in the mountains
of the South. 1t takes in the Appal-
achian or Allegheny range, extending
from Pennsylvania through Mary
land, West Virginia, North Carolina,
Tennessee. South Carolina, Georgia and
Alabama, a region of about 500 miles
long and $50 wide, including 1874
counties, with a population in 1890
of 2,657,497. "Withln this section"
continues the lecturer, care such towns
as Winchester, Staunton, Charlottes-
! VILE, Lexington, Wythevlle and Bris-
tol, Virginia; Asheville, Henderson,
vile, Morganton, North Carolina; !;
Greenville, Spartanburg, Abbeville,
South Carolina, and Knoxville in cas-
tern Tennessee.
In cities and towns there is rep
resented to-day the Thrift and culture
and the piety of the New S 'u:h. Col
| leges, universities. female seminaries,
banks, cotton mills, and railroad Gen.
,ers are all to be found within this
region
These people are shown to be of the
same STOCK as those of wertern Penn
sylvania, the hardy, enduring, liberty
loving, God revering Scolch-lrith race.
| There are no more intelligent nor cul-
tured people in the United States. If
Dr. Bryan had had the time or space
he might have shown that in the State
of North Carolina some of her ablest
men were mountalneers, notably ex-
United States Senator Thomas l..
Cllngman; the late David l.. Swain,
Governor and president of the Univer-
sl,y; the late Augustus S. Merrlmon,
Unithd States Senator and Chief JUS
tice Of the State Supreme Court, and
the late Zebulon B. Vance, the greatest
"War Governor" of the South, and
United States Senator, and who takes
rank in history as North Carolina S
most distinguished son. From his
Presbyterial point of view DR.. Bryan
notes the fact that it is in these noun
tain regions that the ministry OF the
Presbyterian Church is largely re-
cruited.
Bat the main portion of this inter
estng lecture we have under review Is
devoted "to those really designated by
this most unfortunate term'-to the
poverly-stricken, unlettered, degener-
ated perhaps, but not degraded, peo-
pie, who live upon our rugged noun,
tain sides, and who almos, daily stand
upon some heaven-pointing peak.
without feeling their nearness TO Crea-
tor, while we, who have been taught &c
worship God through nature, rever.
emily feel, when we occasionally find
ourselves among tie eternal hills
,ha, if we only stand tip-toe we may
almost reach eternal life. Says the
lecturer:
Various efforts have been made tC
discover distinctive history of thi:
class of mountain people. They have
been said to be the descendants of tht
lost tribes of Israel. They have alst
been said to be the defendants of out
laws, who in the mountain fastnesse'
have sought and found security. The,
are also said to be descendants o
pioneers from the older settlement:
along the coast. And once more, the,
are said to be Of Scotch-Irish character
istics. The first Of these efforts ma,
perhaps be safely dismissed along will
the various other efforts current to
day concerning the lost tribes. Th'
second of these efforts surely viii
never be advanced by anyone wish
: ing well to these mountain people
, without absolute proof; for even noun
tain people don't relish the thought tba