The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-08-10
in THE MOUNTAINS.
Miss Spencer. n Home Missionary,
Tells Of Her Life Work In
WEST vIRGINIA'S MOUNTAINS.
Tho People OF the undsvcloptd Regions
Arc Rough aud uncou,ih, but Naturally
Good Hearted nnd IIonst-Appaiiing
Ignorance OF ChrIsi's Word In tho
Mountains Instances or this CITED by
tho spenkrr-Amother Meeting To. night.

"
Last evening the Second Presbytcr-
ian church was well filled with n very
attentive congregation, made up prln-
cIpally OF the fair sex, members OF the
Woman's Home Missionary Society OF
the three Presbyterian churches and
the Kings Daughters. The weather
was warm enough to keep down the
attendance. but despite this there was
n general tirn ant or mnmh.ru NJ ,be
soot,,L,,
MISC VI. u. Spencer, who Is engaged
In the home missions In tho lowrr nnrt
~ IA, ,,,,o ,, -. ,u.
was r'eSeh'' "'" ne''Nti
eu II very interesting lecture on the
work that Is being conducted in the
mountain r,yInry a, ,bi. v,,,o rbo
,,1,, l., 49,,
't"S 10 ''S"'cu at lawson anu travels
all over that district In her cndcavor
TO reach the unconvcrtcl mnunto inccrs
pe, r,e.,h c.. ~, -. ,ha
'''V'" "P'V'' 'He p"s'o' W 'uer
SECOND church, opened the services
with prayer and rcsl n passnge from
ttDI'g yDfI nfInr whtnh hn Intr,I,,nnI
~. ""'e" ''
'"c speaker OF tue evening
Miss Spenccr's talk was brief and
was a resume oF tbc work. NJ n mIss;on.
>" " "' "'o"'''a''i'' o"e 'o' VI
many experiences she had while going
about among Il class OF people OF which
thr wor,1 a, Iorr. Lan, 90 mn, WA,
Nv" 81
"V' S"c mas u cu-worker' VINO IaheS
the district below her In the state and
between them they ltraverSe the Wild
est country In the state.
She told OF many families she had
visited that were not able TO read or
write and of their willingness to learn.
She had entered a cabin of one noun
taineer who was the father OF four
children. all OF whom were az ign0r-
ant of the bible as IL It never existed.
The mother, who was raised In the
mountains, had heard from her mother
the story OF Christ, but had almost for
gotten II. and when Miss Spencer re-
peated II TO her II was almost n reyc-
lation. The rough and hardy father
listened In wondcrment and they were
anxious to learn more OF the wonderful
story. The Oldest daughter, aged NJ
teen years. and the children all, except
the little thrcr-year-Old tot. learned to
read from the teachings OF these good
women and are at present, with their
parents, members OF the PRESBYTERIAN
church.
Unfortunately. the pastors Of the
churches in that section OF the state
have never conducted affairs as they
should. and there are no churches
closer than Charleston, where the
| mountaineers must go to worship God
II they desire TO do so publicly, The
Presbyterians Intend. however. TO cs-
tabllsh churches all through the noun
tains and In a short lime good results
may be looked for.
Miss Spencer told Of another family
which had never known much about
Christ and His dying for sinners. and
when she told them why Christmas
was celebrated In the church, they w-re
surprised and said that they had al
ways thought Christmas was the same
kind OF a day as the Fourth Of Julv and
| had celebrated Il with the anvil and
| nre-crackcrs.
The people OF the mountains" soI al
Miss Spencer, ARE hospitabla and gem
| erOus To Il fault. and nj no limo h,ve
| or my co-worEcr eyer boon in Wood
Of shelter or ANYTHING TO ont They orc
al! good hearted wh5le-souIcd nronla
and when treated right they viii re-
turn the Kindness ten-fold. They nre
all willing and anxious Ia learn and
after they do. they are OF the best char
| acter In tho world"
She spoke OF their origin and soi5
that the majority of them We're ~
| Scotch-Trish descent. and /, Is tho drtv
| Of the Presbyterian church rsncriolIy
10 look after their welfare Their IT,.
| norance is entirely duc IA tha lack q,
education and nothing else Tn
| schools, which nre few and far no
tween. were formerly omen but thrsc
months in the year. but now they are
| open Ave mnn;hs Trbn tn,c,crs ~
| now. highly cJrrotod ,1ga 81
The peOplr ur tho mountains ~ va,
| OF a roaming dlsnosit Am and ,haw ,jyc
roiya iii. ..,tu.. ~ - ~