The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1901-07-26
Coming Home From Memphis.
Continued from last week. }

IreSDyteTldn CuuICu NilelC ocl NiSCo NOiO
held on Sabbath morning aud evening
was made welcome and felt so While
| was with those good people.
OF Rev. Mr.. Smiths work which l
proposed to say something now and
more hereafter, / might add, that he was
sent to that section of the State by the
Mecklenburg Presbytnry few years ago.
This much neglected region among the
mountains to which it was decided to
send the gospel had been rfpieScntt To
the Presbytery as a splendid fed for
Home mission WORK. and that body de-
termined to put Rev. r. p. Smith there
to make personal canvass of The terri
tory and enlist the interest OF the people
as far as possible 1t was a Big under
taking. but this man of God heard the
divine command ''go forward'' and so
he went. II many places the road WAS
too rough to drive lis buggy and he
went on horseback and TO the less ac
cesble places he went on foot. AM
not at liberty here TO say anything IN
rsw ard to the general condition and habit
OF the people who he met with, as they
like other people brought up under more
fortunate surroundings, are or might be
sensitive enough 10 take uffenSe At any
thing that might be said that is diStaSte
full to them, or that revealed the tru
state of affairs. Suffice it to say they
hadu't the Gospel and were not enjoy irH
Gospel privileges a d Gospel oldinauceS
and Mr.. Smiths keen eye saw at once
that the field was white for the harvest,
or perhaps as the Prophet Joel Saw III
the valley Of decision where the ms
sengrrs of the Gospel were to be strangers
no longer. Mr.. Smith tells how he was
received at first and as lie got better ac-
q ,aiuleu with them and they with him
his work progressed more rapidly. He
cUried books, papers and such other
araphrrnalia as was necessary for the
successful carrying on of his work.
He lost no opportunity to engage the
people in conversation in which he led
them by degrees 10 the subj ct of
chri- -tianlty, and having convinced them
by hts genial manners aud PERSONAL mag
netsm that he was no spy but rather that
he was in sympathy with them in their
isolated condition. they naturally be-
ctme attached to HIM and were ready to
help Inn in his work.
We need nOt thh,k there were no cx-
ceptipns TO this rule. Occasionally ne
could come across people who htd been
more fortunate in their training au;l OPP
pOrtunlLieS TO acquire Il knowledge of the
scriptures and WHO had improved them
Bat this class WAS the exception rather
than the rule. These he enlisted il thu
work as much So as possible and So
groups were formed here and there that
began To work. Sometimes little childre
would become interested and Through
them the old members of the family
were reached. His fi!st visit was Lo
locate points at which mission stations
or schools could he C.gtulZal and then
form muc!us for church which after
wards would b. built We are SDrry
we havn't the official figures at hand by
which we could give full report of the
work Mr.. Smith has done-the chu; che,
organized and built. 1t at least should
elicit for Our brethren of the old North
state the ulauiiJ "Weil doue thou good
and faithful servant.
As nave already said his account of
h w"rk III this ssction would read ma, y
l'te Il novel thau fact. He tells about
iii'I!ng little child teaching her grand
mot her the catecniem. There are m Ct
o,irr things that would interest our
leaders but we will defer for tie present.
With the average mountainetr religion
means Loyalty 10 the home and he has
somewhat OF a reason TO consider himself
an lsAmaelite whose hand is against
every man and every mans hand is
against his. This grew out Of the re eSult
OF the war. Government officials lave
hunted them Ike wild beast for distilli,g
aud other revenue violations. Often
lh'y have bsen shot down While d, fend.
ing their homes and property through IA
mistaken idea 0f American ludt peLdruce.
They are honest in their convictions OF
Eight and wrOng 10 which they are loyal
~ The core. When once they b.cDme
convinced that man is their friend
they Will die by him. They knew moth
lhg else. They are organized for SELF
protection. Trey have a good idea Of
the Kind Of a person you are-wheth
You are for or against them, and upon
Their convictions your welfoie depends
They found in Mr.. Smith Il man whom
they believed TO be 30 enemy aud with
open hand and heart they came to his
support. But before he cngIafi ed him
self III their co! lilruce he had great
deal u C Jntci.d with. He has overcome
ali these Obstacles and has made them
Ills friends and thus has prepared them
for lls mission. We Will have Il more
deNAllc Oti~ct in view when We take up
Mr. Smith's work as an evangelist. Our
&c dels viii please accept the foregoing
aS au Outline Of What is to follow in IA
.nurc elaborate narrative.
Brother. friend. traveller, pleasure
seeker when yon speed through THAT
mountain region in. your pilace car aud
ee ragged urchin emerge from the
'hlCket AT the road ide with hand full
If wild II p"ers or STE him Oil some tow
Ii Y cHif gathering Them, or pa haps t
nay be ii thlnl. dressed forlojn little gill
Who passes your car window with the
basket Of native wild flowers. In eiller
ease take II your nat to them for the,
re Honr "a M if not your superior (nr
mine sitheI) Could you hut lo1k in'o that
chlid's "rarl You would find written upon
its tablets a love for some lnfirm p.reut