The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-07-17
JESSE JAMEs's CHURCH COLLECTION IN
BRAssTOWN VALLEY.
BY MRS. L. H. HARRIS.

Mister" said Pappy Corn, as they
sat under the horse apple tree in
Pappy's yard, "did 1 ever tell you
about the time Jesse Jeems took up
the collection at old Zion Church1"
mo, you never did,"
Brother Milan was our pastor
then, and he'd been tryin' for year
to raise enough money to put new
roof on the church, but it was like
skinnin' flea for his hide and tai
low. Sometimes he'd git dollar,
sometimes a couple of nickels. At
last the old roof got so bad that the
congregation mighty nigh turned
Methodist from bein' sprinkled and
poured on so much. Milan lowed
he'd make another effort the next
Sunday night, and that he'd spend
the week in special prayer that the
Lord would see fit to open the pock-
kets of his people in Brasstown Val
ley. Now, l amt sayin' the Lord
couldn't tar a mans clothes off of
him if he had a mind to. but it's one
of my deepest religious convictions
that human agency will do more to
open a mans pockets than prayer,
and want expectin' as good luck
as usual this time, for some jackass
had started the report that Jesse Jeems
had been run out of Missouri and was
hidin' here in the valley on Liquor
Ridge, and heap of folks was afeerd
to come out at night.
"Now, in them days, Tom Pur-
cell, the one that run the sawmill
down here in Brasstown Creek, was
the widest young rascal in the val.
ley. He want to say vicious, but
Just full of forked-tail mischief. This
was why I had misgivin's when he
sent the message de did to Milan
about the collection.
'Pappy,' he says to me out there
in the road on Saturday, I hear the
preacher aims to take another collec-
ton for the roof on the meetin' house
tomorrow night
"'Yes, I says, and hope you'll II
come prepared to do your duty, Tom
"'Them's my intentions, he says
very solemn, and you kin tell the
preacher he'll git all he needs this
time With that he hiked off before
1 could asst him what he meant. And
l reckon 1 would thought no more
about it if I hadn't found, when 1 got
down to the store, that he d told every
man in the valley the same thing.
They was all speculatin' and won
derin' whether Tom was drunk or had
got religion.
"Well, sir, you never see sech
crowd as was at old Zion the next
night. Folks had forgot all about
Jesse Jeems and they had all come
out to see what would happen. Most
of 'em thought Purcell had been con-
verted and would give all the shingles
hisself. And they were cranin' their
necks this way and that lookin' for
him. But he Want there.
"The service went on as usual till
the sermon was over. Then Brother
Milan closed the Bible, came down
out of the pulpit and stood for
minute lookin' at the congregation
and combin' his long white beard with
his fingers.
Brethren and sisters, he says
very soft and tender, you know how
often 1 have tried to raise the money
to put new roof on old Zion Church,
and you know how have failed.
am here to confess that one cause of
my failure was a lack of faith. 1
never had the courage to believe that
1 could get the money. But, breth-
rem, he says, liftin' his voice to sort
of anthem pitch, I have spent this
week in prayer. and at last it has
come to me in way that can't help
thinkin' it providential that we'll col
lect enough money not only to put on
a new roof, but to git set of hymn
books besides For days 1 had had
strange assurance, and when 1 came
here tonight and seen so many more
out than usual, l knowed the Lord
was with us'-Milam was so good,
Mister, any little thing would in
crease his faith to the miracle point.
He was the only man 1 ever knowed
that wouldn'ta been surprised if he'd
drawed up a six foot angel in his
well.bucket, or if he'd opened the
Bible and one of 'em had flew out in
his face. l never shall forget the
shinin' look he had that night as he
turned this way and that talkin' to
the congregation about his assurance,
as if he'd got their promissory notes
in answer to his prayers.
"He lowed for us to set and sing
Am 1 Soldier of the Cross and
for everyone that felt inclined to come
forward and lay his offerin' on the
table.
"Well, sir, we were jest gettin'
warmed up to the tune when I see
the meetin' house door on the wo-
mems side open, and man step in.