The Washington times., 1914-03-10
WORK Of PREACHER
IN ARKANSAS HILLS
Stands by Orthodox Faith and
Farms for a Living-Takes
Bible for Text.

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. March 10
The working preacher OF the nils In
now preparing lor his next year crop.
Not the Preacher ut the nuunlain VIZ
iaSe, nor O. the larger towns IN the
Railroad. M..eie tae s,are OF the arc
IS reflects from tine corner of the
square, out the preacher Oh the hills.
That strong-faced. sturdy. gray haired
pati -: en- mat discOVrsrs e'ery SUNDAY
at LIE happy r1oi.Vw, UuaLty h-dge.
Ih,gSer Hin, fossum lrOt, Loaieis
GIoiy. and hunufcd otber ntLle
churches with quaint hill names, Aet
on green ridges or IN secluded covers,
hitting places 1Ur the worship OF GOD.
Close 10 Mother Nature.
The preacher Of tie hills works. His
Sci mons are hot INSPIRED IN some well.
appointed library GA tneoiugy, Out BE-
hlnd The pIow handles, with The nnss
around his neck, urging Old Beck dow n
the COZ n or cotton rows 3, or to the music
Oh resOunding uIO~s Of his a.. aS ne
splits A.s Nv ralis day to fence the
new clearing. he reads OF Bully Sun-
Gay . sl,VJO sermons as ne reads q taIry
tale. he asks little for MS work ind
gels less. He breaches tor the good he
can do. and Tor the Story of Gud. De
10 a Christian martyr.
The preacher OI tie hills, from whom
many plessings flow. but to wIom lew
return, IL In 4 class by himself and q
true character of the mountain country.
We find him always a mLn u mature
or decIinIng years, with his age s.tlinS
lightly on his countenance, With EaIr
" hite or streaked with gray. VITA kind
stretched tn help the lowiy in spIrit or
the suffering nelghbor.
He 10 a passing shadow in mountain
hist ry, the younger element not being
drawn to follow h footsteps on ac-
1 ou,.i Of the meagre competence, or
III N oy.fa h.Ne
find him living gh up on some ridge
or plateau, cultivating, with the help Of
his family. a little hill farm from which
mis- real living comes. He never lives
In the bottoms; thoughts come to him
better nearer the azure heavens. Al
Ma,s he the old-fasnioned orthodox.
He stands out strong for the old-time
re lyon
The cults and the isms and the new
ia, glee interpretations Of the Bible do
doctrine Of I the p Bible ss unsdSlter...d: nsr I
Hell Ia a place Of everlasting perd ton
and heaven a celestial place. He doesn't
only preach it. but believes t Gear
d WI to the toes Of his high-top boots.
he breaches 1t with . force. With such
that he makes his con-
gre ATOMS believe 4, and they are
strong in the faith.
Some of the old white.ha red parsons
OF the hills. with their simple language,
tn ir unassuming manner Of delivery.
AID undy ng faith in their relig on.
oou'd convert a whole city congregation
composed only Of infidels Of the most
AFRO CANT type with two sermons. This
pc rson OF the hills farms the way he
preac es. He has the same strong faith
in his land that he has in his relig on.
His place Is well kept always. a resi-
dence clean and neat, with a cosy little
front yard. His barn Is full of hay. his
cribs full Of corn and there Is always
mean the smokehouse. He works hard.
generally having q large family TO sup
port.
Prayers are held every n eht in winter
around the old fireplace full OF swapping,
burning logs in the front room. and out
The neighborhood looks up to him not
only as a spiritual adviser but as a
one as we'll. He is called In
to settle dispu -es that Would lead to
law suits, family squabblcs that would
planting. to sit up with the sick, to
lecture the wayward Dung. to admins.
ter the last sad rites of death and to
console the bereaved. He IL the busiest
man in the neighborhood. and gets lit.
tie for his time. Yet he gets along gen.
that he der yes by the sweat OF his
brow.
He IL as punctual with his sermons a.
the city minister. At II every Sunday
meeting house. If the community IS
a wheezy little organ &C.
companies the strong voiced lads and
lasses that make up the choir. He
breaches n good strong voice that
carries well. He exhorts, pleads urges
and prays the Gospel that good old re.
ligion our grandfa.he knew.
As he WAKES warm he IL answered by
amens, tears and sometimes shouting
He calls on members of his fock for
prayers. They are fervcnt and from
the heard. He closes his sermon with Q
hymn and calls Cor inourners. They
come forward to the mourrers' bench,
confess their sins and are converted.