The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-10-14
Trim, Prim, Busy Little Craft
Is the Baptist Gospel Cruiser


plumage of q dove; nor about the
two gentlemen who we're in charge
of the book counter OF the Ameri-
can Baptist Publication society at
the church.
But that depends on what you
mean by romance and adventure.
.s Has Done 5000 Miles.
The Seymour carries a cargo OF
books and Bibles for sale. gift and
loan, holds religious services
where there is no regular church.,
and organizes Sunday schools,
missions and churches. Also, as
the little card Capt. Howell dis
tributes Announces
I'VE answer calls wherever pos
sible to visit the sick, comfort the
afflicted, relieve those in distress,
bury the dead, marry those who
are scripturally qualified, instruct
saints, and preach the gospel to
the unsaved.'
The boat visits 16 settlements
on Hoods Canal and five On
WILDLY island regularly once
month, besides special and emer-
gency trips. Three or four hun
dred miles is an average months
run; five or six hundred Is not
unusual. In the two years sho has
been in commission she has trav-
eled 5000 miles.
This goes on summer and win
ter.
She's Tidy Boat.
She's a convenient little band
box, from her shining galley or
derly engine room to the tiny cab
in, where the miracle Of seating
80 people has been performed.
There are folding hunks, type
writer desk, toy organ, and even
two wicker armchairs.
She is staunch and seaworthy,
too; and draws only " feet Of
water, so she can creep along UNI
der the shelter of the land II the
weather is bad and the itinerary
permits.
But sometimes the way to the
next service lies across the canal,
or up the outside of WILDLY
island, or around Foulweather
Bluff. And then the missionaries
get shaking up.
Last winter, when trying to
make a run from Cornet, on the
north end of WILDLY island,
across to Skagit bay, through a
binding storm, McHenry noticed
a whittier line in the whiteness
ahead, and got out his glasses.
1t was fee.
Usually Gets Through.
The snow had fallen so fast and
the water was so cold that 1t lay
on the surface and froze into a
thick coat of ice whose sharp
edges the little boat could not
hope to buck.
That was one time the Seymour
did not get through.
But generally she does get
through.
She visits many little settle
ments and logging camps that are
not on any map, have no churches
and little social life; and when
the wind gets high and the water
gets rough on the day the gospel
boat is due, the lonely country
jewellers look out little wistfully
as they hope she won't try it to-
day.
But Just about service-time the
gospel boat generally comes bob
bling along, looking more like a
sea-gull than dove, and the min
lister and the singer, in hip boots,
flannel shirts and slickers, drop
anchor or tie up to the landing,
and come streaming up the beach
| to the house or schoolroom or
dance hall, or wherever the serv-
ice is to be held.
They're Baptists.
Being Baptists, they. are not
afraid of immersion.
It's not an idle life even in fine
weather. There are often sever
al services day at widely separ-
ated points, and there is brass
work to be polished, paint to be
washed, the trick at the wheel to
be taken, meals to be cooked and
"housework" to be done.
But the little gospel boat joys
tirelessly and fearlessly along,
visiting the sick, comforting the
afflicted, relieving those in dis
tress, burying the dead, marrying
those who are seripturally quail
fled, instructing saints and
preaching the gospel to the un-
saved"
And for romance and adventure
the big ships and their bronzed
captains who sail many seas have
nothing on the little Baptist
cruiser and the two missionaries
who man her.