Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1918-08-15

IN CUOS0 udyS Ou d IIlp VI Till ~ mIISS
or more. with only one house between,
to preach to them the Word OF Life.
lon reaching that house he was told
that it was impossible to get across
the Wisconsin river, as the ferry boat
was on the other side and he could
not make the people here him call,
land was given an instance of one who
had failed. But the intrepid drummer
replied: 1--WE Methodists can make
more noise than some others" The
man, seeing his determination, replied:
81 can suggest a plan that will get
you over. There is a cabin at such
point; into this put your horse At
another point you will find scythe
hidden away; with this cut grass for
your horse. Now at another point
you will find a canoe under the bank.
Then looking doubtfully at the preach
er he added: There is no paddle; you
will have to carry one"
Twenty miles without vestige of
civilization and a wide, rapid stream
lay between him and the place Of his
destination. Almost instantly he
mounts his faithful Judge" with a
paddle fastened to his saddle bow, and
speeds for the river. He found every
thing as described, plus the kind of
mosquitoes which ga great many
weigh a pound" and reached the prai-
RE before night. The next day the
whole settlement came to hear him
preach. Thus Sank county was invaded
bv the circuit rider In 1841 T. M. Full
lerton was appointed to Muscoda.
This circuit ''included all settlements
both sides of the Wisconsin river from
Muscoda to Baraboo, Blue Mounds on
the east and all out doors on the west.
On the 5th of February, 1912, he
formed a class at BarabOO consisting
of Solomon Shaffer, Ole Shaffer, Par
melia Guilson and Mary J. Hill. SO
we see the genius of the itinerancy.
Instead of waiting for the people to
settle and call preacher it sends him
on almost in advance of the people,
and offers them the Bread of Life"
while they are building their cabins.
Some of the trips of the presiding
elder in those days are quite interest
ing. Here is one:
On his first round he wished to pass
from Baraboo to Round Prairie, about
where VirOqua now stands. So far as
he could learn from study of the map
it was about so miles directly west,
but between it and him there was a
continuous and dense forest. Six men
started with him on Tuesday, and
they wished to reach their destination
by Friday, as the elder had a camp
meeting appointed there to begin that
day.
Providing themselves with provi-
sions for three and a half days, they
plunged into the wilderness with no
guide but a pocket compass. They
journeyed on, meandering somewhat,
encountering~ thunder storms, and
sleeping one or two nights where the
bears had but recently enjoyed sim
liar repose, until their provisions
were gone. 1t was now Saturday
morning and yet they knew not where
they were with respect to their object
i've point. Game seemed scarce, but
they succeeded in killing a pOrcupine.
This was cut into seven pieces,
roasted on the ends of as many long
sticks and eaten with relish. They
: reached the camp ground early Sab
bath morning.
0ClZ hn nd
inspiration of these old pioneer cir
cult riders. Surely no man can accuse
them of seeking worldly gain A
quarterly conference record of a cir
cult in 1912 makes this showing:
Received as quarterage, $46.93; fam
lily expenses, $3.50; total, $70.43.
These men had no salaries. They
lived with the people, and if they had
families made the best shift possible
to get through the years. When the
day came a little later when salaries
were estimated there was not very
much dignity and less money in the
amount named One veteran said to
the writer: my salary was 1925,
which l took in cats and dogs and
had to catch them myself"
Whatever may be the motive as
signed, it is evident that those old pio-
neer circuit riders were not following
the golden CLEAN of worldly wealth
or selfish ease. They were not merely
ignorant and unlettered men. Some
of them were men of giant intellect.
They promoted public schools, founded
colleges and were leaders in great
reform movements. Their labor and
influence in laying the foundations of
our civic and religious liberties have
been acknowledged by many of our
leading statesmen, for they have stood
for authority of law both in home and
state. and inculcated the same by
teaching the underlying principles of
virtue as the Great Master taught
, them, and so promoting honesty in
business, social and political integ-
rity, family and domestic peace, and