The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-16


States where Christmas Is not always
celebrated on December Is may come
with sort OF shock to some readers,
nevertheless il has more than once
been the case. 1t has happened In the
desolate Sand Hills OF Western Ne
braska.
II was not many years ago when
here were no people living in the
Sand Hills and Bad lands OF that
state-not even Indians Then the
"Kincaid law was passed by which
man could pre-empt farm OF $50
acres and after living on 1t for Ave
years prove up" his claim when the
government passed the title to the
land over 10 him. He paid nothing
for the land nor any rent.
The law brought Struggling
stream OF farmers into Western Ne
braska and soon log and sod houses,
and occasionally one Of lumber.
sprang up. followed by frame school
houses. But there were no churches.
Neither were there ministers.
The owner OF large cattle ranch
an Episcopalian-aband his bust
ness and, with his wife. started out to
preach to the new settlers and give
them an opportunity for public wor-
ship. The farmers gathered in school
Dulf0lnES ana farm HOuScS- iHdiiy
a bishop of the church visited the sec
ton and confirmed 15S persons
Sunday schools were established
and met in the schoolhouses and the
farmers homes. but still there was
no church to which they could repair
and no minister to hold service II
they had the church.
One winter it was decided 10 OBJ
serve Christmas in the fashion TO
which many Of them had been accus-
toned back east: with Christmas
trees. gifts for the children, and with
appropriate religious services. Ar
rangements were made to observe the
day at fifteen school houses among
the Sand Hills, but no minister was
available to conduct the religious side
OF the observance except the mis-
sionary who had given up his cattle
business to travel through the coun-
try preaching the gospel.
1t was 4 physical impossibility for
him to visit all fifteen of the far
hung school houses on Christmas day
even il he had been provided with a
present-day airplane. so the neigh
| borhoods decided to postpone Christ
| mas until the missionary and. hi:
wife. could get around to their own
| little white schoolhouse. II was three
weeks before the ANAL and fifteenth
school house was reached. but
Christmas had kept-and so had the
sifts of eatables for the children, fol-
| it was cold-and was properly observ'
ed as IL used to be in the east with
/ a church service In conjunction with
f., the Christmas tree.
Tn church situation in Western Ne
braska is not 40 very much better nov
than II was when Christmas had 4
be postponed-for that was only
very short time ago. The Episcopa
church. through its nation wide cam
paign to arouse the church to 1T
| great obligations and opportunities
and TO mobilize its resources in botl
men and money for the work aheat
of it, hopes to better the situation
not only in Western Nebraska. but II
all the thinly populated western coun
try where the Episcopal church II
admittedly weak.
Cattle ranches, sheepman. farmer
| cowboy and hired hand" alike In tha
part OF the country turn out on thu
| rare occasions when they have al
opportunity to attend public worship
! This statement is amply borne, bu
| by the trouble they will take to at
tend 4 meeting Whole families will
! travel by wagon a distance OF NJ
teen or twenty miles of Sunday
| Sometimes after rain. in the BAG
Land section. the gumbo soil makes II
| almost impossible for any sort o
vehicle 10 travel Gumbo il the mos
pertinacious, obstinate. persistent
t stiek-to-it mud in the world. Wager
/ and buggy tires gather a new layer
OF it with every revolution and ONT
| could assert with almost complete
| truthfulness that none OF il ever falls
| Wagons drive up to the church Oh
schoolhouse where service is helc
i with the spokes clogged with niue
! clear to the hub. The horses hoof.
seem az big as half-bushel baskets.
Cowboys and farmers daughter
ride great distances on their favorftt
bronchos. children often come or
mules and horses, sometimes one Il
the animal, sometimes three or four
/ streams until they have to be fordet
or a sudden. terrific hail storm viii
| drive them TO shelter under blankets
while the horses are turned loose II
protect Themselves A. best they can.
The need Of the church's fellowship
socialixing. educational and mora
work can be found in any communit,
throughout the hills and prairies O.
the West Children often backward
because they have seen little il any
thing Of the various things which g
to make up the education OF the mod
ern child In civilized countries. No
only are they without school ant
/ church advantages in many cases. bu
, do not even know what band Is
What eastern child Of three or foul
years even would be frightened almos
! out Of his wits by brass band? Ye
that very thing has happened II
Western Nebraska A formal open
ing OF a frontier town to which |
railway had just been built was IL
progress. Buffalo Bilf' and local.,
prominent men were met on the firs
| train by the citizens with bras