The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-01-06
MODERN AMERICAN SLAVES
A Sermonette by Joseph VI. Pierce
Rerea Academy

/ n Sermonette Dy Joseph VI. Tierce
Berea Academy
Text: 81 am come that they might
have life, and that they might have
it more abundantly." John 1910.
Where are these Slaves?
In all the hills and valleys of Ap.
palachian America.
| do not mean by this that all Of
the people in the Appalachians live
in abject poverty. Oh, no! there are
many of them just as wealthy, and
many Just as cultured and progress
sive as their more fortunate brothers
living in the Bluegrass, or on the
plains of the great West. As Mr.
Vaughn says, in that characteristic
way Of his, "Many of these people do
not need your sympathy, or mine"
What do mean to say is that in
practically all Of these mountain COM
munities there are many who, through
no fault of theirs, must do more than
their proportionate share of hard
work, and receive less than their
share of the good things Of life.
Mountains and rivers separate them
from their well-to-do neighbors.
Frequently we see whole communi-
ties, and sometimes a great number
of them thus isolated. In fact, the
mountain sections of all the states
are rather sharply defined, being sep
by great natural barriers. Behind
these barriers they build their hum
BILE homes, and love, and laugh and
toll, and rear their children without
education.
Who are They?
They are, most of them, of Scotch
Irish blood, worthy descendants Of
the pioneers who first settled on the
Atlantic seaboard, and who laid the
foundations of the Republic.
They are Of the same stock as the
Pilgrim Fathers and the Scotch Cove
Adams, Patrick Henry, Longfellow
and Bryant, Lincoln and Clay. George
Rogers Clark and Daniel Boone, Will
liam Mckinley and Woodrow Wilson.
Why are They Slaves?
Memory's magical pinions carry me
back across the years to an aged
couple, sitting by a large, old-fash-
toned fireplace. They are sitting
alone weeping, the CHEEKY glow Of
the fire contrasting strangely with
their troubled faces. see a trem-
ulous culver Of their lips and the
tears start in the eyes Of both as the
old man says, Marthy, we'll ilst
have to give IT up; we've done all we
can" "Marthy" clings to him and
sobs until she can speak, then
hear her say, Don't, don't
talk like that, dear; the Lord will
pervide way for u.s. You must
take heart" Dear old soul. She,
too, feels discouraged, and weary of
poverty's grind, but womanlike she
never gives up, and presently see
the old mans face light up as she
suggests way out of the present
difficulty.
any hens are beginnin' to lay" I
hear her say, "and I'm a-goin' to set
ev'ry one that will set and hatch Oft
as many early chickens as I can;
they will be lot o. help, then by
ard by the garden truck will come in,
and the fruit; and II we both keep
our health, there is nothin' TO hinder
us from pullin' through; and she
clinches her argument with a kiss.
planted exactly on the old mans
chin. The kiss is returned To-
gether they "thank God, and take
courage" feeling that in some way
the Lord will "pervide"
This case is truly representative
Of thousands that may be found in
the odd corners and out-of-the-way
places, far back in the hills. Here
people live, sometimes on good land,
sometimes on poor. II makes no
great difference what kind Of land IL
is, living is the most that can be
expected anyway. Why should a
man grow great crops to 90 to waste,
or to be sold for a song?
Frequently, though, we find the
land too poor or too rough 10 grow
good crops and so we see considera-
Bile renting. The renter does the
work for a part Of the crop.
| a., 4. liz. - Al