Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1926-11-04
RELIGION AND LIFE
(By Rev. A. H. Rapkingl

the yard there are some beautiful
dahlias of various colors OH which the
bees are seeking honey. On the steps
nearby kitten is sleeping 10 the
right Of me in a comfortable chair is
seated Mr.. Teter, who has lived fer
fifty-five years in this home. Tie clos
ing days of this once hearty and vig-
orous man have come.
At the foot Of the hill the Buck
harmon River goes tumbling down ov-
er the rocks on its wgy IL The ocean
A bridge spans the river, and just be-
low the bridge are the remnants of a
dam that directed the water ever the
large water wheel which turned the
machinery of the old mill. The mill
is still in pretty good stats of pres
ervation, but the wheels are silent
? This mill was real factor in commune
ity development. To tits mill the
corn to be ground into meal, and
their wheat and buckwhsat to be
ground into flour. Today the mills in
Minneapolis no doubt grind the flour
for the folks who live in this COM
munity. From the hills across the riv-
Ell coal tucked away during thesmorn-
ing of the world is being mined and
sent to distant places to keep the
wheels of Industry going. along the
railroad track there are walnut logs
piled up ready to be shipped to a
manufacturing plant in Ohlo. Near the
logs there are also stacka of lumber
ready to be sent some whelc to lum-
Der mills to be turned into material
for homes and other buildings.
The railroad on which the coal and
lumber are transported to distant
parts was built through the Boulder
Community in 1903. The road from
Boulder to Volga has been hard sur
faced where it connects with the road
that is being built to the Clarksburg-
Buckhannon Pike. Thus the railroad
and hard surfaced road connects up
Boulder Community with Chicago,
New York, and the Other Large centers
of the nation.
Just now MIR. Teter was telling me
of how they Travelled through the will
derness on horseback before the days
of good roads and horse drawn We
hicles He tells me that She first
means Of transportation on wheels
was that Of the two-whee ox-cart.
Now the automobiles move to and fro
linking up the Boulder Community
with the vast moving world. The
mail-bags have just been thrown off
the passing train mail-bags contain
ing news from the ends Of The earth.
Mr.. Teter told me Of the school he
attended near the Roger Church. The
seats were made Of slabs without any
backs. The writing desk was made o.
slaps fastened to the side 81 The wall.
In one end was a large open fireplace
for which the boys had to c&t wood
at noon and during recess. Reading,
writing and arithmetic, ware taught to
the tune of a hickory stick. All but
three of Mr.. Teters schoolnsates have
launched out on the sea from which
no one returns. Today on the hill
across the way stands modern up
to-date two-room school bdil0ipg.
During the early days the pioneer
MINISTER'S DIS lllut tilCli cd0NAiG CeNS ?
came from the distance into the va
rious homes to break the bl cad Of life.
Mr.. letters home has Always been 4
stepping place for the ministers. To-
day a we'll kept, comfortable one
room church stands in the center OF
the village, while on the edge of the
village comfortable five-room par
sonage has been built for the minister
oc the gospel.
During the early days Of the COM
munity. merchandise was iiauled from
Clarksburg, a two-day trip, while tc-
day the two well-kept prosperous
country stores haul most OF their
merchandise from the freight station
to their store-rocms by wnee)barrow.
During the early days homes were
built not only for protection against
the elements, but also as forts for
protection against the Indians who
used to raid this colnmun;ty On the
hill above the house two stones MARI
the graves in which are buried two
little girls, victims of the Indians
scalping knife. Today the warwhoop
has ceased, ana the intiioWiHS iiliiu-
ence of love and respect are Welding
the community together into broth
erhood.
Change, change, seems 10 be writ
ten all over the Boulder Community:
Mr.. Teter played here in The wilder
ness as boy, worked hard as young
man clearing the forests. wnoed as a
lover, and with his sweetheart estab-
lshed a home, sacrificed IS a father
for his wife and children, ard new as
the shadows of the closing days Of
his life are gathering about him, he
looks ahead to meeting his God-fear-
ing and faithful wife His physical
ears have practically failed him, but
the ears Of his soul are atune I'd mes
sages from the realms beyond.