I had now been in my second year of labor for some months, during which
I had made some long journeys, and seen some hard service.
I made an arrangement with Mr. M----, a very intelligent gentleman whom
I had employed a few months before as a colporteur, to accompany me.
The whole tour required us to travel near four hundred miles. More than
two thirds of the way the country was wild and romantic, the population
sparse and rude. Few thought it safe to go unarmed.
On the day set I met Mr. M---- at C----, where he resided. To my
surprise he had provided a pistol for each of us. With some persuasion
I took one, but soon got it to the bottom of my saddle-bags.
The first day we reached W----, where we found a young preacher who
had been waiting there some days for an escort over the same route,
fearing to travel the road alone. We all started in company early the
next morning, with the understanding that we had to reach G----, a
new county-town thirty miles distant, or lodge in the woods. Nothing
special occurred that day, except that an enormous rattlesnake crossed
the road before us and frightened our horses. We called at the door of
all the cabins we saw, and preached Christ to the people, and gave them
books. We reached G---- late in the evening, and found a pious lawyer
who had just moved there, and owned the only Bible in the place. There
were not a dozen families in it. By breakfast-time the next morning we
had supplied him with a neat Sunday-school library, which he used to
great advantage.
We were told we must ride thirty-five miles the next day, over mountain
paths, to reach a place of lodging--that there was one house at thirty
miles, but by all means to avoid that house. The reasons I cannot give;
nor an account of the dinner we _tried to eat_ that day.
As the weather was excessively hot, we left G---- by six in the
morning. We soon overtook a young man who was going some miles our
way, and agreed to be our guide as far as we went together. We found
him totally ignorant of sin, or a future state. He did not know whether
he had ever seen a Bible or not. Though he had heard men preach, and
seen them with a book in their hand, he could not tell what book it
was. He told us his father was a county surveyor, and, he thought, a
member of the church. I gave him a Testament and some tracts, which he
looked at with amazement.
About ten o’clock we came to a number of men at work cutting timber out
of the road, that had been blown down by a storm. On inquiry, we found
eleven families represented, only one of which had a Bible. One or two
others had lost their Bibles by having their cabins burnt. We supplied
all with books, and left one or two reading for all the rest.
The want of dinner and the excessive heat of the sun brought on me sick
headache, and by four or five o’clock I could scarcely sit on my horse.
I told my companions it would be impossible for me to reach the house
we were directed to, and let the consequence be what it would, I should
be compelled either to lie out, or lodge in the vile den of which we
had been warned. The brethren seemed much alarmed, but said they would
not leave me. Several times I had to alight, to prevent falling from my
horse. Being thus detained, we only reached this dreaded place about
sunset.
There was a very large grazing farm, and a large double log-cabin about
the centre, with every appearance of plenty. As we drew near the house
we saw quite a number of men at work haying in a large meadow. Every
one seemed to be drunk. Such swearing and hallooing I had never heard.
Our prospects looked gloomy.
We rode up to the door, and found the landlord under the same influence
as those in the field. When we asked for lodging he seemed glad to have
customers, and soon had our horses cared for.
In a little time all the drunken rabble on the place were gathered to
the house, but such a set of men I have never seen before or since.
Supper was soon ready, and all invited in. The food was very rough, but
abundant. I was too sick to partake of it.
After supper I told the landlord that I was very sick, and must go to
bed; but as we were all religious men, and accustomed to pray in our
families night and morning, if he was willing, we would have prayers.
The very announcement produced silence in a moment, as if some strange
thing was about to happen. I requested him to bring all into the house
that would come, and in a few minutes the house was well filled. I
called on one of the brethren to read and pray; and soon after I was in
bed, unconscious of all around me till morning, when I awoke as well as
usual.
As soon as we were dressed I called on the old man to get our horses.
“Oh no, you must stay for breakfast, and pray again,” said he. “Well,”
said I, “if you will bring all in to prayers now, we will attend to
worship with pleasure.” In a little time the whole household was
present. I read a portion of Scripture, and made the most earnest
exhortation I could possibly do, and prayed. A more solemn audience I
never addressed.
As soon as breakfast was over, our horses were ready, when I asked the
old man for our bill. “Not one cent, sir,” said he; “you have _prayed
plenty_ to pay for every thing you got. Every time you come this way
stop and get all you want, and pray, and it sha’n’t cost you a cent.”
We supplied all present with a book or tract, and left well pleased on
the whole with our visit.
During the day we called at all the cabins on our way. At one I found
a man who told me he was seventy years old, had seldom heard a sermon,
but that he had felt much concern about where he would be _in the next
world, if there was one_. He said he never had a Bible, but would like
to get one very much. I gave him a Testament and tracts. He seemed very
thankful, and listened with great attention to all I had time to say.
At another house the woman told me they had a Bible, and plenty of
religious books. I asked to see what kind of books they were. When she
presented the stock, it consisted of an old copy of the history of
George Washington. She believed it to be a Bible, as no one about the
house knew a letter.
The same day we met a very aged man riding on a poor little pony, with
a small bag of meal under him. I handed him some tracts, for which he
was very thankful, when the following dialogue occurred.
“Have you any preaching in this mountain country?” “Sometimes we have.”
“Are you a professor of religion?” “Yes, I have been a member of the
church forty years.” “How are you supplied with religious books?”
“Well, we _haven’t got none_ but two or three spelling-books that I
sent for many years ago to teach my children how to read.” “Have you no
Bible in your house?” “No, I never had one. I have been trying to get a
Testament for some time at the store; but it costs seventy-five cents,
and I am not able to raise the money.” This was the regular price of a
small Testament in that region at that time, and seldom to be got even
at that price.
Said I, “Is it not hard to live the life of a Christian without the
Bible?”
“Yes,” said he, “but I can’t help it; for even if I was able to buy
one, it could not be got nearer than C----, which is forty miles
distant. I never expect to be rich enough to buy a whole Bible.”
My soul was stirred within me, and I drew out my pocket Bible, a fine
copy which I had received as a present, and gave it to him. He looked
for a moment at me with surprise, when the tears gushed from his eyes,
and he exclaimed, “I am now rich and happy.” This man was seventy-five
years old, and trembling on the brink of the grave. This is a true
picture of many cases found by colporteurs. I never felt so well paid
or so happy as when I gave that man my only Bible.
During this whole tour of five weeks’ travel, many a scene similar to
those described occurred; while, on the other hand, I visited villages
and towns where I found fine churches and able ministers, with highly
cultivated pious congregations. In this tour I raised over $500 in
donations, and employed three excellent colporteurs, one of whom
labored nine years. I met the most cordial coöperation from Christians
and philanthropists everywhere I went. All said, “This is just what we
need in this sparsely populated mountain country.”