Cross, Jonathan; Evangelists -- United States -- Biography; Missions -- Appalachian Region
Though it was in September, and very warm in the valleys, yet it
was cold on the top of this mountain, and we were all shivering. I
asked the landlord, who by this time was playing the violin for our
entertainment, to make us a little fire. But there was neither wood nor
supper. The females were stowed away in one room for the night, and the
rest lay on the floor or sat by turns till the morning came.
As we had no toilet to make in the morning, we were on the way down the
mountain at an early hour. The first house we reached was a log-house,
where they kept entertainment. All was neat and clean. We called for
breakfast; and while it was preparing, we had our morning devotions,
which had been noticed by the landlady. When we came to our excellent
breakfast, she asked me to christen her children, of which she had
quite a number. I told her I was not a preacher, and had no authority
to administer ordinances. She insisted most earnestly that I must do
it; that no one had ever prayed there before, and she did not see any
reason why any praying man could not christen children; that they
had been living there for years, and never heard a sermon or seen a
preacher as they knew of; and if I would only do it, they would not
charge me one cent for breakfast. After preaching them the best sermon
I could, and giving a good supply of little books, we went on our way.
In two more days we reached L----, our place of destination, in safety,
and in a few hours had a house rented and were living in it.
For three years I travelled almost constantly; sometimes in a buggy,
but mostly on horseback, making from six to eight thousand miles each
year, distributing tracts and books in cabins and mansions, collecting
money, and employing men, till I had the cooperation of _over fifty
colporteurs_. The many interesting facts and incidents which occurred
during these years would fill a large volume. A very few of them I
shall attempt to relate.
* * * * *
A Mr. W----, whom we had employed for some years, a man of much more
than ordinary piety and qualifications for the work, while visiting in
the mountains, came to a poor cabin occupied by a man, his wife, and an
only son. They were very poor. The father made his living by grubbing,
and took the boy with him to pick the brush, he being at this time
about sixteen years old. They carried home their wages on their backs,
mostly in some kind of food. The mother made what she earned by her
spinning-wheel; and while at that, had taught her son to read the
Testament, though she was not religious. Mr. W----, after talking and
praying with them, gave this boy a copy of Baxter’s Call, which was the
means of his conversion. Before he could join the church, the neighbors
aided in getting him a suit of clothes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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