The Lumberjack Sky PilotWhittles, Thomas D. (Thomas Davis)
History
The Lumberjack Sky Pilot
Whittles, Thomas D. (Thomas Davis)
Church work with loggers -- Minnesota; Higgins, Francis Edmund, 1865-1915; Presbyterian Church -- Clergy -- Biography
It was after a camp service that a young man came to the Pilot and
asked:
"Isn't there any way that I can make my life count? I'm sick of going
on this way, Pilot. I'm sledding in the wrong direction. Tonight I'm
disgusted, so give me a lift."
As a result of the lift he was led to God and encouraged to save his
money for future schooling. During the evenings of that winter the
young man spent his time in study and when spring came a large part
of his earnings were deposited in the bank. The following summer he
procured work in the saw mill and books were the companions of his
leisure hours. So absorbed did he become in his new purpose that he
carried his book to the mill and when the machinery stopped to make
repairs out came the book. The proprietor of the mill observed the
diligence of the new hand and changed him to the sawdust pile where he
could have more time for his books. So absorbed would he become that
often he allowed the sawdust to take care of itself. The men called him
"the book worm in the sawdust." School followed his winter's work, and
now he is a successful civil engineer. In the bunkhouse on the night of
his surrender a soul and a life were saved.
That sweet old favorite hymn, the favorite of the home and prayer
meeting, the source of comfort in the house of mourning, is the
favorite in the camps--"Jesus, Lover of My Soul." Those unloved men
of the distant places feel the influence of the hymn which speaks of
the tender Christ opening his bosom to the outcast as well as the
respected. Its plaintive melody appeals to them, and the lonely men of
the forest sing it with the spirit of those who long for sympathy and
unselfish love.
The night before they had sung the old song over and over again. The
whole camp had joined in with hearty spirit. After the breakfast was
over the men went to the bunkhouse to wait for the word of the "push"
ordering them to the morning's labor in the works. While they waited
one of the men who possessed a rich tenor voice struck up the hymn,
"Jesus lover of my soul, Let me to thy bosom fly." One by one the
men joined in the song, and the solo passed into a chorus of one
hundred voices. Out through the twilight of the morning the melody
rolled, waking the sleeping pines and crossing the frozen streams.
The men in the stables, harnessing their horses, heard the song and
softly whistled it; the cook, busy with his pots and pans, hummed in
unison, and the swearing cookee closed his profane mouth and listened
in wonder. Over in the office where the proprietor and others of the
higher grade of labor made their quarters, the song caused silent
amazement, for it did not seem like the morning hour of the camp, where
usually only profane sounds break the stillness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account