CUMBERLAND MOUNTAINS.
BY REV. B. DODGE, PLEASANT HILL, TENN.
What have you done? This is a fair question for friends of this mission, North, West and East, to ask. I propose briefly to answer it. I left my pastorate in the “Pine Tree” State, and, with my wife and daughter, entered upon the work here October 1st, 1884. To leave a New England home for these mountain wilds is much like entering a new world. But, coming not to play, but work, duty said: “Look about you—East, West, North and South.” It was done, and the outlook showed a large amount of illiteracy in every neighborhood, many living so far away from school as to be totally beyond their reach, and many young people growing up with no knowledge of books.
What could be done? More impressively the answer came than I can tell it: Build a house for school and worship which may bless present and future generations. But, from a human standpoint, to erect such a building as was needed seemed extremely difficult, if not impossible, with limited means on every side, no market, no railroad, and 2,000 feet above the sea level. But, being used to hard work from early life, and not easily scared, I grappled with the idea of building a house for the double purpose named. I laid the matter before the A. M. A., and was by them requested to undertake the building of such a house as, in my judgment, was needed.
I began the work March 1st, 1885. A good lady donated five acres of land (a lovely spot) for church and school purposes, and deeded the lot to the A. M. A., and also contributed $50 to the building. I then headed a subscription paper with $50, and the people here added enough by timber and labor to make in all $300.
I then employed a man to put in a good foundation of split stone, laid in masonry and elevated twenty inches above the ground, the size of the building to be 50×47 feet, including tower.
What next? It was to hew a white oak frame in the forest and haul it to the building spot, then have it framed. At length I invited men to raise it, and women to bring a dinner.
When gathered we sought, with uncovered heads under the blue sky, the blessings of heaven on the future of the house and freedom from accident during its erection.
At 11 A. M. the school, marshalled by its worthy teacher, Mrs. Lord, came and marched around the walls and waiting timber with songs of greeting, and when the song ended, the men responded with three lusty cheers for the school. At sunset the frame stood on its solid base.
There stood the bones, but where was the flesh? I took my men, and, with axes and saws, we went to the forest to fell the trees for logs; but when a few were sawed the mill failed. Must we give it up? Not yet. In the saddle I went down the mountain to Lost Creek, sixteen miles, and to Sparta, seventeen, for lumber. Through much hardship it was hauled, it taking two days for a good team to make one trip, and sometimes getting a thorough soaking in a storm by a night camp-fire. Some forty loads were dragged up the steep mountain and on to Pleasant Hill. This coming up the Cumberland Mountains with a load means much more than a stranger can comprehend. When it takes three hours to go two miles we may suppose there is some pulling. You can find some hills in Western Massachusetts and in Maine, but they are mole mounds as compared with the brow of these mountains. But the men who had the hauling in charge were patient and faithful to the last.
The work went slowly on for lack of funds. Twice it stopped, and no sound of saw or hammer was heard. Some prophesied it would take seven years to complete the building. Troubled dreams and wakefulness came, and sleep said, “If you don’t go on with the work I will not come to you.” I then said to the carpenter: “Come Monday morning, and I will be responsible for your pay.” He came, and Monday’s mail brought me $6 from the Sunday-school in Edgecomb, Me. I paid the carpenter Saturday night, and said, “Come again.” He came, and Monday’s mail at 11 A. M. brought $7 from the Sunday-school in East Orrington, Me. Rebuked for my lack of faith, I said, “Come again,” and the third Monday at 11 A. M. brought $25 from that noble man, Hon. J. J. H. Gregory, of Marblehead, Mass., who always sells honest seed, and has also recently sent us a fine bell and paid the freight on it.
Slowly the building grew, till, by much tug and toil, where markets and railroads were far away, and even money absent, to-day the house stands finished.
The last thing, the furnishing, is being done. So we are planning to christen it with services there next Sabbath, and on Monday enter it with our growing and promising school, which, ere long, if friends stand firm to its interests, is to be one of the bright lights in the State of Tennessee.
So much for the new house on the Cumberland Mountains.
HOW HAS IT BEEN DONE?
“Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.”
It is the Lord’s work, through his dear children. He has awakened in the hearts of Christian men, women, young people, and even little children, an interest in this work, so that, by closest attention and careful application of funds, God has enabled me to engineer the work till I can see that He means the house shall stand complete, without so much as a nickel of debt upon it.
We have also organized a Congregational Church, and have in connection with our work another church at Pomona, and Sabbath-schools in all three.
I preach twice each Sabbath, riding twelve miles in the saddle. With increasing faith in God and this mountain work, which demands much grace and not a little grit, I ask the prayers of those who pray.