Clinton is twelve miles or so distant, and the windows of heaven were just being opened after a remarkably dry winter, so that when Mr. Pope said to one of the teachers who had not been at Mt. Hermon for four years and had only heard of the enlargement of the work there, “Will you go along?” she cried out, “What—in this rain?” but finally decided to venture.
Had not Mr. P. been belated an hour in starting, all would have been well, for they were within four miles of their destination when darkness and tempest settled round them so densely and drenchingly that the last third of the way consumed three hours of time, since it was frequently necessary to stop a few minutes and wait for a flash of lightning to reveal the road.
The faithful horse was bewildered, and persisted in veering to the right, as if to get nearer the driver. This finally led to the complete overthrow of the buggy, the right wheels running up a bank and striking a projecting root. Mr. Pope was out in an instant and at the horse’s head, his companion disentangling herself and scrambling out more slowly, stepping into several inches of soft clay and leaving an overshoe, which must be pawed for in the darkness, and, upon securing it, taking her place at the horse’s head. It was found necessary to take poor Rob out of the shafts, when he gave one or two scrambling leaps up the slippery bank and stood with his head close against Miss K.; all the time Mr. P. labored to right the buggy. And how it rained! ’Twas “sic a night” as “Tam O’Shanter” took the ride in.
While Mr. P. was tugging at the prostrate vehicle, with its two wheels in the air two men on mules were seen by a broad glare of light hurrying along the opposite high bank. In response to Mr. P.’s halloo for help, they called out, “Who are you?” and hastened on. The priest and the Levite having passed by on the other side, it was hoped that the good Samaritan would appear next, but he had not done so, when Mr. P. succeeded, unaided, in getting the buggy up and the wet, muddy cushions, blankets and passengers into it and setting forward.
After a time the darkness seemed to thin a little and the rest of the way was passed without accident, though the water was deep in all the low places. How cheering were the light and warmth of the deep fireplace and the cordial welcome of the Christian teachers to these muddy, wet and supperless travelers when at last they reached Mt. Hermon!
The next morning, after Miss Dickey had conducted Sunday-school, as usual, Mr. Pope preached, making use of the preceding evening’s experience to help inquirers in the way; urging them to move forward, taking advanced ground with every flash or even glimmer of the light of truth in their minds and hearts, not waiting to see all the way mapped out before them, and pointing to the safe arrival at the heavenly home—the light, the welcome, the rest.
At their request, Mr. P. has organized a branch, or class, of the Tougaloo church in this school, and at the communion service in the afternoon two additional members were received. Then they turned homeward, and in retracing their course and observing where they had driven, in the unconsciousness of utter darkness, on narrow and washed-out ridges between ditches deep enough to make an upset dangerous, they could but be grateful that in their little experience of itinerating they had fared so well.
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