My visit to the people among the mountains was rather a departure from my usual work—that of preaching to the colored people. I have preached here about two weeks, the attendance being good, and the interest deepening as the meetings went on, until now we have more than a score who have professed to find Jesus precious to their souls.
The condition of the natives in this vicinity is very sad. Their ignorance and pride coupled make it almost impossible to do anything for them. The rough roads over the rocks and mountains make it a dangerous undertaking for them to attend church in the evenings. Several of us started for a meeting among them on a recent Saturday afternoon, with rubbers, umbrellas and waterproofs, prepared for mud and rain. We crossed a rickety old wooden bridge that had been nearly washed away by the floods, and commenced to climb the mountain side by a road that was nearly as steep as a steeple and which wended around to nearly every point of the compass, ever going up, over ruts and rocks, roots and trunks of trees, now jumping across a ravine, and next climbing a fence. At last among the thickets and brush there were some signs of life, and we came to an opening among the trees where we saw a miserable-looking old shanty. The first thought was, can it be possible that human beings live in a shed like this? We drew near and saw two women sitting with their knees up to the open fire on the hearth. They looked much surprised to see us. We told them that we were going to hold a meeting at a house a little farther on; will they go? No, they don't care to go, expectorating the tobacco juice from their mouths into the fire at the same time. We replied, "You would better go; it may be you will never have a chance to hear an Englishman again;" to which we got a reply, "Hear a w-h-a-a-t?" Whether they knew what an Englishman was, or not, or even if they ever heard there was such a country as England I cannot say; but I understand there are thousands of these people who know nothing of the outside world, and many who were never five miles away from their own door-step in their life. With a patch of ground for corn, another for tobacco, with wood for the fire, they are as contented as the President; alas, too contented!
We entered the cabin to which we were going by a door-way in which we must needs bend our heads very low to get inside. The first thing that struck us was the gloom and darkness. In each corner of the room was a bed, with a smaller one pushed underneath, and two sick people suffering from slow fever. It is no wonder, for eleven people occupied this one room, about twelve feet square. Need we wonder that misery and squalor are seen all around? An old soap box from the grocery formed a corner cupboard. Two old chairs which perhaps belonged to their great-grandmother, all frame and no seat, an empty box, and a bucket of water with a tin scoop, formed the whole furniture of the mountain cabin. Poor souls! I was told that I had done wonders when one day, during an address, I got them to smile! It was quite a treat to see a smile upon their faces. Joy seems to be outside their domain altogether, and the worst feature appears to be that they have no desire for anything different. If they get the idea that you think them low down and want to lift them up, they at once commence to stretch themselves up to their full height and stand upon their dignity. They will not fail to tell you plainly that you must not think they belong to the "know-nothing" class. They "know what is right and what is wrong, without you coming here." This is often said, even by those who live immoral lives. Pride of race is often affected towards the colored people. A colored man unfortunately had been drinking and was left at the depot. Some one stumbled against him, saying, "I did not know it was a man; I thought it was baggage." His companion spoke up and said, "It isn't a man; it's a nigger." Often their children are bright, cheery-looking children, well-behaved, unassuming and quiet. These poor mountain people might do well to take a few lessons from many of their despised, dusky neighbors.
The whole work, in my little time among these people, has greatly touched my heart and drawn out my sympathies towards them.
ITEMS FROM THE FIELD.
Trinity School, Athens, Ala.:
"During December there was a special religious interest in view of the meetings held by Rev. Mr. Wharton, your missionary evangelist. The meetings were well attended by our students and by the people. These meetings were greatly blessed to the quickening and upbuilding of Christians, and twelve persons professed conversion. All of our pupils except one, above the primary department, are professing Christians. Our student prayer meetings are exceedingly precious seasons to teachers and pupils. We have just organized a Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor which promises to be very helpful.
"On account of these meetings we could not make our usual preparations for a Christmas concert and presents to the children. Accordingly, we invited them all to our parlors to a reception on Wednesday the 26th, and to our great surprise, there came a Christmas box on Tuesday, with presents for every one, greatly to the joy of the little ones, yes, and of the large ones also. After the distribution of the gifts, delightful music bubbled from every throat, and the universal testimony was, 'This is the best Christmas I ever spent.'"