I have recently witnessed the result of a Kentucky riot, the first since I came here. Two desperate factions met on the night of the 25th, at eleven o'clock. Four men and a woman were engaged in it. The leader of the first faction fired and shot the leader of the second faction in his own house, and another of the first faction fired at the leader of the second faction till he fell with two balls through his left arm, one ball broke his right leg, and two balls went into his back. The leader of the second faction shot the leader of the first faction in the right leg and he fell; both men lying within a few feet of each other. The wife of the leader of the second faction took one of his pistols and started to kill the first leader, but one of his men stepped up with two revolvers and told her not to fire, that he would kill her if she did. This ended the shooting. The first faction helped to carry the leader of the second faction in the house and then took the first leader away. They used 32 and 44 calibers.
The first leader lives four miles from my house. When they told him he could not live he asked them to send for me. I went and helped dress his wounds and sung and prayed with him. He said he had been a bad man, and asked me to pray for him. I heard to-day that some of his friends wanted him to send for some other minister, but he said no, he wanted no one but myself; and I expect to go and see him to-morrow if he is still living. I believe in the near future we will have a good hold in eastern Kentucky, if the American Missionary Association is successful in getting the right ministers. The minister's wife has a great deal to do with his success in this work.
AN INCIDENT OF MOUNTAIN WORK.
BY A MISSIONARY.
At noon, the 16th, I reached Rev. Mr. ——'s home, and after dinner he hitched up his horse, and we set out for ——, some twelve miles away, reaching there at dark. 'Twas here I heard the wonderful story of ——'s rescue and salvation through Bro. ——, one of Rev. Mr. ——'s converts. Next morning I met the Sunday-school and addressed it. Then came the after-service, and it was a pleasure to look into those faces and preach the gospel message, which was so earnestly and anxiously received, and to think that only six months before a preacher could not come into this valley to preach and be safe. Some were shot, others thrashed, and because of the low element located there the place was given up as hopeless.
Our Bro. ——, in his quiet way, went into the homes and gained them by personal contact, and for six months held meetings, during which they were constrained to surrender to Christ. I had the pleasure of hearing some thirty tell the story of how our A. M. A. preacher won them. It was a marvelous work, and the good part is the activity that characterizes each member. Of the sixty members belonging to Rev. Mr. ——'s churches fifty-seven are praying members, and all sixty take active part in testimony. A most cordial relation exists between pastor and people. We held an afternoon service at another one of Rev. Mr. ——'s churches, where I had the privilege of talking and meeting the friends.
A Mother Teaching Revenge.—"We know the mother in the home of the mountaineer is a strong influence. How important that she be trained to occupy this position! I have sat at the fireside and heard the mother relate the story of a murder and turn to her eldest boy and say, 'Mind ye, if ever ye meet up with him, you'll not forget to do what ye'er mammy learned ye to do.' And that boy will not forget unless the grace of God keep him."