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Sept. 22, 1909. THE !
the Sunday-schools, churches and societies
of the Synod will also respond.
Charles D. McKinney,
President Board of Trustees.
IN THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS.
Edward O. Guerrant, Wilmore, Ky.
After a long time, and over a long road,
I made my third visit to the Great Smoky
mountains, which divide Tennessee from
North Carolina. The evening of the second
day, I reached Brown's, a little station
on the rapid Pigeon river some twenty
miles above Newport, Tennessee. Clever
Mr. Messer met me, with the only horse
in the neighborhood, and I climbed 500
feet, in two miles, up to the Seminary oC
the Great Smokies, where I found Miss
Margaret Gordon and her mother. They
have charge of this mission, and are universally
beloved, for their own and their
, work's sake. There was no appointment
for preaching, until nearly dark, but a
good congregation nearly filled the chapel.
Where they came from, one could
only guess, lor few houses were visible
in these wild, steep mountains; and it was
equally hard to see how these people
make a living, in this poorest courftry I
have ever seen. Miss Gordon has a most
interesting school, and the only one I ever
remember with every pupil present. I
preached three times the next day to most
earnest congregations, every one of whom
walked, and a number made confession
of Christ. The post office at the Seminary
is kept by one of the grown pupils, who
told me his salary was four dollars per
month, which nearly paid his board. A
tall Highlander carried the mail, on his
shoulder to the railroad, whlcu
consisted of two letters and three
postals that day. . He carries it
three times a week. This Seminary,
built by Mr. Barrows, is a monument in
the energy and consecrated zeal of a noble
man and his wife. It is a large, substantial
building, 500 feet above the river,
and 4,500 ieet below the top of White
Rock mountain, which divides the two
States. Miss Gordon and her mother occupy
the upper rooms of the Seminary,
which are level with the mountain beninn
it. Rev. Mr. Gordon and Mr. E. M. Munvoe,
Jr., have visited and preached there
during the summer. It is a promising
and successful mission. Want of time com
pelled me to leave early on Thursday
morning for the Ebenezer mission, seven
miles back of Del Rio, on the FrenchBroad
river. From the Seminary we had
to descend to the river down a roaring
cataract, which an enterprising Highlander
had harnessed to a little mill, where
his few neighbors could get their grindine
done. Mv euide informed me the
mill cost ten dollars. Money is scarer in
these rugged mountains than the courage
and industry that makes a living for the
hardy people. At Newport I had a pleasant
hour with Brother Black, who speaks
John Knox's brogue and orthodoxy,
among an appreciative people. At Del
Rio I met Miss Leona Blake, of South
Carolina, on her way* to the mission. Mr.
Munroe met us at Del Rio with a horse
and mule to carry us seven miles up the
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PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUT]
Big Creek and across the mountain to
Ebcnezer Home. We reached there at
dark, after Miss Blake's horse had thrown
her over his head, and then she traded
mm lor my mule, after which we went
safely. We lound this mission, founded
by two devoted Moravians now in China,
in a flourishing condition and hopeful of
greater things. It is admirably managed
by Miss Margaret Allison, of North Caro
lina, ably assisted by Mr. Marshall Munroe,
Jr., of Texas, and Miss Annie Laurie
Williams, of South Carolina. With commendable
forethought, they had announced
preaching that night and every day
over the Sabbath. Rev. Jas. B. Converse,
of Morristown, who arrived today
on his regular visit to the mission,
preached a most instructive
sermon the first night. On Saturday, Sunday
and Monday we had preaching twice
daily to fine congregations. At night the
chapel was crowded, and on Sabbath
morning the Sunday-school filled the
chapel, dining room, and porch. I do not
know where I ever saw a finer lot of
Highland lads and lassies. It would have
done Dr. Phillips' heart good to have been
there. We were sorry he was not. During
the services the profoundest attention
was given, and more than a score
of persons professed faith in the Saviour.
Miss Williams' school, also, was nearly
uunanimous in accepting Christ. It was
a season long to be remembered hv the
people in these wild, poor mountains, so
far from the blessings others enjoy, and
which some do not appreciate.' The lollies
of fashion and the dissipations of society
have never invaded those quiet
hamlets in the Great Smokies. I did
not see a single big hat or a fashionable
dress. Mr. Munroe is busy pushing the
chapel to completion. It is a large, substantial
building for school and church,
with rooms above for teachers or pupils.
It has long been needed. The poor Highlanders
take great pride in it and freely
give their labor, having little else to give.
Other engagements compelled me to
leave early Tuesday morning, and Mr.
Richard James brought me a mule to ride
back to Del Rio, nine miles, by his home
on the Muddy Fork of Big Creek. Here I
found the coziest cottage and prettiest
cove I have ever yet seen in the Great
Smokies. Mr. James generously ofTered
to give fifteen acres of land, and other
help from the neighbors, if we would
give them better advantages of education
and religion. We visited the school house
over the mountain, and found it filled
with bright children, taught by a nice
young lady, in a poor, open cabin, which
could not be warmed. The school is to
last four months, if Jack Frost does not
close it sooner, which he probably will.
How can these Highland children ever
get a chance to be educated under such
circumstances? And they are the brightest
children of the purest stock, and lots
of them. On the Way to Del Rio, we
called at a little house by the roadside
and the happy mother brought out her
three handsome boys, all of the ?ame
age (four years) named "Bob" Taylor,
"Ed" Carmack, and John Cox, (two gov4
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K. x5
ernors and a Senator of Tennessee). No
wonder Dr. Dabney said these Hignlands
are the nursery and training ground of
our country. No wonder their ancestors
won the battles of King's mountain and
New Orleans. We need these Highlanders
to leaven the great influx of foreigners,
seven millions of whom entered our
country in the last ten years. That night
found me at Morristown, where I staid
with Dr. McConnell at Brother Converse's
hospitable home, after inspecting the
Doctor's splendid new church, which appeared
magnificent, when I remembered
the poor cabins of the Great Smokies
seven o'clock the next morning I took the
train East to the Watauga hills, where I
met Rev. R. F. King, the faithful bishop
of the "Forks", where he has built a
nice church on the spot where I preached
some years ago to the people seated
on the ground. Here I alsp met the veterans
of our society, Mr. and Mrs. Parmalee,
who ten years before, to the day,
entered the soul winner's work in
"Bloody Breathitt" county, in the Kentucky
Cumberlands. "Though faint, they
WPTP oHll *
,nn oumg , ueiping with prayers
arid pen his cause, lor whom they left
their home in New York and Connecticut
many years ago.
HAZING ABOLISHED AT DAVIDSON
COLLEGE.
Unanimous Action of Student Body.
A memorable mass-meeting was held in
the Shearer Memorial Hall on the night
of Sept 5, for the discussion of the whole
question of college hazing.
In addition to the faculty and student
Loay several prominent friends of the college
and recent alumni attended the meeting
and participated in tbe discussion.
Ringing speeches from the standpoint of
the world outside of college walls were
made by George E. Wilson, Esq., of Charlotte;
W. J. Roddey, of Rock Hill, S. C.;
and Dr. T. W. Lingle, field representative
of the college. The effect of the hazing
tradition on student life and ideals was
presented by Dr. Sentelle, Dr. Martin and
President Smith.
Immediately after the discussion and
tne departure of the faculty, the students
k?U -
nciu u mass meeting with the president,
George E. Wilson, Jr., In the chair.
The Bentiment for the abolition of hazing
was unanimous and irresistible. Every
speech against it was greeted with
thunderous applause. The Sophomore
class pledged itself without a dissenting
vote, the officers of each class pledged
their respective organizations, and the
student body voted unanimously amid
cheers and enthusiasm to abolish the
practice now and forever by placing it in
the same category as cheatiner on cwmi.
nations and damaging college property,
which, under the organized "honor system"
of the college are entirely eliminated.
After the meeting a great parade and
celebration marked the beginning of a
new era on the old campus, and the re- .
moval of a custom which all now consider
unworthy of such a Christian institution
of learning.