Part 2 (1/2)

The American society soon received aid within its own boundaries, which was a far better beginning than to be dependent upon outside resources. Mrs. Mary Norris, the wife of one of the founders of Andover Seminary, bequeathed thirty thousand dollars to the Board.

G.o.d's Spirit generally revived the churches, opening the eyes and hearts of His people, their purses as well, though not many of the latter were well filled in those days.

G.o.d only has a full record of the anxious courage and faith which was exercised by the supporters, managers, and appointees of the Board during those first struggling years. Under the care of this board Mills and his friends placed themselves, and by it most of them were sent out in the year 1812.

CHAPTER VI.

AN APOSTOLIC JOURNEY IN THE UNITED STATES.

From the first throb of his Christian life, the heart of Mills beat like a soldier's. He called out the recruits, captained the forces, and died in service--a hero! In his student days he had a compelling influence upon his cla.s.smates, and even then showed signs of generals.h.i.+p in his faculty of organizing. The establishment of the Foreign Mission School was largely consequent upon his suggestions; in the formation of the American Board he was one of the foremost personal instruments.

Studies finished, his heart firm in his lofty purpose, highborn schemes began their struggling claim for his attention. The world with all its lands stretching their help-beckoning fingers, was persuading him. Over the home land, his and ours, he turned his penetrating glance. He saw occasion for vast concern, and here was his first response. To go first, opening the way for others through the tangled wilderness, was his design, his master-plot. That ”divine ferment” at Williams College worked the good of home, as well as of foreign, missions.

Having chosen a companion-spy, the Rev. John Schermerhorn, soon after his graduation in 1812, he went to view a goodly land, which he desired to have the people of G.o.d go up and possess. This tour was undertaken under the patronage of the Connecticut and Ma.s.sachusetts Home Missionary Societies. Heretofore these societies had prayed and wept over young missionaries sent to the uncivilized wilds of Western New York! The plan of Mills and Schermerhorn was to travel through the wide territory lying between the great lakes and the Gulf of Mexico, to learn the moral condition of the inhabitants, and scatter what good they might.

The map of this region, as published in Morse's school atlas of 1823, is curiously different from the maps of the present day. The state and territorial lines have been altered, those green, pink, and yellow blanks have become densely freckled and wrinkled, by the dots of cities and towns, and by the complicated tracery of railroads.

These travelers did not telegraph their intended arrival, nor sleep and dine their way to their journey's end, on the ”Flyer,” and then rest in some palatial hotel at last. Each mounted his horse, taking with them by way of baggage all that was necessary for the trip,--tent, provisions, clothing and Bibles. They plodded through miry swamps, they climbed up and down almost perpendicular ledges, and cut their way through canebrakes with a hatchet. When they had creeks to cross they swam their horses. At night they camped, often in the rain and sometimes without food. More than once they were serenaded by Indian war-whoops and the howling wolves. Stopping at town or settlement they were made cordially at home in hut and cabin.

In some places they perceived bright prospects, the germs of future cities, and were often urgently besought to stay and preach the gospel permanently.

They found everywhere the Sabbath profaned, only a few good people in any one place, and Bibles rare possessions. In some places the people were longing for the Gospel. In all the leading towns they formed Bible societies, and everywhere preached and distributed Bibles, which were gladly received.

From Nashville they went down the c.u.mberland and Mississippi with General Jackson and fifteen hundred volunteers. In New Orleans they gained the consent of Bishop DeBury to distribute the Scriptures in French to the French Romanists, who made up three-fourths of the population of the state. They found no Protestant church in the city.

They here organized a Bible society, and remained several weeks to preach and to hold prayer-meetings.

CHAPTER VII.

MILLS' SECOND TOUR.

In the year 1814 Mr. Mills having obtained the a.s.sistance of some of the eastern Bible societies, and having chosen as companion the Rev.

Daniel Smith, started on another tour through the South and West.

They went laden with Bibles and the prayers of Christian friends.

They went through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri.

In all these states they found the people ”exceedingly dest.i.tute of religious privileges,” and a ”lamentable want of Bibles and missionaries.” They found ”American families who never saw a Bible, or heard of Jesus Christ.” There was only one minister to ten thousand people if equally placed; but there were districts containing from twenty to fifty thousand ”without a preacher.” These men were light-bringers to this ”valley of the shadow of death,” as Mills called it. They found English soldiers, French Romanists, colored slaves, our own dear countrymen, greedy for the bread of life.

They traveled more than six thousand miles; they pa.s.sed through a variety of climates; they endured ”perils in the city, perils of the wilderness, perils on the rivers and on the sea,” that they might cast that bread upon the waters which you and I are finding after many days.

Mills arrived for the second time in New Orleans, soon after the celebrated battle of January 8, 1815, and cheered many hearts by his coming. He visited the soldiers in prison, the sick and wounded in the hospitals; kneeling on the bare floor where they lay, he prayed and talked with them, sang for them, and gave them Bibles; he preached in camp. The Philadelphia society had given him a quant.i.ty of French Bibles. The people were clamorous for them. They thronged the distributor's door, and remained even after the notice had been given that no more could be had until the following day. They came sometimes from great distances. In one week a thousand copies were given away. In one instance a Romish priest a.s.sisted in this work.

The bishop acknowledged the deplorable state of the people, and preferred their having the Protestant version to none at all.

When these adventurers in Christ's kingdom visited St. Louis, they found it a place of two thousand inhabitants,--”a tumble-down French village,--built mainly of wooden slabs and poles set vertically, and well daubed with mortar mixed with straw, though there were many log houses.” In a school-room they delivered the first Presbyterian or Congregational sermons ever preached on the west side of the Mississippi. They were gratefully received, and had crowded audiences. The people would gladly have supported either one could he have stayed.