Subject: INCIDENTS #40 From: ELIZABETH RUSSO Date: November 03, 1998 INCIDENTS AND CHARACTERS IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF METHODISM By The Reverend John Elmore DuBois Edited by Elizabeth A. DuBois (c) 1998 DuBois Publishing Co, Simsbury, Connecticut. All rights reserved. FOURTEEN The Road from Selma to Greensboro In this chapter I propose to notice the missionary operations of the M.E. Church, South, among the colored people of the "blackbelt" of Alabama. But, as an introduction, it may not be uninteresting to notice some of the changes that have taken place in this region in the past half century. Three miles south of the old stage road that leads from Selma to Greensboro, the prairies set in, blooming in beauty and rejoicing in exuberant fertility. In 1825 it was an unbroken solitude, and had not yielded to the pioneer implements of civilization-- "the rifle, axe and saddlebags"--but was still the home of the wild sportsman and his wilder game. In the year 1827, a few settlers broke the solitude, reared their cabins, cleared small fields, and opened the way for progress and development in one of the finest sections of the South. A few miles further on were the hammock, or hummock lands, so densely covered with cane as to prevent all passage, except along the beaten paths made by the browsing cattle, which in large droves reveled in lazy fatness in these rich pastures, the gift of a bountiful hand. Horses and other stock were raised with little care and less expense, nothing being necessary except to salt them, and to bestow such attention as was required to keep them on intimate relations to man, the superior animal. The deer, bear and wolf ranged at large in great numbers, as well as turkeys and other wild fowls, all of which added to the stock of communism and greatly enriched the larder of the rustic pioneer. Even for years after, wolves prowled around, and by their hideous howlings admonished the settlers to take care of their flocks, while the bear would occasionally help himself to a fat pig, and as soon as the young corn was in roasting ear, would freely gorge himself at the risk of furnishing a nice steak to the owner of the field. Bear hunting was a sport which gave rise to the wildest enthusiasm, and enlisted the patronage of all classes of men, while the wolf was trapped with equal alacrity and zest, but was not so high a prize. I saw on of these in chains for the purpose of being tamed; but after biting the hand of a young man so severely that he lost it, his wolfship paid the penalty with his life. [To be continued tomorrow] ==== SCROOTS Mailing List ==== Go To: #, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, Main |