I PIONEERING ON THE ALASKA SOUTH COAST BY THE REVEREND EDWARD P. NEWTON AM twenty miles out from Cordova, at Camp No. 5, of the Copper River Railway Company, sitting on a box before the sheet-iron stove in which a good wood fire is crackling. I breakfasted early and came out on the work train twelve miles with the contractor and one of the engineers. We have walked over the well-crusted snow to this, their pioneer camp. I came down from Valdez on Monday, arriving late and sleeping aboard the boat. Yesterday I made calls and scattered dodgers and papered the hall, so-called, which is really a store, being half of the lower floor of the building just back of Hegg's photograph "gallery." The picture shows Broadway, Cordova's only street. There were twenty-three people out for service last night, and it was, so far as I can learn, the first service ever held in the place except those of the visiting Russian priest, who has not been in here for eighteen months. We had one hymnal. I read verse by verse before singing, "I The second view shows Cordova taken some time ago, with an inlet of the bay at low tide in the foreground, and Eyak Lake in the background. The new town site is to the left and nearer the bay on higher ground. This flat will be used for railway yards. The railroad follows the left bank of the lake, turns around the hill best seen in the view of Broadway and gets beyond the mountains of the distance, where the Eyak River runs through to the sea, twelve miles distant. I have been talking about a club house with men and officers of the mining com I PIONEERING ON THE ALASKA SOUTH COAST BY THE REVEREND EDWARD P. NEWTON AM twenty miles out from Cordova, at Camp No. 5, of the Copper River Railway Company, sitting on a box before the sheet-iron stove in which a good wood fire is crackling. I breakfasted early and came out on the work train twelve miles with the contractor and one of the engineers. We have walked over the well-crusted snow to this, their pioneer camp. I came down from Valdez on Monday, arriving late and sleeping aboard the boat. Yesterday I made calls and scattered dodgers and papered the hall, so-called, which is really a store, being half of the lower floor of the building just back of Hegg's photograph "gallery." The picture shows Broadway, Cordova's only street. There were twenty-three people out for service last night, and it was, so far as I can learn, the first service ever held in the place except those of the visiting Russian priest, who has not been in here for eighteen months. We had one hymnal. I read verse by verse before singing, "I The second view shows Cordova taken some time ago, with an inlet of the bay at low tide in the foreground, and Eyak. Lake in the background. The new town site is to the left and nearer the bay on higher ground. This flat will be used for railway yards. The railroad follows the left bank of the lake, turns around the hill best seen in the view of Broadway and gets beyond the mountains of the distance, where the Eyak River runs through to the sea, twelve miles distant. I have been talking about a club house with men and officers of the mining com Pioneering on the Alaska South Coast pany. Plans have been made for a Sunday-school in the home of a good Church family. I shall come down to Cordova from Valdez for services as I am able. But in order to spend one night in Cordova I must be absent from Valdez four days. The boat called at Ellamar coming down, and there I met, as superintendent of the mine, a man whom I had known as a high-school boy in Pueblo. There are about seventy-five people at Ellamar, and they never have a service. I shall call there once in awhile, which I can easily do by spending one night from Valdez, and when my books come I shall introduce the travelling library scheme, which they will welcome. Returning to-morrow we call at Landlock Bay, and I shall hope to see a young man who was in church at Valdez while in town on business a few weeks ago. After service he said: "I have not been in church since last spring and I did enjoy it." He came to the rectory in the afternoon and we had a good talk. He had not known of the early Communion, so he came to the rectory at 7:30 Monday morning and we two had a celebration in my library. He was a Brotherhood man in the States. This sort of 287 thing makes my coming very much worth while and gives me great cheer. Bishop Rowe left at 4 A.M., January 27th for Fairbanks. January 26th at 11 five were confirmed, and a congregation of forty-two was present, which is very large for Valdez in the morning. Knowing that the church could not possibly hold half the people who would wish to come to service and to hear the bishop preach, we secured McKinley Hall and had a congregation of 239. An offering of $45 was given to the bishop for any need of the district. There were some men present last night who had not attended a service for ten years. It is delightful to see the admiration and veneration and love which is felt for Bishop Rowe. He has earned it every bit. He is a prince among "mushers," and a "mixer," which is most essential in these parts. He is now off for his little walk of 800 miles from Fairbanks to the headwaters of the Koyukuk River beyond Bettles, far up beyond the Arctic Circle. We expect him home again by Easter. The prayers of the Church will follow him, and I want them too, that by God's grace I may be able to teach and lead these people here. A door is open. THE FIRST HOUSE IN NORTH DAKOTA BUILT BY A WHITE MAN A BAPTISM ON THE NORTH DAKOTA T PRAIRIE BY THE REVEREND HUGH L. BURLESON HERE was a deserted log house on the open prairie, far from any other habitation. On every side, as far as the eye could reach, stretched the rolling undulations of grass and stubble. Six miles to the eastward, in a picturesque spot near the river, lies a village which the inhabitants-to mark their love and pride in it-have called Walhalla. Here one Sunday in each month comes the clergyman from "down the line" to hold service in the little church which was once a school-house. But these morning and evening services were not enough to satisfy the energetic missionary, and hearing of people to the westward who desired the services of the Church, he sought them out, and arranged that on Sunday afternoons he, journeying from the east, and they from the west and north and south, should meet and worship at the abandoned homestead. And they came, never less than thirty in number, thankful for the opportunity to join in the service of the old Church. It would be hard to imagine anything more primitive, but the worship is heartfelt and inspiring. True, there is neither chancel nor furniture, and before the service begins the missionary steps outside, hangs his coat on a stout nail driven into one of the logs, and dons his surplice there on the broad prairie; but these are small matters where men have the will to worship. It was amid such surroundings, early last November, that an unique service was performed. The Evening Prayer and sermon were at an end, and the congregation was already dispersing. Darkness comes early thus far north, and homes were far away. A man stepped forward and said: "Parson, are you in a hurry?" |