USA > Texas > Early pioneer days in Texas > Part 10
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Yours for a speedy reformation, J. TAYLOR ALLEN.
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CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE COLLEGE DUDE.
Once upon a time a hard-working, industrious, courageous farmer's boy decided to leave the old home and farm for the city and college, with high ideals, aspirations and ambitions to climb to the highest rung of the ladder and pinnacle of fame and learning. Of course, the good old father and mother and the rest of the large, poor, industrious, hard-working, poorly clad and fed family fully de- cided they would really sacrifice in his behalf, to satisfy his restless, longing ambition for knowl- edge of upward and onward progress and develop- ment. So having speedily prepared his home- made coarse, but neat, clothes a speedy departure was arranged, the goodbyes were said, while the good old father and mother and his brothers and sisters stood with tears in their eyes, hearts all torn and bleeding, earnestly wondering what his progress would be, and when they would meet again; the big-hearted, whole-souled boy wonder- ing, "Will they miss me when I am gone ?"
Of course, as they lived away back in the in- terior back woods, their general manner of travel was in an old-time ox wagon, on which the would- be college boy and driver traveled on this never- to-be-forgotten occasion, over rough, rocky, hilly, mountainous, dim roads, low mud bridges, then on branches and creeks. When the noon hour ar- rived the oxen were invariably hobbled out on the immensely thick, tall, nutritious grass-there be-
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ing no other kind of feed then. Cooking was done in the early day primitive style-frying pans, skil- lets, ovens and lids, and coffee pots. Seats on the ground amidst high grass. Best fat beef, venison, bear and buffalo meat, turkey, quail, prairie chick- ens, squirrels and wild honey-all good enough for a feast for kings-were used and really enjoyed as we sat around our bright blazing camp fires, exchanging anecdotes, real experiences of the thrilling, daring, dangerous battles with wild In- dians and wild animals. Many were the incon- veniences and hardships endured by the first pioneer men and women settlers of Texas.
After traveling on the aforesaid journey for three days we safely arrived at the college, which consisted of a house built of nicely hewed logs, stick and dirt chimneys, clapboard doors, wooden latch and hinges, split open logs for seats, in which were bored large holes for legs ; no backs to seats. Roof of house covered with split boards, held on with heavy weight poles (pole rafters), no glass windows; really some difference between the houses, books and furniture then and now. Big cowbell used to toll and loudly ring reverberating sounding out over mountains, valleys, glade and glen, calling them from labor to refreshment time and again, amidst all the surrounding incon- veniences and fully described environments.
Boys and girls rapidly advanced and progressed in their studies, until, in about two years, the sub- ject of this sketch was far ahead of all the stu- dents, who were sixty in attendance, from sur- rounding country of two hundred miles.
The closing days of school were rapidly ap-
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proaching, when a real examination and exhibition was to begin. The old father and mother and all the children who had sacrificed, lived hard, worked hard, living very economically, rough, coarse diet and clothes, so as to enable the aforesaid dude to acquire a good education, graduate, and get a diploma, be ready, thoroughly prepared and quali- fied for good, practical business in this big world. Said family speedily and hastily arranged for the long, dangerous, hazardous trip, to be present on that great never-to-be-forgotten examination and exhibition. After three days of travel, camping out of nights, they arrived safely on the college grounds. They struck camp, cooked a good sump- tuous dinner, supper and breakfast. Then, when proper time arrived for examination and exhibi- tion to begin, the old man, woman and children quickly and boldly walked up to the college door, but were treated with indifference, scorn and con- tempt-not invited to come in-went boldly in anyhow, took seats near the door. The old man having been treated with such indifference, the son not coming to cheerfully recognize them and greet and welcome them on their arrival the day before, the old gentleman became suspicious that his college dude son had the big head and did not know his father, mother, brother and sisters. They fully resolved not to start back on the long journey without getting acquainted with the young gentleman ,who, I assure you, was fine look- ing, intelligent college dude. When the old college bell sounded long and loud, reverberatingly, echo- ing out over mountains, valleys, glade and glen, the boys and girls entered rapidly. Just as said
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dude, wearing fine suit, gold watch and chain, fine gold-headed cane and spectacles, looked at his old father, mother, brothers and sisters, seeming not to recognize them, but with scornful, disdainful, contemptuous look, was going to pass on, the big, stout, courageous father jumped and quickly grabbed his dude son in the collar, suddenly throw- ing him hard on the floor. Then the real lecture began in earnest; the father vigorously laying on heavy licks, the children sitting heavily on him, even on his dude head and spectacles, while the old woman rapidly and heavily applied a tremen- dous heavy paddle-not on his head. He roared in agony and pain, saying loudly : "Oh, father and mother, brothers and sisters, please let me up. I will not treat you so any more. I am now thor- oughly acquainted with you." Of course, the col- lege professors and pupils interfered and helped stop the racket and flowing blood. The officers and police were called. They arrested and started with said family to the lock-up prison. On their way they met an old-time friend and schoolmate of the college dude's father, who out with the money and paid the fine of the whole family, and as they were released they gave the young, proud, haughty college dude earnest orders to get his ef- fects together at once, get into the ox wagon, which he gladly obeyed. They then, all being hap- pily together once more, proceeded unmolested on their journey home, from whence the prodigal boy never wandered again, but ever humble and obedient discharged faithfully his pleasant duties all through life, not waiting to be told. All of which proves that it is too often the case that the
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highly educated look upon manual labor as degrad- ing and that the educated are far superior to the poor laboring men, women and children, who have not had the opportunities of more than a very common, limited school education, considering them as inferior creatures, which was so in my case. The great Civil War and other lack of op- portunities prevented only a very limited educa- tion, and that obtained at the old primitive log cabin church and school house, built in the long ago 1838. Education, like money, proves either a blessing or a curse-often illegitimate corpora- tions, trusts, monopolis. Gambling exchanges are operated by the educated in league, conspiring to rob and tyrranically bind in chains of bondage the toiling millions of men, women and children, who under present educated land and currency system, without one ray of hope of ever owning land on which to build a home, sweet home. No place like home. Oh, let us not allow education to give us the big head like it did the college dude.
Yours for truth, principle, justice and mercy to prevail here and the hereafter.
(Signed) J. TAYLOR ALLEN. R. F. D. 7, Box 22, Honey Grove, Texas.
N. B .- All the education this scribe ever learned out of books was learned at said log cabin school house or around the early day tallow candles, around the fireplace in our primitive, happy, pros- perous home.
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CHAPTER XXIX.
TO OUR MANY RELATIVES AND FRIENDS, THESE LINES ARE DEDICATED.
(By J. Taylor Allen.) Honey Grove, Texas, R. F. D. 7, Box 51, February 9, 1918.
Don't view me with a critic's eye, but pass my imperfections by. If I have any worth or merit, any good words for me let me hear them while I am living; too late to express them when I am dead for me to appreciate them. The encourage- ment I need is while living; while lieing still in death is too late for kind words of appreciation. Love! oh, what power, inexpressable affection is contained in the word Love. Far-reaching here and out in the great hereafter. Oh, how the world is hungering and thirsting for love and affection. If you have any good words, say them, for we pass this way only once; soon we shall enter that bourne from whence no traveler ever returns. Oh, for cheerful joy and gladness to our hearts now, and out in the great hereafter peace and happi- ness forever. More flower wreaths and boquets while living, and not so many when dead.
-
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CHAPTER XXX.
CHRISTIAN UNITY. (By J. Taylor Allen.)
Honey Grove, Texas, R. F. D. 7, Box 51, March 15, 1918.
To the readers of our book, entitled "Early Pioneer Days in Texas," these lines are dedicated.
"Be ye one as my Father and I are one," would unite all denominations in one common cause, the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. By such unity and co-operative brotherly love all unhealthy rivalry would cease. Instead of ex- travagance, seeing who can indulge in the great- est display, great costly churches, fine parsonages, big, extravagant, excessive salaries, which Christ, our Savior and world's Redeemer, censured and practically condemned. And no doubt, were He to come again, enter the temple as He did, while here he would overthrow the tables of the money changers; scourge and drive them out as wolves in sheep's clothing. Hypocrisy, fraud, humbug, deception, money god worship, instead of worship- ing the true and living God, in unity, spirit and truth, has caused ours to be an idolatrous nation, worse than the heathenism of the darkest ages of the world, and will soon cause the overthrow and downfall of our United States as other nations, empires and kingdoms have gone. The sooner we repent and get forgiveness, as Nineveh did, the
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better, to save our government from annihilation before our doom is sealed and destiny unalterably fixed. The white slave trade and many dark crimes against God will place in hell with all the other nations that forget God if a speedy reformation is not practiced. There is a cause for the darkest war cloud that has ever hung over the world. It will require all the churches of the world to unite and fully co-operate to overthrow the strongholds of the devil and his agents.
Is the time drawing near when the Protestant denominations shall unite in one great church ? It is thought by many of the wise, thoughtful Christian men of the present age, that the world is drawing nearer a universal peace, and arbitra- tion instead of war will settle our national diffi- culties in the future, and many-very many-of us hope that this great and wise undertaking that now seems to be just dawning upon us will finally be brought to a glorious consummation ; when na- tions will beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning hooks, and nations shall not lift up sword against nation ; neither shall they learn war any more. If the politicians and rulers of the nations of the earth are getting wiser and better, should not the leaders in the religious world -those that are trying to control the spiritual and religious destiny of the multitudes that are daily passing into eternity-should they not give up their prejudice and selfishness ? During the ages past there has been many different creeds and denominations that have contended bitterly for the doctrines they have held to, and the Scrip- tures have been ransacked, not so much in search
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of truth as to find certain passages of Scripture to strengthen the doctrine they hold to, and their teachings have become pretty well known to the intelligent public; and looking at it from that standpoint, much good may have been done. But notwithstanding all of this knowledge, the think- ing men and women that are free from prejudice and not controlled by selfish motives-men and women that love God and their fellow men-are ready to say that it is character that is approved and acceptable to God, and not the obeying of any formalities or creed that shall make them accept- able with God; but rather a clean heart and love to God and their fellow man. How often is the word righteous and righteousness mentioned in the Bible ? It would be quite a task to count them. The secret of the Lord is with the righteous. The sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings and yet shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall. I believe the different denom- inations are growing wiser and better and nearer each other, and it would be a very hard question to decide which denomination has the largest of righteous people. But there are thousands in every denomination that will say that it is the strength of righteous character that makes the worthy and acceptable Christian. And Christ's prayer was prayer that they all should be one. And I believe there are thousands in every denom- ination today, if this happy union could be con- summated, would cry out as Peter did in the pres- ence of Cornelius : "I perceive God is no respecter of persons." Mark the language: "But he that doeth good and worketh righteousness is accept-
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able with God." Could we ask for a better and more satisfactory promise than that? Our mis- sionary work could be carried on more satisfactor- ily and successfully by a united people than with division as it is at present. I will ask the layman and the preacher to put this question to them- selves: Who is to blame for continuing this divi- sion ? There may be many that are afraid of los- ing prestige or position, and cling to their partic- ular doctrine as right and all others as wrong. When the disciple John came to Christ and told Him that he saw one casting out devils in thy name, and we forbade him because he followeth not with us, and Jesus said unto him: "Forbid him not, for he that is not against us is for us." (Luke 9th and 49th; Matt. 12:30.) Christ says He that is not with me is against me." (Mark 9:39.) Again John complains to the Master, "We saw one casting out devils in Thy name and we forbade him because he followed not after us." But Jesus said: "Forbid him not, for there is no one which shall do a miracle in my name that can lightly speak evil of me, for he that is not against us is in on our part." It is evident that the views of the Apostles were much narrower than the teachings of Christ, and I believe the teachings of the leaders of our different Christian denominations today are like the Apostles of old before they were more perfectly taught, narrowed in their views and teachings than the gospel of Christ. It cannot be intelligently claimed that these denominations, and of them, are anti-Christ, but in all their teachings Christ is the central figure. And they worship Him as their Lord and
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Master, and the passage, Matt. 12:30, cannot be used in argument against these Christians. They are for Christ. Christ's prayer, recorded in John, chapter 18, 20th verse: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word . Verse 21st: "That they all may be one as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee; that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." Christ's great reason for oneness, that He empha- sized and repeats in His prayer is: "That the world may believe thou hast sent me." These divi- sions are a great hindrance to Christ's cause. One of the great difficulties is agreeing on the mode of baptism. Let us all be baptised by the Holy Ghost; baptism into one body Christ Jesus, who has promised to never leave us; no, never leave us alone. To all the readers of our book may God's richest blessings ever rest and abide with you, and when our earthly pilgrimage shall have ended here, oh, let us all meet in happy reunion over there where our friends and loved ones are watch- ing and awaiting our arrival home, where we shall ever be free from care, sorrow and pain.
Yours and His,
J. TAYLOR ALLEN.
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CHAPTER XXXI.
BETTER THAN BONDS OR GOLD. (By J. Taylor Allen.)
October 12, 1916.
If only one poor little child drops a tear on my grave, and says there lies a friend that helped to keep me from starvation and rags, will pay me an hundred fold for money spent and sleepless mid- night hours writing in self-defense and protection of the toiling millions, men, women and children. Oh, what real joy, peace and conscientious satis- faction-words fail me to fully express in battling for freedom, liberty and independence from the tyrranical bondage slavish chains. Land owners, you certainly don't want to reduce the poor, help- less women and children to worse poverty and rags because many of the renters voted for road bond taxes. They should not be held accountable and responsible for the acts of those who should have protected and defended them. Not a voice or vote did they have in the election, and yet widows are taxed and has to protect herself the best she can against automobile task master bond- holders running their sixty-foot wide roads across her land and crops. Just think earnestly what a condition women and children would be placed in if land owners only furnished the land and the renter everything else, and pay one-half of every- thing produced, in self-defense and protection, strong, courageous men would be forced to apply
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severe punishment to those who thus unmercifully oppressed them and theirs. What can be thought of those who profess to teach the Bible and vote to place the children in bondage; why not deliver them out of bondage and thus fulfill the teachings of the Bible. Oh, ye, deceptive hypocrites, gaging at a gnat and swallowing a camel. The Savior will come again and enter the grand high-salaried ex- travagant churches, overthrow the tables of the money changers, and drive them out. Money god worshipers have bound the people in slavish chains so that they and theirs can fare sumptuously every day. Better imitate Moses, one of the great- est characters the Bible gives any account of. His greatest life work was destroying the task master bondholders. Why don't you preachers and teach- ers help deliver the people out of temporal bon- dage in the great here, and not preach so much about the great hereafter; if we do right here God will take care of the hereafter.
J. TAYLOR ALLEN.
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CHAPTER XXXII.
SOME REMINISCENCES OF EARLY PIONEER DAYS IN TEXAS. (By J. Taylor Allen.)
December 26, 1917.
The protracted camp meetings held under brush arbors around our primitive log cabin church and school house of the long ago shall never be for- gotten. Preaching by those grand old heroes of the Cross, that traveled long journeys along trails that led across the vast rolling prairies, often through country infested with bloodthirsty In- dians, wolves, wild Spanish horses, deer, buffalo, etc. Those tremendous, impressive sermons, songs and prayers that were often heard, even far into the night, sounded reverently with spirit- ual thunder tones on the consciences of men. Their work still lives, and will, until time shall be no more, and extend out in the great hereafter, when there will be a grand reunion of those who will sing the old-time religion songs in the house of many mansions. There are few of those left that were with us then. We shall meet again in glorious hallelujah meetings that shall never break up; where goodbyes are never said, no night, no sin, neither tears or sad hearts over there where our friends and loved ones are watching and waiting our arrival home. Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the joys and peace held in reservation for
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those that shall enter there. Look away from the cross to the glittering crown. Every dark cloud has its silvery lining, and beyond the bright, brilliant sun is shining. God be with you till we meet again.
Yours and His, J. TAYLOR ALLEN.
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CHAPTER XXXIII. HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF.
Honey Grove, Texas. December 29, 1917.
What has been will be again. The same causes that produced certain effects like causes will pro- duce same effects again. History repeats itself. We judge the future by the past. Nations, em- pires and kingdoms have gone down, sunk into oblivion, annihilation, caused by their wickedness, departing from God and our Savior's teaching and commands has brought desolation, sorrow, misery, woe, bloodshed, famines, pestilence, plagues, wars, drouths, floods, devastation by innumerable multi- plied millions of insects of various names, as was predicted and prophesied by the prophets would come upon the inhabitants of earth, as has come upon the children of men in the past for like sins, will come upon us of the present day and genera- tion. Will our own United States be exempt? We shall see. Already we are realizing and experienc- ing trouble from some cause. What the cause and what the remedy ? Will our nation go as others have gone? National sunset to rise no more on a free, liberty-loving and independent people. What are our greatest national sins, individually and collectively ? Do we love and worship money more than we do God? If so, we are idolaters, and worse than the heathen that worshiped images made of gold, silver, wood, stone, etc. Being more enlightened, professing Christianity, civilization,
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education, are worse than the heathen, and will be held more responsible and accountable, and punished more severely here and out in the great hereafter. Before too late, there had better be true and genuine repentance, humbling in sack cloth and ashes. Return to God and enter at once upon a strict reformation, before God sentences us to same doom as came upon nations, empires and kingdoms of the past.
J. TAYLOR ALLEN.
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CHAPTER XXXIV. THE GREATEST GOOD TO THE GREATEST NUMBER.
There is a limit to human endurance. There is a time in the course of human events that for- bearance ceases to be a virtue. There is a trust on everything except the air we breathe, the water we drink, and heaven, our future home; and their will is good, and if it was possible, the greedy money-idol worshiping, selfish privileged few (at the expense of the many) would allow us the air we breathe by turning on each breath as we paid their price in gold, and when we failed to have the stuff our doom would be sealed and destiny fixed. Then and there the same abusive, oppressive authority would be used in regard to our water, meat and bread, if they could do so. Also they would take possession of Heaven, establish their trust bank vault, and only admit us through the gates into the city as we paid their extortionate price in gold for admission. As soon as it is pos- sible, they will require taxes all paid in gold and require a property qualification $500 or $1,000 above a person's indebtedness before he is al- lowed to vote. Oh, once the greatest nation for truth, justice and right, under the constitution framed by the great Washington and all our revo- lutionary forefathers, whither art thou drifting and from whence hast thou fallen, and what will the final result be? The greatest good to the greatest number, equal rights to all, and special privileges to none-a government by the people and for the people was once practiced (both in precept and example). Let us hope our nation will not suffer the fate of nations in the past.
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CHAPTER XXXV.
WAR CLOUDS.
(By J. Taylor Allen.)
Honey Grove, Texas, R. F. D. 7, Box 51, February 13, 1918.
To all who are anxious, desiring and earnestly praying that the war clouds will speedily roll by, and a universal peace be declared, these lines are dedicated.
The present war cloud is the blackest under which we have ever lived. God moves in a mys- terious way His wonders to perform, plants His footsteps on the sea and rides upon the storm. If we would have His protecting care from every harm, let us ever sincerely and prayerfully look to him amid the tempestuous, thickly gathering storm. To whom can we look to help us in this great time of need, but to Him and his Son, who for us did suffer and bleed, that we poor sinful mortals might be freed from that which we de- served-everlasting banishment from the peace- ful presence of Him who suffered the just for the unjust through His Son and the ever-blessed Holy Spirit of truth, mercy and love? From His side flowed the water and the blood that saves from wrath and makes us pure. He was wounded for our transgressions; by His stripes we are healed; the bread and water of life is freely given ; whosoever will let him come, salvation is free to
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