USA > Texas > Early pioneer days in Texas > Part 9
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Joseph Morrison, and the Allen brothers, Hal Wil- son, young Elbert Stanmore, old man Gwaltney, a hard-shell preacher, and David Peavler. He lived near where the German church now stands.
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CHAPTER XX.
HONEY GROVE.
We are proud of our beautiful, prosperous and progressive little city, Honey Grove, which is sit- uated sixteen miles east of Bonham, twenty-two miles west of Paris and eighty-five miles north- east of Dallas, with a population of 3,500 inhabi- tants, five churches, three schools, high and grade whites, and one colored school, with an enrolment of 800 whites and 300 blacks; water works, two livery stable and wagon yards, oil mill, compress, two corn mills, T. & P. and Santa Fe railroads and depots, with necessary number of dry goods and family grocery stores, three drug stores, shops, etc., city hall, hotels, restaurants, Woodmen and Masonic lodges; a beautiful, well-kept cemetery, enclosed by beautiful, up-to-date fencing, which is a monument to the zeal and work of the pro- gressive ladies, who so kindly, in commemoration of their departed friends and loved ones, freely contributed to the good work and cause, which will ever be as a memorial unto them.
The city of Bonham shipped, during 1917, 22,- 500 bales of cotton, 10,000 or 12,000 tons cotton- seed, 100,000 bushels of peanuts; oats, corn and hay in quantities not known, but a great deal was shipped out with plenty left to supply our town and country. Our progressive city is surrounded by very rich productive land. In short, we are prosperous, contented and happy.
The justly celebrated Honey Grove derived its
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name from the immense number of bee trees of richest honey; every hollow tree, and sometimes deposited in the tangled down weeds and grass which David Crockett and my father, W. B. Allen and his many pioneer comrades found here in abundance in the early days of Texas. Oh, what happy, indescribable times we would have if we could find such a country again, but gone for- ever.
One day, while my father was hacking away with his big hack knife through immense tangle of vines, brush and briars, suddenly came upon a stooping pine oak tree, on which was cut in big letters Honey Grove, which was supposed to have been cut by David Crockett, as they had just passed on before to the famous Alamo, where 180 tried, true and brave held at bay 5,000 Mexicans under Santa Anna for a considerable time, but who were finally brutally murdered, and dead bodies were savagely piled and burned, which proved a death knell soon after to old Santa Anna and his host of demons.
The blood of martyrs is the seed of perpetual truth and principle that shall live forever.
J. TAYLOR ALLEN.
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CHAPTER XXI.
(To my Wife, Children and Many Relatives and Friends these lines are dedicated.)
Honey Grove, Texas, R. F. D. 7, Box 51,
December 26, 1917.
As I sit in my old home in which I was born sixty-nine years and two months ago, I study, ponder and dream of the long ago; of childhood's happy days when we knew no care, misfortune or bereavement. Oh! that those days might return again. But they are gone forever. We cannot live life over again, but as we rapidly pass life's milestones to the Great Beyond, from whence no traveler ever returns, oh, may God help us to live that when we are called to cross the last river we will be prepared to enter through the gates into the city and be forever with the Lord. In the old home voices once heard are heard no more, but are forever stilled this side of the home over there. Yet when we meet there hallelujah re- joicing will be heard, safe at home at last. Places once occupied here in the old home are now vacant, but most grand and glorious thought, we shall meet again. The pictures on the wall of our friends and loved ones, who are now gone, bring vividly to memory the long ago when we were happily associated here. The remembrance of our log cabin church and school house around which we played with our schoolmates is indelibly print-
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ed on memory's pages, never to be erased. Nearly all my schoolmates of those days have crossed the last river and answered to roll call on the other side. We are often made to wonder and exclaim why are we still permitted to live while millions of our fellow creatures have passed off of the stage of existence since we had a being in the world, and are now realizing the experiences of another world. All of which reminds us that we, too, are fast passing away; soon will be gone. Will you miss me when I am gone? Perhaps a few visits will be paid to our narrow, lonely grave. Perhaps a tear, a sprig of evergreen, a flower, wreath or boquet will fall thereon from loving hands in commemoration of me, but as time swift- ly rolls on, and the years go fleeting by, those visits will be less frequent, yet it is worth much to know we will be kindly remembered when we are gone. Such is life; we are in the midst of death. Like as a vapor or a dream, and as the grass cut down withers and dies, and as the fading, falling leaves come forth from the budding boughs in the spring, reminding us we shall be fully rein- vigorated, resurrected as was our Savior and world's Redeemer, so shall we be, and go home to the home of many mansions prepared for all, ready to enter therein. Vanity, all is vanity here, which is not our abiding place, our permanent home, but as pilgrims on a journey, we are going home to our long sought home. Meet, or, meet me there in the sweet fields of Eden, where the trees of life on either side of the river of life are ever per- petually blooming. There will be no wilted flowers there, but ever-beautiful, fragrant, fair and bloom-
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ing. Where we shall ever be free from care, sor- row and pain. Meet, oh, meet me there, when our journey is ended here. Hope, oh, blessed hope, by our divine religion given; 'tis this that makes our darkness day, our earth a heaven, all pur- chased by our Savior, through the merits of His sacrificial blood, accompanied by the Holy Spirit. Jesus paid it all; all to Him I owe.
Yours and His,
J. TAYLOR ALLEN.
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CHAPTER XXII.
A TRIBUTE AND EULOGY TO THE GOOD LADIES AND BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS.
(By J. Taylor Allen.)
The beautiful, fragrant flowers are emblematic of peace, good will, love, and as sweet silent an- gelic messengers from heaven's happy, pure world. Oh, may they ever be lavishly strewn along our pathway, as we, as pilgrims on our journey through life, rapidly pass life's milestones to the Great Beyond, where there will ever be sweet fragrant flowers, perpetually blooming-no wilted flowers or boquets there, but ever fragrant, fair and blooming in the sweet fields of Eden, where the trees of life on either side of the river of life, that ebbs and flows from the throne of God, are ever blooming. Meet, oh, meet me there. When the trials and afflictions of life are o'er, oh, let us meet on the other shore. Beyond life's river we will be at home forever more with our Savior; all the good and pure will be there. Our friends and loved ones, long gone before, are there, watching and waiting at the beautiful gate for our arrival at home, where there will be no more care, sorrow or pain. No night or death there. Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the good things held in reservate in the house of many mansions. Oh, may the good ladies, who so kindly presented me with sweet, beautiful boquets, ever have our kind- est, best remembrance for their expressions of
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hearty good will for our peace, joy and happiness here and in the great hereafter. Oh, what would this world be without the good women? A waste, howling, lonely, desolate place, indeed. Homes without them would be fit habitations for owls, bats, and all kinds of vermin. She was the last at the cross and the first at the sepulchre. When men fled in dismay she remained, patient, true and faithful, representing truth and purity of heaven's pure, happy world. The good, true and faithful work she has done shall ever be held in kindest remembrance as a memorial unto her. There should be monuments erected to her that will endure the storms of time, on and on through- out the ceaseless cycles of eternity. Oh, words fail us to express our love and admiration of our mothers who prove faithful, loving and true. When all others forsake us and cast us off she will ever protect and defend us ; pray on, hope on, ever, for our return as wandering prodigals. Come home, oh, prodigals, come home.
The good, nicely, well-cooked eatables, so freely and lavishly. furnished by our good, kind lady friends for our old settlers' reunion occasion, I assure, was highly prized and appreciated by all present, and will never be forgotten. Oh, may we all have many more happy reunions this side of the last river, and when our reunions here are over, oh, let us meet in perpetual, happy reunion over there, with our friends and loved ones, in a reunion that will never cease or break up. Happy, most glorious thought of all; we shall meet again where there will be no more care, sorrow or pain. Meet, oh, meet me there, in that beautiful world
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so bright and fair. Words fails to express, pen or pencil to fully write, or painter's brush fully portray all that I want to say, so I will desist, hoping we all, with many more, will meet here next year in old settlers' reunion and answer to roll call. Finally, when there are no old settlers to answer roll call here, we will answer to roll call up yonder on the right side. For the present, farewell.
Yours, for a happy meeting over there.
October 2, 1915.
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CHAPTER XXIII.
OUR SOLDIER BOYS. Honey Grove, Texas, R. F. D. 7, Box 51, December 30, 1917.
Oh, may God's richest blessings ever rest and abide with our soldier boy friends and loved ones as they go forth to battle for freedom, liberty and independence. May the guardian angels of love and mercy and the Holy Spirit hover over and protect them 'mid the many exposures, dangers, hardships and temptations incident to a soldier's life. The sincere, earnest, loving prayers of mil- lions of loving hearts are now, and will ever with earnest solicitude, be entreating at a throne of grace with the most anxious desires of the mind and heart for those absent ones in our daily and nightly prayers. Oh, may God endow us with power from on high that fathers and mothers, and all relatives and friends, may be given true faith, courage and hope to sustain them so we can sing : "Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to Thy bosom fly. While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high. Safe into the haven guide, Oh, re- ceive my soul at last. Hide me, oh, my Savior hide; cover my defenseless head, till the storm of life is past." May those for whom we pray, and with sad hearts bleeding and weeping, bid them goodbye, and God be with you till we meet again, return with bright laurel crowns and honors on their brows, and we will fully realize that all wars
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have ceased and hearty good will, peace on earth and good will to all men, the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of all men has been fully established in the world. Oh, for a double bless- ing of God's love and peace to abide with our grand, good and patriotic women. May her good, faithful, true, patient, courageous, patriotic pray- ers and work be a monument to her memory of good deeds forever. She was last at the cross and first at the sepulchre. Her good Red Cross and temperance work have enlisted the admiration of all the good and true of the world. Oh, may her Red Cross and temperance banners ever be un- furled to the breeze over our homes, oceans, moun- tains, valleys and seas, proclaiming victory, vic- tory, land of the free and home of the brave, from the bonds of slaves.
Yours, J. TAYLOR ALLEN.
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CHAPTER XXIV.
THE RELIGION OF TODAY.
The old churches, to a considerable extent, have lost the Holy Ghost power they once possessed. A link in the chain has been dropped, the key has been lost. The place to find the missing link and the lost key is to diligently, earnestly, sincerely, prayerfully search at the right place, and God and our Savior and the Holy Spirit will assist in recovering the full and complete Holy Ghost old- time religion. Why, oh why, echo answers why, have the churches abandoned the Bible required practice of fasting? On one occasion, when the apostles failed to cast out evil spirits and heal the afflicted, they asked the Savior the cause of their failure, he told them this kind goeth not out save by fasting and prayer. Will the requirement be strictly, prayerfully restored and followed, so that Divine healing will be fully practiced. Oh, what indescribable joy, peace and happiness will be the result of strictly observing God's requirements. As our obedience to his commands and faith is, so shall it be unto us. Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. With the true and tried key of prayer, fast- ing and faith, we will possess sanctification and holiness that God intended that His true children should possess. The chain, with all strong con- necting links of spiritual communion with heaven and God, will constantly bring the Holy Ghost power down now and at all times as we sojourn here as pilgrims on a journey to that home where
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our friends and loved ones are watching and wait- ing for our safe arrival. Be ye one as my Father and I are one. Love; love one another as I have loved you. There are other sheep not of this fold; they that are not against us are for us. As we are commanded to be one, why not all the churches come together and worship the true and living God in spirit and truth, for He seeketh such to worship Him; by so doing the key will be found, the miss- ing links in the chain will be strongly connected and securely welded. Then, by one united co-oper- ation of all the churches, the world will be cap- tured for our Lord in one day. Oh, for a mighty hungering and thirsting, praying and fasting for a speedy oneness of all churches, with all preju- dice gone, enmity and unhealthy rivalry done away with, and true and genuine spirit rivalry to see who can best serve the Lord. Now is the accepted time; the day of Salvation. If ye hear His voice harden not your hearts; strive not against the Spirit, but let Him come in and forever remain. Bless God, salvation is free. Whosoever will let him come and partake of the bread and water of life. freely. Who will come to the fountain that never runs dry? On this rock I shall build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Oh, let us be established on the solid rock, Christ Jesus, and be one church in spirit and be one as our Savior and Father are one. The true . and genuine key and God's chain that extends from earth to heaven and constantly brings the spiritual communion-the Comforter-down over God's telephone. Throw out the life-line. All aboard for heaven now.
J. TAYLOR ALLEN.
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CHAPTER XXV.
FOR SPEEDY REFORMATION.
The Greatest Good to the Greatest Number. (By J. Taylor Allen.) Honey Grove, Texas, October 1, 1915.
The criticisers and persecutors and the howlers are at work doing his satanic majesty's agents' work, fighting those who profess and possess true Holiness and sanctification. Like the members of the old churches criticised and persecuted our blessed Savior while on earth, as in like manner as they did then, they are doing now again. If the old churches were fully established on the solid rock, Christ Jesus, they would have nothing to fear from Holiness-Sanctified people. For the gates of hell could not prevail against, but if their old churches are torn asunder, broken up by the Holiness people proves that the old churches are tottering their foundation. Great will be their fall and decay, wreck and ruin. The Savior 'needs to come again, and as He did while here, enter the churches, overthrow the tables of the money changers, scourge, and run them out, for greed, graft, extravagance and extortion have entered the churches. Their money god will not be able to deliver and save them any more than the rich man who fared sumptuously every day. His doom was sealed and his destiny forever unalterably fixed ; by his trusting in earthly riches placed him in hell beyond hope and mercy. Not even one drop
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of cooling water to be obtained. Money will not buy a through ticket to our home in the Great Beyond, where it is our privilege to go, and will go, if we accept the great plan of salvation-one Lord, one faith and one baptism. If you make that water baptism you do away with the Holy Ghost baptism, the only one that can possibly save, for a material cannot reach and cleanse a spiritual immaterial, so there you are. The more you fight Holiness people the stronger they grow, for they are established on the real truth and solid rock-Jesus Christ, Jesus, our Savior, Re- deemer and Lord. They that aid or abet are equally guilty, therefore the old churches that allow usury collectors to remain in the churches are guilty. God says that they that charge usury are thieves and robbers, proves that the churches are in co-operative league conspiracy which God never has, and never will, endorse. What, oh what, echo answers, has become of the old-time religion, fasting, in connection with true, genuine, fervent, effectual prayer, which availeth much and bring- eth spiritual Holy Ghost religion down ? The driv- ing out of evil spirits and healing of the sick is promised as a direct result of fasting and prayer. A departure from the true faith is the cause of the missing link that extends from earth to heav- en, that brings full and complete Holy Ghost sanc- tification religion down. The missing links and the lost key cannot be found without fully com- plying with God's will and word. Oh, let there be a speedy, sincere, earnest searching for the miss- ing link and key where they were lost, for there ' is the only place to find them. Be ye one as my
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Father and I are one, would unite all churches in one body, then the whole world would be fully captured for our Lord and Savior in one day. The habit of feasting, instead of fasting, has been prac- ticed so long that habitually a perpetual rule of feasting instead has been established to the ex- tent if a day was appointed for fasting, if good food was smelled, you would say at once, Let them go, I am going to eat, feast royally, instead of fasting, though I know that evil spirits cannot be cast out and bodily ailments healed, as our Savior said this kind goeth not out save by fasting and prayer. The handwriting is on the wall; weighed in the balances and found wanting. Better heed the warning and escape the impending doom and sealed, unalterable, perpetual destiny that came upon Nations, Empires and Kingdoms of the past. History repeats itself. We judge the future by the past. Coming events case their shadows be- fore. There is a time in the course of human events that forbearance ceases to be a virtue ; there is a limit to human endurance-surely that limit has been reached. The power that helped Moses to liberate the people out of bondage will help the toiling millions to free them from present bondage capitalistic system.
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CHAPTER XXVI.
TO OUR FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES IN HEAVEN, AND OUR SOLDIER BOYS ON EARTH, THESE LINES ARE DEDICATED.
Oh, for a constant, continual communication over God's telephone direct to heaven. May we ever hear all the bells all along the line ringing; clearly bearing the true and genuine messages of love, truth, patience, courage and hope. The elec- tric batteries ever properly adjusted-good serv- ice will be the result. Oh, that we could say "Hello, central," and hear the answer at the other end of the line, with all good connections to heaven's pure, happy world, say central ring my mother, father, baby boy or girl, brothers and sisters, with whom we sincerely and anxiously desire to talk, and ask them what their experience and full and complete realities since they left us sorrowing and broken-hearted here. Oh, how we have missed them. They have been gone so long from this old world of sin, sickness and sorrow to that peaceful, happy home in the house of mansions. Oh, grand and most glorious thought we shall form a happy reunion over there. Oh, for angelic, sweet messengers to ever hover over, comfort and cheer us on our pilgrimage to our long sought home. The recording angel, God and our Savior will help us to ever keep sacred the memory of those gone before. Farewell, dear ones, for a short while. The red ledger lines of our Savior's blood will show our account all paid in full; a through ticket on heaven's railway. Oh, we would
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like so much to have spiritual communication over God's wireless telegraphy with our soldier boys, keeping us ever in touch with them as to their whereabouts ; how they are getting along, sick or well, whether engaged struggling in battle on the bloody carnage battlefield. Oh, may God bless and protect them amid the many dangers, hard- ships and exposures to disease, submarines, air- ship bombs, all dangers on both land and sea. Oh, may their hearts and consciences ever be kept pure and at peace with God, and living or dying, prayers sincerely offered will, over God's spiritual telephone, reach heaven and God. Many earnest prayers offered at a throne of God's grace and mercy by mothers, fathers, and all relatives and friends that they may acquit themselves patriot- ically, heroically, boldly, with honors that will en- dure for all time and throughout the endless cycles of eternity. God be with you till we meet again and may you all retain in your hearts the sweet melody and prayer: "Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to Thy bosom fly. While the nearer waters round me roll; while the tempest still is high. Hide me, oh, my Savior hide; till the storm of life is past. Cover my defenseless head, with the shadow of Thy wing. Oh, receive my soul at last." Also the other old song: "Rock of Ages, cleft for
me. Let me hide myself in Thee." Prayer strengthens us on our way here and we shall enter heaven with prayer. Prayer is ever the soul's delight. Oh, ever keep us faithful and true for the right. When this war is over and victory won will be our heart's delight.
Yours and His,
J. TAYLOR ALLEN.
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CHAPTER XXVII.
TO THE SOLDIER BOYS AND MANY RELA- TIVES AND FRIENDS THESE LINES ARE DEDICATED. (By J. Taylor Allen.)
Honey Grove, Texas, R. F. D. 7, Box 51, January 3, 1918.
When our boys go to war, as my wife is a good surgeon and nurse, I want her to go, too, so if any of the boys get wounded she will bind up the wounds, nurse, doctor, and care for them. The young are the mainstay and hope of the nation, and should receive special care and attention; the old and afflicted can't ever amount to much any- way, as: Our latest sun is sinking fast, our race is nearly run; our strongest trials now are past, our triumph has begun. Oh, may God be with our soldier boys. May His richest blessings ever attend them, the Holy Spirit and ministering angels ever hover over, guard and protect them from all harm. But if they should never return, oh, God, infinite goodness and mercy, let them fully realize all is well, with the image of Jesus our Savior engraven on their hearts, and go home prepared in the house of many mansions, where there will be no more wars forever, but peace, love, joy, hallelujah rejoicing in happy reunion with our friends and loved ones that are watching and waiting our arrival home. Meet, oh meet, me
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there. Jesus lover of my soul, let me to Thy bosom fly ; while the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high. Hide me, oh, my Savior hide, till the storms of life have past ; cover my defenseless head with the shadows of Thy wing. Oh, into the harbor safely guide us; oh, receive our souls at last. The old Ship of Zion has safely landed her millions, and will land millions more, on that peaceful, happy shore. Jesus is our captain, pilot ยท and conductor; jump into the lifeboat and pull for the shore. The crown at the end of the journey is well worth all our prayerful, watchful work. A crown will be awarded at the end of the journey to the successful contestants. Look away from the cross to the glittering crown. Oh, may our soldier boys return with bright laurels of honor and victory on their brow and banners unfurled to the breeze over ocean, land and seas, proclaim- ing victory, victory! Land of the free and home of the brave, from the bonds of slaves. Oh, may God hasten the day. God be with you till we meet again.
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