The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1925, Page 120

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120

from Montgomery, due to a flat tire. The garage
was very busy, so I had to await my turn. I was
due at Holy Ark at 12 o’clock for services. When
I passed through Prattville, it had not yet stopped
raining. Coming to the long clay hill, I thought
that I might be able to make it without chains.
But not so! Half-way up, I skidded to the side
of the road. In one of the worst downpours I have
ever experienced, I worked — all alone, no help
being in sight—to get back into the main rut.
The chains were of no use because too many of the
cross-pieces were missing. Finally I decided to zig-
zag backwards to the bottom of the hill. I suc-
ceeded by placing long logs diagonally to the wheels.

“By this time there was not a dry stitch on my
body; my suit is wholly ruined. (This is the
second suit that I have ruined in a short time.)
The stains from the red sand-clay will not come
out, as I have in vain tried to remove some before
this. And what makes the matter still worse, I can-
not afford to buy a new one now! So the only suit
I have at present is the spotted one, except my dress
suit, which I wore in Wisconsin and which is not
practical here in Alabama, being a Prince Albert
outfit, unsuited to be worn here while driving about
in a Ford over Alabama roads... .

“After another encounter with a mud-hole be-
yond Booth, in the swamp, I finally arrived at Holy

Ark a little before 2 o’clock, almost two hours late.

I held a brief service with those who had remained.
(Twenty-three had braved the storm; some had
walked three miles and over.) From Holy Ark
I went to St. John’s at Joffre. With great mis-
givings I started out because the engine had not
been working properly for the greater part of the
trip. However, thank God! I got to Joffre all right.
At 4.45 we held our service; twenty had come in
spite of the rain. I left immediately after the ser-
vices with the intention of going as far as possible
while it was still day. But-only one mile did
I make when my engine refused to make another
revolution. Every spark-plug was taken, cleansed,
replaced; the ignition was thoroughly inspected
and the supply of oil looked after; but the source
of the trouble remained undiscovered. Neither had
water gotten into the distributor of the recently
installed Delco ignition system. What was to be
done? At the foot of the hill on which I had
stalled was a creek, so I could not very well back
down for a new start. After it had grown so dark
that I could no longer see, and after I had worn
down my new battery to a dangerous point by try-

ing to get the engine to function, I decided that”

-work !

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

I must call for help. Three husky colored men
came to the rescue. At 8.50 we started for Mont-
gomery, hitched to an old-time Ford hitting on
three cylinders. I was at the wheel in my own car
while the three Negroes were in the other. At every
hill we came to all of us had to get out, detach my
car, push up the car of my rescuers to the top of
the hill, and then come back and do the same thing
with mine. And rain all the way! Four times we
had to stop to replenish the supply of gasoline in
the other car from my tank. It took four gallons
of gasoline and three quarts of oil to make the
forty-mile trip; but then the engine never hit on
more than three cylinders and often on only two.
Twice they lost me, going for a mile or more before
they discovered that the rope had broken, leaving
me helpless on the road. Jinally, at 5 a.m. on
Monday, we pulled into Montgomery, “dead-tired,”
disgusted, and hungry. I had not eaten a bite
since leaving home the day before at 8 a. a1.

“Wednesday night I got home at 3 a.™., and
Thursday I got only as far as a little beyond Pratt-
ville, when I had trouble again. The result of all
this ‘tussling’ with the old worn-out Ford is a
man mentally and physically unfit for work. And
when I am fit for work, then my Ford will not
After one of these harrowing experiences
with the old Ford I said to my wife: ‘Hither the
Board will have to furnish me another car before
long, or I must resign. I cannot wear myself out
with such a car, not to say a word about spending
valuable time and money for poor service or even
no service at all!’ Of course, that was said in the
heat of disgust, and when my nerves were in a
frazzle because of fatigue; for when I then thought
of Christ’s sacrifice for us, I was heartily ashamed
of having thus given vent to my feelings.”

But in order that our readers may see that it
isn’t all clouds and rain and tussling with old
Fords in an Alabama missionary’s life, we want
them to read also the following paragraph: —

“Mission-work isn’t all Ford troubles. There
are also some real joys. Let me briefly mention
one great joy that has just recently come into my
life. The Easter just past has been the most blessed
that I have ever experienced. I had wonderful
attendances, the sermons were well received, and
the offerings were far above ‘expectations. The
confirmation services made such an impression that
many have shown a greater appreciation of their
Church than ever before. May God bless the work
in the future as He has done in the past! Anyway,
I am glad to be here in this work and appreciate