Diary of a Prairie Missionary       Part 2

June 30^th.    After spending some time in making preparations for my journey I between 8 & 9 A.M. today proceeded, (with the Rev.       Parks & Mr. W.M. Graham, one of our ruling elders) towards Warren Co. to fulfil my previous appointments.  As every stream had been for some time full, the Illinois River was now unusually high, and in consequence of the Cholera raging at Beardstown in our direct route we took a more circuitous one by Meradosia, which villiage we reached by 2 P.M. The site of a railroad is surveyed from this petty villiage to Jacksonville about 24 miles. The ferryman was now on the opposite side, and after waiting two hours as a special favour he condescended to return with us.  We were an hour and twentyfive minutes in reaching, not the opposite Bank, but where our horses could wade and carry us.  One of the boatmen was half drunk, and sober men would have .passed us over in an hour. For the passage of three men and three horses we were charged $4.50 though all that the law allowed him was double price or 75 cents altogether, that is 25 cents each. As we were then wholly in his power, he condescended to take four dollars, that is a dollar for the trip of the hired hand, and a dollar an hour for the use of his Boat and his own labour. Such is a specimen of the extortion practised by unsanctified human nature. After wandering six or seven miles in the fertile bottom prairies, we succeeded in reaching the bluffs before night overtook us. The improvements in this vicinity are of recent origin, we however succeeded in finding a comfortable place of lodging with a family from Kentucky. I here mention from Kentucky, because in travelling through this region the wayfaring man seeks a lodging at almost any dwelling where night overtakes him. They accommodate him according to their ability and inclination, and charge him in the morning for their trouble, and as the population is diversified by persons from almost every State in the Union, a traveller can in a short time become partially acquianted with the leading traits of character of each people. The roughest of the rough, with whom I have met are the natives of Tennessee. There is ofttimes a want of civility about them which becomes unpleasant, and a want of taste about their dwellings which indicates the sluggard more than the man of industrious habits, while to their rifle and the destruction of animal life they are devoted even to a proverb. About the Kentuckian you readily observe plainness, and friendship, and a species of open boldness, which gives you confidence, and freedom. True there are among them specimens of cold formality, and blundering impudence, but I believe they are comparatively few. Be this as it may; give me a night's lodging, after being all day weatherbeaten upon a prairie, either with a plain buckeye, or a hospitable Kentuckian, before either an uncouth Tennesseean or an ultra polite Now Englander.  I feel more at home for my comfort is generally more studied and, such as they have, they give me. Our landlady for the night informed me that she is a member of the Baptist Church, and that probably 200 persons collect to Baptist meeting on Sabbath, tho according to her own account the individual In that vicinity, who attempted to preach, was by no means qualified for such a calling. Alas! there are too many such.  May their number decrease.

During the Month of June, I find I have rode about 400 miles, preached sixteen times, baptized three children, had two or three diets of examination, presided twice at the election of Elders, assisted in dispensing the supper once, and have received for the Missionary fund $19.37 ½, while my expenses were $6.16 cents.  This has been one of my busiest, and I believe, one of my happiest months. "I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge, and my fortress; my God; in Him will I trust".