The Lumberjack Sky Pilot

call it pastoral work, and in a free use of the term it is, but I know of no pastor who is doing work of this nature unless it be the

cks irresponsible and incapable. The men will leave their work on the least provocation to spend a few days in debauchery. Often a contractor finds himself, in the parlance of the camps, "with one crew coming to camp, another working, and another leaving camp." This means loss on the part of the men and inability on the part of the contractor to deliver his contract of logs. As one contractor express

s learned that he was going to Bemidji so they wired to the gamblers of that place to meet him. When the woodsman left the train he was hailed by a waiting "toot." The "toot" was genial, gracious, sympathetic, and to cement the friendship, the one must treat and the other do likewise. Wh

It was interesting to watch the play of the man's passions as expressed in his countenance. Hour after hour the game dragged on. We visited other resorts of the lumberjack and returned at midnight, but the traveling man was still at the wheel. Hope still lingered, but from the haggard, drawn expression of his face we could tell that he had lost heavily. It w

ns spoke to hi

own money and all the money with which my empl

for a well known firm. He was the only child of respectable parents, and in his present wretchedness he thought of the disappointment and grief comi

in anguish, "and when they hear o

and how he had lost their money in gambling. When he was about to mail the

have no money to pay for a room. I have been dishon

is own hands. "Now, brother, you go to bed and stay there until I call you, and we'll se

e conference was that the gambler turned over to the traveling man the amount of money embezzled and took his note for the same.

ce and found but few men present, for it was a season when most of the men were in camp after spen

Mr. Higgins, "I suppose you ar

t worry, it will come in later." He nodded to th

sider the earnings of the lumberjack as their l

rietors, overhearing a remark conc

n the woods." The meaning was obvious: that these men would spend their earnings in the sa

are to be satisfied, passions of evil are to be encouraged, and no shade of shame is to be found on the countenances of this depraving element. Where money is to

a mantle of self-righteousness,

sell the stuff some one else will. As long as there are fools t

are morally responsible f

r robbed in my place, and the games are straight. I may go to hell when I am through here, but my job will be shov

siness and one gambler had the

country than the professional gamblers. They

all, for it is well known that the games are often crooked a

s not long before he had lost all. Satisfying himself that the game was not "on the square," he drew his gun and sho

alls. Courtesy and attention await the victims, for an army of men is ready to respond to any desire the lumberjacks may express, no matter how low. Everything is designed to allure. No

are run, the "open" policy being the common one, there is work for the camp missionary to do. The Rev. Frank Higgins goes

wns and the following incidents are only

he saloons and continued his search through many groggeries until at last he found the man. The poor drunken wretch was lying on the floor behind

iless. So the second search began and the man was located in the lobby of a cheap hotel. Mr. Higgins went to the proprietor, guaranteed him against loss, and went on his way leaving the lumberjack free from care

rjack and the day closed with the incident of the

n lake our Master, who never wearied of doing good, met hi

d and gave to Peter and to us the end and aim of the Christian's relation to man-"Feed my sheep." If

wing the flesh may rebel, b

ch the cleansing water had so long been absent. The man's feet were so swollen that the heavy boots were removed with difficulty and when the socks were taken off the skin came with them. It was no wonder that the effluvium drove the minister from the room. It was a hard task, against which the flesh rebelled,

rsion, but they do result in aiding the cause of Christ, for t

spent lumberjack who came to the Sky Pilot's home to ask for assistance. Although she was alone, Mr. Higgins being i

ad been watching Mr. Higgins as he went a

G FROM

woodsman, and added, "His job is keeping us out of hell." It was crudely expressed, but i

known in these communities and the officials respect him for the interest he shows in his wayward flock. Many a poor fellow, who awakens from a drunken slee

ossible and to allow the man to go after giving him a reprimand. The judge was an old friend of the missionary, and at the time of the trial could hardly be called sober. Often he would appear i

ase. He tried to sober himself that the dignity of the law might not suffer through the weakness of the dispenser. He kn

st c-class already. It ma-akes a f-fool of every man t-that touches it. If you don't believe it, j-just l-look at the j-judge who has the p-power of sentencing you. S

on what whiskey could do for a man, and the woodsman appreciated the force of the advice. Taking the missionary with him, the lumberjack w

have robbed me of it the same as they did of the rest and I wouldn't have a

a farm. Today he is the proud owner of three

the minister in these places where the lumberjacks congregate. He is required to perform varying duties whether they are related to the minister's calling or not. Often, in t

n the lakes and rivers. The town was reaping its harvest-at least the saloons and other evils

nt him planted like a decent Christian; he wa'n't no squaw man or Indian. See to the trimmings, will you? Do the job up right if you have to buy

ded to the undertaker's establishment to make the necessary arrangements for the funeral. He ordered

e noisily, but when they saw the dray

is is no jack-pine farmer's funeral; we're no cheap skates. This camp

or a bloated saloon-keeper they'd have a hearse and a brass band. Jim's o

Pilot," they shouted as they backed into th

. A hearse led the procession and six carriages completed the cortege. By this time the mourners were

wed the hearse and carriages. "Wouldn't Jim be tickled to death

nto a carriage, "when we meet Jim later he'll say, 'I

we're planting Jim," weepingly commented his bunkmate. "He'd 'a done as

over the "frills" of the obsequies and the "agony" they were showing for Jim. There was an undertone of comp

were kept from tumbling in on the corpse. The minister spoke a few words on the uncertainty of life and the need of preparation fo

a weeping poleman. "Tell the Lord he co

he wasn't so bad," was the pa

Jim. Our tu

ediction pronounced, and the Sky

he minister. "This is no pauper you buri

ons of the nameless. Jim's been planted O. K., now pay the Sky Pil

dollars and sixty cents f

iend. It is on him they call when sickness enters their places of abode, and his response is willing and natural

s and see the end. One of the girls invited him to a private conversation and in it told him the story of her life and the nearness of her death. The physician had in

h to ask him to come at once to the brothel. There he found the girl with whom he had talked. She had taken

ey know that he will do all he can to assist in their r

ar was filled with men and the scarlet one was known to many in the coach. As the train started she beckoned to the prea

el. She was leaving the place of her sin and degradation and did not know which way to turn for help. Would he assist her? She

uge in the city of Duluth. Acting on his advice, and assisted by a letter of introduction, she went to the place and today

e they recognize Mr. Higgins as against their nefarious traffic, yet they admire his sincerity and honesty, and prove their respect for him by calling for his services in case of death. They know that their business is under the ban, b

ne of your saloons," replied Mr. Higgins. "

while you fight us, you do it fair, and alth

place, helping pointing to Christ the lumberjacks, the saloon men,

ches reap the benefit of what is accomplished in the camps. Many are brought to Christ who would never have been touched by his saving power if it had not been for the itinerating

nd I know of only two of these, one in the town of Akeley, Minnesota, and the other in Bemidji, Minnesota. About a year ago Mrs. T. B. Walker and the M. E. Church of Akeley opened a public reading room particularly for the mill hands and employees of the

to produce poverty of soul and of purse. The churches of these towns are not strong enough to carry on the work unaided. If the demands are to be met, outside help mu

our part, and the forester will do his. A Bethel will be to him a haven towards which his weary feet and hungering social nature will turn with readiness, and in many cases with more readiness than they now turn to the saloons. All men

lk to me are there and I must go where they are." To meet the needs of the homeless the Bethel must be

a, told of being on the bowery in that city, and noticed a lumberjack looking at every sign as he passed along. The man wondered if he was having difficulty in finding a saloon where saloons were so numero

add to the profits, while the missionary and Christian woodsmen would advertise the effort and largely add to its support. But apart from this, the good they would accomplish can only be appreciated by those who know the present surroundings of the camp

f the woodsmen should be the first to look to the uplifting of the fallen men in their employ. In dollars and cents it would pay the lumber kings, and many of the difficulties

DING ON THE ST. LOUIS