Another note from same book below.  I think one of the things you have to remember is that most of these folks were riding horses or walking, especially the pastors and men.  They would cut across fields, streams and woods taking a much more direct route than present day roads allow.  Women didn't really go to church as much as men did.  Women and children generally required a wagon.  That's why I suspect so many "brush harbor"  meeting were held - kinda pre-cursors to tent revivals.  Men would chose a somewhat woodsy place and actually cut and lace other tree branches in the canopy to make more of a shade and shelter from the sun.  These meeting were planned well in advance so farm work could get done up for a few days. They packed up the wagon and camped out a few days.  That's why so often, they had preaching morning and evening. They packed in a much as possible.  Probably few folks could stay for the whole meeting and often men would have to go home to check on their house and stock before they rode back the next day on horse.  These folks were serious about getting their religion!Marsha Prosperity is near the center of Fulton Co., in north Arkansas. Its first members came from Tennessee and Georgia. New Hope – This church is situated near the N. E. corner of Izard Co., AR.  Some of the members of Prosperity lived here, 10 miles or more from the church.  Among these were the Gaults, Montgomerys, Vaughans, and others.  Rev. S.P. Davis, by order of Synod of 1870, came to labor in this field.  He organized New Hope, April 8, 1871, with 30 members. W.A. Gault, J. R. Vaughan and J. F. Wilson were elected elders.  Mr. Davis supplied this church in1872, also.  About this time they put up their first house of worship – a log structure.  Rev.  J. C. McDonald began his labors here Nov. 10, 1872, and was installed pastor of New Hope and Prosperity, Oct. 10, 1874.  He made his home in New Hope congregation, having “homesteaded” a piece of land and built a house on it, not far from the church.  He was their pastor until 1881, and stated supply much of the time untilt1888, also 1891-5. Revs. W. L. and R.E. Patterson,  S. P. Davis, D. W. Reid and E. E. Pressly supplied Hew Hope and Prosperity a few months each during three years.  Rev. W. S. Moffatt supplied, 1888-90.  During this time the erected a near frame church, costing $500 or $600, a mile or more from where the old church stood.  Rev. M. P. Ellis came to then in Augustn, 1895, and Feb. 1, 1896, was installed pastor o New Hope and Prosperity, each getting half of his time.  New Hope had 43 members at the time.  This has been a happy settlement, and the church as prospered notwithstanding the fact that thay have lost some prominent members by death.  Among these maybe be mention Mr. W. A. Gault, who was conspicuous both in piety and zeal, and as acknowledged leader and efficient worker.  They report about 70 members.  They maintain a fine S.S., a L.B.S. and Y.P.C.U. --- On Thu, 12/9/10, Myrlene Hastings <mdhastings@centurytel.net> wrote:     Billie, New Hope is between Day and Wiseman.  I am not a good judge of distance, I would say less than 10 mi from Wiseman.  I had wondered how far from Wheeling, I was looking at the road map last week, and it is not far 'as  the crow flies'.  I don't know if there is a road directly between the two, as far as I know there isn't.  There must have been one then.  I was surprised to see that New Hope was  so close to the Fulton Co. line. Myrlene ----- Original Message ----- From: "Billie Walsh" <bilwalsh@swbell.net> The other day I ran across an old map and got to looking at it and something from the Prosperity papers about Newhope came to mind: These families settled on the North side of the Strawberry, and below the fork of Strawberry; and some 8 to 10 miles below where Properity now is."  Does anyone know how far it is from Wheeling to Wiseman? There's a fork of the Strawberry and the Little Strawberry just outside of Wiseman. Would Newhope have been near Wiseman? --