Chapter XIII PIONEER MISSION WORK IN OHIO Cont'd The next morning was cold and clear, --- no wind. A fine, large horse was put before a sleigh, or rather a cutter, in New England style, large enough to accommodate the travellers and the driver who was engaged to take them to the Four Corner, a place where there were two log cabins five miles short of the Pennsylvania line. It was sunrise before the party started. In going out upon the frozen lake, they passed between mounds of ice and sometimes over large cakes thrown up by the storms of winter. But the driver knew his way, and horse and cutter were both strong. Mr. Chase says: "The scene before us, as we came out from the mounds of ice, was most brilliant and even sublime. Before us, up to the lake, was a level expanse of glassy ice from two to three miles wide, between two ranges of ice mountains, all parallel with the lake shore as far as the eye could reach. On this expanse and on these mountains, and on the icicles which hung in vast numbers and in infinite variety of forms, from the rocky shore on the left, the rising sun was pouring his cheerful beams. Light and shade, brilliance and darkness, were in such proximity and so blended as to produce a most bewildering effect. As we drove through this scene of beauty and sublimity, we were taught a striking lesson of God's lesson care,even for the wild eagles who were fasting upon the fresh fish just from the ice, as they upon the fresh fish just from the ice, as they sat upon these frozen mountains, each with a fish in his claws." "What noble birds! Where do they get these fish at this season? was asked. "They get them, " said the driver, "from the top of the ice. They were thrown up last winter in the storm and being frozen at once, have kept perfectly fresh, and the sun thaws them out for the eagles and ravens, who at this time have nothing else to eat." As the driver told this simple fact of the eagles, the fish, and the ravens, Mr. Chase's thought's turned upon his lonely and almost discouraged condition. "And will not He who feedeth the eagles and ravens feed and support a poor, defenceless, and solitary missionary, who goeth forth depending on His mercy to preach His Holy Word and build up his Church in the wilderness?" he asked himself. >From this hour he adopted as his motto, "Jehovah Jireh," "the Lord will provide, " --- -- the answer of faith. It was not quite noon the Cattaraugus driver stopped on the ice opposite the Four Corner. Thus far had the Lord helped. The travellers left their luggage on the bank and walked up to the two cabins. Mr. Chase, perceiving a pair of fine horses standing with harness on, and a man at work near-by, said: "Who owns these horses?" "I do, said the man. "Have you a good sleigh?" "Yes" "Will you put them before it at once, and take us up the lake as far as the Pennsylvania line?" At this time the man hesitated, but finally said: "I have just moved from the east and want money bad enough, having expended every cent in moving my family. The wind puts the water in the lake in motion and causes the ice to crack dangerously, but if you will give me a little extra, I think I will go." The bargain was soon made, and after eating a few doughnuts to allay their sharp hunger, and hearing the man whistling to his dog and cracking his whip over his prancing horses all ready to start, they ran to the shore and seated themselves in the sleigh. On they went over the ice at almost railroad speed; for the horses had a good driver and the travellers felt their spirits rise in the exciting but dangerous race for life that it really was, -- for the cracks in the ice became visibly wider as they advanced. But no word was spoken. The horses having trotted without injury over the narrow cracks, became accustomed to leap over the wider ones, but none were enough yet to let in the runners lengthwise, and the travellers thanked God silently for every successful leap.The horses seemed to enjoy the excitement; no whip was needed. The driver clung to his seat; swifter and swifter the good beasts carried them on until a house was in sight, and the driver pulled up to the smooth, pebbly shore. The driver said: "This is the place where I promised to bring you, --the Pennsylvania line. You are now on the lake shore of that State." Mr. Chase replied: "I will go no farther on the lake." "I am glad of that, " said Mr. Hibbard, "my heart has been in my mouth all the way." "Why did you not say?" said Mr. Chase. "Because," said Mr. Hibbard, "I was ashamed to own I had not as much courage as a minister!" The driver received his pay, called for his dog, and was off for home. Once more the travellers were left upon the lonely beach. Any one who has seen the breaking up of ice on any one of the Great Lakes in the early spring can well feel the breeziness of this little sketch. Probably it was not without a certain very piquant enjoyment for all three of the men concerned. It is well to be hoped that the brave driver and the fine horses, as well as the dog, got over the cracks in the ice safely. There was a lonely log hut on the beach not far away; and our travellers, finding no accommodation for man or beast, succeeded in hiring a boy to carry Mr. Chase's trunk on horseback for two miles. Where they found a comfortable house, obtaining food and lodging for the night. They found no way to "get on," however, therefore went on foot, occasionally catching a ride on a country wagon, and sending the luggage on to Erie by means of a chance vehicle going in that direction. From Erie, they succeeded in getting a conveyance to Coneaut Creek, in Ohio; and thus the future Bishop of Ohio entered into his diocese that was to be! Mr. Hibbard, at this point, left his traveling companion of days, and they never met again. Here Mr. Chase began his missionary work in Ohio. Coneaut Creek, now Salem, was then a cluster of a few log houses. There was not a churchman in the place. Mr. Chase held service, using all that was possible from the Prayer Book, and preaching. "all present 'admired' the prayers; this was good so far, but it would have been much better had they joined in them." On Monday, the 17th, Mr. Chase obtained conveyance to Ashtabula, where he remained and officiated for a week, when a Mr. Seymour took him on to Rome (Ohio). It would seem that up to this time, in this part of Ohio, there were no public means of travel. Another matter is worthy of note, ---that Mr. Chase remained long enough in these new towns, not only to hold service and preach, but to instruct the ignorant in the ways of the Church, and to seek for those who might hitherto have known something of its usage, and who had already been baptized. The weather having changed to severe cold, he and his friend, Mr. Seymour, suffered; but they at last arrived at the home of a Mr. Cromwell, near Austinburg, who was an ardent churchman and welcomed Mr. Chase with expression of joy. He had lawyers kept his Prayer Book through all the varying influence of friends and neighbors, -- his family being at variance with him also, yet he found in time they would all see more clearly, and for this he had always prayed. "And here, " said Mr. Chase, "his prayer, was heard and in the end the whole family was trained in the way of primitive order." The same night Mr. Chase held service in Mr. Crowell's house, -- the neighbors coming in from their cabins in the surrounding forest, lighted by their hickory torches. >From Mr. Crowell's home in the wilderness, Mr. Seymour returned to Ashtabula, when the question arose how should Mr. Chase get to Windsor, a town where were several churchmen. Mr. Crowell offered to lend him his "stiff-kneed mare" to help him over the watercourses, which kindly offer he accepted. It was ten miles to Windsor, and the road, except for two or three miles was through dense forest. The path, a part of the way, was rough with frozen mud, and the poor beast with her stiff knee limped sorely. Before the second mile was over, in attempting to avoid a log on one side and a deep hole on the other, she caught her "game leg" and fell with the rider's foot under her, fast in the stirrup. A few struggles and his leg was released, but the poor animal lay there still. On examination her leg was found fast between two logs, and a long lever was needed to set it free. A rail was taken from the fence and then the puzzle came, where to stand? If he stood far enough back to raise the log by bearing on the outer end of the lever, he was not near enough to put a block under the log to keep what was gained. After several fruitless attempts, he felt inclined to indulge in a hearty laugh at the ridiculous he cut by the wayside, thus bothered. Sympathy for the poor suffering beast, however, enabled him, by great exertion, to throw off the log from her leg and she was once more on her feet. Mr. Chase left her at a house near-by, to be sent back to he owner, and with his bruised and aching foot went on his way to Windsor as bravely as he could on his own legs. Happily the way through the woods was frozen, with much smooth ice. "What a blessing to a man with sprained ankle and a bruised leg!" End! chapter XIII Harriet M. Chase hatchase@uswest.net