Jefferson County, Illinois - Chapter 26: Brighter Days to Come, 1909

Chapter 26: Brighter Days to Come

This is the feeling that has filled our heart as we have visited our people and importuned them for something to put into this book that may be useful and interesting to the readers of county history. But after all, it has been to us the "labor of love," for it is an actual pleasure to trace the history of a people like the pioneers of Jefferson county and their successors, and we

The citizens of Mount Vernon again have the oil fever, and many believe that the soil of Jefferson county contains oil though the attempts heretofore made to locate it have not proved very satisfactory, nor resulted in much good in a financial way. Boring has been done in various sections of the county but during the past few months little was done in that line, but it seems oil prospecting has taken a new impetus, and will probably be pushed with much vigor soon. Leases are again being procured, and the Daily Register recently contained the following:

The oil fever which died down after a number of unsuccessful reports on prospect holes, has been renewed with an activity that betokens something.

W. E. Gulp, Jr., of Casey, Illinois, filed ninety-seven leases recently, covering a block of two thousand acres in Field and Rome townships. The conditions of the lease compel drilling to be done inside of two years from the date of lease, and cover the right on oil and gas. One-eighth of the oil and twenty-five dollars for each oil or gas producing well is what the owner of the land gets, the money to be paid three months in advance on each well producing.

There is no question as to great beds of coal beneath our feet, which will be developed in due season. And if we can add to that a producing oil field, there is no telling what else may happen to Jefferson county and which may be told by the next historian.

The gladsome holidays always bring hope and good cheer. Who would blot them out? From our earliest recollection we remember the holiday season as the very best time of the year, not only on account of the social enjoyment it brings, but because it carries us back to the time when angels sang the new song, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.

We are now entering the joyful holidays, perhaps the last, for us. We confess to having very little affinity for those who think that "all days are alike" - for those who have no sympathy with, or regard for, the landmarks of life, the anniversary of birth or marriage or departure even of their loved ones - who care nothing for the Fourth of July, when their country was born, or the 12th and 22d of February, when its preservers were born, or even the 25th of December, when their Saviour came to earth. We have no fellowship with such unsympathetic anti-periodical people. We do not charge them with any unpardonable sin, but we feel that they bar themselves from much pleasure and much profit by their stoical indifferences. Let us open up our hearts and take in the blessed thoughts of the holiday season, for it is a good time to be young again, and to enjoy the passing moments, while at the same time we make high resolves for the future. Let this be our intellectual bill of fare:

"I will not worry. "I will not be afraid. "I will not give way to anger. "I will not yield to envy, jealously or hatred. "I will be kind to every man, woman or child with whom I come in contact.

As we pass down town on these blessed holidays and see the Christmas goods on display, we are reminded that we are, both young and old, simply,

Window-Wishers

Window wishers, window wishers, everywhere we go; In front of every shop and store they're standing in a row; Some are old and some are young; sober ones and gay. Drifting in a wishing dream as every mortal may.

Mothers with their hearts of love are gazing at the toys. Wishing for the gifts to glad their precious girls and boys. Women, women, everywhere - sweethearts, sisters, wives - Wishing for the joys they know would lift their patient lives.

Oh that every empty hand might have its fill of gold. And every gift the wishers ask be theirs to have and hold ; And wreathed with every happy dream an answer should be frown. May yet a-window-wishing go through all the streets of town; For earth still holds its meed of gold, despite its dark alloy. So long as we dream of things to fill the heart with joy.

"Life was lent for noble deeds, and learn to labor and to wait" is the basic idea of a true life. Labor is mighty and beautiful, and the noblest man on earth is he who puts his hands cheerfully and promptly to any honest task and goes forth in faith to secure honor and true worth. Without labor nothing can be accomplished, but it is no man's mission to create, for Providence has furnished the "raw material" to his hands, and there is not an atom of material used by man, either as food, clothing and in any enterprise in life, but it has been placed in the earth for man to bring forth and mould into the desired conditions of usefulness. Man was given brain and brawn and the ability to labor, to enable him to work out his material salvation, just as he was given will power to work out his spiritual salvation. And back of all this was implanted in the heart the principles of charity, kindness, love, hope and faith, like "apples of gold in pitchers of silver," in order that the brotherhood of man might be perfected, that the "one who went about doing good" might be the great head of us all. Then, indeed, "faith will be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" and "love be the fulfilling of the law." "Do unto others as ye would that they should do unto you," would then be the rule, and the Millenium would soon be ushered in, and so mote it be.

MYTHS EXPLODED - Scholars tell us that in most of myths there is an element of truth. Most of the myths of our childhood disappear as we grow older. Take for instance the myth that "the father of our country told the truth at the risk of getting a thrashing." While the later historian plainly tells that he told exactly opposite to keep from being castigated. It came about in this way ; George and his little cousin, Ike, were out in the garden cutting and slashing everything that came in their way. Finally the father happened along and saw that they had 'hacked' his favorite cherry tree, and in his rage, menacingly inquired, "Who cut that tree? George, forseeing what would happen next, hastily replied, "Father, I can not tell a lie, Ike (pointing to his cousin), cut it with my little hatchet." George escaped the licking, and the dull reporter got things mixed as usual and said George admitted the cutting.

They tell us now that Columbus didn't discover America. That he got sea-sick and wanted to go back home. That the sailors said: "Pike's Peak or Bust." and that Christopher went into his state-room and wouldn't play until some loud-mouthed sailor yelled out "land, by golly." And Christopher came to the front and claimed all the credit - just as you hear fellows today claiming the credit of putting down the rebellion. So with Paul Revere's ride, they say Paul was thrown from a rocky-horse, when a boy and never could be induced to mount a horse as he grew older, and so about "Sheridan twenty-miles away." He was away from his command without leave of absence, and he put his spurs to old Black in order to get back before his absence was detected.

But is it not so with Santa Claus. For years during the transition period of our lives he may seem far away. But later, he enters - into us and teaches the lesson that it is "more blessed to give than to receive." In our more mature years we catch the spirit of Santa Claus and become his agents. We cherish the idea, not the form; when the sad are comforted, the children blessed and needy supplied during Santa Claus season of good-will, to the doer of these merciful deeds there comes the silent image of the most gentle face the world has ever seen - the Christ image, and the myth becomes a living truth. May the time speedily come when the reign of this charitable season may last the whole year round.

Hail The New Year

As we close this brief history, we welcome with acclaim the new born year of 1 909. Let us face this new year with brave hearts and better determinations, placing before us as we advance the Cross of Christ, believing that in proportion as we are loyal to this symbol shall we have strength given us to endure hardships as good soldiers of the Master, patience to suffer without giving way to despair, sorrow and misfortune, and spiritual courage, so that we can come through every temptation tirumphant and unafraid.

time, and then vanisheth away." The brevity of Hfe has been the subject of deep thought and of anxious soHcitude in all ages of the world. The poet tells us : "Our birth is nothing but our death begun." It is likened to a dream, a shadow, a vapor, a swift flying cloud, or the autumn leaf. Such is life ! this life we are living away ; this life that will so soon be over ; this life on whose transient breath hangs everlasting destiny.

But we fail to appreciate life's meaning if we spend our time is sighing over its brevity. Life is not merely a vapor that presently vanisheth, it is a journey to a fixed destination. We are not only going, but we are going somewhere ; not into the depths of a mystic solitude to be extinguished and forgotten. Our destiny is not annihilation and nothingness. To go forward aimlessly is the most inexcusable folly. To have around him all the evidences of God - and never to see them - to look upon a thousand church spires that point to an eternal life, and miss all their meanings, to be in a land of Bibles that reveal God's purposes for man's eternal destiny and be ignorant of his own end is indeed a negligence which it is difficult to comprehend. It is not death but life that is before us, not earthly life alone, but life a thread running interminably through the warp of eternity. Life is given us to be used with a view to its eternal destiny To use it so as to give the soul room for its unfolding capacities, to use it to promote the highest good, to use it so as to make the most of it, that is to have before us a high and true ideal and the greatest hope for any event that can possibly follow. If we but work out our destiny according to the divine purpose it can not fail to be eternal glory.

The Great Mission Of Love

Love is of divine origin - it is the Creator himself . It has decreed every good thing enjoyed by mankind. It sent not only life and every attendant blessing to the human race, but it hath brought salvation and eternal happiness to every soul that will accept it.

Love in one form or another is the ruhng element in life and happy are we if that ruling element is based on the divine plan. Love is the perpetual melody of humanity. True love elevates the intellect and enlightens the soul. Love purifies the heart and crucifies selfishness, and gives higher motives and nobler aims to life. Love is the actual need, the requirement of the heart. Love makes memory bright and home beautiful. Love keeps us close to our dear ones on earth and continually draws us towards our loved ones in heaven. Love overcomes difficulties and says that the right must be done. Love unites human hearts and continues to make the world go round. Without love mankind would perish from the face of the earth. It elevates the aspirations, expands the soul, and stimulates all the powers and energies of the human species - in short, it fulfills the decree of the Almighty. Love blends hearts in blissful unity and without it there would be no organized homes, no softening, elevating influences of domestic life, the only safe-guard of this old world.

Love And The Law

Love makes the mind clean and clear, so that it stops liking unclean things like bad food and ugly squeezed bodies and cigars. And love makes the mind kindly, so that it does not yearn for more than its share of other people's money. So in the gaining or the maintaining of health, too, love is the fulfilling of the law. And how about beauty? Why, beauty is merely health - plus love. Therefore, if you have love you have all things, for all things are ruled by law; love is the fulfilling of the law.

All others are but vanity. In heaven ambition can not dwell. Nor avarice in the vaults of hell. Earthly these passions of the earth. They perish where they have their birth. But love is indestructible - Love is eternal."

A Tribute To Woman

All through this history we have tried to do justice to the women of Jefferson county. "History repeats itself," hence we have license to repeat what we have already said and add that all important matters in this life has a "woman in it," even from the time of our introduction into the world, until our taking off.

And this reminds us that Miss Emma Johnson, librarian of the Mount Vernon Carnegie Library, was the very first person to sugwall's history of JEFFERSON CO., ILL, 269 gest to the representative of Messrs. Bowen & Company, the writer as a suitable "old settler" to get together proper matter for such a publication ; and whatever gratification Jeff ersonians may get out of perusing it, is due in a large measure to that estimable woman - as the gentleman to whom the suggestion was made followed us up to another town and insisted on us taking the job, which with some degree of reluctance, we finally did, determined to do the right thing and deal justly by all - the women included, and hence his final tribute to woman. Miss Johnson is the popular manager of the library, one of our highly prized institutions. She is a native of Jefferson county, daughter of the late G. Wesley Johnson, and granddaughter of Rev. John Johnson - "Uncle Jacky," as we used to call him, and whose life record is given elsewhere in this book.

Many noble women have filled their niche and gone to the glory land. Many others are "happy on the way," not only in Mount Vernon, but in Dix, Woodlawn, Waltonville, Bonnie, Ina, Opdyke, Belle Rive, Bluford and other towns in Jefferson county, and we even know one just across the line in another county. Such is life - a life that is devoted to good and loving deeds.