The Preacher of Skyline
As told by Ras Sauer
This is a story that was told to me years ago by Ralph “Scottie” Munson, one of the members of the large Munson family that grew up here on the Hill. It’s a story about a preacher that he knew when he was a very young child. This happened during the 1920’s when Skyline was still a very poor dirt road that was not easily traveled, even by wagon.
The Preacher – whose name I don’t know – lived on Johnson Rd. The house was about a quarter of a mile down Johnson Rd. from Skyline. The house is gone, but the debris is still there. Long after the Preacher, I knew people who lived there over the years. There were some transformations to the house, especially now since it’s turning into mulch. (On the Benson map of 1964, the hamlet at Johnson Road and Skyline was named “Jonesville.” – Editor)
The Preacher had this small church where he also preached or did sermons. There were a number of small churches around Skyline in those days. The former Brooks Hill Free Methodist Church is still on Brooks Rd, and until the 1980s, a small congregation met at the now-demolished Seventh Day Adventist “Church of the Wildwood” on upper Rock Creek Road.
I think he was probably self-proclaimed, so he was preaching his own “Word.” I don’t know that he was any particular Christian denomination or missionary other than being on his own mission. Scottie never mentioned going to the church on Johnson Road. I don’t believe there was a congregation and if there was, it was extremely small.
This itinerant Preacher had a donkey and he dressed in full robes so he looked more like a monk. He was a bearded, middle-aged man at the time. He would travel Skyline on his donkey and stop at family’s homes. When he stopped at their homes, they would welcome him in and he would normally stay one to two nights with them. He traveled around the entire northwest Skyline area, extending down to Folkenburg (on Cornelius Pass Rd.) and the Brooks Rd. area.
Traveling by donkey was pretty slow and to be able to preach the “Word,” he would usually need a day or so with the family. He had a way of winning children’s hearts because he would always bring his homemade honey candy with him. All the children would gather around when they’d see him arrive with the donkey and hope to get some of this wonderful candy. There was that bag of candy on offer so I’m sure they professed belief in God just as soon as he showed up, whether that was true or not.
Does anyone else remember the Preacher? Either meeting him as a child or hearing about him from your parents? Any additions or corrections are welcome. Please contact the Skyline History Project c/o Donald Jenkins so we can learn the story from other viewpoints.
(Skyline Ridge Runner April 2014)
This is a story that was told to me years ago by Ralph “Scottie” Munson, one of the members of the large Munson family that grew up here on the Hill. It’s a story about a preacher that he knew when he was a very young child. This happened during the 1920’s when Skyline was still a very poor dirt road that was not easily traveled, even by wagon.
The Preacher – whose name I don’t know – lived on Johnson Rd. The house was about a quarter of a mile down Johnson Rd. from Skyline. The house is gone, but the debris is still there. Long after the Preacher, I knew people who lived there over the years. There were some transformations to the house, especially now since it’s turning into mulch. (On the Benson map of 1964, the hamlet at Johnson Road and Skyline was named “Jonesville.” – Editor)
The Preacher had this small church where he also preached or did sermons. There were a number of small churches around Skyline in those days. The former Brooks Hill Free Methodist Church is still on Brooks Rd, and until the 1980s, a small congregation met at the now-demolished Seventh Day Adventist “Church of the Wildwood” on upper Rock Creek Road.
I think he was probably self-proclaimed, so he was preaching his own “Word.” I don’t know that he was any particular Christian denomination or missionary other than being on his own mission. Scottie never mentioned going to the church on Johnson Road. I don’t believe there was a congregation and if there was, it was extremely small.
This itinerant Preacher had a donkey and he dressed in full robes so he looked more like a monk. He was a bearded, middle-aged man at the time. He would travel Skyline on his donkey and stop at family’s homes. When he stopped at their homes, they would welcome him in and he would normally stay one to two nights with them. He traveled around the entire northwest Skyline area, extending down to Folkenburg (on Cornelius Pass Rd.) and the Brooks Rd. area.
Traveling by donkey was pretty slow and to be able to preach the “Word,” he would usually need a day or so with the family. He had a way of winning children’s hearts because he would always bring his homemade honey candy with him. All the children would gather around when they’d see him arrive with the donkey and hope to get some of this wonderful candy. There was that bag of candy on offer so I’m sure they professed belief in God just as soon as he showed up, whether that was true or not.
Does anyone else remember the Preacher? Either meeting him as a child or hearing about him from your parents? Any additions or corrections are welcome. Please contact the Skyline History Project c/o Donald Jenkins so we can learn the story from other viewpoints.
(Skyline Ridge Runner April 2014)
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