国外英文文学系列 Life of a Pioneer.docx

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1、国外英文文学系列 Life of a PioneerTitle: Life of a Pioneer Being the Autobiography of James S. BrownAuthor: James S. BrownPREFACE.THE life of a pioneer in Western America always is full of peril and hardship; often it has a large share of startling episodes and thrilling adventures; not infrequently it is a

2、ssociated with notable historic events; and the experiences met with develop independence of character, firmness of purpose, and, in those whose spiritual nature is not dwarfed by unworthy conduct, a sublime faith in God that when man puts forth his highest endeavor all things beyond the scope of hi

3、s efforts are ordered for the best by the Great Ruler of the universe. When to the pioneers experiences are added those that come from travel in foreign lands, perils of the sea, and the hostility of warlike foes, the narrative of such a life cannot fail to be alike profitable and interesting readin

4、g to both young and old.The subject of the autobiographical sketch in this volume feels that he is not presumptuous in saying that each class of experience named in relation to the pioneer and the traveler has been his. The perils and hardships of the pioneers in whose work he commingled have been t

5、he theme of song and story for half a century; the thrilling and adventurous character of his experiences as frontiers-man and Indian interpreter were of a kind notable even in those avocations; his association with historic events of moment includes the period when the territorial area of the great

6、 Republic was almost doubled by the acquisition of the Pacific slope and the Rocky Mountain region, and when the great gold discovery in California was made, since he was a member of the famous Mormon Battalion and also was present at the finding of gold in California, being the first man to declare

7、on tests made by himselfthat the little yellow flakes were the precious metal; and his reliance on Deity is portrayed in his missionary work at home and in foreign lands, with civilized people and among savages, often in circumstances when life itself apparently was forfeit to duty conscientiously p

8、erformed.In the following pages there is no claim to transcendent literary merit. Yet the writer feels that the narrative is presented in the plain and simple language of the people, with a clearness and force of expression that will be pleasing and impressive to every reader possessed of ordinary o

9、r of superior educational attainments; while the very simplicity and directness of the language used, far from embellishing the events described, prove an invaluable guide in securing accuracy, that not an incident shall be overdrawn or given undue importance.The purpose of the writer has been to re

10、late the story of his life, for the benefit and entertainment of his children and friends, and of all others who may read it, and to do so with a strict regard for veracity; for he feels that the numerous thrilling and sensational incidents in his life were sufficiently exciting to bear a toning dow

11、n that comes from calm contemplation when the agitation of the immediate occurrence has passed, rather than to need the coloring of a graphic pen. In such a presentation, too, he feels that the result of his labors in this respect will be a further step in carrying out that which has been the leadin

12、g purpose of his life, namely, to do good to all mankind, to the glory of God.With a fervent desire and firm confidence that every worthy aim in presenting this autobiography shall be achieved, and shall find a vigorous and ennobling response in the hearts of those who read it, the leading events of

13、 his life, and the narration thereof, are respectfully submitted to his family and friends byTHE AUTHOR.CHAPTER I.HOME OF THE AUTHORA CAREER OF THRILLING EXPERIENCESHIS BIRTH AND PARENTAGEEARLY AVOCATIONSMIGRATION PROM NORTH CAROLINA TO ILLINOISLIFE ON THE FRONTIERDANGERS TO EARLY SETTLERSA FRONTIER

14、SMANFATHERS ADVICEMORE SETTLERS COMECHURCHES AND SCHOOLSLIMITED OPPORTUNITIESFROZEN FEETUNIMPRESSIONABLE TO THE PREACHING OF THE TIMETALK OF A NEW RELIGION, PROPHETS, MIRACLES, ETC.PERSECUTION OF THE NEW CHURCHSHOWERS OF STARSPOPULAR ADVERSE VIEWS OF THE MORMONSTHE MORMONS DRIVEN FROM MISSOURI INTO

15、ILLINOISMORMON ELDER COMES TO PREACHCONVERTS UNCLE JAMES BROWNPREACHES AGAINPREPARATIONS TO MOB THE ELDERHIS SCRIPTURAL DOCTRINE DISCONCERTS ENEMIES AND SECURES HIM FRIENDSHIS DISCOURSEEFFECT ON YOUNG JAMES S. BROWN OF THIS FIRST GOSPEL SERMON TO HIMHIS TESTIMONY TO THE SPIRIT AND TRUTH OF THE ELDER

16、S MESSAGE.THE subject and author of this Life-Sketch of a Pioneer is James Stephens Brown, now (1900) in his seventy-second year, a resident of Salt Lake City, Utah, his home less than a quarter of a mile from and within the summer mornings shadow of the majestic Temple of the Lord erected on that s

17、pot which he beheld a barren and desolate wilderness, on his entrance into the valley of the Great Salt Lake, over half a century ago. His life has been one of thrilling experiencesmore than ordinarily falls to the lot even of a pioneer settler in the Great Westa life in which hardship and perils by

18、 sea and land, among dusky savages and with white men, have contributed largely to the events of his career; withal one in which he has had abundant occasion to recognize and acknowledge the power and protecting care of an Almighty Providence.It is at the urgent request and advice of valued friends,

19、 familiar to a considerable extent with my life and labors, that I place this autobiography in form to be easily accessible to those desirous of perusing it; and I am not unmindful of the fact that this simple recital of events is not only of intense interest in numerous episodes which it records, b

20、ut is of historic value in being a plain and truthful narrative of the personal experiences of a western pioneer.I was born on Independence Day, July 4, 1828, in Davidson County, North Carolina, U.S.A. My father was Daniel Brown; he was the youngest son of his fathers family, and was born in Rowan C

21、ounty, North Carolina, June 30, 1804. My fathers father was James Brown, a native of Rowan County, North Carolina, 1757 being the year of his birth. His wife was the widow of a Revolutionary War soldier named Emerson, who was killed in the war for American independence, leaving his wife and two chil

22、dren, Margaret and John Emerson. My grandfather James Brown married the widow Emerson, who bore him nine childrenthree sons and six daughtersJane, Polly, Nancy, Susan, Patsy, William, Obedience, James (captain of Company C, Mormon Battalion), and Daniel (my father); her maiden name was Mary Williams

23、. All the family had an excellent reputation, being upright, thrifty, and good and industrious citizens.With these introductory remarks, I will proceed to an account of my boyhoods days. I was reared at the farming and stock business, also at getting out saw timber and wood for cooperware. My parent

24、s had moved from North Carolina to Brown County, Illinois, in the autumn of 1831, and had purchased an extensive tract of land. We were a large family; the country was then wild and with very few inhabitants, and the climate was unhealthy; so it was with great effort that father and mother succeeded

25、 in making a home and gathering about them the comforts of life.We were frontier settlers, and while father had his pick of land, he also had the hardships and privations of a new country to endure. There were no churches or schoolhouses nearer than ten miles from our home, and grist mills and black

26、smith shops were equally distant. Thus the family was reared without the advantage of schools, or of church-going religious training. But we were thoroughly acquainted with border life, with hunting, fishing, and all the sports indulged in by hardy pioneers, and even learned to shake terribly from t

27、he ague, and burn with fever spells, while we were well dosed with quinine and calomel, and had enormous doctors bills to pay.In our operations we trained horses and cattle to work, stocked our own plows, made our own harrows, rakes and forks, braided our own whips from the pelts of wild beasts whic

28、h we ourselves dressed, raised our own honey, and made our own sugar, with some to sell. We had a good sugar orchard, and plenty of wild fruits and nuts for the gathering. As the first settlers of new countries are more or less subject to dangers from outlaws, wild beasts, and savage men, we found i

29、t important to be well armed, and on the alert day and night to defend life and liberty.Thus we learned the use of firearms and the tomahawk. My father was an expert with the old Kentucky rifle, and some of his boys were not far behind him; he trained them always to shoot with a rising sight, to kee

30、p cool, and always to have their powder dry and plenty of it. He also taught us to tell the truth, and used to say: Be honest, stand up for your rights, and fight for your country and friends.In the year 1835, people began to settle in around us, and then the circuit riders, as they were calledthe m

31、inisterscommenced to call around and hold meetings in private houses. There were Baptists, Freewill Baptists, Methodists, Campbellites, and others. From 1836 to 1838 some small churches and schoolhouses were built, so that we began to get spiritual food, such as it was; and also some schooling, with

32、 the benefit of the hickory rod that always was kept in soak, so to speak, and woe to the unruly student when it was called into service!So far as the author is concerned, he managed to get along without the rod the short time he was permitted to attend school. He was kept close at work on the farm

33、in summer, and in the winter months was engaged getting out timber and hauling to market the farm products. Once his feet were frozen so that he lost every nail from his toes. As to the religious teachings of the time, there was a great deal of thundering and thundering, but it failed to indicate an

34、y lightening of the authors path, for he fished and hunted on the Sabbath day, just the same.Some time in the 30s we began to hear a little about false prophets, a new religion, miracles, money-diggers, thieves, liars, miracle-workers, deceivers, witches, speaking in tongues and interpretation of th

35、e same, walking on the water, and visits from angels. As time went on, all these things were combined to form a grand excuse for raising mobs to expel the new Church from the borders of civilization. Then came news of murder, rapine, house-burning, and destruction of towns and cities in Missouri. Th

36、ere were great showers of stars in the firmament about this time. On popular rumor, and from hearing only one side of the story, almost everybody decided that such a previously unheard-of people as the Mormons ought to be shot or burned at the stake. This was the sentiment to be found on every hand.

37、As a culmination of these things came the tidings that the Missourians had driven the Mormons from the state of Missouri into Illinois. A little later, and a Latter-day Saint Elder named Jacob Pfoutz entered the neighborhood of my Uncle James Browns home, converted him, his wife, and several of the

38、neighbors. This Elder was brought down by my uncle to see his two sisters, Aunts Polly and Nancy Brown.Elder Pfoutz was given permission to preach in the schoolhouse about three miles from my fathers house. The news spread like a prairie fire that the Mormons had come and would preach on Friday. I t

39、hink this was in the autumn of 1840. I was at my aunts at the time, and decided to go and hear the strange preacher. Like most of the people, I went out of curiosity, more than anything else. I had just turned my twelfth year, and had begun to take some interest in religion, going to every meeting f

40、or which I could obtain permission from my parents, yet not thinking for a moment but that all religions were right.At the first meeting held by the Mormon, the house was pretty well filled. Some who attended did so with the thought that after the services were over they would tar and feather the El

41、der and ride him on a rail, as such things had been indulged in in Missouri, and threats had been made freely. Others were going to confound him, and still others wanted to see the fun, as they said.The preacher was a plain-spoken man of thirty-five to forty years old, of German descent. He was plai

42、nly dressed, and without that urbane polish which ministers usually have. When he began his discourse, he raised up very calmly and deliberately and read from Matthew, seventh chapter, verses fifteen to twenty. He spoke from that text and corroborating passages, supporting his argument throughout by

43、 scripture. At the conclusion of his address, some of the people said they did not want to mob a man who preached like that, while others sniffed their noses and tried to get up a sneering laugh, but failed. The Elder was invited to my aunts house and was granted permission to preach on Sunday in th

44、eir oak-grove, while several of the religiously inclined followed him to his stopping place and plied him with questions.As to myself, it seemed that I had not only heard it thunder, but I had seen the lightning and felt it through every fibre of my system, from the crown of my head to the soles of

45、my feet. I was revived as the showers of heaven revive the parched earth and impart life to the languishing vegetation. Notwithstanding the fact that I knew the Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, were looked upon as filth, in fact as even worse than rubbish, that they had been called the very off-scouri

46、ngs of the earth, that they were regarded as deserving to be put to death, yet from that very day I received their doctrine in or by the spirit.Now that sixty years have rolled by since the events here narrated; that I have passed through mobbings, robbings, fines and penalties; have been banished a

47、nd once sentenced to death; Paul-like have fought with wild beasts, have been shipwrecked and almost starved; have famished on thirsty deserts; have had the scalping-knife wielded over my head while the Indian warwhoop saluted my ears and the savage warrior danced with tomahawk in hand, exulting ove

48、r the victim intended to be slain and scalped in trophy of victory; have laid in dungeons for my religions sakethanks be to God that I yet live and bear a faithful testimony of the truth and spirit that possessed my soul from that first Gospel sermon I ever heard. I have listened to ministers of var

49、ious Christian denominations advocate good and virtuous principles, but I never knew any of them to preach the fullness of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus as did that humble Mormon Elder.CHAPTER II.PERSECUTED BY PLAYMATESGIVE THEM AN EFFECTIVE CHECKFIGHT WITH WILD BEASTSPARENTS JOIN THE MORMONSTHE AUTHOR HOLDS BACKASSASSINATION OF