IMH 75:2 151

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

Sunday, January 2nd.

A rather disappointing Sunday to me. About eleven o'clock
I started over into the neighborhood of the creek church.(5) Came
across Elder Dan. Kirk(6) travelling the same road and at the
same time met Jap Foster(7) coming here to get something in the
nature of ointment for his dad who had gouged his knee with a
cross-cut saw tooth making a wound slight in appearance but
very nearly laying him up. Father sent him some arnica
and-axle-grease, and Alvin went back with Jap but only staid
till one o'clock. Mr. Kirk and I went into the old church, built
up a fire and discussed various topics till nearly one o'clock
when we separated he going home, I to Bob's.(8) I ate a bite there
and at two o'clock took the church keys and started alone for
Bethlehem,(9) got there before the greater part of the congrega­
tion did and opened the house and started or helped start the
fires. When Mr. Moore(10) arrived it was three o'clock He soon
began and preached a good sermon in more senses than one
from Psalms 51, 12 and 13 He had to do most of the singing
himself.

It was a bright warm sunshiny day. The mercury stood at
zero at sunrise and there was neither freezing, nor thawing,
and but few clouds.

Teaching note: One can still obtain arnica at the local drugstore. Mixing with axle grease would be similar to petroleum jelly-- although not as tidy. The changes in health practices are considerable. This is so apparent by examining the mortality rates and causes of death in the 1880 era.