Along Alaska's Seacoast by FRED M. TEMPLE

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 1, 1911

Along Alaska's Seacoast

By FRED M. TEMPLE

In giving a report of our work in this field I can tell only of my personal experience. I am all alone in this great northern territory, but my courage is good. The only Sabbath-school in Alaska is composed of one other person besides myself,—a Sabbath-school of two.

Though not so far away as many imagine, Alaska has been neglected. We are dealing with a floating population of all nationalities, a rough, hardy class of fishermen, miners, and trappers.

The personal statement of an old Indian chief to whom I was giving a Bible reading, while seated on the end of a block of stove-wood in his humble camp, keeps ringing in my ears: “We poor natives, we need help; we poor natives, we need help.” This has spurred me on to some definite action to give them help.

I have nearly completed a boat, a power cruiser, with sleeping accommodations for six persons, bath-room, toilet-room, medicine and emergency case, also room for two or three tons of freight, for carrying a stock of books and papers. This boat is of special design, and built to stand the roughest seas. My plan is to spend another year in southern Alaska, then work along the coast toward Nome, a distance of about three thousand miles.

A short time ago, while visiting the little shack of an old hermit, he showed me a dollar which had been lying on his table for over two years. It had been given to him by a noted checker-player, whom he had beaten. He said, “That dollar ain’t doin’ me any good layin’ there. Could I buy a Bible with it?” I assured him that he could. That Book may yet lead him to a new life.

A native to whom I had shown “Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation,” said, with tears in his eyes: “That’s just the book I want; I have been tangled up on those things for a long time.”

In this section of the United States the people need the Word of God. Truly it is a neglected and needy field.

FRED M. TEMPLE.