The Travels of Increase Joseph: A Historical Novel about a Pioneer Preacher

10. Tent Preaching

II. Chapter 10 Tent Preaching September 1852 I ncrease Joseph penned a letter to his father back in Plum Falls, New York, the first since the Fellowship arrived in Wisconsin. He wanted to report good news but the news was mixed. The Link Lake farmers started harvesting their wheat crop. They scythed the fields, gathered the grain into sheaves, and hauled them on their wagons pulled by oxen to their log barns where they threshed out the kernels with flails. Because they had arrived to the area too late for ideal spring planting, and because much of their time was devoted to building their barns and cabins, their wheat crop was meager. Some of the Fellowship members worried if they would have enough flour to last them through the coming winter, to say nothing about having something extra to sell. They harvested a few loads of wild hay, scarcely enough to winter their few head of livestock. Fellowship farmers heard about the harvest in the Willow River community, a few miles south. These Willow River farmers planted winter wheat The Travels of Increase Joseph 65 the previous fall, and were harvesting many more bushels per acre. They sold their extra wheat to the Willow River Mill that was busy grinding flour while the Link Lake Mill stood idle much of the time. "Next year will be better," Increase Joseph told his followers. "We must have faith." But Increase Joseph was worried. He knew that he had scarcely enough flour for his family, and he with only a wife and a baby son. Others had many more mouths to feed. The community needed money to buy flour and other food to tide them over the winter. During these trying September days, Increase Joseph walked slowly through the town, his head down and his long arms hanging at his sides. The Red Book was just visible sticking out his back pocket. On a Sunday afternoon in mid-September, when the Fellowship gathered at the round church, Increase Joseph took his regular place in the fieldstone pit. The fellowship, even during times of despair, knew they could count on their spiritual leader for a message of hope. On this sunny Sunday afternoon, they were not disappointed, although most were surprised at what Increase Joseph said. They opened with their theme, "We Are Alone Together," sung off key as usual, but with considerable gusto. Then Increase Joseph began, "We are gathered here today with thanksgiving for all of God's blessings, in the hope that though today our conditions appear bleak and with little promise, there is always the morrow. There is always the sunrise with its promise." A great quiet came over the Fellowship as they looked down on their spiritual leader who held the 66 Apps Red Book in one hand, and what looked like a bottle in the other. Without warning, Increase Joseph thrust both arms into the air and roared. "God has visited me in my sleep!" People could now clearly see that in one hand Increase Joseph held high a bottle of brown liquid -to some it looked like a common liniment bottle. "God has visited me in my sleep and thrust on me a profound message of inspiration. Do you see what I have in my hands?" he asked loudly. "I see the Red Book," a little old lady in the front row said. Most agreed that must be the answer Increase Joseph was searching for - the obvious answer as they all, each and everyone of them, was guided by this mysterious and sometimes mythical book of beliefs. "In my other hand? In my other hand?" Increase Joseph asked some what exasperated. "Liniment?" a lad of twelve or so blurted out. "You are close to the truth young man. You are close." Increase Joseph dropped his hands to his sides and bowed his head as everyone watched with a kind of profound reverence. Once again, they would become privy to one of Increase Joseph's visits from God himself. They need only be patient . A minute passed, then several minutesIncrease Joseph was known to drop off to sleep in times like this. Some believed he was searching for a more complete message from on high as if he wasn't quite sure of the original. Then he shook himself like an old dog that had just crawled out of a lake, raised the hand with the...