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An
Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at
Creekwood |
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Mary Draper Ingles is a Southwest Virginia legend. She lived in Draper’s Meadow near present-day Blacksburg, Virginia, with her husband, William, her two sons, and other relatives and friends. Her life had been difficult but very pleasant until one horrifying day… It was a Sunday in July 1755, the second year of the French and Indian War, when a band of Shawnee Indians attacked the tiny settlement where Mary and her family lived. While her husband was out in the field harvesting grain, 23-year-old Mary was taken prisoner by the Shawnee along with her sons, Thomas, 4, and George, 2, and her sister-in-law, Bettie Draper. The other members of the community were killed. The Shawnee raiders took their captives to their town where the Scioto and Ohio Rivers meet, near present-day Portsmouth, Ohio. Then Mary was separated from her children and sister-in-law and was taken 150 miles up the Ohio River near present-day Cincinnati. There, Mary resolved to escape and make the journey home. Mary and an elderly captive from Pennsylvania known as “Mrs. Stump” fled the Shawnee encampment and began the arduous journey home. These brave pioneer women ate walnuts, hickory nuts, and wild grapes for nourishment. They also slept in hollow logs or hollow trees trying to find some protection from the cold. Mary and Mrs. Stump later parted company, but Mary was determined to reach her home, so she pressed on through the uncharted territory although she was experiencing intense physical and emotional pain. Following the Ohio, Kanawha, and New Rivers, Mary at last arrived in early December – alone, famished, mostly naked and nearly frozen. Adam Harmon and his two sons were harvesting corn in their field when they heard Mary’s cries and brought her to safety. Mary’s journey has been commemorated in books and movies entitled, “The Long Way Home.” Her epic journey home took 43 days and spanned hundreds of miles. Through her incredible determination, courage, and physical stamina, she was finally reunited with her husband after being separated nearly five months, and lived to be in her eighties. Like Mary, WE have been taken “captive” by sin! We have brought our captivity upon ourselves through our own wrong choices (John 8:34). And the wages of our sin is certain DEATH (Romans 6:23). Unlike
Mary, WE cannot free ourselves! We
cannot and make our way “home” by our own strength
and determination.
We need someone to rescue us! Because of His great love, God sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue us from sin (John 3:16). On the cross, Jesus died to pay the price for our redemption (Ephesians 1:7). Through Jesus, we can have forgiveness and we can follow Him all the way “home” to heaven (John 14:6). YOU can have forgiveness and the hope of a heavenly home if you will: believe in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Rom 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). Then, as a child of God, if you follow Jesus faithfully, He will lead you home (Revelation 2:10). Don’t YOU want to go home? Jesus is THE WAY! Trust and obey Him today. -- David A. Sargent, Minister Church
of Christ at Creekwood * Information gleaned from “The Pioneer Spirit” by Bill Baskervill in The Roanoke Times, 11/1/95. To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org
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