Five Years in the Alleghanies

"Five Years in the Alleghanies" by Jonathan Cross is a detailed record from the 1800s about the author's time as a traveling religious worker. The book tells of his work sharing religious writings and talking with poor and uneducated people in the Allegheny Mountains. Through his stories, Cross shows how little spiritual guidance and education these isolated communities had and how important religious support was. It starts with Cross's early life and his own troubles with faith, explaining his difficult childhood and how he found his religion. He talks about why he chose to become a colporteur, wanting to answer God's call and help those in great spiritual need. He writes about his learning, his own questions about his faith, and the powerful events that proved he should spread religious teachings to those who didn't know them. As he starts his trip into the wild, the scene is set for a meaningful journey filled with faith, hard work, and helping others.