hristian minister, made monthly
excursions to the Spanish territory. The commandant at St. Louis, Mr.
Trudeau, would take no notice of his presence till the time when he knew
that Mr. Clark was about to leave. Then he would send a threatening
message ordering him to leave within three days. One of the emigrants,
Mr. Murich, of the Baptist persuasion, who knew the commandant very
well, petitioned for permission to hold religious meetings at his house
and to have Mr. Clark preach. Mr. Trudeau replied:

"You must not put a bill upon your house, or call it a church. But if
any of your friends choose to meet at your house, sing, pray, and talk
about religion, you will not be molested provided you continue, as I
suppose you are, _un bon Catholique_."

Thus, in reality, there was scarcely any restraint in those remote
regions, even under the Spanish regime, imposed upon religious freedom.
Christian songs, the penitential and the triumphant, often ascended,
blended with prayers and praises from these lonely and lowly homes in
the wilderness. Thus characters were formed for heaven, and life was
ennobled, and often far more of true nobility of soul and more real and
satisfying enjoyment were found in those log huts, illumined only by the
blaze of the pitch pine knot, than Louis XIV. and his courtiers ever
experienced amidst the splendors and the luxuries of Versailles and of
Marly.

We do not know that Colonel Boone ever made a public profession of his
faith in Christ, though somewhere we have seen it stated that he died an
honored member of the Methodist Church. It is certain that the religious
element predominated in his nature. He was a thoughtful, serious,
devout, good man. He walked faithfully in accordance with the light and
the privileges which were conferred upon him in his singularly
adventurous life.

Colonel Boone was seventy-nine years of age when Congress conferred upon
him a grant of eight hundred and fifty acres of land. He had never
repined at his lot, had never wasted his breath in unavailing murmurs.
He contentedly took life as it came, and was ever serene and cheerful.
But this grant of land, though it came so late, greatly cheered him. He
was no longer dependent upon others. He had property rapidly increasing
in value to leave to the children and the grand-children he so tenderly
loved. His aged limbs would no longer allow him to expose himself to the
vicissitudes of hunting, and he took up his abode with