Send Us Some Men

[258 words] The first English settlement in America was at Jamestown. Barely a year old, the settlement found itself in serious trouble. A primary part of the problem was that the colony was made up of “gentleman adventurers.” Captain John Smith, the leader of the settlement, understood the problem and sent an urgent message back to his sponsors declaring, “Send me some men.” Smith needed carpenters, blacksmiths, and masons. He explained that he had rather have a handful of those men, than a thousand of the ones that he presently had. The ship Good Speed shortly brought six such workmen to Jamestown. Within three weeks, they had cleared a plot and erected a furnace. Furthermore, they had set up a soap works and a sawmill. A little over a month after the workmen arrived, the colonists were inspired by their example and began working also. Sadly, many congregations, like the…