For many years,
only those living near the Smoky Mountains and Cades Cove stood on its tallest peaks and gazed at the wonder of hill upon hill, valley on valley.
These people were Cherokee natives, hunters, loners, and explorers. Although the coves afforded an entry to the mountain's wonders, they were hard to get to. Not for the lumbermen, coming from the north who cruised the timber, opened the deep mountains, and welcomed the visitors.
But with the arrival of the lumber companies and steam locomotives thousands of acres were cleared. The beauty of the area caused an influx of visitors and soon there was a whisper of a national park. This grew to a loud roar, and the establishment of a park commission. Although Cades Cove was included in the Cammerer map for the park, the inhabitants were promised this was not so. Sadly, it was.
Matthew Tipton, the pastor of one of the churches, lived in Tipton's Sugar Cove with his wife, Abigail. Their children were Matty, Hannah Elizabeth, and Jacob David Tipton.
Tipton's Sugar Cove had been in his family for a hundred years. With tough labor, the property supplied his every need. Could he give up something that he'd grown to love-the acres he planned to leave to his children?
As pastor, he often read these words to his congregation. "Matthew 6: 19-21 says,
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." He had a decision to make, and as someone who followed Christ, who had deep faith in his Heavenly Father's provision and in prayer, he waited for God to supply the answer?
