Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-06-01

We find the following interesting letter in
,s,or, rumher Of the New York Christian
hQuiror'- oo.
pory ciiiea in our country are as beauti-
h,llv situated as this. II is built on gentle
slone. carving the highest point OF It's prin-
cinal business street and thoroughtare to one
hundred and twenty feet above the lue-
potsr. and between and near the confluence
n, Two fine streams, the Brandywinc and
the Christiana, which have their outlet some
TWO miles below, into the Delaware Inc
BrandywIne is bold and rapid river, com
ing down from the north with q iail oil one
hundred and twenty feet in four miles oi lis
course above the city, and therefore admira-
hly adanted TO the mills and factories which
.tgd TIA lovely and romantic sbores; while
the Chrisiiana coming from tht southwest
syeeps past the eastern front ol the Guy anu
IA the main channel of its navigation, being
from its mouth for about ten miles above
Wilmington navigabe for vessels OF MY
ions burihen, and TO the four-mllls at inc
northern extremity of the city for those oil
very much larger draft. .,..
The traveller simply passing by the clty
On the railroad coming from the North, not
withstanding the view of II which he gets III
crossing the Brandywine before he reaches
lhe station, has little idea OF the beauty OF
the town. or its remarkably fine position. lts
original name was Wilinglown, after Thos,
Willing, who near the end OF the year I3l
projected ii ON the plan OF Philadelphia, I'D
streets crossing each other at rlght aigiesi
those running from river to river being ues-
gnaled by numbers those intersecllng' thSm
by the names OF tho early settlers, OF DIS
tnguished citizens. or of native trees. The
slylr Of building resembles that OF the "City
Of Brotherly Love" while on the newer
streets, along the higher lines of the city, the
houses are ofen thrown buck from the sue
walks, with open court-yards and gardens,
and all are Handsomely bordered with shade
trees. 1t cannot boast as yet OF any impos-
ing public buildings; but the great Methodist
Grace Church, (which will cost some three
hundred thousand dollars, the chapel of
which Is already occupied, and the main
building in as rapid progress as practicable
for 80 massive structure-of freestone, and
If rich gothic architecture, and most com
mandingly placed-will soon change this
condition of things; and the "Wilmington
Institute" with its noble lecture-room, its
scieniitic hall, its library, and reading room,
Is a building which would do credit TO any
city. The Swedenborgian Chapel, though
diminutive in size is a gem, and was mainly
erected by member Of the DUPONT family,
Of powder Mill" celebrity; and across the
brandywine stately gothic church, b..
Johns Episcopal, built of the same dark
stone with the latter, testles to the liber-
atty of another member of the same family
of different faith, and though beyond the
city lines, becomes one of its most ornamen-
ial appendages Standing on the site OF the
great Methodist church, or looking to the
west and north from the windows of its
chapel, the views are superb A crescent oi
hills of loflier outlines encloses that on
which Wilmington is placed; and their vary.
ing forms and rich cultivation, their yalleys
and sides cleft and watered by the Brandy
wine and studded with luXuriant farms, fur.
nish rich background to the picture. Turn
ing 10 tile east and the south, the city slopes
towards the smaller rivers which bound it in
shat direction. The view now compaBset
ile beautiful meadows which they traverse
beyond them the broad and sparkling bosom
Of the Delaware, here some two miles IL
width, and seen in one Eoble bend Tor
reach Of twenty miles, white with the sail!
of commerce; and farther still, across iii
bright waters, the fields OF New Jersey.
Wilmington holds one venerable and pic
turesque relic Of antiquity, quite remarkable
in a country like ours. 1t is the old "Swedes
Church" Soon alter the withdrawal OF thl
Dutch from the Delaware to the Hudson
and some thirty years before the Englisl
appeared on the former, came a colony O
Swedes, in 1898, and settled, and built a fort
and within the tort a small church. By.and
oy this was replaced by a larger and NOR
substantial one, which still remains TIL
cornerstone Of this church was laid on til
18th Of May, 1908; and on Trinity Sunday
IN May Of the next year, ii was solemnl
ronsccrRted by the name of Trinity Church
when the pastor, Andrew Rudman, preache
ihe sermon from the text, "Th0 L0rd hat
lone great things for as, ,rhereof zoe az
glad. At the time il was erected it was til
solitary altar Of Christian faith on this bear
tliul spot; but now thrifty and CROWN
city surrounds it, and it is but one OF invent
churches of various denominational name
near by In 1856 its last Swedish minister
hov Laurentius Girelius, then in his oil
age, wRs recalled TO his native land, and
passed into the charge Of the Episcop;
Church, branch of which still holds III
old church as lis missionary head and at
llnct
Inc ancient building stands in "A larp
ehurch-yard near the banks of the Chri
uana, in the midst of the graves of its foui
aers' and worshippers since, surrounded b
hne old trees, its own walls aud tower MAJ
ilea with Ivy, and the old parsonage in clol
vicinity. The church is built Of stone an
nflck, and is on the whole remarkably pr
served; but this fact seems largely owing
Moman's fidelity to the faith to which 81
owes so much. In 1893 two of the sex.
s"salSh descent, successfully took its repsi