Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-11-27

-Austin CoIIege-The Crops and
the weather-The Health of Gall
weston G0od-The Loss OF the Va.
runa and the shadows it Cast.
Correspondence Of the Union and American
GALVESTON, TEXAS, Nov. 18, 1870
In these days of excited political can
vases and earnest mercantile enterprise,
it may not be amiss to now and then in
terlard your secular news with a small
slice of the Ecclesiastical. The Pres
byteriaRs of your State have al interest
in that family of the faithful in this
growing State. t-
In the year 1851, in the city of Austin,
the Synod of Texas was organized. It
was then the ''Old School" Presbyterian
Church; it is now ''The Presbyterian
Church." Old and New School in the
South forming an organic union in the
spring OF 1854. That Synod has just
held its annual meeting in FreestOne
county, one of the best portions of the
State in everything that constitutes re-
gion desirable for home and for good
living. 1t was the largest Synod ever
held in the State, viz:
Brazos Presbytery-Four ministers
present and five absent, with three Rul-
ing Elders present, and sixteen Churches
unrepreSented.
Eastern Texas-Six ministers present
and four absent, with one ruling elder
present and twenty three churches I'M
represented.
Western Texas-One minister present
and nine absent, with no elder present
and twenty-one churches unrepresented.
Central Texas-Twelve ministers pres
ent none absent, with eleven elders pres
ent and five churches unrepresented.
The Rev. A P. SiIliman, of Rusk,
was chosen Moderator, and Rev. R. F.
Bunting, D. D, of Galveston, temporary
clerk.
Action was taken looking TO a division
of the Synod at its next session. With
an extent of territory larger than either
Great Britain, France, Prussia, or Italy,
and nearly equal in area to the Austrian
Empire, it isfimpossible, especially as the
Journey has mostly to be made on horse
back, for q full representation. Then.
too, immigration is pouring into the State
by thousands, and with it will come
members and ministers of the Presby-
terrain Church, who will organize
churches, and these will constitute Pres
byteries.
More cheering reports came up from all
the Presbyteries than at any previous
meeting. The absorbing question was
Austin College, located at Huntsville. II
has been embarrassed by debt, as the re-
suit of the war. Rev. A. P. Silliman
was appointed the financial agent, and a
few months labor will free ii from debt
and save for future endowment its valu-
able lands. The President, Rev. Samuel
Mckinney, D. D., native Tepnesseean,
and in his day distinguished educator,
rendered his resignation, which was &C
cepted, and the Rev. s. d. Luckett, of
Kentucky, was elected. DR.. Mckinney
wishes to retire from such IN arduous
work, and President Luckett being q
young man of gres. promise, it is felt the
college will be success. 1t is our only
institution, and bears to us the same rels.
| ton that Stewart College does to the
Synod of Nashville. We feel now that
Presbyterians can in the future educate
their sons at home. No State in the
Union offers greater inducements for emf.
grafton, and with the construction of rail
roads now being located, all sections OF
the State will soon be accessible.
The crops this year are large, and, out
side of few streams in the Western part
of the State, injured by the floods, viii
be saved. Cotton La now coming into
this market from the interior very rapidly
and shipping on the Gulf, both in and out
is active. Our island has been unprece
IDENTIFY dry during the entire summer, bu
we have had heavy rains for few day.
and our cisterns are again full. This
morning we have enjoyed the luxury of &
cold norther, which will bring US SOM
frost tonight, and thus destroy all trace
of yellow fever. During the warn
weather of the last few weeks there hayt
been few sporadic cases, as some of tn
doctors affirm, and the rumor has troubles
the nervous who are here, and detaineC
the absent in their return. Now we ar
entirely safe and shall expect all tn
familiar faces home again. Our city hs
but recently passed through another
scene of mourning, when business wa
entirely suspended, and every home fel
the sorrow. The New York and Calves
ton steamer 'fVsruns, foundereC
off the Florida coast, on the night Q
Oct 90, and all her passengers persisted
Some twenty Ave were citizens of Calves
ton, and of these several were among tn
oldest and most prominent citizens of tn
place, whilst others were from our lead
ing buiness firms. The hurricane wa
the most terrific ever experienced on th