The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1875-08-26
The n. P. Country Abroad.

letter, written by DIR. Rice, IN re-
cent number of The Herald and
Presbyter, published at Cincinnati:
OUR GREAT NORTHWEST.
Indeed 1t is. You may be aware
of it, Messrs Editors, but ,hink of
it, ye who have never ur dertaken to
pac9 It's magnificent distances. In
the good old Bay State when pulpit
is left vacant for season, a neigh
boring pastor sometimes supplies it
for Sabbath, and deemingit no more
than Sabbath-day's journey, rides
over to 1t In his buggy on Sabbath
morning, If he does not also return
Oh Sabbath evening. \ like neigh
borly custom prevails up here, and
your correspondent has just returned
from such a pulpit supply to the
Presbyterian Church at Bismarck,
at the request Of the excellent and
efficient bishop of the missionary
churches and waste places of our
most Northwestern State. But in
stead OF riding over on Sabbath
morning aud returning on Sabbath
evening 1t required two full DAYS in
going, and as many in returning
and that, too, at the gait of the
steam horse. 1t was a little trip of
nine hundred miles, and witt out a
"pass" from the Northern Pacific
who deem the growth of churches
along their line as having some
money value-the regular fare would
have been S45.
BISMARCK
is the present terminus of the
Northern Pacific at the crossing of
the Missouri, nearly opposite Fort
Lincoln. 1t has population Of
about eight hundred, half Catholic.
and has but this one Protestant
Church. 1t has been gathered un-
der the ministry Of Rev. J. O. Sloan
universally esteemed-and has
erected au attractive house of wor-
ship. Everything indicates the new
ness OF The place; many mere shanty
buildings to hold ground, and, what
occurs only IN such place, more
men than women in the Sabbath
con gregatlonS. But everything in
dicateS that Bismarck, intercepting
the navigation of the great Mis-
souri,, is to be one of the points on
the Northern Pacific.
To find the nearest church YOU
travel two hundred miles to
MoOREHEAD
Here, too, the Presbyterian Church,
under the efficient ministry of Rev.
O. IL. Elmer, has the only church
building, which they dedicated on
the last Sabbath, and which is the
neatest IN its style of architecture
on this parallel of latitude west of
Duluth Like Bismarck on the
Missouri, SO is Moorehead, on the
Red River of the North, with Fargo
Oh the opposite bank, location for
one OF the great cities Of the North
ern Pacific. Very wisely have
these two places been selected as
centers for future missionary work.
The next Presbyterian Church is
two hundred and fifty miles distant,
at Duluth, on the Lake. Judge
then OF the extent of the territory
by the size OF the parishes.
Bat 1t Is here worthy Of special
mention that at Braiuerd, where the
road crosses the Mississippi, and at
Detroit, the two other most impor-
tant points, the Con9regationalists
have churches, aud at no point on
the road have the CongregationaliSts
and Presbyterians sought to estab-
llsh a church In the same place.
This Is one of the practical results,
and one OF the pleasant fruits of the
growing spirit of Christian union.
At several points the Episcopalians,
Baptists aud Methodists have estab-
lished churches.
But word, with regard to the
furure resources of the Northern
Pacific. Since the panic we have
heard the road pronounced a failure,
running through a barren country,
too tar north ever to pay dividends.
But one can not ride on and on all
day, gazing on its open, boundIess
pralrleS, and then all day again. and
not feel that when it is covered
with elghty-acre farms it will be a
nation OF itself. After reaching the
open prairie west Of Brainerd, this
continues unbroken to Bismarck.
and | am told one hundred miles
beyond. While some portions are
better than others, yet almost every
acre seems open to cultivation, and
all Is covered with a beautiful car
pet OF green. You travel from sta
tlon TO station, west Of the Red
River, aud see no living thing that
can be called man or beast, and the
stations, yet too young for name,
are mostly called "sidiugs." But
up through the prarie grass, bios
soming from one to a dozen on the
top Of an eight-inch stem, peep mil
hons OF the wild prairie rose, and
often standing thick among them. of
brlde-Hke beauty, the delicate.
hueo prairie lilies greet you with
IA