The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-12-24

miles east of the St. Johns river, and
twenty-five miles from the Atlantic
coast, near the middle of what is
known as the orange ridge of Volu,
STA county. We have good and
convenient building, erected three
yearssince by voluntary subscriptions,
at a cost of 100000; about one-half
being contributed by residents here,
and the balance by Mr.. H. A. DeLand,
OF Fairport, New York, dedicated to
church, Sunday and day school pur-
poses, and open fora good Chris
tian or moral reform effort, without
regard to denomination.
During a nearly three years resi-
dence here, / have not failed, except
in two or three instances, owing to
rain, OF meeting every Sunday morn
ing, one hour and half before the
regular church services, as orderly,
intelligent, and interesting band of
Sunday school scholars and teachers,
as the average, think, in the country;
numbering from thirty to fifty with a
SOOu average attendance. t.t.. ...i
There are in our midst, as I think
can be found in any community,
some people who take no interest in
Sunday schools, and probably speak
ofthem, if at all, disrespectfully; but,
so far l have heard, nothing Of the
kind, and although we have attend.
ants who make no claim TO Christian
feeling, have not heard a word or
seen an act Of disorder, disrespect, or
opposition, from any source. no 70
With the exception of two dozen
copies of bright Jewels" -slnging
books,sent us from the Fairport Bap-
fist Sunday School, we havereceived no
outside aid. We have raised, by vol.
untary, weekly contribution sufficient
to furnish each scholar with lesson
leaves, and weekly Sunday school
papers, the teachers with the Sunday
school journal, and to supply the
school with a new set of singing
books. Gospel Hymns. We have
also in connection with a mite society,
festival, and voluntary subscriptions,
purchased and paid for fine cabinet
organ, costing $500, which helps to
maintain harmony of feeling as well
as music. Though nothing to boast
OF, it shows what the little weekly
savings of the children will accom-.
plish, where there is mind to work,
Not that we are above want. We
need, and could use, think, to good
advantage in the Masters work, any
sums the oenevolently inclined see fit
to entrust to QUIZ care.- .,.nE myself ]
can say, that afthoughM have been
for many years, as scholar or teacher,
member of larger Sunday schools
in central and western New York. i
have never enjoyed the. work before
as 1 have these last three years, and
while my prayer is tor large and
speedy ingathering, l believe the
Master can be trusted for the harvest,
if we keep on scattering seed in his
spirit.
One word with regard to the pos
sible cause of the sad discords pict-
ured by your correspondent, as exist.
ing for nearly thirteen years in his
neighborhood. Perhaps we have
key to it in the two words derisively
applied to his neighboring Christian
workers, "Hard Shells"
In my experience of more than
forty years have never known any
good to result to theca of Christ
by the use of hard names. e., Let us
leave their use to the heated politiJ
clan, if he will use them, and content
ourselves with agreeing where we
can, and agreeing to disagree where
we can't exactly agree, without need
less provocation. think we can
ind words enough Of kindness to EN-,
ploy our tongues, and acts enough of
kindness to employ our hands the
few short days wehave to stay on
earth at most. j. Y. PARCE.