The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-07-28
For the Central Presbyterian.
A Missionary Tour.

MesSrs EoZitorS,-I have Just returned
from three weeks missionary tour to
the Kanawha Valley, aud the regions
adjacent, and have thought your read
ers might be interested with some &C
count of my trip.
Leaving Lewisburg early in the morn
nearest depot. The Journey down the
Greenbrier and New Rivers has been
often made by many of the readers of the
Central, but still many others are unac-
quainted with the picturesque scenery ly-
ing along the track of the c. & O. Rail
road, and it would amply repay them if
they would vary their line of summer
travel, and make the Journey at least as
far as the Kanawha Falls When but a
youth l made the trip from Lewisburg to
Charleston by the old stage road. Here
you look down on the valley, and from
the heights of Sewall Mountain have a
more extended view than when following
the windings of the river along the track
of the railroad. Still every tourist is
charmed with the endlessly varied views of
cliff and crag, rising sometimes perpen-
dicularly to the height of fve-hundred
feet.
My first halt was at Laurel Station, as
it was formerly called, now known by
the less euphonious name of Cotton Hill
Here l met the son of Rev. Mr.. Haynes,
our interchangeable missionary of these
parts, in whose extended territory I was
to labor for few weeks. Mr.. Haynes
was absent from home on one of his ex-
tensive tours into Nicholas and Webster
and Braxton which, together with Fayette
county form his missionary field. | was
week too late to make this tour, which
Iregret, but found work enough arranged
for me nearer his home, at which made
headquarters.
Resting on Saturday and visiting the
family of an elder of the church, found
some of DIR. Prestons congregation who
had fled the heat of your city, and were
summering In the mountains. On Sun
day [ preached in a church in the
neighborhood to a large congregation,
having attended the Sunday School at an
early hour of the day, superintended by
Mr.. Warner. This struck me as an in
teresting feature, and an augury for good.
All along the line of the @. & o. Rail
road, at every little town where lumber
men and others engaged in the iron and
coal trade congregate, they have a Sun
day School. This is true of Ronceverte.
Anderson, Hinton, Quinnemonte, Kama
wha Falls, and Coal Valley, at the last OF
which places our excellent friend Mr..
Williams lives.
From Cotton Hill I went to the mouth
of Gauley, where once stood the beautiful
bridge lauded even by Miss Harriet
Martineau. Only the piers Of this struc-
ture are still standing, the wood work
having been twice burned during the war
and not rebuilt since. This is one of the
most picturesque spots in West Virginia.
New River, which for miles above had been
compressed into channel, sometimes not
fifty feet wide, here spreads out into a
placid stream upwards of four hundred
yards wide, and very deep besides, and
then Gauley adds its tribute which is over
two hundred yards wide at its mouth.
The river then takes the name of Ka-
nawha which it retains to its mouth,
where it joins the Ohio at Point Pleas
ant. l preached in the church, on a
nigh emboankment, overlooking the waters
OF Gauley and New River, a location
wei adapted to awaken pleasant emo
tons, varied as the sceneryig, with noun
talns and valleys and the broad rivers
that roll at the base.
AT this point formed the ACQUAINTANCE
OF, and was entertained most hospitablv
IN the family Of an excellent elder Of the
Presbyterian Church, Mr.. J. II. Miller.
mere formed the acquaintance of Mr..