The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-02-21
VOL. 18---NO. 50.

ters were absent at that time. SO had
preached every Sunday and had prayer
meeting during the week, with faithful
few. An old shell of school house on
the edge of town, served for a church,
while two upright pieces and board
placed across, did for pulpit. At night
few tallow candles shed an uncertain
light by which the preacher read his text
and the people read the hymns. The
congregations steadily increased, and the
utmost decorum prevailed. Soon the
Methodist minister arrived, and we
united forces. We were very weak in
numbers, while they had a strong church,
as it had been organised when the coun-
try was overrun by Indians and the
preachers were men of war.
About one year ago we organised with
what material We had, and since then we
have been struggling along, making equal
headway with the other churches as far
as numbers are concerned. When the
Methodist minister took charge we di-
vided time, and then sought other open
ingG. Del Rio, so miles west, and Ban
dera, so miles northeast, were selected as
suitable places in which the evangelist
OOulO SluulS udINtuSSS DIS SOOu SOL
der of Jesus Christ To reach these
places it was necessary to ride horseback
two days, sleeping the first night some
times under tree and sometimes in an
upper loft, which was indeed a profit
chamber, as the price charged was all
clear gain. On these trips would some
times travel with young Methodist cir
cult rider, a man of deep piety and
keen sense Of the ludcrous Often we
would turn aside and hunt up some
church member of whose whereabouts we
had heard. On one occasion we spent
the night at the house of man whose
wife was Presbyterian. While she was
out, brother R asked the man to buy
a Testament for his wife, at the same
time showing him a copy The man hes
itated and then finally said Mr. R,
am an ignorant man, and don't know
much about such things. But you see,
my wife is a Presbyterian, and therefore
| don t want to gether Methodist Bible.
Brother R, with the utmost gravity,
said, Well, I will leave it to brother
Bridges, ask him if it is safe The man
referred the matter to me- You will
be perfectly safe, said I, in buying the
Testament, for l will let you into the
secret. Brother R is selling these
Testaments through this country for
Methodist Testaments, when in reality
they are Presbyterian, Brother R
acknowledged afterwards :
whipped. But pa.
In course Of time the railrUaa
Del Rio but Bandera still requ.-
the interminable pony-ride through the
storms of winter and the heat of summer.
Since then Uvalde has leaped forward
as no other place has. Property has in
creased in value far beyond ali expecta-
ton The town is alive with the sound
of the hammer and the saw. Long be-
lcre houses are completed they are taken,
and yet there is demand. Energetic
and enterprising people have come in,
some settling In town and others going to
the beautiful ca1ons above us. Business
Is steadily increasing, and new stores are
being opened. Uvalde has a deserved
reputation for healthfulness. The dry,
salubrious air of winter, and the ever
moving breeze of summer, make it pecu-
llarly favorable to all lung troubles.
Strong, hearty men are to be seen daily,
who came here years ago to die. The
number OF lnvalids coming here increases
every year, being somewhat limited at
present by the want of accommodations
In no section of Texas, or in fact any
other place, can you find better water
with less trouble than here. In town,
cool, clear water can be obtained at the
depth of 80 or 40 feet, while one and a
half miles below town the beautiful Leona
river rises, furnishing water to numerous
hocks Of sheep and herds Of cattle, be-
sides giving to the fisherman an abun-
dance of black bass.
Nearly every denomination is repre-
sented here. The Episcopalans aud
Methodists have beautiful, new church
buildings The Campbelites and Cath
olics are about to build Owing to the
fewuess and poverty Of our membership,
we had to depend entirely upon outside
help. People of all denominations and
many Of no denomination, have responded
most literally. Then an architect has
given us a plan and promised to see that
I it is complied with
We still need several hundred dollars
in order to Justify us in collecting what
has been subscribed Surely there are
some whom God has blessed. who will
cast few crumbs upon these waters.
Shall this place, with so many kind and
| generous people, see other denominations
out of their abundance helping their
weaker brethren, while the great Presby-
terrain Church, generally so ready In