The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1885-03-18

citizens of DeLand are wise, they will
not hesitate to give with an open-handeo
generosity to the establishment of these
schools. They will be worth to the com
munity thousand times more than they
will cost. Now, that DeLand has drawn
the prize and the whole State and country
is looking to see what is to be done with
! it, the entire community should do its
best for the new college. If this is done,
others will follow with contributions,
and the institution may become the most
famous College of the South, if not
of the whole country. One who knows
!. II. A. DeLand needs not to be informed
that he will be satisfied with nothing less.
FAMILY REUNION.
We were in time for the DeLand family
reunion at Lake Helen, and we were
glad enough to be there and to extend
our acquaintance with the different
branches of a family so celebrated as
this has become. Some fifty of them sat
around the festive board, not counting
those of 'us who could claim no nearer
relationship than that which runs back
to Adam and Eve. We should like to
4 tell of the Parces and Steadmans and all
the other DeLand kin who sat around
4 that table, and tell all the good we know
of them; but tnat would fill columns.
lone of the DeLand brothers was not
present. He is Baptist missionary in
the far off Northwest, and is as famous
for building Baptist churches in destitute
settlements as his brother Henry is for
setting out orange groves. One idea
sways him, and that is to seek and save
the lost. He is an ornament to the
family of Christ, as we'll as to the De-
Land family.
Another was not present d. B. De-
, Land; who died few years ago, was, in
many respects, a very remarkable man.
His personal appearance was very en-
engaging, and his every look and word
: disclosed the grand proportion OF his
II spiritual being. If a worthy sketcl
: were given OF Judge ID. B. DeLand-:
! picture taken which would do him bu
!. simple justice-the latest descendants 8
all who belong to this family reunion
$ migbt well prof. IL lalziTt tosthat aietEa
/. and with exultati0n exclaina, "He, too
! trds one Of u.s."
When Richmond College was at its
lowest point, and it seemed doubtful
whether it would ever again get fully
upon it's feet, Judge DeLand spent a
week or more in Richmond for rest and
recreation. Almost every day he spent
an hour or two in the Herald office, and
he was constantly learning some new
thing about the condition, wants and pros
poets of the Southern Baptists. Without
having a drop of sectarian blood in his
veins, d. B. DeLand loved the Baptists
with true and ever-growing devotion.
1t did not take Mr. DeLand long to reach
the conclusion that, if the Baptists of
Virginia ever regained their prosperity,
it would have to come largely through
an educated ministry. Without prompt
ing word from any one, Mr.. DeLand gave
the College 81, 800 (or about that, and
did it with the declaration 81 am not
rich man, and can very poorly afford to do
this /; but, if Godspares my life and pros
pers me, you shall have more" He lived
but few years after that, and his inter
est in the college became intense and alb
sorbing During the Memorial year of
Virginia Baptists, this writer was sent
North by the Memorial Committee. After
a few days in New York City, we became
discouraged and wrote to Judge DeLand
that we were thinking of running up to
Fairport to spend day with him. He
wrote back at once inviting us in the
most polite way possible not to do so, as
suring us that he could not then add dol
! lar to his liabilities, and that there was no
possible chance to raise enough from 9TH
ers in that community to pay the expense
ofcoming. But, as we were not doing much
where we were, and, if the worst came,
| it would only be trip from the frying
pan into the fire I'VE went directly to Fair
port and to Judge DeLand's house. He
was surprised to see us, and assured us
that it would give him pain to say No to
an application for aid from Richmond
College. OF course we assured him that
no such application should be made; that
he had done his full part, &c. With that,
his whole manner changed, and a hap
pier and more companiOnable brother
than he became from that moment we
have never seen. Soon he arranged to
accompany us to Rochester, where he
took us to his friends in different depart
ments of business, and from them secur
ed generous contributions, while his own
unsolicited gift exceeded that of any OF
those to whom our appeal was made.
Then he made us go back with him to
Fairport, and he was as bright and buoy
ant as child at its play-happy because
he had been the means of doing some-
thing for College which he so tenderly
loved. (If New Yorker felt that way,
what shall be said of a Virginia Baptist
who has the ability to help this, his own
College, but not the inclination p The
next morning we bade adieu to Judge
DeLand, and have not met him since.