Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1886-08-12
LAS VEGA HoT SPRINGS, n. NJ, !
July l3, 1886. /

with no elation of feeling that | parted
from my wife at the depot in Baltimore
and think that she was more than usu-
ally sober at the thought of so long a sep
aration. | am not so ready to leave
home even for short time as | was fif-
teen years ago. 49,.
| spent Sunday after leaving Balti-
more in Kansas City, where | preached
in the morning. -. 1t was my intention
to come direct from Kansas City to this
place; but was intercepted by telegram
and letter from Denver soliciting very
urgently my presence there. / went and
spent the four hottest days have known
this summer-as hot, believe, as / have
known-in that city. had long and
careful interviews with the official men.
The difficulty everywhere in the West
that the Church has to encounter is in
the impatience and restlessness of the
people They clamor for the same bold
and startling movements and brilliant
successes in evangelizing the country that
have been witnessed in business enterpri-
zes-not being aware of the fact that the
very conditions which have produced
such results in business are falal TO them
in the religious sphere. .... was glad
TO get away from the heat of Denver
though | ought to say that was very un-
usual-and move Southwark. got to
Las Vegas Tuesday evening and found it
very cool. | have slept under double
blanket every night since. Las Vegas is
an old Mexican town with an American
addition, the latter only about six years
old. Ii is not an attractive place, con-
tains nothing Of beauty or special inter
est, unless it be the old adobe huts in
which most of the Mexicans live, which
look like burnt out brick kilns, and some
of which are said TO be an hundred and
fifty years old. Some of the men living
in these huts are cnormormously rich,
immense ranches, with vast numbers of
cattle and country residences as gorgeous
and luxurious in architecture, interior
decoration and furniture rs these town
dwellings are meagre and unsightly. SO
| am told by some of the leading men
who know them. A day in Las Vegas
satisfied me and / then came 10 the
Springs, six miles away. Here / have
found the most delightful resort that ]
have yet fallen upon. II is to my mind
exactly, suppose because it suits my
body so well. You would hardly be able
to realize the altitude reached here. !
wrote YOU last summer Of the impressions
made by visit to Roam Mountain, the
second highest peak East Of the Rocky
Mountain. We felt there that we were
among the clouds. Here ] am three
hundred and six feet higher than the
highest point on Roam Mountain, and
there il hardly a rudimenl Of a mountain
visible. The Springs are just within the
entrance Of Galimas Canon, narrow pass
between ridges Of hills two or three hun
dred feet high-as far as have explored,
that is a mile and half up the Canon.
The Galimas river. stream about as
large as Hunting Creek, beyond Alexan-
dria, flows down over a rocky, uneven
bed The space at the entrance opens
out into an amphitheatre Of possibly one
thousand acres, within which the Springs
are located. The grounds are laid off in
10 parks and walks; the hotel buildings
are good and tasteful. The heavens are
brighter and clearer than any Italian
skies / ever saw. The air is very dry
fifty per cent. Of the moisture in your at
mosphere-and exhilarating, IL produc-
Is a feeling Of buoyancy and freedom
that to me is marvellous. The stiffness
and soreness that have impeded my move
ments and annoyed me constantly since
my illness have here disappeared. /
walked a mile and a half this evening
with ease and without any fatigue. ]
the more wonder at it because Of the ele-
yatiOn. I am conscious every now and
then that my lungs are expanding very
greatly and working hard. could spend
elk months here to advantage if / could
command it. ~ hope, however, the
benefit Of these two weeks will be perma-
nent.
| went into Las Vegas on Sunday and
preached on the approval and reward Of
fidelity. But | must halt.
Afiectionately yours,
w Irrrcn<