The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-10-20
IN THE lone STAR STATE.
DIR. GRIER WRITES AN INTERESTING AC-
COUNT OF HIS TRIP TO TEXAS.
Where He Went-..The Friends Whom
He Met---The Country Which He
Passed Over..The Towns Which He
ViSifnh
associate Reformed Presbyterian.

associate lcPIO1nneQ l'TeS0yte7t0n.
Leaving Lovclady on Tuesday night our
next objective point was Harmony church, in
Freestone county. TEeroute to this place was
circuitous. We must needs go through Pales-
tine. This is a town Of 5000 or 10000 inhabi-
tants Why it is called Palestine we did not
learn, possibly large number of its busir ess
tnen are or were Jews; possibly there may he
some features of the surrounding country
which might suggest TO vivid imagination
the sacred land OF the East, or, possibly, very
possibly the name was given without any
very special reason. At any rate we are able
TO say that, without crossing the ocean, we
spent night in Palestine. We reached the
city late at night, and were met at the train
by Mr.. Brice Robinson, who IS engaged in the
banking business He placed us under obli.
cations 6y his Kind at.en,ions dnIing our So
polntment for Wednesday night prevented n
longer stay with him. His father, Rev. d. p.
Robinson, is living with him. Mr.. Robinson
told us that Palestine had been greatly dam
aged by the railroad strike last spring. For q
full month not a single freight car left the
town. In all departments of business there
was complete stagnation. That strike opened
on railroads. If IL had continued few weeks
longer the question Of subsistence would have
become very serious. 1t is easy to see that
such crisis might be reached in the refusal
Of a railroad corporation to run its trains as
would not only Justify but demand govern
life. life '''' 49, ~ ~ 'N' ' WV - ''|' '''''0l VI
"
wood, which Is about 25 miles from Palestine.
II is one of the nearest stations TO Fairfield on
the International Railroad, and ut this point
the friends had agreed to meet us. We step
ped from the cars at Oakwood quite early in
the day, and, as we were not to leave there un-
til Thursday morning, we had an opportunity
Of writing letters and looking at the country.
We found in this little village some Due West
friends, who seemed glad to see us and gave us
a cordial welcome-Mrs. Carrie Mayes and her
brother, Lester Haddon. These are children
place. Mr.. Mayes Is au Alumnus OF ErSliine
and cheriShes warm feeling for his alma
Mater. He drove us out into the country and
showed us some fine farms with good crops
on them. But the sight we enjoyed most WAS
a lake, about one and half miles wide and
Six miles long, It was beautiful sheet of
water, surrounded by g dense forest with its
deep, quiet shade What restful scene IL
was We longed for time to throw in u hook
and try our hand on some of the trout which
are said 10 abound in the waters Of this Ii
ly sundown-we were three miles from town
and had an appointment to preach that night
in the village (McthodisD church, the only
church in ihe place.
looked around to see the size of the audience.
Our eyes lighted at once on Bro. Little who
had just arrived on the north. bourd train
with a detachment from Milan county, with
Miss Eliza Mclean in the party. She is an
old Alabama friend, and was now on her
way to visit friends in Wilcox. They were
all going tO tTeSOyJcy. III was u uellSntIul
surprise. Just as the service was closing, the
friends from Fairfield came in. They told us
that we had q drive ahead us next day OF
about 20 miles, through deep sand and in the
hot sun. This suggested the propriety Of ear
ly retirement and a good nights rest. We
OH sht to have said that the congregation at
ch lrch was large and most attentive.
The next morning (Thursday) there was an
addition to our company on the arrival of the
train, of Bro K. E. Patterson and Mr.. Mitch
ell from Hardin; so that all told we num-
bered thirteen souls in two wagons The
brethren were full Of talk, and relieved the
tedlouSncss Of the way with interesting Incl
dents of Texas life and its early settlers. We
passed through poor country, sandy, black
jack land, with very few settlements. We
were assured that the good country was
ahead. We could readily believe II. But we
did get drink of good water-something
hard TO find in Texas For once we wished
we had the capacity of q camel, that we might
take in weeks supply. Late in the AFTER
noon we drove into the town of Fairfield,
which is the county seat of Frcestonc. We
were assigned quarters al the home Of Bro.
Il. ]. Bonner, who has been for years in
feeble health. In spite of his infirmities he
holds his own remarkably We'll. We enjoyed
his company. Though laid aside from active
work, he has not lost / is interest in the
church and It's enterprises. He spoke ear
neStly of the mission In Mexico, and rejoiccd
at the progress of the work in that field. We
trust he may yet regain his health and be
privileged to preach again the gospel to the
destitute places I'm those DartS