National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-05
From the Land of Flowers.

APoLPKA CRY, SoUTH FLORIDA, May
IL, 1885, EDITOR NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, /;
VIII you allow me Just a niche In your
journal to say word from this weird, frost
bitten peninsula to cherished friends in
their brighter northern homes. have no
ambition to add a syllable to much that has
been said by the many who seemed to have
come hither simply to echo; some of
which the honest inquirer finds TO be true;
but more that is ilcticious, unreal, and mis-.
leading. | have fairlys wintered
in this semi-tropical region of pine and
hammock lands, with lakes and reptiles
''ad infinitum," of which something may
be said hereafter. Meantime, with the
eager attention Of papist counting his
beads, l have watched the course of
things at home under the guild
ing hand Of the Great Disposer of
human events; and, among these, to
me, and to hundreds more =
tho return of DR.. Newman to the pas
torate of the Metropolitan NJ. f. Church,
Washington, d. o., is looked upon as an
event fraught, under grace, with the great
est good, both to that church and to the
Washington people. At Jacksonville, st.
Augustine, Savannah, Charleston, and other
large centers 1t is freely spoken of ms a
"thing Of Providence, and it is really graft
flying to find here so wide an interest and
accurate knowledge OF our "central church,
The editor of the South Carolina 4dUocdte
expressed lively and fraternal interest in
"that 'well-advised' Methodist
center,n but perhaps little chafed with
DR.. Eddy's very just criticism upon the
present condition of the "John Wesley
Memorial Church" at Savannah. At Charles.
ton the colored NJ. L. Church is strong and
wealthy. "Ihe Centenary" (Rev. j. l..
Wilson, A. NJ. paster) has membership of
over 100. The descendants of the "Syren-
ian" ''hold this fort,n while
Sumter ~ u lies in ruins. a % Here,
l met most remarkable man In the person
OF "Pastor'' Vedder, bishop of the Huguenot
church.
This sanity man seems nearest the char
acter which Eusebius gives of the "Apos-
tolic Fathers,n who Immediately followed
the Immortal twelve" "Parson Vedderr
clearly understands the primary tenure and
history Of our Central N. e. Church at
Washington" loves DR.. NJ, and traces his
steps with pleasure, from n certain New Or
leans murderous mob to the
"sick chamber" of the greatest man aud
"hero OF the age.n The bishop sends his
benediction to the church at Washington,
and joins devout thousands in congratulate
ing the doctor and his church upon their re-
order may have compassed the DOCTORS re-
turn to charge where, under his former
tact and labors, the church had risen to an
altitude (for good) which Justly entitled 1t
to the distinction of ''standing aloner in
the annals of American Methodism, | am
sure its true friends will ever pray the Good
Shepherd to preserve this church iu its
whole NJ. Il. Church for still wider useful
ness. DR.. Newman deserves the need for
having "as run TO to win," and that amid
stalwart foes, and under the argus eye OF
prudish, exacting orthodoxy, maligning
editorial missives, and the virus Of hate
from slums of baser sort. ~ " " Not unlike
his envied compeer, Bishop Taylor, who
one moment was under the ban of mis-
sionary heresy" Il and the next
lunwittingly9) was on the "bench" of
bishops, as solid as st. Peter aud anon
had crossed the ocean, y fired by
the last words of the immortal Cox, had
kindled his camp fires, half athwart the
dark continent, and that too, while his
watchers were yet scratching their matches
to see what cratic thing would next "turn
up So with Pastor Newman
leaving In the distance those who
cast the stones and they who held the
Clothes" only pausing once and then, like
the good samaritan, to lift q wounded,
rent, and bleeding church q TO its
feet and poor oil into Its wounds" and to-
day, learn from Washington prints, and
from home friends, that the doctor, as afore-
time, has filled his immense church with
anxious hearers-and is urging his mem
beers up TO all the activities OF church work
and leading his flock to that
higher plane of Christian life for
which the NJ. i. Church, "under God, was
raised up viz, "To spread Scrlptural holt
ness" in all lands; and, "let everything that
bath breath respond to this work aud TO
the workman Wa NJ FrDnusoN