The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1893-03-11
FROM AN Old FRIEND.
To The Progress


drop The PRoGREss a line or two.
Ny appointment to Meridian was
no greater surprise to me than 1t was
to the good people of this place, but
no sooner was it known than the Of
fetal board sent me cordial greetings
and assurance of hearty cooperation.
| put IN my appearance at midnight
Of one of the coolest DAYS | ever ex-
perienced, but Rey. T. l.. Mel!er, my
presiding elder, and John ii. Lewis,
one Of the stewards, met me with Il
carriage and conducted me to roar
ing fire in one OF Meridiau's mru-
sions, and having refreshed me with
delicacies for the inner man, left me
to pleasant congitat'ons and sumpt-
uous bed The Sabbath brought no
change OF weather; but through
blizzard and falling rain, about five
hundred people assembled in their
beautiful new brick church, to give
warm reception to their new pastor.
That service was n surprise indeed.
The fairest weather in New Orleans
rarely brings out such a congrega-
ton, even to hear celebrity, and |
thought that these people are like
those to whom Paul spake on Mars
Hill who spent their time in moth
ing else but either to tell or hear
something new" and that they
would be content to hear the new
thing" no more. Inquiry assured
me, however, that they were church
going people, and further experien-
ced in better weather when the large
house could not hold the throngs
demonstrated that they sought the
Lord rather than ''some new thing"
The city has population OF about
fifteen thousand, and Methodism
here has q membership of over one
thousand in three Well appointed
white churches. The Baptist church
has a membership of two thousand,
including the colored people. The
other denominations are proportion
ately represented.
We have six or seven blocks OF
buildings equal to the best on Canal
street, waterworks, electric and gas
lights. street cars, both steam and
mule, various manufactures, three
large graded school buildings, equal
to the best of the McDonough schools
in New Orleans, a handsome court
house, one of the finest hotels in the
South, and three of as imposing
churches as the eye would care to
rest upon.
This is a railroad center where six
lines of road converge, and night and
day the ear is saluted with chorus
of Whistles as the cars stop and start.
At the depot Is a bewildering maze of
tracks and the layman wonders why
there is not perpetual collision OF
trains.
So large a population and so many
railroads which open up large area
of tributary country necessarily inn
plies large establishment is readily
supplied with sumptuous stores in
every line Of trade. One dry goods
house has an annual trade of over a
million dollars.
| have omitted one fact, which
speaks volumes for the civilization of
Mississippi. and for the tone of pub
lie sentiment and morals, which is
hard to rival in any Southern town
of similar size. On the second day
of April next the last saloon license
expires. and will not have GROCERY
of any kind in this city. Some three
or four attempts have been made to
run blind tigers" under the disguise
of literary and social clubs, but with
religious Presbyterian in the mayor
atty, and religious Methodist on
the circuit bench, and number of
religious policemen, and foreman
of the grand jury who has a family
altar, and who had the religious grit
to open the session of the grand jury
with prayef-L. r. Brown, Esq,
one of my stewards, the little game,
or the audacious crime rather, was
speedily arrested and rebuked. and
one by one by one the law breakers
pleaded guilty, submitted to the fine,
closed their clubs and Promised, i!
numerous other indictm ents which
hung over them were not pro e,uted To
their crushing results, never mt re to
attempt the role of clandostine law
breakers.
However upright our officials
might have been they never could
have accom- lished such results, had
they not been sustained by constit-
uency of men and women, familiar
with Gods secret place of thunder"
the.family altar. But they deserve
one and all commentator for their
faith in God, and their faith in tie
the people, the majority Of whom in
almost any community will sustain
the officers who trust them, in the
fearless enforcement of the law.
! Allow me t. say to my old friends
in Louisiana word about the per-
sonal comfort of my family. We are
housed alaDantlv in "a modern sfruc-