The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-10-14
4 VISIT TO MEXICO.
AN INTERESTING LECTURE BY
BISHOP RONDTHALER.

BISHOP RONDTHALER.
A Large and Appreciative Audience.
Benefit Elm Street Sunday School.
Selections by Mrs. Hendricks
and Miss Alice Rondthaler.
The first evening entertainment of
the season took place in the Academy
chapel last Thursday night II con-
sisted of lecture delivered by,Bishcp
Rondthaler, who took as his subject
Mexico"
The Bishop recently made quite
tour of the west and southwest, visit
ing Salt Lake City, California, Texas
and finally taking run down into
Mexico. He has his eyes open for OBJ
jects of interest on all his journeys,
and when he has seen an interest
ing thing he usually wishes his friends
to enjoy it with him Knowing this,
Elm Street Sunday School arranged
with the Bishop to deliver his lecture
on Mexico, the proceeds of the lecture
to be used for the benefit of the
school.
+ A large and appreciative audience
gathered In the beautiful chapel OF
the Academy by 8 O'Clock. and gave
the closest attention to the lecture
throughout.
The speaker took the party with
him from Ell PasO, the 'star" city, sc
termed because it IS about 1900 miles
/ from the City of Mexico, from San
Francisco. from Kansas City and
from New Orleans. The plan of the
lecture was to make the trip In stages,
each stage to consist of some marked
change in the course Of the lecture.
and the first stage was called the
"start ="
Leaving Ell Paso. the train reached
the famous Bio Grande, which has
figured SO largely in poetry and poll
tics, in war and in peace. But 1T was
not the imposing stream 1t promised
to be because of its Importance, but
was rather one that seemed to tempt
an athlete to clear with bound, as 1T
crept along on it's sandy bed. At this
point the change in our surroundings
took place. No logger were we N the
United States, but in foreign land,
with dark hued strangers about US,
and a strange language sounding in
our ears. We were surrounded by the
Spanish -MexicaDs. many Of them de-
scended from the earlier settlers from
proud Spain and the native Indian
tribes.
The second, third. fourth and ffth
stages took the audience across desert
and farm lands, and over great
stretches OF mountain regions The
desert seems at times land given
over to desulation. But where irriga
tion has made itself felt it is fertile
and productive, and vast farms can
be seen as the train whirls by. The
methods of agriculture are in many
respects not the same as our own, but
this makes them none the less inter
estipg, and it seems none the less eff
cient in producing large crops. The
mountains are grand and imposing.
Day by day the traveller mounts
higher and higher till from 1000 feet
he reaches G, 100 feet in elevation, and
at last fnds himself whirling along at
an altitude of 5000 feet. Vegetation
is fresh and. green, the scenery is
grand and although we are very far
South and in the midst of July the
atmosphere Is like that of Delight
full day in early Spring At last we
find our journey bringing us to some
what lower altitude, and about 3
O'Clock in the evening enter the ia
nous city of Mexico, amid the glare
surroundings of an advanced state OF
civilization about us.
The sixth stage of the lecture was
taken up with an account Of some of
the many attractions of the wonder
full and historic old city. In brief
sketch like this it is i'm possible to fol-
low the lecturer in his wanderiDgs
hither and thither amid the relics of
a past history of wonders, crowdiDg
h.. .rI hn o6 NJ nod nf
modern civilization. 1t was evident
from the glowing account, that this
visit to the City Of Mexico had made
a deep impression on the mind of the
Bishop and that he wanted all Of his
hearers to see the city at some time
| Ia their lives. A graceful tribute
was paid to President DiaZ, the
washington" of our sister Republic.
| and to whose influence this beautiful
country owes more than, perhaps, to
| the influence Of any one man.
| The seventh stage consisted of a
| trip from Mexico City to Vera Cruz
| On this journey tropical Mexico ap-
peared la all it's beauty. The coffee
| plantations, the banana groves, the
immense tropical plants Of one kind
| and another, made this trip one of uL
usual attraction. The shifting views
| presented by the flowers and fruits as
i
towns and villages, the luxuriance Of
the tropical growth, gradually made
| the traveller feel that the realities OF
life had changed to fairy land dreams
The eighth and last portion of the
lecture consisted of number of views
illustrating the scenes of the lecture
These views consisted of pictures ol
towns and cities, rural sections and
mountains, railroad appliances anc
tropical glimpses, and thus the eye
took in what the mind and though,
had thus far been enjoying.
10 concluding the lecture, tht
Bishop advised all who could to make
this trip to Mexico, and to make 1t II
mid summer The rainy season II
9 then on, the vegitation is at its best
Il the altitude Is such that no trouble Il
4 experiencedin the matter of heat, ant
lessons may be learned from such ,
trip that are never dreamed of b.
those who have not been there
During the lecture Mrs Roht. Hen
s dricks rendered selection on tn
organ which was well received.
Miss Alice Rondthaler sang beau
tifHl selection to the delight OF tn
entire audience.
II Beautiful Twins.
Mr.. p. s. Early, of Yadkin county
; fror,uf1f his fuvin 0anUhfara tn Wfr