St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-07-16
The Christian Endeavor Convention.
BY REV. +. F. LEWIS,


~ feel as il l had never been out OF
doors BEFORE" said an Fastener as he
stepped off railroad train onto a
Western prairie. "This is great coun-
try and a good one said another as the
size of our domain began to dawn upon
him.
This has been wonderfully interest
ing trip thus far and they tell us the best
is to come. Leaving st. Adams Monday
evening over the Central Vermont Pas.
senger Agent Wynne Of the Grand Trunk
went with us as lar as Montreal to make
sure that our two special cars were safely
started on the journey. They promised
us palace car and tourist car, but
finding at the last moment that the
promised tourist car was not suitable,
they furnished palace car without
extra expense to us. The ride to Chicago
was without special incident and in due
time we were transferred to the tracks of
the Chicago Great Western and were
speeding on our way.
The Boston representative OF the road
was with us and during all the journey
was unceasing in his efforts to make our
journey safe and pleasant. Tuesday
night we reached Kansas City and the
Missouri Pacific granted us special
train which brought us swiftly a.ross the
plains to Pueblo. Here Pueblo Endeav-
orers met us with flowers and songs.
Our fears of suffering from the intense
heat have not thus far been realized. We
have had some warm weather, but fire.
quent showers have cooled the air. The
rains OF the spring show their results.
AS we crossed the Mississippi and Mis-
souri, rivers, one was irresistibly reminded
of the old hymn
"Sweet fields beyond the swelling flood
Stand dressed in living green"
Iowa and Kansas are a garden of de-
lights. AS far as the eye could see were
fields growing corn and ripened grain.
Wheat is being harvested and is yielding
from Is to 40 bushels an acre andis now
worth 70 cents bushel. At Lacrosse,
Kansas, anxious farmers came to the
train to inquire if we had brought any
harvest hands with us. Five hundred
men are wanted to help gather the crops.
The advance agent OF prosperity has evi.
IDENTIFY arrived.
In an hours time we had left this noon
of loneliness and were out on the barren
plains. Some travellers report that the
great American desert is myth, but
nothing could be more desolate than
those great treeless wastes. The few
sunburnt, blstered houses along the way
add to the desolation. The fact that
water only is needed to make the desert
blossom suggests the lives of some men
who would be fruitful in all good works
if they were refreshed by the Water of
Life.
At one place group OF cowboys were
at the station and showed off their buck
ing bronchos for our amusement. To
complete the picture of Western life a
man came riding up saying that there
had been fight and two men had been
shot and away all went to the scene oil
action.
We have seen jack-rabbits and prairie
houses and cyclone cellars, sage brush
and cactus. We have seen the clouds
without water which the prophet speaks
of and the dry beds of water courses.
There have been collisions and wash.
outs on other lines and some delegations
are thirty.six hours late, but our repre-.
sentative of the Chicago Great Western
has been in constant communication
with train despatchers and superintend
ents and everything has moved like clock.
work. He seems to enjoy himself for he
told me that he had Travelled with many
excursions but had never been with Sc
pleasant a party as ours.
The convention has begun with us by
daily meetings in our car. Rev. {. W.
Clark, Keeler's Bay, Rev. F. M. Wiswall
Putney, Rev. F. T. Pomeroy, Hyde Park
Mass, have been leaders and delightful
fellowship has been enjoyed.
This morning we have visited Manitor
and the Garden of the Gods and are now
waiting to take the ride over the Denver
and Rio-Grande through the mountains