The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-03-27
AN INTERESTING LETTER.
REV. DR.. J. S. DILL AT BERRyVILLE.
tie is Conducting a Revival in the Baptist
Church There.
RerryyiTe. Va. March 2a. 1902

BerrYNllle, a, March ~, lIO-.
To TnC FREE LAME:
1t seems to me that | recall some sort
of rash promise | made to send to THE
Free Lance letter from the present
surroundings of my visit to the Valley of
Virginia In casting about for inspira-
ton for letter. have not far to look,
for find it in the chair in which ! am
seated in the church study OF Rev. Julian
liroaddus. The chair is truly historic
1t is of quaint pattern. has n large leaf
attached to the right arm, and under this
leaf is drawer for ink and stationery.
Ii was brought from England over 100
wears ago and has been in the BrOaddus
family for generations. In this chair and
upon this arm writing tablet, the
Elder Andrew BrOaddus, the great
pioneer Baptist preacher, who in lSO1
organized the fredericksburg Baptist
church, wrote his sermons. Ii was then
used for years by the late DR.. Andrew
BrOaddus, OfCaroline county and isnOw
doing similar service for Rev. Julian
Broaddus. As three generations Of
BrOadduses have written sermons upon
this tablet should my letter take upon
itself sermonic hue, please ascribe II to
the unusual inspratiOnal effect OF my
surroundings.
Ny next source of inspiration for this
letter carries the reader to a still more
serious contemplation than even the his
toric chair of the BrOadduses. | must
take You to the grave yard. \ drive
along the beautiful pike for 1 miles going
South from Berryville, brings us to an
old stone Chapel In this ancient Epls-
copal Chapel simply known as the Old
Chapel. and now but little used, we find
mural tablet TO Bishop Meade of bless
ed memory and fame. In this section
he was born and much OF his life woven
into its memories. When we turn from
the Chapel To the large cemetery that en-
closes it. we find a most notable city OF
the dead have never seen in a country
cemetery so many such pretentiOus mon
uments. As we begin to read the in
scriptiOns we find names not unknown
To fame and that mean no little in Nir-
ginia history. The Meads, the Benjamin
Harrisons. the Burwells, the Cookies
and the Carriers, here find their last rest
ing place Here in grave appropriately
marked with handsome marble cross,
lies John Esten Cooke. the brave solder
and the distinguished author of the
charming series of historical novels OF
the Civil war.
But this section of the Valley of Nir-
ginia does not look alone to the past for
it's greatness 1t is still aggressive and
thrifty. and its golden age is yet 10 come
Indeed. il a statement made 10 me be
accurate. some of the gold has already
come. ! am told that within radius OF
) milrs of the Old Stone Chapel there are
four men reputed TO be worth million
dollars each Outside of our large cities.
| doubt i. this condition could be dupli
Gated anywhere else in the South. Der
rvyille did not escape the boom which
10 years ago proved To be To so many
places a boomerang. But it is backed
by so rich and fertile a section that it
will ever be a thrifty little town.
Now that my pen hae brought me
back to the living present, will take
fresh dip of ink 10 write about the great
est living question for the material de-
velopment OF our cOuntry-GOOd Roads.
| have a good text at hand, for these
pixies are simply superb. Here at the
close of this severe winter, instead OF
blowing through mud to the axle, we
skim lightly and swiftly over the smooth
hard surface do not hesitate to say
that very much OF the thrift OF this great
valley is due to these beautiful highways
of country commerce. This afternoon
while speeding along the pike from Der
ryvile TO Winchester and back. tried
to picture to myself the changed cOndi
ton. and that in the near future, when
our Old Burg, on the RappahannOck,
vii, send out it's radius of macadamized
roads into Stafford and Caroline and
Spotsylvania and Orange, and | am
living in the hope for ! am Of hopeful
nature) that by that time even the
streets Of our city itself will be paved. !
cannot help expressing a degree of sym
patty for proposed bill in Congress TO
appropriate 100000, 900 for good
roads. acknowledge that have a feel
ing stronger than suspicion that il
would be far better for the country and
more legitimate than many OF the mil
lions expended in other directions. To
the end OF the chapter write me down az
in favor Of Good Roads, ! cannot
close this letter without recording the
delightful time am having in the home
of Rev. Julias Broaddus and in assOcia
ton with his good people. am glad to
report that the Gospel work in which !
am engaged here seems TO be deepening
in interest, and we look for gracious
results. Yours sincerely.
j. 5. DILL.
p. ) Some one suggests that report
ms, ,,;a;t 70 0Soldiara' Rest - the old his
toric homestead where George Washing
ton had his headquarters when. az a
young man, he surveyed this valley. This
declined to do, as George Washington
had so many quarters in and around
fredericksburg that it would be no item
OF news to The FREE LANCE readers. |
have therefore, ruled it out OF the body
of my letter and put it in this postscript
for the ladies to read if they want to.
j. $. ID.