The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-06-01
INTERESTING LETTER
Professor S. ". SOmeryiIIe Writes OF
His Trip TO Texas.
WORK or PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY
THE HOME AND SCHOOL OF FREDERICKSBURG
COMMENDED.
Rev. Dr.. J. v. ROstbrO HOnOrsd The Federation
Plan, ETC., Etc., Etc.

Forth Worth. Texas. May 9th. 1903.
Dr. Ro-rbro and myself welcome thr
arrival OF your paper. which you are
81 kindly sending uS. aud have Thought
"A lrttrr from this city might Interest
your readers. This Is my first visit to
Texas aud am greatly impressed with
the fact that IrXns il a great state.
great i'm AREA and also ia r'Sounr~ and
manufactures. The country around
Dallas aud Fort Worth is btHutiiul. AMI
the extensive prairie lands covered with
mXurlant prairie grass and leaning with
cattle. presents pleasing sight Tor the
eye. The soil il black and rich Welding
abundanty without being enriched with
fertilizers.
Texas people ara attractive to me-.
They arr Whole-soul. kind. cordial and
devoid ol prrtrn-e Forth Worth has q
population of 10000. and is a go-ahcad.
progressive city. luu would not call IL
pretty city. yet the houses are sub
stantial. convenient and modern and
the business portions arr Western in APP
prarance This city has wholesale
triplr of $40. 600 OOOand assessed values
S27 900 900 The Carnegr library sup
ported 10y the city contains ll.+29 vol
unc- and l. open To the residents OF the
city. The water il pur and delightful
Eleven art,~ian wells. each 200 irt
deep. supply the city. We Wen greatly
surprised 10 find the WHOLE country de-
ug.d with rain. Cotton and corn fields
arr oyerrun with wceds and grass be-
callSe Of constant rains This s1u~
strange when We remember the long
drought ia Virginia
cur Presbyterian Assembly is being
rovallv entertained. We Wen. invited tu
attend baripcur at Lake Ere. "a pleas
ur. resort miles distant We had bar
h,cued lamb. coffee bread. etc. seasoned
with many good Jokes and much spark
ling wit Ou the part of some of our com
missioners This i~ working assembly
and l. learned body of men. Some oi
the most prominent ministers of our
church are here Among the prominent
Virginia representatives are Rev Dr. g.
b. Strickler. of Richmond: DR. Eugene
Bell. of IfWishurg and ourOwn Rev Dr.
J. ". Rosehro. of fredericksburg. who
has been placed AT the head OF some oi
the most important committees and was
selected To preach at the First Baptist
church OF this place last Sabbath.
The work OF The Assembly's Home
and school at fredericksburg was con
Siderrd and commended and it, l. the
purpose OF the assembly 10 enlarge and
carry forward this work.
The great question before the assembly
is federation. a plan by which all Presby-
terrain churches may cooperate IN adj
vancing the work OF the church This
has special reference to the Northern
church in our Southland. and one of the
chief purposes OF the federation l. To
avoid friction and competition between
Northern and Southern Presbyterian
churches i'm towns and communities
where both churches (NOIthern and
Southern exist This plan would be
welcomed no doubt. but Tor the fact that
the most of our ministers and elders are
afraid this is step To organic union.
and whilst all desire lraternal relations,
the majority OF our people are opposed
to organic union. Some few in favor
of il. but in my opinion the time for 1t Is
far'hence. can not say positively what
win be the result on the question oi fed
GRAFTON. as we are in the midst OF the mr.
guments. but am inclined to think it
will be defeated.
DR.. Rosebro will leave for Virginia
Monday and will stop a few days in
Mississippi.
With best wishes.
Yours very truly,
;. W. SOmeryille.