The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-09-24
ECHOES FROM THE
SEA ON WAY HOME

nearly $4,000.
This is my birthplace and this
my first visit to the home and city,
IN which 1 first "a b light or
day Oh! what emotions when L
stood in the DON OF the old Ger
man edifce-erected in 165O-n
which / was born. On! what emo
tons filled my heart, whilst a
filled the eyes.
tn EXPRESS the holy emotions of
snch holy hours, no language has
been able to furnish suitable words.
They are indescribable and inexpress-
.TbIe!
The reception accorded me, from
h mayor down to the humblest
citizen was all the heart could de-
sire A public reception was ten
.dered me. / was given the seat or
honor, a chair embellished with
flowers and evergreen and five Ter-
man singing societies and the Cornet
Band of the city furnished the COM
pIimentary music, in true German
master-like manner There were ad-
dresses of welcome, by Mr.. II. MueI
Ter, the Rev. J. Baynemann' anu
others and poems dedicated TO me-
we're read. 1t was an hour or nonor
that moved me to tears, and L was
overcome and overwhelmed Wild
emotion. at such unexpected honor
to me-
I'm the grand old Lutheran cnurch
i'm which I was baptized, where my
narents were baptized, confirmed and
-rooohn6 on nn0aV Au-
pust is. to a congregation OF 2,OOO,
being the first son of the city, VINO
had ever come from America, as d
Lutheran minister to preach tnere.
In this city, Julius Bon1tz, ounce
and proprietor of the Messenger, was
born, a son Of one of the nople
miner families of which the commun-
fty is largely composed. Here ne
was educated, by an uncle ana aunt
nj mine-teachers at that time, VINO
are now both dead. Your honoreo
1TaIIow-townsman, Mr.. j. H. WIN.
ERsnitz, and his esteemed SISTERS
ME HUT, of Washington, ID. C'
.,aEd Mrs. j. Helbis, Of Lynchourg'
Va, were likewise born n edu-
Gated There.
oLIdJlSt III coN I"
of the Bunitz, and also OF the res
chau family have not
from among the living population OF
this historic mountain city, "hlch -
fully 500 years old.
I traced, in the old German Luti-
aran church book, the RECORDS VI
the Peschau family, back to 1'9z'
yhnre are dozens and scores OF ue-
but by marriage ana IN
t4.r.D,arriage the name has dlsap-
ueared and others moved away.
IT did my heart good to hear from
tbe ,Old-time residents, l met, tndt
that the progenitors OF both Che
Ronitz and Peschau families were
highly esteemed in their day anu
,reneration, and so my nealt was
= ,heered and comfOrted.
How I wished that noble JULIUS
Ronitz and / could have walked lhIo
the editorial rooms, where tooh d
v;c+ura of him, and gave a sketch
IF his noble life, both OF winch
were Fhighly welcomed.
Possibly the deepest mines IN the
ua,1d .re located here and they have
been in operation since the loth cen-
fury. his+oric
."Ti,lv Fort erected in the oioouS
Thirty Years War, winch Ionl
-ao.nded both Clansthal and Zeller-
GOLD which history lies Wrapt up
I'm fhese German cities.
ss 7 visited the graves OF Ihe
families, named above, SO l nope
same day again to stand os tne
save of noble Julius Bonltz, whose
nnt;melv death and burial, L can
eve forget. tho
After visiting the scenes OF Tue
<ecraat Reformation" Eisleben, I'll
firth. Eisenach, Augsburg, Copuls
WARMING, Speyer, Wlttehoels
worms. etc. the homeWard jour
nov was begun, in that granu rai
C steamer kaiser "llle" oUor
crosse, and after a journey y. 800
davs. we landed-thank Gou-'r
and sound, in New YORK harool' = =
freshed in heart, in memory, l.
mind and in life-for the days "ou
in mercy will get bestoW.
The ties between wilmington an'
Sorthern Germany, are many an
tender, and should never be severed
and are forever linked together o.
q band of noble people, who one o.
are being reunited above IN
scenes of earth.
God bless the noble people OF IN
city by the sea, and the cities an
; countries they come from.
God be with o till we NEE
again
On the Sea, Sept. 16, 1907.
-. :. Man, EgofhiOp