The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-12
The Young Scotch Physician Who Carried the
Gospel to Madeira, and His Portuguese Con-
verts Who Were Driven to the New World
BY JOHN W. ELTZHOLTZ.

! and houses on the island. But how
coui people to whom no judge was
allowed to give justice. TO whom no
one should give bread were they starry
eng, live in their own dear home, the
beautiful island of Madeira, the Isle
J Of The purple soil?
| Trinidad proved a refuge. Here the
exiles could worship God according
/ 10 their own conscience. Meanwhile
! Dr. kalley was In Europe. Rev w.
II. Hewitson, also OF the Free Church,
| had labored in Madeira and had re-
/ turned TO Scotland Hearing Of the
prosecutions, he determined TO go -
! the people in Trinidad. He found
that many Of the exiles had obtained
work through the kindness of the gov
ernor Lord Harris. But it soon be
/ came plain that these Islands could not
/ b., considered permanent home. And
! in the midst Of efforts on the parf OF
MIR Hewitson to fpd a more suitable
abode for them the Bank Of the West
( Indies failed and business in general
I was Frustrated As soon as 1t was
/ learned in Trinidad that the exiies IN :
/ tended to- leave the island many OF
/ their number who had positions were
| discharged. This left the poor so
/ journers in want,
! Prosecuted Turn To America.
/ The cry of need reached the shores
I both If England and America. Con
tributlona were made for the care OF
the suffering The American. Prot
/ estant society sent Rev. q. Gonsalve4
10 Trinidad TO investigate conditions
and thus learn what action 10 take
I Ar GonsalVes was himself porn
/ in Madeira. had been Ro-
/ mauist and for several years had
/ been working among the ai0pc or
/ s. coo Portuguese living on the New
1 England coast. An agricultural COM
| pany first engaged to give them
| home in Illinois. They were TO nave
/ houses, good wages and To every
/ family "a ten~acre lot was To be given.
| The location was about half way be-
/ tween Springfield and JacksonTlile.
{ shortly afterwards the firm making
/ this offer failed. Meanw hila. and all
! through The time OF waiting. the
/ American Protestant society had the
/ no small task of providing shelter
/ and clothing for the ever increasing
| number OF exiies landing In New
/ York Most OF the unfortunate ar
/ rived with no money In their pockets
/ and even without sufficient clothing.
| The delay caused by the failure was
! providentisi Had the earlier plans
/ been carried out the eNiies would have
! encountered the scpurge of cholera
| which was then making inroads upon
| the population OF the Western States
| A committee now came "a the front
| composed ~ Governor French, o.
| Illinois: Rev u NJ SturteFant. presi-
! dent of Illinois college. and Rev, Al
| bert Hale, Of Springfield. Illinois. The
committee invited this homeless band
| to the hospitality of the citizens OF
| springfield and Jacksonville. And on
/ October ~, 1870, nearly SOC eSiles
I 7zFs chair Ft4F1sFa hnTrH
| in the West cold weather was, Of
course, encountered and the citizens
we're that winter kept busy providing
shelter and clothing. IS we'll as food,
fer those who TN the dead Of winter,
did net obtain employment The e%-
pense of transportation was met by
the good people in New York, and
other places wheft. the news Of their
devotion 10 principle had reached.
The pxiles were prospered on their
Journey Public meetings were held
at Albany, Buffalo. Detroit and Chi
cage Most Of these meetings we're
attended by this expatrtated band and
liberal contributions were made at
such meetings 20 defray the expenses
Of their journey. Provisions was also
made for those who still remained IN
the West Indies 10 Join their loved
ones and friends in America, the land
called il.
From this time the exiles through
industry-many tiiling the soil and
later many going into business-~be-
came a suhsta initial addition Tn the cit
lxenship Of the State as well as 10 the
TIVE cities which offered them shelter,
At first there were two churches, one
/ IN Springfield and one IN Jackson
vile. both served by one minister.
| nut divisions arose among the peo-
| Pile Of the chuTrh IN JaVksonyNIe
| over trivial matters and finally there
were three churches there. At last
| these three churches were united. and
, nearly twelve years ago the first
American pastor was called.
| For years there had been dreams
| Of building church which should
| memorabilia the suferings OF this
| Bible-loying people, From the be-
| ginning Of the second Epgiish-speak-
| ing passionate the needs ~ such ms
| mortal were emphasized and IN Az
| gust Of 1903 the cornerstone was
| laid for the new building, the name
| having been changed from the Por-
! tuguesa tn the Northminister Pres
| byterian church. On September ? q.
| 1910. the beautiful Northminist ar
| church was dedicated. A manse was
! also. for the first time, provided. The
| cost of the plant was about $4,000
| The auditorium Il the largest as well
| as the most beautiful in Jacksopville.
| So there IT stands, a. eulldiAs dedi.-
/, 99za tessi. I'll sFya Fr6rsfssp 1T s3oa ana s
/ lasting mernoTial To the faifhfuiHess
| and devotion Of g people who gave
| their ali for the sake Of an open Bible.
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