The Robesonian., 1918-07-11
sOJOURNING IN FLORIDA.
Rev. w. w. Willis Writes Interesting.
ly of Experiences and Places
Visited in Florida.

Editor Robesonian and Friends in the
Old North State:
Months have passed since you last
heard from me through the columns Of
| The Robesonian. These months came
and then went by with the rapidity
Of time. They brought with them
many changes, and left behind them
various disappointments, yet all was
for the best under the guiding hand
of an all-wise Providence, who doeth
all things well. Hopes budded and
then failed to blossom into flowers
which we anticipated would leave be-
| hind the sweet aroma we expected
to inhale, but what man can be sure
he is able to pluck the flowers best
for him, such as will not fade with
| time and become burden rather than
blessing. Not one
| am at the time of this writing
and have been for five weeks past,
on the beautiful island lying along the
gulf of Mexico, known as Sanibal. l
am staying in the home of Mr.. and
Mrs. ]. H. Johnson-a good home.
composed of good people, ever ready
to bestow their hospitality upon those
who come within their gates I am
supplying the Sanibal Baptist church
IN the absence of the pastor. When
| feel so disposed, I go into the wa
ters of the gulf (but not too for out,
you bet, where 1 bathe and enjoy the
lashing Of the breakers as they roll
and surge, warm and pleasant and
! exhilarating.
The beach is beautiful. For miles
| YOU can see east and west. and it is
| SETaWn with ShpiIc of oil l-i,,Ic
ding you take your choice without de-
/ pleting the supply for the next visitor
who is bent on gathering up shells
by the seashore." You doubtless can
recall the old song worded, in part as
4 above. Three hotels are scattered
along the on the beach covering dis
tance of about three miles. These
! are modern and up-to-date pleasant
ly located, with beautiful snrubbery
and shade trees, close to the rolling
waters Of the Gulf, where the angler
can cast his hook for the "finny" and
i skinny tribe at will. l have heard
j since coming to Florida, that cotton
grows "wild in the woods" in some
places. and when at Matthews hotel on
yesterday l saw the cotton on the bush.
not the stalks, like we have it when
;, under cultivation I picked two or
three locks which I intend sending to
! North Carolina
), :. Florida is a great State for diversi-
ficatlon Of places and things.
& went to Punta Gorda on Saturday
, the 10th inst. to preach for the people
on Sunday. In company with a friend
Mr.. Jones, of SanibaI, 1 toop passage
: on a large boat, which plyes the wa
t ters of the Gulf from STen Thousand
Island toward Key West, to Purta
t Gorda, a distance of about one hun
I dred miles. All was lovely for while
but as we glided along on the waters
t Of charlotte harbor," where the dis
r tance from land to land, as l was
= told, was at least ten miles, a gale
5 struck us. The cloud was dark and as
: It cast its reflection upon the waters
3 they looked like ink. Soon the waves
: were rolling as high the ceiling in ]
e mouse, and when our faithful boat
b would ride these waves and then plume
down into the troughs of the same, the
cnances Tor one to keep his feet de
e pended upon his ability to hold fas
to some object within reach. clinch
ed and then stayed clinched until th,
situation grew better. Our boat wa,
I loaded with fifteen thousand fish, a:
Meil as goodly cargo Of othel
oAAo IillS 1OTIuCU good ballast
e Didn't you get sea sick ;" We1I No
a l didn't have the time to waste will
It a thing like that. We came ont al al
right and the sight was worth th,
J. experience ''''
>, Punta Gorda has a population q
! ! about fifteen hundred. The town "a,
- - 90 BOAST OF hotel containing $50 rooms
= mere are splendid church buildings
but the people there are like I fin,
e them IN all other places in Florida
. lnel1ferent toward religion, or at leas
- tney will not take much stock j,
= church. "By reason of ;nio,,;tv +h J,
!, love Of many shall wax cold 1RihIa !
a | suspect this indifference is sween;n,
% the country at large now, like Al
epidemic, as there are many cause
why it should be thus.
al On Monday, my friend and l cam
"a back over the same rout. The weath