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ably as rich and fertile as any in the
United States, and since it has been
under irrigation, train-loads of people
nave been pouring in. Every two
weeks these excursions are run, and
in the winter months especially they
bring a great number to look over the
land, many of whom purchase farms.
There are at present the following
towns: Mission, McAllen, Pharr,
Donna. Mercedes. LaFeria. liarlinsreu.
and Pan Benito, none of which are
over five years old. The inhabitants
of these towns, including the Mexicans,
range from several hundred to three
thousand five hundred. Despite the
fact that they are so new, most of tlieiu
are characterized by great civic pride
and present a very pleasing appearance.
This is especially true of Mercedes,
which is a town of unusual
beauty. However, when one first sees
the valley, unless he has a good eye
for soil, he is ant to wonder what
there is about it to attract so strongly
and where are the proofs of its
wonderful development. These facts
r.re only driven home when you consider
the age of the country and what
has taken place in that exceedingly
brief time.
Just at present this section of Texas
is going through the throes of birth
and adjustment. It is the testing time
which all countries have to experience
at certain periods. In spite of this it is
moving steadily along; the influx continues
and so far as one can judge,
tremendous growth and progress are
assured.
It might be of interest to those who
are not here to know just who makes
thp tide of Immiirratinn. There are
people here from all over the United
States. The main stream, however,
comes from the States of the Middle
West and other sections where the winters
are long and hard. The fact that
crops can be grown here the entire
year is a niighty appeal to many and
for this reason most of the home seekers
are making their homes here.
Quite a number come because of the
climate, which, for the most part, is
delightful. With the exception of a
few months in the winter, the climate
is very much the same always. The
talue of the valley is its soil and those
who come are farmers or those desir
ing to take up farming^ This giv.es
the country a citizenship of good
qality.
From the first signs of development
our church has been in touch with the
situation. The Presbytery of Western
Texas, noted for its home mission
work, has furnished men and money
for the cause. Not quite five years
ago Dr. M. W. Doggett, the Presbyterial
evangelist, organized a church in
Mercedes and, after a short time
secured the services of Rev. S. M.
Glasgow for this field in particular and
the whole valley in general. Through
his splendid efforts and with an occasional
visit from Dr. Doggett, to aid
in evangelistic work, five church organizations
were effected In two years.
The services of Rev. G. C. Moore were
then secured, and with the aid of his
faithful work, the outposts which had
heen established, were held till reinforcements
could be obtained. To-day
there are five ministers in the valley
and each church is receiving two or
three services a month and other
preaching points are being supplied. It
is our aim and hope to make the
churches self-supporting as soon as
possible in order that they may have
their full time.
The five years of effort spent here
fas occasioned the following results:
There are six church buildings, not including
Brownsville, which are worth
eleven thousand dollars. The total
membership is two hundred and eighteen,
while the number of students enrolled
in the several Sunday schools is
THE PRESBYTERI/
anout live hundred. These churches
and Suuday schools are organized and
are doing ellicienl and effective work.
In view of the lact that the country is
very young, it is still restless, and you
are apt to lose some of the best talent;
but it is also true that you are
more apt to receive it. It is a wnrW
ihat keeps those engaged in it moving
all tlie time.
The results are mentioned in an
effort to show those who have made
it possible that their investment is a
paying one. It will be interesting for
mii to know that It is not taking all
and gi\ing none. In San Benito, Harliugen
and Mercedes tbe foreign board
is at work among the Mexicans and
they have chapels in each of these
towns, where a splendid work is bei
r1 ir Hitnn ??*?/!?? r ? * ? *
Uvuc miuri me liiiiiiiui leauership
of Rev. W. A. Ross, oi Browus\ille.
The home mission Sundayschools
and churches are contributing
liberally to this cause and the home
mission preacher who cannot aid in
building or painting a chapel for the
Mexicans is well nigh disqualified for
work in the valley.
The opportunity for investment is
greater to-day than it was five year3
ago. It is yours if you will take advantage
of it. Though this account
is very limited and meagre, it is earnestly
hoped that some of the societies
or organizations of our Assembly will
be enabled to get some idea of the
greatness of the work and interest
themselves in the growth of the Kingdom
along the Rio Grande. If this
valley fulfills one-half of what it is
expected to, our Church has an un
uiniieo possiDillty to accomplish great
things for the country and for God.
E. G. Gammon.
VIRGINIA.
Second Presbyterian Plumb, Itlcliiiiond:
On Sunday, July 27tli, we had
the pleasure of hearing the Rev. .las.
Smith, D. It . who supplied the
l-ulpit for Dr. Cecil during 1 is absence
in Washington, where he preached
last Sabbath, and will preach again
on next Sabbath (August 3rd) for Dr.
Wallace Radcliffe, In the New York
Avenue Presbyterian church, after
which Dr. Cecil and fatally will go
to the coast of Massachusetts for his
summer vacation. liis pulpit will be
tilled on the first Sunday In August
by Rev. James H. Smith, D. D.; on
the second and third Sundays by Rev.
H. Tucker Graham, D. D., president
of Hampden Sidney College, and on
the fourth Sunday by Rev. M. 13. Porter,
of this city.
?Porter Street: Rev. Wesley Itak
er, pastor or r-orrer street frespyterian
church, on the Southside, will
spend his vacation during the month
of August at the home of his parents
in Walkerton, Canada. In his absence
Rev. W. S. Campbell, Mr. W. C. Smith
and A S. Maxwell will fill the pulpit.
Rev. Tucker Graham, D. D., has been
engaged to preach at the union services
on the night of August 17.
Presbytery of Itoanoke: Will meet
in Briery church, Prince Edwrard
county, Virginia, August 26, 1913, at
o o ciock f. m., siaiea iaii session.
All churches In arrears on Presbyterial
assessments for ecclesiastical
year 1912-1913 (or previous year),
will please send up amount of arrearages.
J. M. W. Elder, Stated Clerk.
Bon Air: Three, persons were received
into the communion of this
church Sunday, July 21. One of these
was received on certificate from a Bap
tist church, one by letter from a PreBbyterian
church, and a young man who
had been reared in the Episcopal
Church was received on profession of
faith.
Winchester: Sunday, July 20th, 11
A. M., the following officers were or
LN OF THE SOUTH
dained and installed in the Presbyterian
church in Winchester, Va.:
Ruling Elders, J. Henry Moling, Sr.,
and I)r. Robert McC. Glass. Deacons,
R. Bruce Slonaker, Chas. W. Ramsburg
aud Thomas W. Steck, Rev, J.
Horace Lacy, D. D., pastor of the
church, conducted the service.
D. S. W.
Buffalo: On Monday, July 7th, Rev.
B. F. Bedinger came to help us in a
meeting at "Old Buffalo," dear old
church, where in the years that are
gone Latimer, Peck and Dabney
preached. What a history. The peo
pie were very busy, yet the attendance
was good, and while there were
110 public professions, yet we know
the church people were revived and
helped by the clear, earnest preaching
of Bro. Bedinger. Not a service was
lost during the week, even Saturday
was filled up and the meeting closed
Sunday A. M. Bro. Bedinger preached
a very strong sermon Sunday night
at Beale Memorial church at Pamplin.
Concord: On Monday, July 14th,
the pastor was joined by Rev. W. T.
Doggett, of Danville, who preached
through the week twice each day. The
earnest preaching of this man of God
was most acceptable and helpful to
the good people of Concord. The
pastor closed the meeting on Sunday
uigui. i wo young Doys were received
on a profession of their faith in
Christ. We trust and believe more
will follow. A. J. P.
Lexington: The last two evening
services before our pastor, Rev. Dr.
A. T. Graham, began his vacation,
were held on the lawn of the manse,
beginning at a quarter to seven. Dr.
Graham, according to a very beautiful
custom of his, spends the first half of
his four xveeks' vacation in camping
out with the covenanters, and is now
(July 21st) with a large party (fifty
or more) of his young folks. They
?cui jinn 1-uixjp me win 01 mis
month. It is a fine form of pastoral
work, eagerly looked forward to by
the boys, with whom he thus gets Into
such close touch. The pulpit yesterday
morning was supplied by Rev. Dr.
J. R. Howerton, who is engaged for
next Sunday morning also. The
quarterly report of our board of
deacons was distributed on printed
slips to the congregation recently, and
showed a gratifying result for the first
three month.; in which we have tested
the Duplex envelope system.
A IT
Williamsville: At Westminster
chapel, an outpost of this church, on
July 20th, we administered the sacraments.
This was the close of a twelveday
meeting, in which the pastor did
half of the preaching and our young
helper. Rev. E. Torres, the other half.
In all the preaching the priesthood
and kingship of Christ received
special emphasis. We believe that
much good was accomplished among
the members of the church. An unusually
large number of communicants
received the Lord's Supper. Four of
the pupils of the Sunday school were
admitted to sealing ordinances and
were baptized.
V. H. Starbuck.
New Monmouth: An evangelistic
service, covering ten days, has Just
closed. Rev. Dr. E. W. McCorkle,
of Bethesda, preached. The services
were marked by twenty-one professions
of conversion. Communion service
will be held at New Monmouth
rtiurch next Sunday morning.
Timber Ridge: The pulpit of the
Presbytorian church was filled Sunday
morning by Rev. C. R. Womeldorf,
of El Paso, Tex. On Sunday night
after a song service Rev. Dr. William
M. Morrison, of Luebo, Africa, entertained
a full church with an account
of his work In Africa.
Mt. Gunnel: Rev. A. H. Hamilton,
[ July 30, 1913
D. D., the pastor for years. An ordination
of two elders and three deacons
will take place at Mt. Carmel next
Sunday. Messrs. J. D. Parker and
William D. Beard compose the elders
and Messrs. Dabney McCorkle and
Jesse Mackey and Gus Houser the
deacons.
Ashland: A congregational meeting
was held in this church last Sunday
and the following new officers were
elected: Elders? Mr. J. ftL Leake and
.Mr. U. A. Payne; deacons?Mr. Rdmond
Winston, 'Mr. I^itcn l^ancosler and
Mr. H. Drewry Kerr. Rev. V. m. S.
Campbell, of Richmond, occupied the
pulpit at both the morning and night
services.
WKST VIRGINIA.
WlllltPll. \ llnon
, , ??WV "tCTl.J
churches: In spite of a flood that barred
half the congregation, a week's
meeting in the Valley Bend church, a
part of the Beverly congregation, resulted
in thirteen additions to the
church, seven of whom were baptized,
and two others will join other churches.
All regretted that it was impossible
to continue the meeting, on account
of the pressing needs of the
other parts of the field. Many heads
of families in this valley are not professing
Christians, but attend church.
This is the first meeting this church
has had for years, the first preaching
for six months. There are one hundred
members scattered through this
part or the field and they are organizing
a separate church. They have
two or three good mission points, and
the work only needs a good pastor to
take great strides. The acting pastor
must leave for the foreign field August
4th.
The Severely church, in a town of
four hundred, has greatly suffered
from short pastorates, a vacant pulpit,
etc., and the religious life of the town
sadly needs encouragement. Its membership,
resident, is about 79, but
there is great room for growth.
The Midland church, grouped with
these two, is alive spiritually, the result
of a good series of meetings over
a year ago. Most of the men are members
and lead in prayer. They sorely
need a pastor to guide them in His
service. Its membership is about 7 8.
They have two or three mission points,
all capable of growth. Surely some
pastor will lead these flocks into
green pastures and into paths of righteousness
for His name's sake. No
people could treat a pastor with greater
kindness, few in this country could
yearn more for a shepherd to abide
with them. Here is work for two men.
Will one make the start?
J. C. Crane.
Beverly, W. Va
CHANGE OF ADDRESS.
Itev. G. F. Kirkpatrlrk from Selma,
to Kenly, N. C.
PERSONAL.
Rev. J. F. McKen/ie will assume the
pastorate of the chureh at Bartlett,
Texas, on August 1st. His address
^ 111 be Bartlett, Texas, and not New
I'ort, Ark.
Rev. I>r. and .Mrs. .lames I'. 'emlRi
and their granddaughter, Miss Agnes
Woods, after a pleasant stay at Virginia
Reach, have reached l^xlngton,
Va., where they will be for several
weeks.
Rev. J. T. Wade has been quite 111
for some time at his home, Ringgold,
ueorgiu. He la now thought to be convalescing,
but his strength has been
so undermined by this illness that he
fears that his accustomed evangelistic
efforts will be seriously Interfered
with as result of It.
The death is announced with regret
of the Rev. George D. Matthews, D. D.,
General Secretary of the Alliance of