North Carolina Letter

When I was a boy, a quarter of a century ago, the country was full of excitement about the gold mines of California. I remember distinctly many men who emigrated to the Pacific coast to dig their fortune out of that far off land. Some made shipwreck of fortune, others of health, and others of morals, while a few came back to the States, with health and morals unimpaired, and an abundance of gold.

I was aware that there were deposits of gold in Upper Georgia, also in South Carolina, but I was in ignorance of the fact that Western North Carolina abounded in gold mines and other valuable minerals, destined at no late day to give more employment and wealth to its rapidly increasing population.

I used to think, (perhaps the idea was stamped on my mind from a picture in an old geography,) that North Carolina was a huge pine forest, stretching from the mountains to the sea, with little cabins scattered through the dense wilderness, as oases in the great Sahara, and its only staples were pitch, tar, and turpentine; but a change has long since come over the spirit of my dreams, and I will venture to say that there has been as great improvement in the old North State, as you will find in any of her Southern sisters, for the last twelve or fifteen years. But I wanted particularly to call attention to the fact that south of Morganton there are ranges of hills stretching towards Greenville, South Carolina, containing inexhaustible deposits of gold, where hundreds of people are at work, especially during the summer months, washing away the surface earth, and cutting into the sides of the mountain for the precious metal.

Recently I passed through the heart of the mining country and saw men, women, and children at work. These mines, for the most part are not rich veins, but afford a livelihood to those who toil in them, and afford a respectable trade to many little stores that otherwise would do a sorry business.

But I wanted to say a few words about our late District Conference, at Lenoir. It was held in the latter part of July, at a very hot time, but the nights were cool enough to enable us to sleep and be refreshed for the next hot day. We had no Bishop, but a most excellent President in Jesse S. Nelson, well known to the South Carolina Conference. This is Brother Nelson's first year in the Shelby District, and he has won golden opinions everywhere within its bounds.

I had the pleasure of hearing three of the old South Carolina preachers at this Conference, Hartsell, Ivy, and Puet, and was delighted to hear my old friends again. Bro. Puet has taken supernumerary relation this year, but this summer is doing capital work on Dallas circuit; Brother Hartsell has improved in health, and makes a good report from Hickory circuit. Brother Ivy is an indefatigable worker, has an iron constitution, and, laying all under contribution to the Master's cause, comes yearly to conference rejoicing and bringing his sheaves with him. He is one of the few men that could stay a lifetime on a circuit and never wear out. It was also a pleasure to greet Brother J. S. Erwin, a resident of Lenoir, whose circuit is around the town, also Brother J. C. Crisp, whose work is just east of Lenoir. Dr. North was not in attendance, on account of his feeble health. Rev. J. L. Carpenter was in his place, and his circuit is in truly a flourishing condition. You would hardly know him—from a tall, lean young man, he has developed aldermanic proportions, and is quite rotund. We were all taken by pleasant surprise by the advent of Brother Sam Lander among us,—he will always find a warm welcome in Lenoir—and we were only sorry that his stay was so brief. On Sunday morning Prof. Jones, of Greensboro gave us an excellent sermon.

A motion to censure the North Carolina delegation to the late General Conference, for withdrawing our memorial for a Western Conference, was passed by a large majority. Several of the debates were spicy, but all the more interesting for that, and Christian and brotherly good feeling prevailed throughout. It was sad to see the ruins of Davenport Female College. But the work of rebuilding is going on, and we hope soon to see the top stone in its place, with rejoicing, and its halls crowded with young ladies, as in other days. I cannot close this article without expressing my pleasure and the pleasure of the District Conference, in listening to the delightful music by the choir, under the supervision of Brother Robey and his accomplished daughters. Our next Conference is to be at Dallas, near the South Carolina line, where we hope to welcome some of the brethren of the South Carolina Conference.