Texas in 1850. By Melinda Rankin. Page: 191 of 196

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TEXAS IN 1860.

that noble river; so vivid and penetrating may their
rays be, that their influence shall be seen and felt to
the extreme of that benighted country. Let the glorious
volume of Divine truth unfold its sacred leaves upon
the banks of the Rio Grande, the darkened shadows of
Romanism would disperse like " dew before the morning
sun." WIhere are the agents to scatter this heavenly
light ? Where are those who will rightly appreciate this
glorious privilege ? It is not worldly wealth we would
allure you to gather
no, treasures, richer far-souls
-immortal souls, which, disenthralled from error's
night and transplanted to heaven's eternal day, shall
shine with that transcendant lustre which will obscure
the brightest golden ore the earth ever produced.
The missionary of the Rio Grande valley occupies a
point of influence, unsurpassed, perhaps, by any other
spot on earth. Who does not covet the privilege of
holding up the torch of Eternal truth to the benighted
Mexican ?
The people of Brownsville also made very laudable
efforts to obtain a minister of piety and talents, and succeeded
in securing the services of a Presbyterian clergyman,
sent out by the Missionary Board, a few months
since, and who promises great usefulness in this important
field of labor. A church has been organized, which
embraces some of the most influential citizens.
Still there is room -the field is not sufficiently supplied
as yet--the spiritual wants of a population of
three or four thousand souls cannot be supplied by the
agency of one individual. Other evangelical laborers