Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1869 — At Rensselaer. [ARTICLE]

At Rensselaer.

' “A few* day* since wc visited thin town, the capital of Jasper county. We found it pleasantly situated, and as far as wc became acquainted, inhabited by an excellent class of people. In fact, w e have met no more social, pleasant and gentlemanly men than those of Uetmsclui r. * • *•**•«* “On Sunday HQ ntteridod church nt. the ‘Broad-Gauge.’ This seems to be the church ol Rensselaer, the worshippers are called ‘soul-sleep-ers,’ and unless a railroad is built to that town before long, we fear tlie name will apply to the entire community, as the people nre liecoming oblivious to all that is passing around ’them —the result of iion-iiitereour.se with the'baiauce of the world “Wc found the Austin House a first-rate place to ‘put up’ at. The landlord and his family are bound to make all who stop with them feel at home. I:i this connection wc wish to tender our thanks to thy Misses Austin lor the rich musical treat furnished us on the Subbath we spent there. They play and sing beautifully, and arc always ready to accomodate the guests of the house wiiii music, both vocal and insinmicntal. “The Artesian well sunk some t three <>r four years ago, is one of l the features of Rensselaer. It is 1 about COO feet in depth, and gives ! forth a constant stream of clear, cool and, healthy water, strongly impregnated with white sulphur. We found it an excellent beverage, and a* we drank a considerable amount of it, tliiuk our health is much improved.”— Winamac-Tiepub-Hum. •

In the main, friend Remington's notes are correct, but be labors under a mistake if he thinks the nickname of a* applied to the religious denomination whose church lie attended, is in the remotest degree applieubi# to their business intercourse. These people are among our most enterprisprising, energetic, public spirited, and intelligent citizeU9f=Th*ystnnd high in society, and are represented iu our most important public offices. As a denomination they are very radical ia their religious viewtj but at the; same tints they are tolerant towards those who hold to different opinions, aud it was from this peculiar trait their church received its name of “Broad - Guage,” the house having been built w ith the understanding that it might be occupied by ministers, teachers, or lecturers of any creed, denomination or religious bolief when not in use from regular appointments of their own. The proper name of the denomination, and the one by which it is known outside the range of its local nickname, ia Christian, in some places giving » in the first syllable a long sound, and in other loealr tics it is pronounced with a short sound of that vowel. They* are materialists, that is, they’ deny the spiritual exislanee of man after death— he dies and is buried and all there is of him remains dead until the resurrection, when the righteous dead are rewarded with th? inheritance of this earth which TasnßgtnrrenoAtAted by fire. -