The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 68, July 1964 - April, 1965 Page: 7
574 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Edward Dixon Westfall
Westfall had opinions on almost everything and on occasion
stated them with considerable wit and often with temper. Speak-
ing of Queen Victoria's pictures, he philosophized:
the aged queen can't help her unattractive looks but i do
think the English people ought to have more respect for
her than parrade them to a gapeing world
He recalled when Victoria came to the throne and said he had
had high hopes for her reign but, in 1887, with her signing of "the
Irish coercion bill ... instead of opposing rong she opposes right."
Westfall seemed to understand persons, but it did not follow
that he liked them all. Speaking of the members of a local board
of health who were not performing their duties, he observed:
but they say they have a corn on every toe and when their
duty is pointed out to them they get on their tip toe
and that hurts their corns
And of a minister who made "his strongest points against the
vanities and vices of the world," he says:
yet in his gestures you could see gold studs in his cuffs
so we must take the sense and meaning of the sermon dont
do as i do but do as i tell you to do
Westfall was a deeply religious man and gave much thought to
spiritual matters, although he said, "i am not a member of the
church but i am a friend to churches." Long pages of his notes
were devoted to his thoughts on religious topics, as often inspired
by the books on religious treatises he read as by the sermons he
heard. For example, he devoted pages to the subject of faith, along
this vein:
i have always believed that faith was a growth and this
reaches step after step as the repenting sinner reaches
forgiveness and when reached my impression is that it is
not in every instance reached full fledged
He attended church services whenever he could, but these occa-
sions became fewer as he grew older.
Westfall often mentions getting a jug of whiskey when he
walked over to Elmendorf for mail and various supplies. He was
seventy-six when he wrote:
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 68, July 1964 - April, 1965, periodical, 1965; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101198/m1/27/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.