The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-09-15
CHURCH DEBTS.
How to Pay tIleMl-As Told by One of
the Brethren from Montana
Anew Plan.

sing of a large debt?o asked a Brooklyl
clergyman of a Montana minister towhon
he had just been introduced and who wa
seeing the sights under the guidance of th'
Brooklyn dominic.
owe had right smart of a mortgage
when we first started in,o replied th'
western divine.
'"They are great tribulations, but tht
Lord is good" observed the Brooklyn
man. 'For years we staggered under tht
interest on heavy mortgage, but willing
hands were finally found to help us a
last. How do you manage, with God:
help, to arrange such matters in you1
neighborhood?' ?'
eve had q hard lick at first, and We
prayed around pretty lively for some time
but didn't seem to get anywhere. Every
thing was against us, but finally we caught
on, and when we got start we made that
debt sick; now hear me speako'
SsWhat was your course of procedure
brother?" inquired the Brooklyn minister
rather startled by the fervcnt speech of his
friend.
'The first thing we did was to start the
Sabbath school out fishing ON Sundays
and we kept the interest down by the sale
of fish until we could get whack at the
principal. Then we inspired the gamblers
of the town with an interest in the church
and offered them inducements to come.
and they in turn taught us the unholy
methods by which they made precarious
livelihood. Our brethren were pertinaci-
Gus and soon acquired an insight into the
mysteries, and then we all lay in wait fo1
suckers and let 'em have it as soon as they
struck our section of the vineyard"
''Do | follow you, brother?' demanded
the Brooklyn clergyman in dismay.
eff you ever get into debt again you'd
BETTER" answered the other confidently
''It's the biggest turn in the wheel box.
We raised ten thousand dollars in two
months, and more than that it was the
means of bringing a great many souls to
grace"
"But I don't understand"
owe simply turned the gamblers tricks
against themselves. You see, when new
man comes to town the boys go for him
and they fetch him sooner Or later. We
had our brethren out day and night and
we broke up gambling in that village by
monopolizing it. Our game of draw was
never closed and the result was great glo-
ry, the payment of the debt and the gar
nering of precious souls that otherwise
would have gone down in iniquity. AS
soon as we busted man, we took him into
the church and got him a job, and when
ever he got a little ahead and the spirit OF
gaming grew upon him, we prayed with
him and then opened little game to teach
him the vanity of betting high on a low
hand.'
cam l to understand that you supper,
your church by gambling?" exclaimed
the astonished clergyman.
"And why not?" retorted his friend
from the frontier. "Why should the gam
bier be allowed to flourish in prosperity
and ruin the youth of our land, while the
church lies groaning under a heavy bur-
den?
We got money that otherwise would have
gone to them and we taught the tender
feet the way and the life and not to de-
pend on a pat straight when one of oul
deacons held the deal. 1t was good les
son for the young all around, and when /
tell you that there is not a professional
gambler in our country, and that our
church has a larger membership than any
on the frontier and is the richest corpora
ton in Montana Territory and that I'm 60
ing to Europe next month, you will admit
that urmethods are recognized by grace
as the correct proceedings"
'But-" gasped the Brooklyn man.
"Would you refuse to take the money OF
a gambler if he dropped itin your contribu.
ton box? We wouldn't, and if the money
is good in one way it is good in another
Beside, we sanctified the business by max.
ing it a church affair, and between you
and me, it is much more honest transac.
ton than church fair, where you gamble
for stale cake and rag dolls, because il
our way the stake is III sight and every
man knows what he is playing for. Whe1
you come down to the pan our style is fal
ahead of yours, for we give the victims
some show
"But the results commenced tn.
Brooklyn clergyman.
ssThe results justify the whole thing,
interrupted the Montana man. We wer
threatened with foreclosure before we com
.menced, and now we control our section o
the Territory. These are the results. Nov
what argument have you got against tn
principles 20
But the Brooklyn man had none, tho
he prayed long and fervently fer his broth
er in the Lord that night.
Murdered BY His Wife.
REEDsBURG, Wis, August 28.-Las
Saturday the body of a man, apparentl
about thirty five years of age, was foun
in the road abouteight miles south of here
The appearances were that the man ha
been murdered, and his skull had bee
crushed, and it had evidently been don
clnrr A it,cI1ns