The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-23
'sPoNY BILL" IN THE PULPIT.

Keeping this Gospel Branding-Irou Hot
-Oid Satan 10 Looking for Mavericks.
Captain Jack Crawford in Fsirhayen Herald.
PONY Bill" the cowboy preacher. re-
Gently attended divine service on the Rio
Bonita. and being requested to address the
congregation. entered the pulpit and said !.
ITS new deal for me 70 make gospel
play from . regular pulpit. an / feel az
much ont o. place in this fine church az
an Apache Indian d feel In camp on the
Heavenly side o. the Rivsr o. Life. Nv
style o. talk isn't suitable for SIGH place.
but l see . number of cowboys be-
fore me. an it is to them I will
make talk. II / find q bunch o. INV
sinners runnin' with another herd. it's
my duty 10 cut them ont if I can and
throw them over on to that portion O. the
righteous range that I'm workin', hence
oil say will be fur the dear boys, my COM
panions o. the saddle an rope. The rest o.
: you have yer own herder here to hold Won
on the right range an keep the gospel
brandin' iron hot, an from wat I've heard
: HIM cay today he sure knows his business.
Boys, wen look at you poor sinners
feedin' on the devils range. an contrast
your condition with my own-contrast
your poor pickin' with the luscious grass
O. redemption I'm runnin' ONT makes
me tiredi Ii sure doesl To your blinded
eyes the ranges o. sin may look pIeasanr
The valleys an the slopes NAV Iook
bright an green an temptafion's loyliest
flowers peep forth to lure you on TO feed
upon pastures nourished by the poilutlng
rains OF sin and iicentiousness In that
bright. green. inviting grass turks the
deadly loco weed of damnation. lust "a
poisonous TO the immortal soul as the
loco weed o the range is to runnin' sfot 4.
You NAV think you can detect this poison
an avoid it--feed around it-but Won
cant do It 1t sheds its poison over Ali
abont it. and when you are tasting of
pleasures. which TO your eyes look inn o.
cent an harmless, this poison o. sin an
rum IS fas min itself upon your souls an,
plantln there the seeds OF eternal misery
I've been locoed there myself. BOYS an I
.-ckon know VT I'm talkin' abota But
sank the Lord. rider from the home
ranch above got rope on me-the rope of
-alvation-an' yanked me off the devils
range an put upon my soul the brand of
the redeemed.
You mustn't think, boys, that in order To
be Christians you must wear faces IS long
as the face of Texas steer and do your
pravin' in q high-toned corral ike this
1 'iieve God loves 10 hear hearty laugh
and to see a smilin' face. an believe
at the last great roundup if one o.
them coiiln-faeed feiiers shows un az the
bar o Judgment with the gloom of a
graveyard on his phix. the good Lord III
ask him watts a hurtin' him. an continue
his case till he feels better. Ii isn't at sill
necessary II you want to pray 10 90
10 church 10 secure hearins. Gods
time isn't all taken mp lookin' after His
corrailed stock. His great aIl-seein' eve is
continually scourin' the range in search a.
strays. an He'a listen to a PRAYER from
the saddle or from supplicant kneeiins in
the wild grass o the range just as closely
as from q man kneelin' on q carpet in
grand cathedral Neither is il necessary TO
have on your best toys when you approach
the throne o. grace. God never looks
at the cut of q mans buds Chris
tianity III flourish jes' as well under
leather chaps an wool shirt as under
store clothes. II you feel like prayin' in
the saddle jes' turn 'er loose an you'll find
. lis'nin' ear. pray in the saddle every
day on the drive or on the roundup. an
some o. INV happiest moments are spent in
communin' when all alone on night herd,
far from camp.
.'I've of'en heard il said that q cowboy
can't foller his profession an be a Chris
tian, an I'm honest enough TO admit that