Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-02-19
A FARO TABLE FOR A PULPIT.
When the Games Were Stopped the Preach
er Had Chance at the Bows.

When the Games Were stopped the Preach
er Had Chance at the Boys.
No class of men know better how to
treat minister they liked in a royal
manner than the class of men who went
into those rugged mountains in South
western Colorado during the time of the
great San Juan excitement" in rs, nc
and TT Nor could a more intelligent,
pluclxy, warm-hearted set of men be
found-men who knew what was right.
Among them were many who had been
taught in Eastern homes by pious par
ents that "man's chief end is to glorify
God and enjoy Him forever" Yet, strange
as it now appears when looking back to
those exciting times, many of these very
men from the best of homes found their
way into the great gambling halls that
were to be found in the Give" mining
camps, claiming that they went there
only to see what was going on and not
to take part in the games; yet, notwith-
standing these claims, many of them,
after getting as they thought ''the run
of the game" did eight the tiger"
Some did so successfully; others did not.
When entering some of the camps
where they had no minister, says the
writer, invariably went to the right
place to find an audience, and in every
case was courteously and kindly re-
ceived, and generally told: "Just wait,
Brother barley, until the games can be
stopped, and then we will give you
chance at the boys It was not always
an easy matter to stop the games.
Winners were generally willing, while
losers were not as ready to quit.
But as soon as the games closed,
then roulette" ''zeno," ''poker'' and
faro" would give place for time to
the Gospel.
A more convenient pulpit than a
''faro" table could not be found, nor a
more respectful and intelligent audi
ence, and occasionally what singing we
did have! Men who had trained voices,
rich and sweet, would lead in singing,
without books, those grand old hymns,
'Jesus, Lover of My Soul,' and Rock
of Ages Cleft for Me-" and with bowed
heads listen to the prayer, and often
with tears in their eyes listen to the
''Old, Old Story" told as they had often
heard it ''back East while sitting in a
pew beside father, mother, or fond wife
and dear children. The contrast was
just as great between the Eastern pew
and the beer-kegs, whisky barrels, and
chairs, as it was between the Eastern
pulpit and the Western faro table, be-
hind which the minister stood, but the
Christ presented was just the same, and
those mems souls were just as dear to
the Saviour.
In one camp I became acquainted
with a ''faro dealer who had n decided
ly clerical look, and his beautiful gray
beard and clerical dress added much to
his elegant manner. He always called
me Brother barley" During those
years 1 was often reminded of the
words of the weeping prophet
"Weep We not for the dead, neither be-
moan him; but weep sore for him that
goeth away"
One night I said to a young man fresh
from the East, as met him at the door
of a large gambling hall: "Were you in
the habit of entering such houses in the
East?" He answered.: 81 was never in
saloon or gambling-house in my life
until I came to this camp. My folks
would be ashamed if they knew that 1
ever entered such places" Having
hold of his hand and the light shining
into our faces, said: "Should you be
any less of a man out West than you
were back East?" By the flash of his
eye and the color in his face saw that
he was offended, but I held his hand
and kept looking him in the eye. Final
ly he dropped his head and said: 81
ought not to BEN. Y. Observer.