The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-01-28
A FARO TABLE FOR A PULPIT.
A Clergyman Relates How He Had a
Chance at the boys.


y. 1. Observer
No class of men knew better how to
treat minister they liked in q royal man
ner than the class OF men who went into
those rugged mountains in southwestern
Colorado during the time oil the ''great san
Juan excitement in 1879, 1876 and 1871.
Nor could a more intelligent, pluckv,
warm-bearted set of men be found, men
who knew what was right. Among them
were many who had been taught in east
ern homes by pious parents that man S
chief end Is to glOrify God and
enjoy Him forever" Yet strange as it
now seems when looking back to those ex-
citing 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 live mining camps, claiming that
they went there only to see what was
going ON and not TO taSe pant in the
games vet, notwithstanding these claims.
many of them, after getting. as they
thought, "the run of the game" did fight
the tiger" Some did so successfully; 9TH
ers did not. When entering some of the
camps where they had no minister in
variably went to the right place to find an
audience, and in every case was courteous
" and kindly received, and generally
told: "Just wait, Brother barley, until
the games can be stopped, and then We
will give you a chance at the boys" 1t
was not always an easy matter TO stop the
games Winners were generally wiling,
while losers were not as ready to quit.
But as soon as the games closed, then
roulette" keno" poker and faro"
would give place for a time to the gospel.
A more convenient pulpit than a faro"
table could not be found, nor a more re-
spectful and intelligent audience, and oc-
casionally what singing we did havel
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 "0ld, Old Story.
told as they had often heard 1t ''Dack
East, while sitting in 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 1t was betw cen the
Eastern pulpit and a Western faro table.
behind 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 became acquainted with
"laro dealer" who had decidedly cier-
ical look, and his beautiful gray beard and
clerical dress added much to his elegant
manners. He always called me Brother
barley" During those years | was often
reminded of the words of the weeping
willow" "Weep We not for the dead,
neither bemOan him; but weep sore for
him that goeth away"
One night | said to a young man, fresh
from the East, az 1 met him at the door
OF large gambling hall: "Were you in
the habit of entering such houses in the
East?" He answered: Il was never in q
saloon nor gambling house in my lite I'M
til | came 10 this camp. NV folks would
be ashamed if they knew that l ever en-
tered such places" Having hold of his
hand, and the light shining INTO our faces
said: "Should you be any the less of a
man out West than you were back East p
BY the flash OF his eye and the color in his
face / saw that he was offended, but | held
his hand and kept looking him in the eye.
Finally he dropped his head and said: 81
ought not to be-"