Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1901-01-04
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CUT OFF THE TAILS OF THREE OF HIS hogs.
er paused to collect his thoughts, but
up to this period his language Is sorter
ambiguous. He's drivin at sunthin, but
what that sunthin is he'll have to ex-
plain"
Its jest this" resumed Abijah. "1'm
In favor of holdin one of the biggest
religious %revivals in this town this fall
that was eve held on the top Of this
airth. l want it to be kept up till ev-
cry human bein In the place is good
huff to die at a minit's notice. Well
git u moral standard first, and then
We'll purceed to boom. When you kin
advertise the fact that a town Of nigh
1000 inhabitants hasn't one single sim
ner in it, what's goin to be the result?
Why, gentlemen, the influx. the rush,
Of preachers alone to such a place will
bring about the sale of 1000 city lots
within a year. Widders will come
here, orphans will come here, convert
ed sinners and reformed drunkards will
come here, and the newspapers will
spread 1t broadcast that Jericho has no
need Of courts, constables or jails."
II do decide that Bijah has made a
pint" said the deacon. I'm a gineral
way Jericho is a purity good town. but
it's moral standard kin be boosted up
a peg or two, l reckon. I'm in fur the
revival"
Admiron Taylor got up and said he
also favored it. A town was like a
child-start out in the right way with
1t, and it would prove q Joy and a
blessin. He hadn't seen a great deal
Of wickedness around Jericho, and he
didn't believe there was much, but
what vas lurkin around in the fence
Nrners might as we'll be driv out to
make a clean state OF it. He didn't be-
lieve in mixin booms with religion, but
yet If a boom did foller the revival he
had six acres of land which he would
cut up into town lots and sell for fair
prices.
Salathial Thompson follered with
a ringin speech. He had bin seem
wickedness in Jericho for over 20
years. but not feelin strong 'nuf to
cope with it single handed had kept his
head shet and let it go on. To his
certain knowledge there was liars and
thieves and swindlers In the town.
There was also drunkenness and pro-
family and bettin. He had sometimes
gone to bed O. nights expectin the fate
Of Sodom to overtake the place before
the sun riz. If a revival would sweep
away all this wlckedness, and he be-
lieved 1t would. then let 'er come.
More goodness meant more churches,
and If Another meetin house was built
he wanted the job and would take it
at the loves. reasonable dgger.
Solomon Davis follered with a his
tory of Sodom and Gomorrah. He had
read up on them towns and got all the
particulars. II they'd had a revival
and everybody turned to goodness,
they'd not only have bin standin yit,
but property along the main streets
would have bin with $1,000 a foot
front Nobody could say that Jericho
was a hundredth part as wicked as
Sodom. but she'd got a start and unless
checked up it was only a question of
time when an earthquake would leave
her a heap Of ruins. He wouldn't take
up the valuable time Of the meetin to
give instances of wickedness beyond
maxim it known that duriD the past
year some Gomorrohite had cut of the
tails of three of his hogs and pulled
all the tail feathers out Of one of his
peacocks. Let the revival and the
wave Of goodness come o. I. He'd ring
the bell for services and sweep out
the church and not charge a cent for
bis services, and when the business
boom follered it would find him ready
to put down four rods Of new sidewalk
and take in ten boarders at IS a week
apiece.
There were halt q dozen others who