The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-12-28
PREACHED TO COWBOYS.
Congregation Was Tough, But Always
Considerable of the Parson.


Gallatin Correspondence of the Kansas
City Times.
MY first appointment by a considerable
conference was in the lair of the bad men
Of the west" remarked the Rev. w. b.
Wheeler, formerly pastor here of the
Methodist Episcopal church (south).
Il guess they thought because L was
big and brawny l could learn to. shoot
and fight when necessary to enforce
peace at meeting. Los Cerriles, n. M,
in 1888 and 1884 was a town of about 500
strenuous inhabitants, most of whom
didn't know what preacher looked like
till | came. There were two saloons,
which ran twenty-four hours a day, in
GLIDING Sunday. l chartered a school
house for services and began to get
quainted. Among my first friends were
the. proprietors of the two saloons. The
cowboys would ride in on pay day and
Shoot up the town. On one of these oc-
casions 1 was passing down Main street
and received a bullet hole through my
hat. | took 1t off, examined 1t and went
on. justice suggested that l might
swear out a warrant, but | told him 1t
was an old hat and | didn't care about
going to law over trifes. Somehow the
bad men began to evince a sort of de-
sultory interest in the services. They
WOuiu dlWdyS DTinB IneH guns along,
but would never shoot EN- during meet
Ing. never succeeded in getting more
than four members, but the congrega-
tions were fair.
II remember one day during services
there was a little connection in the back
end. A tall fellow, Stewart by name,
who had a splendid record as a dead
shot, arose and said:
Just stop a minute, parson, If you
please
Then he and another man led fellow
out Presently they returned.
"'All right, brother said Stewart;
Toms Just drunk a little, but he won't
bother you any more
They had taken him across to the
tavern and locked him up in his room.
"W. e. Willis one of the most desper-
ate men in the camp, came to me one
day and said he wanted to be steward.
" Steward! 1 exclaimed. What would
a steward dor
why he said, sit in the amen cor
ner an take up the collection. Give me
the job, parson, an you'll find a healthy
ante in the plate every Sunday
80 l made him steward. He was as
proud of his job as he could have been
over brand new Winchester. The col
lections were made In his piratical look
ing sombrero, and he always got results
went from pew to pew.
=" Damn you shell outT he'd say II
worshipper didn't show a disposition to
contribute promptly.
Sometimes a man would throw in a
| dime a quarter, and II my steward
| didn't think he had pat up as the Lord
| had prospered him he'd reach significant
| ly toward his hip pocket and whisper
| something that resulted in a material
| addition to the churchs revenue Collec-
| lions by the stewards persuasive system
| were always good. much better than I've
| ever had them since | returned to Mis-
| souri, and he uncontestiby demonstrated
! his fitness for the office.
zone day the presiding elder notified me
| he was coming to Los Cerrilo5. l knew he
| had never been up against the sort of
| moral atmosphere that blew over our
| valley, and hustled around to get things
| In shape for a serious-minded shepherd
who might not appreciate the broad spirit
| of the citizens. l Went first to Bill and
| Ike who ran the two saloons and poker
rooms, and said:
Boys, the boss Is coming over to
preach Sunday, and I'd sorter feel good
IL you fellows closed up during the SER
vices and come out with your families
''The two men eyed each other curious
ly minute, and Bill Gaid as he hit his
big fist down hard on the table:
Damned If l don't do II, parsonl
What say you, Ikeg
" I'm in replied Ike, you can't get
the bulge on me when 1t comes to 'ligion!
'They were both there, clean shaved
and primped up like dandies. Every seat
was occupied. and the steward made a
collection that did him proud. After the
meeting was over the elder told me he
had never addressed a better behaved
and more attentive crowd. He added the
# la wi acd
out our way were greatly overated. A
committee of the best citizens, saloon
keepers, bartenders, poker dealers and
others accompanied him to the depot the
next day and gave him a send-off that
would have been an honor to a grand
duke. l could see it tickled him immense
ly. Within ten minutes after his train had
gone the card tables and bars were in full
blast again.