Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-26

~ NO" I replied,
that was before my time. oeieFe'
was a newcomer in the diocese, compare
lively speaking
yes answered the bishop. Some
thing in this paper recalled it to me- inns
notice of the Irv:ng-Tcrry performance
of Macbeth in New York with the PIC
lures. YOU know he added handing me
the book.
What connection is there. bishop, be-
tween your most memorable visit to
Arapahoe and the Irving-Terry perform.
ance of Macbeth
Not any," said the bishop, except that
1t reminded me of another theatrical per-
formance which l attended in !Arapahoe.
am not one of those clersymen who join
in the clerical hue and cry against thea
ters,'' he continued rehectively. In fact,
thing the theater may be means OF
grace and that a good play is uplifting
and elevating.
DO you speak from experience" l
asked.
We'll, no. that is, not exactly, or
course when was young man I renlenl-
Der going to theaters more or less, but
since I have been ordained / think [
have only been twice. Once when I was
taken by my host and hostess in New
York to see this Irvins-Terry perform
ance a few years ago, and the other time
at Arapahoe. But these two visits con-
WINGED me that the theater can sometimes
teach needed lesson
..Arapahoe," continued the old man-and
now that / had him fairly started
breathed softly SO as not to interrupt him
or check the current OF his thoughts. hop
ing that I should get one of the stories
we youngsters priced so much from this
veteran-'Arapahoe used to be one of
the toughest places on the border. When
l first decided to start services there I
wrote to the only man in the town whose
name l knew, and announced my intention.
He said could come along and that they
The railroad wasn't built there in those
days. and the last thirty miles OF the
journey had to be made by wagon over
the trail. l was astonished when l
reached the station to find some twenty
five or thirty horsemen portentously armed
and picturesquely costumed gathered
about the wagon which had been pro-
vided for me, who declared that they
constituted themselves my escort.
Il learned en- route from my commune
cative friend who drove the wagon, that
there was some little antagonism to hold
ing religious services in the tnwn; and as
the opposition had organized, a church
party had been gathered together to see
fair play and. as they phrased it, They
wasn't Soin to see no shootin' done agin
the minister 'Ies'n they cd take hand"
You may imagine continued the bishop.
smiling at the recollection, that l did
not feel very comfortable even when
looked at my stalwart defenders. How
ever. In accordance with regulations pre-
scrbed by the religious party of the
town. which I am happy to say turned
out to be in a considerable ma jority, the
congregation, or the opposition, was
forced to leave it's guns with the ushers,
and we got through all right They used
to say it was Sunday only when the bishop
came around. But 1 have changed all
that, continued the old pioneer, as a
quiet smile of satisfaction overspread his
face.
But about the theater. bishop"
I'm coming to that 1 became so
popular. in fact, that there was not a
show that could rival the church, SO the
boys put it. On church nights, which
were only once every three months-and
perhaps that accounts for this popularity
everything else shut up shop and the
services were crowded. always preached
TO them the very best knew how / re-
member one of the expressions of ap-
probation Of my efforts which came from,
the city marshal.
Wot we like about You, right rev.
erend.' he said. using the quaint form
Of address, is that you don't never NAV
your congregation fer fool. witch we
may be, but We don't like to he told of II
You allus seems to give the best YOU kin
10 us. the best you got in the deck, he
added
We'll. that being the case in Arapahoe
YOU can imagine that the managers of
various wandering theatrical enterprises
were likely to visit such places were
@NOTrGNnNr%