The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-09-30
An Evangelist.
3, OLIVE EDNA MAY
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

;. '.Eiijah," said Mrs. Dunkers. thurs
an evangelist goin' to preach for Us
mex Sunday. l wisht you'd go n hear
him. You dom know how sable it
makes me to be In the fold and have
my husban out Of It"
whats an evangelism
IAN evangelist Is one Of them minis
ters the Lord sends onct in a while
to stir up the feelin's O. them as can't
be teched by ordinary means"
Zone Of whom I am which"
Yes, you be, Elijah. I'm sorry to
say It. hope you'll go and hear this
holy man and mebbe he'll tech your
heart"
Mahulda Dunkers sighed and walked
away. Her efforts to bring her hus-
band under the influences that guided
her always proved abordve. He was a
matter Of fact man. while she was
emotional. By some he was called a
scoffer, though no one ever heard him
speak unexpectedly of religion. He
disliked cant and those disposed to
cant called him a scoffer because he
was not Of their ilk. The couple lived
In the Tar west where extremes were
In vogue. This had made the wife an
extremist In matters of religion. II
the husband was an extremist ii was
In the manifest presence Of the devil
who seemed to guide both the good
and the bad in Nuggetville.
Sunday morning came and few
minutes before service time a man In
clerical garb was seen descending the
trail He walked with firm step and
carried a prayer book in his hand. The
Reverend Mr.. Sanity was unknown
to a single person in Nuggetville. He
had sent word that he would preach
there on that Sunday morning and
hoped that he would move every un-
Christian man. woman and child in the
camp to repentance.
Elijah Dunkers saw the evangelist
coming and watched him descend the
canyon.
What makes ye scowl so. Elijah:
asked his wife. 1T seems that every
thing holy has a contrary effect ON We
Cant you look at q man Of God with
out shown the impiety there is in ye!
It isn't you that's scowlin' at this
servant Of the Lord; it's the devil
that's got a holt on yer heart"
"Jes' you go to meetin', Mahulda
What We got to put in the hat?'
II got four ounces O. dirt
"Ye goin' to give four ounces O. dirt
to that
"Forbear, Elijah! Forbear! Don't
speak impiously Of the Lords anoint-
ed"
Elijah turned away. His wife made
one more effort to induce him to ac-
company her to the grove that was
one Of Goods first temples" but he
paid no attention to her.
The evangelist found the people of
Nuggetvflle assembling and taking
seats on the boards ranged in front of
a stump to which a piece of scantling
supporting an inclined bit Of timber
for q book rest was fastened. Mount
ing the stump he said:
my friends. l wish before beginning
the service to ask II any one Of you
have brought to this place consecrated
to the Lords service any of those
hellish machines used to kill your fel-
low men. If so please 60 and deposit
them at the foot of that tree over
yonder."
present. awed by his impressive tone,
deposited their revOlvers and knives as
he directed When they were again
seated the evangelist asked If any
other person was desecrating the
place and called down the wrath OF
heaven upon them If they were. This
resulted In the deposit Of two more
weapons, after which the service pro
ceeded.
Mr.. Sanity proved to be one OF
those men who have the faculty of
pouring forth torrent of words. work
ing on their hearers more by their
personal intensity than by what they
say. Excitable himself. he excited 9th
ers. His word pictures of the terrible
damnation in store for those who did
not do what he told them to do were
lurid as an approaching tornado. Mrs.
Dunkers. the most emotional woman
in the congregation. became hysterical.
The evangelist finished his exhortation
with the following words:
"And now. my hearers. I wish you
to plant on this holy ground a church
I desire that one Of your number pass
around the hat to receive your contri
buttons. and remember that as you
give SO shall you be received at the
last day into heaven"
A white headed man arose. passed
around a hat. and when he had finish
ed set it down. overlooking with gold
dust and coins. at point Indicated by
the evangelist Then the good man
dismounted from the pulpit stump
walked up to the hat. faced the con.
gregation. drew a AZ caliber revolver
covered those present. picked up the
hat and said:
you're the easiest plucked lot O. ga
loots l ever relieved O their dust"
He was turning to wGIk away with
the plumber when q shot knocked his
revolver out of his hand. and before
he could recover Elijah Dunkers had
downed him.
II knowed ye." said Elijah. las sooI
as saw ye comm down the canyon y,
won't play evangelist no more"
That evening after a rope ceremony