Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1911-04-07
STORY on THE EARLY
SINNERS OF GRANTS PASS

Pioneer stories of the wild and
woolly west are fast becoming few
and far between because the old
timers, who can tell them are hasten
ing to the beyond.
An event which happened in
Grants Pass when ! wore toddling
clothes, is worth telling.
The Newman NJ. e. church was at
that time the only church building in
town. II was small and unassuming.
The Rev. John McIntire was the res
ident minister. Professor Henry l..
Benson was principal of the only
school, which was also somewhat un-
pretentious as compared to the pres
ent school system. Small as the
town was 1t had some sinners. The
Rev. ohm McIntire in his Sunday
sermons was prone to remind these
sinners of the danger Of their ways,
and he did 1t In language as plain
and pointed ''if the shoe fits wear
IL style that it soon became talked
among the members that 1t would
prosper the church to secure young
er and more progressive minister and
II was determined to let Mr.. Nc
Intire go. A business meeting was
held at the church to arrange mat
ters financial for the transfer Of the
Rev. Gutteman, of Albany. After
exhausting every resource at the
meeting 1t was discovered that they
were short the sum of thirty dol
lars of having enough money to meet
the expense necessitated by the
change and transfer Of the aged min
lister.
At this juncture a well-known dea-
con arose and in sombre tones dep
recated the situation, adding that
"of course we cannot expect any as
slstance from the sinners Of Grants
Pass" Professor Benson got hold OF
this remark and before school hours
next morning may have been seer
lambasting the granite in every di
rection. The writer met him near the
old depot building when he nervons
ly snapped out "give me hog dol
lar and be quick about It. have got
to raise-thirty of them In an hour
No halves nor quarters. ! want
big dollar. Mine is up" holding 1
in his hand.
"Going to skip?" / queried. HI
made no reply just eyed me to SCI
II | dared refuse to "dig up" Re
luctantly / hunted for one rathe
hoping that would not find 1t, bu
| did, and, handing 1t to him, wen
my way sadly, wondering how ia
$50 would take him, for we all like,
the professor and didn't want to los
him from our midst. Taking the dol
. lar the professor loped off towar
the court house. Later he lande
at my office and explained what ha
happened at the church bushes
meeting the night before, declarin
that his sole purpose in solicitin
), lne subscription was to refute the ur
just insinuatlon cast at the sinner
of Grants Pass.
: He said he went to the parsonage
had an audience with the minister
held the $50 In his hands so tha
the astonished preacher could see tn
big pile OF silver and presented theI
with the following speech "Re'
Mr.. McIntire the sinners of this tow
have learned that you desire to n
move to Albany and that you nee
: $50 to help defray your expenses.
have the honor on behalf Of the sir
ners OF Grants Pass, to present I
you these thirty big dollars"
The professor said that the "ol
man was completely overcome" an
that tears as big as peas chased eac
other down his frank and honest fac
and when he recovered sufficient
to talk, replied in a sobbing tone {
voice, God bless the sinners {