The Colorado statesman., 1916-11-18

registered at the hotel, they found
hardly soul they had ever seen.
When they bought the finest house
in the town, however, there was fut-
tering among social leaders. Their
wealth seemed to be unlimited. AS a
matter Of fact, John Ramsay had
made a cool million in the goldfields,
and meant to devote half Of it to his
purpose.
When the story went about that
John Ramsay was the discharged min
lister, everybody began to leave cards
out Of curiosity. Mrs. Ramsay, who
had been snubbed and neglected, found
herself a social light in Small Falls.
The local newspapers were full Of &C
counts Of the popular minister" who
had given up the pastorate to go into
business.
Only one man doggedly refused to
acknowledge him. That was Deacon
Crawford. He was the richest man in
town, and, in general, his word was
law. However, something happened
that sent the deacon post haste to
Johns house. 1t was an incredible ru.
NOR that had gone through Small
Falls.
whats this hear about your Civ.
ing salaries to the Small Falls minis.
ters?" he demanded.
Its true, deacon, and it ought to
interest you," said John. every min.
lister in Small Falls will be paid sal.
ary of thirty dollars a week out OF
the capital fund as long as he holds
Office here, no matter what his denomi.
nation"
"What's the game? I don't see it,
said the deacon. You're simply pay.
ing it into the church funds. Do you
suppose Wen pay out cent of salary
If you do?"
docs any of the churches pay its
ministers thirty dollars a week? Or
twenty-five" asked John warmly.
"Well, what's the game? You amt
throwing your money away for moth
ing, are your" inquired the deacon.
ITS this" said John. when I was
your minister you insdlted my wife and
drove me away because she had been
on the stage. Not that you have any
principles against the stage or about
anything except money making. But
1t suited your purpose. You and q
small gang of you have got strangle-
hold on Christianity. You have mar
rowed it and turned its love into gall
you have used it to keep the town hard
and money-bound like yourselves, SO
that your ways, your views, your doc
trines, your worldliness should be iden-
titled with the divine teaching. Well
deacon, that's ended.
"The ministers in Small Falls, no
matter who they are or where they
free to preach and teach according to
their hearts. They are going to open
their churches to all; they are going
to accept all who come to them seeking
the truth. They are going to accept
men like you, deacon, because some
where in your system there is the rudi-
ment of soul, waiting to be saved.
And I'm going to be your minister, be-
cause Mr.. Lumley has consented to re-
tire on pension"
Inc breaking or the deacon's grip
upon Small Falls was the sensation of
the day, though it never got into the
newspapers. But people began to say
that something Of real revival had
made itself manifest in Small Falls.
The empty churches now proved none
too many for the throngs that crowded
them every Sunday. And there is a
weary, careworn, money-crushed man
In many a country parsonage today
who has taken heart because of John
Ramsay's scheme, who knows that, II
not in his lifetime, sometime the
shackles will be broken.