The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-08-06
METHODIST
MINISTER GONE WRONG
Charged with Being Worldly, Commercial Rehact
ory, Unchristian and Shouting Symptoms of
Enbezzlement---No Hope that He
Will Come Back

, nected with forestry and one thing
and another sometimes hold meet
ings that draw people from all over
the country and they always want
to spend money when they come in.
Well, there was Just time enough to
get the announcement into the press
and to sell the tickets around town
and ION the HILL" GA mine above
the clouds,) and so the announce
ment went forth by wire without con-
sulting the new minister, for he was
not at the rehearsal that time.
When he learned of their action he
said Wednesday was prayer meeting
night and he would not stand for it..
They had not thought of it. Would
he forgive the oversight? He would
not. Couldn't he for this one occa-
sion have prayer meeting an hour
earlier, they would all agree to be
there and then go to the concert
and do their best. He would not
permit it, Well, then they would
be obliged to go on, for the an
nouncements had gone forth and the
tickets had sold like hot cakes and
it was too late to back up.
New ministers are particular some
times, and they won't always take
tainted money. 1t was so in this
case. He would not allow prayer
meeting-night concert money to go
into the community church fund, and
if they took in money under the pres
ent announcement. "for benefit of
the community church fund" he
would have them prosecuted for OBJ
tanning money under false pretenses.
Matters became serious. Yes they
did. But by gum some folks do their
best when things become serious, and
in the bunch of home concerters was
one women of that kind. She was
sort of leader among the singers
and performers, and she stood pat.
She put it up to the performers to
stand pat and they stood. Some OF
them trembled and had tears in their
eyes, but she, this woman, said, Just
leave it all to me-" And they left.
Now what do you think she did!
You don't know? Why sure you do.
She wired to the editor. How in
thunder do you suppose she could
go out and beat the devil without
getting in touch with the man at the
head of the house. She got him to
reprint those tickets for the same
night, prayer-meeting night, but she
had him leave out that stuff about
the community church fund and just
call it a May day concert. Then she
touched a button or something and
engaged the workers who had sold
tickets to go out and effect an ex-
change of every ticket sold. Every
ticket, mind you. No tainted money
in the purse now.
The singers began to take courage,
and when the fateful night arrived
they sang well. The performers per-
formed WELL The new minister and
his wife were not there, but others
were. The profits were $50. The
gross, let us say was 500 and there
were expenses. They split 1t 5000.
That's fair.
When the question arose as to
what they should use the money for,
some of them wanted to send it to
the former minister to apply on his
back salary which they had promised
to "send him." after he left. Some
of them hesitated about paying this
old debt. Some thought twice, but
didn't say much. The former min
ister's daughter was in the meeting
and like lofty uncommercial spirit
she rose and said she thought that
as the community had raised this
expecting that it would be
used for some home project, she did
not think they should send 1t out
Of town. Some good soul in the
bunch asked if such an objection
would hold good If the former min
ister, her father, were there at that
and in need Of the money.
Well, modesty forbade that the
daughter say more, and the meeting
wound up in an exit. (That last word
signifies skiddoo.) i
Well. it is Monday, and the fore
man has signaled "30," meaning
mot another line gets into today's .
paper unless it is set in type, proof
read, tested, O.K.'d, made up, planed
down, locked and on the press in 30
minutes, for if anybody failed to get ;
mis- paper last issue it was because
we were late getting to the post Of
ice and day clerks left the sorting
Tor the night clerk and he missed the
schedule and the paper was left in
he Blackfoot post office "a hours
while subscribers were wondering
where it was"
Say, folks, the half has not been
old, but our editorial typewriter will
70 on typing for next issue. Ia! ia!