The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-08-06

ways been a good town, made up Of
good people with ways of their own
Mackay people are not deeply relig.
ious, but they like to- do and be the
conventional thing in religion. They
like to have preacher around, es.
pecially when anybody dies or when
there is wedding.
Mackay likes preacher better il
he is rather broad-minded, whatever
that is. In other words they warm
up to him If he is very democratic
in his ways, and in this expression
no reference is made to politics. The
preacher who can preach on Sunday
and go out and work at some trade
during the week and wear overalls
and slouch hat is preferable. The
people will "dig up" the salary more
cheerfully for one who can do those
things, but after the novelty wears
off they are apt to conclude that he
is getting along so well at his trade
that not much else is needed. They
had one such man, a Methodist,
and they lost him, but they saw their
mistake and got him back-got him
back long enough to put all the
church property in good repair, for
he was handy with tools and wall
paper and kalsomine and the like.
Well, he went away without getting
all of his back salary. That is the
end of that episode.
This is the beginning of episode
two. A new Methodist minister came
and he was magnetic, whatever that
is. He told them he had left a
congregation of 1900 back east to
come to Mackay town-population
500. He failed to state whether he
left that town in the night and in
a hurry, but it's cinch that he left
Mackay between two days, and
strictly on the cue tee.
Now the Mackay people are not
saying much about it, but If one just
sticks around the town day and
night he is bound to get something
of the rumpus by absorption. 1t is
in the atmosphere and unless you
wear gas mask some of it is bound
to soak into you however thick your
hide is. A.
Well, as was remarked before, the
new minister was magnetic; so was
Walter L. Harrington when he came
to Blackfoot some years ago and be-
gan to start things. Harrington is
gone now, but it is doubtful if he
has gotten much farther than the
Mackay minister, Notwithstanding he
had few years the start. The
preacher is said to have left Mackay
in the night in car that he had
mortgaged along with an alleged
farm in Oregon, the embarrassment
behind the mortgage being grocery
bill with grocer back of it who
doesn't mince words much with a
man after he once shows a yellow
streak.
But that is getting ahead Of the
story. When the new minister had
been in Mackay long enough to get
his feet warm he began to suggest
things, and following the mental pro-
cesses of suggestion he continued
with induction, and frequently slap
ped his man on the back. political
practice not likely to become obso-
lete.) The Mackay people came from
everywhere with all kinds of views,
and he suggested community
church to take the place of the sew
eral small churches, each one large
enough to make good garage, cow
barn and hay loft. 1t was fine. The
idea took. He whooped it up.
BY way of giving reality and spice
to the movement, movement is
favorite word with promoters) he
organized an athletic club for the
men and exercised them. He organ
lied an athletic club for the women
and exercised them. 1t was good
Why it was lots of fun. The women
boosted for the community church
and the men liked the idea. Boys
and girls became interested In the
practice and that brought
them nearer to the community idea,
and parents were justly proud Of the
new minister, for he was their kind
Of a duck. (Word meaning water
fowl applied to the male Of the genus
homo.)
1t was estimated that $4,000
would build the new community
church, and subscriptions were taken
while people were in the notion. All
sums were acceptable-any sums
from $4,000 down. More Of them
gave $500 than larger sums, and !
still more of them wrote checks for
500 than for $500. 1t was more
Nothing succeeds like
and the Mackay minister
kept telling people how much was
already, and the highest
figures he is quoted as having men
toned in that way was half. Half
of the $4,000. Sometimes he would
speak of it as being already in the
bank. In the bank mind you. No
body ever knew exactly how much
was actually in the bank, the sum
grew 80 fast it was not worth while
10 enquire. or even to see whose
lame 1t was being deposited in.
Some of the women of the town,
Ind the musicians. they always save
he day-got up concert to be given
o help swell the fund. One evening
hey had happy thought and fixed
he date of the concert on certain
night when there was go
ng to be crowd in town. You
snow the stockmen and others con-