Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-06-08
BISHOP CAPABLE OF
HOLDING HIS OWN

IL is with a feeling OF sincerest
admiration that We tell the following
stories on Bishop Hunting. who was
a visitor to Elko last Wednesday.
The first meeting of the writer and
thu bishop occurred in 1910 in the
town OF Ely. The writer was then
supervisor of the United States census
Tor the state OF Nevada, and the bish.
op, who was then pastor of the Ely
Episcopal church, was acting as an
enumerator. The writer recalled a
story OF a preacher by the name of
Hunting which he had read when he
was a youngster. and the bishop ex-
pressed a desire TO hear it, Away
back in 1894, Virginia City was
a live mining camp and a good many
tough characters were assembled
there. A young preacher came to
town one morning TO take charge Of
the Episcopal church. He of course
wore the conventional clerical garb,
which was not at all a familiar sight
Il
stroll up c street and he had not gone
more than couple of blocks when he
noticed That he was being followed by
score o; boys who were evidently
kecnly interested in him. AS he pro-
cceded the crowd grew larger, and
the reverend gentleman becoming
somewhat embarrassed at the atten-
ton he was attracting, returned TO the
famous old International Hotel. AS
he ent"l CO the lobby the youngsters
gathered about him with open mouths
and admiring eyes. Turning Ia The
clerk the preacher asked. "What in
the world is the matter with these
boys, is there anything strange about
my appearance to attract so inuth
attention? He was then taken into
/ the joke which he thoroughly appre-
ciatcd. There was 10 be a prize fight
that night between Il local celebrity
and an unknown outsider. boy who
had seen him step from the train and
had noted his athletic build Che was
just from college where he played
with football eleven) concluded that
I he was the unknown outsider and
passed the word. 1t is superfluous TO
] say that the young preacher was
Bishop Hunting himself
! But this Is not the story that we
started TO tell on the bishop. AS
stated above there were lot of
tough characters in Virginia City in
those days, and they had no more re.
sheet for clergymen than other people
when 1t came TO rObbing and commit.
/ ting other depTcdations. One evening
the bishop was taking a stroll when
he was accosted by three ruffians who
commanded him to throw up his
hands Gentlemen" he said, Il am
alone and there are three OF you. You
should at least be men enough to give
me an even chance. | will endeavor
to entertain you if you will come one
at a time" The men were dunn
founded a moment and hesitated, theI
; one Of them said with a satisfied
; smile, I'll take de- guy on first" The
bishop met his rush and in few
moments had him laying at his feet
unconscious. Then another tackled
him. and m "a few minutes he too,
was down and out The bishop then
made a swing for the third, but the
latter lodged and took to his heels,
and 50 far as known he has never re-
turned to Virginia City.
. The next sunday morning the bish.
OPP was in his pulpit as usual. He
had badly blaCkened eye and was
otherwise dishgured. but his sermon
was listened to with most remarkable
attention, and there will probably
never be another preacher on the
COmstoCk who will have the respect
and admiration that was his from
that time on. II" proved that while
he was an eloquent speaker and IA
conscientious Christian. he was en-.
tircly human and man of courage
far above the ordinary.
;. While the experience was not Il
pleasant one for the bishop, and he
would 20 a long way to avoid another
such. it is certain that he lost nc
friends ct admirers by it, and he Ger
; tainly accomplished great deal fol
the spiritual welfare of the old Com
stock.
AMI who viii say that this was no
all II part of a well ordained plaI
through which the bishop was enabled
to accomplish all that he did? We
la, IInycd TO quote. Gods ways are
nv IL 'iOus"
o.