Excellent.
_13_
Circuit Riders and Missionaries
NOTWITHSTANDING both the tradition and the facts of
hardshooting, hard-riding cowboys, of bad men, of border
lawlessness, of inhabitants who had left some other place
under a cloud, of frontier towns "west of God," hard layouts
and conscienceless "courthouse crowds"--notwithstanding all
this, the Southwest has been and is religious-minded. This is
not to say that it is spiritual-natured. It belongs to H. L.
Mencken's "Bible Belt." "Pass-the-Biscuits" Pappy O'Daniel got
to be governor of Texas and then U.S. senator by advertising
his piety. A politician as "ignorant as a Mexican hog" on
foreign affairs and the complexities of political economy can
run in favor of what he and the voters call religion and leave
an informed man of intellect and sincerity in the shade. The
biggest campmeeting in the Southwest, the Bloys Campmeeting
near Fort Davis, Texas, is in the midst of an enormous range
country away from all factories and farmers.
Since about 1933 the United States Indian Service has not only
allowed but rather encouraged the Indians to revert to their
own religious ceremonies.
Pages:
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112