“’Twas in the 70’s when I resigned my parish at Ozark, Arkansas, to take over a church at Pierce City, Missouri. With four other men I traveled north on the stage, which was the only transportation available at that time. My companions were strangers but congenial fellows and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride through the Boston Mountains. At this spot, just south of the stage stop, we were halted by two bandits who proved to be Jesse and Frank James. They ordered us from the coach and stripped us of our money and valuables. Placing the loot in his hat, one of the highwaymen called me aside and asked me if I were not a minister of the gospel. I answered in the affirmative. “‘Your companions are notorious gamblers,’ said the bandit, ‘and we have a special reason for robbing them. But with you it is different. We never take from preachers, widows, or orphans.’ With these words, he poured a generous portion of the booty into my coat pocket and warned me not to return it to the gamblers. The bandits then mounted their horses and disappeared in the woods. “There was an ominous silence among my four companions while riding to the tavern. I couldn’t understand it. They made no complaint about being robbed and gave no indication of reporting the incident to the law. Even the driver of the stage seemed unconcerned about the affair. “Upon arrival, I secured a room at the tavern for the night. As I was about to retire, I heard two men talking in an adjoining room. I recognized the voices as belonging to the two men we had encountered on the road. They were occupying the room next to me. “‘Do you suppose that man was telling the truth when he said he was a preacher?’ said one of the men. “‘I think so,’ replied the other, ‘but to make sure we will test him out at the breakfast table in the morning.’ He continued by outlining the ‘third degree’ they would give me. “I heard every word of the plan and prepared to meet it. Far into the night I prayed for strength to meet the ordeal. Then I fell asleep and did not awake until called for breakfast. “The brothers were waiting for me when I reached the dining room. When I took a place at the table, the one I decided was Frank sat down beside me. Immediately I felt the pressure of steel against my ribs. Jesse sat across the table in front of me. He asked me to say grace. “Never before did such a fervent prayer fall from my lips. I thanked the Lord for the food, for guidance on the journey, for the welfare of my old parish, for the people of my new pastorate, and, lastly, for the companionship of the two men who were with me. I concluded by asking that richest blessings reward them all through life. “All through the prayer I could feel the gun pressing against my side and could sense the piercing eyes of the bandit leader from across the table. When I concluded the prayer, we ate the food set before us and conversed in a congenial manner. At the conclusion of the meal, Jesse called me aside.