A LESSON FROM BLACK BART
A LESSON FROM BLACK BART
(Information primarily condensed from Wickipedia)
Charles E. Boles, also known as Black Bart, was a famous outlaw with a reputation for style and sophistication. He was much feared and is credited with at least 28 stagecoach robberies between 1875 and 1883. He was so feared that he did all this without even firing a shot! On two of these robberies he left poetry behind which added another dimension to his mistique. His first robbery occurred on July 26, 1875 in Calaveras County, California. With his face covered by a hood and brandishing a shotgun he spoke with a deep and resonate tone as he ordered the stage driver, John Shrine, to “throw down the box”. To encourage Shine to comply Bart shouted “If he dares to shoot give him a solid volley, boys”. Seeing what appeared to be rifle barrels pointed at him from nearby bushes, Shine quickly handed over the strong box. After Black Bart disappeared Shine discovered that the “men with rifles” were actually only carefully rigged sticks that looked like rifles. Bart’s first hold up netted him only $160.
Interestingly, Bart’s last robbery took place on Nov. 3, 1883 at the same site as his first robbery. Again he wore a flour sack mask with two eye holes. On this occasion 19 year old Jimmy Rolleri was walking down the road hunting for game when the stage coach was being robbed. Black Bart, with his shotgun in hand, ordered the driver to unhitch the team. The strong box was bolted to the floor and took extra time to remove it. This provided time for the driver to team up with Jimmy Rollerie and fire several shots at the famous robber as he disappeared into a thicket. One bullet hit him in the hand and following his trail they found a blood stained handkerchief. Bart hid a sack with gold amalgam in a rotten log, placed his shotgun in a hollow tree, but took $500 in gold coins with him.
It was the handkerchief, however, that finally led to his arrest. The handkerchief had a laundry mark “F.X.O.7” which led Wells Fargo detective Harry N. Morse to San Francisco. After checking with nearly 90 laundries he finally learned that the handkerchief belonged to a man named Boles who claimed to be a mining engineer. Untimately Boles confessed that he was the infamous Black Bart. For some reason Wells Fargo chose to only prosecute him on his final robbery. He was found guilty and sentenced to six years in San Quentin. Suffering from deteriorating health, failing eyesight, and going deaf in one ear, he was released for good behavior in Jan. 1888 after serving only four years.
In retrospect, Black Bart was not the danger that his reputation seemed to demand. He never fired a shot because his shotgun was not loaded. He always robbed stages on foot because he was afraid of horses. If stage coach drivers had only known what a sissy Bart was, this they could have avoided being robbed by simply saying “no” to his booming voice.
When Jesus appeared to Saul on the Road to Damascus He said: “I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:17-18). Note that the “power” of Satan involves deception. The work of Satan involves “all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs, and wonders” (2 Thess. 2:9). Satan is a sissyt and cannot do one thing to you without permission from God! Consequently James wrote: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Ja. 4:7). This is what Black Bard did when somebody resisted!
Black Bart’s “power” involved deception! Satan’s “power” also involves deception! If you are not “double minded” you can have authority over Satan. He is a predator who targets those who are vacillating and weak. If you are wise concerning what is good and innocent about what is evil “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:19-20). The word “crush” is from the Greek word “suntribo” which historically refers to trampling grapes to make wine. This is what God will do for you if you have the courage to say “no” to Satan and really mean it!
We are fear God, not the devil! “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph. 6:10-11). This is at least one lesson we can learn from the story of the legendary Black Bart!