The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1866-01-13
Letter from j un ctlOn City.
JUNCTION CITY, January lst

JUNCTION CITY, January lst 1866.
Ed PosT-SI: Greeting YOU and the many readers
of your columns with a happy New Year, l purpose,
according promise to send account of Christ
and New Years festivities, at the Methodist Episcopal
Church believing as you remarked your last issue that
people of Montana realizing the dawn of glorious
day. and you that the people in this little city
second in the Territory in their appreciation of
their educational privileges and John Frost had stopt
from operating in the mines for the last three weeks
the attention of citizens well as committee Of
ladies and gentlemen from the Sabbath school, directed
towards decorating church. and, by Christmas Eve
the work complete. AT the back of the altar large
displayed with the date of the establishment of
the Sabbath School; and beneath in large letters wel
come, ALL encircled by wreaths of evergreen artificial
flowers and national embems There were also festOons
all around the place of worship by the ladies of
school and triumphal arch which extended from one
side of the church the other Our exercises
meDced Sunday christmas Eve) by the Rev. A. NJ.
Hough of your city, who preached of the most heart
thrilling sermons that have heard delivered in the
Rocky Mountains. Beneath temple roof was seen a
spectacle repete with Instruction. in no communion
passed eloquent whispers from spul to soul; no
choir could give uterace the sacred poetry
of emotion. There submity and grandeur in the
exercises of Christmas Eve. The memory of absent
relatives and departed friends brought tears to the eyes
many who heard the sweet strains and thought of days
long past and of father mother sister wife brother
parted from them ''by mountain, stream and sea- Many
of those, mot lost but gone before singing the
praises OF Emanuel IN strains never yet heard by morta
ear These servces-to gether with Sabbath Schoo
Festival-wil not be forgotten by the people o
Junction City Messrs. William james and Hugh Duncan
intermngled with the music OF the choir
until the evening far spent The next part OF our
gramme to tight up Chrstmastree, which illumi
mated church with the blaze of thysx candles anC
number of lamps after which Queen of the Night wa
duly nominated Miss NJ. Temple, who ociated in
sentng the gifts the school, in the ladies' department
Harrison Tuttle acting the Santa Claus the gen
emens side. The distributions from the Tree numer
Gus. 1t laden with toys, candies, baby.cothes q
various dimensions fancy baskets and various pieces
ladies apparel together with of the best books tha
could be obtained in your city Owing to the perseverance
of committee the arrangements complete. Their
merry making caused by the presentation OF tn
baby clothes little candy ywomen, etc. The singing OF tn
children as well of the choir called forth continues
applause But must not forget to state that on the goin
out of the old year. old and young learned and iterate
hocked the House of God and there spent their wate
night As write another year with its burhen of grea
events passed the threshhOd of time and er
this reaches the of the reader the joys and sorrows
the truths and errors the good deeds and the bad actions
of past twelve months will have been deposited in tn
archives of history Fruitful Of great events has been tn
dying year. and part from itreluctauty has give
us victories many bloody field and kndled the watcf
fires freedom along shores it has shown throug
the rfEg clouds of battle the Angel of Peace and obi
Grated forever the of human slavery from Repu
c believe 1865 will stand clad with immortal grandeU
the years of past hope the present year wi
, bear it company and share its glory.
Yours truly, s. X H.