The weekly miner., 1881-01-04
CHURCHES.
Are There Any Church Services of
Any Kind in Butte?

Bye. OF.
A letter. written for the sole purpose of
an answer to the above ques-
ton, has lately been placed in my hands.
The query reveals not uncommon
doubt among our friends of the east-a |
doubt whether the pilgrim to these
and valleys shall enjoy any |
religious privileges; whether, i'll his
search for gold and silver, he shall any
where find spiritual home. OF course
none will do us, nor themselves, the in
justice of supposing that the inhabitants
of the frontier territories are all wild,
untamed, unchristianized beings. Yet
in the far-away homes, from which most
of us came, there are sometimes afioat
vague and strange ideas concerning our
moral and religious status.
The New Years MINER will doubtless
reach many of those old homes, report
ing the rich mineral and agricultural re-
sources of Montana; telling of the ener-
gy and activity of her citizens, the
prosperity of her towns and cities.
1t may therefore be worth while to de-
ask after our spiritual welfare.
Considering that the strength of spir-
itual life and personal religion does not
depend so much upon the number of fine
churches and services at hand as upon
the use made, by each individual, of the
circumstances and opportunities of life,
we of Montana ought to be christians as
good and true as our cousins of the
''states'
To say that we cannot be such would
| be to confess ourselves unable to meet
temptations such as are common to man.
We may have more difficult circum-
stances to contend against, without the
same outward help others enjoy; but the
peculiar need ought to call out the pecu-
liar strength.
AS for churches and religious services,
we are not wholly without them. In
Butte there are four organized christian
congregations meeting regularly for wor-
ship. The Roman Catholics, the Meth
odists, and the Presbyterians all have
their houses of worship so far along as
to be able to use them for services at the
present time. The members of st. John s
Episcopal parish hope to build their
church in the spring. The three protes-
neutrality-suspicious. named have each large
and fiourishing Sunday schools. The
number and prosperity of the churches
in Butte may be taken as fair represen-
tation of the religious interest in most, il
not all, of our growing towns. For their
own sake, and for the sake Of their chill.
dren, the people, for the most part, wish
for, and are willing to sustain churches
and schools.
Let me speak further of the Episcopal
church in Montana, whose history and
present state is better known to me than
that of the denominations working at
her side.
Bishop Tuttle came early to the terri
tory, and has labored with zeal and ear,
nestness for the Masters cause, and with
such loving interest for the people that
no one knowing him wonders at the sue.
cess of his work; nor at the personal es,
TEEN and hearty cooperation accorded
him wherever he has gone. He states
in his last, and 18th annual, report that
there has been an "outward growth from
one church edifice to eight; from no
clergyman to fourteen; from ten commu
nicants to over eight hundred" At the
time this report was made the jurisdic'
ton comprised Montana, Utah and Ida
ho. Since then Montana has been made
a separate jurisdiction, and the Rev. L.
r. Brewer, late of Watertown, n. Y.
has been consecrated its bishop. Bishop
Tuttle retains Utah and Idaho.
While all church people must rejoice
at the growth that renders this division
eXpedient, and at the faithfulness of the
church in sending out more chief pas
tors to superintend and guide the work
it is not without sadness that we par
with Montana's first bishop. His ''GooC
Bye" words are full of characteristic love
for the Master, and for all those whom
the Master placed under his care: full o
good counsel that ought to reach every
one who, heretofore, has looked witt
pleasant anticipations for "the Bishops
annual visit. shall therefore take tn,
liberty of giving his letter in full. 1t il
written at Watertown, N. Y, Dec. Sth
1880, and is as follows: