The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-06-21
AN ADDRESS.
BY Rev. e. J. Stanley at the Lay.
ing of the Corner Stone OF the
M. E. Church South at
Anaconda.


Anaconda.
FRIENDS AND FELLOW CITIZENS ::
This is an auspicious day in the
history of our community, and one
to be hailed with joy by every lover
of true progress. Scarcely one year
ago to-day the ground where we
stand was looked upon as mere bed
Of rocks and boulders and considered
we'll nigh useless. But behold the
change that has taken place! Before
US is spread out a beautiful and
growing town Of one thousand in
habitants, containing substantial
brick and stone business blocks that
would do credit to cities Of many
years g~owth, cosy cottages and
splendid residences, the homes Of
peaceful and energetic citizens, with
evidence of good taste, enterprise and
prosperity on every hand. TIE
growth of Anaconda is marvel to
every visitor to our city and sur
passes anything that I have wit
messed IN all my travels through the
great and growing West.
|. But it is not so much the rapid
growth of the place as the character
of it's improvements that excltes our
wonder and admiration. Everything
indicates permanence. More than a
| million dollars have been spent IN
Improvements here, and when men
invest their money 50 freely it is
good evidence that they have come
! to stay. And I am especially graft
fed that among the Improvements
are numbered two neat and commo-
dious church buildings, one frame,
now in course of construction, the
other brick, the corner stone of
which we are here to put in place, to
he consecrated and set apart for the
worship of Almighty God.
The commencement of a
brick church edifice Of the
style and dimensions of this
one, in a town no older than ours, is
an event of such importance that we
have thought proper to celebrate it in
this public way.
Thoughts too numerous for utter
| ance this time crowd upon me while
T stand before you to-day. Much
has been said about the G. rlstian
| religion losing its influence upon the
minds and hearts of the people.
| While, alas! We too often have to
deplore the low state of morality
and the lack Of interest in spiritual
truths, there appears to be some
vitality in the system yet. While
westward the star of empire takes its
course, yet side by side with it the
star of Bethlehem moves apace. Nc
sooner is new gold mine struck OF
the foundation of q new town laid
than the minister is there with the
word OF life to plant the standard OF
the cross and build a house for the
worship of God. The two buildings
now in course of erection in this
place are no mean arguments in
favor of the continued life and
aggressive force of the christian
religion. Thirteen years ago there
were scarcely half dozen houses OF
worship in Montana; to-day there is
hardly a village or country neighbor
hood in all this lovely mountain
land where a church spire is not
seen or the sound of the church bel
is not heard. AS villages, towns
country homes, school houses and
other institutions indicate the enter.
prise, the taste and intelligence OF
the people in worldly things, so the
hundreds of neat chapels and sub
stantial and beautiful temples O.
worship proclaim a living faith IL
God who is over all, and a glorious
hope of immortality and eternal life
still abiding in the hearts OF the
people.
Again, many have remarked anc
laid stress upon the diversity OF
J opinion among the vota'
ries of religion, and the preva
lence of the sectarian spirit among
various denominations of Christian
people. OF course people differ upol
religion as they do upon every othel
subject, but not more. But these
differences do not prevent then
from helping one another, from
Joining heart and hand in enter
prises that are for the uplifting o
humanity to higher and better life
Here, in this building, are the offer
iDgs of the rich and the poor, tn
black and the white, Jew and Gen
tile, Catholic and Protestant, th'
Christians and infidej, believers ant
unbelieyers-men of every shade o
religious belief and representatives o
almost every business and profes'
sion and of almost every condition ir
life. They come from those living
in canvas tents as we'll as from those
living in cosy cottages and costly nal
aces, and not only from our own
community but from the occupants
of homes scattered far and wide ove1
our broad land, from the Mississippi
valley to where the waters of tht
Columbia roll down to the sea. The
contributions of individuals Of suct
diversified sentiments and circum'
stances to the erection Of a Metho
dist church building would seem tt
indicate that the sectarian spirit i:
not so stro 6 as our adversarie'
would have US believe.