The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-09-30
CHAT BY THE WAY.

In a conversation with Bishop Brewer
yesterday, a TRIBUNE man took occasion
to ask the reverend gentleman what he
regarded as the chief qualifications for
the ministry. The bishop said that
there are often complaints about clergy
men because they do not possess suffi-
cient magnetism, but after all good
preaching and magnetism in the pulpit
are not the chief essentials for q good
minister. "While the magnetic preacher
may be very useful" said the bishop,
the most essential qualifications for the
every day minister are, a sympathetic
nature, a kindly disposition, tact, and
genuine interest in the welfare Of
p%arishioners, good taste in saying the
proper thing on all occasions, and suffi-
cient business ability to manage the
affairs Of the parish in a successful man
ner. 1t often happens that men who
are the least demonstrative, and haye
the least talent for expression and for
making others feel the spirit of religion
which is in them, are really the most
sincere and earnest men, who in the end
are more useful for the ministry, than
men who are more brilliant and not quite
as religious, for after all example is bet
ter than precept." The bishop said that
he thought the newspapers might
preach a valuable sermon on the
subject of going to church, as with a
great many people the regular Sunday
practice of attending religious service, is
being dispensed with, which, as the
bishop justly says, cannot be a good or
desirable thing. The question is: Is
there any sermon that could be preached
by a newspaper or anybody else hat
would have the desired effect.
The Montana Central is doing some
fine railroad work in the Prickly Pear
canyon, where the track was washed
away for a distance of thirty miles by
the great freshet last spring. The track
is being raised above its former level
from six inches to three feet. and the
work is being done in a most substantial
and thorough Int Twenty-three
bridges of the suspension truss style will
be built over the same number of cross
ings of the Prickly Pear stream, and this
work will probably not be completed for
six months OF more. The camps of the
working men are seen at several points
in the canyon, and the work is being
done under the personal direction of
Superintendent johnson.
Mayor Webster informed a TRIBUNE
reporter yesterday that there is a fair
prospect of a settlement as to the issue
of 100000 worth of city bonds over which
there has been some difficulty. When
these bonds were sold to Theis q Eos
ter, the Spokane agents Of the New
York Life Insurance company, a cert.
fled check for 5000 was given to the
city as forfeit money. Acting on the
advice of a law firm in New York, the
New York Life Insurance company re-
fused to take the bonds on the ground
that they were unconstitutional. An
effort was made to induce them to await
the action of the supreme court and to
carry out their contract if the decision
proved favorable, but they then refused
to take the bonds IN any account. 1t
would seem therefore that the city
would be entitled to retain the 5000
forfeit money if a decision is rendered
favorable to the city's claim that the
bonds are constitutional. The firm of
Blair a. Co., Wall street bankers. has
agreed to take the bonds IN case a decis-
ion is rendered by the supreme court af
firming their constitutlonality. This
money is needed to push the Sixth street
sewer. the park improvements. and for
funding purposes, and every citizen of
Great Falls will be glad to hear that the
supreme court has given a decision in
favor Of the bonds. 1t is among the
possibilities that a decision of the su-
preme court may be made within the
next month, The bonds are 6 per cent
ten or twenty year bonds, which means
cheap money, one Of the most necessary
things for a new city.
STATE PRESS COMMENT.