The weekly tribune., 1894-10-19
PRAYERS AND THE CAPITAL
The Presbyterian Synod Of Montana
Asked to Pray For Helena's
Waning Cause.
The Petition Denounced as an Out.
rage and SacrilegiOus-The
Ministers Visit Anaconda.

The following article is from the Ana
conda Standard of October 16:
BUTTE, Oct. 15.-Tbe last session O
the Presbyterian synod of Montana wa
an interesting and lively one, made so b.
the fact that the "Holier than Thou
people Of Helena tried to mix the capi
tai contest with religion. Every min
lister and elder attending the synod ant
Presbytery has during the past week re
ceived letters from the Helena Women
capital club, asking for prayers for tn,
cause Of Helena and making charges O
bribery and vote-purchasing against tn,
Anaconda committee, and making gen
eral accusations about the alleged inn
moral features of Anaconda's capita
work, and rejecting upon the character
Of the city itself.
"These most remarkable documents
had the effect of arousiDg great indigna
tion among all the ministers except the
delegation from Helena. and for the pur
pose of giving the delegates and theil
families an opportunity to visit Ana
conda and see for themselves how ma.
licious and unfounded were the storiee
Of sanctitied Helena, an invitation was ex.
tended to visit Anaconda tomorrow on
an excursion. Rev. Mr.. Groeneveld pre-.
sented the invitation to the synod.
mo sooner was the invitation pre-
sented than Rev. T., V. Moore from Hell.
ena entered a vigorous protest and
launched forth in violent TRADE against
Anaconda and said the invitation to visit
the city was another form of bribery. He
read the letter from the Helena ladies
asking for prayers and Rev. Mr.. Greene
weld of the First Presbyterian church of
Butte replied to it. Mr.. Groeneveld de-
nounced the petition for prayers as an
outrage and declared it was barely short
Of sacrilegious. He thought the invita-
tion to visit Anaconda good opportun-
ity for the pastors to see for themselves
il that city was 80 vile place as that
pictured by Helena, and if their prayers
should be invoked against Anaconda.
Many other ministers indorsed the re-
marks of Mr.. Groeneveld and Mr..
Moore's kick was supported by several
other Helena ministers who had heard OF
the horrid wickedness of Anaconda.
"a rising vote was taken on the invi-
tation and only four delegates voted
against its acceptance, and three of them
we're from Helena. A vote of thanks for
the invitation and offered transportation
and entertainment was next adopted.
About twenty five ministers and their
families visited the future capital.
"One Of the Helena pastors announced
that he would accompany the excursion
lists, and Rey. Mr. Moore, learning of the
reverend gentleman's reckless intentions,
tried to dissuade him and pointed out
the appalling evil of his course, but he
was unsuccessful.
Zone Of the Helena pastors then Of
fered resolution to the effect that the
synod of Montana was opposed to and
unlawful election and
methods and calling on all
good citizens to protect the purity of the
ballot. Every delegate to the synod in
dorsed the resolutions, and on motion OF
Rev. Mr.. Groeneveld the clerk was in
structed to send copy of the resolution
to the central committee of each polit-
ical party and to the capital committees
of Helena and Anaconda"