The Anaconda standard., 1895-12-25
1T WAS 54 YEARS AGO
The First Christmas Celebration in
Montana at st. Mary's Mission. Z
HUNDREDS OF REDSKINS
BIaok-Robed Priests Teach the In
dians to Understand the Inn 3.
portanoe OF the Occasion-1ot
Twas Noble Work. in4t

Missoula, Dec. 24.-It was In 1S41 that
the first Christmas ever observed in
Montana was celebrated at the little
Mission of St. Mary's on the banks OF
the Bitter Root river. Here for the
first time the notes of the Christmas
mass were chanted by the heroic band
of missionary priests that had respond
ed to the appeal of Father DeSmet
and had penetrated the wilderness with
him to bring the Gospel of Peace to
the red men who had braved death in
many forms that they might place be-
fore the Black Robes their petition for
a teacher of the true religion. s..,..-
When Father DeSmet returned from
st. Louis in 1S41, according to the
promise which he had made to the In
dians at the Three Forks of the Mis-
souri, In September of the previous
year. he found the red men anxiously
watching for him. The story of the
foundation of st. Mary's mission has
often been told and the Standards
readers are familiar with the incidents
CT that important event in the history
of the state. From the time when the
rude cross was raised in the shadow of
the rugged Bitter Root mountains on
that beautiful Sunday afternoon in Au-
gust, 1S41, the missionaries were tireless
in their efforts for the spiritual and
physical advancement of the children
of the wilderness. who had so earnest
ly sought the true faith. From the very
outset success crowned their labors and
Ii must have been with full hearts that
they celebrated that first Christmas
mass in their rude home, separated by
miles of wilderness from friends and
all the associations that were dear to
them.
All of the privations and sacrifices
were forgotten in the joy of the suc-
CQQSflIl OIIfpOuna fhafr mis- fxrs
work. Participating in that memorable
Christmas service were hundreds of
Indians, newborn in the faith. to whom
the story of the birth of Christ had
but recently been told and to whom
Christmas morning had a new and full
significance. AS their voices Joined in
the TIE Deum Laudamus tears Of joy
and thankfulness must have stood in
the eyes of the Black Robes as they
realized the powerful significance of
the occasion. - ...
1t is unfortunate that no authentic
account of that first Christmas in Mon
tana's territory is obtainable. But 1t
requires no printed record to convey
an Idea of the sublimity of the occa-
sion. The mind can supply all the de-
tails. There, in the gray dawn OF a
winter morning, with the rugged peak
of st. Mary's furnishing a background
more splendid than any other picture
ever had, on the banks of the lucid
Bitter Root, beneath the rude cross, the
emblem of their faith, the little group
OF black robed priests assembled with
their new-found followers to honor the
anniversary of the birth of Him who
first brought to earth the message of
peace and good will. In all the list OF
striking incidents which make up the |
early history of this section, none is
more attractive than this and nons
more suggestive--the first Christmas
celebrated upon Montana soil.