The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-09
VAN ANDA'S PRAYER
An Interested Listener Declared His
Approval Of 1t.
CHURCH SERVICE LONG AGO
One of Butte's Old Timers Tells of
a Meeting of Miners in a Hotel
and Bar Room to LIS
ten to a Sermon.
CHURCH SERVICE LONG AGO

One of Butte's old-timers, who is as
full of old-time "reminiscences as the
Butte city water is of bugs, gives the
| Following frontier experiences of some
| characters who are well-known to all
old-timers in this section:
| In the fall of 1872 Rev. Mr.. Van
Anda was presiding elder of a part of
the NJ. E. church in Montana. On one
of his trips through his district he
stopped one afternoon at Blackfoot
City. Seeing the spiritual restitution
: of the place, he determined to remain
over night and preach. He asked AMI
| received permission to hold services in
| the hotel, the office and dining room
| of which could be thrown into one
| large room by means of folding doors.
1t was the easiest job in the world to
get word to everybody in the camp
that there would be preaching in the
hotel after supper He told one or two
persons passing by the house of the
services and in an hour everybody
within a radius of half a mile knew of
it. You see the amusements of the
place consisted of card playing and
dancing and with the exception Of an
occasional scrap and now and then
dog fight, entertainments were rare.
Preaching was something new in the
place and so everybody determined to
be present II IL were possible.
Supper time came and the late
boarders were asked to hurry as the
people were beginning to hang around
to get to preaching At last the din
ing room was cleared and a cloth was
thrown over the bottles and glasses
behind the bar in the office, and the
doors between the two rooms thrown
wide open. Every chair in the hotel
was brought in as well as many Others
from neighboring bar rooms In order
to seat as many as possible some boards
were brought in and placed across
boxes or chairs, But for all that, stand
ing room was at a premium All bust
ness in the town was suspended for
the time. The minister came in and
a most respectful silence was MAIN
tanned. A familiar hymn was given out
in which everyone joined with all his
heart and voice. When the hymn had
been sung the congregation was asked
to engage in prayer During the prayer
not a sound was heard except the earn
est voice of the minister. Hardly was
the Amen uttered, when a voice, low
but audible all over the room, was
heard:
That's a id sight better prayer
than Brother Duncan could make!"
ITO which a reply was made in
stage whisper:
Hush, you - fool, you are in
church,!
well, it is anyhow came back the
first voice. 1t might have stopped thert
but Schwartz, the proprietor of the ho-
tel, feeling that the proprieties of the
occasion rested somewhat on him,
tapped the admiring worshiper on the
shoulder and admonished him that If
he did not keep quiet he would be pu.
out. Forgetting all else and regard
ing Schwartz as his friend, he raised
his head toward Schwartz and said:
Now, Schwartz, wasn't that id
sight better prayer than Brother Dun
can could make
Schwartz collared the disturber and
lifting him over the seats started to-
ward the door. No resistance was Of
fered, but as they were approaching
the door the unfortunate offender in a
most humble and supplicating tone,
said
Now, Schwartz. honor bright,
wasn't that a better prayer than
Brother Duncan could maker
THE rest of the service got along all
right