The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-23
The PIONEER PREACHER,
An Interesting Letter From Rev. George
ComEOrt

|
| Comfort.
| opeciai Correspondence of the Standard
| Twin Bridges, July 21.-The follow
ing interesting letter has been received
| by friend here from Rev. George
| comfort, the pioneer preacher of Mon
| tana. 1t will be remembered that Mr.
| comfort was the first superintendent of
| the state orphans home and later went
| TO farming near Bozeman. He sold his
| property last winter and after short
visit here with his brother Hon. j. r.
| Comfort, he and his wife departed for
| the home of their childhood, where
they expect to spend the remainder of
| their days. The letter was received
| about the time Dillon people were cell
| ebrating the anniversary of Rev. Com
| forts first sermon in that valley over
| 80 years ago. Mr.. Comfort writes in
| part: Here in my ramblings in my
| old native state. Pennsylvania, myself
| and wife find ourselves on this eve of
another glorious Fourth of July, the
| natal day of our nation. 1t is in the
| home of Uncle Ben Ackley,' the father
of Miss Ella Ackley, recently from the
| orphans home at Twin Bridges, whom
| we are visiting. Uncle Ben as he is
generally called, is living upon the farm
settled as early as 1898 by his father,
| coming from Litchfield, Conn. Here
along the banks of this noble old Sus-
quehanna stands to-day a monument
of the Moravian missionaries, who came
as early as ITO to preach and Christian
lie the Indians. They were the first
among these people to preach to them
the gospel of Christ, long since gone,
ooth preachers and people. Here we
are visiting for few days the rela-
tlves and friends of Mrs Comfort, near
where for years she taught school in
the surrounding district and where
still many of her old pupils greet her
at every turn and solicit our longer
stay.
1T is indeed very interesting time
of the year to visit; so much of the
beautiful at hand. the sceneries of dot
ting. groves, living foliage along the
roads. Many of these old Pennsylvania
homes have changed but little for
years. A significant fact, however, Is
that the farmers of the East, as a gen
eral rule, are under the depressing in
fluence of strong competition from the
great West, which they cannot over
come; this fact starts the question quite
often, What is the true remedy? Re-
turning prosperity to the country does
not relieve them from this competition,
nor has it yet given normal value or
rather former price, to these lands often
under forced sales: lands are very
cheap-old homes. with the toilings of
many years, go for a nominal song and
yet, another fact is apparent to me-
they are worn and depleted: perhaps in
accordance with the real value they are
not so low after all.
"A fair prospect of good harvest
is at hand and no shortage feared,
While on the outside business is gener-
ally considered to be much improved
employing labor and capital alike in
renewing enterprises over the land.
our stay thus far has been attend
ed with much to crafty our coming,
10 to
trust of great pleasure and benefit. So
FAR 1t seems improving to health, re-
neWlng of Vigor and certainly adding
much to increase the joys of this life.
am constantly called into i'm
promptu services of preaching every !
Sabbath somewhere. and enjoy this |
work here in my native land very much |
Churches and church privileges are in |
creased here more than in the West. |
but perhaps proportionately no greater |
tide of real purity or stability of char |
acter than in Montana. True real gen
crosby there | have found to compare
with any people. 1t is the land having |
had the most of the best years of nv |
life, and yet | would not recall nor re- |
trace them with anything less than |
fond remembrances of friendships of |
the past of thanks and delight to have |
known so many, done SO much of en- |
deavor and toll to try to do somebody |
done so little. Now I'm disposed to |
quiet down to the facts which surround |
and receive the lessons given, that the |
future may not be as oppressive as |
sometimes 1t is made to elderly people. |
would therefore take it easy.
MY thoughts run towards Won and |
the many whom l know in my departed |
Montana land, but I'm here and Won |
are there, each to fulfill the mission of |
this life, in preparing for the better |
one to come. Respectfully,
GEORGE COMFORT"
The thieves who stole the copper
plate from the Johnny Woods mill.
which was mentioned in the Standard |
at the time, have not been apprehend- |
ed yet, although one arrest has been
made. The fellow that is under arrest
Will be tried to-day in the justice court,
When taken in charge he had consider
able copper plate. but from what can
be learned. 1t came from mill in
Highland owned by the Thomson In
vestment company of Butte. In trying
to clear himself of the first charge, the
prisoner virtually admitted that he had
taken the plate from the Highland mill |
Two offenders of the law We're LIN
before Judge Bollinger yesterday for
fighting and disturbing the peace A
fine of SIS was imposed on one and $25 |
on the other. The former was paid
but the $25 man watched his chance
and lit out on bicycle for pastures /
new. Constable Stark is in hot pursuit
and Ii is expected the officer will have
his man before night.