The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-22
ANACONDA NEWS.
SHE'S A BRIGHT LIGHT
ilYe@gs-
a. Wide Awake Worker in Her
lss's Chosen Field.
80,
s4Ns1
AIALKWITH MRS. MOFFATT
f+s,s4
The Story of Her Conversion and Con-
secration - Manager of a News
paper in California-Her Life
on the Stage.
I
ATALK WITH MRS. MOFFATT

remarkable series of evangelistic re-
viEal meetings in this city. was inter
viewed by a reporter from the Stand
ard. She is an exceptionally interest
ing woman, and the story of her con-
version and conservation reads like a
fairy tale. She is wide awake and fully
abreast of the times, and is certainly
one of the brightest lights in her chosen
field.
Mrs. Moffatt was born in Minnesota,
and her child life was exactly like that
Of any other child, except that hers
may have been more musical.
with her parents, she went to Cali
fornia, and in 1889 was half owner and
manager of a small newspaper in Los
Angeles. Here she learned to set type
and also learned all the mysteries of
printer-lore A member of the Edi-
torial association, which afterwards
became the Press club-she was thor
ough journalist. For some time she
was an employee of the. job department
of the Los Angeles Times and could
stick type" with as much speed as any
man in the shop
Times became hard and the printer
girl was forced to the stage, to earn
her bread and butter. Naturally bright
and attractive, she rapidly rose from
the ranks of beginner and was becom-
ing recognized as a young actress with
X a brilliant future.
u N One year from the time she entered
the theater to earn her living, and incl
dentally make a mark in the world she
attended one of Mr. Crittenton's after
noon meetings. at the urgent appeals
OF a lady friend, and there became con-
verted. At the time she was playing
X leading role in Faust in the Tivol
al.
ment had but begun, and she, being
convinced that the stage was not her
realm, resigned her position and shut
the green room door behind her for
ever.
~ Her next venture was to open a MILL
merry shop, and she was building up
brisk trade, when tlae calls of duty COM
PEELED her to retire from business and
enter the evangelistic field. This was
seven years ago, and she says no one
could be happier than she.
In the course of the afternoons visit,
Mrs. Moffatt said:
III have always sung in public: my
first memories of childhood being when
they lifted me up onto chair, to sing
q childish song at a school entertain
ment. Ny people had but little of this
worlds goods, and it was impossible for
me to have a musical education. I sang
I for4loye .0f it. and have, thoroughly en-
joyed every note of music I have ever
sung. from oratorio, which I consider
the grandest way to praise God, down
to the simplest lullaby to some ,peevish,
tired, crying babe.
Going on, day after day. perhaps
one hour at the hospital beside a dying
man or woman, and the next, in an en-
thusastic church meeting: perhaps I
would be at the funeral of, some poor
mothers girl. who had grown tired of a
life of sin. with its heartaches and mis-
ery-some child who had taken poison:
from there I would go to my place of
business, to work for a time, until some
other urgent call for song to cheer
some one who was sad and lonely,
would come.
Sometimes I would reap a good har-
ENTHUSIASTICALLY, shining yellow
gold piece would he mine for singing
All, the funeral of a person who could
well spare it 1t was oftener, many
times, to be paid by the coin that's
current in every cline a smile of joy,
or word of cheer, from some tired.
weary heart, whose mansion will be
h above, but who is contented to do the
Masters will, in a humble shack here
below.
my finances We're too low to pay for
lessons in music-though that is not an
excuse, for almost any number of
teachers offered to teach me, if I would
but study. ] was never fond of study
preferrng to learn from nature. and
natures God, and learning only that
that seemed obligatory. by reading it.
Fl never use music to sing from. unless
for the first or second time About the
third time | see piece of music I have
committed it to memory. 1t is also
quite easy for me to commit Gods
words and He brings it to my remem-
brance as l need it. On Sept. IS, 1898,
4 consecrated my time and talent to
Him, and if any credit is given me, it
is due to Him, who takes the weak
things of this earth to confound the
things which are mighty I simply
sapnsecrated myself to God and left the
work of cultivation to the same mas
fer that taught Peter and James and
John.
Isl have been out on this trip since
+ last September. and expect to continue
on to New York which place we hope
& to reach the latter part of 1900.
a.iCourtesy? I have never suffered in
dignity at the hands of man or woman
since I entered this work. No, | have
never done much Stun work, but hope
{ to be successful slum-worker l love
the girls and cannot bear to leave
their little rooms, or gilded cages with
eeut taking them with me, out into the
freedom and sunshine of Gods love
and help them to make another start
In life, with new hopes and new as
pirations and live for heaven and
eternity; L think none the less of them
because of their sin. for, in the sight
Of God, one sin is no worse nor better
than another Christ came to save
those poor erring girls, as well as the
self-reliant and naughty Pharisee."
what song that you sing has the
greatest power for good %
II think that my most impressive
song is The Trundle Bed An incident
that occurred few months ago in
Phoenix, Ariz.. is of particular interest
and shows that music hath charms for
the savage breast The day before
Christmas l went to the book store to
purchase some music: gentleman
waited upon me, and we began talking
on various topics. He said he liked
Sen Francisco for the high times he
had enjoyed there. | said, Yes, you
may live that way, but you can't die
that way He had drifted into the hall
on Saturday nght with the crowd. Il