The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-29
A VAST ASSEMBlAGE
Listened to an Earnest Appeal From
Evangelist Crittenton.

If those misinformed persons who
| live away down there in the land of
| goldfish and imagine all kinds of ter
| rible things about the conduct of the
citizens of Butte could have stepped
into the Auditorium last night and
noted the genuine Christian enthusiasm
of the vast assemblage of Well-mean-
| ing, God-fearing, liberty-loving citizens.
they could have done nothing more ap-
propriate than to walk up to the sim
ners bench and implore Brother Crit
tenton TO pray for their forgiveness.
The big hall was full when Rev. j. E.
Noftsinger, who acted as chairman, an
nounced the first hymn of the evening
On the stage, besides the Mountain
View choir, We're seated the several
ministers of the churches of this city
Mrs. Joseph Moffat again inspired the
audience by her magnificent voice as
1t rang throughout the vast auditorium
in all its sweetness and rhythmic en-
phasis. Hers is a beautiful voice, wide
of range and powerful in tone, under
perfect control and vastly superior to
any heard in Butte in many day. The
lady has graceful appearance, a sweet
face and withal charming DISPOSE
ton.
Mr.. Crittenton talked in his charac-
terlstlc style, following no particularly
defined text; rather, his remarks were
the product of inspiration and the more
he talked the more inspira ton he gath
cred, until he merged into a thrilling
narrative of the wrongs and rights of
the human family. His sermon was
linked together with a succession of
appropriate word pictures drawn from
the lesson so wildly painted in that
part Of the scripture devoted to the re-
turn of the prodigal son.
This lesson is taught in the every
day walks of life. He related incidents
which, under the beautiful expression
given by the speaker, were made to cor
respond with those which often come to
the notice of every man and woman in
days lapse of time The conclusions
and deductions so pathetically brought
out and so earnestly set forth made the
story of the prodigal son rather an
everyday occurrence than merely a bit
of biblical history. 1t was shown that
the loving father is as ready and willing
to kill the fatted calf now as he was in
the days when history for the Bible
was being made. There is a remedy, said
the speaker, for everybody who seeks
the eternal cure for evil and that is the
Bible. and the man who does not seek
the Bible is to blame for his own sins.
There is only one way to heaven, and
that is the straight and narrow path.
God loves a sinner, but it must be borne
methods of the sinner. He loves the
sinner who is just outside the gates
of hell and His arms are long enough
| to reach down and draw the sinner
| away from those gates. and He'll do it,
| too, II the sinner pauseS long enough
to reflect and ask him to save him.
| At the close of the services Mr.. Crit
tentQn asked all who wanted to lead
Christian lives to stand up and the con-
9rega ion stood While standing the
choir, led by Mrs. MOffat sang Just
as ] Am Without One Plea" followed
by that other well-known almost Per-
| suaded." after which Mr.. Crittenton
and the ministers ranged themselves in
front of the platform and shook hands
with proba bly, 1000 of the congregation.
1t was announced by Chairman Noft-
singer that at o'clock this afternoon
Mr.. Crittenton will speak to the chill
dren in the Auditorium. Tomorrow
morning at II o'clock he will address
an audience in the Christian church,
the services to be under the auspices
of the South Methodist church. He will
then address the Sunday school of the
Presbyterian church. after which he
will address the Sunday school of the
Baptist church. At 3 o'clock he will
again speak at the Auditorium and in
the evening he will lead the services in
the same building. Sunday morning
Mrs. Moffat will sing at the services
of the Mountain View congregation at
| the Auditorium.
Next Thursday evening Mr.. Critten-
ton will present his rescue work. sub
| ject that will no doubt interest all of
Butte.
Don't fail to attend the opening at
| Orion Brothers, Saturday, April 30