The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-04-19
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES AT WORK
RAISING MONEY.
CHURCH IMPROVEMENTS
State Sunday School Convention
To Be Held In Billings
Soon.

among several of the church socie.
lies. which are very active in the mat.
ter of raising money for carrying on
the religious work in Billings. It was
first a musical tea by the ladies of
the Methodist church, then e
ladies of the Congregational church
gave a concert and Saturday the Guild
Of st. Luke's church held a hat sale
and served refreshments in the opera
house. On each occasion the ladies
efforts were well rewarded.
X y ""'
The plans for the improvement to
the NJ. e. church, which have arrived,
provide for an addition, which, with
lie present building. will afford a seat.
ing capacity of about 400 persons.
The saeting arrangement of the pres
ent building will be changed as will
be the pulpit and choir places. The
windows and doors will be enlarged
and of the very latest styles. The
main entrance to the building will be
from the northeast corner. There will
be a tower, and a bell is also being ar
ranged for. A movement is also on
foot to enlarge the basement and
make of it a Don wherein young
mems meetings may be held and which
will serve as a reading and club room
tor the young men who have no place
to spend their evenings. IT is the in
tention to provide the room with a
library, writing desks and stationery
and all kinds of amusements that are
uplifting. The room will not be under
the management or control of the
Methodist church particularly, it be-
ing the object to make it a place
where all young men may come and
pass a pleasant evening without being
compelled to feel that they are being
dragged into a church service. The
matter is in the hands of several wom-
en- who are receiving f~attering sup
port from different sources.
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Rev. Father Van Clarenbeck, who is
DESTROYS of enlarging the Catholic
church, believes that the matter has
assumed such definite shape that he
will be abe to carry on the project
during the summer. His plan is to
change the present style of the church
into n similar to a cross with a dome
in the center. There is also talk of a
Catholic school being established here,
but that is a matter about which,
Father Van Clarenbeck says, little
can be said at the present time.
The choir of the Methodist church
is making arrangements to give a
sacred opera in the near future, in
which they will be assisted by the local
musical talent. At the present time
Billings can produce more and better
musical taIen than the city ever had
before, and the people are promised a
fine production in Queen Esther" A
director from the east who is at pres.
ent in Helena getting up the cantata,
will be engaged to come here and SUI
perintend the production.
The Sunday schools of the various
cities and towns of Montana are max
ing arrangements to be we'll represent
ed at the state Sunday school conven-
ton which is to be held in this city
April 80, MAY l and 2. Among those
who will be present the outside
the state is DR.. George R. Miller of
Minneapolis, one of the most earnest
bible students and most thoroughly
equipped normal instructors that the
country affords. Field Worker John
Orchard will be here also, fresh from
a tour of me state, and there will be
the best of Montana talent. Some of
the things scheduled on the pro-
gramme are two addresses and two
bible studies by DR.. Merrill, Mr.. Or
chard's report of his convention tour,
the presentation of primary methods
by skilled workers. the presentation
OF up-to-date Sunday school methods
and the discussion of practical themes.
All who are interested in Sunday
school work are entitled to sit as del
egates and all delegates will be en-
%tertained by the people of Billings.
Special rates for the convention have
been made by the railroads. Every
county in the state is entitled to two
delegates. The local committees are
hard at work arranging everything
in connection with the convention and
are being assisted by the people of
Billings, who will see that the visitors
are well taken care of during their
short sojourn here.
The Sunday school children of st.
Luke's Episcopal church have pledged
themselves to raise the sum. of SIS
for missionary purposes.
The Baptist church. which holds its
services in the court house, is also
considering the proposition of erect
ing a new church building. A year
ago the church society purchased de-
sirable lots on North Twenty-ninth
street. upon which they hope to have
q church in the near future.