The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-11-21
JOYOUS CELEBRATION BY CON.
EDUCATIONAL SOCIETY.
NOW NINETEEN YEARS OLD
Members Celebrate Anniversary of
Dedication of Their Church-Short
History by Mr.. Camp.

From Wednesdays Daily Gazette.
Entirely free of debt and self-sus.
tanning, with an enrolment of III
members and one of the handsomest
church edifces in the city. the Con
gregationai society met last night for
the purpose Of celebrating the 10Th
anniversary of the dedication of their
house of worship. The occasion was
a happy n for the members as well
as their friends and the memoir of
it will long abide with those who par
ticipated in the event.
A musical programme had been ar
ranged as the opening part of the
ceremonies and at it's conclusion f.
B. Camp, n of the original trustees
Of the church, spoke about 20 min
utes during which he gave a history
of the church and related many in
cidents of a humorous and serious
nature connected with the early strug-
giles of the society to obtain a foot
hold and plant the seeds destined to
result in the fruit that was to bless
and comfort those who might come
afterward.
The first number on the programme
was a solo by Miss Lillian Allen, after
which Mrs. Bird and David Mcleod
rendered a duet. Tom Graham follow
ed with a solo. An encore was de.
manded and after he had responded;
Mrs. w. N. Hassler rendered a solo,
as did also Mrs. Bird. Both ladies
graciously complied with the demands
of the audience for
Invitations had been sent to all
former ministers of the church to be
present and take part in the exercises,
but unfortunately none could avail
himself owing to the distance at
which they now are. Mr.. S. A. Wal
lace, the second minister Of the
church, sent a letter Of regret and
good wishes, which was read by the
Rev. Mr.. Clark, who also read a sim
liar letter from Mrs. Frederick K.
Billings, widow of the p~rincely donor
of the church building occupied by
the society.
as already stated gave a history of
the church. He spoke extemporane-
ously and showed a wonderful mem
DRY for dates and events. After tell
ing how the city of Billings owed it's
existence to Herman Clark, the con-
tractor, who recently died at New
York, and the rush for lots that en-
sued after a plat of the townsite had
been prepared, Mr.. Camp said that
even in those wild and rushing days
the spirit of religion vas present as
had been manifested by Mr.. Clark and
Mr.. Hume, secretary of the townsite
company, who had made a reservation
of lots for a church. The lots re-
served were in what now constitutes
the West Side addition and being so
far out of town, Mr.. Camp said he
suggested to the gentlemen that they
reserve some nearer the center Of
the embryo city. They accepted the
suggestion and told Mr.. Camp to Sc
lect such lots as he thought would
be suitable. About all the desirable
ones had been selected, but he finally
found some that he thought would do
and asked Messrs. Clark and Hume
to reserve the 10 on which the church
now stands, but with the request that
they be given to the Presbyterian
church. The lots were marked off and
entered Of record as belonging to the
Presbyterians. Mr.. Clark then in
formed Mr.. Camp that he understood
Mr.. Billings would give $4,000 toward
the erection of a church and advised
him to write to Mr.. Billings in regard
to the matter. Mr.. Camp said he wrote |
at once and asked MI. Billings wheth-
err he would contribute $4,000 to a
Presbyterian church. In due time he
received a reply in which Mr.. Billings
said he and his family were Congrega-
tionalists and that Mrs. Billings would
give $4,000 toward the erection of a
church of that denomination, closing
with an expression of hope that it
would make no difference to Mr..
Camp, as the two churches were so
alike. This was in April, 1882.
Reverting back to the lots, Mr..
Camp explained that because of the
manner in which the townsite had
been laid off some of the lots selected
by him We're not full sized, but taper
ed off until they were only fractions
and abutted diagonally against the
west section line, adjoining land own