The Butte inter mountain., 1903-10-02
TO
HOLD CONVENTION
MONTANA SYNOD WILL ASSEMBLE
IN MISSOULA OCTOBER 8 FOR
ANNUAL MEETING.
GROWTH OF STATE CHURCH
Synod Is Only Ten Years Old and Butte
Pastor Was the First Moderator
Statistics OF Membership.

The Presbyterian synod of Montana will
hold its annual meeting in the First Pres
byterian church of Missoula, October 3,
at go p. IN.
The synod is composed Of all the min
isters in the state and one elder from each
church, elected by the session OF that
church
The beginnings Of Presbyterianism in
the state date back to 1857, when Pres
bytcrian minister ard his wife came to
Fort Benton by way of the Missouri river
as missionaries to the Indians.
The Presbytery of Montana was or
panized in 1879 and the synod in 1904
Rev. +. ]. Groeneveld was the first mod
orator OF the synod at its organization.
The meeting at Missoula next week will
be the tenth anniversary Of the synod.
In 1893 there were SO churches, with
6Sl members, of whom 1877 had been re-
ceiyed during the year on profession Of
faith. There were ~ ministers and work
cfs. OF whom 20 were in active service.
The churches gave during that year
$27.32S, Of which Sag were for benev-
olences There were s,4S5 members in
the Sunday schools.
After 10 years the number of churches
has increased to 81, eight of these being
scli supporting. with membership of
3.2oo. OF whom $50 were received on pro-
fesSion OF faith during the past year.
The Presbyterians have in all II preach
ing points III the state, which are looked
after by a ministers. The 80 church
buildings are valued at $f75ooo, and 10
rbuses are worth $40 900.
The Sunday-school membership is nearly
5000. The progress in all departments of
work was quite satisfactory during the
past year
During the year three new church build
inss were dedicated, two manses built and
four new churches organized
III the meeting at Missoula all the diff
fercnt departments OF the work in the state
will be represented. Rev. +. ]. Groeneveld
Rev I. T.. Burroughs and Rev. George A.
Blair will represent the First, Emmanuel
and South Butte churches respectively ac
companied by one cider commissioner
from each church.
The Woman's Synodical Missionary So
,icty will also hold its annual meeting this
year in Missoula in connection with the
meeting Of synod.
The delegates to this meeting from The
First church, Butte. are: Mrs. X. S. Viii
son. Mrs. Joseph A. Riddcll, Mrs. c. S
passmore and Miss May Carman.
An interesting program for the Missouli
meeting has been provided by the commit
| tee on arrangements. of which Rev. Walter
| lays. pastor OF the Missoula church, is
chairman. The work OF the synod i:
making commendable progress from yeai
to year.
The faiihfulness and efficiency OF thu
workers in the home missionary sections
| Of the United States is only beginning t.
| be understood and appreciated by th'
strong and wealthy synods in the East.
In the Presbyterian church during tn,
past year the largest proportionate gain
were on home mission grounds. Montan
| reported an increase OF SO per cent owe
the aecessions OF the last year, the highes
OF any synod in the church; Indian terri
tory so per cent and North Dakota 4
| per cent.