Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-07-18
Program Of Much General Interest 10
Carried Out at the Morning and
Evening Services.
LETTERS FROM EARLY WORKERS
Address by Rev. George Edwards, First
Minister Of the Church-How
Work Was Started.

the entire program being arranged to
celebrate the fifteenth anniversary Of
the organization of the church in Lew
istown. Those who helped to lay the
foundations of the organization par
ticipated in the services. either by
letter or in person, the whole form
ing a record of growth and expansion
from "the day of small things
The church was handsomely deco.
rated for the occasion, and the at
tendance at both services was very
large, among those present being a
few who took part in the original or
ganization.
Letter From Dr.. Wishard.
The following letter from DR.. S. E.
Wishard, synOdical missionary, who
was here at the time the church was
started, and who is familiar with all
its history, was read:
'To Pastor Quickenden and Members
of the church and congregation of
LeWlStOW0, montana.
salt Lake City, July /, 1905.-Dear
Brethren: esteem it high privi.
lege to join you, in this informal and
epistolary way, in the celebration Of
the fifteenth anniversary of the or
ganization of your church. With
pleasure l recall the event, as l was
there with my noble comrade and fel-
low soldier. Rev. George Edwards, and
am only disappointed that cannot be
with you now.
LET me congratulate you that you
still live and grow as church. You
were little one at the birth, but have
been so we'll fed on the sincere milk
of the word that you have about
reached the stalwart period. con.
gratulate you that you are not only
taking care of yourselves, but are
stretching out a helping hand to 9TH
er ecclesiastical infants. Indeed,
have learned after more than 48 years
in the ministry, that the best way
to take care of ourselves, is to take
care of others. There is that scat
tereth, yet increaseth.' I never knew
church to die of liberality. They
do perish sometimes by 'bestowing all
greatly interested in your pastors
statement Of what you are doing, and
have no doubt but that the years will
bring larger things to you.
1.-THE memory of that journey to
your town in 1890, in company with
one of the most laborious missionaries
that has ever been given to Montana.
is very fresh today. The ride from
White Sulphur Springs. behind the
'twa' roadsters and their master at
the reins, the night at the illustrious
town Of Ubet, where the horse race
and dance in the evening took our con-
gregation-these and other incidents
are still inscribed on memory's tab
let.
after reaching Lewistown. Brother
Edwards arranged for our meeting in
the school house. The country was
new to me, the town was new and the
people, but nothing was new to my
companion. He knew everyone on the
way to Lewistown, and everyone when
he reached that place. He had to-
for that is the way OF the home mis-
sionary. He was at home every place
and in every other place That was
| the gift God had given him. Alas FOL
the missionary that does not have that
gift. AS master of ceremonies, Broth
er Edwards easily secured entrance tC
the school house.
"On July 13, 1890, we held our first
meeting. And as we had gone there
| to do something, there was one spec
ific text for the preacher. 1t was
| found in Eccl. $40: Whatsoever thy
hands find to do, do it, The thing
| to be done was made as clear as the
man from darkest Utah could make IT
Then followed the how to do it Fol
| reckless sinner had been doing what
he ought not to do, and the community
was so stirred that going to church in
| school house was too commonplace
| to attract attention. But we dealt AZ
| fairly as we could with the company
we had.
| ION the next evening the preacher
commended a commodity that was al
too scarce in the town, from the text
in Luke, 17-5: Lord, increase oul
faith AS there did not seem to be
much of the article in Lewistown
the missionaries thought it well to Sc
cure a larger supply, if possible
Hence the preacher undertook to show
the goods, to set forth clearly wha
is saving faith, and then gave some
inspired information as to where it il
to be had and how increased, but still
there were untaken seats in the small
school house.
"On the next evening We began fir
ing at every mans besetting sin. Th'
gospel given was loaded with an apos
tolic ball from Heb. II, /. The sill
which doth so easily beset US was dis
covered to be unbelief 1t was pre-
posed to lay it aside then put it t
death. To help accomplish this dc
sirable end, the next evening of tn
meeting was devoted to demonstra
ing that there is nothing hard for tn
Lord. The congregation was given
panoramic view of the mighty Jehova
in creation and redemption, as sus
gested from jeremiah, 1927. The col
gregation was still growing. as was tn
hope and JOY of the missionaries.
"The closing meeting, July II, th
answer was given to the great que