Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1908-12-25
he Presbyterian Banquet

-.HLH
The banquet given by the member
of the Presbyterian church Monda.
night to Rev. w. s.. Holt, field secretar,
of The board of Home Missions, was
very enjoyable affair. DR.. E. J.. Clarl
acted as POSTMASTER and kept thing
moving. Following is the program:
1 Invocation. Rev. Geo. H. Greenfield
= Course
3 Pioneer RI "reminiscences James CLARK
4 Cours.a
D What can Elko do for ner young
Rev. J. j. banks of Carlir
o Course
z Our Schools, Prof. p. J. McWhinney
s Course
0 The good will of the Western Pa
cific. IF. S. Gedncy
10 The Elko Presbyterian C~hurch-lts
past. u. L.. Keyscr
II The Elko Presbyterian Church-Its
future. $500. Lambert Henderson
IL Our guest. w. ,. Holt
The POSTMASTER followed the reading
of each toast with an appropriate senti-
ment. The speeches were all very good.
but to the writer's mind the speech of
the evening was made by Lambert
Henderson. The young man showed
oratorical ability which if he will cult
vate will make him Il very popular after
dinner speaker. The "reminiscences of
the early church work in Elko by
Uncle Jimmy Clark brought peals of
laughter from every II present.
Principal McWhinncy in his remarks
about the schools made the statement
that there were several boys under the
age of II years in Elko who were al
lowed by their parents to run around
town till late ut night and that they
frcquentcd saloons and gambling games.
Also that these boys had been known to
place money OH the roulette wheels.
This statement came us a shock to the
writer. If such a condition of affairs
exists in this town, and we have no
reason to doubt Principal McWhinney's
word, it is high time the people of Elko
are waking up to the evils hat sur
rounds their boys. Such conditions are
u disgrace to Elko and they should he
speedily removed.
The speeches in regard to the past
and future of the Presbyterian church
gave a concise history of the church
since its organization and predicted Il
~. 49, lnt'... 1t seemed to the writer,
however,: IT, much stress was laid
upnn the poycrt- # H." ct...b2u h tsrtt
-nr Hol. .naSt nG,o been impressed with
the idea that the people of Ellso have
been n very miscrly lot in the PSI -.
that Fern was but little hope of them
in the future. Not one of the speakers
mentioned what the people of Elko
have done III the past twenty years for
the churches and what they are doing
today. 1t is true that for many years
church work languishcd in Elko. SO
did all other work.
In 1892, the town of Elko was mt II
very low ebb. The mo of its people
were poor and their prospects for the
future were not bright. But in that
year the old Presbyterian church was
abandoned and the present church was
begun and completed the next year ut Il
cost of several thousand dollars. In
1893 or 4, the people were called upon
for funds to build the Episcopal church.
They responded again and St. Paul's
church stands as u monument to their
generosity.
The organization of the Episcopal
church doubled the burden the people
were already bearing. There were now
two churchs to support instead of one.
What would have made one prosperous,
thrifty church was divided and two
weak, struggling churches was the re-
suit. But still the end was not. Each
church decided that it must nave a hall.
Again the people were called on and
Mizpah and Leonard Halls were built.
But we cannot pursue the subject
further. When all the record is given,
the people of Elko do not show up so
misery. We hope this will fall under
the eye of DR.. Holt and that he will not
leave with the impression that the
people Of Elko squeeze every dollar that
conn into their possession until the
eagle squawks.
AS said in the beginning Of this ar
ticlc, all the speeches were good. All
of them contained food for Thought, but
q lengthy notice of them must he
omitted. Tho speech of Mr.. Nc.
Whitney ana the speeches on church
affairs were of such a character that We
feel 1t our duty to call them to the
attention of the public.
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