The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-12-26
BROTHER VAN"
IS DEAD

The Rev. w. w. Van Orsdel, Noted
Methodist Missionary of This State,
Succumbs at Deaconess Hospital
After Long Illness Friday, Dec. 70.
Great Falls-The Rev w. w. Van
Orsdel, widely known in Montana as
"Brother VAN" died at 1910 o'clock
this (Friday) morning at the Dea-
coness hospital II is probable that =
the funeral will not take place until
Tuesday. December %, in order that
prominent churchmen of the east may
have time to reach here. The body
will be laid to rest in Forestvale cenle-
terry in Helena, with services both
there and here
The foregoing paragraph will bring
sorrow to thousands of Montanans
l"Brother Van,', as the Rev. DIR.
EWilIiam Wesley Van Orsefel was calf
led. NAV we'll be cfassed as the best
known and one of the most popular
representatives of the church who
lever labored in the northwest. He
had been an active force In the ter
ritory now comprising Montana and
northern Idaho for almost half CEN
ltury. Probably not a village or ham
let but had been favored by a visit
: from this prelate of The church and
4 few people who have lived in the state
for a quarter of a century but what
have seen him ard heard him, so that
' the news that the end of Brother
VANS" work has come will cause
thousands to pause and drop tear
i OF regret that, the veteran has passed
on.
It'll Since October
t | "Brother Van' had been ill since
Y October 8, when he was stricken with
1 fr,aralysis at the home of HI. d. Reigel
: lat Chinook, q place where he fire.
h Iduently stopped when, in that part OF
: his field and which he claimed as hls
d home in the northern portion OF h1s
= work. On October "a he was carried
+ Tan invalid to the Deaconess hospital
/ in this city where he had since beer
q 4 patient. Most of the time he hao
e been in a critical condition though al
'e times he rallied and was able to visit
,e with his friends. Ten days ago ne. be
,r can to show evidence of the final de
!, cline and~' Monday another stroke O
n PARALYSIS. began TO spread over Ia
a. body which finally claimed him il
Mt death. He was in his list year an
III is survived only by his brother Fletch
no er. all his other relatives having die
lg some years ago.
Mt In the passing of the Rev. D.
tv Van Orsdel, picturesque characte
rs is taken from the ministry of tn
he west. for by his long continued labo
de DR.. Van Orsdel had gained plaC
he in the hearts of the people that fe
ed men in the public life of Montar
be had been able 70 enjoy. He can
here when The buffalo and the Indiar
roamed the prairies and at a tin
when the savagery of some of Il
tribes made life on the great plan
both exciting and dangerous, but eve
Ey the Indians learned to respect, a
Y mire and love the pioneer preacht
and he was never in trouble wi
them, personally.
rs Came Up the Missouri.
III, He came when the trip to this Sc
ton had to be made by wagon aero
the prairie ORB steamer up the NJ
sissippi river, ,either Of the cours
agS being full of true romanticism of
early days. It was, indeed, a p
turesque journey for this young m
lister of the gospel, leaving the s
tied east to carry the message
lool Jesus Christ into the wilderness
the west One of the happiest We
;. of visiting with his friends in
uits latter years was for Brother Va
ASH to recount the voyage up the Misso
'utn river from Sioux City, Iowa, VIII
Tn he started with Captain Mart Coul
rec, on "The Far West" a journey of
ana days punctuated with long stops ak
on the flats while the roustabouts
bl,- wood needed bN the steamer,
onth meeting of Indigns and the occasi
Tor al shot from the bushes when Sc
hostile Indian took occasion to 81
!, ON his dislike for the palefaces who W
our mI on the boat.
Do Brother Van" was Pennsylvar
.nd by birth. He was born at Hunt
~ wv town, about six miles from Get
yJn, "Gnf burg, on March 20, 1849. He was
oau4 e~n',+ son of Mr. and Mrs. William Van
Een e' del, members of the Methodist CHI
: oi' and devout Christian people who
;oo+e fected their loyalty to the churc
J'cE7 the christening of their son who
y = r the Youngest of q brood of 81
will children.
wlii Only One Is Left
0''''' Two singular facts stand out in
.1ouo history of the Van Orsdel fan
lItESS q nf e.
h0uld One y 'iiae VIC eSt.li ~ h % ao,I(
t the was ClIe llioC geetS' IT. ~ ~ 49,
The the 1alIiy aii't .iiG oDiaea - thit,r aPr,
seed the neaq u me yIu b,,f e, ono sI11,,
ound van 'ilTi 3, l,0 ", w onJoi nf
city
The funeral was held at Great
Tuesday afternoon, December 23l
the First M. E. Church. Bishop
ava of the NJ E. church preached the
tR sfs s:5 s:s 4 asssa sPsss ssi sfSsss s5sss
o4o in honor of the famous pioneer
sionary.f
The funeral was large and CT
were turned away from the CHI