The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-03-30

NJ
e futile, famous bishop of Montana
a in territorial days, is dying at his
}. home in st. Louis. He is 81 years
n of age and until recently was hale
y and hearty He was the first min
4 lister of the protestant Episcopal
: church to come to Montana terri
r tory. That was So years ago, when
: Montana was a wilderness, with
: settlements along the gold bear
ing creeks. The young minister
was a man of education and Gull
ture but he quickly adapted him
self to the rough ways of the west,
and by his good works, his courage
and ability, won for himself high
place in the esteem of the pioneers.
Some years ago he was asked by
the Montana historical society to
write the story of his church in
Montana and his reply, an histori-
cal document, was In part as fol-
lows:
II am glad to comply with the re-
quest; and am really grateful for the
Invitation. Montana is craven on my
heart, and not until the hearts earth
Iy beating is stilled shall the loved
names be ODnteTdLeu.
The bishop landed in Virginia City
on July IS, 1867, more than three
years following the hanging of Plum
mer and his gang by the Vigilantes
Writing of his arrival at the famous
camp, the bishop said in the article
furnished for the historical society:
Graves of Road Agents
This celebrated placer camp of AL
der gulch was in the fourth year of
| its life On the top of the hill over
looking it were the graves of several
road agents who had been executed
by the Vigilantes. There were al
most no other graves. The busy Wig
orous population of the camp put
down at less than 1000. was a.
tenderfoot, but from the very first
the old-timers made no scorn of me,
and in all the after years Loyalty
stood by me. 1t was arranged to hold
the first service by a clergyman of
our church in Montana on Sunday
morning, July 81, in the council
chamber, an upper room on Jackson
street, and think over John Rookie
fellows store, used for the sessions
of the legislative council since Vir-
ginia City had become the capitol of
the territory. There we're several in
the congregation accustomed to the
prayer book and they readily took
their part in the responses. Among |
them were Judge Hosmer, Judge w. |
L. Lowell and wife, Col. F. c. Diem
ing and wife, Mrs. N J. Davis, Mrs.
Gilbert, Mr. Calhoun and T. c. Everts.
A church was organized and of the
nine vestrymen selected, only five
Episcopalians, though the others SYM
pathized with the movement, and
we're willing to cast in their lot with
1t. This is typical of all the work
done by me, and for me, and under
me, in Montana
The bishop then went to Helena
and held a few services and then
vent back to Virginia City, where he
emained until early September and !
hen made a short visit to Idaho. He {
vent back to Virginia City and set :
led down as steady pastor until the
spring. :
Shared His Cabin 1t
"Hotel expenses we're frightfully d
igh,'' he wrote. sd. w. Tilton, out a
f the goodness of his heart, invited c
Ir. Goddard and myself to share with 1
i'm his cabin on the hillside above
over street. We went for food to
he restaurant on Main street, kept
y Mrs. Link. After l came back
rom Helena and until I went to Ida
o, Tilton's cabin was my home. In
1 wrote my first three Montana
ermons the first three I had ever
ritten as bishop.
81 kept up public service in the
ouncil chambers. In it on August
, I baptized Alvaretta Link, four
ears old, and Fannie Louise Davis, a
ably; my first baptisms as bishop.
[y first marriage solemnized in
Iontana was that of John H. Ming
, Catherine L. Cole at Nevada City,
eb. 20, 1868. My first burial was
lat of Thomas Eastland, miner
ON his cabin in Virginia City, Aug.
2, 1857. 1t may not be amiss to
,cord that in my 13 years of service
Montana l baptized 268 children,
Id SO adults; I married 81 couples;
lried 23 persons, and confirmed
TO-"
Few Praying Men
The bishop was made chaplain of II
e legislative council. OF this ex-Il
srience he writes: 81 do not want
judge, but l fear very few praying
en- were among the members,
ough all we're respectful, and even
weren't. Nearly all the members of
'th houses came to church ON
day. And, wonderful
relate, during the services that
cry saloon in town save one was
osed up"
The first Episcopal church in Mon
ma was originally meant for a
ethodist. In fact, the building was
arly completed by young minister
the name of King from Colorado.
hen the minister couldn't meet the
ms on the edifice he became dis-
uraged and left in the night for
1t Lake. Bishop Tuttle was ap-l
cached on the subject and with the
of business men secured the III
ilding and property and on May
, 1868, held first services in ST.
f.1yo Oh, hn