Churches and Charitable Societies 



Religious, Corrective and Fraternal Organizations Have 



Been Active in Montana Since the Early Days, and 



Now Fill a Large Place in the Life of the 



People in All Parts of the State. 



HE PERSON having church and fraternal affiliations; or an interest 

 in charitable and reform societies, need have no hesitation about 

 coming to Montana for he will find here practically every 

 church, charitable and fraternal organization known. He will 

 find plenty of opportunity to affiliate with these organizations 

 and to engage in the task of carrying on needed work in these 

 lines. Bright, capable and energetic men and women will find 

 an opportunity to do much good to their fellowmen. 



Early Church History. 



Before the gold seeker came to the state, the Jesuit missionary had preceded him 

 and was doing work among the Indians. Shortly after, the early Methodist mission- 

 aries came into the state, and they were soon followed by missionaries from the 

 Baptist, Episcopalian, Presbyterian and Congregational denominations. At first there 

 were few workers in the field and most of the missionaries had a large circuit 

 over which to travel. These circuit riders traveled by team, on horseback, or on 

 foot over all the state, holding services at ranches, in the camps or wherever a few 

 people could be gathered together. They traveled hundreds of miles over trackless 

 prairies and across mountain ranges, carrying the word of God to the miners and 

 the settler, performing the marriage ceremony, christening the babies and holding 

 final services over the dead. 



These pioneer clergymen were real men, and they had to deal with their like. 

 In the larger towns the largest room for assemblage was often the gambling hall. 

 It was freely given them, and many a sermon has been preached in the early days 

 in those places, while the proprietors were among those who helped give the 

 "sky pilot" as the preacher was called, the wherewithal to continue his work and 

 build churches. 



Churches of Today. 



Today the churches in the state are well organized, with efficient leadership in 

 the larger centers, with branches extending into practically every community and 

 village in the country. The churches have kept pace with the growth of the terri- 

 tory and the state. In all of the larger cities there are fine church edifices and in 

 the villages and many country communities there are church buildings. In some 

 places community churches have been established where the people may all get 

 together to make a stronger organization with better leadership. The churches 

 have also fostered education, and have established schools and colleges for the edu- 

 cation of their young people in a Christian atmosphere. 



Different Denominations. 



The Catholics are strongly organized in all parts of the state and have a large 

 membership. They have two resident bishops in the state, one at Helena and one at 



