

'^iMi.iiUi'L 



Great Falls. They have a number of orphanages, parochial schools and high schools, 

 academies for girls at Helena, Missoula and Great Falls, and a college for boys at 

 Helena. 



The Methodists have a strong and active membership. They have a resident 

 bishop at Helena, with four district superintendents in charge of the work under the 

 bishop, in the two conferences, in the state. Their congregations are found in prac- 

 tically every community. They maintain a college and academy at Helena, a 

 Deaconess school at Helena, orphanages and several Deaconess hospitals through- 

 out the state. 



The Episcopal church has a resident bishop in Helena, who supervises the work 

 throughout the state. All of the larger cities have churches with well trained rectors, 

 while the smaller villages are visited for services by rectors on circuits. 



All Doing Good Work. 



The Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Christian and Lutheran churches, 

 while not having as large a membership as the Catholics or Methodists, have effi- 

 cient organizations and strong leadership. They all maintain strong churches in 

 the larger cities, with branches in all parts of the state. Some of the smaller 

 places are visited by pastors on circuit at regular intervals. The many smaller 

 denominations have various organizations in the different communities. 



The Young Men's Christian Association maintains large and modern buildings 

 in the larger cities. A state Y. M. C. A. secretary has headquarters at Billings, 

 from which place he directs the affairs of the Association in the cities and in the 

 colleges of the state. The Y. W. C. A. is also organized and maintains buildings in 

 some of the larger cities. 



Charitable Institutions. 



Hospitals are located all over Montana under the direction of the different 

 churches. These have commodious buildings and excellent equipment, with efficient 

 directors in charge. Institutions for the training and care of defectives and 

 delinquents, such as the State Industrial School, State School for Deaf and Dumb, 

 Florence Crittenden Homes and Homes of the Good Shepherd, are located in the 

 state. There are also a number of orphanages, a state Bureau of Child and Animal 

 Protection and a State Board of Charities and Reform. The church has since its 

 beginning in Montana, been a chief factor in the development of beneficent institu- 

 tions and reform movements. 



There is not a fraternal organization of any prominence which is not repre- 

 sented by local organizations. The Masons were probably the first to organize 

 in Montana and today that order has a magnificent temple in the capital city 

 and others in different cities. It has a home for aged member's* and an exceed- 

 ingly large membership. The Odd Fellows organized early in Montlijna, the order has 

 grown with the state, and it has also a home for its aged members. The same 

 story of growth may be told of all the other leading fraternal and beneficial organi- 

 zations. 



While there are many more things in the nature of religious and beneficent 

 reform work that could be done in Montana, yet the state is not behind other states 

 in this work and has factors at work which give a bright outlook for the future. 

 The state needs strong, industrious, efficient and religious citizens. 



