People had moved there, and there was No Church

    Arriving from Iowa, Rev. W.C. Shippen began his ministry in Montana in 1873.  In 1874 he was appointed pastor at Helena, and chosen as the presiding Elder of the Helena District, which included all of the Montana Territory west of the main range, and several counties east of the range.  Later, he also pastored in Bannack and Virginia City, and in several other areas in Montana.  Because of some serious health issues, for a time he had to give up his work as a pastor.


    But as he would later share, “In 1884, I went with the stampede to the Coeur d’Alenes, pulled a toboggan with 150 pounds of supplies over the mountains on snow from five to fifteen feet deep”.  He shared that in the new towns of Eagle City and Murray, he preached to the miners and prospectors every sabbath.  Sometimes it was in the streets, a dance tent or empty cabin.  Rev. Shippen officiated at many funerals, and some marriages as well.

 


    The Coeur d’Alene Nugget reported that the first religious services had been held on April 6, in a large unfinished building on Eagle Street.  The paper said that the Rev. W.C. Shippen gave an excellent sermon to a packed house, which overflowed into the street.  The congregation represented all classes, callings, occupations and professions, as well as various denominations.


    Warren Hussey, a local banker in Eagle City, and later Murray, said in his diary on April 6th, 1884, “Nothing special.  Open until 2PM.  Closed and went to church Nice day  -  Dull biz & no profits.”


    In later years, Rev. W.C. Shippen recalled, “It was there that I began to recover from my state of nervous prostration which necessitated my retirement from the effective itinerancy.”  Nervous Prostration was a common term used in the 1800s, for symptoms related to what is now known as Severe Stress and Burnout.


Paragraph 1 & 2 - Information from the Book:  When Wagon Trails Were Dim, 

by Paul M. Adams  - A collection of historical accounts of Montana’s circuit riders.  

The information on W.C. Shippen came from his own written journals and denominational records.


Paragraph 3 - Information from the early Newspaper,  the Coeur d’Alene Nugget

Quoted in the book, The Coeur d’Alenes Gold Rush, 

by Tony and Suzanne Bamonte  


Paragraph 4 - Information from the Book:  Wyatt Earp and Coeur d’Alene Gold!  

- Stampede to Idaho Territory April 6th entry in Warren Hussey’s Diary

by Jerry Dolph and Arthur Randall


Paragraph 5 - Information from the Book:  When Wagon Trails Were Dim, 

by Paul M. Adams  - A collection of historical accounts of Montana’s circuit riders.  

This information on W.C. Shippen came from his own written journals.

The Photo of Rev. Shippen above, appears in this book as well.