Page 189 - Cornelius Hedges Story

For This And Succeeding Generations Gardiner 176

A subscription was soon after taken up to build a log church,
which was dedicated in July by Rev. A. E. Hough. The earliest
church was located on Cutler Street and I was a pretty regular
attendant and taught a Bible class there. To tell the truth,
Sundays were not very religiously observed in those early
days. On the contrary Sunday was the greatest business and
sporting day of the whole week.”

Hedges said that the first time he had attended “anything like
a religious observance of the Sabbath” after arriving in Montana,
was on March 26, 1865, and Rev. E. T. McLaughlin conducted the
service. He recalled that “Brother McLaughlin was a Methodist, but
church connections went for little then and all contributed to build
him a church.”531

On July 10, 1869, Rev. A.M. Hough asked Hedges to become a
trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Hedges consented.
He also was teaching Sunday School at the Methodist Church.532
In reference to an unsuccessful attempt to organize a Presbyterian
Church in Helena in 1869, Cornelius recalled, ”I doubted the wisdom
of trying to sustain another separate church organization.”533

However, on August 15, 1872, he noted in his journal that a
meeting of the Presbyterian Church was held in his office.534 And in
December, 1873, was elected a Trustee of the Presbyterian Church.535

His Christian faith and activities was not necessarily bound by
denomination. On August 22, 1875, Judge Hedges was re-elected as
President of the Southern Methodist Bible Society.536

On August 13, 1876, a Communion Sunday, he noted “I was
ordained elder, with some hesitation and misgiving – I hardly know
what was my duty.”537 As a trustee and elder of the church, Hedges
evidently regarded church attendance as a duty. His journal for
December 18, 1887, contains this terse comment, “Went to church
like a good boy, but I don’t like to hear Mr. Moore preach.”538

In addition to being an influential leader in the Helena Presbyterian
Church, he was a respected member of the Montana Presbytery.539

Because Cornelius Hedges felt that one of the best ways to
interpret the Scriptures was to live them, his life was an inspiration
to others to improve their lives.