Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/259

 CORRESPONDENCE 247 circumstances are rather embarrassing. We feel inclined to the opinion that it will operate against the interests of the school in our immediate community, if we appeal to the public liberality to pay his passage and that of his family from San Francisco just at the time when their benevolence is highly taxed every year to meet the sufferings of the overland immi- gration by sending them provisions above the Cascade Moun- tains and by aiding the poor after their arrival in the valley. If we apply to the churches, they are scattered over a country almost half as large as the state of N. Y. I think, however, an appeal to the churches would meet with a tolerably cordial response. But this I must make, if it is done this year. Then your Board are growing impatient for me to visit Pugets Sound and, should I delay this journey five or six weeks, the rainy season, high waters, difficult travelling and the embar- rassments attendant to an exploring agent's business in the winter, would be the result. By advising with the brethren, they say, Delay your tour to the Sound till this object is secured. And this is the course I should regard Providence marking out for me but for the fact that your Board are look- ing to the Sound with a deep interest and I am unwilling to disappoint them. I shall endeavor to see the agent of the Rowland and Aspinwall Company 331 and do what I can for Br. Post in a few days, attend the yearly meeting of the Oregon City Church commencing Friday before the first Sabbath in Sept., and leave for the Sound just as soon as this meeting closes, take the first part of the rainy season into the tour and leave the event with Him who does all things well. I wish to state that Marion County, with Salem for its shire, which is the capital of the Territory, has no Baptist minister within its bounds. In this county are three mission- ary and two anti-missionary Baptist churches. The three missionary churches are nearly twelve miles from Salem. The three churches are nearly able to sustain one minister. Now I think your Board would do well to appoint a minister for 331 The Rowland and Aspinwall Company operated steamships from New York to the Isthmus of Panama. Geo. H. Himes.