Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/379

 CORRESPONDENCE 361 scarce population of the country and the small numbers in each church, so that most of these churches have been more than doubled in numbers and the cultivation of the means of grace quadrupled, we feel that this year has been emphatic- ally the time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. Most of the accessions have been children and youths from eight to twenty-four years of age and a large proportion are lads and young men of more than usual promise, some of whom I trust will be found among the future ministers of Oregon, perhaps of Asia. To be sure we are subject as churches to all the changes and many of the discouragements of a frontier country, yet our prospects are surely becoming more and more bright. While our churches have been blessed with a harvest of souls, God has not been unmindful of our school, the Oregon City College. Br. Post's arrival was hailed with gratitude to Almighty God by some of the friends at least. I shall not soon forget the feelings that came over my mind when I learned in Portland that he and his family were at my house. Our school was at a low ebb. He has entered upon his labors with the energy of a man in earnest. His labors have been appreciated by the public and the school for the last four months has been as prosperous as could have been reasonably anticipated under the circumstances. Thus you see that God is graciously pleased to prosper thus far, but with our prosperity, new responsibilities and new wants are multiplying. We now more than before need pastors for these churches and mis- sionaries to enter upon other important fields opening in every direction. Our school building must be put in a condition to meet the pressing wants of Br. Post's family and the school, which we hope to do, God favoring, but we feel that we must have immediately a chemical and philosophical apparatus to meet the public wants and we feel that we must look to the friends at honte to furnish it. I trust you will second Br. Post's efforts to accomplish this so desirable enterprise. On the whole, although the hand of the Lord has been laid heavily upon me in the removal of my beloved wife, I think I can see the Lord is on our side and will assuredly bless us although He prepares the way by severe trials of our faith. We will take