Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/104

 REVEREND EZRA FISHER

96

Oregon

City.

O. Ter., Oct. 17th, 1854.

Rev. Benjamin M. Hill, Cor. Sec. A. Bap. Home Mission Society. Dear Brother:

from the yearly meeting of the seventy-five miles up the valley from this place and thirty-five south of Salem. This church, like all our churches, is located in the heart of a flourishing I

have just

returned

Butte

Church,

Pleasant

country admirably adapted to grazing and the growing of wheat, corn, oats and all kinds of vegetables and fruits

adapted to

this

climate.

spent ten days with the church,

I

and Sabbaths and one sermon The meetings were interesting, but not attended night. the same results as last year. During the meeting six added by letter, one was received for baptism, there two hopeful cases of conversion and four or five others preaching

Saturdays

manifestly interested in Sperry is the pastor with

their

whom

souls'

welfare.

Br.

each with

were were were

Wm.

have labored. This church has a flourishing Sabbath school and meets every Sabbath I

The will

converts of last year appear probably hire a man and put

Br. Sperry's farm the mostly liberate him to the

coming year and by this means work of the ministry in that

for preaching or prayer.

very

well.

The church

him on

church and

This

vicinity.

is

much

better than the entire

neglect of the ministry. This closes up our yearly meetings I had hoped that I should till the opening of the spring. have been able to give particular attention to Washington

Ter. at the close of this meeting, but there are two pressing calls, one in Washington County and the other in Marion,

Salem, which are obviously more than the exploration of Washington immediately important Our brethren here urge a Ter. at this season of the year.

twelves

miles

south

of

delay of the exploration of that territory till another season. So also the Methodist minister 353 who has charge of that I am collecting facts relative to the region district advises.

of Pugets

Sound and

353 This was Rev. John F.

shall

De

be able to give you a pretty

Vore.

George H. Himes.