Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 16.djvu/92

84 Old pioneers of Oregon who knew Ezra Fisher well have said that he was a pleasant man to meet and converse with. In manner, he was quiet, kindly and dignified. In appearance, he was six feet in height and thin. His complexion was fair, his eyes blue, his hair light brown and abundant. His health, never the best, made him appear somewhat delicate, but he was muscular and had great endurance. In later years his beard was nearly gray, while his hair was but slightly so. He was careful of his appearance and, according to the almost universal custom of New England ministers, wore a "stove pipe" hat. For the first eight years after coming to Oregon, his trips about the Valley were made on foot and he always carried the usual carpet bag of those days.

When he preached he was earnest, convincing and scholarly. He could preach a doctrinal sermon, but seldom did. No pioneer minister of Oregon could be more depended upon to hold up the Christ than Elder Fisher. He disliked either levity or sensationalism in a minister. In delivery he was pleasing; he used simple language and was sometimes eloquent. He generally used a skeleton. Those which have been preserved, show that his ideas were surprisingly modern. He often used the expression, "one more observation." If young people ever objected to this, they liked his pleasant smile after the sermon was over and he was very successful in his work with them.

At the close of the Willamette Association of 1852, over which he had presided and to attend which he had walked from Oregon City to Parrish Gap, about twelve miles above Salem, he placed his hand on a boy's head and said: "I could walk this country all over for my Master, if I could only be successful in winning souls to Christ." He then appealed to the boy to become a Christian. It was one of many similar appeals. "He was always sowing good seed," said one who knew him well.