Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/181



CORRESPONDENCE 173

Cut the lower part of this half sheet and you have my entire bill.

P. S. Send no more goods by the Sandwich Islands. Bill continued from the other page: 1 bolt Kentucky jean, 1 pair thick, men's shoes, No. 6, 2 pairs stout, ladies 5 morocco shoes, Nos. 4 and 4^2, 1 pair misses' shoes, calf skin, No. 2^2, 1 do No. 1.

Yours respectfully,

EZRA FISHER.

Clatsop Plains, Oregon Ter., Feb. 8th, 1849. Rev. Benj. M. Hill. Dear Brother:

Yours under date of October 15th, 1847, presented some of your views of the importance of making an early attempt to lay the foundation for a denominational school which should eventually mature into a college and theological seminary. I was greatly cheered to learn that some of our Eastern breth- ren were beginning to think on that subject. This is a cause which is far from being among the least of my cares. And, first, from selfish motives I am called upon to be awake to this work. My rising family and that of a respectable num- ber of our brethren imperiously demand that something be done, and that soon, or our children must be distressingly neglected. And, secondly, such is the character of a large portion of our Oregon Baptists that, as a denomination, we cannot be efficient and secure a great amount of public con- fidence till we can find some benevolent enterprise at home in which we can enlist their sympathies. This will be likely to be a work around which all will rally from personal in- terest more readily than any other benevolent enterprise now before the Christian public. Through this medium I would hope to call into our Territory more liberal-minded men from the older states. It is true that we have a respectable number of Baptists who appreciate the importance of an edu-