Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/418



410 DIARY OF JASON LEE

"Yes, where thou goest I will go,

With thine my earthly lot be cast ; In pain or pleasure, joy or woe, Will I attend thee to the last.

That hour shall find me by thy side, And where thy grave is, mine shall be ;

Death can but for a time divide,

My firm and faithful heart from thee.

Thy people and thy charge be mine,

Thy God, my God shall ever be ; All that I have receive as thine,

My heart and hand I give to thee.

And as through life we glide along, Through tribulation's troubled sea ;

Still let our faith in God be strong, And confidence unshaken be.

(Signed) ANNA MARIA. Ruth 1, 16, 17.

The following Sabbath which was the 16th of July, had been previously appointed for our first public communion in Oregon, and Brother Shepard had determined to be married on the morning of that day in the public congregation, believing it would have a beneficial influence upon those who were living with native women, without the ceremony of marriage.

Miss Pitman and I concluded that we would lead the way ; but this we kept a profound secret from all except my nephew, who was to do the business.

We were fully aware that this was a step that every member of the Mission Family was very anxious we should take, yet they had no idea that it would be so soon, and no evidence that it would ever be.

Miss P. aided in preparing the supper, and all went to Mr. Shepard's credit. The morning of the 16th came, it was a