Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/466



458 REVEREND EZRA FISHER

more promising than those of any other sect. Marysville is the head of steamboat navigation at present and must be- come one of the best points on the river for trade, with a surrounding country unrivalled in point of fertility of soil and beauty of scenery. At the solicitude of some of the members and friends I consented to spend the fifth Sabbath in this month with them. The church will make arrange- ments during the month of June to supply themselves once or twice each month. Should they invite me to preach monthly with them, I shall regard it my duty to comply with the re- quest till they can get a man to devote his entire labors in Bent on County.

Marysville is about two years old, contains about eight or ten families, five dry goods stores and about twenty frame buildings. A brisk trade is carried on between the place and the gold mines. 264 The church paid Br. Hill something more than $200 for his services and I think would raise some $200 to $400 salary for a suitable minister to preach all the time in the county.

You will hear more from this place in two or three months. My time is all taken up in travelling and preaching and per- forming the duties of a minister in Oregon. My lungs have been troublesome through the winter and are not entirely healed. Br. Johnson is still unable to preach.

Yours truly, Received July 17, 1852. EZRA FISHER.

N. B. I received the bills of lading for the goods shipped on the M. Howes Jan. 13 and 20.

Oregon City, O. T., July 28, 1852. To Rev. Benjamin M. Hill,

Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Soc., N. York. Dear Brother:

Yours under date June 3rd came to hand by the last mail. You will learn before the receipt of this that I am making ar-

264 The Hudson's Bay Company's trail leading from Fort Vancouver to the Sacramento Valley was a few miles west of Corvallis. George H. Himes.