Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/72



64 REVEREND EZRA FISHER

of meetings held last year during my residence there. Some three or four more will be baptized next month. Religious interests are wearing a more favorable appearance on Yam Hill River and on the Rickreal. Two have been added to the former church and others will probably unite soon with each of the above named churches. The Methodists and Congre- gationalists in the Willamette Valley have received some acces- sions. The Campbellites are industriously engaged in making proselytes. We have no unusual interest in this place; our congregations are good for the number of people in the com- munity and a marked attention is given to the preaching of the Word. O that God would give me more of the spirit of my station ! We have not yet constituted a church in this place, and shall probably delay organizing until spring, unless we should see that the time has come to arise and build before that time. We are having some accessions to our population on the coast by the present emigration now arriving, and some- what expect one or more Baptist families to settle with us.

Since the first of last August I have labored about half of the time directly in the appropriate duties of the ministry, and the remainder of the time in providing for the immediate wants of my family; preached 13 sermons; delivered two lectures; attended one prayer-meeting; one covenant meet- ing; visited religiously 20 families and 12 individuals; visited no common schools ; baptized none ; obtained no signatures to the temperance pledge; neither assisted at the organization of a church nor the ordination of a minister; have taught regularly a Bible class of 10 scholars, except four Sabbaths of my absence ; distributed about 500 pages of tracts, 10 Bibles and 20 Testaments ; traveled 450 miles to and from my appoint- ments ; received no person either by letter or experience; no cases of conversion in the field of my labor; no young men preparing for the ministry. The monthly concert is not sus- tained in Oregon. My people have paid nothing for missions, Bible societies or other societies; for my support $5. Con- nected with my labors is one Sunday school conducted by Bap- tists and Presbyterians; 30 scholars and six teachers, two