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46 Fred Wilbur Powell^ A. M.

Indians of Oregon.^^ It is possible, however, that Lyman was right when he said of Kelley :

"He expressed himself in a manner not easily understood by the religious people of America. His colony schemes and bills for appropriations of land, and numerous secular arrange- ments ; and his incessant political agitations struck the churches as the main object held in his view, and that his call upon the churches was rather a second thought. The religion of that period was intensely unworldly and sought a most conven- tional, or traditional, expression. Reformation, with demands for which the country was being belabored, was not recognized as of a religious nature."^

To Kelley there was little difiference between honest doubt and active opposition, and the stupendous nature of his plans and his earnest manner of presenting them alike put obstacles in his way. The very nature of the man aroused antagonism on the part of the indifferent, and led those who would have listened to a less vehement prophet to withhold their confidence. Platform presentation by a man of convincing manner is an effective sort of propaganda. But Kelley was not the man for such a task, for he was temperamentally incapable of de- scribing his plans without vigorous and general denunciation of all who disagreed with him. At times his manner became hysterical, and in after years he admitted that his mental con- dition had been a "near approximation to insanity."*' Of his ex- periences while on lecture tour, he said: "My adversaries were everywhere on the alert. They watched every move- ment of mine, pursuing me from city to city, la)ring every plan to vex and worry me, to alienate friends and turn them from and against me, and to discourage those who had enlisted for Oregon . . . and to turn them from their purpose.*^*

Why was the enterprise opposed, and who opposed it?

XI Affidavit of William C. Brown» former editor of Zion's Htrald (1843), in Kelley, Memorial, 1848: 8; Settlement of Oregon, 63-4- 12 hyraan. III, 13^. I $ Settlement of Oregon, 15. 14 Ibid., 24.