Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 23.djvu/232



W. R.

Financial Letter copy of items

poured items in Sep. personal expenses $329.20 of the

Mission $4439.44

San Francisco N. C. July 26, 1849 To Cor Secy of the S. S. Union of the M. E. Church

Rev D. P. Kidder Dear Bro.

Oweing to the constant pressure of official duties it has been impossible for the report of our Sabbath school interests in Oregon for the past year to be prepared until the present moment; and even now it is immensely difficult in this land of excitement and adventure to find a place to write or a moment of sufficient Calmness to review the doings of the year.

The schools in actual operation at the last annual meeting were as follows.

At Oregon City 1 school, 6 officres & teachers, 35 scholars, 150 Vols in Lib. At Salem, 1 school, 11 officers & teachers, 73 scholars,

150 Vols in Lib. At Portland, 1 school, 3 officers & teachers, 31 scholars,

106 Vols in Lib.

This last school was organized in January last by Bro J. S. Smith and is in a highly prosperous condition. The labor chiefly devolves on the preacher, but promises a rich harvest so long as it can receive proper attention. At Oregon City the school has fallen off considerably oweing to the removal of many of the families, the unfitness of our church, during the past cold winter, and the organization of several other schools in more comfortable quarters, Bro Leslie has done all that he could to sustain the school.

The school at Salem, has been very successful. Three of the children have experienced religion and joined the church. The latter part of the year witnessed a decided increase in the general attendance of both teachers and children. A few such schools as this carried on with vigor for years would soon regenerate the children of the present generation.

It is proper of course to notice the schools that were in operation during the dry Season, but had to be discontinued during the rains of winter.