Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 23.djvu/391



METHODIST REPORTS WILLAMETTE MISSION 341

others she has shown herself but too ready to yield to despondency. Had it been practicable for her to have taken a sober and enlightened view of this Oregon enter- prise, in all its various circumstances and aspects, she could not have been so easily elevated or depressed by counter representations from the country. But the ex- treme distance of the mission from the seat of the So- ciety's operations, the long intervals between our dis- patches, and sometimes the conflicting statements of the missionaries, rendered it impossible even for the Board to judge of the facts in the case correctly. The Managers flatter themselves, however, that the darkness which for a time rested on this Mission has passed away, and that its true state is now satisfactorily understood. What was visionary has given place to reality and well authen- ticated facts leave no room for the operation of busy and fruitless conjecture. And, now, occupying an emi- nence from which they are able to command an enlight- ened view of its entire history, the Board have deemed it proper to preface the operations of the past year with a brief and condensed view of the origin and progress of the mission up to that period:

This mission was apparently commenced under the most favorable auspices. The visit of the four Flat Head Indians to this country, in the year 1832, inquiring for the Christian's book and the white Man's God, produced a sensation throughout the length and breadth of our own Zion, amounting to enthusiasm. All eyes were at once turned to the valley of the Columbia as the great field for missionary effort and all hearts seemed to beat in unison for the project of establishing a mission among the Flat Head Indians. Some of the ablest ministers in the connection strongly advocated the measure, and many of our most influential members gave it more than a ver- bal sanction. The men and means were soon forthcom- ing, and on the recommendation of the Board of Man- agers, the Bishop appointed Jason and Daniel Lee to