Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 23.djvu/397



METHODIST REPORTS WILLAMETTE MISSION 347

1. RESOLVED, That Brother Gary, our new Super- intendent be, and is hereby instructed to ascertain, as soon as possible after his arrival in Oregon, the state of affairs in the secular department of our mission in that country, whether the mercantile, agricultural and me- chanical operations, as they are now carried on, in con- nection with that mission, are necessary to the successful prosecution, and whether they are advantageous to its interests in a pecuniary view or otherwise; and should he become satisfied that these secular operations are detrimental rather than useful to the mission, that he is hereby instructed to use his discretion in dismissing any surplus hands now in its employ, thereby giving to the mission, as far as practicable, a strictly spiritual char- acter.

2. RESOLVED, That Brother Gary be, and is hereby instructed to use his discretion in disposing of such prop- erty as now belonging to the mission as may not be avail- able to its advancement.

3. RESOLVED, That should Brother Gary find it necessary to dismiss any of the secular members of the mission family in Oregon, he be, and is hereby requested to pay off any amounts which may be due them, so far as pracitcable out of such property belonging to the mis- sion as it may not be advantageous for it to retain."

From these resolutions it will be seen that the author- ity given Brother Gary to sell or retain any part of the mission property in Oregon, as he might judge best for the interests of the mission, was unlimited; and in view of the circumstances of the case, such a discretionary power was imperatively demanded. But delicate and responsible as were the trusts committed to him, it gives us pleasure to be able to announce to the Society, and those friends of the missionary cause who have so nobly stood by us and sustained us through all our pecuniary embarrassments, that our excellent Superintendent has fully justified the confidence reposed in him by the Epis-