Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/690

 The Oregon Agriculturist and Rural Northwest is another agricultural journal now firmly established, and devoted largely to the interest of the fruit growers.

The "Pacific Christian Advocate" of the interests of the Methodist Episcopal church, is the oldest of the religious papers of Portland, being founded about the year 1862. Rev. Thos. H. Pearne, a very able and eloquent preacher was the first editor. Rev. Isaac Dillon was the editor in 1868. Rev. Daniel Rader is the present editor. The paper has a large circulation, and is a powerful influence on all moral and public questions affecting morals.

The Catholic Sentinel comes next after the Advocate in date of founding, and is probably now fully equal to the Advocate in circulation and influence. In a recent account of its tribulations in getting started, much of what it says of itself, would also apply to the Advocate.

The Catholic Sentinel was first published in February, 1870. It was due to the enterprise and courage of H. L. Herman and J. F. Atkinson, that the publication was launched. In the then very sparsely-settled region of the Pacific northwest, it required considerable courage to embark on the uncertain sea of Catholic journalism. Within the vast territory, which the paper might be expected to serve, the several dioceses did not contain as many Catholics as could be found in two or three good sized eastern city parishes. The great extent of territory, made the securing of subscriptions a difficult matter and had not the clergy undertaken to act as loyal agents throughout the northwest, the enterprise must have failed. Indeed, it is not too much to say that all through the paper's history, the generous loyalty of the clergy has been its chief asset.

The Sentinel was established during the Vatican council, and there seems to have been more than a merely fortuitous connection between the establishment of a Catholic paper in the Pacific northwest, and the epoch making gathering of the bishops of the Catholic church. The convocation of the Vatican council by Pius IX, and the announcement that it would deal among other matters with Papal infallibility, let loose a flood of vituperation against the Pope and all things Catholic. In few places, perhaps, was the outbreak of anti-Catholic feeling more bitter than here in the northwest.

Other religious papers established here are the Jewish Tribune, weekly. Rev. N. Mosessohn, editor.

The Pacific Baptist, weekly, Rev. James A. Clarke, editor.

The Presbyterian societies published for a time an elegant monthly, entitled "The Hesperian;" but it was limited mainly to church subjects, and never secured a general circulation even among Presbyterians; and for that reason was discontinued years ago.

The naturalized citizens from foreign countries residing in Portland are public spirited, or clannish, owing to the angle of vision of the reader, in supporting newspapers devoted to the entertainment and interest of the various nationalities represented.

The Swedes have their "Oregon Posten," F. M. Lonegreen, editor, published weekly. The Scandinavians, generally, have their "Pacific Scandinavian," Independent Weekly, Langhoe Publishing Co., publishers. The Germans have their "Deutsche Zeitung," weekly, devoted to the interests of the German nationalities, A. E. Kern & Co., publishers. And also "The Nachrichten" (German weekly) Edgar Winter, editor.