Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/704

 which was successful from the first. The Oregon Churchman, a small monthly publication in the interests of the church, was first issued this year.

The episcopal church was making steady advances when in 1867 Bishop Scott died, universally lamented. Over 200 persons had been confirmed, not all of whom remained steadfast during an interval of two years when the diocese was without a head. A fresh impetus was imparted to the life of the church when a new missionary bisliop, B. Wistar Morris, arrived in Oregon, in June 1869. A block of land was purchased in Portland, on Fourth Street, between Madison and Jefferson, and St Helen Hall built. By the 6th of September it had fifty pupils. In the following year it was enlarged, and began its second year with 125 pupils. The Scott grammar and divinity school for boys was erected in 1870, on a tract of land in the western part of Couch s addition, commanding a fine view of Portland and the Willamette River. Both of these institutions were successful, the grammar school having to be enlarged in 1872. The building was burned in November 1877, but rebuilt larger than before, at a cost of 25,000. In the same year the congregation of trinity church erected a new edifice on the block occupied by the former one between Oak and Pine, but facing on Sixth Street, and costing over $30,000, the bishop being assisted by several clergymen. A church had been organized in Walla Walla by Wells, who extended his labors to several of the towns of eastern Oregon in 1873. In 1874 the bishop laid the corner-stones of five churches, and purchased four acres of land in the north-western quarter of Portland, on which was erected a hospital and orphanage, under the name of Good Samaritan, the energy of Morris and the liberality of the people of Portland placing the episcopal society in the foremost rank in point of educational and charitable institutions. When Scott entered upon his diocese, it included all of the original territory of Oregon, but occupied later only Oregon and Washington. In the latter, in 1876, there "were seven churches, one boarding-school for girls at Walla Walla one parish school, one rectory, and 157 communicants. Episcopal Church in Or., a history prepared for the centennial commissioners, 1876, Vancouver, 1876; Seattle Intelligence, Aug. 24, 1879.

Among the other religious denominations of Oregon were the Campbellites. Like the other churches, they knew the value of sectarian schools, and according to one of their elders, would have had one in every county had it been practicable. As I have before said, they founded the school at McMinnville, which became a baptist college, James McBride, William Dawson, and S. C. Adams erecting the first college building. Adams taught the school just previous to its transfer. A little later than the McMinnville school was the founding of the Bethel Academy in 1856. The promoters of this enterprise were Elder G. O. Burnett, Amos Harvey, Nathaniel Hudson, and others. In 1855 it was chartered by the legislature as the Bethel Institute. In October they advertised that they were ready to receive pupils, and also that students will be free to attend upon such religious services on each Lord s day as they may choose. The institute opened in November with fifty or sixty pupils in attendance, and we learn that Judge Williams addressed the people at a meeting of the trustees in February following. L. L. Rowland and N. Hudson were teaching in 1859, and in 1860 the act of incorporation was amended to read Bethel College. ''Or. Laws'', 1860, 102-3. At this time the Bethel school was prosperous. It had a well-selected library, and choice apparatus in the scientific departments.

But Bethel had a rival in the same county. In 1855 measures were taken to found another institution of learning, the trustees chosen being Ira F. Butler, J. E. Murphy, R. P. Boise, J. B. Smith, S. Simmons, William Mason, T. H. Hutchison, H. Burford, T. H. Lucas, p. R. Lewis, and S. S. Whitman. This board organized with Butler for president, Hutchison secretary, and Lucas treasurer. A charter was granted them the same year, incorporating Monmouth University; 460 acres of land were donated, Whitman giving 200, T. H. Lucas 80, A. W. Lucas 20, and J. B. Smith and Elijah Davidson each 80. This land was laid out in a town site called Monmouth, and the lots sold to persons desiring to reside near the university. In the abundant