4
"Bro. Lee Had a Difficult Set to Deal With"
By Reverend George Gary
Reverend George Gary was sent out by the Methodist Board to succeed Jason Lee as superintendent. He was heavily vested with au thority —the fate of the Oregon Mission was in his hands. Accom panied by Mrs. Gary, he arrived at Oregon City on June I, 1844, and called a meeting of the missionaries on June 7. This began early in the morning and lasted in prolonged session all day and all night. The decision was to close out the affairs of the Mission, in doing which, according to Charles H.Carey, he "acted with promptness and vigor. " Running through his Diary there is a dyspeptic roll-call of several of the "brethren," of which the following is by no means the strongest :
Thursday 30 (January, 1845). Our brethren from up the river leave today. The weather is so rainy, Sister Campbell stays behind. I frequently find a disposition to dictate among the most of our lay brethren, especially in matters relating to their former departments; and more especially in refer ence to settling with them. They are occasionally very short in giving their opinion and directions. I am satisfied Bro. Lee has had a difficult set to deal with. I do not think one among all that I have dismissed feel right abou... , unles... was Doct. Babcock; and I some suspect his apparent recon- cilliation was as much from policy and the courtesies of a gendemen as from anything else. These brethren I fear will not make the best supporters of society. For example, Bro. Aberneth... the leading man in church here an... too good or too high to open the door of the meeting house or make a fire for Divine worship; the other male members here think, I suppose, they are as good as he; consequently Bro. Hines or myself open the door and make the fire, and I generally ring the hand bell for the meeting; an... goes tolerably well; for he that would be the greatest should be the servant of
