CORRESPONDENCE
109
baths and rest apparently satisfied with few pastoral labors performed among them. The result is a want of spirituality,
too great a conformity to the world and a reliance almost exclusively upon special meetings for seasons of refreshings
from the Most High. I spent some time in endeavoring to ascertain the state of public sentiment relative to the expediency of establishing a school in the central part of the valley. All seemed desirous of seeing such a operation, but as yet they have had subject and
want some
effective
man
work put
in successful
no conference on the
to take the responsibility
upon himself of planning and executing. While this is being done, the Methodists, who have already three high schools in the valley and one in
Umpqua, will step into Corvallis, now to be occupied and raise up an
the
imonly important point portant school and leave us with the alternative of building up a high school at some unimportant post some six or eight years hence, or of raising a rival school at their door. Now the influence and wealth in the vicinity is Baptist more than any other denomination. The Baptists have the only house
of worship in the place.
The Methodists
are
making an
effort
Lest they should not be able to build a house of worship. 363 to drive all others out, they obtained a charter for a high school in the place as early as '51. The Presbyterians are Their looking to the place for the location of a college. principal proprietor assured me he would give a block of lots worth about $1000 for the site, if the Baptists would build a good high school. Although the people in Oregon are almost destitute of
money and
are
much alarmed
at the
hard times,
think a building worth from $2000 to $3000 could be built by the Baptists the coming year, if the brethren in the upper I
country would see their interests in their true
light,
without
materially affecting the
Oregon City College otherwise than You favorably. may reasonably ask, Why trouble ourselves about another school while the one at Oregon City can hardly live?
1856.
In the absence of a good
common
school system, evan-
363 The Methodists dedicated their church building in Corvallis in December, Bancroft. Hist, of Ore., 11:352.
