Diary of Rev. George Gary 95 and establish a school of a high and respectable character, but the constitution under which subscription is made is so exceedingly sensitive in guarding against sectarianism as to open the door for a kind of valetudinarianism, the limits of which cannot be readily calculated, but in the organization of the Oregon Institute, though not sectarian in the common acceptation of the term, yet it is a school under the care and management of the members of the Methodist E. Church, through this board of trustees, and I think there is no doubt but that when there is an annual conference organized in this region, this school will be presented to said conference for its acceptance, patronage and management. It is presumable I might have sold the premises for more to the Romanists, but I should not have felt near as well about the sale. Though I am no prophet, nor the son of a prophet, yet I think this school will be a great blessing to this land. Sun. 30. Preached in the granary in the neighbor- hood of the hospital. Seventeen hearers old and young. There are few who attend our meetings except our own people. The population is sparse to be sure, yet if there was the love of meeting so desirable for the welfare and prosperity of a new country, I think we should have twice as many hearers as we now have. [1844] Mon. July 1. It is now seven months since we left New York. One month since we arrived at Wil- lamette Falls, taking all things into account, the month has been a pleasant one, and, I trust, of some use to the Mission. I guess the secular pursuits of the Mission will feel more and more my arrival in this land. This is a fine country for agricultural pursuits. Wheat is raised very easily. Plow the prairies once and drag in the seed grain, and then the difficulty remains which is the har- vesting. The crop is abundant. I never saw such prom- ising crops of wheat as now appears in the fields. July 4. Independence finds us at camp meeting at Yam Hill. Here we spend five days very pleasantly in
