Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 16.djvu/111

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Correspondence
103

I have preached 35 sermons during the quarter, delivered one temperance address, attended 24 weekly prayer meetings, 15 church and conference meetings and traveled 321 miles to and from my appointments. . . . Baptised 1 and received three by letter into the churches under my charge.

Have made 40 pastoral visits. We have no monthly concert yet established, but sustain two weekly prayer meetings in Rock Island Chs. . . . Assisted in the examination of Br. Robb, at Mt. Pleasant, Henry Co., Iowa, for ordination at the meeting of the Iowa Baptist Convention. The church at Rock Island paid $1 for the Home Missionary Society; nothing for the other benevolent societies. Have raised about five dollars for Sabbath school library and I have received about $42 dollars of my salary the past quarter. Mt. Pleasant church have pledged $8 for Home Missions, to be paid next fall. I have received nothing towards my salary from any auxiliary society.

We have organized a Bible class of 12 scholars. We have two Sunday schools with our people, 12 teachers, about 50 scholars, and about 100 volumes in the library. We have bought at auction a mechanic's lien on a brick house 20 feet by 40, with the roof on and doors in, secured most of the company rights to the house and lot and expect to secure the rest and fit it up as a place of worship during the coming year.

I attended the Iowa Baptist Convention with which our church cooperate. Session harmonious and deeply interesting to us in this new country. Collections were taken up in aid of the Home and Foreign Missions and American and Foreign Bible Societies, in all amounting to $21.

All which is respectfully submitted,

EZRA FISHER.

P. S. I still feel impressed with the importance of establishing a mission in Oregon and, should the God of missions spare our lives and give us health and we learn that the way is practicable with wagons as far as the Walla Walla, we