Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 23.djvu/222

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ments were out and we could not recall them. It now became necessary for my family to remove up to the Institute, the house in Oregon City will not accomodate two families to build just now is impracticable, And it is by no means certain but that the Institute is the better place after all for head quarters. It certainly is much more central and such is the difficulty of keeping horses at the city that no alternative was left but to go where feed was more abundant. At 9 A. M. on the 13 June my family and goods were embarked in a somewhat leaky boat to go to the bute (on the Walamet) distant 25 miles. I desire never to repeat the labors of that day by midnight we met the teams in readiness to convey us to our new residence where we arrived late the following day. We occupy part of the parsonage in which brother Wilber lives to which I was compelled to build a small addition for the accomodation of my family. This cost several weeks of personal labour when at home and was not entirely finished when the winter rains commenced. It would be hardly proper to allude to such buisiness in this report but for the fact that in a country so new as this where labourers are so scarce it is sometimes indispensible for the minister himself to use the axe and saw and J:ickplare if he has the ability. This ocupies time too and time which belongs to the church now when such exegencies occur such labour may be performed. If it be for church property whether churches or parsonages but no man has a right who "Lives by the Gospel" to spend his time in improveing his own property, Such are my convictions and such I doubt not will be the general action in the Oregon Mission.

The 21 of June was the time appointed to hold a campmeeting on the Yam Kill on the old ground. The excessive labour of mooring had thrown me into such a fever and for two clays I was very sick so that I could not get on the Camp ground until Staurday. Here I found the brethren at work and most abundantly did the bead of the Church bless their labours There was much that was good in the sermons preached Clear Plain pointed exhibitions of Gods truth such as save the soul. The Sabbath following was a high day it opened finely with a prayr meeting, and religious services followed each other in close and diligent succession until set of Sun there were four Sermons and divine unction attended them all. The scene that followed the last I cannot well