242 ROBERT MOULTON GATKE
been brought to the knowledge of the truth by the instrument- ality of the Oregon Mission. Two of our members have re- cently departed this life, Capt. Brown and Sister Howell, both suddenly and both in holy peaceful triumph.
I deem it a matter of great importance to keep the school above mentioned in Efficient opperation. For the time being it is placed under the superintendes of Bro. Wilber with his daughter Elisabeth as teacher untill a competent male teacher can be secured. I have some hope of securing the services of a gentleman who came in the last emigration and who taught for some time in Virginia. But it is essential to the prosperity of the institution and of our church as Identified with education in Oregon to have a competent person sent from the States and sustained so far as need be by the board and for the honor of the church and the good of souls may it be done quickly.
In the special instructions communicated by you at the time of Embarkation for this country I was requested to enquire whether the Oregon Institute can be transfered to the Mis- sion and if so on what terms can such transfer be made." The corespondence on this subject I now lay before you, and as their is not the least embarasment in the way it is presumable the board will act accordingly. About the last of March a government vessel arrived the "Anita" in the River direct from California by her we received some letters and papers more than half the Nos. are missing and of the C. [Christian] Advocate their was but one solitary number, where they are we know not but suppose them to have been left at California. The [Anita] sailed from San Francisco 24 hours after the Sweden arived and in the hurry perhaps some of the male [mail] was left. It is a question of vital importance here as to whether we have an interest in the prayers and sympathies of the church at home ours is a work of privation and toil of difficulty and danger of weariness and want. But the grace of God which is exceeding abundant toward us in answer to the suplications of the church at home can make this a pleasant employment let us have this and we will work contented and cheerful but withhold this and some of us will soon ask to be released. I am satisfied since we have been in the country we have had many deliverences and enjoyed many precious con- solations in answer to the petitions of Gods people. There has been some sickness in some of our families Broth. Waller's
