importance which induced me to believe that Bro. Smith had better spend his time there chiefly which he did from about the first of January until the Annual meeting. His labors have been very acceptable and a Sabbath school has been kept in vigorous operation numbering 31 scholars. Arrangements have been made to secure a lot of ground for a church and parsonage. There is not even a good schoolhouse in Portland and our meetings have been held in a private house until lately. This place and its vicinity is sickly, the Ague almost necessarily prevails the Columbia river backs up the Walamet far above Portland at the season of its annual freshet in June and July, and when the water subsides there are many places visited with intermittent fevers. Still Portland though small at present is destined to be a place of importance. It is the head of ship navigation on the Walamet. Our members at Oregon City and Clackamus No. 51 four have died during the year (see my own course).
Salem. This circuit at the head of which stands the Oregon Institute has been the field of labor assigned to Bros. Wilber and Wallar. There has been a good work of a religion steadily progressing in most of the appointments. The membership has increased considerably although the report will not show it because the upper part of the circuit was taken off and constitutes the charge of Bro Helm. Such has been the faithful punctuality of these brethren that I have yet to learn that any appointment has been missed the past year for any Cause Whatever. There are in the several socities in this charge 105 members some 40 persons professed faith in the Saviour during the year, most of whom joined the church. There has been an obvious increase of spirituality over the past year. There have been 4 sabbath schools with 125 scholars taught by 20 teachers. The school at the Institute has been very prosperous. Three of the children have been converted and added to the church who promised to be very useful. The Oregon Institute is a bright spot in the Oregon territory The examination of both departments of the school at the conclusion of the Fall term on the 23d Nov. last gave evidence of great care and success on the part of Mr. & Mrs. Eells (in training the children committed to their care. At the conclusion of the winter term the school was in a still more prosperous condition. But we are
seriously embarrassed at Salem for want of room, there is no room in the Institute building quite large enough for a church and yet it does not seem to be the time exactly to attempt to build a church but the moment hastens on when some kind providence will open our way to build a house for the Lord.
Calapovia [Calapooya] This circuit according to an arrangement made the first quarter is East of the Walamet extending from the Santiam to the highest settlements up the valley. It is a beautiful country though sparsely settled and with other portions of the work has suffered severely by the drain of the people in search of gold. Bro. Helm has been the preacher and has been rather low spirited part of the year, indeed it requires strong faith to go steadily forward in some portions of this territory when the houses become tenantless and farms are deserted and societies broken up. But if the man of God goes on with his work, extending and varying his plans, as circumstances require, the waste places are soon built up, and souls are saved. There are 36 members on this circuit and the Sabbath school at the Calupovia [Calapooya] had to be discontinued during the winter, (see the society at Bro. Rirks)
Mary's River is west of the Walamet, extending from the Eicimuke [Luckiamute] up to the highest settlements, It has been under Bro McKinney's care, the extreme upper part of the circuit I have never yet been able to visit but I learn there is a class near Long Tom second to none in the territory for genuine Methodism Both the Leader and members came together from Missouri and settled together in the upper part of the valley. When Bro McKinney went on the circuit there was but one class consisting of 15 members. Since then he has formed three additional ones. One at Simpsons of 10 members, another at Mary's River of 33 and a third near Long Tom of 23 members, so that there are 81 in all, 12 of whom are on probation. During the summer there was a Sabbath school organized on this circuit with 10 officers and teachers and 40 scholars, but it was soon discontinued partly en account of the removal of the persons who had charge of it and partly because of the weather. The preacher was unable to fill several of the appointments late in the winter because there was nothing for his horse to eat. Just at the time when the deep mud and swolen streams made the travelling ex
tremely difficult the impossibility of procuring provender rendered the going impossible. But these upper circuits will yet become the garden of Oregon.
Yamhill. This river and the adjoining country takes its name from the Yamhill Indians, now nearly or quite extinct, early in the year this circuit promised and actually yielded a greater harvest than any other part of our work. With a larger membership than any other circuit it was diligently attended to by the preachers. In common with other places it has greatly suffered by removals to California and even when the people have remained the excitement has run so high that we could scarcely hold our own since last autumn. The membership at present is 146. There were 6 S. schools formed with 100 scholars, 18 officers & teachers and 300 Vols in the Librarie. All of these schools were discontinued in the winter and with one exception will be resumed again this spring. It is supposed that 40 souls have been converted on this circuit during the past year. There are 147 members.
Tualatin Plains In July last Wm. H. Wilson was employed to labor at the Twalatin Plains and Portland assisted by C. 0. Hosford. After three months labor Bro. Wilson concluded that it would be best to hold up for the present as he could find no place on the circuit for his family to reside and the prospects for doing good were sadly disarranged by the mania for gold. By a kind providence just at this time Bro Wilcox a very excellent local Deacon came in from Missouri and took a strong hold of the work until the present spring. This brother came originally from Western N. York and will be useful wherever he goes. This spring he accompanies his children to California and will I doubt not brighten up some spot in that dark land. During the winter a monthly visit was paid by some one of our brethren and thus with the labors of Bro Wilcox the people were served with the word of life. The membership amounts to 16 only. Our statistics will stand as follows.
