Washington and Idaho. And when he arrived in Portland, April, 1854, there were only three priests or ministers of his church in all this vast domain; and to copy his own words from a letter written by him at the time, "there are not twenty communicants of the church in my whole jurisdiction, and the number is even less if you look for those who are really interested in the work." There was not at that time a single church building of the Episcopal church in all Oregon, Washington and Idaho, and Bishop Scott was given the task of erecting a church in the largest wilderness in the whole United States.
Bishop Scott was a scholarly man, a great preacher, writer and thinker rather than an active and successful organizer. He did however, commence a great work in Oregon. He founded churches and schools, he visited much among all sorts of people; and his dignity, kindly manner, commanding presence and great ability as a pulpit orator, so greatly impressed every man and woman that heard him preach or met him socially, or in their homes, that it is safe to say, that no churchman has ever lived or taught in Oregon who made a deeper or more favorable impression than Bishop Scott. There was probably nO' man in the whole United States that was more famihar with the history of the church, and of all churches and creeds. The subject was so perfectly clear in his mind that it was his wonder and constant thought that any Christian could be anything but an Episcopalian, after learning the history of the church. And nothing pleased him better than to get a brother Protestant or Catholic cornered on an argument as to whose was the true church. He once related to the author of this book an amusing anecdote on himself, as to how he got a very valuable book fom Bishop Blanchet. Having learned that the Catholic priest was the possessor of a work in Latin that contained important evidence on the old battle ,about the "apostolical succession," and not then having personal acquaintance with Bishop Blanchet, and assuming that the bishop would not care to have him see that book, it occurred to him as he was passing Blanchet's little residence and office on the west side of Fourth street, above where the city hall is now located, that he would go in and see the bishop's secretary in the bishop's absence from home ; and possibly the secretary would show him the coveted book. "And so I went in," said the good bishop, "and told the secretary my wishes, and he said, 'certainly, with pleasure I will let you see the book,' and got it ofif the shelf, saying, 'sit down and read as long as you like.' I soon found," continued the bishop, "the subject that in- terested me and read all the author had to say, and then returned the book to the secretary, thanking him for the courtesy. Then starting to leave I got as far as the office door, when Bishop Blanchet, who had not been absent, but in a back room, writing all the time, ran after me and catching me by the coat tails, as I was closing the door, cried out, 'Come back now, come back you old heretic, and I'll have it out with you now.' Of course I had to go back, and did go back, and for two hours we had a jolly, good talk, never mentioned the Apostles or any of their successors, got well acquainted ; and on my leaving he made me a present of the book, saying he could get another copy from Rome." Bishop Scott died at New York in 1867.
THE WORK OF BISHOP MORRIS.
Benjamin Wistar Morris was the second bishop of the Protestant Episcopal church of the diocese of Oregon. And it might be said for him as the Roman general said of himself: "Veni, Vidi, Vici" — I came, I saw, I conquered.
The unfortunate death of Bishop Scott left the Episcopalian flock in Oregon without a shepherd for two years before Bishop Morris was chosen and sent out. The church in the east carefully scanned the whole field before selecting their man ; and then called him from one of the wealthiest and most desirable places in the whole church — the parish of Germantown, a suburb of Philadelphia. All favoring circumstances seemed to combine to mark the selection as the favorite of destiny. Talent, genius, eloquence, high birth, a great name, a pure and un-
