CORRESPONDENCE

109

baths and rest apparently satisfied with few pastoral labors performed among them. The result is a want of spirituality,

too great a conformity to the world and a reliance almost exclusively upon special meetings for seasons of refreshings

from the Most High. I spent some time in endeavoring to ascertain the state of public sentiment relative to the expediency of establishing a school in the central part of the valley. All seemed desirous of seeing such a operation, but as yet they have had subject and

want some

effective

man

work put

in successful

no conference on the

to take the responsibility

upon himself of planning and executing. While this is being done, the Methodists, who have already three high schools in the valley and one in

Umpqua, will step into Corvallis, now to be occupied and raise up an

the

imonly important point portant school and leave us with the alternative of building up a high school at some unimportant post some six or eight years hence, or of raising a rival school at their door. Now the influence and wealth in the vicinity is Baptist more than any other denomination. The Baptists have the only house

of worship in the place.

The Methodists

are

making an

effort

Lest they should not be able to build a house of worship. 363 to drive all others out, they obtained a charter for a high school in the place as early as '51. The Presbyterians are Their looking to the place for the location of a college. principal proprietor assured me he would give a block of lots worth about $1000 for the site, if the Baptists would build a good high school. Although the people in Oregon are almost destitute of

money and

are

much alarmed

at the

hard times,

think a building worth from $2000 to $3000 could be built by the Baptists the coming year, if the brethren in the upper I

country would see their interests in their true

light,

without

materially affecting the

Oregon City College otherwise than You favorably. may reasonably ask, Why trouble ourselves about another school while the one at Oregon City can hardly live?

1856.

In the absence of a good

common

school system, evan-

363 The Methodists dedicated their church building in Corvallis in December, Bancroft. Hist, of Ore., 11:352.