Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/250

238 REVEREND EZRA FISHER Received Aug. 9, 1853. Marysville, Ore. Ter., June 27th, 1853. Rev. Benjamin M. Hill, Cor. Sec. A. B. H. M. Soc., New York. Dear Br. Hill: The meetings of the Willamette Baptist Association closed yesterday. All the churches except two were represented. One of that number was the LaCreole Church, some of whose delegates last year took the lead in opposing benevolent opera- tions. All the deliberations were conducted with the utmost harmony and resolutions were passed in favor of the American Baptist Publication Society, the A. B. H. Mission Soc., Sunday schools, Oregon City College and religious periodicals. Sub- scribers were obtained for the latter and books sold by the agents of the American Baptist Publication Society. The sub- ject of the importance of the Baptists in Oregon and Wash- ington territories sustaining a religious periodical at an early period was discussed and a committee was appointed to corre- spond with printers and editors on this subject and report at the next anniversary. 322 Two churches were received into the body, one of which is the Table Rock Church, located at Table Rock or Jacksonville, in Rogue River Valley, the other on the forks of the Santiam River. 323 Two other churches are organ- ized, which will unite with the Association next year. The preaching through the sittings was instructing and impressive, the congregations good and seriously attentive. The exercises will not fail to make a good impression on the public mind. We have now arrived at the long prayed for period when this body may pass beyond a blighting anti-mis- sionary influence. At the close of the morning services the claims of the Home Mission Society were presented for about five minutes and a collection of forty dollars and twelve and a half cents ($40.12^) was taken up in favor of that Society and this pen toon. 322 This agitation resulted in 1856 in "The Religious Expositor," which sus- .ded after twenty-six issues. Mattoon, Bap. An. of Ore., 1:24. 323 This was the Providence Baptist Church, organized April q, 1853. Mat- , Bap. An. of Ort., I:ia.