BEGINNINGS OF CHRISTIANITY IN OREGON tember 28, he preached
September
at
29, preparations
165
Vancouver, and on the next day, were made for returning to lay the
foundation of Christian work here, and on October 6 the jour-
ney was completed and the party encamped on the spot selected for their mission ten miles north of Salem, on the east bank of the Willamette river. first sermon preached by Mr. Lee in the Willamette was on October 19 at the house of Mr. Gervais, near Valley the present town of that name, and the congregation was composed of French, half castes and Indians. The following March, Mr. Shepard, who had taught school at Vancouver during the winter, assumed charge of the mission school. Lee soon saw that he was poorly equipped to accomplish what he
The
desired, hence he appealed for reinforcements.
In response,
Dr. Elijah White and his wife, Alanson Beers and wife. Miss Elvira
Anna Maria Pittman, Miss Susan Downing, and Miss
Johnson, arrived in May, 1837, and in September of that year Rev. David Leslie and wife, Rev. H. K. W. Perkins and Miss
With
way seemed Accordingly he made a trip as far south as Fort Umpqua, from which he returned This not proving altogether satisfactory, he in March, 1838. concluded to establish a mission at The Dalles, and with this purpose in view he left the Willamette on March 14, 1838, and Margaret Smith arrived. Lee to advance
this addition the
his outposts.
clear to
reached his destination on the 22d. The mission there was decided upon and placed in charge of Rev. H. K. W. Perkins and Rev. Daniel Lee. Affairs
moved along
in the
even tenor of their way until
a day which should be forever memorable in July 16, the history of religious effort on the Pacific Coast. That day Jason Lee was married to Anna Maria Pittman, Cyrus Shep-
1837
ard to Susan Downing, and Charles Roe to Miss Nancy, an Indian maiden of the Callapooia tribes. Rev. Daniel Lee officiated at the marriage of Jason Lee, and then the latter per-
formed the ceremony for the other two couples, and preached a powerful sermon from Numbers 10:29 "Come thou with us, and we will do thee good for the Lord hath spoken good con:
cerning Israel."
