Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 25.djvu/118

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
100
Joseph N. Teal

it left out, to paint even an imperfect picture of the pioneers of the Pacific Northwest.

In closing, I wish that I could leave with you the picture of the Circuit Rider as I see him. He was no materialist nor opportunist. Abraham like, "He looked for a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." His faith was founded on verities and was anchored deep in the Word of God. In honoring him we honor ourselves, and in contemplating his life and work we are elevated to a higher plane. He had the vision of a prophet, but with it all he had to deal with the problems of everyday life. His life was passed in a country in the making, with but few of the instrumentalities of civilized life to aid him. Obstacles that might well have caused him to falter were treated as but trifles light as air in the path he was following. Dangers and death he faced calmly as part of his life. Doing all the things that fell to the lot of the early missionary, baptizing the babies, ministering to the sick, marrying the youths, burying the dead, preaching and exhorting and helping in every way,—is it a matter for surprise that these brave and simple, god-fearing souls should have endeared themselves to their friends and neighbors and now that they are gone, have left their memory a priceless heritage. Such men as these do not die. With the passing of time and the separation of the dross from the gold their lives and their examples stand out more and more radiantly as beacon lights to guide others on their way. They will live forever in the hearts of those they leave behind. In the words of Holy Writ we can say of them:

"Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens .... of whom the world was not worthy."