, 1882-07-15
Walla walla a Center.

You may laugh at religious center ouI
Villa Walla should be the beating heart OF
tins whole country, sending It's mission IN
Hner,es ont i,.to the smaller towns adVls-
lng the struggling churches, civrlrzng the
unframed minds. aud warming the whole
Land ky It's religious fervOr. OF course 1t Is
NOT ND u It's work. for | am receIving AID from
AZ directions for 4 church IL Nalla Naila-
The c,reuIatioa is in the wrong direction
EJr 4 whole month | have been circing
arouni this prospective center, attending
annual assaciation meetings, and all are
Iookin. at Wa!la Walii as possible leader
in religious worh At Grand Ronde 'ailey'
where two faithful workers and seven snaii
churches are ant:ci!atng the railroad and
preparing for a rich harvest ; at Weston
whe-e the inst Blptist church OF TINS ~hoie
.c,uutry was formed. and the first Baptist
ass,..iation forned-in 1865; the parent of
r. churches aud about 500 members, now
,,rouued m four associations, OF which W ALA
WalIa is the center. And then at Portland,
.l,at relies on WaIIa Walla wheat tor Its
bread that stood still Tor ten years, untt
this country developed its agriculture when
land rose to five times Its former value anu
palaces took the place "i cottages, ana
ar..,t METROPOLIS h5atel down the William
cite and Columbia rivers, lodging at fort-
land: where the forty struggling Baptists
of IS67 have become prosperous body o'o
s.-ons With missions in all directions. and
munifc,nt church gifts planted from the
Uuru-a valley to Waila Walia, whose
memb,rs are milliouaires, and thus early
missions are now independent churches.
And last Of all. To thi, northern wheat field,
where seven wears since all was desoitte, and
Last year seven churches took their leave
# tr, parent cauter and formed I center Tor
-Es,a-elves, TO which five ne. churches sent
-.. p Delegates this year. This rs the most
enthusiastic section ever saw. They rise
to a wondrous height Ike their table land,
1903 feet above the valley, but the best OF 1t
Is, there they remain. Oue year ago they
oltsthppei all expectations IN raising SioV
for mission work and 800 for McAlinnville
College. Reaction was expected. 1t came
in the shape Of Sl50O, raisel among these
new people fOr Baptist Academy at Coltax.
Again, 1t WIS feared they had passed Their
power but at Spokane, where no organIza-
ton existed, one year ago, nearly $1,000 has
been raised for Baptist house OF worship,
70 he begun August /. and the Association
added $50, voluntary subscription, and
asked 500 from the Church editice fund,
for the complrtion Of the church.
We wanted missionaries at SpragUe and
Lewiston, and the church at Moscow relln-
guished her hold rpon the mission treasury
and sad - We will support our position en-
ti.elv this year Send missionary to Lew
istou on orr behalf.
Some people think churches did that way
The growth Of these churches reminds us OF
the colored preachers statement . When !
find a church that died from giving, | will
enter their house Of worship and stand upon
the platform and with reverence AMI resig-
nation repeat the words Of my Master,
Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. =
But. brethren, ! never fonnd such church.
:. Dey don't die dat way" Indeed, tney do
not but multiply in number, in power and
in property. as seen in the growth of the
Palouse association One hundred and sixty
last year, over two hundred this year.
Moscow is booming and will soon become
a metropolis, II her hopes are realized.
Sprague Is booming because she has rail-
road
The country is filing up; the bunch grass
L twenty inches high the cattle laugh,
what is left Of them, and the people are
glal.
Tnis country is developing rapidly II
We want its trade at Walla Wa.la We must
at least keep pace with It's enterprise and en-
rhusllsm. of Wai,a wa,la, as OF Jerusalem,
let ii be sad, ">he Is buildei as city com
pact together. Thi;her tie tribes 60 Up
P,ace lie within thy walls aud prosperity
within thy palaces
For my brethren and companions sake. l
vii now say OF Walla Waila, Peace be
within thee. ID. J. p.