The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-10-10
DIR. I. n. pEARNE AZ AN EDITOR.
Some Of His Experiences as Narrated
In the Pacific Christian Advocate.

from the nanu6Ome twenty page
weekly under the above title, we take
the liberty Of clipping the following ex.
tract from an interesting article By our
able Presiding Elder, whose experience
as a journalist has not been without
its hardships:
In 1854, after repeated talks on the
urgent need there was for religious
paper as the organ of Oregon Methodism,
the purpose ripened into plans. It was
determined to organize q Joint stock
company to establish and issue a relig-
GUS weekly in Oregon. It was estimated
to cost some $4,000 or $4,000 to purchase
an office and a six months supply of
paper. Articles of agreement were pre-.
pared. George and Alexander Aber.
nathy, James r. Robb, Burr, Holman,
Kingsley, Waller, Wilbur, Pearne, Par.
rish, Hines, and perhaps one or two
others, subscribed the necessary amount.
wrote to Francis Hull, Esq, q relative
of mine, who was then the publisher
and proprietor of the N. Y. Commercial
Advertiser, to purchase and forward to
US the necessary outfit, renting to him
the funds required. They were nearly
six months in coming around Cape
Horn to Oregon.
We had considerable study and care in
agreeing upon name for the new paper
proposed. The Methodists of California
had already projected and started q
paper called the California Advocate. The
California Congregationalists were issu.
ing The Pacific. The Southern Metho.
dists of California had started q paper,
called, as l now remember, rather indis.
tinctly, the Pacific Methodist. The Oregon
Christian Aduocate was suggested, but re-
jected as being too local and narrow.
The North Pacific Herald was proposed,
but rejected as being entirely too long.
At last the PACIFIC CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE
was suggested and adopted. Forty years
of history have vindicated the wisdom
of the name selected.
The paper " as first published in Salem.
The office stood back from the river in
the sparsely settled part of the town.
The building selected was email, incon-
venient, unsuitable, but it seemed W be
the only place to be Obtained. It WIS
an humble, unostentatious beginning.
After few months the paper was re-.
moved to Portland, where it should have
gone from the FIRST.
The first number of the paper was
badly printed. Tue impression was dim,
indistinct and blurred. The ink was
not evenly distributed by the roller
upon the form. 1t was difficult tn read.
The general appearance was unpleasant
and unsatisfactory. To me it was es.
pecially disappointing, az, also, it was
to most of the friends of the enterprise.
The selected and contributed artlcles
were Of fair quality. These defects were
early remedied and soon forgotten, in
the improved issues which were sent out
not long after. The first editorial, or
leading article, filed about q column
and quarter or q column ard q third
Of the old style-four pager, blanket
sheet. Its subject wac an outline of the
scope and PURPOSES OF the new weekly
journal.
The circulation of the paper Was at
first rather email. It slowly increased
until, in the first year, it had grown to
eighteen hundred Or two Thousand.
Many subscribed for additional copies to
the one for their own use, and sent them
back 10 the states to relatives on the At.
lanLic board. Some subscribed and paid
for three or four copies to senI East, to
assist in building ur and sustaining tue
paper. II always lad many good friends
who nobly stood by it. The expenses
OF publishing the paper were so large,
and its income so limited, that We were
compelled to use the strictest economy.
The editors salary for several years was
seven hundred dollars year. For this
small sum he was o. liged to do the labor
of two or three persons. His duties
were various, including somewhat
| Wide range. lie kept ali the bouAs lol
subscriptions and advertising. He mail
ed all the papers sent out. He collected
all the accounts, and paid all the ex
penses of the publication. He was pub.
Usher, book keeper, proof reader, editor
and general chore boy. For all thil
overwork and drudgery there was neve,
an extra pay, nor specific remuneration
It was often impossible to pay the print
ers and meet current expenses without
borrowing money. This I often did
sometimes carrying q debt of several
hundred dollars. As recall those early
times, and the buffet and struggle thro
which we came, I am surprised that VIC
succeeded as we'll as we did.
The joint stock company fell through
| because OF the non. payment of subscrip
tions. l was soon the sole proprietor o.
the plant, which had cost So 500. Iha6
to loan money to pay the purchase bill
and current expenses.
In May 1855, was delegate to the
General Conference which met in In
diapapolis VIM. Roberts was my co
delegate. The paper was edited in my
absence by Rev. DR.. Hoyt, then presi
dent of Walamet University. The con.
ference bought the plant and instructed
the New York Book agents to continue
the publication. l was elected editor
In 1850 I was re elected. In 1864 de
cllned re election.
The paper has fulfilled high and i'm
portant mission. When the constitution
of the state was formed and adopted
the paper made itself felt in oregon az q
tree state. There was q strong effort
made to adopt slavery clause. The
presence OF large part of the popula
ton of Oregon as immigrants from slave
holding states, rendered it strongly
probable that the slavery schedule would
be adopted. The paper advocated free
state, and it opposed other Objectionable
features, during the formation of the