East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-02-08
J. R. n. BELL
OF BAKER CITY
FATHER OF OREGON
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
Popular Presbyterian Pastor Started
the Movement Which Converted the
Old Methodist College at Corvallis
Into Oregon's Largest and Most
Popular State SchOOI-A Pioneer
Minister of Oregon.

The man who started the movement
to change the old South Methodist
college at Corvallis into the Oregon
Agricultural college, is said to be the
Rev. j. r. n. Bell, present pastor of
the Presbyterian church at Baker
City.
The Corvallis Times publishes the
following intensely interesting sketch
of the life and work of Rev. Bell:
Rev. j. r. n. Bell, who is conduct
ing popularity attended meetings at
the Presbyterian church. Is a Vir-
ginian. He was born. and resided in
the Old Dominion state until after his
marriage.
His first visit to Corvallis was 32
years ago next September when he
was en- route from Ashland to attend
a conference of the NJ. L. church,
South at Dixie. That was in 1874.
He was then a minister in the
southern Methodist church. and the
conference sent him to the Ashland
pastorate. where he remained three
years. After that he was three years
Corvallis as pastor of the local church.
That was in the days when the
present agricultural college was con-
Quoted under the auspices of the NJ.
+. church South, in a big building
that occupied the block in which the
NJ. f.. church south is now situated.
In the chapel of this building is where
the services of the denomination were
held, and It is doubtful II any church
in Corvallis has ever had audiences
that surpassed those that gathered
regularly each Sunday in the old col
lege chapel to hear Rev. Bell preach.
Rev. Bell was a leader in the sep
aration of the college from the
church. The fact that he was men,
Der of the denomination gave to his
efforts extraordinary influence. He
justified his action on the ground that
the church and state ought forever ia
be kept separated Also. that 1t was
better for the church itself to be sep
arated because so long as It held a
relation through the college with the
state. II was sure to have the hostility
of other churches.
He held that. on the same ground
the college itself was held back, be.
cause so long as It was under the
management of one church. 1t must
have the hostility of all other
churches. These arguments he urged
with great power upon members OF
his own church, upon committees OF
the legislature or wherever else they
would be of avail in the division OF
which he was an ardent exponent
The immense growth of the colleg,
that resulted from the division is th'
best testimonial to the wisdom Of al
those who took part in the contro
versy.
Even since his arrival in the STATE
Rev. Bell has been well known fig
ure in Oregon. For several year
after he left Corvallis in 1887 which
was the time of the separation of th
college and church, Rev. Bell con
Quoted the Review newspaper a
Roseburg. in which he met with grea
success, building up n circulation
rarely attained by a country newspa
per.
About this time he identified him
self with the Presbyterian church, Il
which denomination he has since la
bored. He went to Baker City 4
1898. and with the exception of l
months spent i'm California, he ha
since occupied the same pulpit
preaching with great success, and re
fusing numerous calls to othe
churches. He is one of the ableS
uulpiteers in the northwest. 1t
doubtful II any man has create
power in enlisting and holding the al
tention of his audience.