Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-06-09
Isaac Dillon Gets His
First "Charge" at Salem,
Cultured Unled, With Sill
Gentlemen" md Frontersmen.

I the other end sat a valued citizen who
could neither write nor read his name.
Yet the clergyman was expected to
preach sermon that would be en-
ioyed by this congregation of varied
tastes.
Culture Attended in Numbers.
The pews Of Doctor Dillon's church
were occupied principally by people of
culture, such as the Dennys, the
Rites, the Boswells and others of like
sort-people who had their own homes
and cultivated, fine houseyards, grew
their orchards, planted their gardens
and fields, cared for their herds, and,
above all, brought up fine families.
And the little Methodist church came
to have some such influence in Walla
Walla as the village chapel in New
England. The modest melodeOn respond
ed sweetly to the touch of some girl
whoee fingers had been trained to
caress its keys with musical technique.
Whole families sat together in the same
pew, and sang such songs as Happy
Day, - "There Is Happy Land and
cam ! soldier of the CrOssP' All
kne't during prayer. For one to sit
while some one was praying was not
regarded as good church etiquette in
Methodist circles in the early days of
/ Walla Walla. Ii was like listlessness in
/ the prersenee of company at home.
They who did it were regarded as re-
| ligiously cold. Response during prayer
were quite common, especially toward
the close of the meeting. All members
in good standing were expected to re-
main through the class meeting which
followed preaching. Those who came
from the country were entertained at
! the homes of those who lived in town.
They were welcome visitors, for they
brought with them peaches and water
melons and chicken and other fine
dainties that would have enriched the
label of a king. And everybody
brought a laborer's appetite with him.
Sunday school, the Christmas trees and
May day picnics were gathering places
for young and old. The little church
grew until its fullness testified to its
prosperity.
Preaching Was Least Duty.
But in those days a ministers duties
as pastor were frequently more ardu-
ous than the demands upon him as
pulpiteer. In new county there are
so many difficulties to adjust, so many
imatters that have not been provided
for. The people have the essence of
religion. They care for the sick, they
look after the needy, they help their
noighbors; and these are good indiea-
tions. There were so many details Tor
/ the pastor to care for, other than the
preparation of sermons. These things
Doctor Dillon performed with a sense
of modest self .effacement.
One day there appeared upon the
streets of Walla Walla girl who had
been deserted by those who claimed
TO be her parents. The pastor placed
the child into a gooo home, where she
grow TO he an ornament to society.
Mil Creek overflowed and destroyed
much property and endangered lives.
Some who were disheartened threat
ened 10 move away. The pastor gave
them encouragement and prevailed upon
them to remain in the town until con-
( ditions could be improved.
One day at prayer meeting two peo-
pie who had brought up family were
moved to remember that they had
never as vet been married according
to the laws OIL our land, and that after
noon they fastened to an adjacent town
to have the delayed marriage ceremony
solemnized. and thereby their relations
made respectable.
Two men were at swords points be
cause Of some disagreement about land,
and they threatened to settle without
the regular course of law. One con-
( fessed at the class meeting that he
had been brought to his senses by the
gentle advice o. the pastor
I Ok teams were very common then,
and the language used to address, an
OK is not usually polite. Shakespeare
could address a-kiug, but he could
never have made the English of his