through the mountains, they were in good spirits. The first settlement was a Methodist mission where they were denied dinner because it was the Sabbath, but they were invited to evening prayer for a "spiritual meal".I am going to get personal here for a moment...this makes me, a Methodist, wonder if they had read the story of healing on the Sabbath, let alone feeding the hungry. What good is religion if we refuse to practice it by helping others - Pharisees alive in the 19th century Oregon indeed!
Joel Walker later said, "the Methodist mission was not much liked". Well duh! No wonder Protestants were not popular with fur men and early settlers. In the same Methodist camp, Reverend Asahel Munger, determined to work miracles for the edification of the Indians, nailed his hand to a fireplace mantel and proceeded to roast to death on the mission hearth. How that helped represent religion to the Native Americans is beyond me...more of how stupid white men could be!
Next time ...Restless but Successful Joel.
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