Free Methodism originally made its way over the Pacific Coast via what was then known as Washington Territory. The New York Conference fathered the initial movement. Among its appointments for 1876-1879 inclusive may be found the following: "George Edwards, missionary to Washington Territory," and for part of that time "and Oregon" was included.

Then in its appointments of 1880 "Washington Territory Mission" was made a separate district, with John Glen as Chairman, and with appointments as follows: "Seattle, John Glen; Pataha and Walla Walla, G. Edwards." The same appointments were continued the following year, fifteen members being reported from Seattle. The appointments remained unchanged in 1882, and Seattle reported thirty members. The appointments for this year also contain an "Oregon Territory" district, comprising one appointment only, which read, "Clackamas, T. S. LaDue." T. S. LaDue was Chairman of the district.

In 1883 Washington Territory Mission reported thirty-six members, six being probationers; and Oregon District forty-seven, nine being probationers. In 1884 the appointments remaining the same, Seattle reported a total of forty-eight members, including ten probationers; and Clackamas, Oregon, a total of sixty members, five of whom were probationers. The work at Seattle, Washington, and Clackamas, Oregon, formed the nuclei from which the Oregon and Washington Territory Conference was finally developed.

In the autumn of 1874 E. N. Sumner, "Father Sumner," to whom reference is made in a former chapter as the first Free Methodist in the State of Minnesota, removed from his Eastern home to Oregon, and settled near Clackamas. This was at the same time, as elsewhere noted, that T. S. LaDue removed from Minnesota to New York City. They were mutually congenial friends, whose friendship was in nowise lessened by the great distance that subsequently separated them. They corresponded with each other, and "Father Sumner" wrote occasionally, and at last urgently, requesting Mr. LaDue to move to the Pacific Coast. Feeling considerable drawing toward the far Northwest, the latter accepted an appointment to Allentown, Pennsylvania, again in September, 1881, with the understanding that, if the way opened, he might leave for Oregon before the end of the year.

Mr. LaDue and his family settled in Allentown, and remained there during the winter.  In the meantime Father Sumner became so determined to bring about Mr. LaDue's removal to the Pacific Coast that he sent several hundred dollars to defray the expenses of the family's journey to Oregon.  But the feeble condition of Mrs. LaDue's mother, who lived with them, would not admit of her making the journey, and on this account they were detained. In the following spring she was taken seriously ill, and, after three weeks of suffering, passed to her heavenly home.

For a number of years Father Sumner had been praying night and day, often with tears, for the work in Oregon. About this time he had a strange experience, which he afterward related to one of Mr. LaDue's sons. He was riding one day alone on the road, his mind as usual studying over the work and his heart tilled with longings concerning it, when, he said, a glorious pillar of light seemed to descend from the sky above him, and the words came to him as though uttered by a voice, "Thou art delivered." Mr. LaDue finally sent word to Father Sumner, asking if the money should not be returned, as it had been held so long. In April a messenger came to Mr. LaDue's door and delivered a telegram, bearing the one word "Come," and signed, "E. N. Sumner." The details of preparation were arranged quickly, with uncommon ease, and before the close of the next month the family were across the continent, going by rail to Chicago and San Francisco, and from there by steamer to Portland, Oregon.[1]

On account of the size of his family, and also because of the heavy expense incident to transcontinental travel by rail in those days, Mr. LaDue chartered a freight car from Chicago to San Francisco, had it fitted up in suitable style for family use, and made the trip across the continent therein, being quite independent of Pullman sleepers.

On his arrival he at once began his work with characteristic earnestness The Sunday following his arrival in Clackamas he preached in what was known as the Rock Creek schoolhouse.  The same week he went, in company with several others, to attend a camp-meeting being held by the Rev. F. H. Ashcraft and his uncle, the Rev. H. F. Ashcraft, in Powell's Valley.  The Ashcraft brethren, though identified with the Free Methodist Church in the east, were engaged in undenominational evangelistic work on the Pacific Coast, which proved to be one of the factors in the ultimate introduction and organization of Free Methodism in that part of the country. Though Mr. La-Due did not regard the undenominational work of these brethren as best adapted to conserving the results of their labors and advancing the cause of holiness, yet he perceived that the power of the Holy Spirit was attending their labors, and wisely concluded not to let differences as to methods interfere with Christian fellowship and coöperation.

The following Sunday afternoon, at their request, he preached to a large congregation. He spoke with much freedom, and his word was with power.  He also announced, during the progress of the discourse, that he was a Free Methodist preacher, and that he had come to Oregon to stay. His unassuming manner, together with his boldness and power in preaching, and his announcement as to his denominational affiliation and of his intention to remain in Oregon, created no small stir, and excited much inquiry and interest. The following, from the "Life of LaDue," shows how this whole matter was taken:

A Methodist local preacher went to a United Brethren local preacher immediately after the sermon, and said very excitedly, that this LaDue was a Free Methodist Presiding Elder who had come on from the East with an understanding between him and the Ashcrafts that they were to go ahead and work into the various Churches under the plea of undenominationalism, and then he was to follow them and organize.  The ex-itinerant thus addressed was acquainted with original Methodism, and was not alarmed.  He had been captivated with the old-time power and truth ministered by the new preacher, and replied, "Well, If LaDue can take the Coast with such preaching, I say let him take it!"  It is true there was an understanding between Mr. LaDue and the Ashcraft brethren, but it was only an understanding in the Holy Ghost. Brother Frank Ashcraft sat on the platform, his large frame, during the storm of eloquence and burning truth, frequently shaking with satisfaction and delight; and, as Mr. LaDue occasionally turned and addressed himself to him, he emphatically indorsed what was said, and responded with hearty amens. Farther than this, there was no understanding between them whatever. Their first acquaintance with each other, except by report, was at this meeting.

As soon, however, as it became evident that Mr. LaDue would follow his usual course of organizing, in a regular and legitimate way, a Free Methodist work, and that some of the fruits of the labors of these brethren would go into the Free Methodist Church, the doors were closed against the brethren on every side-doors which had been wide open as long as the Churches which made such an outcry against sectarianism had hoped to reap all the benefits of the undenominational movement. The basest slanders were circulated against them, even by those in high Church position, and diligent pains were taken to destroy the influence and blacken the reputation of these brethren, who had been so warmly welcomed while sectarian and worldly Church officials expected to play the whole work into their own hands. From Annual Conferences and ministerial associations, down to the pastors and lay members, a systematic war began against the holiness movement, and especially against Free Methodism. An example of the feeling raised against the undenominational holiness bands afterwards occurred in Powell's Valley.  The schoolhouse burning down, the upper part of the Methodist parsonage was courteously opened for religious services, but the pastor, who professed holiness, would remain with his family down stairs, rather than attend the band services.

A prominent city M. E. preacher, and since a Presiding Elder, declared publicly, in the pulpit, that he could not find sanctification, as a second work of grace, between the lids of the Bible, and emphasized the expression by violently closing the book. At another time the same man, while preaching, violently closed the Bible and exclaimed that he wished he could take the word sanctification and wring its neck. Another M. B. preacher, in a neighboring city, said that all he wanted to know of any man was that he professed holiness. such expressions as these, and out-spoken Zinzendorfian teachings, flourished unreproved, and even commended, in the Church which, as has been truly said, according to Wesley's account of its origin, has no apology for an existence except as a denomination raised up to advocate the doctrine and experience of holiness.

The [Ashcraft] brethren, whose work, from this time, was systematically suppressed and extinguished, labored on a couple of years longer, and then, finding the bands scattered, peeled and torn, and the Church doors in every direction closed, they abandoned undenominationalism on the Pacific Coast to less able and less conscientious hands, having fully proved it to be a method of holiness work unsuited to accomplish the best and most permanent results. A number of real pilgrims converted and sanctified under their labors were glad to find a home and a shelter from the storm by uniting with the Free Methodist Church, and formed the principal part of most of the few societies first organized in Oregon. Most of those who chose to remain in the churches where they were, soon yielded to the influences around them, and although some of them retained a profession of holiness there was scarcely one here and there who retained anything more.[2]

Mr. LaDue now began laboring in his accustomed way, as a Free Methodist preacher. He accepted such openings as were offered him, however, whether in other denominations or elsewhere, and preached the Gospel of a full salvation to all. He was much in fervent prayer that God would give him the hearts of the people, which request was finally answered, notwithstanding the tumult of opposition through which he had to win his way. Friends were raised up wherever he went, and calls for his services came from various directions.

"In June he held a few meetings among the sailors and fishermen in Astoria, about one hundred miles from Portland, near the mouth of the Columbia River, and organized a little class, which, however, by removals, and from other causes, was soon scattered. Some of the sailors here were quite carried away by one of his original and powerful sermons entitled, 'Old Ship Zion and New Ship Zion.'"

In July he formed a class of eight members at the Damascus schoolhouse, near Clackamas, Oregon.  This class included four members of his own family, and was the first permanent Free Methodist work established in the State.

Next he held a protracted meeting about five miles East of Portland, in an old house which Eugene Grantham, who afterward became class-leader of a little society organized there, fitted up for the purpose.  It appears, from a letter he wrote to the Rev. C. M. Damon at this time, that Mr. LaDue expected the Ashcraft brethren, who had expressed their intention to announce themselves as Free Methodist evangelists as soon as a few outstanding engagements should be filled, to come on later and assist in this meeting. In the meantime, however, he carried on the services himself, and that against fierce opposition. The adherents of Freemasonry, the defenders of the use of tobacco, the sectarians of the Methodist Episcopal Church in that place, and other elements of evil were stirred to the depths, and all made common cause against the work.

When, in spite of all these things, they saw that the truth was prevailing, and that there would evidently be a Free Methodist Church organized as a result, their hostility to the movement could scarcely be restrained. "Any allusion to the Free Methodist Church as better than the Methodist Episcopal Church," says Mr. LaDue, "and particularly any mention of intention to organize, provokes a hiss and a howl-an awful devil back of it. When it was evident that we would form a class, the raging began. A young man prayed before quite a congregation, '0 Lord, the wolf in sheep's clothing has come. He's pokin' in his snout here and there, and it's all Church, Church, his Church, and, 0 Lord, we hear a good many are goin' to jine for popularity, and some for a great name, and some for money, and some to git married,' etc., etc., etc. Then he read, Judge not that ye he not judged,' etc., then Rom. 14-'Herbs,' of course meaning tobacco-of all the messes! The next evening one of them was heard trying to raise a mob against me. And all these profess to be sanctified wholly. Well, God gave us a clean victory."[3]

A class of six blessedly saved souls was organized at this place, and more followed later. One of these was a United Brethren preacher, whom Mr. LaDue pronounced "one of the clearest and soundest old men we ever met."

Mr. LaDue continued to labor wherever open doors invited, organizing small Free Methodist classes in various places. During this time he was praying that a tabernacle might be provided for the Free Methodist work. At length a brother who knew nothing of this came to him, saying that he had obtained a job that was bringing him fair profits, and that the Lord had laid it on him to purchase a tabernacle for the work in which he was engaged. This brother sent to St. Louis, Missouri, and bought a two-masted tent fifty by seventy feet in size, paid for it, and also the freight charges besides.  Prophecies of failure and various expressions of contempt soon filled the air, as the people saw the tabernacle pitched.  The Sanballats and Tobiahs were busy, but to no avail.

It was in June, 1884, that the first Free Methodist tabernacle meeting was held in Oregon. This meeting was held at Harmony, a place not far from Father Sumner's home, and with good results. Later the tabernacle provided for the Free Methodist work in Oregon did good service for years, and a host of souls were saved and gathered into the Free Methodist Church beneath its canopy. "It became evident, at last, as Mr. LaDue had declared from the beginning, that only a thoroughly organized work would meet the demands of the holiness cause in Oregon and Washington Territory." Undenominationalism, popular though it had been in that region of country, had failed to give its votaries the kind of education and discipline needed in order to make strong and symmetrical characters.  As one of their own number said, after being delivered from bondage to that peculiar error, and becoming one of the most able and spiritual workers in the cause of holiness to be found in the country, "We as undenominational holiness evangelists inculcated the doctrine of insubordination to all Church authority." Such a course could but be highly injurious to the cause of "true holiness."

The brethren of Oregon and Washington Territory having petitioned the General Conference of 1882 to be organized into a separate Conference whenever that body should regard it as desirable, the General Conference voted to authorize the formation of such a Conference "when in the judgment of the Superintendents it is thought necessary." Accordingly the work in Oregon and Washington was organized into the Oregon and Washington Territory Conference, June 10, 1885, at Beaverton, Oregon, about eight miles west of the City of Portland, General Superintendent Hart presiding. The following were the preachers in full connection: John Glen, T. S. LaDue, George Edwards, George Windust, A. P. Goode, and N. C. Mower. T. S. LaDue was chosen secretary. Alexander Beers, Frank Cathey, Harry Van der Veen, and John LaDue were received on probation. The Conference was divided into three districts-the Oregon, the Seattle, and the Walla Walla - and T. S. LaDue was elected stationed Chairman over the Oregon and Walla Walla districts, and John Glen over the Seattle district. Seattle reported a total membership of fifty-five, and Clackamas a total of sixty-four. Church and parsonage property to the value of $2,000 was also reported.

During the next eleven years the work spread considerably, considering the sparsely settled condition of the rural regions embraced in the Conference territory. Societies were raised up at East Portland, West Portland, Oregon City, Salem, Falls City, Eugene, Roseberg, Spring. field, Tillamook, and a number of other places in Oregon; three new societies in Seattle, and one each at Tacoma, Buckley, Snohomish, Arlington, Edmonds, Everett, May Creek and Renton, in Western Washington; and about fifteen circuits, comprising small societies in Eastern Washington, including Spokane, Roslyn, North Yakima, Colville, Bethel, Colfax, Baker City, Goldendale and Douglas.

Because of the wide extent of the territory covered by the Oregon and Washington Territory Conference, it was deemed advisable in 1896 to partition it into three Conferences. There were at that time thirty-nine circuits and stations in the parent Conference, with a total of forty-five preachers, including probationers, an aggregate lay membership of 838, and Church and parsonage property valued at $20,234. At its eleventh annual session, held at Portland, Oregon, April 3-7, 1895, a committee was appointed to consider the matter of dividing the Conference, which reported, recommending the following:

"First, that the present Conference, known as the Oregon and Washington Conference, be divided into three Conferences; the first to be known as the Washington Conference, which shall include all of Washington west of the summit of the Cascade range; the second to be known as the Oregon Conference, which shall include all of Oregon west of the summit of the Cascade range; the third to be known as the Columbia River Conference, which shall include all of Washington and Oregon east of the summit of the Cascade range, and Idaho.

The report was adopted, and another committee was appointed "to prepare a Memorial on the division of the Conference, to be presented to the Executive Committee." The Executive Committee acted favorably on the Memorial, and thus the way was made clear for the organization of the new Conferences.

The Columbia River Conference was organized first. The session at which it was organized was held at Spokane, Washington, April 2-5, 1896, General Superintendent Coleman presiding. It was organized with the following preachers in full connection: George Edwards, F. W. Cathey, J. C. Scott, Ira F. Ward, J. G. Tunison, E. W. Achilles, James Eva, William Burkholder, J. D. Cook, George Windust, and A. P. Goode.  Also S. P. Hale, James N. Wood, Benjamin E. Christlieb, Eugene Ely, Steele Yockey, J. E. Clink, and Guy Denny were received as preachers on trial.  The work was arranged in four districts known as the Ellensburg, Spokane, Colville, and Walla Walla districts, and J. C. Scott was made Chairman of the entire work.

The statistical report showed a total lay membership of 260, forty-three of whom were probationers, with Church property valued at $3,900. It has at present sixteen preachers in full connection, and five on probation, with a lay membership of 509, seventy-four of whom are probationers, and with $23,800 worth of Church property and parsonage property valued at $14,450.

One of the things which has always militated against the more rapid growth of this Conference has been the fact that those Free Methodists who have migrated Coast-ward from the Eastern portions of the country via Eastern Washington, and have halted there, have for the most part remained a comparatively short time only, and then moved on across the mountains, which has given the various societies raised up within its bounds a transient membership.  Still, in the face of this embarrassment, and of others arising from sources peculiar to that region of country, the work has more than held its own, and may be considered as having achieved a fair measure of success. The work has extended to several important points in Idaho, particularly to Boise and vicinity, and likewise to Kalispell, Montana, and several contiguous circuits, where the Rev. George T. Klein and his wife first pioneered the way, and where the Columbia River Conference now has a Montana District.

The first session of the Washington Conference was held in the Chapel of Seattle Seminary, in a part of Seattle then known as Ross, April 9-12, 1896. Superintendent Coleman organized the Conference and presided over the session. The Conference was organized with nine preachers in full connection, and three were received on probation.  Those in full connection were C. E. McReynolds, J. M. Scott, Alexander Beers, N. E. Hough, A. N. West, A. II. Norrington, Peter Griggs, E. L. Smith, J. W. Carter.  The probationers were, C. S. McKinley, F. W. Stayt, Clark W. Shay.

The thirteen circuits and stations were grouped into three districts-the Seattle, Whatcom, and South Bend-and C. F. McReynolds was made District Chairman over them all. The lay membership at that time was reported as 237, thirty-three of whom were probationers.  The Church property was reported as valued at $10,534.

This has ever been an aggressive Conference, which, together with certain natural advantages not enjoyed by other Conferences generally, has contributed largely to its growth and effectiveness. Then, too, Seattle Seminary being located within its bounds has induced many of the Free Methodist people from distant parts of the country to move to Seattle with their families, in order to educate their children, which has been another decided advantage of the Washington Conference over many others in the connection.  The seminary was in active operation for some time before the original Oregon and Washington Conference was partitioned into the three Conferences we are now considering; but even then Western Washington received the chief benefits conferred upon the work in the Northwest by the existence of the school in Seattle, while the other portions of the Conference gave the institution their support and patronage, as they have also continued to do since the division of the territory into three Conferences.

At the present time the Washington Conference has a lay membership of 1,265, including 159 probationers, with Church property reported at $56,700, and parsonage property amounting to $27,650. The personnel of its ministry, the noble and consecrated character of its laity, the hold it has upon the general public, and the prestige given it by the standing of Seattle Seminary, which has already become a Junior College and will doubtless take on the character of a full-fledged collegiate institution in the near future, all promise much for the future of this Conference.

The Oregon Conference proper was formed out of that part of the original Oregon and Washington Territory Conference which remained after the formation of the Columbia River and Washington Conferences, as sketched in the foregoing paragraphs. The initial session at which it was organized was held at Gresham, Oregon, April 16-19, 1896, and was presided over by General Superintendent Coleman. The following is the list of preachers in full connection at the organization: B. F. Smalley, John Glen, R. H. Dollarhide, D. J. Goode, N. C. Mower, W. J. Bowerman, J. H. Brown, C. II. Jerome, W. E. Goode, J. F. Leise. Also William Dollarhide, H. J. Blair, R. Pettyjohn, and A. L. Teegarden remained on probation. This made a total of fourteen preachers. The lay membership was 351, including thirty-eight probationers.  The amount of Church property reported was $5,150, and the parsonage property $350.

The work in the Oregon Conference has been fairly successful since the time of its formation as a work separate from the Columbia River and Washington Conferences, although its present statistics do not fairly represent the advance made, because of the Southern Oregon Conference having been formed from its territory in the spring of 1912. Its present statistical showing is as follows: Ministers, in full connection, thirty-two; on probation, five. Lay members in full, 565; on probation, sixty; total, 625.  Church property, $26,200; parsonage property, $12,900.

If we were to add to the foregoing figures the statistical showing of the Southern Oregon Conference, though not large, it would materially increase the showing of the Oregon Conference; and nearly the whole of what now constitutes the Southern Oregon Conference is work raised up and fathered originally by the Oregon Conference.

As he was a member of the Oregon Conference at the time of his death, a little further sketch of the Rev. John Glen, who was so largely identified with the work on the Pacific Coast, particularly with the pioneer work of the cause in the State of Washington, seems to be here in place.

Mr. Glen was a native of New York State, born June 22, 1838. His earlier ministry was spent in that State, chiefly in the New York Conference. We have already given an account of how, in an early day, he was imported to Seattle to pioneer the work of Free Methodism in that city. That he was a man of distinguished ability is evident from the fact that he was always in demand for the more important appointments of whatever Conference claimed him as a member. He is still pleasantly remembered in Brooklyn, New York, Seattle, Washington, San Jose, California, and Portland, Oregon, where he served pastorates with much success. At the latter place he was serving his fourth year at the time of his death. For a long time also he served efficiently as District Elder in the Oregon Conference. In 1898 he was delegate to the General Conference held in Chicago, Illinois.

"Father Glen," as he was familiarly called in the later years of his life, greatly endeared himself to the people whom he served in various parts of the country. He was a man of great kindness, exceedingly considerate of others, uniformly courteous and helpful, and yet never failing to preserve his ministerial dignity, both in the pulpit and out of it, and to maintain his integrity as a man of God. "Those who knew him best loved him most, and he will live on in the memories of his people."

He was brought into the Free Methodist Church under the labors of the late B. T. Roberts, in Wayne County, New York, uniting with the Church, December 2, 1860, but a little more than four months after the denomination was organized. He had a most radical conversion in his early manhood, and some time later received the sanctifying baptism with the Holy Spirit. He had a rich experience in the things of God, which ripened beautifully toward the end of his career. The day before his death he said it seemed to him the Lord was coaxing him to come over, and remarked to his wife, "You must not expect to see me blest like this all the time."

There was but one John Glen. His appearance was striking. He was of medium height, stout-built, slightly corpulent in his later years, round-featured, smooth-faced, with a countenance of sparkling intelligence and beaming with goodness. He was always in a devotional frame, yet was agreeably social, and in perfect keeping with his ministerial dignity could adapt himself to any class of society. A pleasant humor frequently attended his conversation, and enlivened his discourse with others. He was one of the most genial of men, a man who would make friends anywhere. He was also an ardent believer in the personal, premillennial coming of Jesus, and lived in a state of constant readiness to hail the event should it occur in his day.

Of his ministerial character, the Rev. W. N. Coffee, in writing his obituary, said:  "As a minister of the Gospel, he was loyal, sound, true to his convictions, and conscientious. He was tender, kind, gentle, sympathetic and appreciative. As a pastor he was ever on the alert to guard his flock against false 'isms.' He despised sham, detested assumptive pretenses, and abominated affectation. As a preacher he was clear, forceful, epigrammatic and very commanding.  He was discerning, and tactful and commanding in his meetings, though in no sense officious. Until his place and time came to take charge of a meeting, he was noticeably retiring; but then he proved himself a veritable 'master of assemblies.'"

He was not merely an iconoclast, or idol-smasher, but a man whose whole ministry was constructive. He always edified believers, added to their number, and built up the work of God in general.

The year before his death Mr. Glen visited friends and relatives in New York State, then spent the winter in Southern California-at Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Santa Cruz; later visiting San Jose and Alameda, in the northern part of the State, and returning home in May to attend his Conference and again take up regular pastoral work, saying he felt more at home there than anywhere else. It was only about a month after beginning his fourth year at First Church, Portland, that he was cut off by heart failure superinduced by a cold taken a few weeks before. In his death a prince with God and one of the Fathers of Free Methodism was removed from among men, and went to be with God.

[1] "Life of T. S. LaDue," pp. 146, 147.
[2] "Life of T. S. LaDue," pp. l50-l54.
[3] Quoted from a personal letter, in "Life of LaDue."