OCR Text |
Show History of the Home Base 1873-1883 _TM 'HF organization and history of the first ten years of our Wo- ( V | | man's Board of Missions for the Pacific! How simple when ^ l ^ o n e faithful secretary has left records extending for over lAventy years ! And yet, after fifty years, we must read with those simple words, many things that were never written there! We must imagine, first, an October day in the Santa Cruz of fifty years ago-probably there was a hint of frost in the morning, followed by a warm sunny day; (surely, however, the gardens were still beautiful). The fruits in old Mission orchards-pears, apples and grapes were ripe. Let us hope an early rain had laid the dust. There were no paved streets in those days; almost no wooden sidewalks; grass grew between the wheel-tracks and little foot paths wandered each side of the streets. No locomotive shrieked its way through the mountains nor along the coasts. Two main stage roads, one, the most used, by way of "Mountain Charlie's" ranch and down through Glenwood and Scotts Valley, and one via San Lorenzo Canon, brought daily stages. Bi-weekly steamers made trips along the coast and brought some passengers and most of the freight. The stage ride from Oakland or San Francisco took all day, dinner was included and the fare in 1873, was five dollars- cheap enough for a day's travel, relays of four horses, a comfortable coach and an outing in Santa Cruz ! The General Association of Congregational Churches was in session there in this particular October of 1873. A far cry from our meeting each year in Asilomar ! Not a matter of a little automobile trip or a few hours in a train but a journey for which to plan-not to be lightly given up-the social, mental and spiritual climax of the year for dozens of brave, cultured Christian pioneers, both men and women. Ihe pews of the little church were all filled for this large and successful association. Doctor S. H. Willey was the pastor in Santa ^ruz known to so many of us through his great length of service [ 9 ] |