From Canyon City, the Bishop (Morris) went by stage, Monday July 12 and 13, to Baker City, 100 miles, where he had a rest of one day without public service. After examining the affairs of the churches in this place and Union he determined, with his wonted indomitable energy, and his true brotherhood with his clergy in their cares, to lift the debt on St. John's Church, Union, that it might be consecrated. So the short time intervening before the arrival of Bishop Tuttle, being sufficient for a hasty run through the Grande Ronde Mission, this double work was undertaken. Arrangements were made for the consecration of St. Peter's La Grande. The debt of St. John's was lifted. The church now building at the Cove was visited. The usual Sunday Services with Confirmation (3 persons) were held at St. John's, Union, and thence back to Baker City. On Monday night, services, Thursday morning, service and confirmation, one person. Tuesday night, service with Bishop Tuttle who had arrived in the meantime; and on Wednesday the two Bishops drove to Union, 36 miles, in time for the consecration of St. John's Memorial Church. This church is a memorial to the Rev. Geo Natt. Its erection was made possible by the donation of $500 by Mrs. Natt, from whom it has also received many valuable gifts, devotions from her own self denial and the love of old friends and parishioners of her husband. Chancel carpets, Altar and Lecturn covers, Bible and Prayer Books, for Chancel, a Communion Service, Alms Basin and Font, make this beautiful church complete for Divine service. Other generous offerings chiefly from Portland have helped to speed the work.
The church is novel in construction and appearance, and is thought to be a model for a cheap church when labor and material can be had at moderately low prices. The church has cost about $2000. It is believed that the same building could be erected in Portland for $1200 or $1400. It is admirably built, Mr. Samuel Sisson the contractor having wrought upon it with unusual care and faithfulness under many difficulties and perplexities. It is built of undressed 1 1/4 in. plank placed on the inside of the buttressed frame with open timbered roof. The roof is of dressed tongued and grooved sheeting, supported by heavy truss timbers all chamfered. The framing timbers are beautifully related to each other; they are dressed and chamfered. A wood cut of the church may be seen in Home and Abroad for February 1875. [We hope to favor our readers with a cut of this building, in a few weeks. -- Publisher.] The consecration services were very interesting. The congregation was large. Bishop Morris preached the sermon. Offerings for the work of the mission were made. After service the Bishops rode to the Cove by moonlight for rest, and after inspection of work upon the church now in process of erection at that place, rode, on Thursday morning to La Grande, where, at 5 o'clock p.m. they consecrated the second church of the Grande Ronde Mission.
In 1927, St. John's Church in Union was given up and torn down, and the lumber was hauled to Cove and used to build the lower part of Paddock Hall at Ascension School Camp, which (according to former EDEO Historiographer, Louis Perkins) was first used as a dining hall, then later as a craft shop. Louis referred to Paddock Hall as "Hazel's hangout". Hazel Morrison was an instructor and media specialist at Ascension School as well as the wife of Louis Perkins. For this month's mystery: why was St. John's Church torn down, and why was the lumber used to build Paddock Hall in Cove? Furthermore, why was the church in debt to begin with, and why did Bishop Morris lift the debt?