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In the last month of her life when her vital

strength was fast ebbing she made the remark. "If
you have a problem bring it to your Mother." So in
spite of getting weaker her spirit was still strong.
In her counsel I felt that my Mother was astute
and intuitive. I, to a great extent, valued and
accepted her counsel up until the time she left the
Assembly of God Church for the Latter Rain Movement.
She still had her confidence in Jesus, but was
accepting some new doctrines that did not seem to be
scriptural. This brought a rift in our fellowship.
We still talked on the telephone one or more times
each day. I visited her usually sever.al times a
week, and helped her in any ay I could, but it was
a distressing period for both of us. In my concern
I was most vocal about my disapproval, and we no
longer were seeing eye to eye. I also was feeling
that she had a friend who was playing too large a
part in her thinking. So there were several diffi
cult years for both of us, but I am most thankful
that in the last part of her life our relationship
was very much back to the place that it had been
before.
It was through hearing the Bible read over the
Radio by Vernon McGee that she began to realize that
she had a faith in some points that was not scripturall
So she confessed that she had been misled on some
doctrinal points. Soon after this she asked and was
accepted as a member of the Assembly of God Church at
Culp Creek. It was Oscar Arnesen, the pastor of that
church, who preached her funeral.
JESSIE IS REMEMBERED AND LOVED BY MANY. Even
though her brothers loved to tease her they loved
her and each showed her the ring that they were going
to give to their fiance before it was presented to
16
This tribute is written in appreciation for the
consistent Christian life which my mother lived for
over fifty-five years. Because of this life she has
shown the way for many people to know Christ as their
personal Saviour.
My purpose in writing this is not to write a life
story, nor to eulogize her. She had feet of clay like
the rest of us. My purpose is to present some of the
characteristics that caused her to be the dedicated
Christian woman that she was.
Jessie was born into a truly pioneer family. If
the whole story were tOld, it would be as interesting
and adventuresome as the Laura Ingalls Wilder stories.
Her grandfather Cornelius had traveled across the
country to the Oregon Territory on two occasions. The
first to find a land donation claim which he did in
1847. He choose a scenic, fertile viece of property
to which he returned in 1851 with his bride, Sophronia
Briggs. It was later called Jasper after his oldest
son, who was the first white boy born in the area.
To them were born eight other children, who in
turn settled close by to make homes of their own.
Jasper married a girl of the land too, sweet,
petite Flora Neet. They moved three miles east of
Jasper where the Willamette River and Fall Creek
flowed together. Here on this picturesque spot their
family was born, helpful Elsie, serious Charles,
fun lOVing Ray and Fred, my mother Jessie, sweet
Grace, the red headed darling Hallie, and mischie
II,
vous L a ~ T e n c e . This pioneer family had to wrest a
living from the soil by the sweat of the brow. The
more ingenuity, however, the less sweat; and Jasper
was the ingenious sort.
1
Jessie was a high spirited girl; pretty, intelli
gent and like her father, ingenious. Her father
encouraged this attribute by asking her to do things
that would take courage and creativity. Jasper was
one who liked his children to do as many things for
him as was humanly possible. To get them to accomplish
these fp.ats he would tell them how confident he was
that they were well able to do whatever was asked of
them. Definitely an optimist, where some people would
see danger and problems, he would only see the end
accomplishment and believe that it was possible. His
wife would become upset by Some of the things that he
would ask of his children, but would not meddle after
the decision was made.
Jessie, it seemed had a good self-image when it
came to her abilities. Perhaps one reason for this
was because not only her father believed in her, but
also because of the love and acceptance of the rela
tives who lived close by.
She was teased a great deal by her brothers, but
not in a way that might tear down her self confidence;
just in the way to get a reaction and show her high
spirits. She was not the meek and docile person that
was expected of pioneer women at that time.
Life was not always challenging and adventuresome,
however. One of Jessie's early experiences caused her
to realize that she had a need in her life other than
fulfilling the needs of the body and the soul.
At about two and one-half years of age a baby
brother came into the home but it did not live long.
Jessie, for some reason, felt a deep guilt about his
death and she wondered if she might have dropped the
baby and injured him. In the last few months of her
life she told me about the baby's death with pain and
2
JESSIE BELIEVED IN MISSIONARY GIVING. Jessie was
an avid enthusiast of missionary work. She loved
geography and kept a map handy so she could trace
where the missionaries were located whom she helped
support by prayer and contribution.
Loran was her conservator, and he would make
available from the estate, a certain amount of money
for her to spend each month. This was not spent upon
herself for things of pleasure, but she would give from
it to every good cause in order to spread the Gospel
around the world.
The last year of her life, she would quite often
overdraw her bank account because of her love of givin&
It just didn't seem to occur to her to check the
accounts to see if there was still money in the bank
and those who helped her didn't do it either.
Since her passing I have taken some of her pledges
and am still contributing monthly. Some of the c o ~
that I have made in this way have been most rewarding.
God truly is doing a great work throughout the world
in these last days.
JESSIE GAVE WISE COUNSEL. My Father was a good
business man and was successful, but he gave much
credit to his wife for his success in life.
She kept abreast with the news of the day. So,
with her knowledge of the news, plus her great interest
in people, she was a good conversationalist. She was
always asking her visitors about themselves and their
families and expressed an interest in their welfare.
People seemed to appreciate her interest in them.
Part of her conversation would be that of counsel.
She felt that the Bible stressed the admonishing of one
another.
1.5
going to the Pentecostal Church. In the beginning
she accepted this doctrine perhaps to the extreme.
When her teeth were extracted she would not even
allow the dentist to put injections in her gums.
However, as time went by, she relaxed some of her
feelings concerning medicine. Even when she began
taking some medicine she felt that it was the Lord
who was keeping her going and if it weren't for Him
she would not be living.
III Health had plagued her for many years. She
had stones in one kidney to the noint that the kidney
had to be removed. Later stones developed in the
other kidney and a large stone dropped into. the,ureter
keeping urine from passing through. She was rushed to
the Eugene Hospital and Dr. Bradley said that she would
not be able to live long because of the poison that was
accumulating in her system. And that her death would
be very painful.
God did undertake for her and she continued
living nearly forty years after that. She did take
very good care of herself, however, but life had a
great deal of suffering. Occasionally the kidney
would cease functioning. God would intervene each
time and helped her through the problem.
After LaSells passed away it was difficult for
her to live in the old home even though she did h a v ~
help. After prayer she felt that it would be well
for her to give up the house and move to the Ed Bates
home where a few older people were being cared for.
She took with her a few things to fill her one room
and left her home phere she h ~ d lived for over thirty
five years, without a murmur. When Mother madeup her
mind about a course of action she tried not to look
back, comnlain, nor fret.
14
deep concern. After hearing this, I asked Aunt Hallie
about the child and what caused his death. She said
that it was "brain fever". The relaying of this
message must have brought great relief from the guilt
that Mother had felt most of her life.
As a child, Jessie used to look out upon the
Willamette river and wonder what layout beyonn. What
were the answers of life; why were we here and what
did the future hold? God must have given her a hunger
for spiritual life as a child and then later in her
life, when she did find the reality of Christ, she was
so thankful for the fulfillment of this great need that
nothing this life had to offer compared with the hope
that she had of an Eternity with Christ in Heaven.
There are a number of points which made her the
woman that she was.
JESSIE'S FAMILY WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO HER. As
with most rural people of that day there was a family
closeness. Besides brother$, sisters, and parents,
there were grandparents, uncles and aunts and cousins
all within just a few miles. These early pioneers
were always most hospitable and made each other feel
loved and welcome.
Jessie's own family was very dear to her also.
Realizing early in life that she would not be able to
fulfill her potential, nor the need that she had for
recognition, she sublimated this by spending time
helping her children to reach their goals in life.
When her children were working toward any goal
she was behind them, reinforcing them all the way.
Jessie and LaSells did not spare expenses when it
came to educating their children. Each of their
children has a college degree because of their concern.
.3
It was during the height of the depression that I
asked to go to Wheaton College in Illinois, and that
request was granted even though it may have cause them
a financial hardship.
As her children married, she extended her love.
When she was troubled or upset by problems she felt
free to call her son-in-law for advice. She not only
asked for advice, but she usually accepted it as well.
Had she not done so, there might have been times that
she would have brought greater problems upon herself.
And on occasions she would call him; not to ask
adVice, but to give it.
She perhaps, even more than most grandparents was
excited and thrilled every time there l'as a new grand
child in the offing, After Larry and I lost a child
through a miscarriage we adonted our son, David. When
we took him to her at about three days of age, she
looked at him and said that he would be a blessing to
us. Then when it came to great grandchildren, they
were extra special.
While the term "worrier" is not really accurate,
she was very strongly concerned when it came to the
welfare of her family, Their health and spiritual
welfare were a real concern to her, Before her death
when she learned that several of her grandchildren had
accepted Christ she was happy to the point of weeping
with joy. Her prayers of many many years were being
answered.
JESSIE AND THE NEW BIRTH. The Hills family did
not attend church regularly. Cornelius was not a
believer, but the family did, on occasion, attend
meetings that were held by the Circuit Riders of the
area, The Neets were more devout in their faith and
4
Jessie was very much in favor of high standards
of holiness, however, and kept these standards all of
her life.
When short hair had come into vogue she was
among the first to get her hair cut. But when she
felt that the Bible stressed long hair for women she
always kept hers long even though it would have been
more convenient for her to have had short hair. Jessie
liked to look well and did all she could to keep look
ing her best. People would speak about her "looking
like a doll", even when she was in her eightieS. But
in spite of trying to look well she did not go far
astray from her standards.
Mother did not like for LaSells to drink and when
he would bring a bottle home and hide it if she found
it the contents would always be poured out. laSe lIs
never drank in front of the family or kept it in the
house, but he did try and find a place outside to hide
his liquor.
At that time there were many Bible studies in the
church and the principles of Holiness were taught very
thoroughly, There were not many Bible Studies in the
homes as it was felt that personal devotions and wit
nessing were of g r e ~ t importance, Also women were
taught to stay at home and be good home makers, and
train their children, Jessie had when she was well
more extra time than most people as she would get up
early and get her work done as soon as possible. She
had a routine of how work should be done; washing,
ironing, cleaning, and baking. Because of that she
had more time to read her Bible and pray than many
people.
JESSIE BELIEVED IN HEALING. The belief that God
healed was always a fundamental belief after she sUo1ed
13
the churches. The Pentecostal movement was part of a
trying to reestablish these principles in the minds
and hearts of the people. Great emphasis was being
placed upon passages such as 1 John 2115, 161 "Love
not the world neither the things that are in the
world. If any man love the world, the love of the
Father is not in him. For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the
world."
Although worldliness is a state of the heart,
the emphasis at that time was more on outward appear
ances. Christianity was being measured by outward
Holiness. (Now, according to Guy Duty, the pendulum
is once again swinging toward the side of permissive
ness.)
In the early days of Pentecost as people were
looking at the outward man they were finding many
things to criticize in their brothers, and pastors.
Much of this criticism was done in front of the chil
dren. As a result many of the children of the early
pentecostal people became bitter at other people by
what they heard said in front of them and dropped out
of church as they grew older.
In later life when I had a family Mother Cau
tioned me many times to be very careful what I said
before my children so that they would not become
bitter toward people. She tried very hard to bridle
her tongue and be careful what she said. She told me
how she had a relative that had caused many problems
in the family by talking about people. Evidently
Jessie's Mother, Flora, did not want to follow in this
pattern and she would absolutely never talk about any
one, but would always find something good to say about
them.
12
Flora, Jessie's Mother, went about her work singing
hymns from morning until night. Except for a ten
minute nap after lunch, Flora usually worked from sun
up until after sun down. So Jessie had the background
of hymns being sung in the home and occasional attend
ance at meetings.
A year after she and LaSells were married they
went to Minnesota for several weeks to help LaSell's
father with the farm work. David Stewart had had
pneumonia and was not able to be up and about to do the
farm work so LaSells left his work of logging to help
get the spring crops in.
It was the custom with David and Eliza to go to
the Baptist church in St. Francis each Sunday. David
was an Elder in the church and attendance at Church
was very important to him. Here the Gospel was
preached and the altar call given nearly every Sunday.
Jessie wanted very much to go forward then and receive
Christ as her Saviour, but LaSells did not desire this.
It was while LaSells was in the armed forces in
France during World War I that she started attending
church regularly. She began going to the First Baptist
Church in Eugene where Eva, LaSells sister attended.
Although joining the church and being baptized in water,
she did not exnerience the New Birth. It was during
this period that she was invited by a neighbor to go
to some Evangelistic meetings that were being held at
the Church of God. She attended these meetings a few
times and did go forward and prayed at the altar, but
still did not experience peace of heart.
It was at home in bed one night, about two o'clock
following one of these services, that she experienced
the joy of salvation. Being so thrilled and happy she
felt like getting on the house top and shouting to
5
everyone that Jesus was her Saviour and her sins were
forgiven. With Jessie this was no half hearted con
version, but there was a complete change in her life.
Sins had been washed away by the blood of Jesus, every
thing was new and wonderful, and she never faltered in
this new found faith in Jesus as Saviour. There is an
expression "being a fool for Christ," and as she put
her whole life into the cause of Christ that is just
what she became in the eyes of many who knew her.
JESSIE BELIEVED IN RESTITUTION. After accepting
Christ, her repenentance of past sins was so complete
that she tried to make restitution for every wrong that
she could remember. This was illustrated by the
occasion when she was cooking for a logging crew in her
teens. Some of the fellows in the crew wanted to have
a chicken dinner. They thought it would be fun to
steal some of her aunt's chickens. Jessie agreed that
if they got the chickens she would cook them. The
result was a dinner of chicken and dumplings from
some of her aunt's laying hens. After Jessie became
a Christian she felt that she needed to make that right
with her Aunt and this she did.
BIBLE STUDY PLAYED A LARGE PART IN HER LIFE.
After Jessie first gave her heart to the Lord she
started studying and memorizing the Bible as though
her life depended upon it. If people wanted to know
where a passage could be found they would call her as
she would most always know. Mother had several Bibles
and they were well worn. Her Bible was, to her, more
important than food, and she loved food. Jessie not
only memorized passages when she was a young Christian,
but continued doing so all through her life. She was
a great advocate of people reading and memorizing the
Bible. Joshua 1,8 portrays how she felt about God's
word. "This book of the law shall not depart out of
thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and
6
of his stroke he was not able to speak a great deal,
but by his actions and motions you knew that there
had been a change.
JESSIE BELIEVED IN WRITING LETTERS. Wherever
the family was they would know that her letters
would be following them. They were more than just
words on paper; they were newsy and about the people
and happenings at home. Much of the letter would
include Christian council and concern. Even if she
did not hear in return she would keep writing.
Ruth Lodde was a niece of Mother's who had been
encouraged much in her Christian "'alk by her. When
Ruth baCk-slid for a period, Mother's letters kept
coming regularly. Ruth was so under conviction that
she would not even open them, but kept them in a
dresser drawer. Later when she came back to the Lord
she read these letters and they were a blessing to
her. She, too, had a great deal of persecution for
following Christ and she so much appreciated the
counCil, fellowship, and prayer from her Aunt Jessie.
The missionaries that Jessie helped support
could also count on a regular monthly letter from her
along with a contribution.
Besides letter writing Jessie sent many birthday
cards and pictures. She always kept her camera handy
and would so often take pictures of the people who
were visiting her and then she would send the picture
on to the people. Keeping photograph and scrap albums
was something she enjoyed doing very much.
JESSIE BELIEVED IN HIGH STANDARDS OF HOLINESS.
In the years before the Pentecostal revival there
had been a loosening of Holiness principles in many of
11
but now he thought that she was "losing her marbles."
These things were a terrible blow to LaSells' pride.
He had been brought up by very proud, precise people
who were concerned about their good name and what
other people thought. LaSells had left home because
he felt that his folks were too religious and he didn't
want to accept Christ and His claims upon his life.
Then, for his wife to become much more religious than
his folks, created very stressful conditions in the
home.
The church was just being established in Cottage
Grove and was in a small store on 7th Street. Differ
ent evangelists were coming with a great deal of
emotional appeal and God was working by saving and
filling people with the Holy Spirit. But with this
new found fire there wasn't the background and wisdom
to wait for the Holy Spirit's leading.
The people in the. church were suffering various
kinds of persecution. One night the people as they
left had eggs and tomatoes thrown at them. To be a
Pentecostal in those days took hardy people who truly
loved the Lord above anything else. Jessie was one
of those people. Even though LaSells was convinced
that she should quit going to the church and stop
witnessing of her faith, she did not feel that it
was right for her to do either. She felt that it
was necessary to "obey God rather than man." Later,
however, as she grew in the Lord she felt that, in
some cases, she had gone ahead of God and so she
became much more careful not to unnecessarily antag
onize her husband.
In spite of the problems between them at this
time LaSells, I am sure, realized that Jessie had
Jesus in her heart and was obeying Him as best she
could. A few years before he died he also accepted
the Lord and showed this by his testimony. Because
10
night that thou mayest observe to do according to all
that is written therein. for then thou shalt make
thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good
success. "
JESSIE SPENT MUCH TIME IN PRAYER. Prayer was a
part of her life and during her prayer time each day
she would pray around the world, countries and
missionaries. Her prayer would be for "souls". Mother
not only prayed for the missionarip.s daily, but also
prayed for her family and many friends and other people
who had needs.
Each of her family would be named by her daily and
she would ask the Lord to be with them.
When her sons, Loran and Faye were overseas Mother
felt she couldn't possibly die while they were gone
since she was needed to plead their cause each day.
This she did until they came home safely and continued
to do so after that. It was her firm belief that God
answered prayer and her part was to keep the prayers
coming. Her prayers went before her and I am sure that
they are continuing to be felt with God at the Throne
of Grace.
JESSIE BELIEVED THERE WAS A HEAVEN TO GAIN AND A
HELL TO SHUN. This point was brought very vividly to
her mind before she a Christian. A few months
before she and LaSells were married, Jessie went to
visit Elsie, her oldest sister and her husband, John,
and their family at Heppner. Here she had a reoccur
rence of her problem of appendicitis and her appendix
ruptured. She was taken to the hosnital and operated
on, and for some time was in a critical condition.
During this period, when near death, she h8d the
experience of being shunted back and forth between
7
Heaven and Hell. It was such a vivid and terrible
experience to her that she never forgot the awfulness
of Hell. She had a great desire to keep people from
going there and was willing to take the scoffing and
be a laughing stock if, by her life, she could encour
age people to accept Christ. So, often in her witness
ing, she would speak about there being a "Heaven to
gain and a Hell to shun."
Wherever Jessie went she told people about Jesus.
She not only told them, but she tried with all of her
might to convince them of their need. She felt that
it was her responsibility to convert anyone who came
to the house. When she would get into what sometimes
seemed to me to be a heated conversation, I would often
leave the room and put my hands over my ears. Though
I believed with all of my heart, it would embarrass me
for pressure to be put on people. When I was young,
she would take us to the "Steel Bridge" to go swimming.
While we were swimming she would be putting tracts into
the cars that were parked there.
As a result of her concern that other people
should know Jesus too, many people will have a home in
Heaven who otherwise might not have known the Way.
However, If Mother were here now, I am sure that she
would say that with her new found love of Christ and
enthusiasm for His work that at times she would have
been much wiser to have relaxed her own efforts and
let the Holy Spirit do His work through her.
JESSIE BELIEVED IN THE BAPI'ISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
AND SFEAKING IN TONGUES. Mother received this exper
ience soon after moving to Cottage Grove when she
started to attend the Pentecostal Church. The exper
ience that she received at this time was wonderful to
her, but she didn't continue to use her prayer
One day a lady asked her if she used her prayer language
8
each day. When she said no, the lady told her the
importance of doing so. From that time Jessie made
it a point to use her prayer language each day.
Probably not any day went by in her life after that,
but what she prayed in the Spirit as well as in her
understanding. She felt that it was one of the
important things that she could do to keen her
spiritual life fresh and vibrant.
JESSIE'S BELIEF THAT JESUS IS COMING SOON WAS
VITAL TO HER. Soon after she received the Baptism of
the Holy Spirit and had her prayer language she was in
a prayer meeting. During the prayer she received a
short message in tongues and then received the inter
pretation. The message was. "Jesus is coming soon,
tell the people." The man in charge of the prayer
service asked Jessie if she would promise that she
would be faithful in proclaiming that message. She
raised her hand and said that she would. Since this
was 1926, or before, this message was not as common
to people as it is today.
Now many people know that we are living in
difficult times and that something unusual must be
going to happen soon.
True to her word Jessie systematically started
going up and down the streets of Cottage Grove, tell
ing the business people that "Jesus is coming soon."
One banker called LaSells to him when he was in the
bank and said, "Your wife came in the other day and
said that Jesus was coming soon, but he came sooner
than I thought." An Italian section hand from Divide
had come into the bank who had been given that name
at birth and signed a check. The banker from the
other bank, that later failed during the depression,
also called LaSells over to him. He said that he had
always thought that LaSells' wife was a smart woman,
9
Heaven and Hell. It was such a vivid and terrible
experience to her that she never forgot the awfulness
of Hell. She had a great desire to keep people from
going there and was willing to take the scoffing and
be a laughing stock if, by her life, she could encour
age people to accept Christ. So, often in her witness
ing, she would speak about there being a "Heaven to
gain and a Hell to shun."
Wherever Jessie went she told people about Jesus.
She not only told them, but she tried with all of her
might to convince them of their need. She felt that
it was her responsibility to convert anyone who came
to the house. When she would get into what sometimes
seemed to me to be a heated conversation, I would often
leave the room and put my hands over my ears. Though
I believed with all of my heart, it would embarrass me
for pressure to be put on people. When I was young,
she would take us to the "Steel Bridge" to go swimming.
While we were swimming she would be putting tracts into
the cars that were parked there.
As a result of her concern that other people
should know Jesus too, many people will have a home in
Heaven who otherwise might not have known the Way.
However, If Mother were here now, I am sure that she
would say that with her new found love of Christ and
enthusiasm for His work that at times she would have
been much wiser to have relaxed her own efforts and
let the Holy Spirit do His work through her.
JESSIE BELIEVED IN THE BAPI'ISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
AND SFEAKING IN TONGUES. Mother received this exper
ience soon after moving to Cottage Grove when she
started to attend the Pentecostal Church. The exper
ience that she received at this time was wonderful to
her, but she didn't continue to use her prayer
One day a lady asked her if she used her prayer language
8
each day. When she said no, the lady told her the
importance of doing so. From that time Jessie made
it a point to use her prayer language each day.
Probably not any day went by in her life after that,
but what she prayed in the Spirit as well as in her
understanding. She felt that it was one of the
important things that she could do to keen her
spiritual life fresh and vibrant.
JESSIE'S BELIEF THAT JESUS IS COMING SOON WAS
VITAL TO HER. Soon after she received the Baptism of
the Holy Spirit and had her prayer language she was in
a prayer meeting. During the prayer she received a
short message in tongues and then received the inter
pretation. The message was. "Jesus is coming soon,
tell the people." The man in charge of the prayer
service asked Jessie if she would promise that she
would be faithful in proclaiming that message. She
raised her hand and said that she would. Since this
was 1926, or before, this message was not as common
to people as it is today.
Now many people know that we are living in
difficult times and that something unusual must be
going to happen soon.
True to her word Jessie systematically started
going up and down the streets of Cottage Grove, tell
ing the business people that "Jesus is coming soon."
One banker called LaSells to him when he was in the
bank and said, "Your wife came in the other day and
said that Jesus was coming soon, but he came sooner
than I thought." An Italian section hand from Divide
had come into the bank who had been given that name
at birth and signed a check. The banker from the
other bank, that later failed during the depression,
also called LaSells over to him. He said that he had
always thought that LaSells' wife was a smart woman,
9
but now he thought that she was "losing her marbles."
These things were a terrible blow to LaSells' pride.
He had been brought up by very proud, precise people
who were concerned about their good name and what
other people thought. LaSells had left home because
he felt that his folks were too religious and he didn't
want to accept Christ and His claims upon his life.
Then, for his wife to become much more religious than
his folks, created very stressful conditions in the
home.
The church was just being established in Cottage
Grove and was in a small store on 7th Street. Differ
ent evangelists were coming with a great deal of
emotional appeal and God was working by saving and
filling people with the Holy Spirit. But with this
new found fire there wasn't the background and wisdom
to wait for the Holy Spirit's leading.
The people in the. church were suffering various
kinds of persecution. One night the people as they
left had eggs and tomatoes thrown at them. To be a
Pentecostal in those days took hardy people who truly
loved the Lord above anything else. Jessie was one
of those people. Even though LaSells was convinced
that she should quit going to the church and stop
witnessing of her faith, she did not feel that it
was right for her to do either. She felt that it
was necessary to "obey God rather than man." Later,
however, as she grew in the Lord she felt that, in
some cases, she had gone ahead of God and so she
became much more careful not to unnecessarily antag
onize her husband.
In spite of the problems between them at this
time LaSells, I am sure, realized that Jessie had
Jesus in her heart and was obeying Him as best she
could. A few years before he died he also accepted
the Lord and showed this by his testimony. Because
10
night that thou mayest observe to do according to all
that is written therein. for then thou shalt make
thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good
success. "
JESSIE SPENT MUCH TIME IN PRAYER. Prayer was a
part of her life and during her prayer time each day
she would pray around the world, countries and
missionaries. Her prayer would be for "souls". Mother
not only prayed for the missionarip.s daily, but also
prayed for her family and many friends and other people
who had needs.
Each of her family would be named by her daily and
she would ask the Lord to be with them.
When her sons, Loran and Faye were overseas Mother
felt she couldn't possibly die while they were gone
since she was needed to plead their cause each day.
This she did until they came home safely and continued
to do so after that. It was her firm belief that God
answered prayer and her part was to keep the prayers
coming. Her prayers went before her and I am sure that
they are continuing to be felt with God at the Throne
of Grace.
JESSIE BELIEVED THERE WAS A HEAVEN TO GAIN AND A
HELL TO SHUN. This point was brought very vividly to
her mind before she a Christian. A few months
before she and LaSells were married, Jessie went to
visit Elsie, her oldest sister and her husband, John,
and their family at Heppner. Here she had a reoccur
rence of her problem of appendicitis and her appendix
ruptured. She was taken to the hosnital and operated
on, and for some time was in a critical condition.
During this period, when near death, she h8d the
experience of being shunted back and forth between
7
everyone that Jesus was her Saviour and her sins were
forgiven. With Jessie this was no half hearted con
version, but there was a complete change in her life.
Sins had been washed away by the blood of Jesus, every
thing was new and wonderful, and she never faltered in
this new found faith in Jesus as Saviour. There is an
expression "being a fool for Christ," and as she put
her whole life into the cause of Christ that is just
what she became in the eyes of many who knew her.
JESSIE BELIEVED IN RESTITUTION. After accepting
Christ, her repenentance of past sins was so complete
that she tried to make restitution for every wrong that
she could remember. This was illustrated by the
occasion when she was cooking for a logging crew in her
teens. Some of the fellows in the crew wanted to have
a chicken dinner. They thought it would be fun to
steal some of her aunt's chickens. Jessie agreed that
if they got the chickens she would cook them. The
result was a dinner of chicken and dumplings from
some of her aunt's laying hens. After Jessie became
a Christian she felt that she needed to make that right
with her Aunt and this she did.
BIBLE STUDY PLAYED A LARGE PART IN HER LIFE.
After Jessie first gave her heart to the Lord she
started studying and memorizing the Bible as though
her life depended upon it. If people wanted to know
where a passage could be found they would call her as
she would most always know. Mother had several Bibles
and they were well worn. Her Bible was, to her, more
important than food, and she loved food. Jessie not
only memorized passages when she was a young Christian,
but continued doing so all through her life. She was
a great advocate of people reading and memorizing the
Bible. Joshua 1,8 portrays how she felt about God's
word. "This book of the law shall not depart out of
thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and
6
of his stroke he was not able to speak a great deal,
but by his actions and motions you knew that there
had been a change.
JESSIE BELIEVED IN WRITING LETTERS. Wherever
the family was they would know that her letters
would be following them. They were more than just
words on paper; they were newsy and about the people
and happenings at home. Much of the letter would
include Christian council and concern. Even if she
did not hear in return she would keep writing.
Ruth Lodde was a niece of Mother's who had been
encouraged much in her Christian "'alk by her. When
Ruth baCk-slid for a period, Mother's letters kept
coming regularly. Ruth was so under conviction that
she would not even open them, but kept them in a
dresser drawer. Later when she came back to the Lord
she read these letters and they were a blessing to
her. She, too, had a great deal of persecution for
following Christ and she so much appreciated the
counCil, fellowship, and prayer from her Aunt Jessie.
The missionaries that Jessie helped support
could also count on a regular monthly letter from her
along with a contribution.
Besides letter writing Jessie sent many birthday
cards and pictures. She always kept her camera handy
and would so often take pictures of the people who
were visiting her and then she would send the picture
on to the people. Keeping photograph and scrap albums
was something she enjoyed doing very much.
JESSIE BELIEVED IN HIGH STANDARDS OF HOLINESS.
In the years before the Pentecostal revival there
had been a loosening of Holiness principles in many of
11
the churches. The Pentecostal movement was part of a
trying to reestablish these principles in the minds
and hearts of the people. Great emphasis was being
placed upon passages such as 1 John 2115, 161 "Love
not the world neither the things that are in the
world. If any man love the world, the love of the
Father is not in him. For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the
world."
Although worldliness is a state of the heart,
the emphasis at that time was more on outward appear
ances. Christianity was being measured by outward
Holiness. (Now, according to Guy Duty, the pendulum
is once again swinging toward the side of permissive
ness.)
In the early days of Pentecost as people were
looking at the outward man they were finding many
things to criticize in their brothers, and pastors.
Much of this criticism was done in front of the chil
dren. As a result many of the children of the early
pentecostal people became bitter at other people by
what they heard said in front of them and dropped out
of church as they grew older.
In later life when I had a family Mother Cau
tioned me many times to be very careful what I said
before my children so that they would not become
bitter toward people. She tried very hard to bridle
her tongue and be careful what she said. She told me
how she had a relative that had caused many problems
in the family by talking about people. Evidently
Jessie's Mother, Flora, did not want to follow in this
pattern and she would absolutely never talk about any
one, but would always find something good to say about
them.
12
Flora, Jessie's Mother, went about her work singing
hymns from morning until night. Except for a ten
minute nap after lunch, Flora usually worked from sun
up until after sun down. So Jessie had the background
of hymns being sung in the home and occasional attend
ance at meetings.
A year after she and LaSells were married they
went to Minnesota for several weeks to help LaSell's
father with the farm work. David Stewart had had
pneumonia and was not able to be up and about to do the
farm work so LaSells left his work of logging to help
get the spring crops in.
It was the custom with David and Eliza to go to
the Baptist church in St. Francis each Sunday. David
was an Elder in the church and attendance at Church
was very important to him. Here the Gospel was
preached and the altar call given nearly every Sunday.
Jessie wanted very much to go forward then and receive
Christ as her Saviour, but LaSells did not desire this.
It was while LaSells was in the armed forces in
France during World War I that she started attending
church regularly. She began going to the First Baptist
Church in Eugene where Eva, LaSells sister attended.
Although joining the church and being baptized in water,
she did not exnerience the New Birth. It was during
this period that she was invited by a neighbor to go
to some Evangelistic meetings that were being held at
the Church of God. She attended these meetings a few
times and did go forward and prayed at the altar, but
still did not experience peace of heart.
It was at home in bed one night, about two o'clock
following one of these services, that she experienced
the joy of salvation. Being so thrilled and happy she
felt like getting on the house top and shouting to
5
It was during the height of the depression that I
asked to go to Wheaton College in Illinois, and that
request was granted even though it may have cause them
a financial hardship.
As her children married, she extended her love.
When she was troubled or upset by problems she felt
free to call her son-in-law for advice. She not only
asked for advice, but she usually accepted it as well.
Had she not done so, there might have been times that
she would have brought greater problems upon herself.
And on occasions she would call him; not to ask
adVice, but to give it.
She perhaps, even more than most grandparents was
excited and thrilled every time there l'as a new grand
child in the offing, After Larry and I lost a child
through a miscarriage we adonted our son, David. When
we took him to her at about three days of age, she
looked at him and said that he would be a blessing to
us. Then when it came to great grandchildren, they
were extra special.
While the term "worrier" is not really accurate,
she was very strongly concerned when it came to the
welfare of her family, Their health and spiritual
welfare were a real concern to her, Before her death
when she learned that several of her grandchildren had
accepted Christ she was happy to the point of weeping
with joy. Her prayers of many many years were being
answered.
JESSIE AND THE NEW BIRTH. The Hills family did
not attend church regularly. Cornelius was not a
believer, but the family did, on occasion, attend
meetings that were held by the Circuit Riders of the
area, The Neets were more devout in their faith and
4
Jessie was very much in favor of high standards
of holiness, however, and kept these standards all of
her life.
When short hair had come into vogue she was
among the first to get her hair cut. But when she
felt that the Bible stressed long hair for women she
always kept hers long even though it would have been
more convenient for her to have had short hair. Jessie
liked to look well and did all she could to keep look
ing her best. People would speak about her "looking
like a doll", even when she was in her eightieS. But
in spite of trying to look well she did not go far
astray from her standards.
Mother did not like for LaSells to drink and when
he would bring a bottle home and hide it if she found
it the contents would always be poured out. laSe lIs
never drank in front of the family or kept it in the
house, but he did try and find a place outside to hide
his liquor.
At that time there were many Bible studies in the
church and the principles of Holiness were taught very
thoroughly, There were not many Bible Studies in the
homes as it was felt that personal devotions and wit
nessing were of g r e ~ t importance, Also women were
taught to stay at home and be good home makers, and
train their children, Jessie had when she was well
more extra time than most people as she would get up
early and get her work done as soon as possible. She
had a routine of how work should be done; washing,
ironing, cleaning, and baking. Because of that she
had more time to read her Bible and pray than many
people.
JESSIE BELIEVED IN HEALING. The belief that God
healed was always a fundamental belief after she sUo1ed
13
going to the Pentecostal Church. In the beginning
she accepted this doctrine perhaps to the extreme.
When her teeth were extracted she would not even
allow the dentist to put injections in her gums.
However, as time went by, she relaxed some of her
feelings concerning medicine. Even when she began
taking some medicine she felt that it was the Lord
who was keeping her going and if it weren't for Him
she would not be living.
III Health had plagued her for many years. She
had stones in one kidney to the noint that the kidney
had to be removed. Later stones developed in the
other kidney and a large stone dropped into. the,ureter
keeping urine from passing through. She was rushed to
the Eugene Hospital and Dr. Bradley said that she would
not be able to live long because of the poison that was
accumulating in her system. And that her death would
be very painful.
God did undertake for her and she continued
living nearly forty years after that. She did take
very good care of herself, however, but life had a
great deal of suffering. Occasionally the kidney
would cease functioning. God would intervene each
time and helped her through the problem.
After LaSells passed away it was difficult for
her to live in the old home even though she did h a v ~
help. After prayer she felt that it would be well
for her to give up the house and move to the Ed Bates
home where a few older people were being cared for.
She took with her a few things to fill her one room
and left her home phere she h ~ d lived for over thirty
five years, without a murmur. When Mother madeup her
mind about a course of action she tried not to look
back, comnlain, nor fret.
14
deep concern. After hearing this, I asked Aunt Hallie
about the child and what caused his death. She said
that it was "brain fever". The relaying of this
message must have brought great relief from the guilt
that Mother had felt most of her life.
As a child, Jessie used to look out upon the
Willamette river and wonder what layout beyonn. What
were the answers of life; why were we here and what
did the future hold? God must have given her a hunger
for spiritual life as a child and then later in her
life, when she did find the reality of Christ, she was
so thankful for the fulfillment of this great need that
nothing this life had to offer compared with the hope
that she had of an Eternity with Christ in Heaven.
There are a number of points which made her the
woman that she was.
JESSIE'S FAMILY WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO HER. As
with most rural people of that day there was a family
closeness. Besides brother$, sisters, and parents,
there were grandparents, uncles and aunts and cousins
all within just a few miles. These early pioneers
were always most hospitable and made each other feel
loved and welcome.
Jessie's own family was very dear to her also.
Realizing early in life that she would not be able to
fulfill her potential, nor the need that she had for
recognition, she sublimated this by spending time
helping her children to reach their goals in life.
When her children were working toward any goal
she was behind them, reinforcing them all the way.
Jessie and LaSells did not spare expenses when it
came to educating their children. Each of their
children has a college degree because of their concern.
.3
Jessie was a high spirited girl; pretty, intelli
gent and like her father, ingenious. Her father
encouraged this attribute by asking her to do things
that would take courage and creativity. Jasper was
one who liked his children to do as many things for
him as was humanly possible. To get them to accomplish
these fp.ats he would tell them how confident he was
that they were well able to do whatever was asked of
them. Definitely an optimist, where some people would
see danger and problems, he would only see the end
accomplishment and believe that it was possible. His
wife would become upset by Some of the things that he
would ask of his children, but would not meddle after
the decision was made.
Jessie, it seemed had a good self-image when it
came to her abilities. Perhaps one reason for this
was because not only her father believed in her, but
also because of the love and acceptance of the rela
tives who lived close by.
She was teased a great deal by her brothers, but
not in a way that might tear down her self confidence;
just in the way to get a reaction and show her high
spirits. She was not the meek and docile person that
was expected of pioneer women at that time.
Life was not always challenging and adventuresome,
however. One of Jessie's early experiences caused her
to realize that she had a need in her life other than
fulfilling the needs of the body and the soul.
At about two and one-half years of age a baby
brother came into the home but it did not live long.
Jessie, for some reason, felt a deep guilt about his
death and she wondered if she might have dropped the
baby and injured him. In the last few months of her
life she told me about the baby's death with pain and
2
JESSIE BELIEVED IN MISSIONARY GIVING. Jessie was
an avid enthusiast of missionary work. She loved
geography and kept a map handy so she could trace
where the missionaries were located whom she helped
support by prayer and contribution.
Loran was her conservator, and he would make
available from the estate, a certain amount of money
for her to spend each month. This was not spent upon
herself for things of pleasure, but she would give from
it to every good cause in order to spread the Gospel
around the world.
The last year of her life, she would quite often
overdraw her bank account because of her love of givin&
It just didn't seem to occur to her to check the
accounts to see if there was still money in the bank
and those who helped her didn't do it either.
Since her passing I have taken some of her pledges
and am still contributing monthly. Some of the c o ~
that I have made in this way have been most rewarding.
God truly is doing a great work throughout the world
in these last days.
JESSIE GAVE WISE COUNSEL. My Father was a good
business man and was successful, but he gave much
credit to his wife for his success in life.
She kept abreast with the news of the day. So,
with her knowledge of the news, plus her great interest
in people, she was a good conversationalist. She was
always asking her visitors about themselves and their
families and expressed an interest in their welfare.
People seemed to appreciate her interest in them.
Part of her conversation would be that of counsel.
She felt that the Bible stressed the admonishing of one
another.
1.5
In the last month of her life when her vital
strength was fast ebbing she made the remark. "If
you have a problem bring it to your Mother." So in
spite of getting weaker her spirit was still strong.
In her counsel I felt that my Mother was astute
and intuitive. I, to a great extent, valued and
accepted her counsel up until the time she left the
Assembly of God Church for the Latter Rain Movement.
She still had her confidence in Jesus, but was
accepting some new doctrines that did not seem to be
scriptural. This brought a rift in our fellowship.
We still talked on the telephone one or more times
each day. I visited her usually sever.al times a
week, and helped her in any ay I could, but it was
a distressing period for both of us. In my concern
I was most vocal about my disapproval, and we no
longer were seeing eye to eye. I also was feeling
that she had a friend who was playing too large a
part in her thinking. So there were several diffi
cult years for both of us, but I am most thankful
that in the last part of her life our relationship
was very much back to the place that it had been
before.
It was through hearing the Bible read over the
Radio by Vernon McGee that she began to realize that
she had a faith in some points that was not scripturall
So she confessed that she had been misled on some
doctrinal points. Soon after this she asked and was
accepted as a member of the Assembly of God Church at
Culp Creek. It was Oscar Arnesen, the pastor of that
church, who preached her funeral.
JESSIE IS REMEMBERED AND LOVED BY MANY. Even
though her brothers loved to tease her they loved
her and each showed her the ring that they were going
to give to their fiance before it was presented to
16
This tribute is written in appreciation for the
consistent Christian life which my mother lived for
over fifty-five years. Because of this life she has
shown the way for many people to know Christ as their
personal Saviour.
My purpose in writing this is not to write a life
story, nor to eulogize her. She had feet of clay like
the rest of us. My purpose is to present some of the
characteristics that caused her to be the dedicated
Christian woman that she was.
Jessie was born into a truly pioneer family. If
the whole story were tOld, it would be as interesting
and adventuresome as the Laura Ingalls Wilder stories.
Her grandfather Cornelius had traveled across the
country to the Oregon Territory on two occasions. The
first to find a land donation claim which he did in
1847. He choose a scenic, fertile viece of property
to which he returned in 1851 with his bride, Sophronia
Briggs. It was later called Jasper after his oldest
son, who was the first white boy born in the area.
To them were born eight other children, who in
turn settled close by to make homes of their own.
Jasper married a girl of the land too, sweet,
petite Flora Neet. They moved three miles east of
Jasper where the Willamette River and Fall Creek
flowed together. Here on this picturesque spot their
family was born, helpful Elsie, serious Charles,
fun lOVing Ray and Fred, my mother Jessie, sweet
Grace, the red headed darling Hallie, and mischie
II,
vous L a ~ T e n c e . This pioneer family had to wrest a
living from the soil by the sweat of the brow. The
more ingenuity, however, the less sweat; and Jasper
was the ingenious sort.
1
the girl. Her sister-in-law, Mabel, each time I
visit her, tells me how much she liked Jessie, that
she was always good and kind to her and always the
same, not changeable.
Bonnie Cook the High School girl who helped put
her to bed several times a week was so broken hearted
when she heard of my Mother's passing she spent the
day crying and could not go to school.
VirgIe McCaskill, who helped the family in
different ways for over twenty years, when visited
the other day in the hospital broke down crying in
remembering how he had not been able to visit her
after a vacation before she died.
A few days before she went to be with the Lord
she consented to go to a convalescent home in Eugene
where she could get nursing care. There, each day,
I visited her and the night before she died we had
such sweet fellowship together and with the Lord.
She was praising the Lord and seemed to be so joyous
and at peace.
Here are some memories of my Mother, Jessie
Hills Stewart. It will soon be Mothers Day, the
fourth that I have had to wear a white carnation.
Her concern, love, and prayers have been missed.
To be able to take her a carnation once more and
tell her that I love and appreciate her would be
an honor indeed. The tears come, but I could not
wish her back. I am glad that she is in Heaven
with Jesus whom she loved so dearly. And, because
of her, many others will also be able to stand
before the Throne singing praises to the One who is
worthy.
6,
17