Re-Digging the Old Wells: The Empty Lot

The Old Well

 And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father… Genesis 26:18

 The concept of “redigging old wells” refers to getting back to our spiritual roots, spiritual renewal, revival. 

 

This talk of wells comes from Genesis 26 where Isaac is found re-digging the literal wells his father, Abraham, had dug. The Philistines had filled and hidden them. The symbolism of wells is rich, and much has been written and preached on various meanings, but here I am thinking specifically of Oregon’s spiritual roots. Most Oregonians know a little about Missionary Jason Lee, the Whitmans (who were actually in Washington) and other early Christian pioneers. There are many stories about our early spiritual roots that have not been told, however.

 

I was curious about my surroundings: I now live in an older part of Oregon City and wondered about the history of the lot beneath the building I inhabit. While not new - the building had been built in the 1960’s - but pioneers moved into the area as early as the 1840’s, so what was here earlier? Tavern? Livery stable? Ancient burial ground? 

 

In my research I came across a collection of maps created for insurance companies and updated every few years beginning in the 1880’s. The series of maps showed the growth of Oregon City in minute detail. From these I discovered the house behind me had been here nearly forever - as the sign on the house itself attests. And the spot where I live was…empty. That’s it, just an empty lot – for decades. 

 

The insurance map for 1950, however, showed a large structure on the lot…a church. A little more research revealed it had been built about 1947 and was replaced in the 1960’s when the congregation moved to another location in town.  The congregation still exists. 

 

There are numerous denominations represented in the settling of Oregon, both Protestant and Catholic. We won’t be too specific here in a – probably futile – attempt to protect both my privacy and the church’s, but this particular denomination had members arriving in the very first wagon train of 1843. A minister of the denomination brought an entire wagon train made up mostly of church members in 1847 and there were already established groups meeting in various places around Oregon even at that early date. It was tough going in those early days for pioneer church groups and many congregations were not sustainable, eventually disbanding. That was true of the early Oregon City congregation of this denomination, although many groups continued in other parts of the state.

 

During and after World War II Oregon experienced a boom of immigration. My own grandparents, on my mom’s side, moved to Oregon at this time, at first to work in the wartime shipyards, then to buy land and build a home and business. (My other set of grandparents came much earlier). There was growth in church planting at that time as well. While this denomination had dwindled to a handful of congregations around Oregon, after World War II members in Oregon City formed a church that began in rented buildings, built the church on my empty lot, then outgrew that and relocated to larger quarters. 

 

Isaac was faced with two hurdles in re-digging the old wells. The first task was to locate the wells themselves, as the Philistines had not only filled them in, but hidden them from view. The second task, of course, was to clear out the trash so fresh water could again bubble forth. 

 

We are attempting the first task, to locate the wells, the ancient paths, of the early faith pioneers in Oregon. The minister of this denomination that brought a wagon train of church members across the country to settle in Oregon is not the only one to lead faith-based groups to the west. We will continue to explore the people of faith who created the spiritual roots of Oregon in later blog posts.

 

As I was writing and editing this post, I read a transcript of Dutch Sheet’s Give Him Fifteen series titled: The Wells of Revival Are About to be Uncapped:

 

God doesn’t want us to start over in our Kingdom advancement efforts. He wants us to drink from past revival wells, allowing the spiritual “nutrients” from them to mix with today’s revelations and anointings. The world is about to experience its greatest revival ever, and one of the reasons for its strength will be the efforts of those in yesteryears. ~Dutch Sheets, February 9, 2021

 

The Path

This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16

 

Pray for revival in Oregon.

Margaret