On September 15 the Swami gave a short lecture on "Why We Disagree." He read a paper on "Hinduism" on September 19. On the following day he gave a short speech on "Religion Not the Crying Need of India." On September 26 he delivered a short address entitled "Buddhism, the Fulfillment of Hinduism." On the last day, September 27, the Swami delivered his "Address of the Final Session." He declared, ". . . upon the banner of every religion will soon be written, in spite of resistance: 'Help and not Fight,' 'Assimilation and not Destruction,' 'Harmony and Peace and Not Dissension.' "⁴

Swami Vivekananda became so popular that after the Parliament of Religions he undertook a whirlwind lecture tour throughout the length and breadth of the United States preaching the ancient wisdom of the sages of India. In 1894 he established the Vedanta Society of New York--the first permanent Vedanta Centre in the West.⁵

Swamiji went back to India in 1897. During his second visit to America he established the Vedanta Society in San Francisco in 1900--the second Vedanta Society in the U.S.A.⁶

Though references are made that Swami Trigunatitananda's (Head of the Vedanta Society of San Francisco from January 2, 1903 to January 10, 1915) ". . . field of action was extended even to the state of Oregon";⁷ that Swami Prakashananda (Head of the Vedanta Society of San Francisco from the beginning of 1916 to February 13, 1927) ". . . made a successful lecturing tour of six weeks through Oregon and the State of Washington";⁸ that Swami Paramananda made a ". . . brief visit to friends in Portland,"⁹ no permanent Centre was established in Portland until 1925.

At the invitation of some interested persons in Portland, Swami Prabhavananda came from San Francisco and gave public lectures which eventually prepared the ground for a permanent Centre. Swami Prabhavananda had come to the United States in 1923 in order to assist Swami Prakashananda in San Francisco. With the active encouragement of Swami Prakashananda the Vedanta Society of Portland was established in November, 1925 under the care of Swami Prabhavananda.¹⁰ But there was no permanent place for the Society. Lectures and meetings were held variously in the Portland Hotel (in downtown, corner of S.W. Broadway and Alder, now known as Pioneer Square), in Mr. Child's (the first President of the Society) residence, in the chapel at 616 Kraemer Building (corner of S.W. 2nd and Washington, changed later to 206 S.W. Washington in the present numbering system), in the Dekum Building, in the Studio Building on Taylor Street and the so-called "German Hall" above Olds and King Store on Morrison Street (now the Galleria). The Vedanta Society of Portland was officially incorporated on October 4, 1928 by Hal G. Child--President, R. C. Soule--Secretary, and Lottie I. Scott-- Treasurer.