^ %*^. ^T^ "VV> ^ > f ^^ "V^ '# IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) /. 4f. .-*' ^p '^ %> Ki fA 1.0 I.I 11.25 i*i 111 2.5 2.2 lis lllllio lA 11.6 6> ^ V] /a '/a y y^ iV iV ■^ o CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical Notes / Notes techniques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Physical features of this copy which may alter any of the images in the reproduction are checked below. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a dt6 possible de se procurer. Certains ddfauts susceptibles de nuire d >a quality de la reproduction sont not6s ci-dessous. 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Un des symboles suivants apparaTtra sur la der- nidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". The original copy was borrowed from, and filmed with, the kind consent of the following institution: Library of the Public Archives of Canada Map& or plates too lar^ie to be entirely included in one exposure are filmad beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'exemplaire filmd fut reproduit grdce d la g6n6rosit6 de I'dtablissement p'dteur suivant : La bibliothdque des Archives publiques du Canada Les cartes ou les planches trop grandes pour dtre reproduites en un seul cliche sont filmdes d partir de Tangle supdrieure gauche, de gauche d droite et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Le diagramme suivant illustre la mdthode : 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 trt CO 05 » LIFE IN A LOOM A; OK. f/'-rec ] .•■/ ft i'Jlf '; •; III lit ' It 's ./, / 1'^' ii uil H'cH- in (hat biivi.oi.. n \. u. l*c^.v!^Hki> IMi^M THi: l.^*.frno.v Of JKK IhACJ M)MM(rr;:K LONDON: SHK^IKTY FOR PHOMf/rri^-a r:HEJ>rff.AN UNOWLEm^K, B3RI(1MTO¥; its, ?«?,,Kt« St«kbt. Nbw Vnior J m ^ ^. K TOtJKa & (j«.. ".> . 16 Taking Syrup from Maple '1'rees 26 Making Maple Sugar , , 27 A River Torrent facing pagt ^ 56 An Algoma Home , H 79 Lumber Shanty, or Embryo Lumber Cami "5 Ufpington Church, Parson AGE, AND Hali . » ►■ 147 PREFACE. •**- I DO not know why I should have been chosen to write the preface to this simple account of work in Algoma. except from the fact that, for many years, I have been much interested in the Diocese; and have cone- sponded pretty regularly since 1883 with several of the clergy, to whom I liad introductious from tlie Bishop. 1890 gave me the opportunity of paying :i most inter- esting visit to Algoma and enjoying (at Bi.^hophurst, Sault St. Marie) the liospitality of Bishop and Mrs. Sullivan. After seeing the Indium work, along the shores of Lake Huron, and the Great Manitoulin Island for some hundreds of miles, I paid visits to several parsonages in Nipissing and Muskoka. Uffington was one of them, ond I was much struck when thl^re with the efficient manner in which the clergyman and his invaluable wife had gained a thorough knowledge of their people, visiting them regularly and continuously. Need I say this was answered by their flock by punctual attendance at services (even on a week-day) and by efforts of all kinds to can y out the desire of their Bishop and clergyman. But the point of my remarks must be an appeal to men of good physique, powers of endurance, firm faith, and consecration, to offer themselves for this Diocese. The Bishop could place double the number of men who are there at present, did suitable volunteers come forward, and were there funds to pay their stipends. PREFACE. Why should not somo of the flower of our young collegians, men of pluck and means, throw themnelvts and their resources on the side of this distant, stony, isolated region ? No, we cannot speak of teeming millions. We tell of isolated souls left unvisited and without means of worshipping God. Fifty thousand square miles, and about twenty-six clergy to help their Bishop look after 75,000 souls, in a great measure drawn from Great Britain. He does not spare himself; a year and a half r..go he was struck down with very serious illness, conse- quent on the overwork which had been his lot during the ten years of his Episcopate. He was told he must take great care not to overwork himself again. Early in January he started on a tour. Here is an extract from Mrs. Sullivan's letter, dated Jan. 29, 1894 : — " I received a telegram telling me the Bishop was ill in Huntsville, and I was to go to him. I was not very much surprised, neither will you be when I tell you his first week's work after leaving home on the 5th. He reached Gravenhurst on the 6th. On Sunday he preached, had two Confirmations, and then drove twelve miles over unbroken roads, had another Confirmation and sermon. "The 8th he drovo twelve miles, preached and con- firmed, and drove the twelve back again. "The 9th, another sermon and Confirmation and ten miles. On the loth, three important meetings in Brace- bridge. The nth, a fearful day 15° below zero. He drove twenty miles to Port Carling, next day felt ill, but would keep his appointments. Drove seven miles, preached and confirmed, and diove the seven miles back. On the 12th he drove twenty-three miles to Huntsville, feeling PREFACE. Q very ill, and in ^reat pain; but on the 13th nreached and confirmed. On Monday the doctor said "he had jaundice, brought on by cold and fatigue. He suffered great pai'i during the next three uays, but on the 26th I was allowed to bring him home to Sault St. Marie. " Things might have been worse. Had he been unable to leave Port Carling he would have been twenty-eight miles from a doctor by sleigh. "I have just given you one week, he Iiad nearly a month of the same thing planned out ; then he was to come back for a week's rest, and then tako another month of it." Besides the English, Scotch, Irish, French, German, and Italian emigrants and navvies, there are many from tlie far-off shores of Finland, who with their Swedish and Norwegian friends have crossed over to the New Woi Id. Thus a clergyman with knowledge of European languages would often find that knowledge useful. The Red Indhm of the soil is crying out for Christian teachers. Many groups are still untaught because men are not forth- coming who speak their language or will devote them- selves to learning it. The present handful of men are doing noble work, with hand and voice ; they lead their people on the weekday in the erecting of churches, and all kinds of manual labour which may redound to God's glory ; as well as ever placing before them, on Sunday and weekday alike, the old yet ever new Gospel. A. C. D. AUTHOR'S PREFACE. The Author commends this little volume to the notice of all interested in the work of the Church in isolated Missions, and prays that its many shortcomings may he forgiven. His sole object in offering it to the public is to give a brief sketch of actual work and life in the Diocese of Algoma, so far as he is acquainted with it. He acknowledges that he has succeeded only in producing a very imperfect outline, and one with which he would not trouble his readers were that diocese better known, or had more been written by others on it and the great work which, under C4od's blessing, is now being successfully carried on therein. Oambrtdob, Easter, 1894. CHAPTER I. Introduction. "And where on earth is Algoma?" said one of three friends, as they were sitting chatting after Hall one evening. '-Is it in India or Africa ? " " Oh, no," adds another, " don't you know ? it is not nearly so far off ; why, it is in Europe some- where. Let me see now, where ? Now really my memory must bo getting bad, I have quite for- gotten ; but any way, it is a splendid place, plenty of societv, weather charming ; just the place to enjoy life." And so he continued to run on for the next five ijinutes, and the fact soon became evident that neither of the two knew much about the geography of the place upon which the con- versation had turned. '• Well, old man," said the first speaker, addressing the third friend, " tell us where the place is, and what you know about it ; for having spent your honeymoon there, and that a long one into the bargain, I suppose you can tell us something about it." Thus pressed, the friend so addressed did his best to explain that Algoma was neither in India, 12 LIFE IN ALGOMA. Africa, or Europe, but upon the American continent, and in that part of it which acknowledges British rule ; in other words, that it is in Canada, and moreover the See of an Anglican bishop, including within the limits of its territory the civil district of the same name. " The diocese," he continued, " was originally a part of the diocese of Toronto, and is situated along the eastern shore of the Georgian Bay and northern shores of Lake Huron and Lake Superior, a distance of upwards of eight hundred miles of coast line, including numerous islands. It is divided from the diocese of Moosonee by the Height of Land." Here he was stopped by the question, " Surely you are mistaken ; why, you are including a gigantic area of thousands of miles ? " " Yes," he replied, " it is a large area certainly — one of fifty thousand square miles ; and doubtless you will agree that it is a large See for any one Bishop to manage with a small handful of twenty- six clergy ; nevertheless, the present Bishop, Dr. Sullivan, is doing his utmost to supply the needs of those whose privilege it is to live under his fatherly care. We here, in our little island, can know but little, or at least can realise but little, such a charge. "Algoma includes besides the civil district of that name> those of Muskoka, Parry Sound, Thunder nm O ■n ■n H •J ■A a H INTRODUCTION. 13 Bay, and a part of Nipissing, the Manitoulin Island (itself ijo miles long), and also the islands of Cockburn and St. Joseph, to say nothing of 29,00c rocks and small islands, all of which will be found marked on the official survey. " The Canadian Pacific Kailway passes through the diocese, but many parts have to be reached by other means, either by reason of their great distance from that line of railway, or from other and more serious causes. Then there is a branch railway called the Northern, which meets the Canadian Pacific Railway on the one hand and a section of the Grand Trunk on the other, thus making a connexion with the city of Toronto. '' Passengers by this Northern line may have noticed two small stations thereon, one called Gravenhurst and the other Bracebridge. These places are situated near the border-line between Algoma and Toronto dioceses. " If we take the line of railway between these two places and desci'ibe an equilateral triangle thereon, with the vertex pointing nearly due east, leaving the Muskoka Lake on the other side of its base, that vertex would give us somewhere about the position of a small village called Uffington, the name of the place where we spent the greater part of the three years you have been pleased to call our honeymoon, " Some twenty-five years ago, long before the H LIFE IN ALGOMA. It n Northern line was thought of, a few early settlers made what is now tho little town of Bracebridge their headquarters. Here, in time, they were joined by a clergyman (to whom the Bishop had given the charge of the district), who found the little settle- ment a point of vantage from which to direct operations. Soon afterwards a little hamlet twelve miles distant began to spring up, that of Uffington just mentioned. Still further west by another dozen miles or so, another and even more scattered settle- ment in time followed, at first called Oakley (the name of the township) and afterwards Vankoughnet ; while in a third direction, but somewhat later, yet another settlement, which was afterwards called Purbrook, was founded, this time to the north of Uffington and more in a line with Bracebridge ; and in a southerly direction, at about the same distance from Uffington as Vankoughnet, a fourth settle- ment, that of Lewisham, came into existence. Meanwhile, a few settlers had fixed upon Graven- hurst as their resting place, and in time Gravenhurst became a small town. "At fii'st, the clergyman at Bracebridge had charge over the whole of this district, going over first to one hamlet and then to another, literally holding services from house to house. Later on, at Uffington, a log building was erected for the purpose of divine service, while at Purbrook, Vankoughnet, and Lewisham. schoolhouses as soon as they were INTRODUCTION. '5 erected were used as ' upper rooms,' those of the last two places being so continued until within the last two or three years, while at Purbrook some ten years ago a building was erected which did duty until towards the end of the year 1891. The time came when it was thought necessary to divide the mission, and the four settlements, Uffington, Lewisham, Purbrook. and Vankoughnet with Gra- venhurst, became separated from Bracebridge, and were placed under the care of a clergyman who made Gravenhurst his head-quarters. In 1884, another division was made, and Uffington became the place of residence of a clergyman who had charge of that part of the Gravenhurst Mission now known as Uffington, which included in it as out-stations, besides Lewisham, Purbrook, and Vankoughnet — Ferris Hill and Barkway. This ari-angement lasted three years. In the meantime, many settlers retired from the two last-named stations, and they were closed by order of the Bishop. Then the clergyman went to another field of labour and the old oider of things had to be reverted to, and the mission became dependent upon the joint clergy of the original mission for the Chui-ch's ministrations. " This was the s+ate of things when we first heard of Uffington, and was with the four settlements of Uffington, Lewisham, Purbrook, and Vankoughnet we had most to do during our stay in Algoma." / CHAPTER II. The Journey Out. The church of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, nearly opposite the great railway terminus at Charing Cross, was filled with an attentive (I had almost used a stronger adjective) congregation, for the Bishop of Algoma, it had been announced, would be the preacher, and doubtless many had come some distance to hear from his lips something of the Church's work in our colonies. Included in the assembled congregation were two persons upon whose lives his Lordship's words were destined by God's grace to have a marked effect. They had, a few days before, heard of the Diocese of Algoma almost for the first time, and being anxious to know something of the work which lay before God's ministers in that distant land, they had come hoping to learn somewhat from the Bishop's sermon, nor were they disappointed. His Lordship told of flocks shepherdless, of congregations beg- ging for the means of grace, and of his inability to supply those means; simply because men, who were qualified (or who were capable of becoming / THE BISHOP OF ALGOMA. M THE JOURNEY OUT. 19 qualified) for that work, preferred to stay at home in ease and comfort rather than obey the call of Christ to go and work among those whose lot compelled them to reside in distant lands. Does this work differ so much from that of St. John the Baptist or of St. Augustine? And who will say their work was not among the highest and noblest that men and saints can engage in ? That a successor of the blessed Apostles should have to plead for men to go out and receive for themselves, ao their reward, the grand privilege of levelling and preparing the way for Christ and His Church, and plead apparently in vain! — to have the old fathers' privilege of planting " upper-rooms fur- nished and prepared " wherein the Lord's Christ may meet His people, and where that blessed Sacra- ment may be continued which Christ inaugurated in that first of " upper-rooms." As we hinted, the simple story of the needs of Algoma fell upon the ears of two persons and made them long to offer their poor services to Christ's representative, and hence the next morning they sought and obtained an interview with the Bishop, which ended in their being accepted by him for the privileged position of becoming helpers together with Him who ruleth over all, for the good of one of those shepherdless flocks. And what of these two persons, who were they ? They were not quite fresh to such a task, for they B 2, 20 LIFE IN ALQOMA. V I had seen much mission work in that part of the world's greatest city which has been called "the sink of London," amid a people sunk deep in the great city's miseries. Both had worked lon*^ into the hours of the night and '^ ^ in the morning, day by day and night by , t, amid some of Christ's lost ones ; and in thau work, and through that work, each had seen much of the other's character, causing each to have a great respect for the other ; and then the most natural thing which we could expect under such circumstances to occur, did occur, and they at length awoke to the fact that their respect for each other had deepened into that strong and enduring regard which we call affection. Then they determined that with God's help that love which He had peimitted them to find, while working for Him, should, by His aid, be given back to Him through v7ork for Him, and that if He willed it should be fed and strengthened in care for others in the distant land of which they had heard : with the result that, looking back on what has been in a sense a long "honeymoon," their prayers go up to Him in thankfulness for the numberless blessings He has poured down upon them. Not that they have been free from trouble, far from it ; the deepest of earthly sorrows that parents can know, they have known, as well as many many smaller ones; yet the blessings have «S THK JOURNEY OUT. 21 been so many and so great that all the sorrow has been hallow'^d and its bitterness to a large extent swallowed up by them. Very busy were the few weeks which followed. There was the preparation for the long journey ; the preparing for the work when that journey should be a thing of the past ; the giving up of old work and the breaking up of old ties, painful to all alike. Thus the weeks flew away, and all too soon in some ways, although not so in others, came the week during which they were to bid good-bye for ever to some — to all, it might be - of those with whom they had so long been connected. The last night they were to spend in the old parish was spent in the reception-room of *" The Home " for poor girls, which they had helped to establish. Here, with the inmates of the home, and with as many visitors out of the parish as the premises could conveniently accommodate, they took a last farewell ; many were the tokens of the love all had for them, tokens by no means confined to the mere formal presentation which was at that time made to them. The next day the two became one in holy wed- lock, and later in the afternoon left for Euston station, where a small crowd of friends had assembled to witness theii* departure and bid them God speed. On September 21st, they left Liverpool en route for the cure of souls which the Bishop 22 LIFE IN ALGOMA. had allotted to them. After a good voyage and a long journey by rail they duly arrived, on October 9, at Gravenhurst, and were the next morn- ing conveyed to take their first peep at theii* future home. The Bishop had written from London to church- warden Kirkpatrick, saying that by the end of the month the old order of things would be revived, and a new clergyman would be among them. Thus the people had warning, and they spent the intervening time in preparing to welcome both their clergyman and his wife in a most hearty manner. The news of their arrival at Gravenhurst having spread, it is perhaps not surprising that the people were soon inquiring as to where their new clergy- man and his wife might be found. A ring was heard at the Gravenhurst parsonage door, and a voice saying to the resident clergyman, in a tone of inquiry, " We read of the Shepherd searching or a lost sheep : here is a sheep looking for a lost shepherd ; does the poor sheep find his shepherd here?" Introductions discovered the inquirer to be from Uffington, and none other than the township clerk, who also held the Bishop's licence as lay reader, and in due time he conducted his newly-found shepherd, together with his wife, to the awaiting flock. GHAPTKR III. CLIMATE. " Shall the noblest of English mothers give their sons by thousands to die in India or Africa fighting for the dear old flag, and shall it be thought a great thing to devote one's life in Algoma for the Cross of Christ ? See how the pioneers of trade go forth to the Pacific — no man wonders at their adventure, they but seek their fortune. Why then expect less of the ' Merchantman seeking pearls ' who covets souls for his Master's crown 1 " Thus spoke a Bishop of the Church. What then, asks the reader, is there some extra- ordinary danger to be faced, either in the climate or other local accidents of the country 1 He shall be answered in the words of one who replied to a similar question from the clergyman and his wife before they concluded the last stage of their journey out : — " The climate of Algoma," said he, " when com- pared with corresponding latitudes of Europe, is both hotter in summer and colder in winter, the T 24 LIFE IN ALGOMA. thermometer ranging between 105° above and 40" below zero of ^ ahrenheit. " The prevailing wdnds are NE., NW. and SW., the last being the most frequent. The azure of the Algoma skies is remarkable for its purity and transparency, while fogs are unknown. The winter commences in November and lasts until April, when agricultural operations are resumed ; but the winter is by no means an idle time, for it is then that the heavy work of the great lumber interest is mostly carried on, and thousands of men go into the lumber camps, and are occupied in cutting- down the pine and other trees, and hauling them to the waterways, so that when the frost breaks they may be carried down by the force of the rushing Avaters, either to the sawmills or elsewhere, or shipped .to England. The sleighing season usually continues for some five months, during which travelling is comparatively easy, not only on account of the fact that it is then never really dark, even on the longf^st midwinter night, but also because the roads are made smooth by t ^e snow, while at other seasons when the snow is absent they are rough, uneven, and full of rocks, and so render travelling upon them anything but a pleasure. " One of the most remarkable characteristics of the climate is the sudden change of temperature between the seasons ; a change of 30° in twenty- CLIMATE. ^5 four hours, or even less, being by no means un- known. Notwithstanding these sudden changes, the climate may be looked upon for persons of ordinary strength as the most salubrious and conducive to longevity in the world — contagious disorders or fatal epidemics being almost un- kno wn : while from the greater dryness of the climate, people suffer far less from colds and coughs than they do in England." It is difficult to speak of Algoma as a whole, so far as railway and postal services are concerned, parts of the vast district included in the diocese being so much better supplied than others. Sault St. Marie, the district of Muskoka, a part of Parry Sound, and some other places, have a very good service of trains. The postal accommodation is good : most towns and villages near the railway get two or more mails daily, while others get but one, some more rural villages and hamlets have a bi- daily mail, and the more isolated places a less frequent service. The mineral wealth of Algoma is untold ; gold, silver, iron, coal, marble, and granite (the last two of many and beautiful varieties) only wait the necessary capital and labour to discover their immense abundance. The magnificence and splendour of the various autumnal tints cannot be exaggerated, while the rapid growth of vegetation in the spring often ^r 26 LIFE IN ALGOMA. causey the foliage of the forest to unfold in great luxuriance in the course of a fortnight. In a word, vegetation can be almost said to be seen to grow. The greater portion of Algoma is covered with forest trees, consisting largely of pine intermixed with, among other varieties, birch, beech, cedar, TAKING SYRUP FROM MAPLK TREES, elm, hemlock, oak, sycamore, spruce, and last, but not least, sugar-maple, from which a most delicious sugar and syrup is made. Flowers and ferns abound in great beauty and variety, and wild fruits in endless profusion — cherries, currants, gooseberries, raspberries, and strawberries every- where. You may go miles along roads and never h CLIMA.TE. 27 lose sight of the raspberry growing at the roadside in far greater abundance than the blackberry in an}' part of England, and although the strawberry is inferior in size to the English cultivated varieties, MAKING MAPLE 8UGAB. yet not one of the latter can be compared to the delicious wild Canadian when made into preserve. The agricultural and garden productions are much the same as in England, Algoma having the advantage of additional varieties, among them that delicious vegetable, the Indian (sugar) corn. 28 LIFE IN ALGOMA. Wild animals are fast becoming a thing of the past, but on rare occasions, and away from the more settled portions of the country, the wolf, bear, beaver, lynx, wild cat, fox, otter, and mink may be met with, but the first three are now all but extinct, and the others are rapidly following their example. Deer are often plentiful, and many are the sportsmen who come in during the hunting season to hunt. Among the feathered tribe, wild swans, geese, turkeys, and ducks are occasionally met with, and partridges abound. Then there are eagles, kites, hawks, owls, and many others, among them two species of humming-birds, besides jays, woodpeckers, and blackbirds. Snakes are numerous, but the venomous kinds are very rarely met with, and then only in certain districts. The lakes and rivers, which are to be found in all parts of Algoma, abound with fish, mostly sturgeon, salmon-trout, speckled trout, white-fish, pike, pickerel, bass, perch, eels, and suckers. Algoma is settled principally by emigrants, and the descendants of emigrants, from England, Ireland, and Scotland, with a considerable number of Germans and others The Indians will be found on the reserves set apart for them by the Govern- ment. The settlers mostly reside on their own freehold farms, having firet built their homestead thereon, usually of wood, but sometimes of stone ; CLIMATE. ^9 and the settler when he gets established can make a living for himself and his family from his farm : but often, as in all new countries, many privations have first to be endured before he can do so, as his farm (usually loo acres in extent) must be first cleared, for when granted to him it would be simply a part of the forest, and years muiit pass before it can be got into order and the settler receive its full benefit. Withal they are a kindly, God-fearing, and hospitable people — poor un- doubtedly, but of what they have they will freely give, either to their church or to their fellow- settler in want. I CHAPTER IV. First Arrival. Previous to being conducted as described in a preceding chapter, they had had a first view of their new charge, and it was not a very encouraging one. The roads were rough, rocks plentiful, the driver (a clergyman who had preceded them from England a few weeks before) inexperienced, the horses a scratch team, differing much in size and unused to being harnessed with other horses, and to improve matters the driver did not know the road ; consequently they twice took the wrong turning and so went miles out of their way. At last, however, they came in sight of Uffington, and their first peep from the distance told of a neat little hamlet, with a few whitewashed or painted buildings, whose history they were curious to learn, and wondered if either would be the church. By this time they had arrived at the one hotel the hamlet possessed, and a few minutes later at the then Post Office. Here the postmaster took FIRST ARRIVAL. 31 pity on them, and kindly gave information as to the uses of the buildings referred to They then learned that the Methodists had a resi- dent minister, and that one of the white buildings was their place of worship, and that another was that of the Presbyterians ; that the church was a small black-looking building upon the top of a hill, hitherto unnoticed ; and the parsonage a little house close by the church, which being white could be seen more easily from the distance. They paid a brief visit to these last two buildings, but had to hasten as time was getting on, and it would never do for such inexperienced persons to be late on such roads. The Bishop had said, " One of the ftrst works must be church-building," and indeed they felt words could not be truer. The poor old leaky building, one of the very oldest if not the oldest in the diocese, was altogether unfit for the sacred pur- poses for which it was used. It was besides very small. In a word, church-building was an absolute and urgent necessity, but that is a thing much easier to talk about than to do. In the first place the people had lost all heart; and no wonder, for did it not seem to them that they were left without Sacraments, without all those means of grace so necessary to help weak men and women in their helplessness! Is it any wonder that under such circumstances many of the more earnest ones, find- 3* LIFE IN ALGOMA. ing themselves without the Church's miDistrations, went over to the Nonconformists ! feeling it better to have what they could give them than nothing at all, and that many more simply fell into loose and unchristian ways of living? One of the leading Churchmen first observed, " It is no use for them to come here, every one is now a Methodist or a Presbyterian ; we have been neglected too long." And this, notwithstanding that b}^ far the larger half of the whole population were at one time Churchmen Another equally prominent settler asked as his first question, "When do you propose leaving us? " afterwards explaining that there had been so many changes that now they simply looked upon the Church clergyman, not as their friend, adviser, and companion, but as a bird of passage, certain to move on the first opportunity, even more certain to do so than the Methodist minister with his three years limit of residence. Even the more staunch of the settlers who had for years worked, and hoped against hope, could hold out no encouragement. All hope seemed utterly and entirely dead, and if ever a man had reason to feel his own weakness, surely it was he who had just arrived, charged with the care of these poor souls. Still the people were kind : in fact no words can express their hospitality, and their pleasure at once- FIRST ARRIVAL. 33 more having their own clergyman; but it was a subdued kind of pleasure, which showed they had no faith that he would be theirs for any length of time. The next day ur two passed and Sunday came, and what a Sunday that was ! The first service was to take place in the schoolhouse at Oakley, for which place the clergyman and his wife started under the care of Mr. Doherty. Never will they forget that drive, during every moment of which they seemed to their unaccustomed eyes to be in imminent danger of being dashed to pieces. Then back again over the same terrible stones at the same awful pace. No, they will never forget that drive, although they experienced many worse during the three years they were privileged to reside in the mission. Then in the afternoon they had their first service in the mother-church at Uffington, which soon made it clear that not only was a new build- ing required, but many other things — nay, every other thing as well. There was nothing — abso- lutely nothing — but the poor old log church and its primitive seats. A few words as to the history of this building may not be out of place here. It was among the first efforts of the people of the diocese to provide them a house for their Master's service. For this purpose they cut a quantity of logs, and after they 54 LIFE IN ALOOMA. had drawn them to the site they considered them too long, so thoy reduced them by cutting off some six feet. They were then erected, forming a build- ing twenty- seven feet by nineteen feet. After standing for some time in this state the building was roofed and windows were put in. . Later the bell was put into position, a tower having been erected for it by Mr. Cooke. This bell was given, years before a church was thought of, by a settler then leaving Uffington, who left it for that purpose to another settler, who handed it to Mr. Cooke. In 1881 Mr. James Kirkpatrick purchased the farm on part of which this old log building had been erected, and finding the site was still a part of the farm, before purchasing he procured a deed of the site from Isaac and Eliza Jane Hughes (the original settlers, to whom the land was granted by the crown) which he handed to the Bishop. Find- ing that the church was in bad repair, roof leaky, and seats falling down, Mr. Kirkpatrick and the Messrs. Thompson re-shingled and reseated the building. On being told by others that their labours were in vain, the former replied, " Not so ; in ten years we shall see things will be very different," and he proved to be a true prophet. I CHAPTER V. HUNTSVILLE. The clergyman and his wife had not been long in Uffington before the issue of the Hummons for the Eastern District Convocation, and in conse- quence immediately after the Christmas festivities they left for the neighbouring town of Hunts- ville, a few stations beyond Pracebridge, where the meeting was to talce place. At Bracebridge they joined one or two clergymen who also were on their way to Huntsville. A station or two out of Bracebridge one of the catechists entered the carriage, who being dressed as a clergyman and unknown by sight to many of the party, caused a ludicrous mistake to be made, he of course being taken for one in Holy Orders. In due time the train arrived at Huntsville station, where they met the Rural Dean, who had kindly come down to the station to welcome the visitors. What a splendid Rural Dean he is, by the way : jovial and hospitable to the heai*t's core. After refreshments they called upon the Bishop, and 2 30 LIFE IN ALGOMA. much as they had admired him in England, still more did they after and during the days of their intercourse with him at Huntsville. We do not propose to enter into the doings of Convocation, but we may say something of Hunts- ville. Only a very few years ago the spot we know by that name was wild and virgin forest ; hence it is a youthful place, and it is strong in its youth ; but strong as it is, yet it is not strong enough to do all that is needed in order that there may be a sub- i^tanlial house of God in its midst. The people feel their need : they also felt, as the congregation at Uffington felt, their inability to provide for that need. Still they have worked unitedly. They pay the larger part of their clergyman's stipend. This is a good deal for a congregation of thirty-two families of poor working people to do, but the Church family at Huntsville has done far more than this. "In the five short years of their history," we were told, "they have purchased a bell, substantial oak furniture of church design for the chancel, a beautiful set of sacred vessels, with brass alms- dish, and vestry furniture, all preparatory to a new church. They have also built a hall for Sunday School and general purposes, with kitchen behind, having all necessaries for social gatherings of the Church family; also a driving-shed for the con- venience of country members, besides endless minor works for the good and comfort of the Church family HUNTS VTLLE. %1 generally, each alike practically useful and indica- tive of their true love for their church." Thus, not- withstanding the struggle to provide themselves a home, have they had the courage to work that the house of God and its services might keep pace with the other home. Neither did they forget the need of a resting place for the bodies of those called to " the waiting church," for they provided them a cemetery of live acres, which they fenced and laid out in plots, and which was afterwards duly consecrated. All these works were begun and completed over and above the annual and regular working expenses of the church, and cost over ^g2,coo, and are all paid for. Is it not very natural that they who have thus followed their clergyman's lead for four or five years unhesitatingly, and worked so nobly and so successfully against such odds as are always in- cidental to a settlement in the bush, should turn an appealing glance to their more favoured fellow-churchmen in other places for help in the great work to which they are bending all their energies % Just before the end of our life in Algoma, Mr. Llwyd wrote saying that the net result of his appeal up to that date was a little over ^Hoo, and that the local subscriptions for that time and foi' that fund came to nearly ,^300. They had 200 cords of building stone upon the site costing ,^600. 38 LIFE IN ALGOMA. and paid for. It would cost ^700 besides the amount in the treasury to place the whole of the remaining materials on the ground '• Then," says Mr. Llwyd, " we shall have the problem of erection to deal with; at the lowest estimate ^^3.000 are needed, and for this we must look to our wealthy and more favoured brethren and sisters in the common faith." Among the clergy who were Soctying at Hunts- ville for the Convocation was one who possessed a pair of splendid horses called Jack and Jill, which he used much to the pleasure of the few ladies who had come up with their husbands to Convocation ; many were the delightful trips he afforded them. A drive in a good cutter (a light kind of sleigh) behind a pair of fast horses, over a road as smooth as glass, needs to be experienced to comprehend a tithe of its exhilarating pleasures. We Cambridge men, particularly we boating men, think boating on the Cam to be the very acme of pleasure, and certainly one would not wish for greater delights than can be experienced during a pull in a small tub or light skiff, or for the matter of that in an eight, down to Baitsbite or Clayhithe ; but it is not to be compared to the pleasure of Hying over land or frozen water at the full speed of a pair of good fresh horses. Given a well-beaten track, on the top of the frozen waters of one of the many ^ HUNTSVILLE. 39 lakes to be found almost anywhere in Algoma, and fresh horses, one soon forgets the troubles of life in the pleasures of the moment. Friday brought the Convocation to a close. That evening there was an "at home" to meet the Bishop ; not a stiff affair as " at homes " are too often in England, but one where every one felt " at home." Then amid much hand-shaking, and with many regrets and the Bishop's blessing, the visitors bade adieu to their kind entertainers, and either that night or the next morning all were on their way to their respective parishes. CHAPTER VI. Moving the Old Church. i-i\ M The first few weeks had been very largely occupied in settling down, but much thought and prayer had also been given to the circumstances and wants of the cure; they were so many that the difficulty seemed to be to know where to begin. The Bishop, in his letter of welcome to the diocese, had again pointed out " the abundance of work before them, both among the people and in the way of improving the church buildings.'' " Indeed," he proceeded, " a new church is urgently . demanded at Uffington." The people however re- garded the building of a new church as altogether outside their powers, while they agreed that the building as it stood was not only out of repair, but also too small for the congregation, and for the decent celebration of Divine Service. The clergy- man suggested that the old building might be re- paired and enlarged, only to be told that the one was as impossible as the other, and in fact that both alike were out of the question. MOVING THE OLD CHURCH. 4 1 After long and prayerful thought he made another suggestion, more to try the powers of the congrega- tion than anything else. The suggestion was to attempt to raise money to purchase an organ, to replace the old and decayed instrument which had outlived its usefulness. The congregation agreed to this attempt being made, with the result that within two months the congregation proved they had successfully stood the test, and sufficient money had been collected to purchase a fine, beautifully toned '• Dominion " chancel organ. One young girl went to some of the lumber camps, and in less than a week collected one-fourth of the cost. After this it was thought an attempt might be made at church building, and stimulated by their success the congregation were encouraged to agree to the proposal. While these matters were being considered, the more spiritual wants of the people were being care- fully attended to, and many long journeys weie taken to distant parts of the mission. The near approach of the Bishop's visit rendered classes for candidates for confirmation more frequent ; there were in all twenty-four candidates for the Sacred Rite, twenty aged from fifteen to twenty- one years, and four over that age. Some of these lived at Uffington, some at Vankoughnet, others at Pur- brook, a station which had managed to preserve its churchmanship far better than any of the others 42 LIFE IN ALGOMA. i m in the mission, owing doubtless to the exertions of one or two members of that flock. The Bishop was to have been at Uffington in February, but owing to illness he had to postpone his visit until March. In the meantime plans and specifications for the new church were prepared, and, after some alterations, w^ere approved first by his Lordship and then by the people. The next week 400 feet of pine lumber eleven inches square was upon the site, being the first instalment to arrive. This afterwards formed the main timbers of the new building. Here was found great encouragement in another and higher direction, for the seeking out of this ma- terial caused the clergyman to come across a family who had remained unvisited by his predecessors, and who had fallen away to such an extent that all the children — and they were many in number — were unbaptized. The father brought them all the next day to the church for that Sacrament, and after- wards himself became one of the strongest sup- porters of the church. Then followed a visit from the Rural Dean, who reported so favourably of the mission, that the Bishop wrote on March 20, saying : *• The Rural Dean has just been telling me of his visit to Uffington. I am specially glad to learn of the increased zeal and contributions for the new church." By this time the people had provided [ill MOVING THE OLD OHUROH. 43 upwards of a fourth of the total cost of the new building. On the last Saturday in the month the Bishop was at Uffington, and presided at a business meet- ing at which it was decided to push forward the new building with all speed ; the day following his Lordship celebrated the Holy Communion, con- firmed most of the candidates for confirmation, and preached twice ; on the Monday he confirmed the remainder of the candidates, and in the evening met a number of the parishioners at the parsonage. All were glad of his presence among them, and felt much strengthened by his sympathy and fatherly counsel. The following daj^ Tuesday, his Lordship left by the train going north, and the clergyman proceeded to visit some people who lived on the very extreme northern border of his mission. Here, as every- where, he was well received, one old lady on her knees thanking God that once more after an interval of many years she was permitted to hear the voice of a clergyman. Soon afterwards the Ufiington Easter Vestry was held, at which there was a full attendance of members. The provision of materials for the new church was one of the chief subjects under consideration, and it was decided to purchase them forthwith. Among other matters of interest, seventeen heads of families signed as members of the Church of England and 44 LIFE IN ALQOMA. of no ofiher religious body. The accounts showed that one- third of the total population now acknow- ledged themselves to be Churchmen. The offertory, and also the building fund, proved to be in a most satisfactory condition ; and it was agreed to at- tempt to make the two amount if possible to ^250 during the next six months. The Sunday Schools, which a few months before commenced with a few scholars, had gradually grown until the number on the books had now reached forty- three, of whom twenty-three had not missed a single Sunday since they began to attend. The services of the Church also were better attended. Even on the pre- ceding Sunday (Low Sunday) the little church was crowded, notwithstanding a storm so severe that those in charge of one team had to cut through fallen trees at four different points before they could reach the church. On the twenty-eighth of June a successful at- tempt was made to remove the old church bodily to a sufficient distance from its original site to enable a part of the new church to be erected thereon. This removal was a curious sight. The building was first raised high enough to enable a kind of carriage or trolly upon rollers to be built under it ; and then with the help of some twenty men, and a team of horses, the building gradually and very slowly began to move over the track prepared for that purpose, and before night came MOVING THE OLD CHURCH. 45 on the old building stood many yards from the spot on which it had stood in the morning. Not even a sheet of glass v^^as broken. The only damage done happened in the taking down of the tower, which could not be removed with the main building. Then began the work of preparing for the new structure. All the soil was first removed so that the foundations might be put in upon the natural rock- bed beneath ; thus a basement was obtained which might be used for a furnace for heating the church. By the ninth of July the foundations were above the level of the ground outside, and by the end of the month the walls were erected, the plates in position, and the rafters fixed thereon. But at this point the new building had to be left for the space of some few weeks. CHAPTEIi VII. Parry Sgjnd. It * One of the centres of life in Algoma, called largely into existence by the lumber interest, is the town of Parry Sound ; here in the summer of 1889 the second Triennial Council was held. In con- sequence the clergy of the diocese were all for a few days the guests of the clergyman in charge and his parishioners, and right well were they entertained. The journey thither was in some cases long, involving days of travel by land and water. Others were near enough to drive over. Yet others again had a shorter journey than the one and longer than the other. Among these latter were the clergyman from Uffington and his wife ; in their case the first day was taken up by the railwa}^ journey to Penetanguishine, where the night was spent. They were not alone ; clergy from Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Huntsville, and other places were travelling also towards the PAURY SOUND. 47 same centre and by the same route. That night all stayed at one of the hotels. The next morning they had to be up with the lark, for the steamer left early for Parry Sound. The line of steamers by which they travelled takes the route around the islands, instead of the more direct one in the open part of the Georgian Bay. Although this causes much delay, yet it gives the passengers the advantage of seeing the hundreds of lovely islands, which the^^ enjoy immensely, and the party on this occasion found so much pleasure in the trip that they were all sorry to be told they were nearing Parry Sound. As the steamer neared the quay the Bishop's little steamer, the Evan- geline, was seen at anchor. This little yacht carries the Bishop across the vast inland seas within his territory, on the shores of which the Indians chiefly live, and it is by means of this boat that the Bishop is able to reach the Indians, settlers, light- housemen and others, whose business calls upon them to reside in these isolated and only partly explored regions. Upon the quay the Bishop him- self, with the Rev. J. Gavel ler, was waiting to welcome the visitors. Mr. Gaveller had arranged for the comfort of all the visitors in a most satis- factory manner — by no means an easy task. The next day the Council began its work and continued to sit until Friday, when it adjourned to the following Monday, largely in consequence of f 11 48 LIFE IN ALQOMA. the Bishop's engagement to examine the candidates who were seeking ordination on the following Sunday. The Bishop, in his anxiety for the happiness of the visiting clergy and their wives, was somewhat troubled as to what to suggest for their entertain- ment on the Saturday, on which day they were without employment, the Council not sitting. The happy thought suggested itself to his Lordship, to lend his steamer to them for a visit to one or more of the islands out in the Sound. Every one was delighted, and it was decided to visit the island of Wahsahkoosing (Beaver cutting trees), inhabited solely by Indians. The next day, therefore, they all met at the harbour, save the three Deacons who were to be ordained Priests, and of course those Catechists (six in number) who were to be ordained Deacons. But before they finally left the harbour, the Bishop and some of these came on board, in order that all might have their photographs taken in a group upon the Evangeline, The photograph was a success, and has since been copied and enlarged to four times its original size by a firm of photographers in Cheapside, a copy of which is before me as I write. The Bishop and those who were not to go on having landed, the party for the island steamed out of the harbour, and after passing many small islands il PABRY SOUND. 49 and points of interest, duly arrived in the offing before Wahsahkoosing. Here a difficulty presented itself, as the sounding-line showed there was not sufficient depth of water for the steamer to land her passengers, even when aided by her boats. A way out of this difficulty was found at last, the islanders being asked by signal to come out and take the party to land in their canoes, which they did as soon as they understood what was wanted of them. Having landed, the visitors found there was not a single white person upon the island. The little children were much frightened by the visitors' presence, and hid themselves in every con- ceivable and inconceivable place. The old chief, Patabahmowetang, received them in state, shaking hands with those he took a fancy to. His great delight when he found one of the party could speak his own tongue surpasses all our attempts at descrip- tion. Some of these Indians are pagans and others Christians. In the graveyard of the former, the most noticeable feature was the small huts erected over the bodies of their dead and containing; inside the treasures belonging to the dead person while in this life. The more modern of these huts have in many cases a window of glass and always a doo]-. There was a time before the Government took the matter in hand when these poor creatures would leave the body upon the ground within the hut, but now the authorities oblige them to bury. D 50 LIFE TN ALGOMA. Their infants have to submit to a treatment to which our English children would strongly and loudly object. They are fastened to a piece of board in such a position that it is impossible for them to move their little limbs at all. When the parent does not wish to carry her infant, she will simply hang the board up either upon a tree or upon a nail in the wall, and the child does not seem to mind such treatment in the least. We have not heard whether this is the reason why most Indians have such well-formed and straight bodies, but it seems possible it might have some- thing to do with it. After inspecting some native Indian work, which was much admired, and taking a short ramble over a portion of the island, the party returned to the shore ; accepting an invitation to go into one or two of the dwellings, which seemed wonderfully clean and comfortable. Then the ship's whistle, bell, and gun were heard almost simultaneously, to the alarm of some, particularly the natives, an alarm for which there was of course no real cause. The Indians having taken again to their canoes and conveyed all the visitors safely back to the Evangeline, tne little steamer sped on her way back to her place in Parry harbour. Sunday dawned and was a day of special grace to many. On the Monday the Council reassembled, and by the end of the week had concluded its sitting. After an "at home" PARRY SOUND. 51 and much social intercourse between the Bishop, clergy, and the leading families of the town, all returned to their respective parishes, save one, who returned to England for a few weeks ; later, he also was to arrive in his parish, not alone, but bringing with him from the old land a help-meet for him. D 2 CHAPTER VIII. Visiting. The week after the return from Parry Sound, the quarterly house-to-house visitation of the mis- sion was commenced. Many were the long drives over rough roads, through glens, and over hills and dales. Some- times, when at the extreme limits of the mission, a house would be discovered at a long distance from the road, which had been overlooked on a previous visitation. On one such occasion, as the clergyman and his wife neared the house, they noticed the children running in different directions, which suggested to their minds that the parents were somewhere in the bush, and the children seeing sbrangers approaching were trying to find them and let them know of it. They were surprised therefore when they did arrive at the settler's house to find both the father and mother engaged in work within, and could not help inquiring as to the cause of the children's behaviour. The parents explained that it was VISlTINa. 53 doubtless owing to the fact that they were fright- ened, for they added, " Only one of them has ever seen a stranger before." This naturally led to the question, " Why, don't they see the neighbours ? " which brought the reply, " There are none within reach, and as you can see there is no road past this house, so that none from a distance ever have occasion to pass by." After a time the children were induced to return, and some coaxing brought about more friendly relations, particularly with the clergyman's wife, who was charmed to find that the little ones, although fearfully backward, as might be ex- pected, yet had been taught something of the Christian faith and could repeat the model of all prayers, certainly somewhat brokenly — but then that might be largely owing to shyness in the presence of strangers. Thus the weeks passed by, until, on September 2, the completion of St. Paul's Church was com- menced, and right heartily did all enter into it. The churchwardens and clergyman were busy trying to keep the building fund in credit. The people gave a hundred days' free labour, in addi- tion to a very large amount of money and mate- rials. The building began day by day to assume shape, and the interior to show signs of future beauty. But it was a time of great anxiety, for the 54 LIFE IN ALGOMA. farmers could not sell their crops. One had taken load after load of hay to Gravenhurst, but could not get a bid for it. To make matters worse, the lumber interest (upon which many of the people largely depended for their subsistence) was at a very low ebb in the district. Even one of the chief farmers had not handled money for over two months, save that which he collected either for church building or as churchwarden in taking up the offertory in church. Yet; strange as it may seem, only a few lost heart ; all more oi less looked forward in faith and hope ; and they were encouraged, for the Bishop wrote about this time saying he thought "the people on the whole had done remarkably well, and could not leasonably be expected to do more " ; and a day or two later they had notice that the S. P. C. K. had made the mission a grant towards the building fund of the new church. This lifted a great weight from the minds of all. One must work in poverty-stricken districts to thoroughly appreciate the immense value of the grants given by our noble English societies. At Vankoughnet the people were now beginning to show increased anxiety about the church which had some time before been proposed for them. At present the only building available for services was the school-house ; and even that building could not VTSTTINa. 55 be used but once a month, owing to other bodies having prior possession. First it was suggested that there should be a building of logs something like the old church at Uffington, and an offer of half an acre was made for the site, but the Bishop thought there should be at least an acre, and that he could not accept a site containing less. This offer in consequence was not accepted, but held over to see if a larger piece of land could be obtained. The clergyman at this time was feeling very anxious about the station, and felt something must be done without delay, the more so as it was urged that the Church should be enabled to sepa- rate her flock, and have a reasonable number of services at as early a date as possible. August was almost wholly occupied in visiting about the village of Uftington and in Ryde, while the last few days of the month were given to the northern part of Oakley township. Here, in an outlying part, several families wore visited who had not seen or heard a clergyman for eight years. The following week the clergyman and his wife spent in the eastern part of the town- ship of Oakley, partly along the Black River. During that week they visited most of the fami- lies living in this district, some of them in very inaccessible places. The presence of the clergyman's wife on nearly 56 LIFE IN ALaOMA. i 1 \ all these excursions proved to be of great service when added to liis own efforts. Although it was very trying to her strength, on this subject the Bishop wrote, '^I am very glad to hear of your rural peregrinations, and that your wife is al)le to accompany you. It will do much good in every way, probably in its own degree as much as the services." They found many residing near Clear Lake and the upper part of the Black lliver a number of whom were not baptized ; the clergyman therefore determined to liold a service for them in the school- house at Clear lake. About one hundred came, and four children were baptized. There would have been more baptized had not the river risen during the night and prevented tliose who lived on the east side fording it (their only means of crossing). So it was arranged that there should be another service on September 26, in order that those who could not cross the river might liave a further opportunity. They found the settlers here as liospi table as in other parts of the mission. Nothing can exceed the kindness at all times shown them. The settlers' houses, their tables, their beds and their stables, in a word, all they possessed, were at the service of the clergyman and his wife, and the settlers' only re- gret seemed to be that they did not use them more often. \ A KIVEll TORRENT. ■r-w ii. . 3 1 '!. 'i <■■ t --. f CHAPTER IX. Illness. Thus passing from one station to oiotlier, in and out among these scattered ones of Christ's flock, they found the days and hours quickly fly away. At every turning some new pleasure was experienced, some chance of helping others, some opportunity of encouraging each other onward, until each day seemed to be a step towards the com- pletion of yet another '• upper room ready furnished and prepared." Oh, what a privilege, thus to help forward the work of Christ, to plant and to sow and to tend, and then to leave in His own gracious Hands the increase, which He gives as He knoweth is best ! How much one learns in these visits ! How gladly would the clergyman and his wife call more fre- quently upon all, if time only permitted their doing so ! Still, the longer or shorter time thus spent in this very pleasant duty had its reward for both clergyman and people, and each alike look forward to the next occasion on which they might have the fi^ ' I ^;| ;i i; U f! 60 LIFE IN ALGOMA. privilege of reading and praying together, and of helping to lighten the sorrows of those whom God in His wisdom and mercy has seen fit to visit with trouble. The first day or so of October, Lewisham re- ceived another of the clergyman's short visits. It had a partly-furnished church, and although unable just then to go over so often as he could wish, yet novi and again he managed to pay a kind of flying- visit to the little settlement, weakened by the migration of many of its better-off settlers. Still many souls were left, souls for which Christ died, and they possessed the beginnings of a church, but no means of completing. This was to be the next station to which build- ing attention should be directed. How the clergy- man longed to do something for these weak ones of the flock 1 Perhaps they had not managed well ; but are we all free from such errors? They had done what they could, and had been left because they were unable to do more. And yet how loyal the very fcAV Church people were to their church ! How lovingly they spoke of it ! They were as a whole the poorest of the poor ; yet one family insisted upon providing refreshment for the clergyman, although they possessed neither money nor provisions ; but without allowing him to know it, they sent two miles to borrow some flour, and then made cakes for him. ILLNESS. 6l Such services may lose their reward at the hand of man : but " he that receiveth a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward " hereafter. Then the great heat and fatigue began to tell upon the clergyman and his wife. For some time since their return from Parry Sound both had been feeling unwell, sometimes very seriously ; but they hoped after a while to recover their health wit^iout seeking other than local advice. However, the first week in October the clergyman entirely broke down, and had to keep his bed, passing the nights without sleep, and in a semi- delirious state. By Saturday, the T3th, he was better, and on Sunday there was again an improve- ment. Not only was he able to do duty, but also, immediately after morning service, to visit a dying woman who had sent for him, and who lived eight miles away. Doubtless the cause of this illness was the same as that which brought about a similar one in the spring, but thinking it would be better to consult a physician, he made arrangements for a visit to the city of Toronto for that pui-pose. Hence a few days later the clergyman and his wife arrived in Toronto, and consulted Dr. Lowe, who advised giving up the charge and returning to England; a course which both were anxious to avoid. • 69 LIFE IN ALGOMA. "•< ■ On the 28th however the clergyman became so much worse that the physician requested another should be called in. For days the sufferer was con- fined to his bod, and sleep seemed altogether to have forsaken him ; so much so, that three sleeping draughts in a single night failed to induce it. Towards the end of the next week matters began to improve, and early in the week following he was table to get out of doors, and on Friday to return to Uffington, having promised the doctors to stay within the parsonage when he arrived there, for they said it would be madness for him to attempt long journeys. Moreover the greatest care must be taken for the next two months, for even a cold caught in his present condition would probably end most disastrously. The illness they considered arose largely from fatigue, and the con- tinual faintings were caused by the air being too strong for one in so weak a condition. The Bishop, always ready to sympathize, on hearing of the state of the clergyman's health, at once wrote : " I hasten to say how very very sorry I am to learn that your health is so seriously affected. It is a sore trial for you and your wife, and for the Church as well ; I hope, however, it may in God's good time be removed. I should suppose your best plan would be to return to Eng- land ; meanwhile you need change while maturing your plans. You had better go to Toronto for ILLNESS. 63 a month or two and see what the result will be.' Kind as this advice was, they were anxious to avoid following it, for they craved the privilege of continuing to forward the spiritual growth of the mission they were learning to love more and more ; and they feared either of his Lordship's sugges- tions, if adopted, would virtually mean leaving the diocese altogether. So another plan was tried, that of a month's partial rest and nursing at Uffington, leaving the Bishop's suggestion to be tried if that failed. The clergyman felt that his presence was much needed at the mission just then. If he were away the candidates for confirmation would not be ready, and the new church needed him ; for when he was absent in Toronto, we are sorry to say, the work almost stood still. Hence there was a danger of the church not being completed for the Bishop to open, and if possible to consecrate in January. The month's rest proved to have had the desired effect — indeed the clergyman felt almost well at the end of that time ; and the snow having come the roads were no longer rough, and therefore he could get about among his people without so much fatigue. 0/- ,•' I: ': 1 1 CHAPTER X. Christmas, 1889. The children, how they love this their own festival ! No matter where they are, i:a the old land or the new, Christmastide to them means joy. Joy even in London's dark slums, joy in the black and lonely bush ; everywhere does Christmas mean for them — happiness. Let us look at them in our mission this Christ- mastide. At Purbrook there was an almost con- stant downpour of rain, yet some thirty children duly arrived, and as certainly found happiness in their Sunday School treat, and returned to their homes full of gladness. Then what of those at Vankoughnet? They have not had many treats of any kind, and this was their first Christmas treat. We will hope they may ha^e many more. Here, too, the children arrived in goodly numbers accompanied by theii' parents. They were addressed by their clergyman, and expressed their great pleasure and grateful thanks at the close. At Uffington, St. Paul's, the mother-church, did CHRISTMAS, 1889. 65 the children there have a happy Christmas, and did they have their usual Christmas tree ? Yes, and a splendid tree it was, and during the evening and after the inevitable tea, a somewhat long programme, consisting of songs, recitations, and dialogues, was gone through. Then just as the clergyman was finishing his address, the messenger arrived with the letters, and one from the Secretary of the S. P. C. K. was noticed and immediately opened. It told that the Society had sent a grant of books for the Sunday School. This news the children thought worth three cheers, which they accordingly gave, and that most heartily. Truly this Sunday School is most successful and continues to grow ; there are now over fifty children on the books, and their regularity is such that a fifth of the scholars have never missed an attendance, and a like number have missed only one. The Bible- class in connexion with the Sunday School is attended by some twenty young persons, and as soon as the new church is opened will have to be held there, for there will not be room for them we fear in the vestry. But this joyous season was made a time of happiness to old as well as young by the inter- change of gifts, particularly those kind gifts of clothing and other necessaries, sent in such quan- tities by friends from far and near. But those n '■ 66 LIFE IN ALGOMA, it who reside in Uffington had a special cause for joy, for did not their own handsome church of St. Paul stand out against the winter's snow in all its beauty, and were they not proud of it ! All it needed internally was the completion of its furniture, which in a few days would be in its place, and before the first month of the new year had run two-thirds of its allotted days the Bishop was to consecrate it, and then day by day within its hallowed walls would be heard the voice of prayer and thanksgiving, and the Most High would there daily meet those faithful ones, whose privi- lege it would so soon be constantly to worship therein. Let us describe St. Paul's. The foundation of granite and lime built upon the solid rock ; the walls eleven feet in height, lined inside and plastered ; the principal timbers ten inches square, the roof open inside and of cathedral or three- quarter pitch, felted and shingled outside. On the south side a roomy porch, and on the north a properly fitted vestry of equally roomy propor- tions. The whole building doubly floored, the walls to the height of three feet wainscotted, and the windows throughout (sav3 at the west end) lancet in shape, and all filled in with stained-glass leaded lights. ^ -^ , Entering the church by the principal entrance, to the left is a handsome font, presented by the CHRISTMAS, 1889. <57 childi-en of St. Jude's, Brantford. As we walk up the nave, on , ur left is a small door leading to the vestry, and in front the chancel steps, and a strikin.i,^ feature— a ti-ue Gothic chancel arch. The sanctuary railed in with polished maple, the gift of one of the Vankoughnet churchwardens, and fully furnished with dossal and set of frontals, the work of the clergyman's wife. The choir-stalls and the seats in the nave are models of taste and good workmanship, and behind the former stands the beautifully toned organ ; while the open roof, which has been oil-stained, gives a noble appear- ance to the whole. Such is St. Paul's, and by far the larger half of its cost was subscribed by the members of the congregation themselves. That the building was opened virtually free from debt is shown by the fact of its being consecrated the same day, for the Bishop is most particular that the laws of the Church should be strictly obeyed, therefore before consecration an inquiry is made in every case into this matter. The site must also be secured by deed, the name of the donor and the person to whom conveyed, the place of registration, and other matters, properly em- bodied in the form of petition for and sentence of consecration. All these things being in regular and due order, then the Bishop proceeds to con- secrate. Therefore ^on Saturday, January 18, the Bishop, E 2 ; 68 LIFE IN ALGOMA. ! II ' I i 1 I ' '1 ' after having himself on the previous day personally inspected the building, held an inquiiy into the cost of the building and the financial state of the building fund. After all the accounts had been gone into, it was found that the whole cost had been paid with the exception of ^54. for which two members of the congregation agreed to become personally responsible. His Lordship then con- sented to consecrate the next day, at the same time remarking that it was astonishing to him that so beautiful a building could be erected for so small a cost. At 7 p.m. a reception was held by the Bishop in St. Paul's Hall. Needless to say, the invited guests made a point of being present to meet the Bishop they loved so well, and it was a gathering none of them will ever forget. Later on his Lord- ship gave a most interesting address on mission work in the diocese. The next day, Sunday, January 19, the church was consecrated, immediately after which the usual Morning Service and Celebration followed. The Bishop preached, taking for his text " God is a spii-it, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." During the course of his sermon his Lordship again referred to the beauty of the building and his astonishment at its small cost, which, he said, "is a proof of. careful supervision and harmonious action." In the after- CHRISTMAS, 1889. 69 noon his Lordship addressed the congregation, cate- chized the children at the Children's Service, and presented prizes to eleven children who had passed an examination on the "Prayer Book." The Bishop again preached at the Evening Service, and, to quote a local paper, " the services were, as usual, crowded with worshippers, the choir music excel- lent, and the offertories good — that of the morning being ^^16.84." On the morLing following the Bishop left. But the words in which he expressed his approval and all the happy events of the visit are engraved indelibly upon the heart of one at least of those present, and will not be defaced when the mes- senger from on high shall call him from the Church militant by God's grace to that waiting above. CHAPTER XL Vankouuhnet. The building of St. Paul's did not, as we have seen, so absorb the time of the clergyman that the parts of the mission distant from the centre were forgotten so far as their building needs were con- cerned. Only he felt it better to proceed with one thing, as far as possible, at a time, and the home church seemed the most needed, for surely the centre or inner circle had better be first made strong before the outer can be expected to come into conformity with it. But if the centre be strong, then we may reasonably expect to build around it with safety and to good purpose. Vankoughnet, it was decided, stood in need of attention before other out-stations, for here for years there had been a strong Church family, so far as numbers were concerned, yet hitherto no attempt had been made to erect a church. Again, pai*tly from neglect, and partly from other causes, one of the chief being the very few services held, the different families were fast drifting away into other If 72 LIFE IN ALQOMA. could be attempted. However, this also was begun before the valentines arrived, and what is more a fourth of the entire estimated cost promised. During the next month or two much labour was expended upon both the site and the material necessary for the building of the new church, so that when the month of May, with its beautiful flowers and promises of future store, came, there was upon the now largely- cleared site as much as 10,000 feet of material ready for the builder's hand. The two months immediately following the Bishop's visit were very full of work, not only at Vankoughnet, but also elsewhere in the mission: more building operations were necessary at Ufiing- ton, then there were the quai-terly house-to-house visits to be paid. By the end of February nearly one hundred had been accomplished, and in so doing, together with the necessary travel to officiate at nearly sixty services, and presiding at ten meet- ings, the clergyman covered some 836 miles, either on foot or in cutter. At one of these services at Uffington, the preacher had taken the touching words, " In re- membrance of Me," for his text, and both preacher and hearers became so engrossed in the subject that time was forgotten, and it was not until after the church was closed that it was noticed the sermon had been four times its usual length, or in other words the pr^^acher had occupied over an VANKOUGHNET. n V hour in delivery. So attentive were all, that had a pin been dropped it would have been heard, a fact which was the more remarkable as there were over fifty persons in the congregation who were not Churchmen, many of them being young men who were not particularly noted for their good be- haviour in places of worship. Later the Vankoughnet site was surveyed by a licensed surveyor, who prepared a proper plan of it, and afterwards a solicitor (who gave his services) drew duplicate deeds, which were signed by the donors, and secured the title of the site to the Bishop and his successors for ever ; after which the deeds were duly registered, thus legally securing for all time that this spot should be used for the sacred purposes to which the Bishop would, as soon as convenient, be asked to consecrate it. It is a pity such a plan is not always followed in pre- ference to the rough and ready way in which titles are often conveyed. About this time the clergyman and his wife paid a visit to some settlers living in a very inaccessible part of the mission. There was no travelled road for a long distance to their house, and although messages had been sent over and over again, yet, so far, they had been unable to reach this par- ticular part. So one morning they determined to make an early start, and, if possible, pay this visit which irr 74 LIFK IN ALGOMA. : had been so long on their minds. They started and drove some fifteen miles, when the road became impassable ; they then determined to tie the horse up and proceed on foot, with the result of only succeeding in losing their way, for the trail, after ' about a mile, became so mixed up with those made by the animals as they roam about the forest that they did not know the one from the other. The only thing they had to guide them was this, they had been told to look out for growing oats. They looked for them but could find none. At last, retracing their steps, they went to the house of a settler which they had last passed, and under his guidance they again set forth, and found the term " growing oats " was to be understood to mean a few oats growing here and there from seed, which had been dropped from the sack when carried in upon the settler's back during the winter. Even with the guide, the way was hard to find, and the road was terrible. The travellers passed through swamps, sometimes sinking in water up to the knee, at other times climbing rocks almost like the side of a house, now crawling under fallen trees, and again, where this was not possible, climbing over them. At last they arrived and at length returned, but the condition of their clothing was such that it needed general repairs before proceeding. Of course we need not add that this visit was unique of its kind. CHAPTER Xn. Interestino Letters. On March 19, the wife of a meDiber of Parliament, and a regular reader of the Uffington Mission Notes, wrote from her bed of sickness : — '• Now that I feel able to write, I want to say how thankful I am for the success of the work in Uffington. It will not be in vain ; already it is bearing fruit. For it has given me an encourage- ment I have very much lacked, namely, the spec- tacle of a working clergyman in a parish where the people were prepared to do all in their power. Without in the least desiring to reflect upon any I may have known in the past, I own that at times my impatient temper has been sorely tried, and that I have taken up work more than once that properly belonged elsewhere simply because no entreaties of my own or others could avail in the right quarter. The conditions of clerical work resemble those of lay work. The work is inseparable from the situation, just as a soldier's, a doctor's, 76 LIFK IN ALQOMA. I^. :> > / '/ ^# «V :i>' vV '<^