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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed 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: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmAs d des taux da reduction diffArants. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour 6tra reproduit en un seul ciichA, il est filmd d partir da I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, an prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrant la mAthoda. rata lalure. 3 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 yy ^<^.. /" y^ / ^ ^ / ^) BIOGRAPHY OF THE REV. WILLIAM GUNDY, FOR TWENTY YEARS A MINISTER OF THE METHODIST NEW CONNEXION CHURCH IN CANADA. BY REV. JOHN KAY. ALSO, AN INTRODUCTION TO THE WORK, BY THE REV. JAMES CASWELL, AND THE SERMON PREACHED AT HIS FUNERAL BY THE REV. JAMES M'ALISTER, PRESIDENT OF THE CONFERENCE. TORONTO : JAMES CAMPBELL & SON. MDCCCLXXI, a e a i: t s t( k T TO THE R?:ADER. T is recorded by the wise King of Israel, "The memory of the just is blessed." The man of holy life and earnest labor thus " being dead yet speaketh." How often, while perusing the M biography of some well-known child of God, has the fi- arrow of conviction pierced deep into the heart of the sinner, or the thrill of joy filled that of the believer with unspeakable comfort, while from its depths there was , sent on its heavenward flight the language of gratitude and praise ? Here is supplied a means by which a good |; example may be kept perpetually before the world ; and, as it " speaks louder than precept," a valuable source of instruction is constantly furnished. It appears to the writer of these unpretending pages, that the memory of our fathers should be kept in some substantial form, that we, our children, and our children's children, may have the benefit of their influence. Some of our best and most readable bcoks, especially to the young, 'are those of biography. They are calcu- lated to open up to us the home life of a man, in which IV TO THE READER. we are likely to find a lesson for more than one circum- stance of our own. When a good man dies, we are generally led to look upon the event as a calamity to us, a serious loss to the neighbourhood where he has lived — to the church, and to the family. Yet, by preserving the memory of such, the loss will be considerably diminished, and "the memory of the just" will be blessed to us. We are far from supposing that, because a friend, therefore we should rush into print, and make every possible effort to canon- ize an unfaithful man ; and w^ are as far from thinking it just, to ourselves, our children, or the Church, to refuse the reproduction of a life which cannot fail to be of service to us all. Nor does it seem a reason of sufficient importance because a man was not wonderfully distin- guished for surpassing eloquence in the Pulpit, or at the Bar, or on the floor of the Senate, thit, therefore there is nothing in his life worth retaining. One of the most distinguishing traits in the character of a man is simple, undisguised, yet unfeigned, goodness of heart and life ; and perhaps it is not going too far, or implying too much of condemnation towards our common humanity, to say that this is one of the rarest accomplish- ments of the present age, and thereff re worthy of being preserved. The subject of these pages was not a great man, in the popular sense of the term. He was no illustrious military general, no nation's favorite poe*t, no burning seraph whose overpowering eloquence moved the nations, TO THE READER. V but an humble Christian — an c very-day working and suc- cessful Methodist preacher, whose noblest memorial is the remembrance of his holy and useful life. His military ambition was that he might be a faithful " soldier of the Cross," his poetry the ringing harmonies of the Bible, and his only eloquence the well-known and oft-repeated Gospel epitome, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever belie veth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." To continue his life of faith and love amongst us, is the only apology offered for presenting this little book to the public, and especially to the Church in which he lived, labored, and died. No one can be more painfully conscious of its many Ilcerary defects than the writer ; but the limited space of time in which the work is to be done, and the numerous duties involved in the charge of a circuit, forbid that it should be otherwise than imperfect. That its perusal may be blessed to your spiritual profit, and that its circu- lation may result in glorifying God, is the earnest prayer of Yours affectionately. JOHN KAY. Waterdown, Ont., April 5th, 1871. 4 IXTRODUCTION. lOGRAPHY, taken in its widest sense, is gener- ally a very entertaining and instructive species of history. Most countries have produced it. Its first composers were the minstrch. The exploits of the chiefs were the subject of their song. They were most extravagant in the praise of their heroes — exalting them to demigods ; they represented them as achieving what was far beyond the reach of human ability. This was the fabulous age of biography, when nothing was too marvellous for credulity. Plutarch, who flourished in the second century, was the first to give to biography the place it now occupies among the departments of literature. During the dark ages, in the hands of the u.onks, it lost its former rank, and was enlisted in the service of a gross and vile superstition. The subjects were Popish saints, whose only title to notoriety was their cunning, hypocrisy, and intrigue. But the truest, purest, most beautiful and influential biographies are those which have been given to the world by the true Church of Christ. No branch of Christian literature has been more acceptable to the • • • Vlll INTROnUCTlON. 11 Church — 1)0011 more extonsivoly road — or oxercised a more powerful inrtuonco for good. Next to the Bible, we know of no hook bettor cak ulatod to awaken and foster a fer- vent, active, generous piety, than a well written memoir of a pure and useful Christian. The life of a truly good mar. exhibits the beautiful foliage and rich fruit which the "seed of the kingdom" is capable of producing. Thus does it demonstrate the truth, purity and power of the Word of God. It presents to us the marble of human na- ture in the rude, unsightly block, and then the Divine ar- tist in the use of (Jospel instruments shaping it, till at length it assumes the fair proportions, graceful contour, and lovely features of the Divine ideal. It exhibits to us the Christian, as a babe, taking his first tottering steps in the way of life ; and then, in maturer years, with head erect, robust frame and vigorous limb, climbing life's rug- ged heights, battling successfully with his foes, and pres- sing forward, with light heart and lion courage, towards the house of many mansions — the home of his Father, God. It shows us the Christian passing through the pro- cess of purification — the gold having much alloy put into the furnace ; subjected to the influence of disappointment, loss, suffering and sorrow — the fuel which the Divine spirit usually employs to refine the ransomed spirit, and fit it for the highest service of the heavenly world. We see how well the true gold of Christian faith and patience stands the fiery ordeal, and then the tried ones come forth as gold seven times purified. Christian biography exposes to view the moral weak- INTRODUCTION. IX ness and sinward tendency of comipt humon nature, and, at the same time, the mighty forces of grace triumphing over such weakness, and overcoming the natural bias of the soul — leading the man onward and upward to perfec- tion of moral principle and practice — and thus fitting him for the service, the song, and the rapture of Heaven. In a word, it is a literary panorama, in which the Christian pilgrim is made to pass before you, from !. > escape from the city of destruction till his triumphant entrance into the celestial city. Such literature cannot but be influential for good when the subject is worthy of portrayal, and the ])ortrait is accurately drawn. In such kind of literature, thank God, the Methodist Church is rich. No branch of the Church of Christ, we believe, is richer. It was the shrewd, grateful, exultant remark of the apostle of Methodism — " Our people die well." This was evidence that they had lived well — that their lives had been pure, exemplary, and useful. The thrilling memoirs of the Wesleys — the lives of such holy men as Fletcher, Bramwell, Stoner, Smith, our own Barker, Waller and Allin, in the ministry ; and such men as Carvosso, Hick, and the Cornish miner amongst the laity, demonstrate the soundness of Methodistic faith, the fine adaptation of its means of grace to the cultivation of the deepest piety ; and the free scope its institutions and varied plans of usefulness afford for the exercise of all the talent it can command. My esteemed brother Kay has, in the following memoir, added another to the list of these Christian heroes. The venerable subject of this memoir, X INTRODUCTION. though not a star of the first magnitude in the spiritual heavens, was nevertheless a "shining Hght" — one whose unselfish nature, beautiful harmony of spiritual develop- ment, humble, plodding industry in the work of God, and undying attachment to our beloved Church, cannot fail to render a biography interesting, instructive and useful to all readers, but especially to the members of our con- nexion. Though not converted amongst us, he, by a course of rather singular circumstances, became one of us ; admir- ably defended and advocated our polity ; laboured hard and long to promote our interests ; and dying, bequeathed us the rich legacy of an unspotted reputation, and the in- fluence of a life entirely devoted to his sacred calling. His spiritual family amongst us, in the aggregate, is, doubt- less, large ; and of those that sprang from his loins, three sons are amongst our most honoured and useful min- isters. The first time the writer of this sketch saw him was more than twen^y years ago, on a Sabbath morning, mounted on his faithful steed, cautiously passing over a rough crossway in the Township ot ^ rock, to a distant appointment. We svere much struck with his venerable and saintly appear- ance. Conspicuously did he then bear the stamp of an intelligent, upright and earnest man. Such was the first impression he made on our mind — an impression which a long and very intimate acquaintance only served to justify and deepen. During the year we travelled together on the Middleton circuit — a year, in most respects, distressing 'u,, INTRODUCTION. XI to him — one that must have severely tried his faith and patience— though reaHzing, as he must have done, the de- cay of his vital power — we never knew him shrink from duty. Nothing but an actual impossibility prevented him from fulfilling his engagements. Father Gundy was a Methodist of the original stamp — one of a race which is fast disappearing, — a man whose preaching was not " in the enticing words of man's wis- dom," but was " in the demonstration of the spirit, and with power." In a simple, clear and forcible manner, he laid open the plan of salvation ; in a very lucid and in- structive way he expounded those great doctrines which the early Methodist preachers brought so frequendy before their hearers, and which must ever form the groundwork of true religion. He never lost sight of Rowland Hill's three R's— Ruin by the Fall— Redemption by Christ— Re- newal by the Divine Spirit. He never aimed at high things. He had no wing for the region of philsophy or abstruse science. No disposition to enter the pulpit with a bouquet of flowers to exhibit to his people, culled from the gardens of human genius and eloquence. No. He knew his people needed the living bread, and he sought to feed them from the storehouse of God's Word, with food convenient for them ; and many w^ho sat under his ministry were led to bless God for such supplies. T-)ear old servant of Christ, he has ascended on high in the chariot of salvation. May his mantle rest on the shoul- ders of his sons, and may they be a thousand times more useful than he. Xll INTRODUCTION. May the following tribute of filial piety and devout ex- pression of gratitude to the giver of all good, be read with interest and profit by many, and be instrumental in bring- ing much glory to God. James Caswell. Cavanville, Dec. 13th 1870. CONTENTS. ^ < w » » ■ To THE Reader, Introduction, PAOI. V . vii CHAPTER I. HIS PARENTAGE, EDUCATION, APPRENTICESHIP, AND CONVERSION I CHAPTER n. SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT — EMPLOYED AS A LOCAL PREACHER — INCIDENT AT OPEN-AIR PREACHING — MR. WILSON, OF TULLAMORE. . . -13 CHAPTER HI. HIS MARRIAGE — MRS. GUNDV's PARENTAGE — SETTLE- MENT IN BUSINESS — REMOVAL, BY DEATH, OF HIS OLD FRIEND, MR. WILSON, ETC. . . 23 wm^srmmmim XIV CONTENTS. 1 ! PAOE. CHAPTER IV. ENCOURAGEMENTS TO CHURCH BUILDING — A NEW TRIAL CARLO CIRCUIT WILLIAM POOLE, OF COOEN 34 CHAPTER V. HIS ACQUAINTANCE WITH GIDEON OUSELEY — HEARS DR. CLARKE PREACH — lEMOVAL TO PORT- ARLINGTON, ETC 44 CHAPTER VI. HIS mother's DEATH — FAILURE IN BUSINESS — COMES TO NEW YORK TESTIMONIALS FROM HOME — GOES TO PITTSBURGH, IN PENNSYL- VANIA 58 CHAPTER Vn. HIS LANDING IN CANADA — EMPLOYMENT IN TORONTO — ENTERS THE ITINERANT MINISTRY, ETC. . 70 CHAPTER Vni. ATTENDS CONFERENCE IN 1 849 — IS REFUSED ORDI- NATION LEAVES THE WESLEYANS, AND JOINS THE NEW CONNEXION 83 CHAPTER IX. ATTENDS THE DISTRICT MEETING IN TORONTO — HIS LABORS IN THE PRINCE EDWARD, CAVAN AND OXFORD CIRCUITS 94 CONTENTS. XV 34 44 58 70 83 CHAPTER X. fAQK. LAKE ERIE MISSION — LOUTH, TALBOTVILLE, AND LON- DON NORTH CIRCUITS I03 CHAPTER XI. DOMESTIC COMFORTS — WATERFORD CONFERENCE — MIDDLETON AND LINDSAY CIRCUITS. . .110 CHAPTER XII. RESOLUTION OF THE WATERDOWN CONFERENCE — HIS STAY AT MILTON LAST SICKNESS AND DEATH 131 CHAPTER XIII. REV. JAMES white's LETTER — MR. GUNDY AN OR- ANGEMAN IRELAND AND POPERY. . . . 140 CHAPTER XIV. THE PROTESTANTISM OF IRELAND POPERY IRE- LAND'S MISERY — THE GOSPEL HER ONLY HOPE. 1 48 CHAPTER XV. MR. GUNDY AS A MAN — HIS HABITS OF LIVING — VIEWED AS A PREACHER, ETC. TESTIMONIALS OF REV. J. CASWELL AND DR. COCKER, . • 156 94 SUBSTANCE OF A SERMON PREACHED IN THE M. N. C. CHURCH, MILTON, JUNE 23RD, 1870, BY THE REV. JAMES M'ALISTER, ON THE OCCASION OF THE DEATH OF REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. . . 166 J Sll I BIOGRAPHY OF THE REV. WILLIAM GUNDY, CHAPTER I. HIS PARENTAGE, EDUCATION, APPRENTICESHIP, AND CON- VERSION. LIZA MATHEWS, born about one hundred and twenty-five years ago, amongst the beautiful scenery of a rural part of King's County, Ire- land, was the honored mother of the subject of this me- moir. He was her only child. Of his father — William Gundy — who was also a native of King's County, very little is now known, save that he was a farmer and belonged to a family of several brothers, all following a similar occupation. They were all members of the Established Church. In that early day Methodism was little known in Ireland, excepting as a by-word or a subject B f Ipi i i I ' I iifi 2 BIOGRAPHY OF THE for ridicule or scorn. The father and uncles of Mr. Gundy, although living in the midst of a hot-bed of Roman Catholicism, were staunch Protestants. Perhaps the opposition to which they were subjected resulted in trying their faith, and attaching them more firmly to the church, in the bosom of which they were born, and in the principles of which they were nurtured. By some coin- cidence of circumstances, regarded by them as wonderfully Providential (as such things are generally considered by youthful lovers) William Gundy and Eliza Mathews became acqu?inted, and their acquaintance ripened into affection. After some time they found their way to the altar, and in the words of the service, n ade sacred by the hoary years oftii.iC, "pledged their faith either to other," and were fairly launched, with, perhaps, ordinary prospects for a successful voyage, on the great ocean of human life. For many years they lived and loved together ; but no inno- cent prattl? of the babe was heard. The monotony of living and loving alone was unbroken until the expiration of the twentieth year of their married life, when the subject of this memoir was born. Like Samuel of old, he was no doubt the child of many prayers and many hope- ful thoughts, and, like him, he seems to have been given to the Lord from his birth. His parents, being members of the Church of England, took their child, an infant of days, for baptism, and his name was called William, after his father. When William was five years of age his father was removed by death, through that lingering but no less fatal disease, consump- REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. of Mr. -bed of Perhaps mlted in ly to the rid in the me coin- nderfuUy dered by rs became affection. ar, and in Dary years and were >ects for a . life. For It no inno- onotony of expiration when the I of old, he nany hope- been given of England, sm, and his hen William i by death, e, consump- tion. His mother was now left alone, with h :::: only child, to conduct the business of her farm, and to make her way along as best she could in the weary weakness of widow- hood. She WLS a woman of noble spirit and of sterling religious principle, but as yet, the religion of morality was the best she knew. The prayer-book and the catechism were familiar to her, and the Bible was i interpreted in their light. It was her constant care that her child, who, under God, was to be her earthly stay, should be thoroughly in- structed in the imperishable truths of religion. As nearly as I can gather — for no diary was kept, or written data can be found, from which to draw — she disposed of her small farm and effects, and invested the money for her support, and for the education and maintenance of her dearly loved son. Methodism was then beginning to exert quite an influ- ence amongst the people of that part of Ireland ; and she took her boy, then a mere child, regularly every morning and evening to prayer-meetings held by these revivalists of Christian earnestness and love. During all the years of his adult life, Mr. Gundy re- membered with gratitude the earnest fervour and faithful- ness of his mother's prayers in his behalf. He particular- ly remembered her oft repeated prayer, that the Lord would keep him from " bad company," and the ruinous influence of evil of all kinds. Thus she demonstrated to him, at least, that her morality had more of real religion in it than that ordinarily possessed and practised in those days. Her church, her catechism, and her book of com- rr mOGRAPHY OF' THF. mon prayer, brought her into more or less familiarity with the throne of grace. There is a great deal of real religion even in this wholesome restraint upon natural evil, and much to i)romi)t the soul in its earnest yt.'arnings to com- mit itself in trust to the guidance and government of the divine unseen. It was so in the case of Mr. Gundy's mother ; in evil restrained and good cultivated, she imparted a large share of her character to her son. Mr. Wesley's head had been silently resting for five years in the tomb, in old City Road Chapel, and his friend and co-worker, (icorge Whitfield, had already been in glory twenty-five years, when the subject of this memoir was l)orn. He was not designed to take the leading part of either of these men, but Methodism was to have in him a firm adherent and a faithful friend. He was born on Sabbath morning, the loth of May, 1795, and while the bells were ringing for church service. Mr. Wesley's name was still fresh in the memory of his followers, and his mantle had fallen upon many of them, when his zeal and faithfulness reproduced had sent them into this Popish part of the Emerald Isle. Amongst the number were the names of Gideon Ouseley, Charles Gra- ham, William Hamilton, William Riley and Andrew Tay- lor. Methodism was then growing into a power in Eng- land and America ; and in Ireland there were beginning to be seen evidences of her soul-saving ministrations. William began to go to school at a very early age. It was not possible that a parent who loved him with an af- ii"'i H KEV. WILLIAM GUNDY. •ity with religion vil, and to com- -it of the ; in evil Lfge share 2; for five his friend f been in s memoir ading part ave in him 1 of May, ch service, ory of his ^ of them, sent them mongst the harles Gra- ndrew Tay- ^er in Eng- i beginning rations. :ly age. It with an af- 4 fection so strong, and viewing his true interest as she did, could neglect so important a matter as his secular education ; while, with all the tender earnestness of a fond mother, she scrupulously attended to his religious training. Schools were not then as effective or as accessible as in these highly-favoured times, and in this comparatively new countiy. At that time, if parents wished to educate their children, they were compelled to make a strong ef- fort, and often submit to no ordinary sacrifices, in order to confer this lasting benefit upon their offspring. Al- most, therefore, before he was mentally or physically quali- fied, William was sent to the nearest school. He soon showed an aptitude to learn, and, from the tenderest of years, began the training which was to fit him, first for his mercantile life, and r fterwards was to be of service to him as a watchman on the walls of Zion. I have often heard him remark that he should never forget his first teacher. Her diminutive stature had merited for her the cognomen of ** Peggy-the-Pie," r"^d the earnest care she took of her pupils resulted in engraving her name indeli- bly upon their hearts. Well nigh four score years had rolled away, when, in conversation with him, he referred to her name. Yet it must not be supposed that her method of training was anything like that of the present day, and under our excellent common school system. She was probably a lone woman, who taught a school by the wayside. But even if this were the case, her kindness of heart and conduct much endeared her to the child x en, and this was quite an exception to the general rule in that I ^r HIOGRAPHY OF THE country. It is a remarkable fact, in the history of schools in Ireland, that the teachers were extremely severe. They seemed to think that the most effective way to communi- cate instruction, and to make it stick, was to soften the skull, or blister the skin, with som-i horrid instrument of torture. It was cruel, very cruel, thus to abuse helpless children, in the hope of making them bright in intellect or tenacious in memory. Perhaps it was what he saw of this practice in some of his earlier schools, and its influ- ence upon his young mind, that led him on one occasion to take great delight in beating out the brains of a neigh- bour's pig, which had strayed from home, and was luxuri- ating on the dung-hill. This was his first, and, I think, his only act of cruelty ; and this itself was done more from the innocent ignorance of childhood, resulting from the forcible example of some of his teachers, than from any inherent cruelty. So imperfect was the entire system of education then, especially in the lower schools, that the teachers often had more real interest in lining their own pockets than in storing the minds of their children with knowledge. The children were often meie slaves to per- form some physical labor, from which the teacher was to receive an income. As an evidence of this, we are in- formed that one of William's teachers kept hi: scholars regularly, a certain portion of the day, " footing turf" — an operation connected with the preparation of the fuel gen- erally used, and from which work the teacher enjoyed a snug little supplement to his salary. Whether it was through the thoroughness of the teaching he received, or REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. schools They mmuni- icn the Tient of helpless ellect or saw of ts influ- occasion a neigh- is luxuri- I think, ne more ing from han from re system 5, that the heir ovm Iren with es to per- er was to re are in- scholars turf" — an fuel gen- enjoyed a ter it was ceived, or in spite of its inefficiency, I know not, but he became very well grounded in the rudiments of an English educa- tion. For the period of a few years we can find no trace of his earlier history. Whether he was kept at school, or was engaged in some branch of business, it is now impos- sible to determine, and perhaps it would not affect our narrative to any considerable extent to know. We next find him, in the year i8i r, a youth of sixteen years, ap- prenticed to a Mr. Wilson, a general merchant, of the Town of Tullamore, King's County. This Mr. Wilson was an upright man, and, conducting his business upon strictly honest and honourable principles, was no stranger to the pleasures and encouragements of success. This inexperienced youth was not long in finding way to the confidence and esteem of his employer, and he also made good proficiency in the study of his business. Mr. Wilson, after a short time, took the new apprentice into his confi- dence, and, relying upon his judgment and skill, soon be- gan the practice of taking him to Dublin t6 assist in the selection and purchase of goods, and from this time be- came his very intimate and true friend. Although Mr. Wilson died in early life, he left behind him, for his fam- ily, the competency earned by honest toil and care, and, better still, he entailed to them the priceless legacy of a good name. He had two sons, of whom I have often heard Mr. Gundy make honorable mention, and these be- came ornaments of their religious profession amongst the Metliodists. They afterwards emigrated to Canada, where one of them, at least, Mr. John Wilson, becam^ quite 8 BIOGRAPHY OF THE ij eminent for his learning, and has held for many years a professorship in Victoria College, Cobourg, where he is still exercising the functions of his office, and has long la- bored as a faithful, effective and humble local preacher. It was while in the employ of Mr. Wilson that Mr. Gundy, then a dark-haired, ruddy-countenanced young man, became converted to God, and soon graduated to the position of a diligent and acceptable local preacher amongst the Methodists. His conversion was, under God, brought about by the following circumstance : — One day, while attending to his duties at the store, Edward Divine, an eccentric yet very earnest and successful preacher, came in, and putting his hand upon Mr. Gundy's head, gave utterance to the thrilling language, *' It is a great pity that such a head should burn in hell to all eternity!" Such a statement startled him, and led to his first very strong feelings concerning his spiritual condition. It will not be difficult to gather from the conduct of this preacher, the kind of men so very often in those da^'s, and in many subsequent to that time, made instrumental in the conversion of souls. His views of future punishment evidently implied the existence of a material fire, as the sight of Mr. Gundy's head of fine, dark hair led to the strange statement mentioned above. It may seem singular that such an utterance should so alarm the conscience and lead to conversion; but God uses a variety of means by which to accomplish His great purposes. The thunders of Sinai and the love of Calvary are both used successfully, and God is glorified |!l i. REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. years a e he is long la- icher. hat Mr. I young lated to preacher 5, under i : — One Edward Liccessful 3on Mr. anguage, n in hell and led spiritual from the ery often ne, made views of nee of a I of fme, ;d above, hould so but God ilish His e love of glorified I thereby. Happy is the preacher who knows how and when wisely to use either or both of tliese methods. At first Mr. Gundy was led to serious reflection, and, while under the present impulse, the promise was extorted that he would, on the following Sunday, attend the class- meeting. He kept his promise faithfully, and when the morning came he was found amongst the people of God, and he was very much surprised at what he heard and saw. He was fairly " terrified," to use his own language, ** at the reasons given by many of the members for their conversion. The influence of these impressions he tried to shake off. The ideas of a legal righteousness and a religion which should consist of a cold morality seemed to be instilled into his nature. He thought. Well, I have not been very sinful after all ; and, like many others, he tried to quiet his disturbed feelings, and silence the voice of the monitor within, by making his case to appear as good as possible in his own eyes. He contrasted himself with others who were much more wicked, and tried to feel as if he had little of which to rei)ent. This was very well for the first Sabbath ; the next he went for a drive through the country. But he could by no means find quiet or peace to his troubled mind, unconscious of its danger until aroused by the unceremonious conduct and language of Mr. Divine. This thought of " burning in hell " he could not endure, and the more he revolved it in his mind the more it troubled him. The conscious- ness of personal guilt seemed to grow stronger, and it w "m^t^mmumm lO BIOGRAPHY OF THE 'V I |ii I only increased his anguish of soul. For weeks this was his miserable experience, and, like many a promising young man before and many an one since, he was ready to cry in the emphatic language of Paul, " O, wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" About the Christmas of 1814 or 181 5 he found his way to a Methodist preaching place, and heard a Mr. Fool. — one of Mr. Wesley's preachers — discoursing, probably upon the Nativity of Christ, when light streamed into his soul. He was led to see his salva- tion attainable only through faith in the Atonement. He saw, he trusted, and was saved; and from that hour he labored to show his love for Jesus, and to publish the merits of His death. It is astonishing how very similar is the working of the human mind in all men, in the great struggle for that change of heart which can only be effected as the blood of Jesus is savingly applied by the Holy Ghost. It is the same old, old story of several stages from guilt to pardon — the startling thought, then the calm re- flection, and the difficulty increasing, until, loathing one's self, and forsaken of all comfort, the soul, as a last resort, and with a conscious sense of the extremity to which it is brought, reaches to the mercy seat crying, " None but Christ ! none but Christ !" Of course the details of each man's conversion may differ somewhat from those of most others; yet, in the main, the great leading points in the struggle for life are the same, and prove beyond any ill. REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. H lis was mising ready etched ody of nd his a Mr. lursing, I light 1 salva- t. He our he ish the king of for that ^ blood ;s from aim re- ig one's t resort, vhich it Dne but of each of most s in the nd any reasonable doubt that the author of the work is the same in every instance. How should this thought remind us that the happiness which we enjoy, and the heaven to- wards which we are travelling, are the common lot and common home of God's children. How should these views of our great experience and our common interest bind Christians of all ages and of all churches together in one indissoluble bond of brother- hood and love. This should put a successful end to all unlawful strife and unholy jealousies, and gradually lessen the lines of distinction between us, and make us all one as Jesus and his Father are one. After his conversion he was wonderfully filled with the love of Jesus. It was frequently his custom to repair to some secret place, and there, unseen by mortal eye, he would pour out his soul in prayer before God. These were the days of his " first love," and full and sweet it was. He often said to his friends, that so full was his soul with glorious peace, that he was sometimes compelled to turn, while waiting upon a customer, and wipe away the tears which the joy of a full heart had forced from his eyes. The true believer will fully under- stand this when he remembers the well-spring of joy which religion forms within the heart. Who that has truly tasted of the sweets of religion does not know the bhss of *' first love?" I am persuaded that there is nothing in all the range of personal experience which can in any way compare with it. So gentle, and yet so rush- ing full ; so satisfying, and yet creating such a thirst for T .11 I 12 BIOGRAPHY OF THE more ; so far above everything earthly, that the soul sings in heavenly ecstasy, My God, I am Thine, What a comfort divine, "What a blessing to know that my Jesus is mine ! In the heavenly Lamb Thrice happy I am, And my heart it doth dance at the sound of II is name. True pleasures abound In the rapturous sound. And whoever hath found it, hath paradise found. My Jesus to know. And feel His blood flow, 'Tis life everlasting, 'tis heaven below. Yet onward I haste To the heavenly feast ! That, that is the fulness, but this is the taste. And this I shall prove, Till with joy I remove To the heaven of heavens in Jesus' love. il_JiL: ^ REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 13 CHAPTER II. fk% '>n SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT EMPLOYED AS A LOCAL PREACHER — INCIDENT AT OPEN-AIR PREACHING — MR. WILSON, OF TULLAMORE. T often occurs in the life of a youthful Christian that, altliough he may have a tolerably com- fortable experience of soul, yet there seems an inward desire for some other evidence of accept- ance with God. It was so in a limited degree with the subject of these pages. The deep things of God were working upon his mind, and he was desirous of a more full and clear token of the Spirit-Witness. One day, as he was walking along the road, quietly musing upon the subject of religion, and especially upon the great change which had been wrought within him, when the following passage came up before his mind with singular clearness and force: "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." This fully set his mind at rest. He was satisfied that the highest and best quality of religion is love. This was to him the essence of true happiness, and became then, and was ever after- wards, the spring of his thoughts with God and his labors amongst men. No longer did doubts, like grim ghosts, haunt him by day or by night. No longer were fears and forebodings of ill his unpleasant companions. His experience thus became clear and satisfactory. This state .i® ,i II. 'Ill I M BIOGRAPHY OF THE of things was strikingly characteristic of the early Me- thodists. I sincerely hope we are not in any measure de- generating from this simplicity. It will be a sad day for the Church of Christ should men forget or neglect to realize fully a clear sense of the Divine approval. ** I want the witness, Lord, That all I do is right, According to Thy will and word, Well pleasing in Thy sight." At the request of the writer, Mr. Gundy furnished, in a letter dated Omemee, 20th August, 1868, the following facts regarding his conversion and early life ; but it will be seen at once that his memory even then had failed him very much :— " My mother was a God-fearing woman, and though not fully converted till the close of her life, in her 96th year, yet she would have me to seek the Creator. She made it a particular point to bring me to the house of prayer. She attended both the Methodist and English churches. The first teacher that I attended was a very small person, and nick-named Peggy-the-Pie. The next teacher was a good man, and did all he could to reform his scholars ; the last was a most excellent teacher, although a Roman Catholic, and was a moral, good- living man, all things considered. "My conversion to God was about the year 18 14, when living with Mr. Wilson, a man of very extensive mercantile business. And oh, what a time that was! The whole town was stirred up — high and low, great and email ; and numbers became acquainted with God, REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 15 irly Me- Lsure de- l day for jglect to ished, in bllowing t it will id failed \ though ler 96th )r. She bouse of English a very he next reform teacher, I, good- 1814, xtensive at was! •eat and God, through Christ. There was a young man in the next store who united with me to hold prayer-meetings. We used to visit the poor and pray with them, and spend an hour or more on the Sabbath days in some backward place, and there and then pray with and for each other — that we might be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. I was not only justified, but certainly sancti- fied. Oh, how happy was I then ! What power I had with God ! But, alas ! my friend left me. He was a Quaker, or Friend, at first, and he went back; but his elder brother still, while he remained in the store, continued a faithful local preacher. They both removed — one to Birr and the other to Clonmel — and, if alive, are both rich. Their names were Samuel and William Fayle. From that time I had to creep on as I could. I promised to serve Mr. Wilson for five years, which I faithfully did, and spent six years afterwards, making it eleven years ; and we had no bond on either side." The above letter was left unfinished, and in eight days after a few lines were added ; it was signed, and in due course found its way into my hands. An accident, to which reference is made towards the close of this book, I am persuaded, in some measure accounts for the dis- continuance of the narrative. Mr. Gundy at once connected himself with the Metho- dist church, and in assuming this new relation he became the subject of many trials. They came sometimes from quarters whence they were least expected* It was not thm as fashionable as no7a to be a Methodist* w i6 BIOGRAPHY OF THE ;ii i In order faithfully to continue amongst this people, a man must have a firm and decided mind, Churchmen, Roman Catholics, and men of no religious belief, stood in bold array to o])pose and affright the youthful follower of Jesus. His early zeal for Christ and love for souls soon impelled Mr. Cundy to take more than the ordinary stand against the ranks of sin, and he, giving promise of useful- ness, was soon engaged as a local preacher. This was an employment in which he delighted. He began now to find the benefit of his early education, limited though it was, as we have previously sliown. He entered right earnestly into the study of the Scriptures. The holy unction and love, to which we have referred, evidently qualified him for the duty; and that which was in any case a duty, became to him a delightfiil and exalted privilege. The Bible he took "as the man of his counsel and the guide of his footsteps," and it became the source of solid preparation for his work of saving men. As in most Methodist exhorters of that day, so in him — burn- ing zeal for the glory of Christ was a leading feature of his life. He began to work in the Master's vineyard at a time when, in Ireland, Methodism was held in leading- strings by the Church. Then, it was a breach of Metho- distic usage to allow preaching to be cr iducted at the time of church service. It was customary for the preach- ers breathing Mr. Wesley's spirit, and covered by his descended mande, to wait with abated breath until the people were retiring from church service, and then, 'Ll. RKV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 17 eople, hmen, stood ►llower ) soon J stand useful- was an now to ough it d right le holy ^idently in any I exalted counsel source As in . — burn- ature of ard at a eading- Metho- at the preach- by his ntil the then, elevated a little from the ground, they would announce and begin to sing some beautiful and touching hymn to gain the attention, then a few words were offered in prayer, the text was announced, and a sermon, generally distinguished for holy fervour and power, was delivered. This was frequently done by both the itinerant and local preachers. Early one beautiful Sabbath morning, in company with a young man by the name of Robert Stewart, with whom he had been acquainted from childhood, and to whom he w:.s strongly attached — the more so because Robert, like himself, was a youthful follower of Jesus — Mr. Gundy started for a small village about two miles and a half from Tullamore, for the purpose of preaching the Gospel. On arriving at the village, he requested permission from a woman to preach in her house, but she refused, on the ground that it would interfere with the time of church service, and she did not like to offend the minister and the people of the place. They, however, were not long in finding some other way of gathering a congregation, as well as obtaining a place in which to preach. They resolved to stand near the door of the church, and, as the people were leaving for home, they might get a few moments hearing from them. In referring to this matter afterwards, Mr. Gundy said he was somewhat nervous at being brought so closely in contact with the church minister — a known opponent of the Methodists — and his legs trembled until his knees nearly smote together, at the thought of thus having to conduct religious worship c i8 bi()c;rai*hy ok thk at a place where there were so few to sympathize with his object, and so many who would be likely to oppose him. He, a mere boy, would most likely be met and attacked by the officiating clergyman ; and the more he thought of the work the more he shrank from it. He, however, soon resolved what to do, and repairing to an adjacent field he knelt down to wrestle with God in prayer. What a glorious place of refuge is the throne of grace, and how our fears fly and our souls attain con- fidence under the influence of heavenly help ! While thus engaged in the spirit of Jacob's importunity, like Jacob, he obtained the blessing, and his soul was filled to overflowing with the love of God. All his fears soon vanished, and he was strong to take up his cross. It was the time of sacrament at the church, and as they were nearlv through, Mr. Gundy arose and an nounced the hymn and Robert Stewart pitched the tune. Very soon the people came streaming from the church to see what this irregular proceeding could mean. In a short time nearly the whole congregation were outside the church, and the parsons — for there were two this day — left the service of the sacrament, because there were no subjects for communion, and they joined the people to listen to the youthful, but now fearless, preacher. I cannot now determine the text he took at that time, for his voice is for ever silent in death, and there are no means of obtaining this knowledge, yet it is enough to know that the Word was "with power, and in the de- monstration of the Holy Spirit." Several were con- 1 REV. WILIJAM fJUNDV. 19 with his lose bim. attacked lought of repairing th God in throne of ttain con- ! While mity, Uke IS filled to fears soon iS. :h, and as p and an i the tune, church to an. In a ;re outside vo this day | ;here were the people eacher. I It time, for 1 ere are no enough to in the de- were con- strained to cry aloud for mercy, amongst whom was the woman who had refused them the use of her house. She was thoroughly convicted of sin, and was led to Jesus, in whose love she was made happy. These were not unfrequent scenes in the labors of the preachers, both local and itinerant. The clergyman, relieved of his congregation and having come to hear, was displeased, and began to threaten Mr. Gundy. All kinds of punish- ment were in store for him, on account of this irregular effort to save men ; but after the heat of passion was passed, the matter was allowed to drop. Although those street services very often resulted so beneficially to many who attended them, it must be remembered that they cost their conveners much labor and self-denial. The preacher seldom found a congregation assembled from previous announcement, but he took his stand in some public place, and, while singing the hymn with which to begin the service, he thus collected his audience. The sound of singing would fall suddenly on the ear, alike of the listless wanderer and the bustling man of business, and through these means many were attracted to the spot — both Protestant and Papist — who sometimes listened attentively, often otherwise. Such meetings were de- nounced by those who were called the regular clergy, and were styled irregular, factious, and such like ; but it must have been a source of great consolation in after years to those who held them, to know that there were men, in- fluential and useful in the church, and many more in heaven, who first felt the power of Gospel truth at those ^fT |1 I > I'! 20 BIOGKAl'HY OF lllli: services. The men who held those meetings were noble successors of Wesley and Whitfield, and were honored and distinguished by God in this work. While the Church of England and the Church of Rome were contending about Apostolic succession, and were striving for the "foremost seat," and while they were united to afflict and persecute the Methodists, these men of God were really doing a noble work in saving souls, and in laying the foundation of a system of religious agency which would employ its forces, not for the glory of man, but of God. From year to year Mr. Gundy continued those services, during which time he was still in the employ of Mr. Wilson before named. Mr. Wilson was not a Methodist himself, but, his wife being one, he was led to regard them somewhat favorably, and he was not slow to perceive that, at least, no harm was done to his business in consequence of the meetings held by Mr. Gundy in the adjacent towns and villages. It was often remarked that, after some of these services, the people would find him out at the store, and, refusing to be attended by anyone else, would wait their turn to be served by the man who, on the previous Sunday, had pointed them to the Lamb of God. It is to be hoped that, rude and unlettered as many of them were, they had been taught to know that a man of true religion was a man of honesty and fairness in dealing. He wore a remarkably honest and open face, and thus nature and grace had conspired to qualify him both for his secular business and for his spiritual toil — for his 11 RF.V. WILLIAM HUNDY. 21 people ig to be rn to be day, had 1 many of man of n dealing, and thus 1 both for — for his Sur.Jay and his week-day labor. After a while Mr. Wilson l)egan to give him extended privileges in these things, and furnished him with a pony, all saddled and bridled and beautifully groomed, by which to make his journeys to and from the Sabbath meetings. For the term of eleven years he served Mr. Wilson faithfully ; and I have often heard him si)eak of his old employer in the very highest terms of respc t and esteem. Mr. Wilson was a member of the Established Church, but perhaps the fact of his wife being a true Methodist may in some measure account for his evident leaning towards them, and may also furnish a reason for the fact that the two sons before named became firrply attached to tliis branch of the Church of Jesus Christ. There appears to me scarcely any limit to a mother's influence over her children. Always with them in their young days, and while their minds are plastic, to mould and fashion them according to her will, she makes their lives the counter- l)art of her own. At the expiration of Mr. Gundy's term of service with Mr. Wilson, he removed from Tullamore to Castlecomer, and began business for himself. During all this time he was unremitting in his duties as a local preacher, and this in addition to his business duties kept his time and mind fully occupied. In tliis service for the Lord, Robert Stewart very fre- quently accompanied him, and often rendered good helj), esj)ecially in the singing department. I must not forget to say that, during his stay of eleven years at Tullamore, he had procured a place of residence for his mother in I 22 BIOGRAPHY OF THE the same town, so that he could always be near her. No human^being could in his affections supplant his mother. She was a good mother, and he was a dutiful and affec- tionate son. ml '■] if Ml *mm.l^ REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 23 ler. No J mother, nd affec- CHAPTER III. HIS MARRIAGE — MRS. GUNDY'S PARENTAGE — SETTLE- MENT IN BUSINESS — REMOVAL, BY DEATH, OF HIS OLD FRIEND, MR. WILSON, ETC. OW very true it is that " man never continueth in one stay." His life is the scene of constant change in the physical as well as in the intellec- tual and moral world. It cannot be said of any of us, he is just where he was ten years ago. Time carries us all along the changeful road of life. He brings the babe of yesterday up to the boy of to-day, and this boy he pushes forward to manhood, with wonderful speed. As is the case with most men, in this paiiicular, so was it with the subject of this little book. Only a short while ago, we were looking at him, " the only son of his mother, and she a widow," now he has passed along to the young man of twenty-seven years, and few more vigorous in body or brain. Natur illy good looking, his urbanity of manner and kindliness of heart, made him a general favourite. The greatest change of all his life, save his conversion, was soon to take place ; he was about to choose a companion who should share with him the joys and trials of life. The ways o! Providence are often very peculiar. So it would seem in this case ; so in most cnses we find it, when after the lapse of a few years, we look back over 1 r ii . 5^ ! 24 BIOGRAPHY OF THE the way the Lord hath led us. Without any particular anxiety about taking to himself a wife, the circumstances now to be narrated, took place. Some time in the year of our Lord, '821, a daughter of Mr, John Bradley, of Castlecomer, County of Kilkenny, came to Tullamore on a visit to her sister — the wife of the Rev. James Ster- ling, Wesleyan Minister. While on this visit at her brother-in-law's house, Miss Bradley saw Mr. Gundy for the first time, as he was officiating in the pulpit of the Methodist church. Shortly afterwards they became acquainted, and Miss Bradley, finishing the visit with her sister, soon returned to Castlecomer. Some months afterwards, Mr. Ciundy, in company with his friend, Robert Stewart, paid a visit to Castlecomer, and found it very convenient to make a call at Miss Bradley's residence, just for acquaintance sake. I presume that in most cases of true love, there is more or less of romance about the introduction and first ac- quaintance, and, of course, something wonderfully provi- dential in all the sul^ksequent stages of their relation. This case was in no way exceptional to the general rule. Mr. Gundy sought an interview and obtained it. After the usually numerous and peculiar preliminaries, the bond of their union was sealed by the Church clergyman, Rev. Mr. Stone, on the third day of November, 1822. This day was the Sabbath, the place, the Episcopal Church of Castlecomer. At that time, the Methodist preachers were not allowed to perform the marriage ceremony. Mrs. I 3 vS I REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 25 Gundy's father, John Bradley, was born in the County of Kilkenny, on a farm, about two miles from Castlecomer. This farm, it is supposed, was sold to Mr. Bradley's father, for two and six pence per acre, by King William of England, with whom he came over at the formation of the English colony there. At his father's death, Mr. Bradley entered into possession of the property, and ad- ding to this an interest in a coal-mine in the neighbour- hood, he was engaged in extensive operations, and was favoured with the encouragements of success. He was twice married. His first wife. Miss Wright, of the county of Kilkenny, was an excellent woman, and an earnest Methodist. She died suddenly, at an early age, leaving him with four children — two sons and two daughters. His second wife, was Miss Ellen Odium, with whom he lived many years, until his death. She survived him nine years, and was the mother of twelve children — seven sons and five daughters. She was also a pious and intelligent Methodist. Mrs. Gundy was the first child by this last marriage. In both father and mother, she saw the graces of the Christian exemplified. Their house was always a home for the preachers, where everything was done, which affectionate regard could sug- gest, to make them comfortable, and help to lighten the labor of their hands. Parental example is always a fruitful source of instruc- tion ; but, especially in those times, the persecutions, to which Methodist parents were exposed, resulted in exhi- biting the practical character of their religion, and in T 26 BIOGRAPHY OF THE Stimulating the children with a holy enthusiasm to become also followers of the meek and lowly Jesus. That which Mrs. Gundy saw in the spirit and conduct of her parents, gave her naturally a warm heart towards the Methodist preachers, and led to her many acts of kindness towards them in after years. Eliza Bradley — now Mrs. Gundy — was by no means a hindrance to her husband either in business or religion, but was a great help to him in both. Entering into the spirit of his business, as of his religion, she became in the truest sense of the term " an help meet for him." She was soundly converted to God when fifteen years of age — about the year 181 5. In company with the family, she was accustomed to attend the Methodist preaching service at the Colliery, about two miles from Tullamore, somewhere near her father's farm. She was an attentive listener, even at that early age, and was led to a conviction of her sinful state while listening to a sermon from the Rev. John Stewart, Wesleyan preacher. He was preaching from a text in Ltike xi., 21, 22. " When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace : but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils." And, while he endeavoured to show the weakness of the mightiest when contending with the almighty strength of God, the word was applied with power to her soul. She saw the hopelessness of her case as a sinner, and was led to look to the strong for strength. From this ! I " Iti ^-^., REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 27 ecome which arents, thodist awards leans a iligion, ito the in the 1 years ith the thodist s from le was ^as led g to a eacher. When are in i upon armour , while ightiest )d, the sr, and m this time she was anxiously enquiring for the Saviour of sin- ners ; and while earnestly looking to heaven for a con- sciousness of pardon, she was not disappointed, for coincident with the effort of her soul in faith, came the light and power of the Holy Ghost, and she was "healed from that very hour." Surrounded as she was by those helps to religion, which the pious example of father mother and friends fur- nished, she daily grew in grace. How many young peo- ple would be saved from making shipwreck of faith and a good conscience i^, when they were first brought to a knowledge of the truth, they were favoured with the sur- rounding atmosphere in which the children of God daily move. There is almost a moral certainty of success to those who are thus highly favoured. Alas, for those children who are compelled to serve God amidst the sin- ful influences, and surrounded by the pestilential clouds formed by the unholy lives of friends and near relatives ! One may contend successfully against an occasional attack from without, but, especially in the (:ase of the young, it is hard for them to travel heavenward while every moment the poison of sin is being infused by those who ought carefully to guard against anything so thoroughly calcu- lated to ruin them. From day to day Miss Bradley moved forward in the heavenward journey ; and now that she had entered life, with her heart linked in purest affection to that of her husband, she was prepared to help rather than hinder him in the work which, of all others, lay nearest his heart. Happy is the man who, in starting in '\ . ■ I ^.■l ; ■■: i I' ■if IS ii ii! i ■'II 28 KIOGRAPHY OF THE life, is blest with so congenial a companion. I often think that the young of both sexes, especially the children of Jesus, are not sufficiently careful to guard against being "unequally yoked together." Two cannot walk safely together except they are agreed ; and it seems practically impossible for two lives to become one unless their relig- ious views and feelings are similar. In the case now before us there was not merely mutual affection, as this is generally understood, but this was heightened by the sanctifying influence "of the love of Christ, which passeth know^ ~dge." After their marriage, Mr. Gundy returned to Tulla- more, and remained a month with his old employer. As he had now determined to embark in business for himself, he found it necessary to obtain his mother's money, which had been invested with Mr. Wilson. He received the value of the money in goods from Mr. W., who also accompanied him to Dublin, and helped him to as many more as would give him a fair stock with which to begin trade. He fixed on Castlecomer as his first place of business, and his mother, who had all along been his constant care, was taken to live with them. About six months after this Mr. Wilson was taken ill, of that dreaded affliction, apoplexy, from which he never rallied, but losing the use of his powers, as it were at once, he gradually sank down into the tomb ; and Mr. Gundy was sent for to close up his business. As he had lived at this place for eleven years, and having established his reputa*;ion for honesty and business ability, there REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 29 was, perhaps, no one better qualified to undertake this task. He felt the loss of Mr. Wilson very much. For years his daily counsellor, and being now suddenly taken away, he felt the stroke to be very severe indeed. One of his best friends was now gone, and his chief business prop being removed, he felt himself almost alone again in the world. But he had now come to man's estate, and to contend with the stern realities and overcome the sterner difficulties of life was to be his work ; and, after closing up the business of his old and tried friend, he repaired to Castlecomer, to exert every energy with dependence upon Divine Providence for the prosperity he desired ; and for some time he was singularly successful. Unlike too many of the merchants of his own or our time, he did not so engross himself in business as to leave no time or inclina- tion for the more important affairs of his soul and the souls of others. He continued all this time a zealous and faithful local preacher, travelling many miles, and work- ing very hard to publish abroad a knowledge of the sinners' Friend. It is often very wonderful how Providence makes use of incidental circumstances, and what may appear to us unimportant matters, in order to further the ends of His cause. There was no very special reason why Mr. Gundy should settle in business in Castlecomer, save the fact that his wife's friends resided there, and it would be plea- sant to be near them ; but after years revealed another and more important reason. There was a work before w III ii: ii 1 1 ! i 30 hu)(;rai'hy ok the him which he Httle expected, but from the performance of which he never shrank. There was no Methodist church in the town, and in counsel with some of his friends, he saw it to be his duty to try, and, if possible, secure for the little ** band of men whose hearts the Lord had touched," a place in which to worship God. He interested himself in the work, and after much toil and responsibility, realized its completion. He undertook to solicit subscriptions in Castlecomer and the towns and villages around, and soon had enough money paid and promised to warrant him in beginning the erection of the house. Emmerson Williams, a member of the Society, under- took the work of building ; but, when it was about half done, he grew tired of the undertaking, and, from some reason or reasons unknown, left Mr. Gundy to finish as best he could. This was quite a blow for him, and no doubt produced a degree of discouragement for a time ; but he was prompted to persevere, and persevere he did,. This Mr. Williams had as much right to bear a share of the responsibility of completing the work as Mr. Gundy, yet like many another timid man, he was more in love with self-ease and interest than with the material affairs of God's house ; and Mr. Gundy was made to feel the unfaithfulness of human help, by being left alone with this great undertaking on his hands. He did not shrink, however, from the task. He paid the workmen regularly from his own pocket, every Saturday ; and, after obtaining REV. WILLIAM GUNDY 31 the services of a Dublin architect, he had the satisfaction of seeing the building completed. Another and unex- pected difficulty now arose. A law had just passed the Legislature changing the money from the Irish to the English method of computing its value. This law had the unhappy effect of lessening the value of the Irish coin ; and, upon the strength of the law, the contractors refused to accept their pay at the previous rates of value. It will be clear that these men were bent on taking the advantage of him, although they knew that his rela- tion to the whole affair was disinterested, and arose from feelings of purest benevolence. The change in the money could not in any case make any m.aterial difference, at least for some time, as it would only be felt by those whose calling led them to transact business in England. Mr. Gundy, therefore, allowed them to sue him ; and the case came, in due course, before the Courts. Strange as it may appear, some of the Roman Catholic lawyers of the place undertook the case for him ; and, although considerable excitement was necessarily caused by it, they were successful, and so he was saved from no inconsiderable personal loss which would otherwise, have been occasioned. It is somewliat strange that those men should thus have undertaken to carry the case through for him, when it was well known to them that his influence was adverse to their Church ; and espe- cially when the building erected through his efforts would be a centre of influence a?! tending to neutralize the work and prevent the spread of Roman Catholic influence in ■i 32 BIOGRAPHY OF THE the place. This was to be the church of an open Bible; and here the earnest preacher, whose "soul is on fire with the love of men," would hold forth to all who might come, both Papist and Protestant, the remedy for all soul sickness, which is " Christ crucified." Perhaps, however, they, like the great majority of educated laymen in the Roman Catholic Church, took little pains to inform themselves on the various questions of religious belief. This matter with them was probably left with the priests and the various orders of ecclesiastics to settle; while the law, and not the Gospel, should be the source of their inspiration. This is very often the position taken by many, very many, of the educated persons in Roman Catholic communities, and it only makes the localities where they live the more inviting fields for evangelistic effort. The ignorant rabble, pre- judiced against a man or a system without understanding either, is certainly the least encouraging field for the earnest follower of Christ. " Ignorance is the mother of devotion," as practically applied by Rome, has been the most successful means of holding the poor deluded sons of men at a distance from the light of truth ; while their only hope has been in the " infallibility " of the most fallible of all churches. They have thus been shut up in heathen darkness, and have been daily employed in forging the chains of their own bondage. How sad it is to see men chained to any system by the sheer fact of their own ignorance ; but it is worse to see men of education, upon whom the de- REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 33 velopmcnt of truth in science and art and history may have done much to raise them, still fastened, soul and body, to a dangerous and false system of religion, with no strong desire to examine the foundation of their vain hope, ! 34 HIOGRAPHY OF THK 11 I i ' Mi ' I CHAPTER IV. ENCOURAGEMKNTS TO CHURCH BUILDING — A NEW TRIAL — CARLO CIRCUIT — WILLIAM POOLE, OF COOEN. FTER much care and toil, which doubtless caused him many anxious moments, as well as sleepless nights, Mr. Gundy succeeded in collecting all the money required for this disinterested undertaking ; and, as the result, there has stood in Castle- comer for many years, and perhaps to this day, a comfort- able stone church, dedicated to the worship of God, wnich has been the spiritual birth-place of many souls, and which, but for the untiring efforts of our subject, might never have been there. Not the least important work of the Christian man or minister, by any means, is the erection of suitable places of worship where they are really needed. This material means results in changing the field, or spot where nature has sent forth her shoots, suggestive of the supreme beneficence of her maker, into holy ground — where Heaven and earth meet in the interchange of di- vinest sentiments. Here the offended God, in yearning pity, and offending man, in broken-hearted penitence, meet ; and the place thus marked becomes the spot where cluster our tenderest feelings and purest affections. Men in the evening of life's day look back to it, and angels, from their Heavenly home, look down upon it : and both RKV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 35 ibtlcss i well led in rested I^astle- )mfort- wnich which, never of the rcction ceded. )r spot of the )und — of di- ;arning litence, where Men angels, id both bless (lod that there human hearts were pardoned and purified, and the first stages of " a life of heaven on earth" begun. This church is a material monument to the zeal and faith of him of whose memory we cherish the fondest recollections. If interests such as we have described belong to such an enterprise, who will question the wisdom of those thus employed, or who can define the limit of Jieir pleasure ? T.ike the house of Obed-edom, the Temple at Jerusalem, where the priest approached the mercy-seat ; or like the latter city, shining in the rays of the risen sun of righteous- ness, or burning with the glory of Penticost, — such a place becomes the vestibule of Heaven, and t is cherished in memory by men through time and forever. The spiritual and the material are blended with the harmonies of Heaven. " Work done for God, it dieth not." Some time before the opening of the church at Castle- comer, through a complication of adverse circumstances, Mr. Gundy was compelled to close his business opera- tions in that town. A new trial awaited him. His busi- ness was extensively patronized by the men of the Colliery; but the work there failed to a considerable extent, and many of the men were forced to retrenchment in their expenditure. Just about this time, a new merchant open- ed a store in Castlecomer, and, having married a wealthy lady, and becoming suddenly possessed of a large quan- tity of ready money, began to make terms with these miners : so that, by charging a high figure for his goods, and by giving long credit, he succeeded in getting most 36 CIOGRAniY OF THE ; Ci' I , of their custom. Difiiculties seldom come single-handed, and to the above may be added a circumstance which also tended to lessen his business, and which arose chiefly from a spirit of opposition to him as a Methodist. This came from a quarter least expected — from those who were members of the English Church. These men were vio- lently opposed to the spread of Methodism ; and the pro- minent part which Mr. Gundy took amongst the Metho- dists subjected him to difficulties not only in his personal associations, but to even greater in his commercial trans- actions. This matter of v/hich we speak was more to be deplored, from the fact that the Episcopal clergyman be- came the leading spirit in the opposition. Lady Ormond, a proprietress of large estates in thcit part of Ireland, had been for some years accustomed to make an annual pre- sent of one hundred pounds' worth of kersies and blanket*: to the poor. Eor several years, Mr. Gundy succeeded in satisfying the manager of her business with goods, at a low price, and of good quality ; but for some reasons unknown, on'/ on the ground of his being a Methodist, this agent was persuaded to have the business done by tender. Of course, this bore the aspect of fairness, and was quite a plausible suggestion : and it would have been, under ordinary circumstances, a wise course. But, under the cloak of fair dealing, was evidently the hidden intention of getting Lady Ormond's patronage from this young Methodist merchant. Mr. Gundy put in his tender, mark- ing his samples as low as possible, in order to furnish a good article ; but it seems as if some understanding was iULl' REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 37 i entered into by the common opponents, for the trade was given to a man not at all engaged in the dry goods busi- ness only — as he would make the purchases to supply this order — and it was afterwards said that, to do so, he fur- nished an article much inferior to his sample. In this case, the poor were the sufterers, and the trade was taken from Mr. Gundy, who, by pressure of circumstances, was compelled to find some more inviting field for his occupa- tion. It was not a very difficult matter, for one acquaint- ed with the circumstances, to trace this whole affair to its origin, as it evidently arose from the inherent opposition of these men to Methodism ; and especially as this fonn of religious doctrine and practice interfered with the doc- trinal views and shamed the spiritual indolence of the church people. The Rev. Mr. Despard, Church of Eng- land curate, thought to nonplus and entirely silence the Methodists, by establishing a weekly meeting in some pri- vote house, for the open discussion of general religious questions. At these meetings, any one could propose a subject for discussion on the next evening ; and, when it was agreed upon by the meeting, the matter was fixed, and all went home to prepare as well as possible for work. From the nature of the subjects often discussed, it was evident that the Episcopalians thought the Methodist doc- trine easy to demolish, or the defenders of it perfectly powerless in their grasp. Many of the clergymen then, as now, were very zealous Calvinists, and lost no opportu- nity to promote the peculiar interests of this school. In his turn, Mr. Gundy proposed the question for discussion, I ! Ji i '■: ; 111 i^' 38 BIOGRAPHY OF THE and, on one particular occasion, named the "extent of the Atonement" as the subject for the following meeting, and it was agreed upon. There is little doubt but the Calvin- istic party, especially as it as led by the minister, would readily accept such a subject, in full prospect of a victory. Mr. Despard and his friends strained every nerve to have present at the meeting as many clergymen and others as would be likely to render service to his side of the ques- tion. The controversy began, and the " universality" side was fully explained and defended by Mr. Gundy. He was met by the church party, and, in a hand-to-hand en- counter, they proceeded for some time. Mr. Gundy was left chiefly alone, as the public defender of the doctrines of Methodism, in this as in other encounters. Yet we are by no means to infer that the rest of the Methodists were unacquainted with these doctrines or the scriptural argu- ments by which they were supported. In those days, the followers of Wesley made it a matter of principle to be well read in doctrine. They were not only able to explain their views, but were very well quali- fied in a number of instances, to defend them. They were Methodists, not because it was fashionable, or in the line of popular applause, but because, as a matter of prin- ciple, they held truth and the privileges of the Gospel as more valuable than personal ease or temporal aggrandl/:e- ment. This fact was brought out very strikingly at the meeting referred to, the result of which was entirely to de- feat the object of the Calvinistic party; and, by clear scrip- tural proof, to demonstrate beyond a doubt the doctrine mm i t f REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 39 that "Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for Cilery mafi." The clerical party were greatly chagrined at the success of these mere secularists, and, by resorting to such means as they could use, were determined to compel, if 'possible, Mr. Gundy to leave the place ; and what they could not do by fair argument, was effected by force of circumstances, brought about, to a considerable extent, by their influence. Mr. Gundy, being the leading spirit in the contest, was made the subject of heaviest attack, in which his opponents were compelled to leave the moral for the material argument. They left the true ground of all such questions, and settled, or tried to settle, the matter by removing the immediate cause of their greatest per- plexity. It is very wonderful to what extent religious dif- ferences often lead ; and how very foolish are the men who allow themselves to be unduly excited in the interest of any sect, apart from higher and nobler considerations. There was no fault, in point of moral character, to be found in him of whom we write, — no blind opposition, no bigot- ed attachment to tbrm, — but a constant, even life of faith and prayer, and an ever active determination to preach Jesus to the people. His religious influence must have been considerable at Castlecomer, and, personally, he was generally respected ; and the opposition to which he be- came subject was against his doctrinal views, and especi- ally against Methodism, rather than against himself. James Douglass was the Wesleyan preacher at Castle- comer when first they went to the place. I believe, at the next conference, James Olive was sent to the circuit. He 40 BIOGRAPHY OF TH£ soon formed an acquaintance with Mr. Gundy, and they became very intimate and firm friends. The circuit was called by the name of Carlo, at which place, about four- teen or fifteen miles from Castlecomer, the preacher re- sided. It took in a wide range ofcountry, but principally included a number of villages; Baltonglass, Castlecomer, Freshford and Kilkenny belonged to the Carlo circuit. When we take into consideration how much work was re- quired to supply all these places, and remember that the preacher lived fourteen or fifteen miles from Mr. Gundy, we will readily see that he could render very little assist- ance in the erection of the church referred to. It was a great undertaking for him, and shows not only his love for Methodism, but his desire for the spread of the knowledge of Jesus. One important thought connected with the lo- cation of the house of God is, that in after years we may be able to regard it as our spiritual home. This sweet word home is made more dear and sacred by association with the spiritual interests of the soul, and by the close relation and familiar intercourse of the members of the family of Heaven. This pleasure Mr. Gundy was not to "e Vize at Castlecomer. He had built a house for others, ixO his comfort must be derived from the satisfaction of having helped them to an advantage which he was com- pelled to forego. In the midst of all his care and labor to get this place up, and free from debt, he did not forget to attend faithfully his preaching appointments on the Sabbath. He was constant in his duty of preaching the Gospel in the surrounding villages. Cooen, Coolbon, A ' 'I Rev. WILLIAM Gundy. 41 Girteen ana Coolcullen were often the scenes of his ac- ceptable and useful toil, and in these places he foiTned many warm and familiar acquaintances with the people. In after years he often spoke of these places, and the pleasant hours he spent in intercourse with the many friends he had formed while in the performance of his re- ligious duties. He frequently referred to the happy hours spent in the neighbourhood of Cooen. There lived at that place a school teacher by the name of William Poole. He was a warm friend to Mr. Gundy, and many happy hours they spent in each other's society at Mr. Poole's house. His sons, who were mere lads then, have since grown up to men ; and, their father afterwards emi- grating to Canada, they have been for a number of years in important employments in various parts of this coun- try. One of them — the Rev. W. H. Poole, of the John Street Wesleyan Church, Hamilton — has since risen to a very honourable position in the Wesleyan Methodist Church in this Province. Mr. Poole, the senior, was a good scholar, and perhaps was rarely, if ever, excelled in his day, as a school teacher. He was for many, many years the teacher at Cooen, and would, probably, have remained in that position until nature itself had released him ; but, unfortunately for himself, he was a Methodist and was too true to his attachments to deny the fact, and too honest to hide it. He and l^Ir. Gundy were kindred spirits, and, as their opportunities of converse multiplied, there grew a firm friendship between them, which became the source of mutual joy, and the occasion of many hours of 42 BIOGRAPHY OF THE happy intercourse. These good times, long since passed away, were, no doubt, some months ago, renewed in the land where the joy is brighter and the fellowship of all kindred souls is uninfluenced by sin. They now can talk of scenes passed long ago, and can realize to the full the advantages of worship with no fear of disturbance from influential landholders and bigoted churchmen on the one hand, or the Roman Catholic ' rabble on the other. In that land, I apprehend, these earthly distinctions are forgotten ; and if a man reaches that glorious country through faith in the Atonement, he is never asked if he were Methodist, Churchman, Dissenter, or Roman Cath- olic. Nor can it interfere with the joy and communion of that country, to know that from all of the above, and from more sects than these, or even from none at all, will come some of the innumerable host of exalted worship- pers. It is inspiring to think of renewing a pleasant earthly acquaintance, amid such associations. They have met there — William Poole and William Gundy — both having passed a long sojourn on earth, both originally from the beautiful Emerald Isle ; but rising from amidst the surroundings of this new world, by the grace of God, have met in heaven, where they feel none of the infirmi- ties of this life, and know none of its cares. Mr. Poole's adherence to Methodism, cost him his situ- ation. Mr. Gundy's resulted in the loss of his business at Castlecomer ; but Providence was on their side, and no sooner was one door shut against them, than another opened. ? 't ■^ ■^ ! ■ REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 43 passed in the . of all an talk all the :e from Dn the : other, notions :ountry i if he 1 Cath- nion of ve, and all, will mrship- ileasant iy have -both iginally amidst )f God, mfirmi- lis situ- usiness ie, and mother -4 The dark cloud was immediately followed by a bright one ; and thus was made up to them the sum of their experience in the stern realities of life. I must noc for- get to mention a little circumstance often referred to by Mr. Gundy, with emotions of gratitude. As Mr. Poole's house was always open for the preachers of the Gospel, those, both itinerant and local, were brought to share his hospitality, which was freely given for Christ's sake, and was gratefully received by His servants. Mr. Gundy has often told me that very frequently when he was at Cooen, Mr. Poole used to give him his pony to ride most of the way home, and his son, William Henry, then a small boy, would run out to bring the pony back. This little cir- cumstance, my dear father-in-law frequently referred to, even in the latter years of his life ; and he took a pleasure in doing so, as if the very mention of the circumstance called up the train of happy reminiscences connected with it. Since having renewed his acquaintance with William Henry, now grown to be a man, and rising in popularity and power as a preacher amongst the Methodists of this country, Mr. Gundy delighted to refer to this incident, as he traced back the honor and success of this son, to the earnest and importunate prayers, and faithful and consistent conduct and example of his father. And he was always grateful for having an early connection with a Church which afterwards rose to such magnitude, as a great lead- ing agency in spreading "scriptural holiness over the world." 4., !.c! ''' 18' n r ii. !l 1:!' i I ! It 4 IS \i I I >l> I i.i 1 1 44 BIOGRAPHY OF THE CHAPTER V. HIS ACQUAINTANCE WITH GIDEON OUSELEY — HEARS DR. CLARKE PREACH — REMOVAL TO PORTARLINGTON, ETC. HE early part of Mr. Gundy's religious life was spent amid interesting associations. That move ment which began in the revival of pure re- ligion, and led to the formation of a Society within the Church of England, was now becoming a felt power in Britain, and Ireland was not wanting in circumstances and men which were calculated to demonstrate the power of the Gospel. The power of Methodisni was heart power, and, shed- ding its influence over the character and life of its subjects, it was daily supplying a desideratum which the then established fonns of religion had failed to furnish. Men were not led to gaze merely upon a barren system, but their hearts warmed under the divine fervour of a blessed reality. While at Castlecomer, Mr. Gundy renewed his acquaintance with Gideon Ouseley, the intrepid apostle of Methodism in Ireland. He had mei: him years before when quite a lad, but his own hc«.ise now becoming a home for the preachers in their rounds, he was often honored with Gideon as his guesc. From this time there grew an inthnacy between them which was never for- gotten. They were often together in public and private service in the Master's vineyard, md were Irequently side REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 45 iARS DR. N, ETC. ; life was lat move pure re- dthin the power in mstances he power nd, shed- subjects, the then h. Men 5tem, but a blessed ewed his i apostle trs before :oming a VQ.S often me there lever for- d private ntly side by side in the streets, on the market squares, and in various other places, nobly to set iv^rth the imperishable excellencies of the Saviour of sinners. There was an enthusiasm about Ouseley which was well calculated to stimulate the youthful Christian to action, in hope of the glorious crown "which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." Frequently, when at Mr. Gundy's house, he would take him by the arm and say, " Come, William, let us be going;" and off they went to preach Christ to the perishing. As is well known at the present day, Mr. Ouseley was repeatedly the subject of violent attack from the Roiiian Catholic party. They hurled stones and every description of missile at him to silence his voice and end his days if possible, but he was wonderfully preserved. He often used no little cunning to defeat the object of his enemies, and, as was very usual for him, planted him- self immediately in front of a window which must neces- sarily be broken if their deeds of murder were persisted in, and this little piece of caution invariably saved his head. Dr. Adam Clarke was another whose influence was, in his day, perhaps without a parallel in Methodism. His '.terary efforts in some degree exceeded his evangelistic; yet a nrmer friend or abler advocate and defender the Methodists never had. Those great men were Mr. Gundy's contemporaries during the earlier part of his life. He often referred to them and his acquaintance with their writings; and he was particularly pleased to note that they were his own countrymen. This country, ..J^: < i I i I ' ! i^i I V I'- ll 11', 1: n : ! e; 1 i li;, ' 46 BIOGRAPHY OF THF, SO much agitated by Roman Catholic intolerance and by political intrigue, and the ever restless activity of its people in good or bad, has produced many good men who have been an honor to their nation and race, and who have left their "footprints on the sands of time;" and the savour of their lives is yet fresh in our souls. Mr. Gundy, when on a visit to Dublin about the year 1823, was privileged to hear doctor Clarke preach. He says : " I once heard him preach in Dublin from the text, * God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth ' — a sermon superior, in every sense of the term." He describes Dr. Clarke as ** a man of blooming countenance, full habit, thick-set, and full of the fire and warm-hearted pathos so character, istic of the Irish orator." Mr. Gundy purchased his works at the earliest opportunity, and greatly admired them, as the production of a master-mind prompted in its utterances by a holy heart ; notwithstanding, he dissented strongly from his views on the Sonship of Christ. Of Gideon Ouseley, Mr. Gundy says : " I was in- timately acquainted with him. Often, often have I heard him preach, and often I have stood beside him when the enraged Papist mob were throwing stones and brickbats to stay the work of this man of God. His sermons were clear expositions of the sacred text — forcible, eloquent, and often overpowering." The Roman Catho- lics frequently opposed Mr. Gundy while in the exercise of h ' duties as local preacher, but it was only in threats ; f ... ■I 4 REV. WILLIAM GUNDV. 47 they never attempted physical violence with him. On the contrary, many of them were personally very friendly. His mild and unobtrusive manner generally had the effect of melting the hard-hearted foe into friendliness. I have heard him relate a somewhat singular circumstance, which will show at least that his appearance was no injury to him while travelling in Papist districts. He said : *' On Sabbath mornings, as I passed along to my appoint- ments, the Roman Catholics would often do me honor with the most polite religious obeisance of which they were capable," — mistnking him, no doubt, for a young sprig of the holy priesthood. One day, while on his way to Dublin, he was followed by a Roman Catholic woman, who passed into the hotel after him and earnestly requested confession ; but he got rid of her as well as he could, and continued his journey. Mr. Gundy, thus wearing the outward aspect of religion, and being always remarked for his mildness of manner by those who knew him best, could not lend himself to a'^y unworthy work. He was a gentleman in his deport- ment, and the opposition received from the Papist party was more against his religion, and his earnest efforts to propagate it, than against himself While the facts above narrated show how he wore the appearance of a clergy- man, they remind us of the fearful responsibility of the priests, who arc thus keeping in blindness a people whose naturally warm and impulsive nature would have attached them firmly to truth, and made them valiant promoters of good. !|l .J:*t,i 48 inOGRAPIIY OF THE Men who could thus openly declare their concern of soul, but whose religious yearnings were crushed beneath the heel of an accursed system of mock worship, were worthy of a better religious training than Roman Catholic- ism was cai)able of giving. A warmer-hearted, freer, more whole-souled people than the Irish, in the main, can scarcely be found ; but it is impossible for human nature to stand under, and throw off, all the crushing weight of Satanic power which lies in this diabolical system called Popery. But for this, Ireland would be this day one of the most desirable places of the British Dominion for residence, and her people amongst the most prosperous and happy. When preaching in the streets, and other out-door places, Mr. Gundy was as much opposed by the church party as by the Catholics. Those were days when it was necessary to unite zeal and prudence. Neither could be successful alone. Blind zeal might have sold the cause of the Master, while prudence, without zeal, might have hushed the preacher into the stillness and ease of home retirement and safety. The reckless daring of Peter's impetuosity would be ruinous ; not less so, the fear of hidden, yet loving, disciples. The zeal must bum within with holy ardour, and it must be controlled and regulated by the most powerful of agencies — love to Christ. " Let my knowing zeal be joined With loving charity." Mr. Gundy now fixed his mind upon Portarlington, as I U '^..i^ REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 49 :crn of )cncath ), were itholic- , freer, ; main, human rushing iboHcal )uld be British gst the )ut-door church 1 it was ould be e cause ht have f home Peter's fear of within crulated i ;ton, as liis next place of business. It was a beautifully situated town, surrounded by a fine stretch of agricultural country. It lay about thirty miles from Castlecomer, and about fourteen from Tullamore — t!ie scene of his boyhood, the sphere of his apprenticeship and early business life ; and the place where the light of true religion first dawned upon his mind, and the love of Christ filled his heart. They were now connected with the Tullamore circuit, and were enabled to renew many of their former acquain- tances with the people of God, from whom, for about seven years, they had been severed. James Johnston was the preacher on the circuit. The Methodist preachers were then beginning to venture beyond the ordinary sphere of their former movements, and some of them were found bold enough to administer the sacraments to the people. This was sometime about the year, 1829, and James Johnson was amongst the first, in that part of Ireland, to favour the people with this important service. From his hands, Mrs. Gundy and her sister — Rev. James Sterling's wife, received the emblems of the Saviour's •' broken body and shed blood," for the first time, outside the Episcopalian Church. For a short time after the opening up of business at Portarlington, Mr. Gundy kept the shop at Castlecomer, and while he gave his principal attention to the former, his mother and Mrs. Gundy attended to the business at the latter. As they were arranging to leave Castlecomer altogether, they siipplit^.' very little goods there, but con- tinued to sell off the rv .-.,iAiing stock which, when nearly E 1 1 50 BIOGRAPHY OF THE ill! ■H','i 1 ii i I ■rill;.' . ' M disposed of, they moved down, and gave all their care to the one place. For some time they were very successful ; but they were not long in finding that a town only five miles off, called Mt. Mellick, was by far a better market, and, therefore, offered greater inducements to the general merchant than were given in Portarlington, and they were strongly in- clined to go to this town, thus promising an increase of trade. They, however, continued five years in Portarlington before moving, as they were determined to give it a fair trial prior to assuming the expense and trouble necessarily involved in the change. Both of these places became, in after years, with many incidents of their stay in each, fixed firmly in their memory. Apart from the sacred religious associations and toil, they were ever remembered as the birthplace of several of their children. There is, perhaps, no incident of our lives so well calculated to fix upon the memory our residence at any place, as the care and interest con- nected with a growing family. In this respect Castle- comer 'vas more deeply impressed on ^heir minds than either Portarlington or Mt. Meliick, for in it five of their children were born, and beneath its soil two them lie sleeping. One of these died when nearly four years of age — an interesting, beautiful boy^ — and the other at fourteen months. Although many years have passed since they Were committed to the dust, yet how often has parenta ! V? REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. SI ZSLXC to jy were ■ 1 called 2 jrefore, ' It than igly in- • case of t a fair ;essarily ti many n their ciations )lace of ncident itiemory jst con- Castle- ds than of their lem lie ige — an burteen ce they :)arenta aftection started the mind on its backward journey, until they stood beside the new made graves, and with un- diminished love for their children, and unwavering faith in God, they were constrained to say— - " Ere sin could blight, or sorrow facte, Death came with friendly care ; The opening buds to Heaven conveyed, And bade them blossom there." AtPortarlington, as at Tullamore and Castlecomer, Mr. Gundy was zealous for the cause of his Master, and lost no opportunity, whether in business hours or not, to drop a word in season for Him to whom he owed his all. Here ihe preachers found hir»^ out, and his house was their home, to which they were ever welcome. During these times there was kept up in those parts of Ireland a constant state of agitation between different parties amongst the Papists. They could agree to persecute and afflict the Protestants but could not agree to live peaceably amongst themselves, and the market-place of Portarlington, near wiiich Mr. Gundy lived, was the scene of many a great row between them. They frequently had many a fierce fight on market days, in which material controversy they were alternately conquerors and conquered. In all Mr. Gund/s intercourse with them, although a staunch and avowed Protestant, yet he never became the object of their heaviest hatred. This could not arise from any fear or failure on his part to preach, both in public and private, those doctrines which aim at the very overthrow of the Popish system. I can only account for it from the fact of 5^ BIOGRAPHY OF THE I: ;:|r ine unoffending way he had of presenting the truth. I have never yet been able to see the wisdom of those who make a great boast of fearless honesty, while tliey drive away with all vengeance against those who may differ from them. And, likewise, those preachers, who have an abrupt and daring way of exposing popular sins, might often have been saved a great amount of trouble, and have been far more successful in their object, if the harsh language and angry manner had been wanting, However, it cannot be thus with every man. The;e are diversities of gifts, and they are all needed, in order to meet the peculiar necessi- ties of this dissolute and sinful world. Perhaps it is, there- fore, better not to condemn a man for his manner, if the principle be right, or not contrary to right, so long as the desirable result is gained. There were sons of thunder in the early days, and there were also sons of consolation, and both were necessary and useful. For several years there was one particular subject before the mind of Mr. Gundy, which gave him much care, and that was the conversion of his mother. She was as yet a stranger to the inward and unspeakable joy produced by a change of heart. A son could scarcely love a mother more than he did ; and, as the years wore away, he became increasingly anxious that she should *' taste, and know that the Lord is gracious." He often conversed with her on the subject, and frequently, when his concern appeared greater than u;£ual, she would say, " Why, William, do you think I am the worst woman in the world, that you talk so? — sure, I never murdered \] REV. WILLIAM GUNDV. S3 th. I 5e who drive 2r from abrupt ;n have 2en far ge and inot be ts, and lecessi- ;, there- •, if the I as the thunder olation, subject L much r. She ible joy scarcely irs wore should le often y, when uld say, Oman in lurdered i anyone ; '* and thus she continued to show more and more that she did not fully inderstand the true ground of hope in God. A very commendable course of conduct was continued by Mr. Gun-'ly in the interest he took in the financial state of the churches. In addition to the work of building the cl-- .ch at Castlecomer, he made every possible effort to remove a debt of one hundred pounds which had been incurred in the purchase of a church at Portarlington. The little band of Methodists had been for years worshipping in a small house in one of the back streets of the town; and when, through his influence, they purchased a very good and commodious building, I think from the Congregationalist:, he was fully resolved not to allow the matter to rest until they were free from em- barrassment. He here left his business in Mrs. Gundy's hands, and undertook to travel for miles around, amongst the friends of the cause, in order to raise the money, and was, after much toil and care, successful, and had the satisfaction of handing over the amount required to the trustees. This at once removed a great load from the shoulders of the few church-members there, and left them the freer to contribute to the comfort of the travel- ling preachers, and also to throw themselves afresh into the general work of the Lord. Here, their hard toil to- gether, and the few years of fellowship spent in each other's society, had greatly endeared them to the little church ; and it was with no small degree of reluctance, they gathered up their effects and left for Mt. Mellick. 54 BIOGRAPHY OF THE Ml I k After moving to this place, they were much pleased to find a very good Methodist church there. The Metho- dists had a standing in Mount Mellick, for a number of years, and their church was built in Wesley's day. They were not allowed, however, to hold service during church hours, although the probability is, there were far more people in the place than could find room in the parish church. In this place, as in hundreds of other towns and villages in Britain, the Methodists were de- termined to hold to Wesley's rule, no matter how much the inconvenience to themselves or the loss to the peo- ple. About this time, a resolution passed the conference, permitting them to hold service at such times as were most convenient for themselves, the matter to be decided by a two- third vote of the quarterly meeting. The society at Mt. Mellick was determined to have service in the morning, which seemed the most conven- ient hour for them; and the matter was shortly to come before the quarterly conference, for the sanction of the people, according to rule. The preachers on the circuit, were Robert Jessop and William Gather. Jesscp favoured, but Gather as strongly opposed the measure, and after a hard contest, it was carried, much to the improvement of the congregation and the interests of the society. From that time they began to prosper amazingly. They now stood on more independent ground, and felt themselves free to give full scope to their philanthropic and benevo- lent desires. During the year 1839, the preachers — Jes- RiW. WILLIAM GUNDY, 55 sop and Gather — were engaged in a gracious revival at TuUamore, and after the special services were closed there, they resumed them at Mt. Mellick, with similar results. The whole church was greatly quickened, and many young men, who were afterwards useful as preach- ers and office-bearers, were converted. In this revival, Mr. Gundy took a prominent part, and all the members received such a glorious baptism from above as made them increasingly useful and happy. Mrs. Gundy says that in that meeting she received such measures of grace as prepared her for many years of trial, through which she had afterwards to pass. Mr. Jessop, in a letter to Mr. Gundy several years after, refers to this work of grace, His own words will be found on another page of this book. Their success, added to an inherent feeling of opposi- tion, led the church minister to attack them with great violence. He lost no opportunity to vent his spleen, and throw out his heaviest charges against them. He was not content to do what he could in his private intercourse with the people, but he made the pulpit the scene of many a violent dash ; and, by slanderous statement uttered with vehement gesture, made himself troublesome to the Metho- dists, and a source of annoyance to the more thoughtful and less bigoted of his own people. One Sabbath, Mr. Gundy and Thomas Atkinson — a leading Methodist, and one of the principal merchants of the place — went to the church, and it was soon evident to them that this gentleman was bent on giving the Methodists a heavy blow. He openly declared, and without any qualification of terms, that both S6 IHOGRAPHY OF THE II if iil!i ill Hi :;: Fletcher and Wesley were then burning in hell ; and, as he warmed with his theme, he grew furious, and said he had drawn his sword, and would not sheath it again until he had thrust it into the very heart of Methodism. By this wholesale and vulgar attack, he either overshot the mark, or his missiles fell harmless at the feet of those he so much hated. Neither his enmity, fully developed, nor the malignant hatred of the Papacy, could prevent this Httle church, with an open Bible, from succeeding. Like the Hebrew children they were often in the furnace, but the " smell of fire was not on them ;" they were often in the lion's den, but the angel of the Lord stood by, and they were unharmed. This spirit of oppression, mani- fested throughout Britain against the Methodists by both Churchmen and Roman Catholics, can only be under- stood on the supposition that these parties knew little, if anything, of the love of Christ shed abroad in the heart. It is no pleasure to me thus to record the conduct of these parties, but in giving a faithful history of one who was so frequently the subject of their hostility, it is im- possible to pass it over in silence. I am forced to show that the progress of Methodism as a body, or of any of her sons in particular at that time, was made in the face of the strongest counter-influence, and therefore proves that in those men of former times there was a good degree of the true spirit of a disciple of Jesus. They denied themselves and took up their cross to follow Him. Noble lesson this, and valuable legacy left to us, their successors. May we prove ourselves worthy of both. REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 57 and, as said he t again [lodism. •vershot •f those eloped, prevent ;eeding. "urnace, re often by, and , mani- oy both under- little, if e heart, duct of le who is im- A few years after going to Mt. Mellick, the potato crop, the chief article of food amongst the poorer classes of the Irish, began to fail, and grim want was already at many a door. This was soon followed by an almost total sus- pension of business, and nearly every merchant in the country felt the terrible pressure, and most of them were compelled to succumb to the inexorable consequences. During this time they often kept the shop a whole day without taking in more than a half-penny. The only business of any consequence was done on market days, and then one shop would have answered for the whole place. This state of things presented a melancholy con- trast with the success they enjoyed on first coming to the place, and they were not prepared for it. For several years this state of things continued without any change for the better, but many for the worse. Each year brought a repetition of the potato rot, which was accompanied with failure amongst the farming community, and the prospects of mercantile men grew darker as the time passed. ism as a ne, was ce, and s there f Jesus. > follow t to us, )f both. ■< it'l' 11 I 'a ■il »f fl i m '11 i>- '^'^^ «• if i'l la •1 ■« i| 74 BIOGRAPHY OF THE Presiding Elder, is dated loth of June, 1842, or a littli: over three weeks from the time of "oming to the country, and shows that, even though a v.anger and then un- settled, and greatly perplexed to know what course to take in order to secure a home for himself and family, he was not by any means willing to allow the time to pass imimproved. How much better it would be for all church members, in moving from one place to another, to remember that a l-ge measure of their own happiness, and the fact of their usefulness to others, depends a great deal on whether or not they at once become connected with the Church of Christ in the vicinity of their new home. A person may go forward in a sphere of usefulness, or he may grow careless and become lukewarm, or may fall from grace altogether, as he either joins, or neglects to join, with the people of Goci in those religious exercises which con- tribute so much to the general good of God's children. If from this personal interest in the matter we were all to act, the Church and we ourselves would be all the better for it. No man who is a Christian should be ashamed of his profession ; and instead of depending, as a weak and helpless child, upon the presence of some guardian angel, or expecting, perchance, to be found and carefully guarded by some ever-watchful member of the Church, he should stand erect with mingled feelings oi holy pride and joy, that he is accounted worthy of a name and a place amongst the people of God. Mr. Gundy was employed in the store of Mr. Porter REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 75 only about one year, preaching, as I have said, in all the country round about, as well as frequently in the city, when Dr. Richey — the chairman of the district — urged him to commit himself fully to the work of the ministry. His mind had been for a long time leading him in this direction, and he was evidently awaiting quietly the events of Divine Providence which might open up his way to this much desired work. It cannot, however, be said that any but the purest of motives could have prompted him to follow the advice, or obey the command^ of Dr. Richey. It was a course which would require much self- denial, and would entail many trials. After-experiences proved this to be too true ; but in committing himself fully to the Lord he was prepared for the one, and in the energy and patience of a faithful soldier he could endure the other. Some time during the summer of 1843 he was sent to the Markham circuit. He evidently entered upon the work with the full impression that he was guided by his heavenly Father ; and, as it regards his call to l)reach, his mind was quite settled, and had been for several years. He was waiting with the prayer on his lips, "Here am I — send me ;" and now that the command was given, "Son, go work to-day in my vineyard," he obeyed and went. He was by no means disposed to " think more highly of himself than he ought to think"; and, if I have any correct idea of his motives, his strongest desire was to glo- rify God, and be made useful in saving souls. There was a circumstance which took place at this time, and which IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT.3) % 4 :/, 1.0 I.I 1.25 1^ im Hi «. i 2.2 i/^ IIIIIM 1.8 U ill 1.6 m •i" V] 7 '^ y ^ ^ ^ /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 4v ^^ O - > 1^ 76 BIOGRAPHY OF THK added very much to the measure of his happiness, and that was the appointment of his eldest son, John, to a cir- cuit in the same body, and sent out by the same author- ity. Dr. Richey had been holding meetings in the neigh- borhood where John was teaching school, in the town- ship of Whitchurch, and was staying at the house where he boarded ; and one morning, after asking John a num- ber of questions in history, theology, &c., &c., gave him to understand that he wished him to enter the ranks of the Christian ministry, which he did, and was soon en- gaged in a work of extensive usefulness. It was a source of great joy to Mr. Gundy, as well as to his devoted wife, to see their children, in early life, finding the Saviour. But that joy was much increased when their eldest son — their first-born — was giving pro- mise of usefulness, and was, simultaneous with his father, to enter, with the unreserved consecration of their powers of body and soul, into the highest and noblest employ- ment which can in any way engage the attention or enli^'t the sympathies of man. John was quite young, and gave fair promise of making a man of considerable pulpit abil- ity. He was sent to Brantford, as his first circuit Mr. Gundy remained one year on the Markham circuit, when the district meeting, which was the highest council of this branch of Methodism in Canada, gave him his next appointment to the Pickering circuit, where he re- mained for two years. I may remind my readers that the only Methodist bodies in this Province, at that time, of which he had any extensive knowledge, were those known REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 77 iss, and to a cir- author- e neigh- e town- I where a num- ve him anks of )on en- well as rly life, creased ng pro- father, powers jmploy- r enli5:t id gave it abil- circuit, zouncil im his he re- lat the me, of known as the British Wesleyans, under the siiperintcndency of Dr. Richey, and the Canadian body, commonly known as the Ryerson Methodists. The Canadian Wesleyans, formed by Elders Ryan and Jackson, were comparatively unknown to him then, although they had an existence since 1829 ; and, besides this, the English Methodist New Connexion missionary, Rev. John Addyman, had landed on our shores about six years before, and the union between the denomination which he was forming and the above-named Canadian Wesleyans was, a few years prior to the time of which we write, completed, and at that time this body was assuming considerable proportions. He had not, as yet, been made acquainted with the peculiarities of their polity, and had, perhaps, heard of them only as the much despised Kilhamites. Providence had cast his lot amongst the Wesleyan Methodists; and he was willing to give his energies to the work of promoting their interests. During his stay at Markham and Picker- ing, he was greatly encouraged with good and increasing congregations. There were no very extensive revivals at this time, of which we can give any account, but the work in his hands seemed to grow steadily nevertheless. During his stay on the Pickering circuit, he found the sect known as Millerites, greatly agitating the people with their pre-mil- lenarian views. The whole country was inflamed to a wonderful degree of excitement on account of the declared speedy coming of the Son of Man to set up his kingdom, and begin his thousand years' reign on the earth. Mr. Gundy had often to combat their unscriptural and iM ' !'! ii i'l ;Mr 78 BIOGRAPHY OF THE pernicious doctrines. This he felt it his duty to do on several occasions ; but at one particular time, when these prophetical pretenders had been unusually troublesome, he was induced to preach especially to meet their oft repeated statement relative to the improbabilities that when Christ came he would destroy the material heavens, and close up his mediatorial kingdom. He first entered into the scriptural evidences of the coming of Christ, not to reign bodily, but to appear in judgment ; and then by skilfully arranging a philosophical argument — by explain- ing the chemical composition of the atmosphere — showed how very easy a thing it would be for the great Creator, by the passage of an electric current through the oxygen- ized air, to fire as in a flash all the world, changing the very water into sheets of flame, and, as with the besom of destruction, sweeping away all living things from off the earth. He thus became as troublesome to these Millerites as they were to the Christians ; and while he successfully neutralized their teachings, he comforted the hearts oihis people with the cheering doctrines of the cross. He had a very clear view of scripture doctrine in his best days ; and, in earnestly holding forth the word of life, his own soul was comforted while he gave encouragement to Others. From Pickering, lie received his next appoint- ment to the Brock Circuit in 1846. At that time the township of Brock, as almost all that section of country, was a comparative wilderness. The roads were mere passes through the bush, in many places almost impass- able during several months of the yean It was impossible REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 79 to use a buggy and make the speed necessar) to enable a minister of the gospel to get from one appointment to another in the allotted time. In many places streams had to be forded ; and, what was often more difficult and attended with greater danger, many of the swamps had to be forded also. Some of them were bridged by laying down parallel logs, but these, without a covering of earth, were both unpleasant and unsafe. This was a new order of things to him. He had lived all his life thus far amidst the many material advantages of an old country ; and, now to go from the few improvements which the frontier settle- ments of this land presented to where there was almost everything of the backwoods life to contend with, was more than he anticipated when he left his native land. But having given himself to the Master's work, it was not in him to choose the sphere of 'lis labours, and he entered upon the duties of this new field with a heart trusting in God for the success he so much desired. Michael Wilson, a member of his last circuit, and who was the son of Mr. Gundy's old friend, and first employer in Ireland, went with his team to move them out to their new home. The journey was somewhat lengthy and tedious. They co"ld not accomplish it in one day, and night overtook them at a place familiarly known as the " long woods," some where near the village of Uxbridge* Here they found shelter and comfortable lodgings in the house of a Roman Catholic family, who were exceedingly kind to them, as most of the new settlers were, especially to strangers. It is much to be feared that the successors I < 1' ( I' fv :i 'iii tl 8( BIOGRAPHY OF THE of these hardy sons of toil do not possess this spirit to the same extent. Then they knew how to sympathize with each other, for they were nearly all strangers alike to each other, and the new country which they had adopted as their own. However this may be, in the morning our travellers, much refreshed in body, resumed their journey, and reached the parsonage during the day — and such a parsonage ! Just think of it, a small log house in the midst of an almost impenetrable forest, approached by the road along which they had come — and oh, what a road ! Think of this my brethren of the itinerancy. We aspire to better parsonages and circuits, but such as these our fathers endured in hope of leaving us better provided for. When they came to this place, destined to be for three or four years their home, they found some pro- visions left for them by the Rev. Samuel Fear, Mr. Gundy's predecessor. In blissful ignorance of the fact that they were possessed of a beautiful well of never failing water, they made tea from the soft water, and thought them- selves happy to be possessed of that same. They brought a new milch cow and a number of hens, and thus began their entrance upon a work which afterwards proved a source of encouragement to them, and of great spiritual advantage to many who are yet living. They were not long in forming an acquaintance with the people of their charge ; the most of whom, from their loyalty to the laws of the land, had connected themselves with the cause of the British missionaries. The Ways, Harts, Jacksons, and many others, he often spoke of l|;:.i ii REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 8l until within a short time of his death, with many tender reminiscences of the happy times he spent amongst them. He was on their circuit but one year when the union took place between the Ryerson party and the British conference, which union was formed in the year 1847. He was returned as one of the ministers of the united body for two years more — viz., 1847 and 1848 — and this was a happy circumstance for the people of that circuit, who were so intensely British in their feelings that they would not receive a minister who had formerly belonged to the Canadian Methodists. Whether they regarded them as disloyal to British rule, or what was the exact nature of their objections, we cannot say ; but they had previously fully resolved that if the union were carried, they would have only those who were formerly British missionaries to be their ministers. When Mr. Gundy returned to Brock after the union, there was no little excitement amongst the Methodists. He found nearly the whole community in arms against the conference, and so far was this spirit carried, that those who were British Methodists refused to allow the conference preacher to occupy the churches which they themselves had built, and which they were resolved should be appropriated to their own use, and consequently they closed them, only to be opened to whomsoever they would. The churches were closed against Mr. Gilbert the conference preacher, and, although Mr. Gundy was as yet, urder the con- ference, as the assistant preacher to Mr. Gilbert, the people were ready to hear him and give him every G ' r 'T ■i ^ 82 BIOGRAPHY OF THK possible attention. Providence Chapel, not far from the residence of George St, John, was closed, and one beautiful Sabbath morning, as Mr. Gundy went to his appointment there, he found the church locked, and the people gathered in crowds around the door. They at once said they would open it for him but not for his superintendent ; but he being a lover of order, and withal wishing to bring the people to submit to the conference arrangement and manifest true loyalty to the church, refused to go in. In a short time some one of their number effected an entrance by the window and opened the door, and at once a general rush was made for the church, the crowd carrying Mr. Gundy along with it, who, being thus forced to do that from which his feelings naturally shrank, and not liking at all the spirit of insubordination manifested, arose and commenced the ser- vice by announcing the hymn beginning — " Into a world of rebels sent, I walk on hostile ground, Whqre impious men, on ruin bent. And hellish hosts abound." The service passed without any other circumstance of a very serious nature, save that he labored hard to show to the people Jesus Christ as a present Saviour — one whom too many of them had rejected and injured, but who was even then " waiting to be gracious." REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 83 CHAPTER VIII. AITKNDS CONFERENCE IN 1849 IS REFUSED ORDINA- TION — LEAVES THE V/ESLEVANS, AND JOINS THE NEW CONNEXION. jT may be said that disappointments are the common lot of humanity. The existence of hope^ however, will not allow us to anticipate them, for by it we are promised prosperity every day. It is well for us that the general experience of men tones down the high-born ambition of hope^ and often treats ex- cessive incredulity to a bitter taste of real life. The poetry of humanity paints the future with golden glories, while the common prose of life restores the general level of me- diocrity, and furnishes an atmosphere when the flights of fancy give place to the plain and practioible. Thus, the balance of power is preserved by these counter-working elements, and men are not allowed to feed on ecstacy on the one hand, or compelled to suffer from dejection or melancholy on the other. The glorious illumination of the clear sky prepare us for the dark cloud and the gather- ing storm. In these matters of human experience, no man is so well prepared to make the most of life's profits and enjoyments as the Christian. He meets his difficulties with fortitude, and overcomes them in patience. The place of his refuge I' :l ill ",l! 1''. V 84 HIOCIRAPIIY OK THK is the throne of grace, which is also the source of his strength. A storm was gathering for Mr. Gundy ; but his inter- course with the people of Brock, with his family, and es- pecially with the mercy seat, was preparing him to i)ass through it in safety. At the conference of 1849, ^^ ^^'^''"'t up to the annual gathering, fully expecting to be ordained and received into full connexion with the body. But in this he was doomed to disappointment, for, as he was a married man, and somewhat advanced in years, they re- fused him this privilege. He had travelled six years — three with the British missionaries, and three with the conference after the union, — and it was reasonable that he should expect some other position than merely that of as- sistant. He now saw, however^ very plainly, that he was to be left in the capacity of hired help, doing the princi- pal work of the Lord in the pulpit from Sabbath to Sab- bath, and during the days of the week, but was to be de- nied the privilege of a proper ministerial standing amongst his brethren. He was called to this work by the British missionaries, no doubt, with the understanding that he should receive, at the proper time, the usual orders of ministerial office ; but immediately upon the completion of the union there came into power those who knew him not, and hence the treatment he received. Another trial was now before him. He could not think of remaining where he was, to be kept all his life in an inferior position amongst his brethren, and especially when he had the true Methodistic seal to his ministry — the conversion of souls ; ' i: I RKV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 85 and also when he remembered tliat there were others, in both intellectual and theological attainments, his inferiors, who were favored with the very thing denied to him. To leave them was also a great trial to him, for, from early life, he had always been strongly attached to the Wesleyan Methodist Church, and up to this time he had left nothing undone in order to further the objects of that body. His early days were devoted so fully to the work of the Lord amongst them, that he had willingly suffered reproach, shame and loss, and he had diligently toiled to make this church, spiritually ard materially, the gainer. Nothing but the positive refusal of the con" ference to accord to him what was fairly his due, and by so doing unnecessarily humiliate him, and deprive him of a place amongst men, for which he had, at least, fair qualifications, could ever have led him to bid them adieu, and force him to seek elsewhere a sphere of usefulness. He now saw that the only course open to him was entirely to sever his relations ; and being previously invited by several influential members of the New Connexion in Toronto and elsewhere, and having care- fully considered the matter, and committing himself fully into the hands of Providence, he resolved to unite with the last named church, whose conference was then sitting in Cavan, near Port Hope. As soon as it became known, that he thought seriously of taking this step, Dr. Richey, and other of his personal friends, came to him and did all in their power to induce him to remain until the next conference, and they would pledge themselves to have ^m 86 niOGRAPHY OF THE \ > ■ fairness dealt out to him, in tlie matter. From the rea- sons above stated, which he thought sufficient, his mind was fully set to leave the conference ; and besides this, he evidently saw, that, had the laity, who knew him, any voice in the matter, he would have been differently dealt with. So, after presenting his resignation to those who had called him into the itinerant work, he, with as little delay as possible, laid his papers before the New Connex- ion conference, and was accepted, and sent as a mission- ary to Brock, in which place he had already labored three years. This step appeared necessary, and was pressed upon him at that particular time. His mind being clear to move, it must be done before returning home, or per- haps not for another year ; so, without the satisfaction of a consultation with Mrs. Gundy, for this was impossible, seeing she was in Brock, and he in Toronto, and many long miles of weary road lay between them, he applied and was received and commissioned as above stated. It was only in an urgent case, that he could be persuaded to make so important a change as this, without first laying the whole subject before his much loved partner, for coun- sel and advice. No man could value the counsels of a wife, more than he did ; and few were more ready to fol- low them. In such matters, he was highly favoured, for Mrs. Gundy was not only ready to help him, but her good, sound sense, and the practical .cast of mind she had, qualified her to render valuable service. This was peculiarly necessary in his case, for, in his nature, he was full of generous sympathy. The promptings of his over- REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 87 liberal nature, would often have made him the subject of severe imposition, if it had not been for the timely assis- tance of Mrs. Gundy; and, in all the numberless ques- tions arising from the ordinary business of life, he found invaluable help from her. These things considered, it was an unusual circumstance for him to tako so important a step as to leave one church and join another without first laying the matter before his wife, and len jointly bending with it before the throne of grace for Divine counsel and guidance. The first we have shown to be impossible ; and as for Divine guidance, his course was very clearly marked out for him. One door was closed by a refusal to ordain and receive him into full connexion, and another was at once opened where these things could be received ; and, besides, it was only another branch of the same family — -the eldest son of the Methodist mother —and, withal, promising the advantages of a form of government more congenial to his feelings and scriptural views. This latter fact is clearly borne out by statements of his own made repeatedly upon the public platform and in the quiet retirement of fireside conversation ; and sub- sequent events prove this to have been a wise choice. When Mr. Gundy returned to Brock in 1849, ^^ ^^^^ not a Wesleyan, but a New Connexion, preacher. As I have said, the greater part of the Methodists of Brock were strongly attached to the British Methodists, and were as much opposed to the Canadians ; and, when Mr. Gundy returned, the most of them quietly withdrew and 88 BIOGRAPHY OF THE passed over to the New Connexion, and objected to hear the representative of a conference which had refused to him the powers and privileges of ordination. This was considered by the Brock friends a grievous wrong done to one whom they had learned to love as a faithful pastor and firm friend, and the stroke was felt by them almost as much as by himself Mr. Gundy did not find fault with the decision of the conference. It was their own business, and they had a right to carry out their own convictions ; but they must bear the consequences of their own action. Of course, in the matter of his leaving, the Wesleyans would sustain no irreparable loss ; it was only the loss of one man, and he only six years in the ministry. But this evidently in- volved the removal of a number of members in Brocl:, and also resulted in opening a way into the New Connexion for Mr. Gundy's three sons, who have since entered the itinerant ranks. The whole thing, to me, however, looks too much like the unfeeling, high-handed measure of a secula court, to be the deliberate and calm Christian con- clusion of an ecclf siastical assembly, whose breasts are supposed to he moved by the feelings of a common brotherhood. If I am not very much mistaken, the con- ference, subsequent to Mr. Wesley's day, has failed to ex- hibit the spirit of adaptation which so much distinguished him as " a child of Providence." I know that we are often charged with being dissenters, flictious, &c., &c. ; yet I am not so sure but the conference of the parent body is responsible for most, if not all, of the divisions in the Rev. WILLIAM GUNDV. 89 Methodist family. At the present day, a cahn observer of events, or a close and thoughtful reader of history, can scarcely fail to see, in the origin of the New Connex- ion, a needful reformation — an advance step — which would have been taken at the time by the whole body but for the over-zealous and purblind spirit of a gigantic conser- vatism. I have no disposition to interfere with the good feeling which exists between ourselves and our Wesleyan friends ; but it is impossible that, in giving the history of one who was so many years a Wesleyan, and so many a New Connexion, I should fail to notice these facts. The many changes made in the usages of the parent body, and the possession of a liberal spirit, together with the admissior* of the laity into the Wesleyan conference, may, ere long, re- sult in making Methodism, in Canada, in organic life, as she has always been in doctrines and ordinances, one and in- separable ; and, towards this result, recent movements are showing signs of encouragement. The Lord hasten the time. After the excitement in Brock, caused by the union above referred to, and also by Mr. Gundy's joining the New Connexion, had subsided, he continued the work of his high calling without any material interruption, and he was that year, as during all the former years of his stay in Brock, blessed with a good degree of prosperity. He often referred with gratitude and joy to a very gracious work, done through his instrumentality, in a Roman Catholic family, who resided several miles from the parsonage. His appointments spread out into Mari- l)osa, and even extended as far as the town of Lindsay. 90 BIOGRAPHY OF THE ii I One of these appointments in Mariposa, on a week night, was held in a tavern, the landlord's wife being a member, and one evening, as Mr. Gundy was preaching, a young man of Roman Catholic parentage was a careful listener. After going home he reported to the family what wonderful things he had heard, and his father, in a short time, made it a point to hear for himself. Mr. Gundy was made aware of the presence of this man when he came, and suited his subject accordingly. The Spirit of Truth applied the Word, and he went home, saying, "If Mr. Gundy is right I am wrong, and I shall know for myself." So saying he repaired to the Bible, and his eyes were opened, and in a short time he and his family embraced Christ. He became strongly attached to Jesus, and re- nounced with all his heart the nonsense of the Church of Rome. He died soon after this, happy in the Saviour, and in full expectation of a seat at His right hand. This circumstance was the occasion of great comfort to Mr. Gundy, as he was exceedingly glad to lead the poor deluded devotees of Rome to the Lamb of God. He was pleased to hear their words of gratitude, to see the expressions of joy beaming from their countenances, and to hear them speak of the glorious prospect which awaited them above. This was his life work, and his soul delighted in it. During part of his time in Brock he had a violent attack of fever and ague, which continued to dis- tress him for three months. About three weeks of this time he was confined to the house, but during 1 REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 9^ the remainder he filled his appointments, often shaking with the chills as he rode along in the saddle from place to place. He was very much weakened and reduced in flesh, but through the kindness of his friends, and the merciful interposition of Providence, he was again restored, and continued his duties until the close of his stay on the circuit. While passing through his numerous labors, and patiently enduring his affliction, his mind often wandered back to his native land, and his many friends there. His labors in the church and in his business all passed fre- quently in review before him. He was also often cheered by the receipt of letters from home. Those from his old friend and pastor, the Rev. Robert Jessop, were specially welcome, inasmuch as they contained the affectionate expressions of a true friend. Mr. Jessop was a man of no ordinary ability. He possessed a fine commanding appearance, was a scholar of high attainments, rich in the charms and graces of true eloquence, and withal he was an earnest Christian and a loving friend. Mr. Gundy often spoke of the happy hours they spent as fellow- laborers in the gracious revival with which the church in Mt. Mellick. was visited during 1839 and 40, and of the sweet Christian intercourse which they enjoyed together in the family circle, during Mr. Jessop's visits to Mt. Mellick. . Mr. Jessop's letters contained touching allu- sions to the scenes and associations of the past. He speaks in one of them as follows : — Ii Hi; III iini> 92 BIOGRAPHY OF THE "Courtney Hill, Newry, ^^ February i6th, 1848. ** My Dear Brother Gundy, — Your very kind favour of December the i8th, came to hand on the first of this month. We were much gratified by a line from you. It is so refreshing to our spirits to learn that you, Mrs. Gundy, and family are well, and that you are so fully engaged in our common Master's cause. May you be very successful in your divine vocation. "I often call to remembrance, but more especially when favoured by a line from your pen, the scenes — the glorious scenes — of 1839 and 40, when amid opposition — the well organized opposition — of the enemies of Metho- dism, we were favoured with such an outpouring of the Holy Ghost as added hundreds of saved souls to our Zion. Some of them now — not less than seven — able ministers of the New Testament ; and in addition, many others, useful and efficient church officers, whose services have been greatly owned of God. So we have seen verified the testimony of the Psalmist, ' He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh at them.' Your much esteemed letter was not read with unmingled feelings. Dear Ellen's* death cast a gloom over our joys. Her attention and * This refers to a sister of Mrs. Gundy, who came to this country with them. A year or two after coming to Toronto, she was mar- ried to a weahhy gentleman, Mr. Thomas Dean. She lived between three and four years after her marriage, and died of fever. She was greatly lamented by the family, who have cherished, and still do, the fondest recollections of her amiable disposition and unassuming,' piety. !'. i j REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 93 solicitude for my comfort, when it was my privilege to be the occupant of the prophet's chamber in your hospitable domicile, (only surpassed by dear Mrs. Gundy's never to be forgotten kindness), will long be remembered ; but she is gone. Alas ! how uncertain is life ! I had, until a few months ago, hoped to see you all once more in the flesh at no very distant period ; but should the good pro- vidence of God so order that I shall reach your shores, the pleasure is denied me, as one is now numbered among the dead, but I hope also amongst the redeemed of the Lord, 'who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'" :' ? i •■ siiHl ■in e ,-* K ! i| I? r 94 BIOGRAPHY OF THE CHAPTER IX. ATTENDS THE DISTRICT MEETING IN TORONTO — HIS LA- BORS IN THE PRINCE EDWARD, CAVAN AND OX- FORD CIRCUITS. |HE fellowship of Christians is sweet indeed. And it is especially so when the faithful minis- ters of Jesus Christ meet to comfort one an- other in their trials, and recount their victories together — victories achieved through the power of Jesus. Their hearts, inspired with faith and love and hope, find utter- ance in the grateful 'anguage of the Psalmist — " not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake." No one could more appreciate Christian intercourse and fellowship, than Mr. Gundy. It was his delight, after a geason of ''battling for the Lord," to meet his brethren in the various councils of the Church. He was not formed for the hermit's cell, but his joy was in inter- changing his thoughts and blending his sentiments with those of real /ive men, whose hearts were filled with the love of Jesus, and whose ambition was to glory in His cross. In the fall of the year, 1849, ^^ ^^^ ^^s brethren in the district meeting in Toronto. I find, in the Metho- dist New Connexion Magazine for the same year, a re- port from Rev. H. O. Crofts, — the General Superinten- dent of Missions in Canada — to the EngHsh Conference ; REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 95 HIS LA- ND OX- indeed. il minis- 3ne an- ether — Their ,d utter- lot unto ' glory, rse and after a rcthren as not 1 inter- ts with th the in His •ethren Metho- r, a re- irinten- rence ; in which the following, in relation to Mr. Gundy, is given from the pen of the Rev. Wm. McClure, then chairman of the Toronto district : " Brother Gundy is proving himself the right sort of man — diligent, faithful, and devoted to God ; he has many pressing invitations from respectable parties to preach, and from Societies among them ; but his plan is already full. His circuit will be fully able to raise for him the salary of a young man, and to make up some- thing handsome for missionary purposes. The district meeting, therefore, recommends the annual committee to grant him the other twenty-five pounds, to make up his salary." And in another part of the same report, Mr. McClure says " Mr. Gundy, of whom mention is made, was received at the last conference, and appointed to a new station, called Brock ; he has now forty-five members under his care, and there is every prospect of an increase." The conference at which he was received, sat in June, and on the eighth day of the following month, July, he was ordained for "special purposes." His certificate of ordination is signed by the following ministers : — William McClure, Thos. Talbot Howard, and Frederick Haynes. At the next conference, in June, 1850, he was received into full connection, and was thus fully prepared to exer- cise the functions of the holy oflice. At this conference, he received an appointment to the Prince Edward cir- cuit, which was situated in the old Prince Edward dis- trict, of which Picton is the chief town. On this circuit, ill |;li ! 96 BIOGRAPHY OF THE he gave himself to the same earnest toil which had pre- viously engaged his hands, and was similarly rewarded with success. One feature of his success, which made it more interesting to him, was the fact that, at one of his special meetings, four of his own children were hope- fully converted. The two eldest were brought to God in Ireland ; but, until the time of this meeting, the rest of them were out of the ark of safety. The fact of his children being led to Jesus, by his own instrumentality, was cause of unspeakable joy to him, and gave rise to frequent expressions of gratitude to God, for His won- derful love. While in that part of the country, he formed many happy acquaintances ; and, fn :ndships formed with him were not soon forgotten. There, he met for the first time, on Canadian soil, the son of his old, long tried and much esteemed friend, Mr. Poole. This son was no other than the promising lad, with whom years before, he was inti- mately acquainted, in his father's home at Cooen. He had grown to be a man of fine, commanding appear- ance ; was, some years before, received by the Wesleyan conference, and was now the Wesleyan ministei in Pic- ton. Mr. Gundy called upon Mr. Poole there, and re- newed his acquaintance with him, and loved him for his many excellencies of head and heart, but especially for his father's sake. Mr. Gundy remained on this circuit for two years, and at the conference of 1852, held in the Bethel chapel, on the Welland canal circuit, he was appointed to the Cavan REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 97 many 1 him time, much than inti- He pear- leyan Pic- d re- r his for and ll, on 'avan circuit. At that time, Cavan was quite a new township ; at least, it was regarded as amongst the newer settlements of the country, although many of the farms were beginning to show signs of advanced improvement. It was princi- pally settled with Irish, from the county Cavan, Ireland. They were very firm Protestants, and, at that time, so bitter was their hatred to Popery, that they would scarce- ly allow a Roman Catholic family to resioe in any part of the township. Whether it was for the purpose of having an organized force, with which to carry out their hostility to Roman Catholicism, or merely to further their schemes for amusement, I know not, but large numbers of the young men of the country were banded together, and seemed to rule the entire place. They indicated their wants in secresy, a id carried out their plans under cover of the night ; and were known as the " Cavan Blazers" — a lawless banditti — whose conduct was often extremely disgraceful — sometimes magnanimous ; and so powerful were they that no man could be found to complain of them, and no magistrate with sufficient courage to issue a warrant for their arrest You may say surely thcx'e wai much need of a gospel minister, who, going in the name of the Divine Master, and in the use of His means, might be instrumental in effecting a moral reformation amongst them. The people of Mr. Gundy's charge, however, were an earnest, kind-hearted, praying people. He found very many to gi/e him a hearty welcome, and, by prayer and other^vise, to help forward the objects of his mission. He was glad to find here so many of his own countrymen, H f >m *■•' 98 mOGRAPIIY OF THIC and a strong sympathy sprung up between them ; for no man can love a friend with a warmer heart than can a brother Irishman. He had a wide field to cultivate, with a great many appointments, and his labor was sometimes enough to tax to its utmost strength his fine, strong con- stitution. He invariably took three appointments on Sabbath, and often five evenmgs of the week besides he was ready to hold forth the lamp of life to the people. He was blessed with some very gracious revivals of religion while in Cavan ; in which the leading members of the circuit took a prominent part. Some few of his people there were very emotional, especially during the time of revivals amongst them, and often their peculiar gestures and frantic shouts would almost terrify him. He was altogether unaccustomed to this kind of thing, and felt it his duty to try and, if possible, effect a reform in this particular. But as these eccentricities were cherished as the peculiar operations of the Spirit of God, and held amongst the sacred things, to interfere with which was looked upon, by these friends, as a means of retarding the work of the Lord, he gave up in utter despair of convincing them that the Lord was not the author of confusion, but of order. He therefore allowed the matter to take its own course, bearing in mind that their sincerity might be harmonized with his, in the language of Paul, " Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." He was, upon the whole, very successful there, and the people were very kind to himself and REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 99 1 ; for I can a e, with letimcs ig con- abbath, ,s ready rTe was religion } of the J people time of gestures f thin O' reform were of God, sre with leans of in utter not the allowed ind that in the aded in ccessful self and .1 family, and were ever regarded as amongst his truest and best friends. Towards the close of his last year he wrote to the Evangelical Witness^ the organ of the con- ference, as follows : — "C'vvan, February 14, iy the — Ticrsion. >od, and cripturc, Vmongst preached lis work he work red from i March 3ur love er Doel sat with d in the Doel at rst mis- issionary e but six members, yet the subscriptions were very excellent. We liave there a fine respectable congregation in general, and the offer of a lot of land from Richard Waugh, Esq., on which to build a chapel. Our next meeting was at Spen- ccrville, and although we have but one member in that village, the subscriptions were more than last year. The storms prevented us from holding one meeting, and also caused the others to be thinly attended ; but I hope when the collectors perform their duty, the proceeds will exceed last year." The following extracts from letters to one of liis sons, will give us some idea of the subjects which frequently occupied his mind. These passages will let us into the heart of a father, yearning for the spiritual welfare of his children ; and also that of the intelligent Christian minis- ter, interested in the prosperity of his church, his country and his fellow-men. The first is dated Oxford, 8th Dec, " As you will be driven about from place to place/' he says, " and will have a variety of characters to meet with, you must take the Saviour's advice to be as wise as a ser- pent and as harmless as a dove. You will need much of the grace of God, and consequently faithful prayer for those supplies of grace. You may rest assured that while you acknowledge the Lord in all your ways. He will direct your steps. I should hope that you will find many friends, but remember that Christ is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. I suppose we will hear no more from the Cavan people, unless you may sometimes call and see P" ! T i I I If J: ii'iii I02 BIOGRAPHY OF THE them. I have certainly a great regard for the Cavan folks." Thirteen days later in the same month, he says, "I hope and pray (indeed we never forget you before a throne of grace) that the great and mighty God, for the sake of His Son, may open up your way. We have reason to thank God for our health and all the blessings of this life. Mother never enjoyed, for many years, better health." On the first of March, of the same year, referring to the necessity for the Cavan circuit receiving the services of a good and efficient preacher, he says of the qualifications of ministers : — "Our preachers ought to be men of read- ing, good grammarians, well read in church history, correct theologians, good logicians, and so forth, in order to keep pace with the times. You will think I am giving you a lecture on preaching, but if I could speak as freely on tanning (he to whom the letter was addressed was then a tanner and currier), I would do so. Indeed a preacher of the gospel ought to acquaint himself with all kinds of knowledge." In the same letter he continues : — " We should be very thankful that we are not now at the Crimea; but even here persons are suffering the loss of limbs. One man near this lost his toes from the effects of frost. This is a very severe climate, yet I have worn nothing but thin calfskin boots and one pair of socks all this winter. But, as you know, I take a splendid cold bath every morning." REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 103 Cavan ■'I hope irone of J of His thank ;his Hfe. .1th." ig to the ces of a fications of read- , correct to keep [ig you a reely on LS then a preacher kinds of 1 be very )ut even )ne man This is a but thin jr. But, lorning." I i CHAPTER X. LAKE ERIE MISSION — LOUTH, TALBOTVILLE AND LONDON NORTH CIRCUITS. E may say, with considerable propriety, that Mr. Gundy had just reached the middle of life, al- though he was about 6^ years old, when he bid adieu to the friends of the Oxford circuit. He had reach ed, at least, that period when the realities of the minister's life-work were pressing upon him with all the weight of their importance. The sentimentalism of youth, the love of poetry and eloquence, of fine philosophical distinctions and rhetorical paintings, were, in his mind, borne down by the pressure of the weight and value of souls, which was resting upon him. His was an active life, and he was now in the midst of its toils. But this was his normal condition ; and he could not rest at ease while men were every day perishing around him. His circuits were now fully realizing the value of his zeal, as men were, through its exercise, led to Christ. Bonar's beautiful lines express his oft repeated sentiments, and open up to us the great motives from which he acted : — " Go labor on ; spend, and be spent, — Thy joy to do the Father's will ; It is the way the Master went, Should not the servant tread it still? i liiii 104 BIOGRAPHY OF THE " Go labor on ; 'tis not for nought ; Thy earthly loss is heavenly gain ; Men heed thee, love thee, praise thee not ; 'J'he Master praises, — what are men ? ** Go labor on, while it is day ; The world's dark night is hastening on ; Speed, speed thy work, cast sloth away ; It is not thus that souls are won. *' Men die in darkness at your side, Without a hope to cheer the tomb ; Take up the torch, and wave it wide, — The torch that lights time's thickest gloom. *' Toil on, faint not, keep watch, and pray ; Be wise, the erring soul to win ; Go forth into tho world's highway, Compel the wanderer to come in- " Toil on, and in thy toil rejoice ; For toil comes rest, for exile home ; Soon shalt thou hear the bridegroom's voice — The midnight peal — Behold, I come." Mr. Gundy went up to the conference in June, 1856, which was held in Mallorytown, and from this he received another long move — from Oxford to Lake Erie mission. On this mission he remained three years, and had the unspeakable pleasure of three years of prosperous toil. The records of his stay on this circuit are more numerous than any which have yet come to hand. The country near Haldimand was generally considered very unhealthy, and, indeed, so it proved to a portion of Mr. Gundy's fiimily. The low, flat land, for several months of the year covered with water, and then left exposed to the scorch- ing summer sun, resulted in tilling the air with miasmatic vapors, and the people were suffering from ague, and the REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. lOS endless variety of fevers peculiar to such localities. Al- though, in common with those who had lived there for many years, nearly all the family were compelled to suffer from fever and ague, yet he was mercifully preserved, and was found at his post. The three years of his stay passed very pleasantly, and what adds more than ordinary pleas- ure to his lot, from the very first he was successful in win- ning souls. On December i st, of his first year, he thus writes to the Evangelical Witness^ describing a revival meeting with which they were graciously favoured : — "Lake Erie Mission, " Haldimand, Dec. ist, 1856. "Dear Brother, — It is with heartfelt gratitude to Al- mighty God that I send a few lines to the Witness^ of a gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit which we have wit- nessed for some weeks past, and are still enjoying. " On the first Sabbath evening of last month, we com- menced a protracted meeting here. With regard to my- self, I must say, it was with fear and trembling, as we had no official member, except one leader, on the Mission ; but we remembered that it is not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord. " Night after night the congregations increased. The second week, I was providentially assisted by my son, Samuel B., from Yorkville, who intended to spend only a few days with us ; but such was the cry of sinners for mercy, and of backsliders to be restored to God's favor, ' itiii i|!ii 'i,n , REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 119 CHAPTER XI. DOMESTIC COMFORTS — WATERFORD CONFERENCE DLETON AND LINDSAY CIRCUITS. MID- ARE says: — "To Adam, Paradise was a ho7nc. To the good of his descendants, ho7ne is a para dise^ Such was Mr. Gundy's home. There he was the soul of his family's happiness. The six years spent in the neighbourhood of London form a bright spot in his earthly journey. In some res- pects the brightest. In his early days the gush of religi- ous fervour, added to the bright exuberant joy of youth, made the time one long to be remembered. But since then the maturity of manhood had been reached, and he was now descending the hill of time ; and at evening time he was to enjoy a glorious light. He always much enjoyed the society of his children, and was now so situated that the pleasure of their company might be frequently realized. They were no longer the merry little ones that years ago had "Filled his house with glee ;" For the same hand which had multiplied his years, had hurried them on towards middle life. While living at Tal- botville and London North, Mr. and Mrs. Gundy again and again were cheered by these welcome visits. Samuel 1' \w nu ti r-i i1' il II ill! I i',ii!; m^: I20 I510GRAPHY OF THE was Stationed on the St. Mary's circuit, James in Strathroy, Joseph in London city, John at Komoko, we in Ingersoll, and WilHam — the only son not in the ministry — was Hving in London, and Ellen (Mrs. Pearson), the farthest away, in Brampton. These constituting the whole family were permitted to share the joy of those days. The walls of the paternal dwelling often resounded with the hearty laugh of children at home, and ever and anon with the song of praise and voice of prayer. Those were days when it were hard to say who — parents or children — most en- joyed the consecrated hour of domestic bliss. No one could more appreciate such occasions than himself, and it seemed as if, to him, the very climax of human happi- ness were then reached. The head of gray hairs was a crown of glory in that family. After leaving London North, we were more widely scattered, and such opportunities as above referred to were attended with greater expense and inconvenience. Such are some of the disadvantages of the itinerancy. The conference which was held in 1866, was in many respects one long to be remembered. It began its sittings on Wednesday morning, 6th of June, in the quiet little village of Waterford, surrounded as it is by a beautifully improved country, which is dotted with the stately mansions of princely farmers. The magni- ficent scenery of the place, and hearty welcome of the people, compensated in a good degree for the long journey from the railway ; but it is not in these respects alone that this is marked as a conference long to be remem- ithroy, Tcrsoll, s living t away, ly were ^alls of hearty lith. the rs when ost en- ^o one z\(, and happi- > was a widely rred to nience. mcy. n many ;an its in the s it is id with magni- of the ourney ;s alone remem- REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 121 bered. The country was in a great heat of excitement on account of the Fenian invasion of our soil, and the reports which were continually circulating through the land were calculated to thrill the heart of every lover of his country with anxiety for her safety. Those vile miscreants, from no other motives for their work than to avenge supposed wrongs which they had suffered at the hands of Great Britain, were threatening our lives. The regular army and the volunteers were rushing to and fro as necessity or report might call them ; out, thanks to a merciful Provi- dence, these marauders and murderers were neither suc- cessful in taking the land themselves, nor in originating a state of disturbance between Canada and the United States, either of which, I presume, they would have re- joiced to have effected. In the midst of this excitement the representatives of the connexion, to the number of one hundred and four- teen, were found sufficiently interested in the churches' welfare to leave their homes, and make the necessary sacrifices to meet each other, in order to realize the objects of our annual conference. Another circumstance which contributed to make that a memorable conference, was the fact that Ave were here favoured with the first official ap- pearance of the Rev. William Cocker amongst us, who, on coming, was honoured by an American University with the title of Doctor of Divinity. The Dr. was elected without a dissenting voice to the office of president of conference, and those who were present to hear his inau- gural address will never forget it as long as they live. L22 BIOGRAPHY OF THE ' ( nm The honest open countenance, sound advice and eloquent sermons of a live Englishman added much to the general interest of the gathering. Another remarkable and ever to-be-remembered circum- stance was the delightful love-feast enjoyed on the morn- ing of Sabbath, June loth, 1866. The writer was some- what late in arriving at this meeting, but such was the holy influence which filled the house that, although only enabled barely to get inside the door, he was, as by the power of an unseen but felt influence, melted into tears of adness and joy. I think I never realized anything like it either before or since. The Lord was there mani- fested to our hearts as he does not manifest himself to the world. In the report of Dr. Cocker to the English mis- sionary committee, he thus refers to the meeting, and to the subject of this work, who was honoured as one of its leaders : — " The services held during the conference were very numerously attended, and were characterized by a nigh degree of holy excitement. Again and again we were constrained to exclaim, ' Master, it is good for us to be here.' Emphatically may this be said of the love-feast which was held at eight o'clock on the Sabbath morning. It was the first time I had attended a love-feast at so early an hour, and I confess I went with a feeling of strange- ness. When I reached the chapel, an aged minister, who has three sons and a son-in-law in our ministry, was open- ing the rcrvice. His very venerable appearance, his radiant countenance, and the simplicity and fervour of REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 133 loqucnt general circum- e morn- .s some- wsis the gh only by the to tears .nything re mani- If to the ish mis- , and to le of its tre very Y a nigh ve were as to be )ve-feast Homing, so early strange- ter, who IS open- ice, his rvour of his remarks, at once arrested my attention, and before father Gundy had done speaking, I forgot the unusual hour of the love-feast, and felt that we had come to the gate of Heaven. I cannot, by any words, give you an adequate idea of the grace and glory tiiat crowned this consecrated hour of Christian fellowship. The speaking was remarkable for its reference to departed friends. The hearts of some had been stricken by the loss of their children, and they still mourned ; but lovely visions shone through their tears. They spoke of their little ones as flowers blooming in Paradise, and rejoiced in the hope of a time when they will see them in fairer forms than even parental love ever imagined. As many touching allusions of this kind were made, all seemed to realize the full force and sweetness of the words we often sing : — '* E'en now by faith we join our hands With those who went before, And greet the blood-besprinkled bands On the eternai shore." " Since our conference love-feast at Liverpool, I have not attended one so rich in spiritual influence as this. The friends were not willing to separate without an arrangement to have it resumed, and it was continued after the preaching and sacramental services in the even- ing with the same hallowed feelings, and thus a happy day was happily concluded." Another circumstance which distinguished the Waterford conference was the fact that we were short of young men for filling up the appointments, and it was found necessary 124 BIOGRAPHY OF 'I'HK mm to station two married preachers on some of the circuits. In the case of Mr. Gundy, the stationing committee thought it would reHeve him of some considerable care and responsibility to place him on one of those circuits, for it was evident to himself and others that he was ap- proaching the evening of life's day. He was therefore sent to the Middleton circuit. This appointment, al- though made with the best and purest intentions towards him, did not result altogether according to the expectations of his best friends, for it turned out that the field was a very large one ; and although the mental labour was necessarily less, the physical was much more. His very intimate and much beloved friend, the Rev. James Cas- well, was the superintendent of the circuit, and upon him chiefly rested the charge of managing its affairs, while Mr. Gundy held the honorary position of chairman of the district. The former resided in Simcoe, and the latter in Delhi. Mr, Caswell, who had known him long and familiarly, showed him every possible consideration of kindness in his power, and, although the year was one of no ordinary degree of trial to both, they were happy in each other's society, and in their joint service in the Master's vineyard. This circuit was in a very backward state, and neither of them received the full allowance of salary. The diffi- culties of the circuit were much increased on account of sickness on Mrs. Gundy's part, and gross neglect on that of the people, for whom, both himself and Mr. Casvell worked with the utmost zeal and faithfulness. In a letter REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 125 circuits, immittco iblc care circuits, ! was ap- therefore nent, al- towards ectations ild was a )Our was His very mes Cas- ipon him irs, while an of the ; latter in amiliarly, idness in ordinary :h other's vineyard. ,d neither The diffi- ccount of :t on that . Caswell n a letter dated 24th of January, 1867, in which he speaks of their trials and privations, " I do hope," he says, " we shall be able to live out a few months more. Mother has suf- fered very much from bilious attacks this fall. It cer- tainly is a very sickly part of the country. Some of the friends at Simcoe made a social, and the proceeds were about $14. It was just before Christmas. I was to preach there the Sabbath before Christmas, and I assure you it gladdened my heart to receive five dollars. I went immediately and bought some of the best beef I could obtain, hoping we might have a good Christmas dinner ; but when I came home I found mother in bed shaking with ague, and Fred," — his grandson, about five years old — " minding her." In November, 1866, he wrote, not in the spirit of complaint ; but, in the letter, bare, stubborn facts are related, which will give a pretty correct idea of the trials through which they passed during most of that year. He says, — "I delayed writing till after our quarterly meeting, in order to remit you a dollar. I received seven dollars in silver, and, although I tried to get a bill in this village, it was in vain. As soon as I get a dollar bill I will send it. We are both much better, thank God. Our meeting was held in Simcoe, a poor business meeting indeed. I never saw Mr. Caswell so discouraged. They never had such preachers, they say, and that ought to suffice ; as to a support, that is another question ! Our missionary meetings are next week. I don't expect much." The brief period of their stay on i ( < i %^m v.:ii 126 BIOGRAPHY OF THE this circuit was certainly the darkest in his ministerial career. They hailed the coming of conference with great delight, and, bidding adieu to the friends and the trials there, they left to mingle in the joy of friendly greeting which awaited them in the home of their son-in- law, Mr. Henry Pearson, near Brampton, where several of their children had gathered to meet them. As we were stationed in Ingersoll, thirty miles from Delhi, it gave us great pleasure to be able to go and see them occasionally, and have them visit us, a privilege which no one could better appreciate than my dear departed father-in-law. He was, at the conference of 1867, stationed on the Lindsay circuit, a field litde better suited to his failing condition. By undertaking the work of packing and shipping their goods for them, they were enabled to move pretty comfortably; and, during the first year on the circuit, Mr. Gundy seemed to retain his vigor very well. He preached in the town of Lindsay, where, nearly twenty years before, he held forth the word of life, while he was connected with the Brock circuit. At the suggestion of the sta- tioning committee he resided in the country, nearly ten miles from the town. As he was surrounded by numbers of his people where he lived, it was im- possible for him to devote the necessary attention to Lindsay, and after a while the appointment was dropped* During the fall of his first year, he met with a very serious accident, which no doubt impaired his usefulness, and hastened his end. He had driven over to the house of RKV. WILLIAM GUNDY. !27 nisterial ce with and the friendly r son-in- several les from to go ^'isit us, tpreciate was, at Lindsay mdition. ng their e pretty ;uit, Mr. )reached s before, )nnected the sta- sarly ten ided by was im- ition to Iropped. y serious less, and house of one of his members, a distance of about three-fourths of a mile from the place of his residence, and when he was coming home, on leaving the yard, he was com- pelled to pass over a bar, about nine inches high, which had been left in the gateway. His pony being very spirited and restive, dashed over this break-neck affair at full speed, and threw him out on his head and shoulders, when she ran home alone with the buggy. Shortly aftenvards, Mrs. Gundy, finding the pony at the gate, turned her around and went back in search of Mr. Gundy. She found him coming leisurely along the road ; and, when interrogated as to how he got the fall, or the extent of his injury, he seemed to have no knowledge of the event. All recollection of the particulars of the circum- stance seemed to have left him, and, save a few bruises on the side of his face, arm and side, he appeared none the worse. However, about two weeks after he was attacked with partial paralysis of the same side, from which he gradually recovered. But before the conference, he was again attacked with the same trouble. We all wanted him to retire from the work and try, if possible, and spend the remainder of his days amongst us, in quiet retirement from the great activities which had employed him all the years of his life. But he could not bear the idea of giving up an employment in which he so much delighted. Many years before, he had expressed the wish " to die n the harness," and he seemed still inspired with the same desire. He was present at the next conference held 128 niOGRAPHY OF THE i I ,1 ly in London, in 1868, and was again appointed to the same field ; but it was now evident that he was falHng very fast. AUhough he was at one time al)Out fourteen months without a return of paralysis, yet we could see evident indications of a change in his appearance. He was growing quite helpless in body, and his brain was less active than formerly. In writing us during the time of this loss of strength, he complained of his head. He said, — " I would have written before this, but I find my head going round, and I must forego the pleasure I once enjoyed in ^vriting." It was a happy circumstance for both himself and Mrs. Gundy that they were living within a short distance of their son Joseph, whose attention, together with that of his amiable wife, was unremitting. They did all in their power to help in the working of his circuit, and also in the management of his domestic concerns, and thereby lightened his heart, while they lessened his labour. It was a circumstance for which neither the father nor the son could be too thankful. If they had been far from any of their children, they cer- tainly could never have received the attention from strangers which their son and his wife were only too glad to be able to render. At the expiration of their time — two years — they had fully resolved to come, at our repeated solicitations, and live the remainder of their days with us, an honour which we were proud to enjoy. It will be remembered by those whosawhimattheWaterdown conference, in i869,howvery RKV. WILLIAM CiUNDY. I 2() much he had failed, and how in l)ody and mind he seemed to be sinking. It was with great diftkiilty he man- aged to make the journey from near Omcmcc to that conference. He would certainly have felt it a greater affliction to have been kept away, than all the suffering he endured to get there. Me delighted in meet- ing his fellow travellers and fellow labourers in the annual convocations of the church. We were then on the Mil- ton circuit, and resided quite near our church, in that quiet little town ; and after a little visiting around amongst their sons, they came to Milton to settle down and rest in peace th^: remainder of their days, which with him was not very long. Upon their first coming, I felt it to be my duty to ask him into the pulpit, and get him to close the meeting with prayer, but the repeated attacks of the trouble, induced by the fall above referred to, soon prevented him from taking any leading part in the services of the sanctuary, and this he felt to be a great affliction indeed, for upwards of fifty years he had thus been employed, and his soul delighted in the work. But still he continued to attend the service, and the class meeting he esteemed a great delight. Any position in the church was, to him, honourable, and much to be desired. The language of the Psalmist fully expressed his feelings towards the sanctuary, and often became the channel of his holiest emotions and most devout gratitude. *' How amiable are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts ! my soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord : my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living J Wv hj. I;. I : ; il^^ ;|l!l i?n. 130 BIOGRAPHY OF THE God. P^or a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." From this, at times, his ideas became more or less confused, and it was only at intervals that he could converse at any length on the most familiar subjects. His difficulty seemed to be more '"n the tongue, which appeared partially para- lyzed, than in his brain, and, what was very singular, he could appreciate reading when performed by anothei, but when done by himself he seemed to have no enjoyment in it. This was particularly the case with him the last few months of his stay upon earth. .«^/ REV. WILLIAM GUNDV I3i usand. y Godj 11 this, , and it ' length :med to ly para- ular, he hei, but joynient the last CHAPTER XII. RESOLUTION OF THE WATERDOWN CONFERENCE — HIS STAY AT MILTON — LAS'i SICKNESS AND DEATH. HE aged servant, weary with the fatigue induced by years of honest toil, is now to cease his labour : the veteran soldier of the Cross, after many a hard-fought ])attlc, is now to lay his armour down and rest a little at the door-step of his final home — just a tittle sojourn here, and then possess his blest inheritance forever — an inheritance bought with the Saviour's blood. It was impossible that Mr. Gundy should continue longer in the active work. He left it with reluctance, for it was his greatest delight to preach Christ to the people. There was, however, no alternative, and with undimin- ished love for the work and for the Saviour, Jesus ! he breathed the words of acquiescence, " Father, thy will be done." The last conference Mr. Gundy ever attended was held at Waterdown, in June, 1869. During the sittings of this conference, the following resolution was passed, and was recorded in its minutes : — " That while this conference accedes to the request of our venerable father, the Rev. William Gundy, in retiring from the active work of the ministry, it earnestly prays that his declining year:, may be crowned with the Divine favour; and that, when called from this scene of trial, he I n 132 BIOGRAPHY OF THE may hear the welcome voice of approval, ' Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord !'" We have referred to L.^ beginning of his ministerial rareer, in the land of his birth; and his entering upon the full woik of a Gospel minister in this country ; the above resolution, passed by the unanimous vote of the conference, composed of nearly two hundred members, points to its close. Since he entered the ministry, with us, at the Cavan conference, held in the old ninth line chapel in 1849, what strange mutations have transpired in this world of bustle and care. Old father Time has passed along and left his mark on every person and thing around us. In that period of twenty- one years, the geography of this earth has been visibly changed. Nations, institutions, churches and men, have all felt the influence of his ma^ic watid. When Mr Gundy began his duties as a Methodist New Connexion minister, the conference stationed forty- three men as active labourers \ and of that number I find, by comparing the minutes of 1849 with those of 1870, only seven remain in the same capacity now. These are the Rev. James Caswell, W. Preston, F. G. Weaver, D. D. Rolston, E. Williams, T. M. Jeffries, and W. Peck. The voices of the remaining thirty-six have been hushed, some of them in the silence of the grave, and others in the retirement of a superannuated relation. Only six of the thirty-six are found on the list of superannuated preachers, so that there are thirty gone, we know not I m REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. ^33 ioiie, f thy iterial upon ", the >te of ndred d the in the ations Old . every wenty- visibly 1, have thodist i forty- • I find, 1870, ese are er, D. Peck, uisued, lers in 1^ six of nuated ow not where. Some of them, it is true, have crossed the flood, several are in other churches, while a few may have found their way back into secula ■ employments. How solemn the admonition to us all ! " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might ; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither thou goest." His was a long course of trial and service since first he joined the ranks of the local preachers at Tullamore, yet few there are who are enabled to carry through so many years an untarnished character and unsullied reputation. Pie was thankful to be able to sit down at evening, and look over life's short but eventful day ; and then, with undiminished hope, to contemplate, in a little, " sitting down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven." He had only a few months of his last year to spend with us. During the first part of his time at Milton, he could enjoy a drive or a walk into the country ; but, after a little, he could no longer succeed in getting into the buggy, and his limbs refused to carry him very far on his afternoon walks. In the spring of 1870 he seemed to sink very fast It was touching to see the old man of seventy-five years, with head as white as "the driven snow," sitting in his arm-chair, waiting and watching in silence for the coming of a friend in whom he confided. Mrs. Gundy, his ever-faithful and attentive partrser, and who had been all along through life the willing sharer of his joys and sorrows, watched by his side continually. !t :M 134 BIOGRAPHY OF THE In the days of his health, he was much given to close reading. Sometimes the philosopher or the poet engaged his attention ; but now, the Bible alone, without note or comment, contained his choice fund of reading matter ; — and, of the Scriptures, the New Testament seemed most precious, because it contained the most and best of Jesus. Mrs. Gundy read to him from day to day, for hours at a time, from a beautiful copy of the New Testa- ment, in two volumes with large print, the gift of their sons James and Joseph. O, what comfort they gathered from those pages, no human tongue can tell ; but the words of repeated assent and approval, which he gave to the truths of the Book of God, told how much he appre- ciated them. All that medical skill could do was but little ; the time for the breaking up and dissolving of nature had come, and the pins of the earthly tabernacle were gradually giving way. The kindness of Dr. Street, the attending physician, will not soon be forgotten ; he was ready at every call and gave his services freely as done unto the Lord. Sometimes Mr. Gundy was the subject of strong temptations from the evil one ; and at v:^°: time In particular — a few weeks before his death — he 1 J been greatly oppressed in mind most of the day, and yvas seized with an involuntary weeping for hours together, "..^e could give no reason for it, otherwise than the feelings of mental depression under which he was labouring. Advised by his constant partner, they both retired into their closet to pray, and their special prayer was for help in tliis hour of weakness and trial ; and, as they wrestled REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 135 on. the V'Ctory was gained. The wrestling Jacob became again the prevaiHng Israel. The oppressed servant heard his Master's voice, "My grace is sufficient for thee"; and oh, what comfort this answer brought ! Unspeakable joy filled their souls ; and he was, from that hour, left in undisturbed possession of " the peace of God which passeth all understanding." During the month of May of the same year he was taken very ill. He seemed to lose the use of his limbs, and was quite as helpless as a child ; but, amidst it all, he retained his reason. As we all expected, he could not survive many days, his children were summoned to his bedside; but, as the time for conference wore on, he became considerably better, and we ventured away to the duties of our annual gathering. I shall never forget the scene when his son James and myself were starting away ; as we approached his bedside to say farewell, he gave us such a look ! it seemed to say I would like to go with you ; and his eyes filled with tears upon the thought of being kept away from an annual assemblage where he had been regularly for twenty years. For ?, fev/ weeks he gradually improved in strength, until about the i8th of June, when he began again to sink. As Mrs. Gundy, whose ever-watchful care could detect the slightest change, noticed this sudden failure of strength, she, as was her wont, resorted to the Scriptures. She read a portion of the 15th chapter of ist Corinthians, and, as she came to that incomparably sublime passage, " O Death, where is thy sting ? O Grave, where is thy victory ? Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory > 136 niOGRAPHY OF THE f , r I I 1 1 I i' ' ili^ m i -I through our Lord Jesus Christ," she said, " Are not these blessed words?" He turned towards her, and, being unable to say more, he said, " Oh yes," while a heavenly smile lighted up his countenance, and his features ap- peared radiant from the overwhelming glories that filled his soul. In a short time he fell into a heavy sleep, from which he never awoke on earth. The most of his children were ^vith him at this time ; and, as the hours wore away, it became evident that he was gradually growing weaker, when about 11 o'clock on Tuesday night, June 21st, 1870, his spirit was released and entered into rest. I never before witnessed such a death-bed scene. We were deprived of the satisfaction of conversing with him to the last, or of having from his lips a dying testimony or farewell word ; but we have the testimony of a life spent in the service of Christ, and an end as peaceful and calm as could be desired. "He laid his liearl on Jesus' breast, And breathed his Ufe out sweetly there." Immediately, as the spark of life had flown, the face assumed a most angelic appearance — a halo of soft heavenly light seemed to encircle that honored head, and the whole room was filled with the glory of the Lord. His lone partner, weak and weary with constant watching, was wonderfully sustained by the spirit of God ; and, as if strength for the ordeal were given, and inspired with a rapturous view of the future, and a soul overflowing with the love of Christ, she gave expression to the following REV. WILLIAM GUNDY, 137 words of spiritual submission and triumph : " Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost." " The chamber where the good man meets his flxte, Is privileged beyond the common walks of life. Quite on the verge of heaven." The Rev. James McAlister — president of the conference — attended the funeral, and preached the sermon which is published with this memoir. A goodly number of sym- pathizing friends gathered at this service in the Methodist New Connexion church in Milton. The choir of the church rendered, with good effect, the beautiful hymn, of which the following are the words, so appropriate ; and, as the servant of God dwelt upon the dying Christian and his triumph over death, our hearts were constrained to say, — " Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his :" face soft d, and Lord. as '* Go to the grave in all thy glorious prime, In full activity of zeal and power ; A Christian cannot die before his time, The Lord's appointment is the servant's hour. "Go to the grave ; at eve from labor cease ; Rest on thy sheaves, thy harvest work is done, Come from the heat of Imttle, and in peace, Soldier go home ; with thee the fight is won. "Go to the grave, for there thy Saviour lay, In death's embraces, ere he rose on higli ; And all the ransom'd, by that narrow way, Pass to eternal life beyond the sky. "Go to the grave ; no, take thy seat above ; Be thy pure spirit present with the Lord, Where thou for faith and hope hast perfect love, And open vision for the written word." 138 BIOGRAPII/ OF THE ■'; t I ' His remains were conveyed, in hearse, to Churchville, a distance of twelve miles. The body was carried care- fully and slow to its last resting place by the following honoured brethren, of the Methodist N. C. Church : — Robert Hawthorne, George Brownridge, Logan McCann, Francis Reed, William Center and Donald McClaren. In that beautiful cemetery, near the residence of his uuighter — Mrs. Pearson — several of his p^rand-children lie sleeping. Around his grave a loving weeping com- pany stood, and as the sexton finished his work, with hearts filled with sorrow and yet with hope, we joined in singing the beautiful hymn : — *' I'm but a stranger here, Heaven is my home ; Earth is a desert d/ear, Heaven is my home ; Danger and sorrow stand, Round me on eveiy hand ; Heaven is my fatherland, Heaven is my home ; * ' What though the tempest rage, Heaven is my home ; Short is my pilgrimage, Heaven is my home. Time's cold and wintry blast. Soon will be overpast ; I shall reach home at last, Heaven is my home. " Then at my Saviour's side, Heaven is my home ; I shall be glorified. Heaven is my home. There are the good and blest. Those I love most and best ; There, too, I ::oon shall rest, Heaven is my home.'' ii;-iiii*. REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. .ann, 139 As the strains of that sacred song died away on the still air of that June evening, we tun;;id away from the spot, and left the sleeping clay in hope of a happy meeting on the morning of the resurrection. Thus we have tried to trace the life of one who had lived to see his 75th year; and there are few who were more evidently preserved and led by the guiding hand of the heavenly father. 140 IJIOGRAPHY OF THE CHAPTER XIII. I fj REV. JAMES WHITES LEITER — MR. GUNDY AN ORANGE- MAN — IRELAND AND POPERY. HE Rev. James White, of the Methodist New Connexion conference, whose acquaintance with * Mr. Gundy was of considerable intimacy, and that for a number of years, at our request to furnish any facts lie might have which would be of service in this work, thus writes : — " My acquaintance with the late Rev. W. Gundy com- menced about the year 1831, in the town of Portarling- ton, Ireland. He was then engaged in the mercantile business, with fair prospects of success ; his capital was small, but his character for honesty and trustworthiness stood high. He was a local preacher in good standing, and was generally acceptable in his public ministrations. It required a good deal of circumspection for a man to deal with the public through the week, and then on the Sabbath to preach to many of the same people, without being charged with inconsistency, or perhaps hypocrisy. But Mr. Gundy generally got credit for sincerity, and, as a proof that he was liked, had good congregations. He gen- erally preached twice on the Sabbath, and occasionally through the week. In 1836 he moved to Mt. Mellick. Here he was no stranger, as he used generally to preach thc.^ every second Sabbath, the travelling preachers only If I .':l " ■' li ij : ' . RKV. WILIJAM GUNDV. 141 coming once a, fortnight. Mt. Mcllick, Portarlington, Maryboro, Monastcrcven, Roscnallis, &c., shared in his voluntary and accepted services. He deservedly had the confidence of the travelling ministers, and he and his noble wife gave them a cordial and hearty welcome to their house and board. He was no time server ; he was a generous, warm-hearted Methodist. " Methodism was unpopular, especially witli the High Church party, who were rigid Calvin ists. These branded Methodism as not merely the half-way house to Popery, but Popery itself, in its worst type. Many men would have abandoned a system that stood in the way of their temporal prosperity ; but o.ir late friend was made of sterner stuff. He loved Methodism, because through her instrumentality he was brought to God ; he loved her doc- trines because they clearly set forth the compassion of God, to every son and daughter of Adam, through Christ Jesus; he loved her simple form of worship, and especially rejoiced that the door of usefulness was thrown wide open to every man who gave proof of a sound conversion to God, from the simple prayer leader to the president of the conference. He had frequent controversies with the Calvinists of Portarlington, especially the ladies, who manifested great zeal to convert him from his false doc- trine. It was amusing to see them break a lance across the counter, over a piece of cotton. Those ladies were outspoken, not like many of our friends now, who appear to be afraid to speak of unconditional reprobation. But those went the whole length, — ' God decreed all things, "IW ? !■ ! 1 ! !i ?!;■!•• "^ 111 1 1 142 BIOGRAPHY OF THE whatsoever comes to pass.' 'Then, madam, tliere can be no such thing as sin in the universe, for whatsoever (loci decrees is right ; nor can there be such a place as you call hell, for if God has decreed that you should go to Heaven and 1 to hell, I am fulfilling his will as completely as you are. There can be no worm there for me. I fall in with my Maker's plans. I am fulfilling His will, and the high- est Seraph can do no more.' Those parties respected him, and frequently went to hear him preach. "It required no small share of moral courage to receive the preachers in the Popish towns of Ireland, especially the Black Cap, or Cavalry Preachers, as the missionaries were called, because they generally wore a black hand- kerchief on their heads when preaching in the streets, and sometimes preached in the saddle ; but when Ouseley came round — who was especially obnoxious to the priests and Papists — Mr. Gundy gave him the right hand of fellowship. He was a lover of good men, and the cause of God lay near his heart. Ouseley had a peculiar method of introducing religious topics into conversation. One day in the store he was talking to a young man on the subject of religion, a recruiting sergeant happened to pass at the time, and Ouseley asked — 'Do you think, will mat man get a pension ?' ' Yes', said the young man, ' if he serves out his regular time.' * Why?' said Ouseley. 'Be- cause,' said he, ' he was regularly enlisted ; he took the bounty ; he learned the exercise ; and he is actually in the King's service.' 'Ha ! you booby,' said Ouseley, ' you were talking a while ago of your hopes of Heaven ; but you KKV. WIIJ.IAM ClUNDY. «43 were never enlisted in tlie Royal army ; you never learned the exercise ; you were never actually in the King's ser- vice, and still you are expecting a pension. The King will say you are an impostor ; go away with you.* " A great revival of religion took place on the circuit in 1838. Mr. (jundy took an active part in it, and many were converted. Some arc standing to this day, holding prominent positions in the Church of Clod, and some have passed through death triumphant home. After Mr. Gundy's removal to Mt. Mellick, business increased very rapidly, so much so, that he thought he was justified in enlarging his business, which cost him a great deal of money. He made heavy purchases, and prepared to do a large business, but owing to a variety of causes which need not here be enumerated, business became very dull. It was a most trying season to business men, especially to those of limited capital. Mr. Gundy, with several others, had to succumb to the pressure of the times. He gave up all to his creditors, barely keeping what would pay the passage of his family to the new world. God opened up his way into the ministry here, and, I believe, he was respected and useful on all the circuits he travelled." Mr. Gundy was strongly opposed to the doctrines and usages of Popery. From his long and familiar acc^uaint- ance with the system in Ireland and elsewhere, he had seen its workings only to be more thoroughly convinced of its anti-christian motives and operations. Some years after ^ng to this country, he united with the Orangemen, out of pure sympathy with thuir publish- .1 „ >l ■ 144 BIOGRAPHY OF THE ed objects, namely, to promote true morality, and true fidelity to God, and loyalty to the sovereign and laws of the British nation. I have often thought that, in this, he was led somewha,t into error ; for, while it could not more fully qualify him to promote morality and religion, it com- plicated him in the admixture of political questions more than perhaps would, in other men, have been safe for a Methodist preacher. No system of o:ganized opposition could more fully ac- quaint him with the errors of Popery, or make him more strongly determined to oppose them. He was, no doubt, influenced to this course by those whom he took to be friends, and perhaps they were so. However, in the exer- cise of his deliberate judgment, he was not only connect- ed with the Orangemen in name, but, until lately, he attended regularly their meetings, and used his influence in private and public to further their objects; and, if lam not mistaken, was for several years elected to the position of grand chaplain of the order in this Province. He fre- quently preached for them on their assembling to com- memorate the battle of the Boyne ; but,, while he gave thanks to Providence for the blessings of deliverance from the rule of Popery, he never forgot to point his hearers to the simple Gospel, with its simple yet effective plan of salvation, for a personal meetness for hope on earth and fruition in Heaven. He was an ardent lover of his native land, and, like the afflicted Jew, mourned over the desolations made by sin, and rightly saw in Po- pery Ireland's greatest trouble, and the source of the ig- ■'fyii REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. MS true vs of s, he more corn- more for a ly ac- more ioubt, to be 2 exer- nnect- z\y, he luence if I am osition le frc- com- gavc erance lint his 'ective pe on t lover burned in Po- ;he ig- norance and immorality of such vast numbers of her people. This, however, seems characteristic of the Irish- man, educated or uneducated ; and although, from a knowledge of its history, it may appear strange that such love of country should prevail, yet so it is. The Roman Catholicism of Ireland has been its bane, — the true Gos- pel must be the source of its salvation. Ireland ! wretch- ed, unhappy Ireland ! when will thy miseries cease ? One can scarcely write upon a subject so closely allied to Ire- land's history without yielding to the temptation to glance at those miseries, and suggest their cure. Her history is a very checkered one. She has been the hot-bed of both political and religious strife for ages, and it seems to be her lot still to suffer from foes without and fears within. There are characteristics attaching to her people which, if guided inio proper channels, would constitute her one of the happiest and most prosperous portions of the Brit- ish Dominions. But alas for Ireland ; she seems doomed to a perpetual warfare. Her years have been de- voted to developing " the works of the flesh" instead of multiplying " the fruits of the spirit." Why this is so, her over-sanguine and incredulous people are slow to learn. Seditions, envyings, revellings, murders, and such like, have apparently been allowed full sway, with little, if any, let or hindrance. The germ of true patriotism is, however, not wanting in many of her sons, and the seeds of many noble qualities ar^' evidently laid in her soil ; yet some heavy incubus is staying the wheels of her prosper- ity, — some dark cloud, like a pall of deatli, is settled over K 'i 146 BIOGRAPHY OF THE her. The genius of no nation can ever exceed her spirit of philanthropy, or rise higher than her well-springs of benevolence. The love of home and country, possessed by her people, cannot be well surpassed, and there seems very little of natural quality wanting to make her fields and workshops, and all her departments of industry, to bring forth plentifully ; and yet, perhaps, there are few civi- lized nations that have less of this, while few, if any, cost more for the administration of justice ; and even then the turbulent pissions of her masses can scarcely be controlled. There are, however, many noble exceptions to this rule. Possessed of the finest intellect, many of her sons have risen to fill offices of trust and responsibility abroad, and, not able to rule themselves, they have gone to assist other nations to the success they should have expect- ed at home. Many of Ireland's most talented sons have supposed they saw the cause of her failures, first in one de- partment and then in another. One thought the evil lay in a want of proper political rights, and he set about correcting the evil ; another saw the difficulty to arise from a de- fective educational system, and reforms in this depart- ment were introduced. And, in whatever direction the effort was put forth, all seems to have been as yet unsuc- cessful in raising Ireland to the proud position she is am- bitious to gain. Fenianism, foul child of the devil, under pretence of seeking the distressed coun' • /'s good is only subjecting her to greater trouble, and few, very few of her own people, seem to have found the real cause of Ire- land's difficulty, and this is the wonder. In her subjection kEV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 147 pirit ,s of ;ssed eems fields y, to 7 civi- , cost L then ly be ptions of her libility one to jxpect- 5 have me de- ay in a ecting a de- epart- .n the unsuc- is am- under |is only of her lof Ire- jection to Rome, evidently lies the secret of her sorrow, for her people, naturally religious, and the uneducated part of them much inclined to superstition, she has fallen an easy prey to the awful system of Popery. In becoming the dupe and vassal of the Roman Pontiff, she has laid her- self under perpetual ('■ - .gation of the most humihating kind. She has been bound hand and foot, soul and body, night and day, to yield her resources and affections to a foreign Potentate, until she has increased her bondage and complicated her troubles. None of the dependencies of Great Britain have ever received so much government support ; none have cost nearly so much for military and constabulary force ; none have ever received so much monetary assistance at various times as this country, and yet not one of the colonies has the same state of dwarfishness or has given half the trouble as has this little " sea girt isle."* There must be a reason for this state of things. I am per- suaded the spring of her miseries lies in the God-dishon- ouring and priest-elevating character of her religion. * See Ireland's Miseries, Cause and Cure, l)y Dr. Dill ; and Thorn's Statistics lor 1 85 2, page 257. r: if V, 148 BIOGRAPHY OF THE CHAPTER XIV. THE PROTESTANTISM OF IRELAND POPERY MISERY THE GOSPEL HER ONLY HOPE. Ireland's HE Protestantism of Ireland is Protestantism indeed; and the most Protestant parts have been and still are the most prosperous. It lived in the very centre of its bitterest enemy, the Papacy, and was soon made familiar with persecution and suffering. This part of the population is comparatively small, yet they have always been intensely Protestant. Whether they have lived at home or have become the inhabitants of other lands, they have retained an imperishable attach- ment to religious freedom, an open Bible, and an unfet- tered Gospel. The fact that those men have been sur- rounded by the mummery and mockery of Popery, has made them er nest apostles of the simple untrammelled truth as it is in Jesus I speak now, of course, of those who are really religious, and who have tasted for them- selves that the Lord is gracious. The melting pathos, burning eloquence, and conclusive logic of the educated Irish orator, have all been constrained into the service of the Gospel with the very best results. I am not now writing with any view to excuse the stolid ignorance and stupid irreligion of vast masses of my father's country- men ; but my object is simply to place on record what I see to be the cause of Ireland's difficulties, and rescue, as REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. '49 ind's ntism been red in , ond fering. II, yet liether jitants attach- unfet- fcn sur- y. has melled those them- oathos, ucated ice of ot now ce and ountry- what I scue, as rv far as possible, the natural qualities of the heart and the general character of the Irishman, as such, from the uni- versal stigma under which they rest. His natural endow- ments I believe to be good, his associations unfortunate. Like the poor African, where slavery exists, it is hard for him, unless he is more than human, to surmount all diffi- culties, and stand amongst men to take rank with the foremost. I have said that Popery is the source of Ire- land's evils, and so it is. Are the people ignorant ? They are made so by this " sum of all villanies." Are they superstitious ? They were educated in it through the influence of this degrading system. To think of curing her ills or remedying her evils through simple legislation, or the mere influence of any system of secular education, is preposterous. Nothing but the promotion of true religion can overthrow her enemies or shake off her chains of bondage. It seems to me that the Christian world should turn its attention more fully to this field for missio.iary labour. Once relieve Ireland from the thraldom of the Papacy, and she will soon throw off the bondage of sin, with the innumerable evils which at present crush her to the earth ; and the natural warm-heartedness and active brains of her people will then soon raise her to her true position and make her prosperous in piety, as she will be growing in natural resources. Ireland loved Rome better than she did her own sons ; and, in obedience to this foreign spiritual Potentate, she hugged the chains of her bondage. There is no wonder, therefore, that she is now reaping ■ ISO BIOGRAPHY OF THK the fruit in the material destitution, which corresponds with the spiritual degeneracy of her people. Every country to which Rome has been attached, and in which the poisonous vapours of her religious breath have been felt, has evidently laboured under the curse of God and the ban of enlightened humanity, and they have never known anything like material or intellectual promotion. Spain, France, Austria and Ireland, of the Eastern hemisphere, ana Mexico and the Spanish possessions of South America on the Western, have all been stunted in their moral and material growth ; while Great Britain, Scotland, Prussia, Switzerland, and Norway of the East- ern, and Canada and the United States of America on the Western hemisphere, living in the enjoyment of an enlightened Gospel ministry, and in daily communion with the Father ot Spirits, through an open Bible, have gone forward in the march of greatness. " Rome eclipses the mind, corrupts the conscience, destroys the heart, debases the whole nature, blasts man's temporal interests, and clouds his eternal prospects."'^ The heavens above are moved, and the earth beneath is trembling with the mighty commotions caused by the conflicting elements of good and evil ; while the face of a holy, but justly indignant God, is set against the horrid blasphemies and hateful hypocrisies done in this world under the garb of religion. Within the last few months, what wonders have been wrought by the hand of Divine Providence towards the overthrow of the monstrous sys- Dr. Dill's ^York, page 98-186. REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. 151 tern of Popery ! Italy, that once lay at the feet of the Papacy, has burst the chains which bound her. Spain, once the most obedient servant of his Holiness, has, within an incredibly short space of time, made a success- ful effort to control her own affairs, and has lately called to her throne a liberal prince — son of the excommunicated Victor Emmanuel. France, only a short time ago ruled by " the fairest son of the Church," has been humbled at the feet of Protestant Prussia, her late emperor a homeless wanderer, and the whole country forced to submit to terms dictated by her successful antagonist. The Pope himself is merely tolerated in his spiritual authority in Rome, where he had his throne and the seat of his strength, and from whence he hurled the thunders of the Vatican ; and all this is more wonderful when we remem- ber that, in imposing upon the ignorant submission of his devotees, his Holiness yielded to the proud ambition of a wicked heart ; and, by the consent of his clerical repre- sentatives from all nations, capped the climax of impiety and human assumption by declaring himself infallible. If these events and many more of a similar character, which might be referred to, do not indicate the speedy overthrow of this entire system of religious mockery, then I am altogether astray in reading the signs of the times. At all events the way has now been so opened up that, unprotected by the strong military powers which once sustained this Church, she will be compelled to con- test every inch of ground with those who labour to circu- late in every country, and put in the hands of every man , WHnr^mmm^mgmmm imm: 152 lilOGRAI'IIY OF 'IHK an open Bible. Rome can no longer successfully close that book, or insist on her own interpretation, while the military power to enforce this is wanting. The dark ages for the world, we trust, are forever past, and, if systems of darkness and error will remain, the) must do so in face of the fact that " the true light ^ma jArr/Zi." The con- vents and :jnn?ries of Roaic > >'s: ;x, u.lockeu, and tiie light of day will shine into thero, ;;! ; ,is Luther grasped, with all the avidity of a starving man, t;. truths of the chained Bible at Erfurt, so hundreds and thousands of the poor deluded devotees of Rome will reach out the hand of faith to catch the life-giving words of the mis- sionary message tj the world. It is a coincidence no less pleasing than wonderful that, when the Italian troops entered Rome, the man who led them into the gates was an humble colporteur, clothed with Divine authority, with an open Bible in his hand, crying, " Rome for Christ ! Rome for Christ." Happy augury this for the future ! If the Bible, instead of the i^apacy, had ruled Rome for the last few centuries, how much ignorance, superstition and crime would it have saved the world ? She has been the prolific source of darknes:. and spiritual bondage to the nations. Here is where the erroneous dogmas of the priests first had an existence ; here is where began the in- quisition ; where was concocted the scheme of the invin- cible Armada ; and here, in short, is the seat of the beast, and the residence of the mother of harlots. There has been more perversion and prostitution of truth carried on in Rome than in any othei city of the world ; and that RKV. WILMAM (lUNJ^Y. '53 the the the has on ;hat all under the i)rofession of giving iiglu to the people on the very quesM »ns which, within hei wails, arc being shrouded in impenevial'le darkness. There is n wonder, there- fore, that, iU yielding allegiance to Rome, Ireland has' cnppled ^* jr energies, and made her sons an easy prev to WxCked and designiiig men, and, in her folly and madness, has brought herself to believe a lie, and to work all man- ner of evil with greediness. We again affirm the Gospel, the unadulterated, unfet- tered G")spel, must be the means of rescuing unhappy Ireland from her enemy. Her people must be made to feel that the malady is a spiritual one, and can only be cured by genuine spiritual remedies. There is a large amount of natural talent in the Irishman, a mental rest- lessness which will not allow him to be idle. If you do not furnish him with healthy literature and sound morality, he will procure and give currency to the unhealthy and unsound. Methodism in Ireland bears a very small pro- portion to the rest of the population, yet Methodism and Presbyterianism have done more than any other agencies for the elevation of her people. And to show that this unhappy country possesses a large amount of native talent, which may some day be more effectively used to her temporal and spiritual advantage, I may be allowed to say that the Methodism of Ireland has furnished some of the ablest preachers to her fields of labour, in all her Missionary work over the f:ice of the globe. It is also surprising to note what a large proportion of the regular ministry of all churches in this, and almost all I \\ i5 I i ■I '54 HKXIRArilY OF TlIK lllii' otlicr countries, is either directly, or by ancestry, from ib.c Emerald Isle. If, therefore, Ireland is to be rescued from the Papacy, she must ho. filled with the influences of an earnest Christianity. Then will she shine resplendent with the glory of a pure anr' uoly life. The different branches of Christ's Ch' .ch must be united in their efforts to hold forth, a^- at once, the healing medicine and the great physic\r\ ''Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." Dr. Dill, in t^o closing pages of his eloquently written work says, " . f ever there was a work which pre-emi- nently require I the Spirit of Christ on the part, both of churches and iiinisters, it is ours. Perhaps there is not beneath the su.\ a field of labour in which one is more forcibly taught ti e utter impotence of human effort, and the special need o*" Divine aid. 'Tis here we are made to feel the whole force of the sublime but humbling sen- timent, ' Not by might, .^or by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord ; ' and persuaded we are that every requi- site to secure triumphant success, even in it, is more deep- toned aposiolic piety. What we chiefiy ^^'ant is that un- quenchable spirit of love to Jesus, and to souls, which glowed in the breast of a Paul and a John. This would give us men, and constrain our ablest ministers, instead of asi:>iring to the highest places in the church, to envy the missionary his hard lot, and say, ' Here am I, I^ord, send me.' " The importance of the subject must be my only apology for this lengthy digression. It would be a matter of unspeakable joy to my dear father-in-law were !ffli!h RKV. WILMAM GUNDY. 5S he permitted to know of the recent changes whicli have laken place in the lessening of Popish influence through- out the nations of the earth, and would, no doubt, he regarded as the harbinger of better days to oppressed humanity. Mr. Gundy hated no man ; his opposition was against the system, while he pitied the men who were its dupes and vassals. He was a good man, an humble Christian, a true Pro- testauf, a faithful minister, a loving partner, parent and friend, while he ciung to Christ as the only ground of his hope of Heaven, and the source of his success on earth. " He walked with God, and had this testimony that he pleased God ; and he was not, for (Jod took him." " I low beautiful it is for man to die Upon the Walls of Zion ! to be call'd Like a watch-Avorn and weary sentinel, To put his armour off, and rest — in heaven ! " .ord. • ^ . ■^'■■l 156 mOGRArilY OF Tin: CIIAPTKR XV. MR. GUNDY AS A MAN — HIS HAIHTS OF LIVING — VIKWKD AS A PRFACMER, ICTC. — TKSTIMUNIALS OF RKV. J. CAS- WELL AND DR. COCKER. R. GUNDY was possessed of a fine, healthy constitution ; and he scarcely ever knew what ^*3J it was to be sick. His energies of body, which were always more or less accustomed to active labor, were preserved with unusual freshness until his seventy-fifth year. Perhaps his habits of cleanliness contributed much to this, as also his accustomed cold bath every morning, winter and summer, during nearly his whole life. He was very regular and orderly in h's habits, and must have a place for everything, and everything must be in its place. Thus by constant care, and by strictly temperate conduct in all things, he was, at the age of seventy-four years, a hale, fresh-looking, and amiable old man. He had a very evenly balanced mind, and the health of his body contributed to the harmony of his faculties, the freshness of his thought, and the spirit of liberal Christian- ity, which always marked his life. His mind was richly stored with truth from the fertile fields of science, but it was especially in theology that he seemed to delight. He regarded John Wesley and Dr. Adam Clarke as model men in many respects ; and the advice of these men he earnestly cherished and followed, as far as it was possible REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. »57 for him to do. In his reading, while he was strongly at- tached to one thorough system, he was no bigot on the one hand, or sceptic on the other. It was his practice carefully to weigh the thoughts of all the authors he read ; and, while he accepted that which commended itself to his judgment, he as freely rejected that which did not, no matter who was the author — friend or foe. In our opinion, he was right in this, as none but a nar- row mind can harbour bigotry, so none but a mind equally contracted can encourage infidelity. His view of science and of art, and his knowledge of history and philosophy, only lifted his soul up toward Heaven in thankfulness that in them he could see the evi- dences of a Father's hand and a Father's heart. I have, however, no desire unduly to exalt him before the world, and must not, therefore, forget to inform my readers that he made no pretensions to high intellectual attainments. He does not appear before us as a man of science, but as a man of God. His knowledge of the abstruse sciences was quite limited, and was gathered simply from reading the works of authors on the various subjects within the range of ordinary common sense men. He seldom specu- lated in the new theories which have occasionally startled the world. You have „ ready been infomied that his schoolboy days were feAV, and those not favoured with the advantages of superior teachers. Under such circum- stances, the ordinary intellect would have sought its sphere of thought amongst those whose daily employment is con- fined to the drudgery of manual labour ; but, blest with «58 ElOGRAPHY OF THE an active and more than ordinary sized brain, and guided by the hand of Providence, he rose step by step in the ac(|uisition of knowledge every day. He ^^ as, therefore, as far as his mental strength or intellectual fitness for the "high calling" of a gospel minister is concerned, a self- taught and self-made man. His social qualities, if any- thing, were in advance of his intellectual. In the social circle, he was dearly beloved by all who knew him. Here he was gentlemanly and courteous, he was affable yet dig- nified ; and he brought into this sphere the simpl! „ity of a child and the mature thought of the man of God. He hated the churl, and in his heart despised the arrant trum- pery of the fop or buffoon. He made no pretentions to greatness, but, after all, he was great in his unassuming modesty and goodness of heart. He was friendly to all, and could receive abuse with meekness, but was incapa- ble of giving it. He was a true friend, and his memory seemed to be particularly tenacious of those with whom he had been familiarly acquainted. — A friend was never forgotten. In the family circle he was a favourite ; and no man ever loved the sacred spot called home more than he, or took greater pains to make all happy who gathered round his hearthstone. As a husband, he was kind, loving, faithful and atten- tive, and no woman ever had greater reason to love the partner of her joys and sorrows than Mrs. Gundy, and this she knew full well herself ; and never was the confid- ing affection of a v/ife more nobly responded to than in her case. Their lives were truly linked together by the REV. WILLIAM GUNDV. t59 chain of love, and during a long and somewhat rough voyage over life's sea, they mutually sympathized with and supported each other. As a father, he was loving without being too indulgent ; he was firm, without severity ; and, making himself one with his children, ''j became the in- spirer of their earthly happiness. Nothing could give him greater deh'ght than to see his children walking in the truth. In a letter to one of his sons — then unconverted — he says : — •" My dear son, — Th'.re is nothing like reli- gion. I hope you will not rest without the love of Clod shed abroad in your heart, by the Holy Ghost given unto you. This blessing is obtained by repentance towards God, and simple faith in the Saviour. But you must pray, and pray in faith, nothing doubting, and while you are praying and believing, and thus resting your soul on the Saviour of mankind, you will obtain the pearl of great price. God grant it for Christ's sake." For this object he wrestled often, in prayer, with God ; for this he sought to guide them by precept, and lead by his example. His joy at realizing the conversion of all his children cannot be expressed in words. Every member of his family being converted to Christ, and on the way to heaven, could not do otherwise than make him doubly thankful to God for His mercy ; and, i: a golden crown had been placed on his head, and he made the king of nations, he could not have been more the subject of glorious gratitude than when four of his sons, giving promise of usefulness, were brought forward by the church, and honoured with a position in the gospel ministry. John, the eldest, was called out by Dr. Richey 6o BtOGRAPHY OF THE ik H' the same year as himself ; Samuel, by the New Connexion, in 1853 ; James, in 1859, and Joseph, in i860. These, together with the father, presented a spectacle of family devotion over which an angel's mind might be filled with joy. It has been remarked by those who witnessed the scene, that his face grew radiant with the glory of an in- ward gratitude, as they came, one after another, and were solemnly set apart to the work of the Lord ; and he often expressed his hope that the remaining son — William — might find in the same sphere a congenial employment for his powers. His life was wrapt up in his family, and to have them travelling on the way to Heaven, was his high- est ambition concerning them. In short, he was a man of great simplicity of manner and evenness of mind; and was always firm in the course he had chosen — to work for God. If many a man had been in his place, he would have shrunk from the difficulties Mr. Grundy passed through, and, by the grace of God, overcame. He scarce- ly ever knew, during all the twenty years of his ministry amongst us, what it was to get the whole of his salary — too small when all received. Often he obtained no more than $100, together with some provisions for table use, for a year of toil and care. But, in the midst of it all, he was not the man to murmur at the hardness of his lot. He hopefully plodded on, and, by the mercy of God, cam? to an honoured grave and an eternal reward. y s a preacher, Mr. Gundy was what, in this age of Meth- odism, we would call one of the old style. The embellish- ment of his sermon was its earnestness, while the great ' REV. WILLIAM GUNDV. l6l [etii- llish- rreat fundamental doctrines of our religion formed its sub- stance. He gave great prominence to the atonement. " Jesus Christ, by the grace of (jod, tasted death for every man,"containedthe gistof his theme. He dwelt principally upon the doctrinal subjects, which he opened up to view with great clearness and skill ; and applied them to the hearts and consciences of hi:; hearers with logical force and conclusiveness. He never preached a sermon without having plenty of Christ in it. Justification, regeneration and sanctification were all realized through faith in His blood. He gave little or no attention to speculative theories, and combatted false ones by faithfully preaching " Christ Jesus and liim crucified." This is a grr.nd theme, and sublime indeed are those which cluster around and are framed into it. Tmly sublime were the sentiments of his closing sermon, although he was not aware it ,vas to be his last. It was founded upon the noble language of triumph uttered by the Apostle Paul. " I have fought a good fight, 1 have finished my course, I have kept the faith : henceforth there is laid up for me a crow^n of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day : and not to me only, but unto ail them also that love his appearing."' No man could insist more strongly than he upon the important doctrines of justification by faith and the wit- ness of the Spirit, together with the advanced work of sanctifixation by the Holy Ghost. The importance of these he pressed home upon the conscience, with strong T, l62 BIOGRAPHY OF THE IW argument, and often with burning pathos, if not eloquence. He was opposed to a flowery and vapid production, both in conscience and capacity. He invariably found it better to feed the souls of his hearers than tickle their fancy. However, there seemed to be, with him little, if any, choice in the matter, as his mind always ran in the direc- tion of good solid ground for the sinner's reliance in hope of eternal life. He held the doctrine of sanctification as a work distinct and separate from justification. In short, he fully adopted Wesley's view of this question, and endeavoured to im.press upon his hearers the importance of pushing forward to its attainment. His reliance was upon the general argument given, which he considered sufficient to establish the doctrine as distinct, separate from, and subsequent to, justification. Indeed, the more I know of his views of Scripture, and his style and manner of preaching, the more I see he held fully Wesley's senti- ments as set forth in his published sermons, and accepted Wesley's suggestion as contained in the preface to the American edition of his works. Mr. Gundy was highly respected in the conference, and where he was known in the Connexion. I have no doubt but he would have been honoured with the president's chair, but for the fact of an unfitness for it, arising from a partial deafness which had followed him for many years of his life. He, however, was frequently chairman of a district, ar. ' so frr as he was personally concerned, he had all the hone :. ne Josired, in the exalted position of a faithful, accr dit -'^ And useful minister of Jesus Christ. REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. '63 senti- epted to the |highly viiown would but m a many irman lerned, \psition hrist. But he has gone from us forever, and we shall no more hear his ftimiliar voice, or be charmed onward by his smile ; but \\ e may be lured towards Heaven by his holy life, and stimulated in the service of Jesus by his noble example. Mr. Gundy did not sparkle as a star of the first magni- tude, but he shone in the firmament of the church with a clear and even brightness. He was not a flower of rarest kind, whose varied tints and luies were incomparably beautiful ; but the fragrance of his life will never die. He Avas not a great man, and laid no claim to superior ability as a scholar or preacher ; but in the everyday faithfulness and plodding industry of his life, few surpassed him. He was a man of prayer, and often drew the inspiration of his happy life from his close intimacy with the throne of grace. His mind was on his work, and nothing else ; and he never made use of the holy ofhce to promote his own pleasure or increase his wealth. Having enough to supply the present wants of the body, he was contented and happy, and, by rigid economy, he was enabled to save a little for his declining days, which, together with his annuity, raised him above the inconvenience and suffering of want, or the mere dependence on friends, however kind. But he is gone, and we miss him very much in the family, and his aged partner from her side ; and, as a Connexion, at our annual gatherings, we will miss his hoary head, and venerable form, and pleasant smile, and the warm grasp of his hand, accompanied with the familiar words, " I hope you 're very well." And we 164 BIOGRAPHY OF THE will miss him, too, from the sohmn scenes of our confer- ence sacramental service ; but he has gone from the church below to join the church above. May we meet him there. I may be pardoned for introducing here the tribute to his memory contained in the following letters of condol- ence, received after his de})arture. The first from the Rev. James Caswell ; the other from the Rev. William Cocker, D.D. : — *' I deeply sympathize with his bereaved widow and sorrowing family, but they have the satisfaction of know- ing that he died in the Lord ; thai he left behind him an unstained character, and unspc^tted reputation. A purer, more vmselfish, or even-minded man, I presume, hardly ever lived. His is a fra^.ant memory ; one that his children and grand-children, and brethren in the min- istry and the church he so long and so faithfully served, will be proud of and thankful for."' Dr. Cocker says: " It seems to me that your cup of sorrow has all the sweetening elements and influences that we can hope for in this imperfect state. Your beloved father lived to a good old age — lived to exemplify Christian graces in the family circle, to turn many to righteousness by his ministerial labors ; and now he has gone to enjoy the reward of a 'good and faithful servant,' and to 'shine as the stars forever and ever.' May we all be enabled to follow him in the paths of holiness and usefulness that we may join with his glorified spirit amidst the exercises and pleasures of the better land.'^ :r-m-AM RFA'. WILLIAM GUNDY. '65 With the following Hnes, communicated to the Evangei- kal Witness, by the friend, wliose initials are given below, we close this short and imperfect sketch of the life of one whom we expect again to see, and with whom we hope to join in celebrating the praises of the Redeemer, throughout the endless ages of eternity : — IN MEMORIAM. KEW WILLIAM GUNDY Simple and lowly as a little child, Sitting with Mary at the Master's feet ; Nathanieldike, there lurked no base deceit Within thy sold, that in transparence smiled, Nor heresy, nor schism thee defiled. Tnith's champion in a bold, blaspheming age, To a false reading of the Sacred Page, No sophistry thy upright mind beguiled. Shepherd belov'd, with tender, yearning heart, Seeking the sheep that in the cloudy day Had wandered from the heavenly fold away : Oh, who, save One, may gauge aright its smart ? Sense, wondering, asks, " Who, who thy place can fill?" Faith's motto is "Jehovah Jireh" still ! J. E. -N*^, f 166 BlUORAPHV OF THE : I \y\ SUBSIANCK i)V A SKRMON I'RHACHKD IN THK M. N. C. CHURCH, MILTON, JUNK 23RD, 1870, HY I HE REV. JAMES M'aLISTER, ON THE OCCASION OK THE DEATH or REV. WILLIAM GUNDY. (" Only brief notes of the discourse were in manuscript when it was delivered, hence, when ask< V /A Photographic Sciences Corporation m ^ M y.' ** " *» <» <(:^ ^ o^ 1 7© BIOGRAPHY OF THE Stands like a mighty monarch swaying his sceptre over the quiet inhabitants of his domain. The text tells us the sting of death is sin ; it is this that has introduced death into the world — this that gives him power to carry on his work of destruction ; and, by sin, both the bodies and souls of men are slain. " The strength of sin is the law." The law pronounces the sentence of death, " The soul that sinneth shall die ;" and, if nothing else interpose, the sinner must remain forever under the empire of death. " The law gives sin its damning power." " I was alive without the law once," says the apostle ; " but, when the law came, sin revived and I died;" hence the strength of sin is the law. We see, then, that these two foes have had extensive, indiscriminate, and universal triumph over the generations of men, and this renders them terrible. Surely a victory over such foes must be glorious I This brings us to contemplate — II. Second, the victory given us by the resurrection over these foes. Thank God, life and immortality have been brought to light by the Gospel. These allied foes, death and the grave, are overcome; robbed of their terror, shall be of their spoil, and prostrate, dethroned and left without an empire here, they shall be banished to their native hell. Christ Jesus has "abolished death." He is " The resur- rection and the life ;" and, however killed or wherever buried, "All shall come forth ;" for, "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." The Son of REV. WILLIAM GUNDY 171 .») God was manifest, that he might destroy the works of the devil. This was a principal part of Satan's work to intro- duce sin and death into our earth, and it is an important part of Christ's work to counteract and destroy both ; hence, in his whole history, we find the Saviour manifest- ing a deep interest in this achievement. Centuries before his incarnation, looking out from the bosom of the Father and contemplating this victory, we hear him exclaim, " I will ransom them from the power of the grave ; I will redeem them from death : O death, I will be thy plagues ; O grave, I will be thy destruction." While he dwelt among men, he often spoke of death and the grave, as though they had no existence. " Whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die." In speaking of the death of Lazarus, he said, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth." Thus, in view of the resurrection, death is compared to a sleep ; repeatedly is this Christian name applied to death ; we are not to sorrow as those who have no hope for our friends who sleep in Jesus. "Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep, From which none ever >vake to weep." Does the mother, as she lays away her babe and im- prints on its lips the good-night kiss, mourn it as lost ? Nay, she thinks of it coming forth in the morning, re- freshed and invigorated after the repose of the night ; and so the Christian mourns not departed friends as lost, but looks forward to the resurrection morn, when " This corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality ;" 172 HIOGRAPHV OF THE "And every form and every face Look heavenly and divine." For, " Having borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." The Saviour is still anticipating the final consummation of this part of his work. Paul tells the Hebrew Christians that Christ, having "offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God ; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool." In this chapter we are told He must reign till he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. Thus we see that, while " The wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Death is robbed of his sting, the grave of its terror ; and, in many of its aspects, the curse is turned into a blessing, death being forced to act as the agent to release God's children from pain and sorrow, and admit them to happi- ness and joy ; and the grave the place where, like the caterpillar as a worm after its long sleep, comes forth the beautiful butterfly ; so " Man sleeps a worm ; but wakes an angel." " Sown in dishonour, raised in glory." Pre- cious, glorious doctrine, we press it with joy to our hearts, rejoicing to know that death is swallowed up in victory. " Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." We remark — HL This victory is God's gift to us, through our Lord Jesus Christ. God is its author, and to Him the praise is due. No other being could overcome such terrible foes. He REV. WILLIAM GUNDV. 173 formed the plan, although, in its execution, ne had to give His well beloved Son. Seeing our wretched and lost condition. His sympathies were called forth, and His great love, wherewith He loved us, manifested— and a theme of wonder and adoration for men and angels revealed, and a subject of praise for time and eternity given. We wonder at and admire this love, and angels desire to look into it, it is so deep that even angelic minds cannot fiithom it, and the great multitude before the throne, which no man can number, make it the burden of their song. " Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb,"' is their theme, while we, in the church militant, sing also, " Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory." By His almighty power He has overcome death and the grave for us. It is through our Lord Jesus Christ, through His atoning blood, for " Without shedding of blood is no remission of sins," hence He took upon Him our nature. The Lord of life and glory became veiled in flesh ; to Him our nature was a garb of suffering. He put it on, says one, " That when the crisis of our redemption came, Justice might find Him attired and ready for the altar, a substance that his sword could smite, a victim that could agonize and bleed and die." Yes, " He, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man," and this gift of God is eternal life, or victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Not only are we saved by His glorious death, but also 174 BIOGRAPHY OF THE through his powerful resurrection, " He died for our sins, and rose again for our justification." We have not to go to the tomb to find our glorious deliverer, He is not there. He is risen, and in His resurrection we see a guarantee of ours. He is the first fruits ; He met death on his own domain, conquered him there, robbed him of his power, extracted his sting, disrobed him of his terror, threw open the gates of his prison, and left the monster scathed, enfeebled and prostrate at His feet. "Having spoiled ^principalities and powers, He made a show of them, openly, triumphing over them." " The Saviour rose triumphant o'er the tomb, Light kindled in each grave and cheered the gloom, Death felt the mortal blow, and owned his fate ; Rent were his chains, flung wide his prison gate. Nor was the monster left himself unscathed — His sting was plucked, and low his power was laid,- - In turn he was a helpless captive bound, To meet his sentence when the trump shall sound. " Then roll ye spheres and bring the triumph nigh, When man shall ever live and death shall die ! The Saviour shall again his power reveal. And Satan's head again his tread shall feel, His voice the slumbers of the tomb shall break, And all the sleeping dead shall then awake, And he shall see his soul's enlarged desire. And death shall on the point of truth expire." Through His atoning death and powerful resurrection, grace is given as we need it, the promised comforter has been sent to solace the dying Christian, and hope lights up his passage to and through the grave. He is sup- ported by the assurance that his elder brother was there before him, that Jesus, his friend and his Saviour, passed J REV. WILLIAM GUNDV. '75 through its portals for him, and now that Saviour has the keys of death and hell. These thoughts afford him joy and victory in the hour of dissolution, and "Death becomes the crown of life." " I congratulate you and myself," said John Foster, "that life is passing fast away. What a superlatively grand and consoling idea is that of death ! Without this radiant idea, this delightful morn- ing star, indicating that the luminary of eternity is going to rise, life would, to my view, darken into midnight melancholy. Oh, the expectation of living here and livirg thus always would be, indeed, a prospect of over- whelming despair. But thanks be to that fatal decree that dooms us to die ! Thanks to that gospel which opens the vision of an endless life ! And thanks, above all, to that Saviour friend who has promised to conduct all the faithful through the sacred trance of death into scenes of paradise and everlasting delight." Our blessed Redeemer fought the battle on earth, and won the victory here for us, but on the resurrection morn He shall celebrate His triumph, and exhibit our glorified bodies as trophies won from death and the grave. Our departed friend and brother will doubtless be among those trophies. A few remarks regarding the deceased may now be in place. We all remember his meek, childlike, uncom- plaining disposition. When he entered our ranks, there were causes of complaint that do not now exist. Then circuits were large, while remuneration was comparatively small ; still he murmured not. Had he been a fault-finder we would not have before us to-day what we see, and I'jG BIOGRAPHY OF THK what is almost without a parallel, four sons and one son- in-law, all ministers of the Gospel, and thus following in the footsteps of a revered father. Well we remember what joy and satisfaction lit up the countenance of our departed friend, as he saw one after another of his sons consecrated to (lod, and to the work of the ministry. Now he rests from his lj:.bours, and his works follow him. O may the mantles oi* our ascending El'jahs fall upon the Elishas that remain ! To the chief mourners I would just say, in conclusion, let the subject afford you comfort and consolation in this hour of your sorrow. Your partner, parent, friend is not lost, but gone before, hence you sorrow not as those who have no hope. He sleeps in Jesus. God spared him to you for a long time. You had his counsel and support in childhood, when you needed it most. You had the pleasure and privilege of ministering to him in his old age and feebleness. You have the strongest ground to hope that the glorious truths in our text cheered him in death, that he participated in this victory, and now is "forever with the Lord." 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