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 ^'^^'^^'^^^•^^•,i^-^.,i^, 
 
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 ?#€««* 
 
 . . Jubilee . . 
 
 
 OF THE 
 
 |^rcs|)vrerk)i\Ouiixl\ 
 
 NIMOI^K/VI ,SI>r:T(ll, 
 
 .sitiANox's /\rii) ,\i)i)i?i:s,si^,s 
 
 OCLIVERED AT THE 
 
 nrniiTii /\MMivr:i.>s\k>\' 
 
 or ITS ORGANIZATION 
 
 iVIc-iy S>-Ui, l."S5»7. 
 
M.\< I'lllKSdN \ riRiipl" 
 
 I'RIN I !■ K 
 
 COKMK (1) lAMK.s AM 
 
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 IIAMII loN, ( A.NAriA. 
 
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 S 776 77 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 t» 
 
 IflS Iittl( 
 
 volume- is not prepared for the 
 
 ^Micral public, hut for a comparatively small 
 
 ler is it to he |)ut in the 
 
 circle of read 
 
 ers. 
 
 NeitI 
 
 hook market for sale, hut 
 
 is j)ri'sented to the mem 
 
 hers and friends of the pastoral ehar-v of Strah 
 
 ane 
 
 and Kilhride, who 1 
 
 lave manifested an interest in 
 
 the celebration of the fiftietl 
 
 extent of contributin*; at least 
 offerin<r. 
 
 1 ainn'versary to the 
 one dollar as a jubilee 
 
 ri 
 
 ie historical i)(-»rtion is in the f 
 
 orm ol a sunplc 
 
 narrative, embracin«r the more important events 
 
 which have tr.mspired durin<r the last hal 
 
 within the littl 
 
 f century 
 
 e cu'cle of om- church home. W'hih 
 
 )ein'' laithful and v. 
 
 nii)ar 
 
 1 were regarded 
 
 the writer has aimed at 1 
 
 tial in the statement of facts w hid 
 
 as necessar\- in a sketch of this kind, he- has pur- 
 
 l)osel>- omitted i-ver\thin,^ which, in the jud-inent 
 
 of the session, would be better h 
 
 information W(>;;ld have \ 
 
 )rL;ottcn 
 
 iiller 
 
 K'en 
 
 ;i\'en on some 
 
 points if it could have been i)rocured, and it 
 (juite probable that incidents and personal refe 
 
 is 
 
 r- 
 
enccs worthy of record have hern inadvertently 
 passed over, for which we ask in advance the par- 
 don of our readers. 
 
 The Session would respectfully dedicate this 
 volume to the three " niotliers in Israel," vi/.: Mrs. 
 James Nicol, Mrs. James Reid and Mrs. Nathaniel 
 (•••■(^'k'^". who sat at the communion table fifty 
 >'ears a^o, and who in the i)rovidence of God are 
 still with us in the tlesh, and would pray, that as 
 . the links which unite us with the past are being 
 severed one by one, all into whose hands this book 
 may come, ma\- be united by faith with Jesus and 
 made partakers of the reward which lie has 
 [)romisod to those who love and serve llim. 
 
 "Hf" 
 

 CONTENTS. 
 
 MISTOKUAI. SKKK II \',\ my ,, <; ( ■ a m k^, .v.- 
 
 CHAP. I .. 
 
 KAKI.V Si-.TTI.KMKNT K. ()K(;A M/AIION'. 
 
 CHAP. II . OKdAM/ATlON AM) INSTAILMKN T , „.• FIRST 
 PASroK. 
 
 CHAP. Ill . PA.STOKATK (.P HEX AI.K.XAM.P.K MrI.EAN 
 AT Cr.MMI.VSVII.I.K AND NAIK.N LUrKCH. 
 
 CHAI- IV . PASTOKATK op KPV AI.PXANDKK M-IKW 
 AT NAIKN" CIIUKLII. 
 
 CHAP. V .. . PA.SIOKAT!-, (.P KP\, |,,|,.x , ,. KOHHKTSON. 
 
 CHAP. VI ,. PAST()KAri;.^(.|. K|.,\s. \V, H. .SIMPSON AM, 
 .1- CAMPMPII.. AT Kll HKIDj:. 
 
 CHAP. \ II 
 CHAP. VI I! 
 CHAP. 1\ 
 
 P.XSIOKATP. op KK\. j.W. (AllKAKr. 
 PA.SroKA'rP, oi. KKW D. (I CAMKKO.N. 
 
 TiiK jrmr.KK. 
 
 riiKPK sp:kMo\s 
 
 in- 
 
 THK I<K\. rilos. WAKDKOPi:. |). n. 
 
 IHK KK\ JOHN \()l \(;, M A. 
 
 THK REV. W. A. M< KAV, I). I ). 
 

 
 ■4r-.- 
 
 ^ 
 
CIIAITKR I 
 
 I'.\K1.\ >i;iri.|,M|'.M |() (»K(,.\M/..\ll(i.\. 
 
 I'l', KSON who has never visited Str;il)anc, 
 in order to locate it will require to <^daiice 
 at a ina]-of Ontario. W'entwortli county, 
 hich doubles around Hurlini^ton Bay, at the 
 vvesterti extremity of Lake Ontario, is easily found. 
 Look at the three northern townships: lieverle)', 
 S(|uarc and (-onipacl ; Last l'"lanil)oro, somewhat 
 narrower ; ami West hlanihoro hetwctMi the two. 
 
 w 
 
 triau'fu 
 
 lar 
 
 n sha|uj w 
 
 ith tl 
 
 ic apex pointing; nor 
 
 th- 
 
 ward. 'riic (I rand Trunk raih\a\- runs westward 
 from the City of llamiltoii, near the southern 
 boundary of West {•■land)()ro. h'ive miles west of 
 the city is the town of Dundas; from which, ex 
 tendinis northward through the centre of the 
 township is the Brock Road, which continues its 
 course throiii;h (nulph and l'er_L;us as far north as 
 the (ieorL;ian Ba>'. This road was opened about 
 the year 182;. 
 
 A 1, 
 
 uije tract of land in this vicinit\' had been 
 
 granted b\' the crow n to the heirs of the brave 
 •general who fell in the defense of his country at 
 Oucenston lleiijhtsin l8r2. h'rom these heirs, or 
 
I 
 
 8 SI K Ml \M' I'Ki >l;^ II ui \\ i iii k. n 
 
 tlu'ir ii^^Mits, the first scttU-rs purcliascd their farms. 
 The road was ()n<^iiiall>- intended t(» open up a 
 hiL;h\\a\' tf) these lands, hence it was calk'd the 
 lirock koad. 
 
 Diiiichis, in those earl>' «la\s, was the head of 
 navii^ation for I,ak(> Ontario, and from this point 
 the Hioek koad was the hi<^Mnva\' to the settle- 
 nu-nts Ixin- to the north. 'I'hi; traftie on this road 
 became ver\ L^reat as the eonntr>- was opened u|), 
 andthe ik.inand for the accommodation of travellers 
 at intervals on their joiiriie)- was amply su|)plied. 
 1 he tavi'rns, as the\- were called, were numer- 
 ous, aIthouL,di for comfort the\- ma>- not have been 
 all that a w far\- traveller could desire. Whatever 
 nn\;ht be said of board and beddini;, ihr. universal 
 testimon\- is th.il there wasHlwa>s i)lent\- to drink. 
 
 W'ith the exception of tiie t.ivern kee|)ers ; .i<^ 
 the way who h;id made small clearings around 
 their shanties, this section was uni)rnken forest un- 
 til the \ear 1S35. There appeared to be a prefer- 
 ence for the land l\in^- farther north. At that 
 time the road was in a ver\' primitive condition, 
 the smaller tree."-' and brushwood only beiiiL; re- 
 moved, the tr.iil w ,is somew hat out of line, often 
 swervin'; tVoni its course to aNoid the lariT nines 
 which min<;led their In.inchcs oxerhead. 
 
 Over this road, lonel>' and difficult to travel, 
 there passed, at certain seasons, an almost contin- 
 uous procession of settlers w itii their families and 
 effects in waijsons drawn by oxen. When asked 
 
 .5 
 
i 
 
 i 
 
STK.MVWI' l'KKSi;\ TKKIAN CHIKCH. 
 
 ! t 
 
 where they intended to locate they invariably 
 answered, " In the Queen's hush," which was 
 understood to desitriiate the unsurveyed district 
 beyond Guelph. 
 
 At a point on the Hrock road where it is inter- 
 sected b\- the ,Sth concession of West Flamboro, 
 ten nn'les north of Dundas and sixteen miles south 
 of Gueli)h, is the little villa;.(e of Strabane. A 
 mile and a half further north is a villa^re consider- 
 ably lari;er, named h" reckon, it is to the smaller 
 hamlet, however, that atttmtion is now directed as 
 the centre of Presbx lerianism in this localitw 
 
 Iti the spring- of 1S35 a few families took up 
 homesteads in this vicinit\-. They were not all of 
 one creed or nationalil)-, but that did uot ])rcvent 
 them from buildinj^ a school house which was 
 intended to serve the double puipose of school 
 and church, w hert- they mii;ht have the chihiren 
 educated, and where children and parents of 
 whatever phase of (hristiau faith mii^ht uiu"te iu 
 the worship of (iotl. The fust school house, a 
 plain frame building, was erecteil w here the present 
 school now staiuls, in the autumn of 1S35. The 
 neii(hl)orhood was visited bom time to time by 
 nn'nisters and missionaries of various tletionu'na- 
 tions, all of whom were made welcome and their 
 services well attended. 
 
 AmoiiL; those w lu) settled on the 9th concession 
 of West Flamboro' in [840 was Mr. Thomas 
 Wardrope, who with his fanu'I>- iiad come from 
 
lO 
 
 SIR \li.\M' l'KI',Si;\ ll'KIAN ( IIIKCII. 
 
 Scotland in 1S34.. Mr. Wardropc was a licentiate 
 of tlic ("luirch of Scotland and was for many 
 3'cars i)arish schoDlniastcr at I.ad\- Kirk, in Her- 
 w ickshirc. The tinu- intcrvein'tiL^ between 1^34 
 arul I S40 he spcnit partly in the Tounshii) of 
 (jiielph and parth' in I'nsiinch, in which places he 
 had freipiently preachetl. The news soon spread 
 that Mr. Wardropc was a minister. The i'resb}'- 
 terians were s|)cciall}' interested in this, and upon 
 inciuir)' found that In- had been educated for tlie 
 ministr)' of the i'resbj'tcrian (hureh, but that he 
 had not been ordained. The matter of ortlination 
 was, however, reL;arded as a \er\- secondar)' eon- 
 siileration, which mii;ht be attendetl to later on. 
 l^pon imitation ot the people, Mr. W .irdrope 
 conducted weekly set \ ice in the school and \isited 
 the \ arious taniilii-s in the neighborhood. 'I'he 
 fact ot h.ivitiL;' a nnnister ol their own denomination 
 livin<4" amouL;' them was re;j[arded with favor by 
 the Presbyterians and acknowledged b\- all as 
 i^iving s|)ecial visibilitx' to that denonn'nation. 
 
 Rci^ulai' Sabbath services were now held, Mr. 
 Wartlrope L;r,icefull\' ;-;i\'ini; wa\' to other mim'sters 
 when they came ami ])reaehinL; himself on the 
 intervenin<^ Sabbaths. 
 
 The necessity tor a < hiu'ih buildini; soon 
 became apparent, and the ijuestion of ways and 
 means was fre(iuently discussed. The people were 
 poor ami had no prospect of help beyond them- 
 selves. Thi^ ijuestion as to where the church 
 
 4 
 
 I 
 
Sl'KAUAM-, I'KI'.Mn ri'Kl W (■1HK( II. 
 
 I I 
 
 i 
 
 should be built was soon decided whcti John 
 K laser offered to ^ive, free of chari^e, a suitable 
 lot next to the school j)ro|)erty upon which to 
 erect a Presbyterian church ; the onl\- condition 
 attached bein^ that the bui!din;j[ should be named 
 Nairn Church, in honor of his Hii^hland home 
 across the sea. This proposal was heartily 
 accepted by the i)ronioters of the enter|)rise, 
 whereupon Mr. T'raser made the additional offer 
 that if the others would provide the lo<^s he would 
 witlunit chari^e saw the lumber necessary for the 
 building at his mill near b\'. All were willing to 
 accept such a ^t^enercKis proposal and seemed ea<,^er 
 to ^et to work to do their full share in providing 
 the lumber. But Mr. Wardrope reminded them 
 that other material would Ix- necessarx' besides 
 lumber and that while the bulk of the labour could 
 be performed b\- makini;" "bees" they would reciuire 
 the help of a skilled workman to make the windows, 
 door and seats. This point was soon settled when 
 lohn Saiul(M-s(in." frae .Aberdeen aw a," a carpenter 
 b>- trade, volunteered as his share to mark out 
 the frame, to make the doors aiul windows 
 and alscj t(j make a pulpit; while Walter Mc- 
 I'arlane, who in his \-()uni4 ila>'s had been 
 a ship carpenter, volunteered to la\- the floor 
 aiul assist in the inside inn'shini;. Nathaniel 
 GrcL^e from the h-iueratd isle, was a weaver, but 
 as carpets were not mentioned in the estimates 
 there seemed no call for his handiwork. Knowini;, 
 
12 
 
 SIKAHAM". I'KKSin TKKIAN CIHKrH. 
 
 however, that unils, n^Iass and other hardware must 
 be bought, he drew up a subscription list, headinj^ 
 it with a handsome sum and secured from others 
 the i)romise of sufficient for the purpose. 
 
 Ahead\- there arose in tlie mental vision a view 
 of xNairn Church in all its completeness and beauty 
 crowniiij.,^ the rising knoll on the west side of the 
 Brock koad, with s^ioujjs of hap|)y |)eople "-reetiii"- 
 one another on a l)ri,L,dU Sabbath in<)rm"n<,r as they 
 went up to the house of the Lord. Our fathers 
 and mothers were ho|)eful in their i)rosi)ects and 
 doubtless offered many a fervent prayer that the\- 
 and their dear children nn".i;ht in Nairn Church 
 receive precious instruction and -guidance in life's 
 dan<j;-er()us journe)'. 
 
 Hilt the pines from which the church was to be 
 built were still standin- in the forest. Durino- the 
 winter^ <»( 1843 the lo-s were brought to Mr. 
 iM-aser's nn'll. Ainon.^^ those who assisted in this 
 work besides those already named were Alexander 
 Stewart, William Stephenson, James McCuen, 
 James Reid, John Keid, John Duffis, James War- 
 drope, John I'errier, And'rew Waddell, and Alex. 
 Find lay. 
 
 While the work of providin^j lo^rs uas in pro- 
 K-ress a sad event took place. Andrew Waddell 
 while eno-aged in loading; a heavy lo- reijuired 
 some help. His wife takinj; in the situation at a 
 i,dance, came to his assistance. Their only child 
 about a x-ear and a half old, being uith her was 
 
 1 
 
 * 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
■^ 
 
 SlUAHANi-. I'KKSin ri'KIAN C 111 K(H. 
 
 •3 
 
 left staiuling at what was considered <i safe distance. 
 Throu<^li some mishap the Iol; rolled from the 
 skid in the direction of the child and heforo any 
 effort could he |)ut forth he was crushed to death 
 before their e\es. It was a sore trial to the 
 parents and for the time cast a ^loom over the 
 entire nei<:jhborh()od. 
 
 As soon as the lumber was ready a " bee " was 
 matle to frame and erect the church. Another 
 Wr'.s made to put on the roof. Even I'resbyterian 
 zeal, it must be admitted, soiiK.'times llai^s, and so 
 it appears that our fathei*s concluded that the kirk 
 mi<:^ht " bide a wee." Thus it stood throui^h the 
 fall and u inter and well on throutrh the ff>llowinL^ 
 summer with onl\' the frame and roof. It rni^dit 
 have stood longer in that condition had it not 
 been that a strant^er passinu through taunted John 
 Sanderson with the unsiij^htl\' ap})earance of the- 
 church, sa\' in s.{ " Von I'reslnterians beP:an to build 
 and were not al)le to Hnish." Mr. Sanderson set a 
 i^ood example by taking the taunt in the rij^dit spirit 
 and turning it to i^ood account, lie went to work 
 at the church the follow iul; da)- assisted by his son 
 James (who is <till with usi. Da\' after day he 
 wrought sa>'in*^' that even if no one else would })ut 
 a hatul to it he would w ork on till it w ould be 
 finished. Others innuenced l)\' his decision came 
 to his assistance. Walter Mcisirlane, John Kc'nl 
 and James Wardrope laid the Hoor, John I'raser 
 and Nathanial Gre^f<.j succeeded 'n raising $30 
 
14 
 
 SIKAI'.AM'. l'Kh>l'.\ 1 l-.KI AN I 111 KLll. 
 
 which they ^ave to Mr. Saiulerson rcciucstitit^ him 
 to i^fi on atul coiiipU'te the job. The woilc of 
 ciuirch huiUhti«^ for the time heiu;.;' was now at an 
 cntl. 'I'heie was no formal (lethcation. Mr. War 
 (iropc continued hi;-, work, occasi(Miall}' e.xchan^nn^ 
 with Mr. Stark of Dnndas or .Mr. ( "hristi(> of h'lam- 
 horo, in order that those desirini^ to ha\e their 
 chilch'en hapti/ed mii^lU do sf> more con\'eniently. 
 
 Thus the work went cpnetly on until June. 
 1847. .\lthouL;h the fact was known to th(^ I'res- 
 b\'tcrN' that there was a conj^ret^atiDii here, with a 
 church hnildiiiL; and re<jjular services, no effort was 
 [)ut forth to ha\'e it formall\' ori^ani/ed or taken 
 imdcr preshyteiial o\-ersioht. ( )ne reason for this 
 ma>" ha\(' been that w hat is known as the 1 )isruption, 
 which took i)!ace in Scotlaiul in 1S43 w as suc(x:eded 
 b)- a similar movement in (anada durin<r the fol- 
 lowiuLJ year, althouL^h with much less expression 
 of feelin<^. I'hose ministeis and con^i^rei^ations 
 in western Canada w ho s)'m|)athi/x'd with the hree 
 Church movement were orj^anized into a hVec; 
 ("Inirch S>'nod, known as the l^-esbyterian Church 
 of Canada. The organization took i^lace in Kirii^- 
 ston ill June, 1(844. Rev. M. Y. Stark, of Dundas, 
 was the first moderator. Amoni; the rres!)\tcries 
 oreanizi d under this S\nod was the l'resb\ ter\ 
 of Hamilton, of wliich Rev.Cieo. Smellie.of h'er<4us, 
 was Moderator, and Rev. Mr. Stark was Clerk. 
 
 Mr. Wartlrope was much beloved b\' his people 
 who were now l>e^innin^ to consitler it tiieir duty 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
 ill 
 
SIKAIIAM'. rKl-.>l',\ IKKIA.N LIIL KlII. 15 
 
 to have his relation to thcin take a iiv^rr |)ennaiient 
 fonii. They (h'ew up and sis_;iie(l a petition which 
 was \'irtiiall)- a call and ])rrscnted it 1)\- a deputa- 
 tion to the l'resl)_\ten- of 1 lamilton, askino that 
 court to ordain Mr. W'ardiopc and install him as 
 their pastor. 'I'he action taken on this petition is 
 set torth in the offici.al docannent of which the 
 follow ini;' is a copy : 
 
 " At a nieetini!; of the Presh\tery of Ilainilton 
 in connection with the rresl)\tcrian ("hnrch of 
 Canada, held at II ann' It on on the fourteenth day of 
 Jannar)-, one thousand eis^iu hundred and forty- 
 seven, an aj)plication from the couL^res^ation in the 
 eiL^hth ec)ncession of hlamhoro \\ rst to ha\-e a 
 call moderated in to Mr. Thomas W'aidrope, 
 senior, preacher ol the (gospel, to he tlun'r nnnister, 
 was (.^iven in and read, and a deput.ition from the 
 con<.^regation was heard in support ol" it. Mi-. 
 \\'ardroj>e beinjj; present was interro<:^ated as to 
 his own \'iews iti the matter and stated that he 
 put himself entirely at the dis|)osal of the i'resby- 
 tery to do as they thoni^ht best for the interests of 
 the Redeemer's kinj^'dom in that corner of the 
 vineyard. ' 
 
 The I'resb) tery alter mature deliberation 
 agreed to refer the case to the Synod for advice, 
 feclini; that at Mr. W'ardrope's advanced a_L;e he 
 could not bce\'i)ected full)' U) discharj^e the duties 
 of a setth-'d jjastor to such a lOiij^re^^ation, and 
 doubtful on these grounds as well as his own 
 
 
 
l6 SIK.MiWI ^KI^.Sl;^ I IKIAN 1 111 Kni. 
 
 lu'sitiitloti about arceptiiii; tho cliar<;e, the ])ro- 
 pricMN of lii^ Ix'iiiL; ofdaiiUMl pastor of the cons^rc- 
 i^alioii. 
 
 The rit'sl)\trr\-, how I'vcf, in the nieantinie 
 appoiiitt-(l Ml-. Stark, Mr. l>a\iic ami Mr. Mcldruin, 
 aloni; with Mr. Sincllic. the .Moticrator n\' I'rc.sb)-- 
 tiM\-, a i-oinuiittiT to \isit \hv coiii^reL^ation to make 
 airaiiL^cmcnts tor prtMi-hini; thrrc, takiiti;' stci)s to 
 ori^ani/i' the i.-oni;rc;4.ition, to or(ku,i ehlcrs and 
 ihspciisr the saer.umMit of the Lord's Su[)pcr, at a 
 period, not hittM than the eiul ot' .March en<uini;. 
 
 \eeoriiiii''i\ . on h"ri(ki\ the nineteenth cka\' of 
 Marel\, a-^ h\' appointment prtniou^ly made, and 
 at'ler notiee tinlv iMven, Mr. Stark preached to 
 the coni;ri'i;.ition. ^er\ed thi- cihct for the orthna- 
 tion o\ {\\c person^ eltH-tcd to tlie oftice ot the 
 eldiM^hip. anii after di\ int^ -^erN ice did, alon^; with 
 the Ke\ . (.ichml^c >meliie and Kev \\ ilham Me!- 
 dium, exanmu^ Mi h>hn Sanderson, Mr. \\ alter 
 Mcl-".ui.uu\ Mr. Jame< Nicol and Mr. j,ime< 
 Hiown.and hndnii; them in so tar as they could 
 ' ' '■■" ' - ' " ' ' ^ d on 
 
 Tieoi-^c Sme'.iie ha\ ni^; conducted chvine service, 
 M\d none h.u in^; compeerei.1 to object, ilid by 
 piaser <et .\\\wi the above <aidi perso^i.^ a< elders 
 of th.e co;iL;rei;alion and addressed them solemnly 
 
 gl 
 
■■•^ 
 
 r. 
 
 
 ".^ 
 
 m 
 
 JOHN SA\l)i:KSt IN. 
 
 WAI.TKR M( lAKI.AXK 
 
 AMI'.S NICOL 
 
 \\\c rir.sr l:l<lci\s ot Wm'w c luirtU. 
 
STK \r.\\h: i'Ki:>ii\ TIKI AN (■iirK( II. 
 
 17 
 
 and canicstl)' in re<^arcl to their duties. Mr. Stark 
 afterwards addressed the coni^rejv^atioii. Where- 
 upon the session was eonstitutcul liy .Mr. SmeUie, 
 and accor(h'n^ to intiniatiim apphcants for achnis- 
 sion to the Lord's Tahle wn-re e.xainined and such 
 as were found (|uahTied received tokens. 
 
 The next day l)ein;jj Sahl)ath, .Mr. Sinellic h)' 
 ap])oiutnient preached ami pn-sidcd at the dispen- 
 sation of tlie Lord's Slipper and \\r. Stari< assisted, 
 h'ifty-five communicants sat (K)wn at the table and 
 many it is ho])ed e.\|)erienced it to \)v. a feast of 
 '•ood things. 
 
 .\t ;i sul)se(|uent meeting of the l^eshytery of 
 ILimilton, held at ILimilton on the tweit'th day of 
 May following, tlie report of the above proceed- 
 ings was heard and the diligence.' of the comiviittee 
 approved. 
 
 .\ letter from Mr. W'ardrope to the Clerk 
 Stat insjj that after mature and prayerful deliberation 
 he thought it better to decline the desire of the 
 conij^reL;ation that he should be ordaitu;d as their 
 pastor, ow'in^ to his advanced aj^e and increasing 
 infirmities, was j^ivi-n in and read. \\'hereui)on it 
 was moved aiul aL,need to that the l*resb\tery 
 havin<.j heard .Mr. Wardrope's letter, e.\i)ress their 
 approbation of thee.xccllent sjjirit which it breathes, 
 a^ree to withdraw their proposetl application to 
 the Synod for advice in his case and to concur 
 in the wish he expresses to lal)or as heretofore as 
 God may enable him, without beini; ordained to 
 
IS 
 
 MKAIiAM-, l'KI.>li\ ll.KIW i ill Ki II. 
 
 tlic office f)f the ministry and cotiiiectcd u ith the 
 conjjjrc^ation of West I'lamhoro as their re<^ular 
 minister, and that therefore this con^rei^ation as 
 now orj^fanized be i)hiced under the general sujier- 
 intendenee of the Ri-v. M . \. Stark, the Ri-v. (ieo. 
 Smellie, tlie Rev. Win. MeUhimi and such other 
 minister as ma)- be appointed to the congregation 
 at Guclph. 'I'he ekiers to communicate with Mr. 
 Stark or other of the above named members of 
 l*rcsbyter>' in reL;ard to (hspensation of oriHnances, 
 cases of (h"scipHne or matters in which the)' may 
 recpiirc advice or chrection." 
 
 The above statement containing a narrative of 
 the circumstances cotmccted w ith the or^^ani^ation 
 and recognition by the Presbyter\- of Ilamilton of 
 the con^re<Tation in the eii^lith concession of \\ est 
 Flamboro was drawn up and is attested by 
 
 M. V. Stark, 
 t'krk (if the. I'li'.shi/f'ii/ (jf Hinniltoti. 
 
 May 12th, 1847. 
 
STkAlJAM. l'KI>l!\ri KIAN (111 K( II. 
 
 '9 
 
 I. IS I of i'i:ns<fss i'in:si:si .\r i in-: 
 
 tins I COMMIWKjS. 
 
 Ah'XaipU-r R»'iil 
 Mi». AltXiiiiiltT R'iil 
 Jaiiieji H»-iil 
 Mrs. .IaiiU'> l{t'i(l 
 William SteptH'tison 
 Mrs. Win. Strplu'iisoii 
 Natliaiiit-i <rr»'t;j^ 
 Mrs. NatliHuiel (ji'ej.'>c 
 Jaiiifs Ni*'ol 
 Mrs. James Niitil 
 Hu»4h Tliomsou 
 Mrs. Hii>:h 'riioiiisoii 
 DuiK-aii McFarlane 
 Mrs. Duncan McFailinic 
 
 Mrs. E«linj;ton and 
 tlm-e tlauj^liters 
 
 Mrs. Lotian 
 John Sanderson, sr. 
 Mrs. John Santlerson 
 Miss Santlerson 
 Jamt-s Brown 
 Mrs. .James Brown 
 Walter MoFarlane 
 Mrs Waltr'- McFarlant' 
 William Stewart 
 John Waddell 
 Mrs. John Waddell 
 
 William Connell 
 Mis. Williiiiii ( 'oiinfll 
 Wiiiiaiii .loiiiistoiif 
 .Joliii IhitHs 
 Mrs. .loliii hullis 
 .loliii I'lirvis 
 .Mrs. John I'lirvis 
 Mrs. Waddfll 
 Wailrr Uoht'ilsoii 
 .Mrs. Walter Jloltert.son 
 William P..I1 
 'I'huiiiiis Wiiidrope. sr. 
 .Mrs. 'rhoinas Wardrojie 
 .luiiit'S Wardrdpe 
 (rt'or^t' Watson 
 William Paton 
 Alexander Findlay 
 .Mrs. Alex. Findlay 
 Andrew Miller 
 .liinies (Jilnionr 
 Mrs. .liimes (itilmour 
 .John Sanderson, jr. 
 Catherine Breniiiin 
 Alexander Stewart 
 Marj.;aret Forrest 
 Mrs. John Gilmour 
 
20 SIKMIAM-. 1'1';IM;\ I I'.Kl.W ( in K( II. 
 
 Mr. W'ardrcipc, who was at tin's time T)" years 
 of a_L^c, continued his work as formerly. I li^ eldest 
 son, Thomas, had compU.'ti'd his studies \nv the 
 niinisti'w iJavid and ( ieoi-'je, two xoum'er sons, 
 
 wei'e at collesje wi 
 
 th t 
 
 le nnm-^tr\' m \ie\\ 
 
 lere 
 
 we nnist leave him for the [iicsent in his home on 
 the (;lh concession in o'der to trace the mo\'( ments 
 (jf the minister who in the providence ot (lod was 
 to succeed to the position of fust seltleil [)astor (jf 
 Nairn Church. 
 
 it 
 
SIKAIiAM'. I'KI->|;\T|..K1.\N ClIIKCII. 
 
 ('n.\i»r]':k ii. 
 
 l-KttM rilK OKI. AM/ \ lIuN To thk I N1 )rc IION ( )(• 
 l<l'.\ . AI.KX \.\nhK M< I,I':A.\. 
 
 A; 
 
 fat I 
 
 LKX.WDKK M.LKAX was clesceiuled 
 from the McLeans of Duart, in the island 
 of AIiill, Scotland. His immediate fore- 
 iiers removed to Paisley, uhere for somo \'ears 
 they resided. Here, the ^douinn- accounts of 
 America attracted public attention, and the Mc- 
 Leans were amoni; those in that localitx' who de- 
 cided to enn\L;rate. Accordin<,d\-, a compaii)' of 
 some fifty families sailed for the new world, ac- 
 cf)m|)anied 1)\- a Pres}))'terian minister in the per- 
 son of Rev. John W'ithcrspoon, who afterwards 
 became lainous in /Xmerican history as a signer of 
 the Declaration of hide])endence, and who was 
 widelx- known in his da\-, not only as a (h'vine but 
 also as an author aiul statesman, and who beini,^ 
 on the most intimate terms with (leori^e W'ash- 
 in^rtoii, rendered valuable assistance in framing; the 
 C'onstitution of the lbiite<l States, on which occa- 
 sion the l'resb\-teiian s\ stem of church L;()\-ern- 
 ment was lai;^ely in evidence as ;i model. 
 
 The colon\- from I'aishy settled in Sarat()!_;a 
 Count)-, N. \'. Mv. McLean's father at one time 
 owned the land on w hich has since L;ro\\ n up the city 
 
■y> 
 
 STK \1?.\NK I'KI-.SHV TI-KIAN ClirKCll. 
 
 ' I 
 
 of SaratoL^a Sprini^s. I'nDr to the settlement of 
 this colony, the relation between l^ritain and New 
 Kn<,rlan(l had become somewhat strained and the 
 spirit of revolution s|)read so that it seemed im- 
 possible for anyone to remain neutral. The Scot- 
 tish settlers of Saratoga, althoui^ii united in religion 
 and many of them by kindred ties, found it neces- 
 sary in order to be true to their convictions, to 
 take opposite sides. While their past(jr, as alread}' 
 stated, threw his energies into the foremost ranks 
 of the revolutionists, several oi his fcjrmer parisli- 
 ioners remained unshaken in their lo\alt)' to the 
 King and to British connection. The war of In- 
 dej)endence which broke out in 1775 and lasted till 
 1782, compelled those wiio would not take ui) arms 
 against l^ritain to seek safety in flight, thus for- 
 feiting their beautiful homesteads with all the 
 results of years of industry and toil. 
 
 Among the many who made their way north- 
 ward to the Canadian frontier in batteaux via Lakes 
 George and Champlain, were the parents of the 
 subject of this sketch. As a reward for their 
 lo)'alty and compensation for their losses, they 
 received, with many other United ]''mpire Loyal- 
 ists, a grant of 200 acres on the north bank of the 
 St. Lawrence, near where the town of Hrockville 
 now stands. It was in their new home on Ikitish 
 soil that Alexander was born in the year 1815. 
 
 He received such early education as could be 
 afforded by the schools of those times. He soon 
 
Sl'K \U AM' l'Ki:Sli\ I'I'KIAN ClU'KCIl 
 
 23 
 
 learned to read the Hil)lc, which was tlie princi]).d 
 book in use, ,iiid hrciiiu' acqiiaintcd with its teacli- 
 in^s. Karl)' in lifV: he wvis \cA to profos his faith 
 in Clirist and choose the L')i'd as the j^uide ot" his 
 y(nith, resolvin;,; to ri)llov\- whithersoever I lis Pro- 
 vidence (hrected. 1 [f soon became possessed ot 
 an ardent desire to hei-oinea prcricher of the Gos- 
 pel. Strani^i' to s ly, his fatho- was a\er>e to sncdi 
 a course and en !ea\'oi-(-d totniii hi-, son's mind in 
 the (Ureclion ot ,1 husm.'ss career, otTerin;^ him in- 
 ducements to remam where the hmd the>- had 
 taken was rapidly inci"easin^ in v.due. N'ouni^ 
 McLean's heait, however, was so set upon hccom- 
 in<^f a minister th.it even his tather's retusal to de- 
 fray the expense of a collei^e echication ch'd not 
 turn him from his pm'poses. !Iislo\'akv to what 
 he rc^^arded as the will ot' the Kin;4 of I leaven was 
 no less intense than that of his lather reijardin'f 
 the will of the Kini;- of iMi^dand. Leavini;" behind 
 parents, triends, home and inducements to worldly 
 advancement, he entered upon a course of study 
 at a ;^rammar school at J'otsdam, Vermont, where 
 he received his i)reparatory etiucation. How he 
 {)rocured the necessary means we are imable to 
 state, but a x'outh with his ambitioti and hi^^h aim 
 usually succeeds in overcoming- even financial 
 difficulties in an honorable wa)-, by teacliin<^ or 
 other honorable emijloyment. 
 
 We next find him in Ediid)uri,di, Scotland, u here 
 he received his Universit\- and Theological traiiuiij,^ 
 studyin<,v Divinity imder the celebrated iJr. Chal 
 
24 
 
 -IK.M'.AM'; I'Ki-sini i:ki.\n ciukcii. 
 
 mcrs. On the completion of his stuches he was 
 h"ccnse(l to preach the Gospel. Considerahle in- 
 terest was centered ujxDn him at that time in 
 church circles, on account of the fact that he 
 was the first Canach'an-horn student which VaWu- 
 buri,di had trained for tlie Gospel ministr}'. 
 
 It was in the autumn of 1842 that he returned 
 to Canada and placed lu'mself under the care of 
 the Presbytery of Kin<.,^ston. In i-'ebruary, 11X43, 
 he was ordained and iiKhicted as the first pastor of 
 Picton, in Prince Edward County. In the followinL,^ 
 year he cast in his lot with those who took j)art in 
 the Disrui)tion movement, alread\- referred to, and 
 was one of the first members of the P'ree Church 
 SynfxI. His labours in Picton were only well com- 
 menced when he w as compelled to spend a season 
 in Geort^.i.i for the lienefit of his health. lie .soon 
 returned to his con_L;rcL;ation ([uite restored and 
 was shortl\- afterwards marrii-d to Miss Elizabeth 
 Miller, a dau^diter of one of the most enterprising 
 pioneers of that place. 
 
 In 1846 he received and accei^ted a call to 
 VVellini;t()n S(|uare and W'aterdown in the Presby- 
 tery of 1 lamiltcjii. Althoui^h not included in the 
 name of the jjastoral chari^e, Cunniu'nsville, a 
 stirrini; little village alxjut eii^ht miles north of 
 Watcrdown, where were a few Presb}'terian fam- 
 ilies, was recoi,niizetl as a mission station under Mr. 
 McLean's oversight. Here he preached once a 
 month at first but soon gave a week da>' service 
 
Sl'KAHANl'. rKl-.SBVTKKIAN flllKCH. 
 
 25 
 
 r 
 
 as well, which brought hini tn the village once a 
 fortnight. The cause prospered uiuier his ininistr)'. 
 ShortU' it was fouml that ("iiiiiniinsville gained in 
 numbers and strenj^th sufficient to enable them to 
 offer to i)ay one-third of the minister's salar\- and 
 claim a correspotulitii;" share of his services. The 
 services were held wherever the most suitable 
 (juarters could be secured — a tavern kitchen, a 
 tanner}' and a Iol; school house serviuLj their turn. 
 
 Suitable |)roj)erty for a church and bur}-ii\L( 
 ground was secured on the hit^h (.ground o])posite 
 the villaf^e. The church was built in 1849. On 
 February 9th, 1850, the first communion was 
 observed — the elders from the other congregations 
 officiating — when thirt}'-one persons sat at the 
 table of the Lord. In February, 1852, two elders 
 were elected and ordained, viz., William ( arr and 
 David Agnew. Subscciucntly these with William 
 Wilson, of W'aterdown, officiated at the commu- 
 nions held in C^umminsville, which were once a 
 year. 
 
 In the autumn of 1854, the attention of Presby- 
 tery having been directed to the possibilit}' of a 
 better arrangement of the mission stations in this 
 locality, a deputation was appointed to consult 
 with the parties interested. 
 
 Upon hearing the report of this deputation, at 
 a meeting of I'resbytery held on January 9th, 1855, 
 Cumminsville was separated from Wellington 
 Scpiare and Waterdown and unitetl with Nairn 
 
<' 
 
 m". 
 
 26 
 
 STKAHANK PRKSMVTKKIAN CHURCH. 
 
 1i 
 
 .5 
 
 Church, to form a pastoral charge, in which there- 
 was to be but one session composed of the elders 
 within the bounds. 
 
 The people of Cumminsvillc being desirous of 
 retainincr the services of their minister and the 
 people of Nairn Church being eq- ally willing to 
 accept him as their pastor, and Mr. .McLean con- 
 senting to such arrangement, the I^rcsbytery 
 resolved to induct him as i)ast()r of the uinted 
 charge, concermng which event we make the fol- 
 lowing (juotation from the private diary of Mr 
 McLean : 
 
 " May 23rd, l855-~Was inducted at Cunnnins- 
 ville. Mr. McAuley of Nassagaweya i)reached, Mr. 
 Stark put the (|uestions and addressed the nnms- 
 ter, and Mr. Young of Guelph, the people. It was 
 a solenm scene, many attending. Give grace, 
 guidance and success in the field, O Lord. "^Give 
 me .souls for Jesus' crown. 
 
 June 8th, 1855 -Removed to Cumminsvillc. 
 O may each move be nearer Heaven and Christ." 
 
 1 1 
 
STKABANK PKKSUV IKKI AN CHrKCII. 
 
 27 
 
 ClIAPTKR III. 
 
 MR Ml l.lvWS IWSroKATK AT Cl'M M I .\S\1 I.I.I'; .\Mi 
 .NAIRN t Hl'RCII. 
 
 ESS than a mile west of ( "uinininsville a rival 
 villa<^e had, within a few year.s, sprung into 
 exi.stciice, named Kilbride, at which [)lace 
 the minister took up his residence in a rented 
 house. The church wliich had been erected in 
 1849, '^ small frame structure 24 x 36 feet, was not 
 large enough to acconunodate the growing con- 
 gregation. As Kilbride was regardetl more central, 
 a site was procured there on which to erect a 
 church. The new building, which is still in a good 
 state of preservation and likely to serve the con- 
 gregation for many years to come, was dedicated 
 to the worshij) of God in the autumn of 1856. A 
 manse was reiiuiretl but the congregation did not 
 feel able to build one so soon ; consecjuentK' Mr, 
 .McLean bought a jiiece of land adjoining the 
 church property (jii which he erected a large brick 
 cottage, assuming all financial responsibilit\-, and 
 thus had, for a time at least, the satisfaction which 
 few ministers enjoy, of living in a house j)lanned 
 according to his own ideal. Kilbride is situated in 
 the Township of Nelson, County of Halton,and is, 
 according to the map, about six miles east of 
 Strabanc, but on account of tiie hills those who 
 
IF 
 
 28 
 
 STKAHAM., I'KKSI{\-|KK1.\\ (JIICKCH. 
 
 fre(|ucntl\- travel the road reckon on nearly seven 
 miles. 
 
 In i)astoral cliar^^es consistin^i^r of two con^rrecra- 
 tions the place in which the minister resides atuUn 
 which he preaches in the forenoon is iisuall\- 
 re<rarded as the more imi)ortant. Kilbride enjoyed 
 this distinction and appears to have Ikxmi at that 
 time the more ao-i-^-ssive of the tuo, althou^di in 
 point of mnnhers the>- were about the same. 
 
 \\ c have ah-eady learned that, prior to the 
 iimon, two elders had been ordained at Cnnmniis- 
 ville and four at Strabane. In the latter place Mr. 
 Hroun died soon after while Messrs. ( 'arr and 
 Atrnew had either died or removed from the 
 bounds, as their names do not a-ain appear on 
 the records. Mr. William Wilson ahe Grandfather 
 of Rev. W. A. Wilson of Central In.iia , was an 
 elder before ("unnninsville was or^^amzed. lie 
 tonrether with Messrs. Sanderson, McFarlane and 
 Nicol of Strabane, formed the Session of the united 
 char<4e. 
 
 Shortly after Mr. McLeans induction the 
 membcM-s were asked to elect six additional elders 
 -three from each con.irreoation. On December 
 2(j[h, 1856, the Session met for the purpo.se of 
 countin- the votes, with the result that the follow- 
 in- were declared elected, vi.^.: for Nairn Church, 
 John ("oleman, James Robertson and James 
 Wardrope ; for Kilbride, Francis Small, sr., Archi- 
 bakl Campbell and 
 
 John Ag 
 
 new 
 
 All 
 
 declined 
 
siKAiiAN!-. rKi;M;v ii;ki.\n cm klii. 
 
 29 
 
 with the exception of Jaincs Wardropt.- who was 
 cUih' ordained on May 2 1st. I.S57, aiuJ his name 
 added to the roll of Session. 
 
 At a weekday ser\ ice held in Kilbride clunxh 
 on Ma\- I3tii, 1S5N, the i-onL;re!.;ation was caiied 
 upon to elect tin'ee eldeis, which was done I)\- 
 open \()te, resulting in Messrs. Small, (amphell 
 and .AL^iiew hein;^ ai;ain the unaninutus choice of 
 the people. Mr. Small and .Mr. .\i;ne\\ aceeptc'd 
 the office, and were ordained on ()ctol)er 23r(l, 
 1858. Uj)on tlu; same occasion Thomas hdliott, 
 (leori^e A^inew, John iJuffes, William Molineaux 
 and Andrew Wilson were elected deacons: tlu' 
 last three accc])ted tlie office and were dulv 
 ordained. On the 2nd Sabbath of April, 1861, 
 James Sanderson was ordaitied to the eldershi[) 
 in Nairn Church. The eld.ers now mnnbcred 
 eiijht — three at Kilbride and five at Strabane. 
 
 Th 
 
 e work was a(lvanclnL^ 
 
 the 
 
 lb 
 
 memDersnin was 
 
 increased at every communion and the Sabbath 
 services were well attended. 
 
 At this jwint, just when tlie cause was bcM'tiL^ 
 well established, we have to record an event 
 which cannot be viewed but w ith rejj^ret. H}' an 
 action of Presl)ytery these two strut^_^lin^' con- 
 gregations, wdiich 1)\- tlieir utiited effort could 
 support a |)astor at a minimum salar)-, were sepa- 
 rated and left to stand alone. Let not the reader 
 conclude, however, that this arranijement was 
 forced upon the people b}- the Tresbv-terw An 
 
30 
 
 .SIK.MJAM', l'ki;M!\ IKKIAN rni Kl II. 
 
 iiiifortimHtc inisuiulcrstaiulin^ seems to have arisen 
 between the pastor and a lari^a- section of the 
 "ilbride coni^reijation, concernin^r the i)articiihirs 
 
 of which the writer has no inf( 
 
 orination and into 
 which he has no desire to in(]nire. A reference to 
 the fact, how ever, is deemed necessary in order to 
 explain snch an unseend\- separation. At a Iar<;e 
 meetin^r lidd in Nairn Chnrch, called for the 
 pnrpose of discussing; the situation, a resolution 
 was passed, ahnost unanimously, retpiestin^ the 
 
 rresb\ter\- to erect Nairn Church int 
 
 f) a sej)arate 
 
 self-sustainini^r chari,re under Mr. McLean's pastor 
 ate. Upon this petition the Presbytery took 
 action as ah-eady stated, ^nantinj^r the i)ra>-er of 
 the petition, and declarin^^ Kilbride cl 
 on August 4th, 1861. As th 
 suitable house in Strabane, the 
 
 large vacant 
 
 ere was no manse or 
 
 rented a house in Freelton, into which th 
 immediately moved. 
 
 congregation 
 
 e mmister 
 
STKAIJANK I'KESUVTI'.Kl AN ( III Kill, 
 
 31 
 
 CIIAITKR IV. 
 
 MK M. I.KANS I'ASroKA I K \'I' NAIKN ('lirKCH. 
 
 I IK cx])enciicc tlirou^h uhicli their pastor 
 had just iiassccl caused the people of Stra- 
 hauc to rail)' around him with assurances 
 of synipath)' and lo_\alt\'. The salar\- v\ hich they 
 proinised was not larjjje l)ut their personal i^ifts 
 were numerous and as Mr. McLean had no children 
 to provide for, he could ^et alon<; niccl\' with what 
 the people felt able to contribute. 
 
 The methods adoptetl in the management of 
 congregational affairs in those dajs seem some- 
 what quaint to us of the present, as our methods 
 also may appear to those who review our records 
 fift\' years hence. The size of the committees 
 appear to be not in proper proportion to the size 
 of the congregation. I'^or example, in the year 
 1862 there were probabl}- fifty or sixty fann'lies 
 and about ninety communicants. h\)r financial 
 purposes the congregation was divided into four- 
 teen districts, i'he Jioard of Management con- 
 sisted of the pastor and the five eiders already 
 named, together with Messrs. Gregg, Klliott, 
 Calder, Dunlop, Robertson, Findlay, VV^att, Mc- 
 Dougall, Moore, Fulton, Murray and h'letcher, 
 
32 
 
 SIKAIiWI., rKK^in ll'.KIAN Llll KCII. 
 
 ei^rhtecn in all. At the annual nicetin.LT it was 
 "unarn'in..iis|\- a-rci-d that the follcuin.; hV clc.tcd 
 t<> aid the managers." vi/ : Mai-aret Watson. 
 Kllen l-inilla>-. .Mar>jaret ( "anipheij, Atniie Stewart, 
 Janet R<)l)erts..n, Catherine Ad.lis.Mi. Hannah 
 Murray, Isabella M inra>-. Sarah Murra\'. I'di/aheth 
 Addiscn, Mar-arrt I'rcMcs. Mrs. Me\. ill, Martha 
 Wilson. Thnnias Murra\'. .Matilda Peebles. Thomas 
 Kleteher, and l'ds|)eth Smith. 
 
 Tlu's enormous committee prt^sented its report 
 to the annual nieetin- of the conrrrc^ration, of 
 which complaint is recorded as to the smallness of 
 the attendance. The money collected that \-e'ar 
 for pastor's salar>- uas $270.65, onlinary ami special 
 collections $97.93. 
 
 In order to secure a better attendance at the 
 annual mectinus the pastor on one occasion 
 delivered a lecture at the mcetin<,r <„, "Canadian 
 Statistics," and upon anoth 
 wanderino-s of the Children of I 
 
 er occasion on 
 
 Th( 
 
 srael 
 
 The earliest record of 
 
 monc 
 
 y raised for nn's- 
 
 sionary purposes was made in 186; w 1 
 
 i^re^^ation <^i\vc to Fore 
 R 
 
 len the con- 
 
 ii;n .Mi.ssions $2.25, Ri^il 
 
 iver Mi.ssion $7, Widou.s' Fmul $3, Honie M 
 
 sions $4.75, and I-"rcnch Canad 
 total $i<S. 
 
 is- 
 
 ian Mission.s ,$4, 
 
 For several years Mr. Gre^^o Iiad been I 
 continued to fill that office durin<r 
 
 and 
 
 maindcr of his life to tl 
 the contire<ratioii. 
 
 reasurer 
 
 th 
 
 c re- 
 
 ic entire satisfaction of 
 
STK\l:\\|-, rKI-><l!\ I I Kl \N ( 111 K( II. 
 
 3S 
 
 Mr. Wardropc h\- this time lind become en- 
 feebled by old a^^c but still inauifrstcd a deep in- 
 terest in the advancement of the -ause whicii was 
 so dear to him. The ixjopk- n.'-^arded him with 
 all the veneration and love due to i retired pastor 
 still amon^^ them. On the .^.i'! of October, 1S64, 
 at the advanced .v^c of .S4 \ears, he entered upon 
 his re.st and reward. A plain marble slab a few 
 \-ards from the south-east corner of the present 
 church buildinj,' marks the spot where his remains 
 await the resurrecticjii of the just. 
 
 Mr. Fraser died suddenly shortly after the 
 church was built, and before trustees had been ap- 
 l)ointed. to whom he could convex- the i)roperty, 
 consequently there was unavoidable delay in' 
 securincj a deed of the orij^inal site. 
 
 In 1866 there was an election (jf elders. Nine 
 were nominated, viz., Thomas J^ain, Duncan 
 Murray, James Harper, N. Gre<,r^r, J. McDou^rall, 
 A. Find!ay, R. Lothian, R Mackie and James 
 Muir. The first four named were elected, but 
 Duncan Murray alone accepted. I le was ordained 
 on the 14th of October. 
 
 About this time the j)ropriety of buildiiiL^r a 
 manse was discu.s.sed at con^n-e-rational meetin<,rs 
 and two offers for land near the church on which 
 to erect the buildin<,r were under consideration. 
 There was considerable diversity of opinion as to 
 the price asked, and the suital)ility of the respective 
 sites. 
 
34 
 
 STKAI'.ANK rRI'.SHVri'.klAN CHLKCII. 
 
 Mr. Spliin Bronsvjn owned seven acres near 
 the corner, on the 8th concession, on which he 
 had a saw mill and dwellin<^ house. IIavin<; met 
 with tlie misfortune of losing ]iis mill by fire he 
 resolved to sell out liis jiropert}- and tr)- his fortune 
 elsewhere. As a result of two special meetings, 
 held in February, 1867, between which a subscrip- 
 tion list was hurriedly circulated, a bargain was 
 made by which Mr. Ih'onson sold his i)roperty to 
 the congregation for the sum of $('joo. Thomas 
 Jiain, James Sanderson and Duncan Murra\' were 
 appointed Trustees for the manse property. 
 
 The loss which the congregation sustained by 
 the removal of Mr. and Mrs. J^ronson who had for 
 several years led in the service of praise, was to a 
 certain extent offset by the satisfaction of having 
 secured at a moderate price such a large and con- 
 venient glebe. 
 
 The manse, a fairly good frame house, quite 
 roomy and well sheltered b)- trees, was ver>' much 
 to the mitu'stcr's liking. Although the stable was 
 
 poor and tlie greater ])art of the land in a rough 
 condition, marred by the ruins of the mill and 
 dotted b)' large i)ine stumps and deserted and 
 dilapidatetl shanties of the workmen, \et near the 
 house was a )'oung orchard of almost one huntlred 
 fruit trees which added to both the ap])carance 
 and value. Soon after the purchase Mr. McLean 
 took up his residence in " The Manse," which was 
 his home during the remaining ten years of his 
 mortal life. 
 
SIKAMAM', rkl'Sin ri'.KIAX I'm KCH 
 
 35 
 
 The manifestations of sj)iritiialit\- and jjjrowth 
 in (^racc anion<; the members of the church, as far 
 as could he judj^cd h>' the Session, were of an 
 encoura<,rinf,^ character. In 1866, in its answers to 
 the Synod's cjucstions on the state of reh'<,n'on, the 
 Session refers to the i]^rowin<,n"nterest in the preach- 
 inL,^ of the Word. Jn the Sabbath School and in 
 the home the pastor observes a "ch-awini^r of the 
 young to Jesus," and sees among them " several 
 marked manifestations of early grace. " In stating 
 to what extent the cause is injured by intemper- 
 ance, the Session replies that it is "limited to the 
 few families where the dram prevails— there every 
 evil work is found." "Through the efforts of a 
 temperance organization in the place, numbering 
 in all about 150 members, the evil is greatly 
 abated." 
 
 May, 1S69, " The Session records its sense of 
 the Lord's kindness towards the congregation in 
 sparing .so long the late beloved and esteemed 
 Christian patriarch and elder of this church, Mr. 
 John Sanderson, who fell asleep in Jesus on April 
 1st of this year and jirays that a double [)ortion of 
 the Spirit may abide upon those v ho remain." 
 
 In 1867 the number on the '"onnnunion roll 
 was 146, and continued to inci::ase until 1876, 
 when after a careful revision, it numbered 170. 
 
 I'rogress marked the church iuiances also. The 
 report of 1875 states that the amount received for 
 stipend was $580.40, missions $96.30, ordinary 
 collections $1 r- « ?. The Session and conerciration 
 
36 
 
 SrR\HA\K I'KI'SKVrKKI.W ClUKC II. 
 
 joined heartily in the union of the various Presby- 
 terian bodies in ("anada which was consummated 
 in Montreal in June, i<S75. 
 
 The ori^nnal church buildinL,^ although small, 
 proved lar<;e enough for a few years. When more 
 room was recjuired a contract for enlargement was 
 given to Mr. Thomas Gray, who b)' the addition 
 of two projections or wings, a new roof and some 
 inside renovation, adidcd much to its appearance 
 and comfort. 
 
 Time, however, had left its marks on the edifice, 
 so that even the wings were Ijeginning to drooj). 
 A new church had l)een proposed, but the under- 
 takiig seemed so formidable, and the matter of 
 procuring a site presented so man\- difficulties that 
 j)rogress in this direction was slow. 
 
 The necessity for horse sheds was advocated 
 and over $ioo raised for the purpose, but this also 
 had to be held in abeyance until the title of the 
 site on which the church stood as well as sufiicient 
 additional land adjoim'ng should be secured, in 
 order, if possible, to have a scjuare with frontage on 
 the l^rock Road, sufficientl\' large for all retjuire- 
 ments. 
 
 Thos. liain was ajjpointed by the congregation 
 to negotiate in the purchase of this land while 
 Richard Lothia-i, Jas. Muir and J. H. F. Robertson 
 were appointed trustees. Mrs. Fraser, by letters 
 of admim'stration, was now in a position to transact 
 business regarding the estate. 
 
SIKAH.W!' I'KKSIiV ll-.Kl.W CIH KCH. 
 
 37 
 
 On February 7tli, 1877, she i;avc to the trustees 
 a deed which coiuejed to the con^rc<;ation tlie 
 lot on which the cluirch stood, out of deference 
 to the promise made b\- lier deceased husband, 
 John Fraser. Also, in adchtion to this, as a .L,n'ft 
 ft'oni herself, the lot (occupied as a burving ground. 
 These two parcels contained 2 roods, 38 perches, 
 or al)out three(|uarters of an acre. On the same 
 day she sold to the c(MiL;reL;ation one acre adjoining 
 the cliurch lot for the sum of $400. About a >-car 
 after, thic congregation purchased fri^m Mrs. l^>ascr 
 ar- ad lil!o;!al (juartei' of an acre tor the sum of $50. 
 Thfse . "ts and i)urchases made up a desirable 
 propel l\' containing tu (J acres, more or less, com- 
 [)act in shape and beautiful for situation. 
 
 While this business was being transacted by 
 the congregath>n, the pastor was l)ecoming more 
 feeble in health, the people remarked how grey he 
 was getting and noticed that he was not able to 
 attend night meetings, but none seemed to suspect 
 that the end uf his journe)- was so near. We pre- 
 sent to the reader an engraving from a [)hotograph 
 taken aliout :-;\ ^•c•ars before his death, which is 
 said to be :( in'" likeness. His most strikiiu^ 
 characteris ic. -cimii to have been the kindliness 
 of his dispo,iti(' I ni inifested in a special manner 
 in his r.Ltitude L,*<\,u-ds the chikiren, of wln^m 
 he was passionateix' fond, ,iv-\ the simplicity of 
 his life among his brethren. An illustration of the 
 latter might be given. On one occasion he spent 
 the night at the manse of a broth.er minister who 
 
 
38 
 
 STKAIJAXK I'KKSISVrKKIAN iJUljRCIT. 
 
 had Haifa dozen lively children with whom he was 
 accustomed to i)lay. The children, who followed 
 one another in close succession on the family reg- 
 ister, were accustomed to follow the same order in 
 climbing to their father's shoulder, and, holdin<^ his 
 hands, turn a somersault, aliL^htinj,^ on their feet or 
 otherwise on the cari)et. Mr. McLean looked on 
 with silence and manifest anxiety at the ''^ame in 
 which he saw only danger to the little ones, and 
 althouj^di he uttered no ren. <: at the time, when 
 he came to conduct family .< ip, he fervently 
 
 thanked God that none of the iiildren had sus- 
 tained bodily injury by the experience through 
 which they had just passed. 
 
 During the winter of 1877 he labored with 
 difficulty to overtake his work, keeping at his post 
 of duty as long as he was able. After beine but 
 one Sabbath out of the puli)it his strength rapidly 
 gave way and on IV'Iarch 3rd, 1877, lie was called 
 to rest from his labours. 
 
 In compliance with his own request, his 
 remains were interred close to the west end of the 
 church directly behind the puli)it in which he had 
 faithfully proclaimed the Gospel message for 
 twenty-two years. A plain headstone now marks 
 the spot, on which is inscribed : 
 
 IN Ml^l.MOKV Ol' 
 
 A7-;F. ALEXANDER Mcl.l-.AN 
 Died March 3r(l, 1H7;, 
 
 AGKl) 62 YK.ARS. 
 
 1 have preacheJ righteousness, I have not n-Jnumd my tips, 
 (' l.urd, thou kiio'ii'fst. 
 
^TUABANK I'KK.-hVTIRUN CIHKIIl. 
 
 39 
 
 bh„r ly a ter his .ieath a .ncctin,- of Session 
 
 adop:::," "'"'^''^ ''' ^""""■"'^' -"'-- «•- 
 
 recorl thcr deep sense of the loss they have sus- 
 t. .ncd as a confjreRation in the removal by death 
 of then- belov-e.d pasto,-, the Kev, Ale.xan' 
 McLean, who for the past tux-nty-two years has 
 labored an,on,. then, so faithfnily anddst all the 
 (l.sco„ra,c;en,cnts of a neu settlement. They 
 would express their high estimation of his many 
 •-■^tnnahle qnalities as a Christian gentlema-f 
 «en,a happy and eheerfulin all h^^^ 
 with h, Hock, and ,v,thal possessed of a char,ni„., 
 
 -..pl,c,ty;„fhisfaithfulnessasapastor,espeeJ: 
 ally n, v,s,tn,sj the sick ; of his substantial abilities 
 as a ninnster of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ 
 of wh,c ,t was his great joy to teh sinners; of 
 he hvely n.terest he ever took in theyoung under 
 h.s care, as well as the deep concern he ever 
 mH„,fested n, the spiritual >velfare and prosperity 
 
 eL i'r. H , ™"^"-'=e«"°"- ''"'■e>' would also 
 express their deep sympathy with the bereaved 
 widow in the irreparable loss she has thereby 
 ustained and pray that " the peace of God which 
 asseth all understanding „,ay keep her heart and 
 mind through Christ Jesus." 
 
40 
 
 S'J" K A H A \ I: P K I<: S 15 V J' l-: K I A N ( ' 1 1 T I< C H , 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 PASTOKATK OF RKV. J. I.. KOBKKTSOX. 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^, 
 
 -TIEN the usual arrangements were made 
 for the supply of the jnilpit, and an 
 opportunity crjven to make choice of a 
 minister to succeed Mr. AlcLcan, the congregation 
 acted with commendable promjjtness. At a meet- 
 ing called for the purpose on August 15th, 1877, 
 a un.uiimous call was extended to the Rev. John 
 L. Robertson, M. A., accompanied by a guarantee 
 of $700 salary and a free manse. The call was 
 sustained and accei)ted, and the induction took 
 place on the nth of September. 
 
 Mr. Robertson was born of Scottish parentage, 
 on Canadian soil, near the hi.storic battle ground 
 ofOueenston Heights. His early education was 
 received in St. Catharines Grammar School, and 
 the Normal School, Toronto. After teaching for a 
 short time in Canada he went to the United States, 
 where he studj-d for the nn'nistry at Westminster 
 College, under the direction of the United Tresby- 
 terian Church. He was licensed to preach in 1867, 
 and was ordained b)- the Presbytery of Stamford 
 as pastor of the U. P. Church, Walton, Ont., in 
 September of the same year. After about a year 
 
t 
 
 
 i«ff 
 
 •^mx'^ 
 
 REV. jmiN I.. Iv( H'.I.K 1>()N, M. A. 
 
l-i 
 
 I 
 I 
 
 i: 
 
 h 
 a 
 tl 
 
and a half he returned tn Pn..., i 
 
 wa,s in a settled c a " ,"ieT ■""'■'■ >^''""^' "^' 
 A r ^"rti^t, untn Me came to Str-ihano 
 
 Kutherford, sr UnJ.T T '"■ ^""'' •>"''" 
 
 of the ciu,re ;/ Ti ; el ";: T';: '■""' "-■ '-'-• 
 
 A..ril, .S;,, ,W,e„ t e c: „ ™tt e r/- 
 
 J > ^'1 uie same year the sum of $^ nnn ,wo u 
 rou-ed for building purposes J,l " ^"'" 
 
 the property ..iven ^ \ ^ mort^^a^L^e on 
 
 ' \ "■> ^,i\en as security. This 1^ -.ii ^i 
 informat on we <r,.f r... ., '-^ '*" the 
 
 and that of tit " u 'nt '^^ T °' '"^ ^""•™"ee, 
 ;erse,.|,e ^, l", ;:::-;/; ^'^.«l,shop, of 
 
 a.Kl contradictory „atu e o h ""''^""""^^'^ 
 render it ine.vped Int e .echllv r ' ''"""''''""^ 
 "o personal knowledge o 1 .L°'' ^ V'" ""^ 
 
 feelf, however, lu.s^ so" ;',„''" '''''■'^'■••^' 
 walls speak of the fnii „ , ? ' '"■' "'o''^ 
 
 hauhnj^ the matuill ''"•''"' '" S''"'^-'"'S «'hI 
 ^, tiic inacei a nece>ssMi-\r r,^,. *i • 
 
42 
 
 STKAM.WK I'KKSMN IKKIAN (Jill RCII. 
 
 in the contract. The walls itulicatc also that their 
 builders believed in a ^^ood foundation and that 
 they du^r deep in order to sjcure it, as the base- 
 ment is more than half under ground, the entrance 
 at the lowest corner bein^ by a descendin^f stair- 
 way. They also indicate that the committee did 
 not believe in wasting mcjiiey on hii^h towers or 
 much external ornamentation, as massiveness and 
 solidity are the outstandinL^ features. In shape the 
 buiklinj.;is cruciform, api)arentl)- modeled after the 
 old church with its win<^s attached, which would 
 seem tosu^^est the stronj^ conservative tendencies 
 of the buiidiuf; committee. The size of the build- 
 ing (outside measurement; is 50 ft. by 81 ft. It 
 has three entrances at the front, and in the south- 
 west angle is the vestry which is enteretl from 
 the south. The pews, circular in form, contain 
 400 sittings and are intersected by five aisles 
 leading to the ])Iatform. The edifice, which 
 is situated on the highest part of the lot, 
 faces the east and is forty yards from the Brock 
 Road, from which it is api)roached by three 
 gates. The first opens to an avenue leading past 
 the north side of the church to a spacious )'ard, 
 surrounded on north and west by sheds and 
 furnished with agood well and other conveniences. 
 The second opens to a wide ascending gravel 
 walk leading to the main entrance, which branches 
 off on either side to the other doors. The third 
 opens to a winding drive through the graveyard. 
 The church was solemnly dedicated to the worship 
 
L'lr 
 lat 
 
 iC- 
 
 ce 
 
 ir- 
 i(l 
 or 
 h\ 
 he 
 ^c 
 Id 
 cs 
 d- 
 It 
 h- 
 in 
 in 
 es 
 :h 
 )t, 
 :k 
 2e 
 
 St 
 
 s. 
 
 CI 
 
 ;s 
 
 •d 
 
 :1. 
 
r 
 
 
 y. 
 
 /< 
 
 y. 
 
STKAIJAXK I'KKSMYTKKI.W CIUKCH. 
 
 f I: 
 
 43 
 
 y 
 
 /< 
 
 •'. 
 
 of God by the Rev. R. J. Laidlaw, LL. D., pastor 
 of St. Paul's Church, Hamilton. 
 
 Mr. James I larpcr, sr., was ordained au elder 
 on April 7th, 1878. 
 
 When the M>innalof the Presbyterian Church 
 in Canada, antl-.orized by the (General Assembly 
 in 188 1, was submitted to the con<r|-e^ation the 
 same year f(;r adoption, it was rejected by a lar^^e 
 majority. 
 
 In the summer of 1882 there was another elec- 
 tion of elders, which resulted in the ordination, on 
 the 27th of October, of Messrs. David Bro'wti, 
 John K P. Robertson, John Ross, Thos. Mcl.aren,' 
 Wm. Ferrier and Alex.Nicol. 
 
 Ill Jul}', 1884, the Session recorded a brief 
 minute rej^ardino- the death of Mr. James Nicol, 
 on June 4th, at the aoe of yy years. He was a 
 native of Aberdeenshire, Scotlaiul, came to Canada 
 in 1844, and three years later was ordained 
 as one of the first elders of the church. He 
 was a devoted and faithful member of Ses.sion. 
 It is said of him that he was accu.stomed not only 
 to observe the Sabbath with his family in the 
 usual way by attendin^r regularly on all the church 
 services, but that he secured the full Sabbath day's 
 rest for liis horses as well, by s^ivin-,^ them the 
 Saturday afternoon's rest in lieu of the Sabbath 
 forenoon's work in drawin^r the well loaded family 
 wagon to the Ikhisc of God. 
 
 In both the sessional and congregational 
 records the designation "Nairn Church " is omitted 
 
r 
 
 44 
 
 STKABAXK PRESHVTKKIAN CHIKCH. 
 
 on and after the year 1879. There is no record of 
 the chan<,^e or the cause which brought it about. 
 The e.v'planatioii <,n"ven is to the effect that on 
 account of there being a Nairn post office farther 
 west, near Sarnia, annoyance was frecjuently 
 caused by the miscarriage of letters. Also on one 
 occasion when a minister from Toronto had been 
 announced to lecture in Nairn Church, the audi- 
 ence was assembled but the lecturer failed to 
 appear, having travelled one hundred miles farther 
 west to a place where no one expected him. It 
 was thought, moreover, by many, that no violence 
 would be done to the agreement with the late 
 iMr. Fraser, if the name "Nairn" should not be 
 transferred to the new building, inasmuch as the 
 old one was called by that name as long as it 
 stood ; consec[uently at a ccjngregational meeting 
 a motion was carried by which the new church 
 was to be known in the future by the simi)le des- 
 ignati' of the Strabane Presbyterian Church. 
 
 The name " Strabane" dates almost as far back 
 as the history of the church. The early settlers 
 at first received their mail matter at Dundas, but 
 later on Mr. Matthew Peebles, who kept a store 
 about half a mile south of the corner, on the 
 Brock Ruad, had a post office o[)ened there which 
 he named after Strabane, a town in the north of 
 Ireland, near the place of his birth. The post 
 office was afterwards removed to a buildiuir 
 almost opposite the church. Mr. Peebles was, for 
 a long time one of the best known and most 
 
SIkARANK IM<KSI5VT1:K1AN ciukch. 
 
 45 
 
 enterprising^ men in the community. Althoti-h 
 more widely known in commercial and political 
 life, he took considerable interest in church affairs 
 as well. 
 
 On the 22nd of March, 1881, a special meetin^y 
 of the concrre^ration was called 1)\- the ]'resb\-tery 
 at which Rev. Dr. Lain^,^ on behalf of the Presby- 
 tery exi)lained that the meeting \v.as called to 
 ascertain the views of the congrci^at.on rcL^arding 
 a re-union with the con.f^regation of Kilbride. 
 Dclejrates from Kilbride also were i)resent. 
 After quite a number had expressed their views, 
 some favorable and others in opposition to such 
 an arran^L,rcment, a motion to adjourn for twcj 
 weeks was carried. At the adjourned meetin^r the 
 followincT resolution was adopted, viz.: "That 
 while this meeting is opi)osed to a formal union 
 of this cono-re<,ration with that of Kilbride, \et 
 they are willini^r that their minister, under the 
 direction of Trcsbytery, should, durin^- the next 
 seven months supply the Kilbride i)ulpit on Sab- 
 bath afternoons and take such pastoral oversi<rht 
 of the cono-reo-ation as the Presbytery ma\' think 
 fit durin<:j that time." 
 
 The anmial rei)ort of 1S83 shows the revenue 
 from seat rents and plate collections to have been 
 $755-3' . collections for nn'ssions $21. 
 
 The educational facilities afforded by the 
 Strabane i)ublic school had been suitable for the 
 reciuirements of the pastor's children while vouno- 
 
IT 
 
 46 
 
 STKAHANK I'RKSUVTKKIAN CHIKCH. 
 
 but now the necessities of a hif^her cJucation for 
 thein led Mr. Robertson to return to the vicinity 
 of his own " ahua mater " where he considered the 
 advantages were superior to those within their 
 reach if he were to remain here. This considera- 
 tion mainly, led him to tender his rcsi<,mation 
 which was finally accepted by the Presbytery 
 and Mr. Robertson removed to New Wilmington 
 in the sprintr of 1884, where he was soon settled in 
 another charge. 
 
 1:1 
 
STKAHANF, I'KKSIiVrKKIAN ( IHKCH 
 
 47 
 
 CHAPTER VI, 
 
 KII.I5KII)K t;().\(il<i;(;A I'KtN. 
 
 3 
 
 ^ 
 
 T the time of Mr. McLean's removal, Kil- 
 1 bride was placed on the list of mission 
 * stations, and was su])plied for some time 
 
 by students durincr vacation, and occasionally 
 
 during the winter months. 
 
 Rev. John Porteous of Beverley was the Mod- 
 erator of Session />/'<? /<v«. Amoni^ the students 
 who spent asummer in Kilbride durin,<( that period 
 were Rev. Prof. Beattie, D. D., of Columbia, S. C, 
 and Rev. A. B. Simp.son, of New York. 
 
 In 1865, Rev. James Howie was ap})ointed as 
 an ordained missionary for one year. The sub- 
 scription list of that time shows a i)romise of $300 
 per annum for the support of ordinances. 
 
 After Mr. Howie's year had c>:pired, the con- 
 .q;regation took steps to extend a call, which resulted 
 in the settlement of Mr. W. H. Simpson as i)astor. 
 The new minister was a youn^ man, a native of 
 Prince l-Mward Island, who had just graduated 
 from Knox Collc^^c. The ordination and induction 
 took place on May 31st, 1867. Rev. David Inf,dis 
 l)resided, and Revs. R. N. Grant and A. B. Simp- 
 son took part in the service. 
 
[:i 
 
 
 48 
 
 STKAMANI'. I'KKSHVTKKIAN CIll'KCH. 
 
 i.- 
 
 Thc vacancy of six years proved to be a trying 
 time to the little congregation. The members, 
 although only forty in number, were united and 
 hopefull)- looked forward to days of greater i)ros- 
 perity in the near future. Duritig the following year 
 sixteen names were added to the roll. The attitude 
 of the Session at tliat time regarding church music 
 is set forth in a resolution anent the subject, in 
 dealing with an overture sent down by Synod for 
 the consitlcration of Kirk Sessions, passed in Jan- 
 uary, 1868, viz.: "Resolved, that in view of the 
 present state of feeling on this cjucstion, it is the 
 opinion of tliis Session that the sanction by our 
 Synod of the use of instrumental music would dis- 
 turb the harmon}' of our church and injure the cause 
 of Christ." Mr. Francis Small, wlio had been for 
 some years past, connected with the congregation 
 at Strabane, re-united with Kilbride, and was again 
 inducted as a member of Session in I869. On 
 May 29th, 1S70, \V. E. Olds and Alexander Fraser 
 were ordained to the eldership. These additions 
 to Session were soon afterwards followed by the 
 loss of Mr. Wilson, by death, in 1870, and the de- 
 parture of iMr. Olds to the United States two 
 years later. 
 
 On March 6th, 1873, the Se.ssion was again 
 augmented by the addition of James Harvey and 
 Dr. VVm. McClurc. The membership at that time 
 had increased to 71. 
 
 A glance at the business transacted by the 
 Managers showed that in 1868 the church was 
 
TIIK I. A 11.; Ki:\- w II. SIMI'SON. |) |). 
 
'•J 
 
 n 
 
STKAHANF, PKKSH\TKRIA\ ( 111 KCH. 
 
 49 
 
 re-shin^rlc(l and painted at a cost of $212. The 
 annual report for 1871 shows that the minister was 
 J)aid $516. Durin^T tlie same year the contrrct^ation 
 purchased for a manse the brick cotta<,rc which had 
 been built by Mr. McLean, and decided to adver- 
 tise in The (;iohc for a precentor at %\oo per 
 annum. It will thus be observed that the pros- 
 perous times hoped for had come. The pastorate 
 of Mr. Simpson, which seems to have been marked 
 by harmony and procrress, was suddenly termi- 
 nated by his acceptance of a cill to First Pres- 
 byterian Church, Madi.son, Indiana, on Au.L,rust 5th, 
 1873. After thirteen years of labor in the United 
 States, his health failerl and he returned to Canada, 
 where he died in ("iiatham, in iScSS. 
 
 Kilbride coni,rre<,ration, after hearincr a number 
 of probationers, extended a call to Mr. Isaac Camp- 
 bell, who had just comi)leted his studies in Knox 
 Colle^re. Mr. Campbell was ordained and inducted 
 on November 2nd. 1874. After a brief pastorate 
 he accepted a call to Beverley and the char^re 
 was a^aiti declared vacant on June nth, 1876. 
 
 Rev. ^:.\V. Waits, of Waterdown, was appointed 
 Moderator Z)/-.^ tern. Another season of dei)ression 
 was in store for this little couf^n-e^^ation. 
 
 The mills of the Canada Powder Co., situated 
 at Cumminsville, were closed and the j)lant 
 removed to Windsor, Que. As a conseciuence, 
 several famih'es whose occupations were directly 
 or indirectly connected with the mills, sought 
 
50 
 
 STRABANE I'KKSBVTKRIAN CHUKLH. 
 
 employment elsewhere. A number of families also 
 withdrew from the conf];rc(;ation in order to unite 
 with the church at C'ampbellville, where a cause 
 had recently been established. 
 
 The few who remained held bravely together 
 and maintained ordinances as their circumstances 
 permitted. All proposals of union with neighbor- 
 ing congregations proved unsuccessful. After four 
 years the arrangement recorded in the previous 
 chapter was made by which Rev. Mr. Robertson 
 of Strabane took temporary pastoral oversight 
 and acted as Moderator of Session. An elder's 
 certificate was forwarded to Dr. McClure who had 
 removed from the bounds, and a minute adopted 
 expressive of the high esteem in which he was 
 held. 
 
 In 1883 two additional elders were elected, viz., 
 Edward Corlett and Isaac Clugston, who were 
 ordained on June 8th of the same year. 
 
 The Session was thus strengthened and a few 
 were added 10 the membership so that the pros- 
 pect began to look brighter when the reinoval of 
 Rev. Mr. Robertson from Strabane again left the 
 congregation vacant. 
 
 '4 
 
SIK AK.WK I'KKMnri.KIAN ClirkCII. 
 
 51 
 
 1 
 
 CHAPTER \TI. 
 
 FASTOKATK OF KKW J, \\. CATIIL-AR-I'. 
 
 f(jj{EV. S. W. I'ISIIKR was Alodcrator /-/v. Av//. 
 of Strabanc Session durinp^ the vacancy 
 which followed the dci)arture ot Rev. Mr. 
 Robertson. Trobationers were heard for a few 
 months, after which Rev. Mr. C'athcart supplied 
 the pulpit durin^r the winter and sprinj;. 
 
 In May the Session recorded as follows: " We 
 hereby i)Iace on record our deep sense of appreci- 
 ation of the faithful service rendered to this church 
 by our late lamented father.W'alter McFarlane, who 
 has been a member of this Session for the past 
 thirty-ei^dit years, durin^r which time he heartily 
 identified himself with all the interests of the 
 church, both material and spiritual. VVc are thank- 
 ful to the Lord for sparin^r hj^ servant so lonjr to 
 the church and for the hallowin^^ influence of his 
 worthy example, his earnest piety and his holy 
 life ; until, as a shock of corn full>- ripe, he was 
 gathered home on February 27th, 1885. He being 
 dead yet speaketh." 
 
 There was a proposal to extend a call to Mr 
 Cathcart, but he was not eligible, not having a.-, 
 yet been received by the General Assembly. At 
 the request of the people, however, the Presbytery 
 
r 
 
 52 
 
 SIKAMAM'. i'KISIiV ri.KI.W ' III K( H 
 
 extended his appointment with instructions that 
 he should supply Kilhride as well. 
 
 Some of the Strahatic pc-ople were ch'sposed to 
 propose a union with Kilbride and a meeting for 
 the purpose was called hut nothing defitute accom- 
 plished. Kilbride Session aj)pointed John Agnevv 
 to advocate union with Strabane at the coming 
 meeting of Presbytery. h'inall\- the Presbytery 
 encouraging these mutual approaches, succeeded 
 in effecting a re-union, to the evident satisfaction 
 of all j)arties concerned. The united congrega- 
 tions then extended a call to Kev. Mr. ( "athcart, 
 which he accepted. 
 
 Mr. ('athcart was born in Waterloo County, 
 Ont., in i84<S. His parc.'uts had emigrated from 
 Enniskillen. Ireland, the previous year and taken 
 up land in that section, which was then a wilder- 
 ness. The famil\- belonged! to the Church of 
 England, but as the Methodists were first to carry 
 the Gospel to the section in which they lived, they 
 cast in their lot with that body. Mr. ("athcart 
 grew up anu'd the rugged experiences of backwoods 
 life, which has proved an excellent training to 
 many of the most ))rominent professional and 
 business men of the present time. 
 
 At the age of twenty he united with the 
 Methotlist Church and manifested such zeal in the 
 welfare of the congregation with which he was 
 identified that he was urged to give himself to the 
 work of the ministry. After considerable hes- 
 tation he realizeil that the call was from God and 
 
;l-.\- I. W r,\ liK AK r. 
 
r^ 
 
S'IKAIIANI.: PKKSl.vrWdl.V ciukcm 
 
 53 
 
 responded "Here am I." 1 Ic attended the ]ie,li„ 
 Grannna,. .chool until he had taken a fnst ela,:: 
 tcachc, s certificate an,l was received as nr<,ba- 
 t.oner of the Methodist Chnrch 
 
 dida'^eTf " T "'■"'" "^ ''"'^- l"-=»=nbed for can- 
 
 cTo d ;. V'r'.''' ™"'^'^' "■'■"' ">•-■ ''i-^f-ctive 
 
 esu It r ; •■'■'"";">"» -"1 ^alvinists, with the 
 
 result that a deeded preference for the Calvin- 
 
 ■^t.c v.ews as held l,y Presbyterian,, was ,le. 
 
 f on, the .Method,st Church and was received bj- 
 he Presbytcnan Church in the Cuited States and 
 
 mhofV '"''■■"""" '•"***'5. On SeptcXr 
 20th of the san.e year, he was installed as pastor of 
 Strabaneand Kilbride, 
 
 Durinfj Mr. (athcarfs pastorate the work 
 
 snoothly Specal evan^^elistic nieetinys were 
 
 held at K.ibride, where the attendance u^s n.uch 
 "nproved and the n.en.bership increased 
 
 At btrabane the people had been devoting 
 
 the.r enertjy ever since the church was built, to 
 
 pay off the debr. Hesi.les this, n.ainU- through the 
 
 persona, exertion of the pastor and those who 
 
 eame to h,s assistance, the ^debe was put in a 
 
 much better ondition and tl,e uMnse was also 
 
 changed both in external and internal appearance 
 
 wh.ch added nn,ch to its convenience and con,. 
 
 tort. No change in the Session at eitlier place is 
 
 recorded, ,v,th the exception of g.anting elders' 
 
54 
 
 STKAHANK I'KKSBV TKRIAN CHURCH. 
 
 certificates to Thomas McLaren and Alexander 
 Nicol who removed from the bounds. There 
 were added to the cliurch in both places durinc,^ 
 his ministry, by profession of faith, fifty-six persons 
 or a yearly avera|^e of fourteen. 
 
 From the latter part of Mr. Robertson's pas- 
 torate even to the present, the congre^^ation has 
 lost heavily by removals to Manitoba and else- 
 where, so that the actual number on the roll re- 
 mained about the same, notwithstanding^ the ad- 
 ditions. 
 
 In the winter of i88g Mr. Cathcart was led to 
 tender his resignation, in order to accept a call to a 
 church in the United States. He was relea.sed 
 from his charge here in March of that year. 
 
STRABANK FKKSUVTKKIAN CIIL'RCH. 
 
 55 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 PASTORATE OF REV. I). G. CAMERON. 
 
 ^|;N November, a call was extended to the Rev. 
 gj D. G. Cameron, pastor of Dungannon and 
 Pt. Albert. The call was supported before 
 the Presbytery of Maitland by Rev. S. Carruthers 
 the interim Moderator of Session, who gave rea- 
 sons for the translation. The call was accepted 
 and the i>rcsent pastor was inducted at Strabane 
 on December 24th, 1889. 
 
 Mt. Cameron was born in Osgoodc, Carleton 
 County, Ont. in 1856. Mis parents, who emigrated 
 from Scotland in early life, were among the pio- 
 neers of that locality. lie was brought up under 
 the ministry of the late Rev. James Whyte, whose 
 memory he regards with the deepest veneration. 
 In boyhood, as the result of a fall, he passed 
 through a severe bodily affliction, which lasted 
 several years. During the early part of this period, 
 he underwent a religious experience of a some- 
 what remarkable character, l^y Divine mercy, 
 however, he emerged from this double conflict, 
 like Jacob of old on the banks of the Jabbok. 
 
 At the age of nineteen he returned to his books 
 and after two years in Kemptville High School, 
 
I 
 
 56 
 
 STKAUANK I'RKSHYTKKIAN CHl'KCII. 
 
 went to Montreal, where for six years he pursued 
 the course |)rescribed by the Churcli, at McGill 
 University and the Presbyterian ('ollcgc of that 
 city, ^raduatin^ from the latter institution in i«S83. 
 On the 1 8th of July of the same year he was licensed 
 to i)reach and ordained to the work of a home 
 missionary, in Winnipeg, by the Presbytery of 
 Manitoba. In the autumn of 1884 he became the 
 pastor of Erskine Church, Dungannon, where he 
 remained until he accepted the call of Strabane 
 and Kilbride, his present charge. 
 
 At the annual meeting in 1890 the building 
 committee i)resented its final report through Mr. 
 Jas. L. Robertson, the secretary, and after the 
 adoption of the report, the committee was dis- 
 missed, having received the thanks of the con- 
 gregation. 
 
 The . report set forth that over $800 of this*? 
 amount promised on subscription* had not been 
 paid and is therefore still due the congregation. 
 Should this sentence be read by thcjse to whom 
 the statement applies, we would refer them to 
 Deut. 23: 21, and remind them that it is not too 
 late to make amends. 
 
 Th 
 
 e amount received on subscrii)tion wa.^ 
 
 S5547.78 ; from tea meetings, etc., $664.03 ; total, 
 $621 1. 81. l"'.xpended on church building, $4979.25 ; 
 rei)airs on manse, $282.35 ; sheds and stable 
 $156.21: interest on mortgage, $794 ; total, $621 1.8 1. 
 The Managers' account showed an expenditure 
 of $863 for the year just closed, and that in addition 
 
;i:\' p (.. I wii'.Ki 'N 
 
 I 
 
STk.\i5A\K I'R^:sI{^•T^:KIA.\ ciirktii. 
 
 57 
 
 to the revenue, about $240 had to be borrowed to 
 balance accounts. To this indebtechiess a.i account 
 ot ^ISS uas presented for board and horse hire of 
 probationers, makin<r at once a floatinir debt of 
 about $400, which was met bys,,ecial subscription. 
 Durin- the summer of iH<jo, repairs and im- 
 proveme.its , .n the interior of the Church were 
 undertai<en at a cost of over $300. 
 
 Tlic number of communicants on the roll at 
 the be-nniing of the present i)astorate was 120. 
 
 The service of praise was led by a precentor 
 and the Psalms and Paraphrases used, while at 
 the Sunday School and evenini,^ service an or-an 
 and Gospel hym.is were 1,1 use. In compliance 
 with a reciuest from a number of members, the Ses 
 sion,m l89i,subnHtted a ballot to the con<.re<ration 
 in order to ascertain if they were in favor of the use 
 of the authorized Hymnal in addition to the Psalms 
 and also if they were in favour of the use of an' 
 organ m the church service. The result of the 
 vote was, for Hymnal 58, opposed 8. for Or-an48 
 opposed 16. The Session decided to sustain the 
 majority of the con-re-ation in both cases, au- 
 thorize the use of the Hymnal from that date and 
 refer the or-an question to the Mana-ers An 
 organ was soon i)urchased and a choir appointed 
 which led the service of praise from that time. 
 
 About this time also, a chanoe was made in the 
 size of the Committee of Management, by which it 
 was reduced from 20 to 6; and later the duty of 
 

 58 
 
 STKARANK I'KKSHVTKRIAN CHl'KCH. 
 
 takin<^ the offerinpj was transferred by the Session 
 to the Managers. 
 
 A new communion set was procured, cards 
 were substituted for the pewter tokens and a record 
 of attendance kept. 
 
 Two deaths have occured in the Session. Mr. 
 David 15rown died on Aug. 22nd, 1894, and Mr. 
 John Ross on Sept. 1st, 1896. They were ordained 
 at the same time, were both about 60 years of age, 
 intimately associated in Hfe and not long sej)arated 
 by death. Regarding each, a minute was inserted 
 in the Session record setting forth an expression 
 of the deep sense of loss we have sustained in the 
 removal of our departed brethren ; a loss which is 
 felt, not by the Session alone, but by the whole 
 congregation and the community at large. Also 
 an acknowledgment of the unflagging interest 
 which they took in all matters pertaining to the 
 cause of Christ, especially in connection with our 
 own congregation, as shown in their regularity 
 and agreeableness as well as their cheerfulness and 
 liberality in all the services which they rendered. 
 It was the pastor's privilege to be on the most 
 intimate terms with these brethren in the activities 
 of church life, and when their working days were 
 over, to commune with them of the rest beyond ; to 
 stand on the brink as they passed over, to close 
 their sightless eyes and commit their bodies to the 
 earth in the sure hope of a glorious resurrection. 
 
 The vacancy caused by the death of Mr. 
 Brown was filled by the ordination of Dr. James 
 

 SIKAHANK l'KKSI5Vl'KklA.\ CIHRCH. 
 
 59 
 
 McQueen, on March 3rd, 1895. Later on the con- 
 i^vci^dUon was asked to elect three adchtional elders, 
 with the result that Messrs Geor^re Nicol, Alex- 
 ander Mcl'^arlane and Richard Lothian u'ere or- 
 dained on Jan. loth, ICS97. 
 
 The conj^re^^ation durin<; the past seven years 
 has raised, on an averai,^e, for all purposes about 
 $1100 a year; of this amount an average of $207 
 a year was contributed to missions. The com- 
 municants at present number 151. 
 
 Kilbride, durin;^^ the same pericnl, continued to 
 suffer losses by removals ; three families Ieavin<,r for 
 every one that came in, so that marks of pro<,n-ess 
 are scarcely to be looked for. An organ had been 
 in use for .>,e vera! years but not until' 1892 was the 
 Mymnal introduced. There has been no change 
 in the Sessicjii for 14 years. Three years ago the 
 congregation improved the ai)pearance of the 
 church by paint and the erection of a room at the 
 rear. 
 
 The union of the two congregations twelve 
 years ago has been followed by harmony and 
 friendship. 
 
 The Sabbath School at Strabane dates as far 
 back as the church, is comparatively well ecjuipped, 
 reports 90 scholars and over $40 in offerings. 
 
 The Auxiliary of the Women's Foreign Mis- 
 sionary Society was organized in 1887, nnd has 
 done a good work. 
 
 The " White Stone " Mission Hand is an enthu- 
 siastic company of 
 
 youthful workers. 
 
 meetuifj 
 
6o 
 
 STKAHANK I'RKSBYTKKIAN CHUKCH. 
 
 monthly to study the progress of the Church's 
 obedience to the Saviour's command. They are 
 not only improving their natural talents but are in 
 possession of talent money, of which they will 
 render an account at their annual entertainment. 
 
 The Christian ICndeavor Society was organized 
 iti 1889. It has 26 active and 10 associate members, 
 and meets weekly for prayer and l^ible study. It 
 has helped greatly in developing latent talent, and 
 has made many improvements on church and 
 manse which would otherwise have been left 
 undone. 
 
 la .; 
 
If I 
 
I 
 
 a yiiiiii 
 River. 
 
 KKW JAMKS lil.At K. 
 
 Till' Kev, laiiius Black was l)()rn in I )iiiiifriessliiie. Sciitiaiid, in I*^22. lie is 
 gfi brother of the late Kev. Jnhn l'>lack, I). I)., the aimstle of the Keii 
 
 Hi 
 
 s early eiluca 
 
 litli Ills father's tamilv to Hoviiia, State 
 
 tioii was received in tiis native land. In 1S41 he 
 
 .f .New York. II 
 
 as a 
 
 <tuiient in Knox Ci 
 
 leKe 
 
 I) 
 
 e was in 1H47 eiui 
 
 d 
 
 uring Ills college cou 
 
 rse he labored tor three 
 
 successive suniniers as a student missionary in Caledonia. Allan Settlement and 
 Oneida. On graduating, in i**!;.^, lie ^vas ordained and inducted into the pastorate 
 of these congregations. .Mter'laboring with tulelity and success in this < liarge 
 for upwards of thirty >;i\ years, he resigneii ami came to live in Hamilton. 
 Having given temporarv supply for a few \ears to various congregations, lie 
 retired from the active work of tlie ministry by permission of the < ieneral 
 Assembly. Mr. Hlack occ\ipies a high place in the love and esteem of his 
 l)rethren in the ministry, wlio-^e fond hope is that the " Xenerable Father of the 
 I'resbytery " may be continued with them for many years. 
 
 r 
 c 
 
MKAnANI.I.KKSMVTKKrAN CHURCH. 
 
 6i 
 
 CilAlTKR IX. 
 
 THK lUHII.KK, 
 
 «n T a 'nceting „f Session held in January last 
 ^ i ; ^,^""?'' "•- ''--"vn ,„ tl,e fact tl,,'; thj 
 
 lersarj of the orga.nzation of tl,e con.ne.ratio,, 
 
 taken to oteerve the event in a beeominf; .nanner 
 A. a subse,,uent meeth,^. it was dceidcd th on 
 account of the usnal bad state of the roa<ls a tha 
 season, ,t >voul<l be better to have the ee ebr > '^ 
 on the ..th of May, on which date, fifty yea. ™ 
 
 ho^r:;:'"- '" ""■"""•" ^■•'''■«-' "-actio, fof 
 
 ^crv.ce preparatory to the Comm.nn-on was 
 conducted on May 7th. by Kev. VV. Robe tson o 
 Morr,s,on, wo preached an excellent ser.no'.^ n 
 neb. 13. 8, Jesns ( hnst the same yesterdav 
 
 an fed';; '''"" ^'"^""^'^ "°' ^^c^yZ 
 ranged ,h,s serv.ce, at which si.x members lere 
 
 received was a fitting commencement to the sedes 
 of meetmgs which followed. 
 
62 
 
 STKAHANK I'KKSUVTKKIAN CIHKCH. 
 
 i 
 
 Sabbath morninj^, Alaj' 9th, was fair, and alari^^c 
 congrej^ation assembled to worshij) the God of their 
 fathers. The Venerable Dr. \\'ardroi)e conducted 
 the service. After jM'ayer, the ])astor announced the 
 35th Para])hraseand requested that it should be suni^ 
 without the use of the organ, and that the congre- 
 gation should remain seated as in bygone days. 
 Dr. Wardrope addressed the communicants and 
 dispensed the bread, and the pastor dispensed the 
 wine and cotiducted the closing exercises. The 
 six elders of Strabane officiated, and the elders 
 from Kilbride sat with them on the platform. A 
 season of blessed communion was enjoyed by 
 those who were present. 
 
 In the afternoon a service of ]jraise and thanks- 
 giving was conducted by the pastor, at which Dr. 
 VV'ardrope again delivered an earnest and touch- 
 ing address on "Consecration." 
 
 In the e\ening the Rev. John Young, M. A., 
 pastor of St. John's Church, Hamilton, conducted 
 the service. 
 
 On Wednesday afternoon, Ma\' 12th, the auili- 
 ence was not so large as expected, j^artly, no doubt, 
 on account of the bus\- season. The pastor presided, 
 and with him on the lower platform were the two 
 representatives from the Presbytery and Dr. War- 
 drope. On the u])per platform were five of the 
 neighboring ministers, Mr. Matt, M. V. P., of 
 Hamilton, and Dr. McQueen, of h'reelton. After 
 devotional exercises and a few introductory- 
 remarks, the chairman read a letter from Mr. 
 
STIiAl.ANK rKKSMVlKKfANCIUKdl f.J 
 
 Thomas Bain, M. P., i,, ,vhich he expressed 
 
 fS ''.'"'."" '""K^"' business enga,.enicnt de- 
 ta.ned 1 ,n „, Ottawa; otherwise he would have 
 
 spent the best part of his life. Letters of eon- 
 gratulation were received from Revs. I, 1. Robert 
 son and J. W. Catheart, forn,er pasto s. Rev, 
 
 and J Mahaffy.and Messrs. E. S. Pron.so,,, I. R 
 Robertson, U . M Kobertson, A. .\ndrew/a„d' 
 Ur.. Adchson and Shanks. Fron, notes of the 
 addresses taken bj- Mr. CorriKal. Principal of our 
 school, we are able to ,>ive a brief epitome, 
 the h- ,"'Queen read the first two chapters of 
 
 c led n °" ,>'^''';^"' "''" ""'^'^ ='- <^''-nnan 
 called upon Rev. James ])|ack, ti,e fiMa- o( the 
 
 Prcsby ery of iramilton, who said it afforde.i In 
 
 Sreat pleasure to convey to the congre^^ation 
 
 Krcetmgsof the Presbytery on this vefy imere t n« 
 
 occas,o„. Of the ministers belonging to ht 
 
 ye::^C7n: "" "^^"•"">^'" ""■^ ™"«-«--0" fifty 
 ) ears ago, not one remained. The hounds of the 
 
 Presbytery at that time ..v„.e ,m,eh larger tl n 
 
 now, exten.lin, fron, Lake En. to the GeorS; 
 
 almost as far back as the event they were co.n- 
 memoratu.g. 1 ,is knowle.lge of Strabane wa.s Z 
 
 stud™:: r "'■• '" ,'"■■""«" '"•" "' ''■■« fcl""" 
 
 of 'heirfa^^?^'"' ""'''' »-d."pe, he knew 
 of tier father s home ami work in this locality 
 He had been well acquainted with iUr. Md can 
 
64 
 
 S IK A I'.A N !•: I'K i;Sin ri'.K I A \ CI H KC 1 1. 
 
 and also w ith Messrs. Robertson and C'athcart and 
 wished to express his hi;^'h rej^ard for the ])resent 
 devoted pastor. lie closed with an ai)peal to the 
 present members to follow in the footstei)sof their 
 fathers, as far as these were in the ris^ht direction, 
 to keep up the missionary si)irit, to preserve peace 
 and um'on, and to support the efforts of their 
 pastor. 
 
 Rev iJr. W'.u-drope, the A////(7- of tlu; Presby- 
 tery (jf (luelph, made a few friendl\- remarks and 
 stated tiiat as he had addressed the cont^rcL^ation 
 twice ah-(,'ad)', he would m.ike way for the other 
 brethren. 
 
 Rev. Dr. h'h'tchcr, of Hamilton, who w as asso- 
 ciated with Mr. Hlack in convexMni;- the «,n-ectini^s 
 of the Presl)\ter\-, w as the next speaker, lie said 
 he had listened with L^reat interest to the |)aper 
 read 1)\' Dr. McOueen.and thatthey were doini^ well 
 to preserve and hf)nor the memor\' of their fathers 
 who had l)een the- pioneers of this ncwv country, 
 lie spoke of the struL^i^les and privations of the 
 early settlers and recalled some of his own expe- 
 riences as a nn'ssionary. He had stayed over 
 niirht with a settler and his famiK' in a shant\' that 
 contained only oiu; room. While in bed a hea\y 
 rainstorm came on and he had to make use of 
 his umbrella in order to kee[) himself dr\-. 
 \\c had been for tweuty-five years a member 
 of the l'resbyter\' and had no symi)athy with the 
 modern idea that a minister passes the " dead line" 
 at fiflN' .After pa\in>^r a tribute to the sjjodly life 
 
 
 Cf 
 
 a I 
 
 as 
 
Ki-.\ . h 11 1 i 1 I . ill K. 1 1, n. 
 
 l\i'\ I >i . 1*"1l-1(Iilt ;s a ii;it ;m.' .i| >tni hiii.j. w hun.' Iii> i-ai 1\ af.iili'iiiii a: -i I'fs 
 wiTf (■"ininuiicoil. ami wli'.di wcic >i;l)-fi|tii-iitiv iuu^l-c iiird at '[''■. iiit : 
 I 'ii;\i-r-il y and Klli'x ("ivlIi'^L'. ( ii ailiialiii^; in i^'io, In- \\a> v,.ti!,.,l tin' » iiu.- 
 \uar at Scai h^'i n. Tlicif he tuiitiiiKcii tu lahoi with iiMiki'd ^lnll•'-s till 
 cailcii, in 1^72, t'l lii< pro^fnt cliaino i:i llaniilt.:ii I lis i onuii'tiat; mi inc tlv 
 ci.'loliiaiin« the semi itiliiiui- of \\\> n\>\v.t:\:nu int.> ilic McNah .■^inct ijni h. 
 fNI'ics^nl in a iiiii^t i-or.lial and tantiihli' t.iini tlicir aiii)riM ianun nt !,;< u, ith 
 and 'itisni's. Hi-. Alma Mati'i. :n m ^ ^nitimi nf tii< attainnK'iiis and -i-i\i !•<, 
 amlciiL'd (in liim tlic ctcLMce "I I) 1). Id h'Ictrliev lia^ InxMi M IcialMi .,f If 
 S\ ti'id : I 1 lam lit II and I .undnn, and lias icndi'ii'd nd d '■ci \ ire in i iic ( |,i . h 
 as an examiner it) Kmix l nlle^e and a mcml'i'i nl its liiaul w| Manaminciii. 
 
1 
 
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STRAISANK I'K KSHVTKRI.W CIICKI II. 
 
 6: 
 
 and character of the hitc Mr. AIcLcan and kindly 
 reference to his successors, he closed by i,n'vinc,^ 
 sqme good advice to the congregation. 
 
 Mr. Flatt in his address said that most of the 
 names recalled were familiar to him, as he had 
 bought the timber on nearl\- all the farms in this 
 part of the country. After describing the condi- 
 tion of the country m those days and the hard- 
 ships of the early settlers, he addressed the young 
 people present and urged ui)on them more j)erse- 
 vcrence. They knew nothing of hard times. If 
 they made halt the effort their fathers had made 
 they would succeed. He spoke of walking to 
 Dundas, from Millgrove, and carrying fifty 
 pounds of flour home on his back. Dr. Wardrop'e 
 who was just leaving, supplemented Mr. Flatt's 
 experience by stating that when he was a boy 
 he walked from Puslinch to Dundas and back in a 
 day, nearly forty nnles in all, anti carried a cross- 
 cut-saw seven feet lone- 
 
 Revs. W. Robertson, F. l^allantyne, P. M. Mc- 
 Eachern, IF F. Hill and W. Spencer, the pastor's 
 nearest nninsterial neighbors, all made brief and 
 pointed s[)ecchcs expressive of good feeling and 
 brotherl)' kindness. 
 
 In the audience a few survivors of the early 
 days were noticed, vi/.., James Sanderson, who 
 helped to build the first church, Mrs. Reid, who 
 was a member at the time of organization, and Mr. 
 McBeth, of Fuslinch, who travelled the l^rock 
 Road in 1S30. 
 
66 
 
 STKABANK I'KKSHVTKKIAN CHIKCMI. 
 
 At the close of the mcctinpj a photograph was 
 taken of the church and a goodly number of those 
 present formed a group at the north-east angle. 
 A reproduction of the pictin-e is hcregiveti as well 
 as interior view looking in the same direction. 
 
 On the same evening at 8 o'clock a concert was 
 held at which there was a good attendance. Mrs. 
 McArthur of Hamilton was the singer, and Mr. 
 J. W. Bengough of Toronto, the speaker. 
 
 The morning and evening services on Sabbath, 
 May l6th, were conducted by Rev. Dr. McKay 
 of Wood.stock. At the conclusion of the morning 
 service, three children were baptized, viz.: George 
 Edward Rutherford, William Stanley Rodgers and 
 Edith Galloway. 
 
 On the following Sabbath morning the pastor 
 preached from Phil. 3: 1 3- 14, " Forgetting those 
 things which are behind and reaching forth unto 
 those things which are before, etc." He reviewed 
 the events of the past two weeks, spoke of 
 the eternity of memory, pointed out that while 
 God's goodness should always be remembered, 
 there were many things which should, if possible, 
 be forgotten, and that the text indicated that the 
 best way to unburden the memory of the worthless 
 and injurious recollections of the past, was to keep 
 the present fully occupied in the performance of 
 those duties and the practice of those virtues 
 which ensure not only pleasant memories for 
 others but a blessed realization of Divine favor to 
 ourselves. 
 
V 
 

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 tho 
 
 
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 ack 
 
 
 \va^ 
 
 • 
 
 lint 
 

 IReinembrancc ot GoO's JBcnetita. 
 
 Scnmm prcacJiui by AV.-. Tluunus U'aydropc, />./;., 
 OH SabhiJth >iioniino-^ May (jth^ iS(jy, 
 
 I'SAI.M uh ■ ,2-i4--"\V|,at si 
 
 111 _ I \\i.l take l!n- Clip of salvation, an,! call iinon tlie 
 pay myvows unto tlic Lord now in the ,/rcsencc 
 
 name ot tlie l.or . 
 I'f all His peijple. 
 
 Wll 
 
 X|T is not ucll with our souls when wc f^iil to 
 H) recognize the hand of the Lord in His deal- 
 " - in<rs with us. It is not well with us, when we 
 can survey the works of His hands, when we can 
 partake of the bounties of His providenee, when 
 we can retire to rest at tu-crht and au ake with new 
 •strength in the morninl,^ without any fceh-nt,r of 
 love or -ratitude to film who " opens His lumd 
 and satisfies the desire of ever\' h'vin- thino." It 
 was not so with the i'sahnist. He recalled"V.od's 
 mercies to his recollection with -ratitutle and joy • 
 " liless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within 
 me, bless His holy name." With wonder, too, he 
 thought of them, and with the conviction that 
 blessings so varied and so innumerable should be 
 acknowledged b)- some becoming return in the 
 way of loving devotion. " What shall I render 
 unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me ?" 
 
68 
 
 KI'.MKMMU.WCI'; ('!• (.ODS IJI'.Ni:!' I IS. 
 
 This utterance of the Psalmist was iiulited by 
 the Holy Spirit, wlio works in the hearts of God's 
 people, producing in thcni ri.Ljht emotions, awaken- 
 ing in them rii^ht desires, and proinptin<,f them to 
 seek cominunion with (iod, in meditation alike 
 upon the works of His hands and upon the revela- 
 tion of His holy will. This hein^r so, the langua<,'e 
 of this psalm becomes ours, when we appropriate 
 it, as really as it was that of the Psalmist. And we 
 have a ri^^ht to approi)riate it. The word of God 
 is <.(iven to us, with all its i^racious invitations and 
 all its precious promises -<^iven to us, that we may 
 make it our own ; and the more we express our 
 petitions and our thanks<jjivin<^s in the very u ords 
 which it contains, so much the more do we fall in 
 with the gracious design of Him who has given it 
 to us. The circumstances in which we are met 
 
 to-day 
 
 concur wi 
 
 th 
 
 our te.\t in tcachinfr us to 
 
 reflect, in the first place, upon the blessings which 
 God bestows; and in the second place, upon the 
 incjuiry which the remembrance of these blessings 
 su<reests. 
 
 '^>!-> 
 
 I. The blessings whicli (lod bestows 
 
 All 
 
 His benefits. 
 
 M; 
 
 )f th 
 
 bl 
 
 any ot these blcssuigs are re- 
 
 ferred to in the Psalms, and more are suggested 
 
 by th 
 
 eir inspired words 
 
 O. h 
 
 ow ereat is 
 
 Thy 
 
 gooflness which Thou hast laid up in store for 
 them that fear Thee ; which Thou hast wrought 
 for them that trust in Thee before the sons of 
 men ! " On the pages of revelation we see some 
 enumeration of them ; but, if our eyes are open, 
 
HKMJ-MMK.WCK ()|- (i..|,s liKNKFlTs. Qj 
 
 wc can sec then, rcccmlcd too on the ,,a-cs of our 
 own memory an, i experience. In u hat ue have 
 ourselves seen an<l knou n and experienced of the 
 goodness of the: herd, u e fnui abundat.t cause for 
 the ascription of praise : " n„u- precious are Thy 
 thou^dits unto n.e. () God ! how <,rreat is the sum 
 of them ! If I should count them, they are more 
 "1 number th.tn the sand : when I auake I am still 
 with Thee." 
 
 VVc cannot reckon them up. God's peoi)le, as 
 has bee.i well .said, " should do with their mercies 
 as botamsts do with their llowers- classify them ; 
 or as astronomers do with the stars ^^n-oup them' 
 in constellations. Take a retrospect of mercies 
 temporal and spiritual, mercies public and private, 
 mercies personal and relative. Think of continued 
 mercies, of restored mercies, (;f preventing and 
 dehvcrm^r mercies. Fix xour nnnds on particular 
 mstances; for instances affect nmch more power- 
 fully than thin-s in a mass. Do not overlook the 
 circumstances which enhance the benefits you 
 have received: -jve due place to thou^^hts 
 suggested by their seasonablene.ss, their utility, 
 their preciousness." 
 
 God has been blessing you, my friends, all your 
 lives long; and that, in a very real sense, whether 
 you have valued His guidance and protection or 
 not. What innumerable blessings has God be- 
 stowed upon you, altogether irrespective of the 
 "spiritual blessings in heavenly places" with which 
 He blesses His own people in Christ Tesus ! How 
 
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 KKMKMHKANCK OI' (iODS IJKNKFU'S. 
 
 has Me blessed }'oii in His providence! Health 
 and streiiL^th, food and raiment, home and friends 
 — all that you enjo)-, you owe to Him. 
 
 For the land you live in, you may well ^ivc 
 thanks to (jod. ( ould \'ou be transi)lanted, even 
 for a week, to a heathen country, without the 
 knowledge of God, without the Gospel of Christ, 
 without the ordinances of worship, without the 
 benefits of a Christian civilization, you mi^ht be 
 more ready to say, with reference to )'our own 
 land, " The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant 
 places; yea, 1 have a <^oodl)' heritai^e. " For the 
 healthfulness of your climate, for the fertility of 
 your fields, for the benefits of constitutional 
 f^overnment, for the efficiency of j'our municipal 
 institutions, for the excellence of \'our educational 
 system, for all the privileges of a free country, you 
 ai'e indebteil to Him, the Giver of all ^ood. 
 
 But it is almost impossible to speak of the 
 temporal mercies bestowed upon \'ou, and to 
 dissociate from them the mention of the spiritual 
 privileges with which God has favoured you. 
 Those of you who have fallen in with God's offers 
 of mercy, and tasted of the riches of His j^race. I 
 may well call upon you to reflect, with adorin^r 
 wonder, oii the i)rovision that Gwvi has made for 
 the wants of your souls. "All His benefits!" 
 How much else He has Ljiven us you have been 
 reminded ; but besides all, and above all. He has 
 ^iven His "unspeakable ^ift " — that, without 
 vvhich all else would have been comparatively 
 
RE^IKMBK ANCK OF (iODS HENFFITS. " j 
 
 valueless— " His only be^rottcn Son, that whoso- 
 ever believeth in Him should not perish, but have 
 everlasting life." 
 
 The beloved disciple, tau^rht of God, knew, as 
 few men know, how to estimate every ^rjft of His 
 love. In the miracle at Cana of Galilee, in the 
 healing of the sick, in the cleansincr of the lepers, 
 in the feeding of the five thousand, in the miracu- 
 lous draught of fishes, in the kind, but so familiar 
 question, "Children, have ye any meat?" and in 
 all else like this that he saw and heard, he had 
 seen wonderful proofs of the Divine love. But 
 when he comes to the great and unspeakable gift, 
 all else becomes as nothing in c()mi)arison with 
 this. "Herein is love," he says, as if compara- 
 tively no love had been manifested in any other of 
 the works and ways of God : " Herein is love, 
 not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and 
 sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 
 For this the apostle of the (icntiles offers the 
 wonderful prayer: Even for this, "That Christ 
 may dwell in your hearts by faith ; that ye, being 
 rooted and grounded in love, may be able to com- 
 prehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and 
 length, and dci)lh, and height ; and to know the 
 love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye 
 might be filled with ail the fulness of God." Let 
 us seek then to-day, gatheretl as we are for this 
 service of commemoration and thanksgiving, that 
 our hearts may be lifted up in adoration and 
 l)raise, as we hear the word that comes to us, 
 
72 
 
 KICMKMUKANCK Ol- (.(M>S I'.I-.NKFITS. 
 
 through in.si)iration of the Holy Ghost, " lichold, 
 what manner of love the h'ather hath bestowed on 
 us, that wc should be called the sons <)( God . . . 
 lielovcd, now are we the sons (;f (iod ; and it doth 
 not yet api)ear what we shall be: Vj>ut we know 
 that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him ; 
 for we shall see Him as He is. And every man 
 that hath this hope in Him purificth himself, even 
 as He is pure." 
 
 Hut I must now refer more particularly to the 
 scenes witnessed in by-gone days, and the vicissi- 
 tudes experienced, by you to whom I s|)cak this 
 mornini^, and by those who went before you. 
 With few, if any, exceptions, the pirj.r)eers of this 
 settlement have i)assed aw a\' from this earthly 
 scene ; but many of you can well remember 
 fathers and mothers who, in their prime, left the 
 old land, the cherished home of their childhood 
 and youth, to seek a dwcllinj^ ]>lace in the then 
 comparatively unknown colony of Canada. And 
 all of you know, if not from memory, at any rate 
 from family tradition, the privations that they had 
 to endure, the toil with which they wrought, thn 
 difficulties with which the\' had to contend, as 
 they hewed out in the forest homes for them- 
 selves and for their children. God has so blessed 
 the labor of their hands, that now, on every siile, 
 there are comfortable houses where the original 
 "shanties "stood; there are well-tilled farms where, 
 within the memory of s(;me of yf)U, trees of 
 gigantic growth reared their towering summits 
 
 hi ; ■ t' 
 

 t'lilk'jj"-. KiiiC-i'M Hii.- »a- [...stMr n 
 
 iVvuiieen^ {'u^\ft':t^ ...ntfrrr.l ..ii 
 cl the As-t-iuhlv ■»• K'trign Mi •.Moll ('■ 
 
 ilr.\ I li> 'W \- W AKDKt il'l ,11 I). 
 
 at I.;i'iykii k. Si.otlaihl, Ma\ ihih, i"<ici, uas 
 
 at l''.(liiiliui>ili riiiM'isil \ aii'l fjiici'ii's 
 
 li, ( HtaAa, i*»4;-iSm), aiiil of 
 
 liciiior in lilt ii:U :{ the »;hur(li uas IicsIoUlmI 
 eU'< Ic'l as Mi.Mi,rt.al .» .1 the »i»;iifral As-eiiilily. 
 
 if t'M c 
 
 >fr\ lie 
 
 l)ilitv (il a i)a-it.« ant ;n tlir cnjuv nu-tit 
 rL'spDtid t'l \i\au\ .hitatMnx. where his 
 at the iiiatis<ri!. iji >»:♦ jot;n;<er lirethieii a 
 dictiuii. 
 
 Kiii'^ L'liiii 
 
 w hill he iftiii'il ti I 111 
 illl the.lemce uf D I >. 
 Miiiiitlei; llcilii l^^4 \n 
 III h:ili 111 
 tielliK fill' 
 h'lit health. 
 are aluass 
 
 \ >it li'iiii him IS U'^aii 
 
 the pa-tiiiate III 
 
 lieu as ('ii|i\elier 
 
 |S((i. Ihe hi^'liest 
 
 |Sin uheii he was 
 
 Imiii the ie'-i)uiisi- 
 
 is elialileil to 
 
 ippnc iateil, ali'l 
 
 a- a lieiie- 
 
T 
 
 
T 
 
 KKMKMMK ANCK. OF (lOHS HKNKFITS. 
 
 73 
 
 toward the clouds ; and there are well made roads 
 where the early settlers found their way by follow- 
 ing a "blaze" throu^^h the bush. Those who can 
 remember what the Brock Road was fifty years 
 ago, the rude huts in which the first in-comers 
 lived when they were laboriously making their 
 little clearings, and the crojxs growing among 
 stumps or among " girdled " trees, will understand 
 how truly we may say, " The wilderness and the 
 solitar)' place has been made glad, and the desert 
 has been made to rejoice and blossom as the 
 rose." 
 
 Some of you can remember, too, the first efforts 
 made to gather a little company for worship, near 
 the very si)Ot on which this building stand;;. There 
 were a few who cherished hallowed memories of 
 Sabbaths and Sabbath services in the old homes 
 beyond the sea, and wondered if the)' should ever 
 again be made glad by its being said to them, 
 " Let us go into the liouse of the Lord." They 
 gathered together sometimes for a Sabbath School, 
 sometimes for a praj'er meeting, sometimes to 
 hear the word from a missionary or an evangelist 
 turning in to abide with them for the night, or 
 over the Sabbath day. And the}- gladl\' welcomed 
 men of various denominations, and with different 
 ways of presenting the truth, but all taught by the 
 one Spirit, and constrained by the love of the same 
 Saviour — they gladly welcomed them and eagerly 
 listened to them as they preached the Gospel of 
 the grace of God. Then gradually organization 
 
74 
 
 KKMKMHKANCr, OF f.OH'S HKNKFITS. 
 
 became more complete, and the first builclinf]f for 
 the use of the l'rcsb)terian Church was erected. 
 The services held in it many of you will remember, 
 and look back upon with gratitude and joy. And 
 now, to this house, more commodious, and more 
 in keeping with your surroundings, you repair 
 from Sabbath to Sabbath, with this purpose in 
 your hearts, "We will ^o into His tabernacles, 
 we will worshij) at His footstool;" and with this 
 conviction, based upon God's word, and confirmed 
 by your own experience, " A day in Thy courts is 
 better than a thousand ; I had rather be a door- 
 keeper in the house of my (}od, than to dwell in 
 the tents of wickedness." " lilessed is the man 
 whom Thou chooscst, and causcst to approach 
 unto Thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts ; we 
 shall be satisfied with the iroodness of Thy house, 
 even of Thy holy temple." 
 
 Now look back on the way by which the Lord 
 your God has led you. Consider how He has 
 blessed your congregation from the day of its 
 small beginnings until now. Remember his gra- 
 cious dealings with you as individuals, as families, 
 as a congregation. It is well to review the past. 
 There are milestones, as we may call them, along 
 the path which has been trodden by every child 
 of God — Bethels, Peniels, l^ibene/.ers, where God 
 has been called upon in faith, and found to be a 
 very present helj) in trouble. Are there not 
 pillars set up here and there, along the pathway of 
 \'our lives, marking out places and times which 
 
 *,. .!S 
 
Kr.MF.MMUANCI': ()!• (;()|)S HKM- I'l IS 
 
 75 
 
 you can never forL^^et, known in nian\' cases only 
 to \()ur own hearts and to (iod? If nou lia\e 
 been careful to set up such piUars, you will under- 
 stand much of the faithfulness, and wisdom, and 
 love, which have marked God's dealin<,rs with \-ou. 
 And if there are no such stones (jf memorial setup 
 along the wa>- by which >()u have journe>ed, O 
 what utter blanks— what deserts — sjjirituall}-, \-our 
 lives must have been ! If there are no such stones 
 of memorial, it is not because you have had no 
 reason for the erecticjn of them, but because you 
 have not been wise, nor observed these thiuj^^s, not 
 understood the lovint^-kindness of the Lord. \'ou 
 have lived as destitute of tiie knouled.L;e of God, 
 as if the heavens had ceased t(; declare His glor)', 
 and the firmament t(j show His handiwork. Vou 
 have lived just as if there were no Savioiu", and no 
 need of a Saviour — as if God had never sent His 
 Son that, in Him \-ou mi<,dit "have redemjjtion 
 through I lis blood, the forgiveness of sins accordint: 
 to the riches of I lis grace." 
 
 II. The iiujuiry which the remembrance of 
 God's benefits suggests, " What shall I render unto 
 the Lord for all his benefits toward me ?" What a 
 profoundl}' suggestive word is this, in which we 
 find the Psalmist saying," O my soul, forget not all 
 His benefits !" If he, the man according to God's 
 own heart, so speciall)' taught by the Holy Spirit, 
 thus deeply felt the necessit\- of admonishing, of 
 stirring up, his own soul, ma\- not we, every one of 
 us, when reflecting upon God's benefits, well say, 
 
jG KKMrMMKAN'CK oK (;()I)S I5|:NI:I' ITS. 
 
 '* O my soul, forget tlicin not ?" Ma\- \vc not well 
 hear the word as addressed to us, " Now therefore 
 I'^taiul still, that I may reason with you before the 
 Lord of all the rij^diteous acts of the Lord, which 
 He did to you and to your fathers." Let us sum- 
 mon ourselves into God's presence. Let us attend 
 to the inspired writer, as lie reasons with us " before 
 the Lord." Let us remember how the Lord, by 
 the disj)ensations of His providence, b^ the instruc- 
 tions of His word, by the atlmonitions of our own 
 consciences, by the promptin^^s and strivinj;s of 
 His Holy Spirit, has souj^ht to brin^ us into blessed 
 communion with himself. So much has He done, 
 with this gracious eiul in view, that 1 cannot 
 answer, and you cannot answer, when He appeals 
 to us, and says, " What more could have been 
 done ?" 
 
 Look back, my dear friends, I say a^ain. 
 Retrace in thouglit the way by which you have 
 been led. Remember how God made that crooked 
 path straight; how He made that rou^h way 
 smooth. Remember how, in perplexity, I Ic gave 
 you counsel, how in affliction he gave you comfort. 
 Remember how, when calamities threatened, the 
 time which you had most dreaded j)assed by, and 
 yet the calamities did not overwhelm you. What 
 cause have you to say, " He hath delivered 
 my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my 
 feet from falling." 
 
 And now observe how closely connected with 
 his inquiry what he should render to the Lord for 
 
KI-.MI'.MI!K.\.\( !■; <)!• (;itI»S IJKM' I I I S. 
 
 77 
 
 all His benefits was the I'salinist's resolution to 
 render some return. A return, in the \\\\\ of 
 recompense, he knew he could never render. lie 
 never thou^Hit of any such thin<;. \o such thin^^ 
 does God expect or recjuire from any of us. What 
 He ^nves, lie ^nves freely, " without money and 
 without price" Hut the Psalmist knew that he 
 could render, and that God expected - and, best of 
 all, that God would value — some return in the wa>' 
 of <;rateful and loving devotion. What then shall 
 \vc render? This (juestion arises si)ontaneousIy in 
 our nu'nds, and full of a peculiar sij^nuficance, at 
 the communion table. 
 
 This, the ordinance of the Lord's Supper, is 
 one of connnemoration. And on this da>-, of so 
 many hallowed memories, we specially remember, 
 and in His own aj)pointed wa>- commemorate, the 
 finished work of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 The atom'ng sacrifice of Christ is ever to be coiti- 
 memorated by the ordinance which we observe 
 to-day. In all ai^^es and in all lands this feast is to 
 be celebrated till our Lord shall come. This has 
 superseded the ordinance of the Passover: "Christ 
 our Passover is sacrificed for us." That prefigured 
 the redemption of His people by the shedding of 
 blood— this turns our thoughts towards the re- 
 demption now accomplished. 
 
 This ordinance is one of instruction. It turns 
 our attention to the fact of Christ's death, to the 
 manner of His death, to the cause of His death, 
 and to the certainty of His coming again. "Ye 
 

 I<I;MI;MI!I< ANClv Ol" CdIVS MIAKI ri's. 
 
 !w i 
 
 do show tlic Lord's death till lie come." \\\\ 
 seated at this table, conimcnioratitii; Ills dyiii^ 
 love, doiujr this in remeiiihrance of iliiii, hear His 
 word : " I will come aj^ain, and receive ye unto 
 myself." 1 1 ere we wait, " lookin^^ for that blessed 
 hoi)e, and the i^dorious a|)pearin^ of tin; threat 
 God, even our Saviour, Jesus Christ "-the hour 
 when "The Lord Himself shall descend from 
 heaven w ith a shout, with the voice of the arch- 
 an.L,rel and the trump of (iod, and the tlead in 
 Christ shall rise first. Then we that are alive and 
 remain shall be caui;ht up to^^ether w idi them in 
 the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall 
 we ever be with the Lord. W herefore comfort 
 one another with these words." 
 
 This ordinance is one of connnunion. It not 
 Old)- ciimmemorates what Christ has done, and 
 instructs us as to the relation which Christ sustains 
 to I lis people, but is a channel of commnuication 
 whereby in man)' instances are coiive)-ed to 
 Christ's i)eople the richest blessings of His trrace. 
 1 lence it is called, b)' way of eminence, " the com- 
 munion "; and returm'n^^ sacramental occasions are 
 called " commum"f)n seasons." The cup of bless- 
 hv^, which we bless, is it not the commumOn of the 
 blood of Christ ? The bread which we break, is it 
 not the connnunion of the body of Christ? It is 
 so in reality with Christ's peoj)le. Others come and 
 receive nothing, because they ask nothinf:j, desire 
 nothinjj^, expect nothing ; but those who come, 
 huntj^cring and thirsting after the blessings therein 
 
 
^ 
 
 KKMI'iMHK \.N( !•: ii|. (,(i|t> |l!M ||r>. 
 
 79 
 
 set forth, arc "!)>■ faith made partakers of His 
 l)ody and blood, with all His hem-fits, to their 
 spiritual iioiirislimetit and growth in ^race." 
 
 This ordinaiiee is one of consolation. The 
 disciples were in j^reat sorrow when it was insti- 
 tuted ; and the Lord ^iraciously rememhcrrd and 
 reco_L,nn/.ed their m-ed of consolation. " Let not 
 your heart be troubled." .\t many times and in 
 nian\- wa>s of which we cannot now s])eak, Christ 
 comforts His i)eople. With peculiar, v rich consola- 
 tion does He bless tiiem,man>- a time, at the table 
 of communion. "I ^ro to m^ hatlv.r," Hl sa>s. 
 " In my I''ather's house are man)- manj-ions. I ^o 
 lo j)repare a place for no'i. 1 v ill see \'ou a.L,fain 
 and \-our hearts shaP rejoice; aiui \-our joy no 
 man taketh from )()u. l\^ace I leave with you, 
 my peace I ^rive unto >-ou. 'J'hese thin<,^s have I 
 spoken unto 30U, that m\' joy mi-^ht remain in 
 you, and that >our jo\- mi^ht be full." 
 
 This ordinance is one of consecration, renewetl 
 consecration of ourselves to God. It is all impor- 
 tant that, restin^ron the atonement and intercession 
 of Christ, and in humble dependence on the ^n'ace 
 of the Holy Si)irit, we should uillint,dy and delib- 
 erately ) ield ourselves to God. You and I may 
 remember a day, an hour whether at the first 
 coming- to Christ or not, when we did most 
 sj)ccially say to our Lortl, in a wa>' never to be 
 forjTotten, "I <^i\'e myself to thee." And this 
 may well be repeated, this consecration of our- 
 selves may well be rcewed, at the Lord's table, 
 
8o 
 
 KKMKMMHANCK OF COITS HF.\EI-ITS. 
 
 although certainly to the Lord's table it should 
 not be confined. I give myself to Thee, whose I 
 am, in this hour, to be taught, to be upheld, to be 
 employed, to be led in the way everlasting. 
 
 " 'Tis (lone, the j:;reat transaction's done, 
 I am my Lord's, and He is mine: 
 He drew me and I followed on. 
 Clianned to confess the voice Divine.'' 
 
 This brings us again to the question of ourte.xt, 
 " What shall I render to the Lord for all Mis bene- 
 fits ?" I ask you to remember this — that the 
 purposes which you form in reference to a diligent 
 and loving observance of God's ordinances, and a 
 cheerful obedience to His will — the purposes that 
 you form, in full view and under a deep sense of 
 what He has done for j'ou— are the right purposes. 
 These are the purposes that you shouUl prayerfully 
 seek to carry out, even when the impressions pro- 
 duced upon )'our minds may in some measure 
 have faded away. In your daily life, when weary 
 with work, when harassed with care, when assailed 
 by temptation, when mourning under bereave- 
 ment, look to the Lord as your rest, your comfort, 
 your portion forever. Hear the word as spoken 
 to you : " lie ye steadfast, unmoveable, always 
 abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as 
 ye know that your labor is not in vain in the 
 Lord." Amen. 
 
 wty'ii, 
 
4 
 
JAMKS SANDKKSON. 
 
 />V<^ 
 
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 1)K. M(()l KKN. 
 
 WILLIAM FLKKILK. 
 
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 PiVM'ixt VzMtrs of :Sh'cilHii\c 
 

 (.i;i iKi.I-. NKJOI. 
 
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IRcrcrcncc mv Sanctuarv. 
 
 Strnum pn,i,h,d hy AV,-'. joint Yoitii;^, M. ./., of Si. 
 John Cliiir, k^ //,/))n!/o/i^o/i Sdhhiilh rvv nim^, M,iv 
 
 i I \'M II I s 2h : 2. 
 
 X one if»cc;isi.)n I>;icf)ii in.ulc the foUduini; 
 •^tatcincrit : "I have no (hlTicult)- in satis 
 fyin;;^ my mind as to one Creator. The 
 lieautiftil Harmon}- in nature liespeaks liiit one 
 jireat Ucsi'^of'r and Creator. The will of that 
 Creator I find ex[)resse(l in the i>ihle. The same 
 mind is expressed in the J^ihle as is expressed in 
 nature." Further, Bacon saitl : " I met that 
 Creator in Mis r)\vn house. Reverentl)- I entered 
 God's house, and there I met Ilim as lie has 
 promised to meet all devout \vorshipi)ers." 
 
 Today wrr shall consider what is meant l)\- 
 reverencin'^ Gorl's house. Much depiMids upon 
 reverence. Whether our worshii) will prove help 
 ful or not, depends lari;"(-'l\' upon f)ur franu- of 
 mind while in the sanetuarw The reverent wor- 
 ship]>er is sure to meet Cod. 'Ihe irreverent 
 worshi]jj>cr is denied that i^Meat deIiL(ht. 
 
 Hut what does revf.-rcMice mean ? We turn to 
 the word of God and there we leyrn. in rever- 
 ence we find a threefold idea: l'"irst we have tiie 
 
82 
 
 KIA l'.Ki:.\( I'. .M\ S.WCn AKV 
 
 clcineiil of fc.'ir, and >'ct \vc must he careful to 
 eliscriminate, for there are (lifferent kinds of fear. 
 In Proverbs 29 : 25, we read that " The fear of man 
 brin<j^eth a snare." Ilere we ha\e reference to 
 that fear which a slave mi^dit entertain of his 
 master. I le feels that he is under his master, and 
 that his master may abuse or illtreat him. Such a 
 fear is crushin*,' and dc[)ressinf;. A^ain, in 
 II. Chronicles 14: 14, wc have reference to f^-ar 
 awakened by anotiier motive. Here we read that 
 Asa, Kin<^ of Israel, destroyed "all the cities 
 round about Cicrar; for the fear of the Lord came 
 ui)on them." These inhabitants felt that the\' 
 were in ojjposition to Israel's God. TiiC)' did not 
 wish to comply with God's w ay. Their own wa)- 
 they preferred, and desired to overthrow the 
 people of Jehovah. Now that they arc defeated, 
 they feared God. Thc>- felt that they had done 
 wroni:;, and that they were deservini; of jjunish- 
 ment. A similar fear was entertained b}- the 
 Israelites themselves when the book of Deuter- 
 onomy was read in the da)'s of Josiah's rei^n. 
 This book denounced the sins of the people, and 
 l)redicted the terrible judi^ments which were to be 
 meted out to the S4uilt>'. When the i)eople learned 
 of the blessings that were attached to obedience, 
 and the i)unishments that were attached to (hs- 
 obedience, they feared. They felt i^nilty, and 
 knew that Jehovah was able to visit them with 
 His terrible curses. Now this is not the fear 
 Tested by the word reverence. Nor is it the 
 
 su 
 
 t>fc> 
 
KfAKKI'XCI- MY >\\( ir\K\-. 
 
 .s.^ 
 
 fear siiL,rire.stc(I !)>• tin- aiitliorit)- and abuse of a 
 slave master. iJotli of th«,se kinds ol frar |„,i,,t 
 downward. 'llie\- are ol the tlesh lleshy. 
 
 i he fc-ar sn-^ested l)\ thi' term re\erenee is 
 that referred to in the Kjt h psahn .ind .jlh verse : 
 1 he (car of the Lonl is elean." It is a d ar (hat 
 exahs, hel|)s. The w (.rshipper knows (iod to he 
 P'irc and holy. Sin He abhors. The worshipper 
 realizes that he- himself is prone to evil. Cominj^r 
 in to the house of (iod j,c is afraid that he may 
 take in soniethin- that will pnnoke God's dis 
 pleasure. He is anxious t(^ meet Jehovah. He 
 desires to be pure and ehaste, so that his meeting 
 will be a deliohi and a help. I.,,ve brin-s hiin 
 into the house of pra>er. /\ knowled-e of (iod's 
 nature awakens a dread lest lie may soil or tlefile 
 the sacredness of the sanctuarx'. The .same fear 
 was entertained by a Scotchman who visited 
 Niai,rara Ivalls .some time ago. After bein<,r lowered 
 to the i^ori^rc below, he removed his hat. "Why 
 do yon^ imcover your head?" a.sked the i^uide. 
 " I feel," replied the old man, " that I am in the' 
 presence of Jehovah. b)r never before did J 
 witness such a display of llis majesty." ||c 
 feared God, and the place where (iod ai)peared to 
 him, he reverenced. 
 
 In this attitude we should approach God's 
 
 house. Kverytliino- that nn\<,dit soil or taint, we 
 
 should leave behind. Malice should be kept out ; 
 
 jealou.sy, illwill, pride and the like are offensive to' 
 
 God, and will soil the sanctuary, llewlio rever- 
 
84 Ki.viKi' Ncr: nh -anc i'ak\. 
 
 ciici's ( lod's lujiisc will iiol l)iiiiL; aiiytliiti;^f objec- 
 tion. ihlc into its siicri'd pn.'ciiicts. lie will Iciir 
 (iod aiul will c'lilt-T I lis house: with that fear which 
 elevates and (|uickeiis anil fits lor associ.itini; with 
 the Kint; of KinL;s. 
 
 'I'he second element we notice in revereme is 
 the element ol "howini; down." (arelnl investi 
 Ljation will reveal to us that tlu' howin;.; is 
 siiL;Ljcsted hy diflerent motives. Illustrations will 
 reveal more clearly what is meant. When .Xhra 
 ham was bereaved of Sarah, he souj^ht a burial 
 place. Ilavini^ no i;rounil which he could call his 
 own, he made a reijuest of the sons of Ileth, say 
 Jul;, " I am a stran,i;er and a sojourner u ith you ; 
 <;ive me a possession of a bur)-in_<4 place with you, 
 that I ma\ bury my tlead out of my sii^iit." 'Jhe 
 children of Ileth answered Aliraham : "Hear us, 
 111)' I ,oril, thou art a miL;ht)- prince amoni; us, in 
 the choice of our sepulchre bury thy dead. ".And 
 .Abraham stooti up and bowed liimself to the 
 people of the land." He lelt indebted to the sons 
 of I leth. Tliey could have denied him his re(|uest 
 They w ere under no obliL^ations to him, Al)raham 
 a])preciated the favor, and hence bowed out of 
 i^ratitudc. So, tcjo, will the reverend worshipper 
 bow in tlie liouse of (iod. He will realize his 
 indebtedness to Jehovah. Not one favor, but 
 mail)' favors received from the Lord will rise 
 l)efore his mind. Those favors he cannot repay, 
 althouL^h the)' were so much needed. They 
 were be)'ond the ^ivin*; of man, and culminated 
 

 ) 
 
 R\\. lolIN SmIM,, M a, 
 
 Ki'\. lolin Vmiiif;. ^\. A.. ;- a mhi ut Mi. A!<'\ N'.uiiii;. ntiL' of llie --uiAiviii^j 
 piniicfi- i)f Ciili)i)ni.' I'liwii-hiii, Union County, < 'iit., w li" -I'ltio'l llirie in n.;.5, 
 and who ha- liocii Lu in .n- tiiaii half a iiMi'niiv a uoHli\ I'i.lfi of the \'u-~- 
 liML'iian Church. Krv. \]\ \ouiiy, i- a tiiaduatc' :n thi; ait-, an. I m ihr mo^s , ^,t 
 ( hioL'irs Colloue, Kinu-toii. Attn a po-t-nia.luatr i oui^c mI tw ■ \.ai- in '_,'lin- 
 buruh he rcturin.-.l to Calia.la and wa- oichiini'd a- pastoi t .Niauara I'aiN 
 Sou'lti .\ttri a succi--ful pastoratf ot tivc \eal-, he was lailt.-d to ."«t. I'.ii'.rh s 
 Chuivh. I'oioiilo, wlioie hciuniained thife vcais, mil I : called to St J' dm Chuich, 
 Ilaniilton, hi- pie-ent ch,iii;e, in i^m^. He-iilc- in:n>teiiny to an iiniioitanl > itv 
 coiittiejiatioii, Mr, NiiuiiK i- lendeiiii); \alual)ie -eiMio .11 Chi;st:an w i k ol a 
 nine j,'eiiei al cliaiactei . 
 
I'i' 
 
H1.MHI\C|.: Ml .SIM 1,.,^. 
 
 iM(hns,,. Saviour „,•„,;.„, Tl,,- „ uc u .msI,,,,,,',', 
 
 H..cc,c,.,at,tu,l,, a,„l l,y |,i, ,,,, „, ^ „' 
 
 'l.a„< I l,cc,„l,(i,„i, for Thy ,„a„v favors- ■ 
 
 No,- ,, this ,|,a c.M,a,..s„,, ^Ikm «.■ sp.ak „, 
 tl..^. l,.™„,.^, f,o,„ .,am,Ml.. .\„oll„r Icn,,,, 
 Hu«^'cstsal,u,„M,:aUit,„l,.i„(;o,rsl,„usc 
 
 W ,c-„ Uavi.lcainctothe throne, he sou-ht oul 
 '-•-h>t,vcso,Sa,,l,h,s,,rc.dcccsso,,,ha,h:, il 
 ;> l.c,„ o„on Mc„h,boshc,h, Jonathan's ,: 
 »- .roM^h „,tohis,rc.suMcc. Mis hein,- l„„„..h 
 ;,,"••„ ";f^ ,>uh,cc a,onsc,l sus„K.|„:s n, n 
 "'.Hi of Ihc poor cnpi.lc. lie k„eu thai S ,u| 
 a<l l-.reatoci IMvid, a.ul noiv he feare.l U 
 IJ. v.cl .n^httakeveMKeance upon Saul's relat v 
 AI houjjh univilh-u,. to appear at the palace e ^ 
 oh .ed to obey the kin^-s n,a„,late W| ;, | : 
 -'t the ku,. kinclues., and friendship „ere Z 
 cnced. utstead of punishment and i ,jn,.y, ^^Z 
 a.scer.a„,„,. that the neu- kin, n.eau, ,, , d , 
 1- relat.ves of Saul, .Mephibosheth s^rrenderc 
 ■"..self completely to David, an.l bowin, i ' 
 ■c-sence, he offered uo resistance nhatsoev 
 
 iLtt:^;:!:;;,^;'^^"-^"- - >--^"" '>"-"- ^ - 
 
 Tlic true «orshi|,peru ill he pleased torero,, 
 n-e the authority of the Kin, of kin,s. He .HI 
 umbly bowa. His footstool, feelin, H.at I, r, 
 obed.cmce should nKritpuuisl„,K.„,,,,^ 
 "lent. Glad of the opportmn'ty, houever, he 
 
86 l<|-.VKI<J.N( K MV >A.N( M \1<N. 
 
 siincii(1eis i;uc()mliti()iiall\', ami | roiiiisrs loyalty 
 ami (k'volinii. 
 
 Ik' who reverences tlic lioiisc ol ( iod will not 
 oiil\' how out ol L;ratiliuU' and out ol a drsiic to 
 surrender eoinpletely to Jelioxah, hut will how 
 from another motive, sueh a moti\e .»s prompted 
 Judah to how in tlu; presence ol Joseph. W hen 
 the messenger from Joseph o\irtook Judah and 
 his hrethreii, he charL,'ed tlu in with thell. 'llic 
 silver cup helou'^ini; to tlu- kini; was missini;, and 
 some one in Juilah's party hail the cup. Judah 
 denied the chari;e aiul became ver)- indi^Miant. A 
 search was made, and the missin^^ cup was foiuul 
 in lUMijamin's bai^, to the threat humiliation of tin- 
 clilcst brother, (jreatl)' mortified, they all re- 
 turiicd to the l^^^\i)tian comt. On meetini; 
 Joseph, who was yet unknown to him, Judah made 
 a clean breast of the whole chari^c. "The cup 
 was found in lienjamin's sack. We acknowleds^e 
 the whole affair. \Vc keep nothint]^ back. We 
 are ^uilt)-," and he bowed himself to the j^round. 
 Out of confession he bowed, because he realized 
 the wrouj.;. 
 
 lie who reverences the sanctuary of Jehovah 
 will sec his own sins. The i;uilt of his itu'cpiities 
 and trans<.;ressions w ill rise before him in a mo.st 
 serious form, and like Judah, he will williuL^ly con- 
 fess them all. I lis pra> er will be: " Parilon mine 
 ini(iuities, O Lord, for they arc very L,Meat." I am 
 i^uilty, very guilty, but I make a full confession. 
 I hide nothini^ from Thee. All my sins, my 
 
KIA I K|.N( !•, M\ >.\\( I I .\K\ 
 
 S7 
 
 ">i<|mtifs, tny transi^rcssions, I confess, l.oid ic 
 ccivc and fot'i^ivc. 
 
 I lie third clement \\v notice in reverence is 
 that of ifi/ni/io 1,1. Not jonu a-jo uc visited a 
 l"\vn in Ontario. A new lli-h sehcjoj had been 
 erected a short time before. On ^r,,i„^r „ver t(. 
 visit the sch(H)I, a stude t of the school drew near. 
 iM'oin him we learned considerable about the 
 institution. VVe .stood without and achnired the 
 buildinL(. V\ou\ the rei)utation of the teachers 
 wc were justified in commcn(lin«,r the .school. I'lie 
 biuldin«,v, the teachers, the order, indeed every 
 thin<,r about the institution was satisfactory. 'Ihe 
 student went in ami took part in the .studies. He 
 imbibed the spirit of the institution. Ihe truth 
 taui^rht became his. His whole life was changed 
 by his association with that school. His attitude 
 was very different from that of the visitors. 
 
 He who stands without and admires the church 
 buildin<r, speaks well of pastor and people, believes 
 the truth is tau<,dU in that church buildin.i;, may 
 not reverence the house of (ioij. He recpu'res to 
 i^o in, to receive the truth tau^dit, imbibe the 
 sj)irit of the chinch, put on the character of the 
 (ireat Head of the church and ^^vaw unto His 
 blessed ima^e. j [e must become identified there- 
 with and appropriate the truth expounded from 
 time to time. In this way he sees Jehovah, asso- 
 ciates with Him, and receives at His hand that 
 which will enhVhten and subdue. 
 
 He who reverences God's house will fu/r the 
 
88 
 
 l<\:\ l.KI'.\( I-. MV SANC ITAKN 
 
 lioiist;, will /'(>:>.' ({i>wii in the house, and will cnti'r nt 
 to the house. Not that tliere is aii\-thin<^r sacred 
 in the mere building. Hricks and mortar and 
 timber arc not holy thinL^s. Only intelli^^ent 
 beings are sacred. Only persons who have " put 
 on Christ " are sacred. The buildiuL; is to be 
 reverenced onl)' because of tlic presence of 
 Jehovah, lie is hoi)-, and it is because lie has 
 promised to be ])rcsent, is the house to be char- 
 acterized by reverence. All who thus reverence 
 the sanctuary shall not be disappointed in comini^^ 
 to the house of God. The sermon maj' not be an 
 able jjroduction, the music may be poor, the 
 praj-ers offered may be faulty, but he who reall\' 
 reverences the sanctuary shall not come in vain. 
 
ji 'UN A(.M;\\, 
 
 Al.i:.\ Wl'IK 11< \>l K. 
 
 
 :?5» "^. 
 
 KliWAkD (.OKI I-, I I 
 
 ISAAC CI.l (.Sl(i\. 
 
 IV('>('i\t r:l<lcr> (»t IxilhiMv' 
 
^be Xiaovsbip of Go^ m oui jfaniilictn 
 
 The Soiiion f^rciiliid n, //;, ( liuirli, Sti;ilunu\ on 
 Sahbuth /nor/ii/i^i^\ J/ay i'>tli. iSijj^ hy AVr. //'. ./. 
 Macka)\ II. A.,D. /;.. \\'ov,i.s{ork, Out. 
 
 Tk.M.— Josliiia 2\ : 15. 
 'As (m MIL- aiul ;ny Ii(jii>c \vc \v.!1 scivc the I, 
 
 U.I. 
 
 ■>, 
 
 r> 
 
 J 
 
 .^ 
 
 ^ROl\I this text I uisli to speak tn >(.ii on ilu- 
 diit\' of \vorshii)])iiiL,^ (iod in nuv homes, a 
 very important praelieal duty, and one 
 which I trust will he in accord with the solenm 
 services in which )-ou have alreail\- l)ecMi en.L^a-ed 
 on this ]iapp>- occasion. \"()u have been celehrat- 
 incT your jubilee. And it nuist have been very 
 pleasant to recount the i^oodness of the Lord to 
 you, these fift\- years. Vou have had \-our trials, 
 but \'ou havt; also had \-oiir triumphs ; and lookin" 
 at \-our trials in the li.L;ht of to (!a\ , I trust you 
 will find they were onl>' bh.-ssin^s m dis<.;uise. 
 Hitherto hath the Lord helped 3-ou. 
 
 J^ut we cannot live on memories. 'Ih.e bread 
 we ate last N-ear will not tlo us to da}-. The sun- 
 shine of last sunnner will not i)aint the tlo\\c;rs of 
 this summer. The stud>- of the past is profitable 
 only when it leads to "greater earnestness in im- 
 provin^^r the living; presetit. Ma\ (iod help me to 
 speak, and you to hear, ^o that the resolution of 
 our tc.vt will be the determniati.Mi of our hearts on 
 
[f^ 
 
 90 
 
 riiK woKsiiii' tij' (j^>i> IX oi;n f-.\mii.ii-,s. 
 
 entering another important epoch of your history 
 as a congregation. 
 
 Home! Who can estimate its influence for 
 weal or for woe tlirtnigh time and eternity ! Tiiere 
 tlic first and strongest iniprc?».-tions arc made, and 
 an education insensibh' gained which schools can 
 never suppl}', nor after-ijifluonces ever eflace. 
 The family is Gotl's institution ; and for more than 
 two thousand five hundred years after the hdl, the 
 knowledge (jf the true Cjod was preserved among 
 men cliiefly by heads <A families. And still the 
 family is the unit of society. "Out of families 
 nations arc spun," says Luther, the great reformer. 
 The character of the Church, as well as of the 
 nation, is determined in the fauuly. In the long 
 and absolute tlependence of children upon tlieir 
 ])arents for the sup]>l\- of nearly every want, God 
 surely teaches us how sacred is the trust that lies 
 
 th( 
 
 m tlic motner s gentle arms, anri claims the father's 
 tenderest care. The youjjg iamb and the little 
 nestling, with the whole animal creation, soon 
 learn to take care of tlieinselves ; but the iminortal 
 child is first an helpless babe, and long an infant 
 in body and mind, throw n upon the warm bosom 
 of maternal love, a delicate, sensitive, precious 
 being, the charm of the household— the gift of a 
 beneficent God, to be nourished and brought up 
 in J lis fear and for His glory. 
 
 Would we, then, efficiently carry out the Divine 
 purposes, we must put our«»clves in harmony with 
 the Uivinc i)lan. We must begin our work where 
 
TffK WOKSllll' Oh (,(il) IN Ol'K l'AMII.Ii:s. 
 
 91 
 
 God be;^m.s it, not in the world, nor in tlic S;il)bath 
 school, nor even in the church, hut in the hcjnuj; 
 prayinj^' that God would, in Ifis mercy, "turn the 
 hearts of the fathers to the cliildren, and tlie hearts 
 of the children to their fathers." 
 
 In the{)revaih'nL,^ hick of faniil\-reliL,n'on throui^h- 
 
 out our land, we find a sufficient thou<,di a sad 
 
 cxplatiHtion of the youthful indifference and irre- 
 
 ]i;4!0}i which we deplore. Vounj^^ i)ersons come to 
 
 the church, the Sunday school, or the Hible class, 
 
 and they are taught thesujjreme claims of reli^n'on, 
 
 and the duty and privile<4C of professing- f;iith in 
 
 (Jiri'i-t, liut they ijjo liome and see their parents 
 
 who, j>erhaps, are members of the church, as selfish 
 
 and worldly, as proud and peevish ap.d violent in 
 
 thejr temper, as thcxse who make no profession of 
 
 religion. If the form of fann'i)- worship is kept u\) 
 
 it k jjone throu^i^li in a cold, lieartle.ss way tliat 
 
 IJroduccs fiist^ust in the nn'nds of the }'ounL;-. 'l"he 
 
 public oRh'nanccs of reli<,n"on, such as the mid-week 
 
 prayer meetin;^^ the Sabbath assembly, or even the 
 
 ob.scrvance f>f the I.ord's supper, arc for the most 
 
 trivjal excuses necjlectcd. The testimon\- of the 
 
 home, in not a few cases, virtually i^ive tlie h'c to 
 
 the teaching;- of the cliurch. Is it surprisini,^ that 
 
 under -iiich home intluenccs so man\- vouu" ner- 
 
 sotJ'^ ^oon come to rei^ard reliq;ion with iiKh'fler- 
 
 ence, anrl all public profession of it with positive 
 
 avcrsiorK not a few livini^r as if God were a m)-th, 
 
 heaven a dream, the atonement a cheat, and 
 
 eternity nothing ? 
 
p2 'I'll;'. woKsiiir ()[■■ <;(ii> i\ oi'K i'.\Mii,i;:s. 
 
 I.ookiiiL;' ;it the (lut\' of family worship more in 
 detail, let us ohserve 
 
 I. Its ol)h\L;'ations. 
 
 II. Its benefits. 
 
 in. The (lifficiihies fre(|nently iirj^ed for the 
 
 iion-ohservance o 
 
 fit. 
 
 I. The ohiiL^^ation (jf famil)' worship ma\' he 
 cle'arly inferred from the e.xample ol holy men in 
 evcr\' a;^i,' of the ("hiii-ch. Look at .Abraham, the 
 father of the faithful aiul the friend of God. llis 
 famiU' reh\t;ion is that for which he is si)eciall3' 
 blessed b\- (jod. in (leuesis i8: Kj, the Lord 
 sa)'s> " I know .Xbrah.un that he will comm;...d his 
 children and his household after h.im ; and the)- 
 shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and 
 judj^ment, that the Lortl may brin^i^ u[)on Abra- 
 ham that wliich I le hath s])okcn of him." Abra- 
 ham is here commended for instructinij liis children 
 and his household in" in the wa\' of the Lord," 
 that is the <j^yc,\i docti'ines of religion; and'2iin 
 " iloin!4' justice and jndi;"ment," that is, in the _L,n'eat 
 duties ()( relii^ion. .\nd observe, "he will com- 
 mand " them ; that is, he will, in a pro[)cr wa)', use 
 his authorit}' as the head of a family in the 
 religious instruction of his children. Abraham 
 also pra)'ed with his famil)'. Wherever he fixed 
 his tent, there he built an altar to the Lord and 
 called upon the name of the Lord. Now all true 
 believers are the children of Abraham, and if so 
 the\- will do the works of .Xbraham. The nej^lect 
 
Tin; WoKSIIII' ( )!■ (;( )| I | ,\ ( n ^ 
 
 AMI 
 
 93 
 
 of f;iniil\- worship, tlRM-cforL-, iiuiicatcs that those 
 iiCL^lcctin.i; it do not hclon-- to Christ. 
 
 The altar which Isaac erected at Heersheha, 
 and Jacol) at Bethel, were nioiiuiiieiits io their 
 ()l)servaiice of faiuil)' worship. 
 
 Moses made (h'stiiict provision for tlie reh';.;ioiis 
 
 instruction of children hy their ])arents. In Dent. 
 
 (>: o. 7, we read, "These words which I connnand 
 
 thee this day shall he in thine heart; and thou 
 
 shalt teach them diligently unto thy children 
 
 '' I lehrew -whet them dili_i,^ently upon th}- children, 
 
 fre(|uentl)' repcatini^^ these things to them ; as in 
 
 whettinL,^ a knife, it is turned, first on this side, then 
 
 on that I, and slialt talk of them when thou sittest 
 
 in thine house (re.stin-,^ thyself), and when thou 
 
 walkest by the way ^i^oino; to or from thy worki, 
 
 and when thou liest down (retiring- at the close of 
 
 the day), and when thou riscst up, (to hes^M'n the 
 
 work of another day/." J^rst, let the word of (iod 
 
 dwell in \-our own heart, and then seize upon every 
 
 opportunity to impress that word U])on the tender 
 
 mind of your child. Sec also Dent. 4 : 9. 
 
 Look at the noble deternn'nation of Joshua in 
 the presence of all Israel, as declared in our te.xt, 
 " As for me and m\' house we will serve the Lord." 
 Neither his exalted station, nor his various and 
 prcssin^r public duties, prevented his attention to 
 the rclic,M"on of his family. 
 
 , Call to mind the example of David. After he 
 had brou<,dit the ark of God into Jerusalem, with 
 gladne;-s, sacrifices, and thank.s<^rivin.^-, and dischar!^- 
 
94 
 
 lill'. \\(»KSIII1' Oh (i(il) IN <>rk I'AMII.ll'.S. 
 
 iiii^r all his public duties, and blessing- the pcoj)lein 
 the name (jf the Lord, he returned to bless his 
 household. i3 Sam. 6: 20.) 
 
 When Zecheriah ii2: I2i predicts a threat out- 
 pouring; of God's Spirit he tells us " every famil)' 
 shall mourn apart." 
 
 And the Old Testament's closing; words assure 
 us of a time when " the hearts of the fathers shall 
 turn to the children, and the hearts of the children 
 to the fathers." Would you therefore live as ^^odly 
 men under tlic former dispensation lived, nej^lect 
 not the worship of God in your family. 
 
 Coming to tlic New Testament we have eciually 
 clear exami)les in the observance of this holy duty. 
 Our Lord's own example is emphatic. During; 
 his stay on earth, he stood as the head of a 
 family, and his ai)ostlcs were the members of his 
 household (Matt. 10:25). How then did he act 
 towards these members of his family? Did he not 
 l)ra\' with them and for them, and was he not con- 
 stantly instructing; them ? If, then you are a 
 Christian you oui;ht to walk even as he walked. 
 
 Cornelius is described as "a devout man, and 
 one that feared God with all his house." 
 
 To the Phillipian jailor Paul said, " Ikdieve on 
 the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and 
 thy house," intimating- a close connection between 
 the faith of the father and the salvation of his 
 family. 
 
 The early Christians observed the worship of 
 
TilK WOKSIIII' OF (,(i|» IN (UK I- AMII li:s, n^ 
 
 (]()(! in their families. Acjuila and Tiiscilla had a 
 church in their house, ii C'or. i6: nj,. 
 
 Nyniphashatl a church in his house, '('01.4:151. 
 
 Many were f^^athered together l)ra)-ini; in the 
 house of Mary. (Acts I2: 121. 
 
 And so in the after history of the Church. At 
 the time of the Reformation there was ,1 powerful 
 revival of family reli<,non. Luther's " 'lahlc Talk '" 
 is still well worth readini;-, and his famil\- i)rayers 
 deeply impressed those who heard them. And 
 need I remind you how our Scottish forefathers 
 hi^dily prized the worship of God in the fann'Iy ? I 
 have i)reachcd to lar^e congre^jations and to small, 
 in churches, in houses, in barns, and under the shade 
 of a tree, but never have I felt more impressively 
 the presence of God than when I have knelt with 
 a praying family on the earthen lloor of a little 
 cabin in tlie Highlands of Scotland. There was 
 a time when in Scotland family worshii) was ob- 
 served among the reapers in a barn. It was com- 
 mon on the fishing boats on the friths and lakes of 
 Scotland. It was observed even in the depths of 
 coal pits. What has given Scotland the proud 
 position she occupies to-da>' among the nations of 
 the earth ? Is it her insular jxxsition, the wisdom 
 of her rulers, the valour of her soldiers, or the 
 genius of her poets ? No, not at all. The secret 
 of her greatness and her prosi)erity is to be found 
 in the Christianity among her people. And this 
 Christianity has been fed and nourished, chiefly at 
 
9^ 11 1 1 WOKSIIII' dl' (,()!» 1\ (UK IAMII.Ii:S. 
 
 tin; laiiiil)- ;ilt;ir, amid such scenes as Kohcrl liiinis 
 pliolooiaplis ill his "Collar's SaUii(la\- Ni_i;ht." 
 
 Ithim s.ciics like ll.i'se (j1(| Scntia's ^laiidtMir ^IlliIl}4^; 
 TImI ni.ikcs Ikm |iiu''l lit lioiiic. ic\fiL''l aliidiiil. 
 I'liii'f- ami I. .1,1- .nc but ij,,. biiMtli nl kiii^s, 
 All lioiii'-i iiiiin'.; Ill,; 111, blest woik of dd.l." 
 
 This is Ihc- ri;4hlcf)usiicss tliat has cxaUcd lliat 
 "•it ion ; and this ri_L;hlcousncss more than the 
 l)rodnclioiis of our lakes, mines, fiekls and forests, 
 will mak(,' this l)ominioii _L;rcat and hapi)}-. 'I'he 
 pr>-Nent dei^radetl coiuHtion of the milh'ons of 
 heathen ma_\- he traced hack to the nei^iect of the 
 worship of (jod in the famiiv. "Tour out th>' 
 fur\-" sa>-s Jeremiah 110:25; " ui)on the heathen 
 that know Thee not, and upon tlie family that call 
 not ni)on Thy name." 
 
 11. Let me now indicate a few of the man)- 
 benefits of famil)' worsiiip. .\nd I will refer first, 
 to the benefits to yourself as head of the famil)- ; 
 second, the benefits to >-our family ; and third, the 
 benefits to posterity. 
 
 As to >'ourself, it will l)encfit you tcmj)orall>'. 
 It promot(,-s worldl}- [jrosperity. I will not dwell 
 Ion- upon this, for 1 would fain hope nobler 
 motives will have; more wei<4ht. Yet let it not be 
 torL;i)tlen that true reli^i^ion has the promise of the 
 life that now is as well as of the life to come. 
 Look at most families where the worship of God 
 is nes^lected. What a want of order ! What lack 
 of authoril}' on the part of parents, and of submi.s- 
 sion on the |)art of children! What jarring and 
 
Kl'.\ . W . A. \\< k W , li A , |i I). 
 
 Kov. Dr. Ml Kay was Ijorii in (iNfnul IDiiiily, ( iiit , Manli nth, i>*42. With 
 seven veais experience as a schoipl tearlui, he entere'l upnii his acaihMiin 
 stiulies in Toriinti). and niaduate'l fmni the I'liiveisitv in i*>tH^ ami from Knox 
 Colle^je in 1^70. After ei«ht years as a couiitiv pastor, he accepted a call to 
 Chahneis (Jhurch, WDcMNtcHk. nl which ciin^jreuatinn he has been the laithlul 
 and hiincired minister for the past nineteen \i'ars. lie stands in the fureniost 
 ranks of the temperanc e reform movement, and much valuable literature h,is 
 emanated from his versatile pen, on this and nthiM suhjects. His famous uoik 
 on " Hapti-m '' has none through fourteen editions, and should be read 1)V any 
 who have periilexities on that ^ubjeit. In l"><); the .'Senate of the I'resbv teriaii 
 CoUeue. Montreal, conferred ui)jn him thedeKiee.d I >. I), in leci'^jnitioii of his 
 thRolo^ical scholarship. 
 
■""^^'"^^""■'" '>'^<HK,.■^^^M^■s, 
 
 'llSStMlsioils 
 
 _. I 
 
 9/ 
 
 1'CC()J|„-„1U. n|,„ 1^ ,„. , ,, "'""'''• '-'"H'S this 
 •sins?" Al. ,:''•''■■'''' l''-^'>''.^-'-t tl.cso very 
 
 ^'vcM ,n secret prayer. ''^ ' "-'"J'^^' 
 
 "- child ,; ',,:.:'"'"'■"■'•■ '■" "'^- ■"""' •"■ 
 
 -'-•ch.-IInv , it "•'i;';--^'-- voice says to 
 
 in .o„th arJhLt:- ,!:^::ti;j:: i!; s. "-^■"- 
 
 And 1 u'onld ur-e this rlnf,. 
 merelybytheconsirl.; f r - "'''"^ ^■^^"' "^^^ 
 
 >>- a.so hy a co„si.e.tio„ of thr;:;:^^::::';:^ 
 
98 Tiir. woKsmi' (•!•• ('.on i\ (h-r familiks. 
 
 tei-it\' for all time. Truth once started can never 
 be wholly- arrested. 
 
 " Tlie good Ix-fTim by thee shall uiiwaid Mow, 
 III many a liraiicliing stream, ami wiilei Rmw, 
 'I'he seed that in these few and tieeting hours. 
 'J'liy hands unsparing and unwearied sow- 
 Shall deck thy grave witli amaranthine flowers, 
 And yielii thee fruits di\ine in lieaven's immortal bowers." 
 
 In I'salm 7S: 4, 5, 6, the T.salmist speaks of five 
 successive fjenerations, and assures us that it is 
 God's law that the fathers should each tell his 
 children what he himse]f had learned from his 
 paretits, and thus transmit "the praises of the 
 Lord " from generation to generation. Thus b}- 
 honoring God in your family you are rearing for 
 yourself a monument more enduring than brass, 
 and that will last to all eternity to the glory of the 
 grace of God in you. 
 
 Hlcssed is the dwelling place that is devoutly 
 consecrated to the God of all the families of the 
 earth. Whatever uncertainties hang to human 
 view, over its future history ; whatever changes it 
 may witness ; whether predominates there the 
 voice of health and gladness or the wail of sorrow 
 and pain ; whether its larder be filled with plenty, 
 or made lean by poverty ; how oft soever its win- 
 dows ma}' be darkened b}- calamity and death- 
 one thing is sure, it is the abiding place of the Most 
 High; the angel of the covenant is there, and in 
 the deepest night of grief, that home has light and 
 hope and peace. 
 
 III. Finally let me mention two difficulties that 
 
 p.- 
 
w m 
 
 llll': \\i UOIIll' ()!• (.( M) 1\ tilK !■ \MII ll'-.S. (jg 
 
 arc trcciuerit!)' ur^cci lor the iioiiobscrxaiicc of 
 family worship. 
 
 1. I'^irst, want of time. W el! it is a l)iis\' aijc 
 tliis, and I have no doubt hut each one of yon ha.s 
 enough to do. lUit wliat tlicn ? Surely this, that 
 you who have so much to do. should all tlic moic 
 seek divine help and Ljuidancc, The more l)usi- 
 ness, the more need of jjraycr, lest \ou become 
 engrossed in the world and lose }-our soul. 
 
 lUit is it wise to !/i\e x'our time so exclusivelv 
 to your earthl)' callini;? Do j-ou and \-(nn- chil- 
 dren not pay too dear for >our wealth ? Is the 
 blessiiiL^ of God a thin<T of so little value that you 
 will not seek it only when }ou have notliin^- else 
 to do ? 
 
 And is it realh' true that }ou have no time, not 
 even five or ten minutes tosinc]^ w ith }our children, 
 morninLi; and evcninj^r^ a few verses of a psalm or 
 h\Mnn, then to read a few \erses of scripture and 
 utter a word of pra\-er? in makiiiL;" this excuse 
 are you reall)- not deceiving; yourself? Plenty of 
 time to prepare food for the i)crishinf; bodies of 
 your children, but no time to dispense the bread of 
 life to their never-d^-ini; souls! I fear the real 
 cause in most of cases, is not want of time, but 
 coldness and indifference to the things of God, 
 and to the eteinal welfare of your famil)'. I.ct 
 these be removed and other difficulties will x-anish 
 like mists before the risin<; sun. 
 
 2. The other difficulty freciuently urj^cd is want 
 of abilit}'. This excuse is more poj)ular tlutu the 
 
lOO 
 
 ■JIIK WORSIIII' Oh' COD IN OIK FA Mil IKS. 
 
 I 
 
 I I 
 
 k 
 
 want of time, for it savors of humility ; while 
 pleach'n^ want of time savors of worhlliness. lUit 
 f^encrally the one is as i^roundlcss as the other, the 
 true reason beintjj the want of will. 1 low do }'ou 
 know that you have not ability to read and pray 
 with, your family ? I lave you tried ? I low often ? 
 You were not ai)le to walk the first time you tried, 
 nor to read, or write, but you can do these thinf^js 
 now. You persevered, and thou^^h weak at first, 
 exercise strcnt^thencd you. Can \'ou not this very 
 night, along with your family, read some verses, 
 and tlien altogether repeat the Lord's prayer? 
 That will be a good beginning. Try it. Resolve 
 now with David 'Ps. 132: 4, 51,"! will not give 
 slecj) to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids, 
 imtil I find out a place for the Lord, an habitatio n 
 for the nn'ghty God of Jacob." 
 
 I speak to you parents on this subject with 
 great hopefulness, for I am pleading with you on 
 behalf of x'our own children. You are not like the 
 ostrich in the wilderness that careth not for her 
 young. \'ou are not of those who regard their 
 children as "aliens from the commonwealth of 
 Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise." 
 As Presbyterians you do not think that your chil- 
 dren must grow up in the wilderness of sin for 
 many years, before they are brought into the gar- 
 den of the Lord. Being yourself within the gospel 
 fold it is )-our blessed privilege to regard your 
 children as the " heritage of the Lord " (Ps. 127 : 3), 
 " born unto God " (Ezek. 16 : 20), " the children of 
 
TIIK WoKSIIIl' ol' (.(•!) IN (UK !• A, M 1 1 .1 l.S. |()| 
 
 the covciKuit" 'Acts 3 :25s to whom pcrl.iiii "the 
 pi-oinise" (Acts 2: 39 . 'i'herc h;is hccii no more 
 solemn act of >oui- life than when in the sacrament 
 of bai)tism, you entered into a covenant with God 
 on behalf of )-our child, promising that b\- the 
 i^race ot Gotl, you would brini; up your child in 
 the lunture and admonition of the Lord ; and (iod 
 on his part in infinite condescension entered into a 
 covenant with you, [)r()misini; to make His ^r.icc 
 sufficient for >-ou, and to bless x'ou and \<)ur child, 
 as )'ou would be faithful to your en;4a;^enu.-nl. 
 I low any one can thus covenant with (lod. and \et, 
 with a (juiet conscience, nej^dect the uorshij) of 
 God in their home I know not. Let me <;et ad 
 mission to }'our heart while I plead with xou. I 
 know you are kind to your children, hospitable to 
 your friends, attached to your minister, and loyal 
 to your Queen, but arc you tor<;cttin'; God in your 
 home? Alas tliat He wlu) deserves more than 
 an\' or all others, should !)e the only object of 
 net,rlect. If this duty has been ne_L;lected in the 
 past let it be so no more. Resolve at once that as 
 for you and your house you w ill serve the Lord. 
 So resolve, and this Sabbath will be a jubilee 
 indeed to you, a da\- of -gladness that you or \-ours 
 wi'l never forget. 
 
 Mothers, I admonish \-ou. Much depends on 
 you in this matter. I know a home where the 
 worshii) «^ ^od was started b\- a mother, on a 
 Sabbath evening, taking down the Bible, and gently 
 saying, " Let us have worship to-iu'ght." Mothers, 
 
1 
 
 I02 
 
 Till'; WOKSIllI' (!]■ </<yf» 1.%' OCR I- AMII.IKS. 
 
 if necessary, 1,^0 to-iuVht arifl flo likewise. And 
 then when your boys arc ^oin^^ to bed, be near 
 theni, smooth tlieir jiillow, '^ivc them a lovin*^ kiss, 
 say God bless \'ou ; for the driv will come when 
 the weary couch u ill not receive either the kiss or 
 the blessini]^. 
 
 Children, \oii too can do somethinij in this 
 matter. If \'ou have '^ivcn your heart to Christ 
 walk hund)ly with (jO(l,aii<l you maybe the means 
 of winnitiLj oiliers in your hojne. ihe two daugh- 
 ters of a cai I rrelijiioii^ father found Christ 
 while away fro;, .ome. The mother was dead. 
 On the evenin<^ 01 iheir return home, the\^ affec- 
 tioriately recjuested their f;»thcr to establish family 
 worship. He replied that he saw no use in it. He 
 had lived fifty years w ithoiit it, and he could not 
 be burdened with it now . 'I hey then asked per- 
 mission to pra\' with the family themselves. To 
 this the father somewhat j^jruffiy consented. Then 
 one of the sisters tof)k the Bible and read a chapter, 
 they both kneeled, and the r)ther eni^ajjjed in 
 prayer. And as the huuibj': fervent prayer of that 
 dearyoun<; Christian was ascending on devotion's 
 winjTs to heaven, the father's knees began to 
 tremble, his strong w ill \ieUIed, and soon he, too, 
 was on his knees, and tlicsj prostrate on the floor. 
 Father and chiklren wej>t together, and the Lord 
 heard their cries, and that home was ever after a 
 house of prayer to the liviaig God. 
 
 The remonstrance of the child was effectual. 
 And might not a similar suggestion, meekly and 
 
^r^ 
 
 5 -^ •■^5=' •<i7 •,i;? ^ .<^?' ^ ^ ^^^ ^, 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 i 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 MRS. KKli). 
 
 Mk> M((>l. 
 
 MKS (.Ki:(,(,. 
 
 I he .Sur\'i\oi\s or tlu' \''\y>\ Conuiumioa 
 in Ndirn ( luin l\. 
 
■ ' if ' 
 
TIIK WOKSHII' OF (iOn IN dlR FA.MII.IKS. 
 
 '03 
 
 humbly made, by one of the children before me, 
 be blessed of God ? I have said enou^jh. I leave 
 the result to your conscience and God. Ma>' you 
 be fTuided aright. 
 
 .^BEtu 
 
 I 
 If 
 
 w 
 
STRABAME. 
 
 in i;i;\'. .i.\mi;s ki.ack. 
 
 
 / v. hills .'iiid WDoils of ,s\v«'('t St liilunii', 
 
 Your aiitimui licaiitics l)ii;;iit.l,\- sliiiu! 
 lu'ii siinlx'aiiis lij^lit up <^n'()\t' ami plain 
 And clothe with j^lory da\"s di'diiu'. 
 
 I sliiiid upon a iiill-top luij^hr. 
 
 The sun descends the w.-stern sky, 
 A seene of beauty meets my sijuht. 
 
 A j^ohlen i;loi'y greets mine eye. 
 
 Beiieatli my I'eet, lie fruitful vales. 
 
 And spots adorned with lovely tlowers, 
 As yet untouched li_\ winter's ^ales, 
 
 All lieautiiiiMl hy suiin,\- showers. 
 
 See. where yon orchard liraiudies spreail 
 
 ill l)eaiity o'er the verdMit soil, 
 While those, who underneath them tread 
 
 Seize and enjoy the luscious spoil. 
 
 Behold those loaves of varied shrde! 
 
 The rainbow's colors all are seen ; 
 How !.J,ayly are the woods arrayed 
 
 111 robes of yellow, retl and tii-eeii ! 
 
 I see a eotta,L2,e do'vu below 
 Where hapjiiness has her abode, 
 
 Where shi-iibs, anil vines, and fruit-trees j^row. 
 And iiearls enjoy tlu^ jteace of God. 
 
SIKAHAMv 
 
 lO: 
 
 Bcliold yuii pliu'O not far from here. 
 
 At whic'i MiTivcs the daily mail. 
 Witli news of joy, the soul to cliccr. 
 
 Of tidiiiy^s caiisiiiii' licafts to fail, 
 
 Sue .vouder lioiisi' of pi'aisc and pfaycr. 
 
 Wliere \ouni;' and old for \voi-.slii|i meet : 
 .Miu' (irod Him.s(df he pn'sciit rlicrc. 
 
 To liloss tlicm '''('M His nu-ri'v seal. 
 
 Beside it; see tiie [dace )f tomlis. 
 
 Where preeious dust, exprciaiit. lies 
 Wiiitiiii;- tile time wlicu desiis coiaes 
 
 To hid its prostrate foi'in arise. 
 
 Eeliold rlose l)y. the village S(diool. 
 
 Where teacdiers toil fi'om morn to iii;^ht. 
 To ;4'iiide rlieir dork liy rod and rule--- 
 
 To train them for life's comiim- fi<;dii. 
 
 Not far heyond. anion.u' 'he trees, 
 Pee|)S out the pastor's ha])[iy home. 
 
 The dwtdlinj.; place ol lo\-e and pea<'e. 
 To it may evil nexcr come. 
 
 I dimly see sweet homes of love. 
 
 As gentle twilight o'er them spreads : 
 May precious Ijlessings from ahove. 
 
 Be poured u|ton their inmates'' heads. 
 
 May all thy children, sweet Strahane, 
 Be tauglit the upward path to try. 
 
 Till, free from sin. and grief and pain. 
 Thc-y sing tJie anthems of the sky ! 
 
onui: IM:/\l.>l:l^.s. lo>i7. 
 
 ■ 
 
 SEL3ION. 
 Rov. n. (!. Ciimoioii, Moderator; Dr. Jniiu's Mc- 
 <^>n('tMi. Cl(!i'l<; .liiiiK's Saiiilcrson. Williiiiu FciTicr. (icur^e 
 Nicul, Ak'xaiultn' McFiirliuic iind Ricliurd JiOtliiiiii. 
 BOARD OF MANAGEMENT. 
 Williiiiu Dickson. Cliiiinii;m : .J;uncs A, ('I'ay. .Secre- 
 tary; Jolm Fulton, Treasurer ; Clias. A. Siewait ; .loliii 
 Lulliiau and F. I{. lialison. 
 
 BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 
 W'iiliaui Henderson, K'icliard liOlliian. .John Smilh. 
 
 CHOIR. 
 
 Mrs. ,r. C- Williams. Clioir Directoi': .Mis> Lothian. 
 
 Or;^anist. 
 
 SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 Rev. D. (t. Cameron. Superintenih-nt : William E. 
 .Mc I-'aidanc, Seci'etary- Treasurer : F. i{. J^alison. Liln'a- 
 rian ; ]\[iss McFarlane. Orpinisl ; Mrs. I). O . Caniei-on, 
 Mrs. F. R. Balisou. .Mrs. dolm Lothian. ^liss C i'ra.ser^ 
 Miss Janet I. Robeitson, .Miss F. F. Koo. Wm. Fervier 
 and the pastor, teacdiers. 
 
 W. F. M. S. 
 
 r»lrs. D. (t. Cameron. President; Mrs. P. J)avidson, 
 Hon. \'ice-President ; Mrs. R. Lotliian and ^Irs. C. A. 
 Stewart. Vice-President.s ; Mis. F. R. Balison, Secretary; 
 Mrs. Wni. Dickson, I'reasurer. 
 
 Y. P. S. C. E. 
 
 Wm. F. McFarhine. Presi.leiit : .Miss F. F. Keo. Vice- 
 President ; ]\li.ss A. McNeill, ^linute Seci'etary ; ^Liss M. 
 Brown, Correspondin<4' Secretary: Miss A. Mitcliell, 
 Treasurer: Miss ]\1. McFarlane, ()rj>anist. 
 
 " WHITE STONE " MISSION BAND. 
 
 ^[rs. D. G. Cameron. President; Eppie Lothian, Vice- 
 President; Minnie Warren. Secretary; Bertie Lotliian, 
 Treasurer. 
 
 (Jhur(di OHicer— lieiirv Harnett. 
 
iillMil' |;| \K| KS. 
 
 to; 
 
 rjlhl?ll)l:-()l I ICIilAS. loM/. 
 
 SESSION. 
 
 Iir\-. 1.), ( i . ( 'illllrron . Mii(lcl;ili)l- ; Alr\;ill(l('r I'lilMT, 
 
 CMcrk : .Jijliii AiAiu'W. Ivlwaiil ('-.n'li'it ;iiiil Is;iai' ('lnu>ltiii. 
 
 BOARD OF MANAGEMENT. 
 
 I'M ward ("oilcti, (Jhaiiiiiau : I )i-. < ■' . 15. ( 'a; licit. Secre- 
 tary; .loliii 'riinihull, 'riva.-iiici': .Inliii IJuiiis. I'laiik 
 Siiuill and Alt liiir .\'c\\ ell. 
 
 BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 
 
 .V. Fi'a.sei', K. C.i-l.'tl. d. 'I'linihull. d. A-iie\v and d. 
 Burns. 
 
 SABBATH SCHOOL. 
 
 duliu 'l\irnliull. Si!|H'rint<'iidenr : .lulin .\,uiic\v-. ,1 r.. 
 Seeretary-'ri'ca.^iircr : raiiicron 'riiruinill. Mis. .J. Kitlhei- 
 I'ord and !Mi^s A. I'aiiicroii. tcaidiers. 
 
 W. F M. S. 
 Mrs. .\. i''iascr. I'lcsidcut : Mis,-. A. Caiiieri'ii, Sec- 
 retary ; Mrs. .V. .\c\vcll. Trcasin'cr. 
 
fr 
 
 T 
 
 loS 
 
 (:(iN( I 1 SK i\ 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 When the forc^oiii*^ p;ii;cs came from the press, 
 tlierc were revealeil a few minor errors, wliich liail 
 been overlooked in the corrcctin;^ of the proof. 
 On pa^^e 9, hue 9, ////V//(r shouhl read fiiytlui ; pa-^e 
 14, line 9, 'yiinc should read jfiiii. ; i)aL,H' 56, line 18, 
 this should read titc \ and on the; following;- line 
 <,iibscn lotions should read siihsirif>ti()ii. Also at the 
 top of i)a<,^e 58, it miL^ln have been stated, in addi- 
 tion to the other improvements, that -rmented 
 wine was introduced at the conmiv. , and at 
 the bottom of ])af^e 65 mii^dit have been added the 
 name of Mr. John As^new, a pioneer of Nelson 
 Townshi]) and a Kilbride elder of 39 years stand- 
 in*;. Amon^ our friends whose names apjjear in 
 tlie list of offerini^s, are a number of professional 
 and business men to whom we ^nve space for 
 advertisements and who are cordially commended 
 to our readers. 
 
JuhlllT; Ol ri:l?|\(,x 
 
 Ahriili;mi. licv, |)i' MurliiiHtun. Out >!| 
 
 Adilixtii. I»i\ .liiiiirs. .. , St. (it'Dryc. Out 
 ••^«"''\v..Im|iii K'ill.iiih'. Out.. 
 
 Allllirdll \irv. \)y Ml. lit 
 
 Out 
 Haiii. 'I'll.. mas. M . I 
 
 Jiiilisoii. !•'. \i 
 
 liiUisoii. Mrs i; . . 
 
 iiiilliiiits lit'. K.\-. I" 
 
 ^^'<^t»'''- A B llfmiiltoi 
 
 Hciihiiiii. \V. W Cl.^vcliiiK 
 
 lieiiliam. Mrs. W. \V ( 'IcvelaiK 
 
 Boyd, Mi>. .I,,|iii .\Iuiiti(.al 
 
 Jiliic.k. Kcv. ■lames. 
 
 liliuk. Mi.ss .lean B 
 
 (III 
 
 .'( ( M I 
 
 I'i'ai. (Jiic I iHi 
 
 Aliilivw. .VivIiIImM .Skcail's Mills. Out | no 
 
 l>iiiiilas. Out .-,(11, 
 
 .St 1,1 liaiic, ( )iii -J (1(1 
 
 Knclic I'dccc. Assa I 
 
 K iikwall, ( )iit I 
 
 Out 
 
 Ohio 
 
 Ohio 
 
 <i|Uf > III) 
 
 lamiltoii. ( )iif I oil 
 
 laiiiiltoii. Out 1 (III 
 
 (Ml 
 I ()(l 
 I (Ml 
 I (Ml 
 I (It I 
 
 Broiisou. !•:. S Diilutli. Min i ,,(1 
 
 Brown, Mi.ss .M Fireltoii. Out ] (ki 
 
 Bdtler, A. K Ilamilron, Out •} (ki 
 
 Canieroi). Miss Aiiiiic Mctcaire. ( )iit | (in 
 
 Caiiu'roi). Jicv. IJ. (i Stcaliaiic, Out ;{ (m 
 
 Cameron. Mrs. D, (J Straiiaiic, Out m (hi 
 
 Cameron. (4eo. L Stiai)ane, Out | Od 
 
 Cameron. Lillian (i Siialiaiie. Out i iiu 
 
 Campltell. iiev. \h\ U Montreal, (^jiu' 2 ()(J 
 
 Carhert. Dr. (i. B Killiride. Out i (ly 
 
 Carpenter. F. A Hamihou. Out mio 
 
 Cathrart, Rev. l)r Ciuciuuati. Oh'o .1 oo 
 
 CKejiwin, Mrs. , fas Duudas. Out I oo 
 
 Connell. Richard \'alens. Out i oo 
 
 Corlett, [Odward I\ill>ride. Out 1 (;.■, 
 
 Clu^ston. R. (i K'iliiiide. Out 1 i;,^ 
 
 Davidson, P I'leelton. Out 1 oo 
 
■■^ 'XU ilunsB^aV 
 
 I lO 
 
 Hl'.ll.i;;', ()FIKK1N(.S. 
 
 Mi 
 
 all 
 
 Dickson. R. F 'rurin. Out 
 
 Dickson. Will ill I II l-'i't'cltui). < )iit. . , 
 
 Elliott. Thos Lowvillc. Out .... 
 
 Feri'ifi-. Mrs. .\. .S Wdodstuck, ( )iii . . 
 
 Fervicr, Dr. Jiiiiifs New Ymk. X. \ 
 
 FeiTicr, Mrs. John. Sr Hritiiiloii. Man ... 
 
 Fcrricr. Win St laliaiie. Out ... . 
 
 Finch Bros Hamilton. Out , . . 
 
 Fliitt. .). I., M. P. P [rjunilKni. Out .... 
 
 Fletchur. livv. Dr HaiiiilriHi. Out . . . 
 
 Fraser. AlcKaiider . Kilijriilc. Oni . . 
 
 Fra.si'r. Miss (' StralKUic. Out . . 
 
 Fiilr,oii, John Frcc'lton. Out .... 
 
 (TiiUoway. .Mrs. F .Stral)aii('. Out ... . 
 
 (Jilinonr. Matthew Wt'.--to\t'r. Out . . . 
 
 ( iray. James .\ F reel ton, Out, .. . 
 
 (Jrav. Henry l-'reelton. ()iit.. . 
 
 Hall. Mrs. .M I'oria-e La Fiairi. 
 
 Hali. .1 Hamilton. Out 
 
 Harper, .lames. .Sr Weslover. Out 
 
 Harper. James. Jr West Flainlioro. ( )nt . . . 
 
 Hazell. A. 'I' Hamilloii. Out 
 
 Henderson. William St ra bane, Out 
 
 Jiihustoiie. .1. R Milloii. ( )iit 
 
 Johnstone, Miss M St lahane. ( )nt . , . 
 
 Kee. William St lahaiie, ( )nT 
 
 liaylioiirn. (ieo i\ ilhride. ( >nt 
 
 Leniiii'. Mrs. .las (Jitelph, ( »iit 
 
 Lindsay, dnlni Westovcr. ( )iit 
 
 Lindsay, M rs, .1 .. Sr We>i(iver. Out 
 
 Ijindsay. (ieo Westovcr. < )nt 
 
 Lothian, .loll 11 Slraliane, Ont 
 
 liothiai;, Riidiard St rahane, Ont 
 
 Lothian. i\ . W St rahane. Out 
 
 McC'iieii, Miss lj\7./.\r I-'retdtoii. Out 
 
 Mc Far la lie, Ale.x St rahane. On I 
 
 M(J''arlane, M iss .Nidlie. . . .X'icroria. P.. C 
 
 (Ml 
 I III 
 nil 
 (III 
 I II I 
 
 on 
 li.'i 
 nil 
 11(1 
 (III 
 ( III 
 (II) 
 1)1 1 
 on 
 on 
 nn 
 
 (i(i 
 nn 
 on 
 OO 
 no 
 nn 
 nn 
 on 
 ni I 
 On 
 !."> 
 I in 
 nn 
 on 
 nn 
 no 
 (i.'i 
 ^n) 
 nn 
 ■2 in 
 1 {>{\ 
 
I "" 
 
 1 (XI 
 
 1 no 
 1 "" 
 
 1 (HI 
 
 . . . . 1 ' i"i 
 
 .") ( 11 ) 
 
 '^ (10 
 
 I ( )( I 
 
 . . . . 1 'i" 
 
 1 ' » t 
 
 1 (Ml 
 
 1 on 
 
 I (10 
 
 1 "" 
 
 1 oo 
 
 Uaii. I iii» 
 
 ;•> oo 
 
 1 '»0 
 
 t 1 no 
 
 ■ ', oo 
 
 1 00 
 
 . . . . 1 •>" 
 
 1 oo 
 1 oo 
 
 1 1 r> 
 
 1 oo 
 
 1 00 
 1 00 
 
 1 oo 
 
 1 oo 
 
 I 05 
 
 M 10 
 1 oo 
 
 2 lo 
 
 . . . i '." ' 
 
 lll'.II.KI-. (iKI'i;KIN(iS. 
 
 McHiitrie. Mrs. Thos London. Ont 
 
 Mcilroy. 8. U ..Hamilton, Ont 
 
 McKay, Rev. Dr Woodstock. Ont 
 
 McLeod Mrs. 1) ( Jiielph. Ont 
 
 McXiiry. :\Iis. I>. L ..Cliicitjio. Ill 
 
 :\[cQueen. Dr. .Janics Frcclton. Ont 
 
 .MelmfTuy. Miss ,M Freulton. Ont 
 
 Mills, Stiuiloy Haniilron. Ont 
 
 Miuorgan. Mrs Hamilton. Ont 
 
 Mitcdiell. .\lex Hamilton. Out 
 
 Moliiieau.x. .lames Killn'ide. Ont 
 
 Myliie. Mrs. A St raliatie. Ont 
 
 Newell. Aitliiir Kili;ride, Ont 
 
 Nicol . Geo Westover. Ont 
 
 Nicoi, John Rotiiy Norman. Scotland 
 
 Nicol. Jolm Ke-ina. A.ssa 
 
 Nicol. James Slii.al Lake. Man 
 
 Nicol, Miss Lizzie Westover. ( )nt 
 
 Nicol Rol)ert Waimate. New Zealand. 
 
 Peebles. Robert Nelson, i^. (J 
 
 Reid, Huj4li Freelt.Mi. Ont 
 
 Robertson, Mrs. ('has Straliane. Ont 
 
 Robertson. Rev. .1. ]j (Jore liay. Out 
 
 Robertson. Mrs. Jas.L Slrabaiie. Ont 
 
 Robertson. .1. li Franklin, Pa 
 
 Robertson, Mrs. R Freelton. ( )nt 
 
 Robertson. Rev. W Moi'riston. Out 
 
 Robertson. W. M Warren, Pa 
 
 Rodders. Jolm Stiabane, Out 
 
 Ronald. Wm \\'estov( r. Oiii 
 
 Ross. John R Portage ].,a I'rairie. .Man. 
 
 Ross, Mrs. .lohn I''iccli(jn. Ont 
 
 Ross Miss .lanet Foslimdi. Out 
 
 Rutherford. .Tames St ra bane. Ont 
 
 Rutherford. .lohn Straliane. Out 
 
 Rutherford, .lohn K'illnide.Ont 
 
 Sanderson, dames .St rabane, ( )nt 
 
 riF 
 
 . I Oil 
 .") 00 
 
 •J .'.o 
 1 oo 
 1 oo 
 
 ■") II.". 
 I oo 
 I oo 
 I oo 
 .") t )( I 
 
 1 00 
 
 1 oo 
 1 oo 
 
 [\ I.-. 
 
 ! -j:. 
 
 I oo 
 
 I oo 
 
 I oo 
 
 1 oo 
 
 I oo 
 
 ■J oo 
 I oo 
 t oo 
 1 oo 
 I oo 
 I 00 
 1 (III 
 I 00 
 I oo 
 I oo 
 •J ( l( I 
 1 oo 
 I oo 
 •J ( II I 
 I oo 
 
 I (lO 
 
 •J lo 
 

 \ 12 
 
 UMII.KK OKKKKINfiS. 
 
 Siuidcvsoii. Hiij;li MiiiiKMlosa. Muii t '»' 
 
 Simpson, Mis. \V. H Huiiiiltoii. Out 1 0<i 
 
 Siini)son. R (}ueli)li. Ont I »>() 
 
 Slumks. Dr. .1. C Howick, (»»ue 2 uo 
 
 Sliiiw, Mrs. 'Hios Montreal. C^ue 'i '»' 
 
 Sheridan, Mrs. H Freelton, Ont 1 <>" 
 
 Small. Frank Kiihride, Ont 1 <ii) 
 
 Small, Geor<i^' Kilbride. Ont I "" 
 
 Smith. Daniel Freelton, Ont 1 0(i 
 
 Smith,. luhii Strabaue. Ont 1 t>(i 
 
 Stewart, Ilev.John Carlisle, Ont 1 "" 
 
 Stewart, Alex Freelton. Ont I ■-'•' 
 
 Stewart, C A. Strabane. Ont I "" 
 
 Stewart, Peter Strabane, Ont 1 Oo 
 
 Stewart. T. .1 Hamilton, Ont r, oo 
 
 Tennant, Mrs. E Hamilton. Ont 1 '"> 
 
 Thomson. R Hamil.on. Ont 1 <»»' 
 
 Thompson. Dr. Chas Hamilton. Ont :5 Oo 
 
 Turner. Mrs Timn,Ohio : t uo 
 
 Waddell. James Foxwarren. Man -! "0 
 
 Wardrope. Rev. D Teeswater, ( bit 1 '»» 
 
 Wardro|)e.".T. W Little Cascai)edia. »^ue. . 2 oo 
 
 Wardrope. Rev. Dr (^uelph, Ont ■"> ">" 
 
 Wardrope. W. H Hamilton. Ont :^ "" 
 
 Watt, (leorj-e Weslover. Ont 1 '»• 
 
 Williams. J. C l^'eelton. Ont :'• "*i 
 
 Williinus. Mrs. .1 . C Fre.dton. Ont 1- »»' 
 
 Wilson, dohn Haniilton. Ont •> <«' 
 
 Wilson. Mrs. Thos Freelton, Ont 1 »'" 
 
 Wyse. Mrs H Puslin.di. Ont ! '•" 
 
 Yolln^^ Rev. John Hamilton. Ont -^ '"• 
 
 Smaller sums ''' 
 
1 0*1 
 
 I 01) 
 
 •2 (HI 
 •> (Id 
 
 1 (HI 
 1 (III 
 I (III 
 
 1 (HI 
 
 1 (III 
 1 11(1 
 
 I jr. 
 
 I (Id 
 1 00 
 
 ;") 00 
 1 00 
 1 00 
 
 :4 ()o 
 1 00 
 •J 00 
 
 1 00 
 •2 00 
 
 . :> .")() 
 
 i\ 00 
 
 , 1 00 
 :\ 00 
 
 I 00 
 .") oo 
 
 . 1 00 
 
 1 (HI 
 
 :Oto 
 •',:, Id 
 
 HARDWARE. 
 
 \Y/l: (iiv ii|)-N)-(|(ih' in our Inksiacxs. Our \Y\ccs <mv 
 ri()hr, (Mir (k^m|> (hv nrst-CUixs, iii\<l wv luivc 
 TIII:hl:M IIAI?I)\VAI>I sioi^r: A\l> \VAI?I:I lOlLSI: IN 
 11 li: (Try. wv runv lull |(iu\s of 
 
 ROPE 
 
 CHAIN 
 
 BlIILDKKs- HARDWARH 
 
 SAWS 
 
 AXES 
 
 HARVE5T TOOL* 
 
 PAINTS 
 
 OILS AND (ILASS 
 
 FILES 
 
 BELTING 
 
 WOOD SPLIT PULLEYS 
 
 AlACHINE OILS 
 
 PIPE IRON AND LEAD 
 
 PIPE EITTINOS. 
 
 \V(^ .Solkir \(){W TlXKiC in mr.sr \Uws (ind will 
 
 fiivc iiiK hi>r ()i- Ai ir:\ ri()\. 
 
 F. A. CARPENTER & CO., 
 
 77 AND 79 YORK STREET, 
 
 CAI.I. IN AM, l.\.sl'l-.( i 
 
 HAMILTON, ONT. 
 
 . . . Hazell & 5on . . . 
 
 ni: \r,f:Ks in cfkiu i-: 
 
 rAMiLV rjixx:i:i?ii: 
 
 J^^ VJ ••"•••miiiiilir 
 
 STORES ; 
 Corner King and McNab Streets. 
 ^^^ Corner Main and Wentworth Streets. 
 
 s 
 
 HAMILTON, ONT. 
 
 WW 
 
 niVK THKAl A TRIAL. 
 
;..i._iL_i-.L,i«LLjU7"rn'"j»_i.j«»^iJ 1 1,' . 
 
 k 1 
 
 ml 
 
 ISSUER OF MARRIAGE LICENSES. 
 
 J.C\VILLI/\MS 
 
 General Merchant 
 
 ,, FREELTON, ONT. <, 
 
 -<? ft 
 
 FURNITURE A SPECIALTY 
 
 • MHMIIIIIilill' 
 
 UNDERTAKING IN ALL ITS BEQUIBEMENTS 
 
 WHEN vol) WANT THIS PRESCRIPTION flllED 
 
 
 .# - % if: 
 to { f 
 
 CAl.T. 
 ON . . 
 Till'. 
 
 DUN U 
 
 B. 5CAKLHTT. 
 
 
 1 1 
 
■hy 
 
 A L KX . \l I TC H B L L, 
 
 I "I: 'M l;i S 111 W A II- kiMiWM. 
 
 ( l\cn\i>r (liul l)ru()(jLsL 
 
 GRADUATE OF THE ONTARIO COLLEGE OF PHARMACY. 
 
 TORONTO, 
 
 ii'H.riKK .ir A DM I ,,\i \ , ,,|^ \v^ ^, y 
 
 II A I ( lll-.MISI KY. 
 
 \':AS\' l:NI) 
 cor. r\ii\(| 
 
 (IIVl 
 
 IVlr|)l\()i\c 
 
 97"/. 
 
 A I ULI SWK'W Ol I)I?U(lS, 
 
 Cbemicals. t)ye Stuffs, Drua Sundries, Toilet Soaps, Sponj^es, 
 
 Perfumos, Paints, Oils, brushes, lOilet Articles and 
 
 Physicians' Supplies of all kinds, which are 
 
 ^-.'^- \VAi:f!,\ri I !:l) (ir:riUi\T: AND or- Till: Xij^.-i 
 
 ^/"^ vi:i;n' liiisr nil: ,\\,\i>i'vi r C/VM .slippi v. ^\ 
 
 nu^^iuisn-^ Pn-r-criptiDiis ,ind I-';iniilv Rcclmi)!-^ c:in;fiillv cnnipi.uiKlcvl 
 • OBLIGING CLERKS ■ . 
 
 l',M;rv aiticlc uu^n .mlor 1 -iitl-lintoiy m iniHR-y iL'din.led 
 
 %* Hi;% Y(M Ri;oi IRi; ANVTHINO IN THI: DKl'd UNI- YOU WILL 
 
 UNI) IT MOTH A PIlASLkl: AM) A PROMT 
 
 TO UO HI SIM-SS WITH L5. 
 
ill 
 
 
 ( 1 
 
 i 
 
 S : 
 
 
 .1 
 
 ( ■ 
 
 v 
 
 
 •I 
 
 t^ 
 
 i 
 
 { I 
 
 I km Hilton -f 
 (ii'nnife j 
 Worlis. 
 
 Corner 
 VorUciiKl h(iv 
 
 T. d. STEWART, Proprietor. 
 
 W Hi il.l.^AI.I- AMI Kl lAII MANTIAl T l K I; 1< 
 . . .Ill 
 
 lonuinenLs .-, |-]aKLsfon(Ls, 
 
 STATUARY, 
 
 iniLDINc; WORK, \AII.IS, I'l.A'I'I'OKMS, 
 
 KIC 
 
 Pir 
 
 Id not /'Idit' \(iiir ii>'i/f>> uiifi! \o!i Ihi'^c f'ttiruri'd mv /'fin 
 
 ■/li.h 
 
 lit till' /i)',%_'r>t t'i'iisi-.<.t,'iit -.K'itli lirst-ila 
 
 <t,;k 
 
 d ti 
 
 nut II II I SI 
 
 My iiuiindiit'tiiniig t^laitt is , 
 (•lui's for /laiutliiiL'- aiut 
 
 }iiif'f'itl with all till- mod, 
 •orkiiiL,'- Citaiiit, . 
 
 nil cuiimii- 
 
 Jiiiiis: 'I iiiniiiiidi'turcy iiiid not iiiiirly a 
 
 deal 
 
 or iiiC(iii< 
 
 iliri'ot from mo .lev j^i-t y, 
 ynii tlio doaloi's profit . 
 
 rk at first o<>st. tlioroh 
 
 iliiit I'liviiii: 
 V Mt:wiiL'' t(. 
 
 l'i<iti>r^ di'siriiig to oxamiiio stook and oniiif'aro friers -.x'ill lu 
 
 looiisly roooi;od aiul attoiiilod 
 
 Corner 
 
 1 'ork- 
 
 d luiv St roots 
 
 T. J. STEWART. 
 
 Hamilton, Ont. 
 
ir/i i.wiri- Yur ///,/</,. 
 
 Fine// Brotliers. 
 
 ONE OF THE FOREMOST 
 DRY (iOOI)S STORES IN HAHILTON, 
 AND ONE OF THE 
 BEST KNOWN fi y y ^ y 
 AND HOST POPULAR. 
 
 11/ h send ti.'o hiiya-s >,hrocui cvcrv season and ,;rc 
 /aror importers. \Vc arc cons/antly rcravunr 
 new o-oods and s/y/cs from abroad, and 'tins diou?d 
 oc a ,^ood place lo hay. \\\- arc ahcavs phased to 
 see our old Mends and make n.:e on^s, and endeavor 
 to liave all pnrchases satisfactorv. If i^vods arc not 
 as represented tiny can he ntnrned and the money 
 icill he refnnded at once. 
 
 II''' oc- Di-'ss .M,,l:rrs. Mantir M,,!,;,-^ 
 
 "„d Mniin.rs. on<l fh.rr is uu housr ,nn, niarr 
 
 fnat ran torn nuf a hrtfrr riass nf n'nrk 
 
 W<- HKOranfrr nun Inn-rst prou-s 'o/noi/s. 
 
 l\'r /)ir/fr t/o// lie re. 
 
 FINCH (i .\-,/.v. IS „,„/ jn 
 
 BROTHERS, I "'"^ ';;••' ;^'^'- 
 
 ' y llamuton 
 
r 
 
 1 
 
 Grafton & Co. 
 
 y\\(inuld(lur(M\s or 
 
 \'\\\C * 1^ V V 
 
 UI/ADV-rO- 
 
 \v\-j\u 
 
 ClothiiAg 
 
 /Af AVinurdcKiivrs' 
 ! trices. ,.,.^i.»i.i' 
 
 ALL CLOLMINC I l,\NI)-(U L, LAILOIJ-MADL:, Ann l:(^UAL 
 
 IN L:VL:I?V l>l:.S|>r("L TO LIL^s L-(L,\xs 
 
 ClLSIOiN \V()l>rx. 
 
 hr(iiKl\c>: 
 IkimiUoh, London, owcn SounJ (iivl 
 
 IX^kihoio. 
 
 'i: i 
 
2 
 
 H(i|)|)v/TI\(Hi(j|\rK()iuje 
 
 
 (0X0 
 
 SO, 
 
 (Scyy 
 
 U I.KX ,UV,X,; A KAX,.,, ,;, ,,,K Vn,- ,;kt niK rw.:X,-,XK 
 BUCKS HAPPY THOUGHT RANGE. 
 
 l^l-n:l?l!N(^l:^ k ^.; 
 
 A" rmi iiat> of 
 
 lv>iiiHK\s (ii\(| 
 riiuvcirc 
 
 (llW(lV> 
 
 on luind. 
 
 S l^l:r-|:l?l!N(^r:^ f 
 
 I 85,000 Pamilies | un.i . . . 
 
 K^ Till- < MM,,, in. ^'' '?»- IHiiniu) 
 
 f iiMTv riior,,ii, K 
 
 
 w l>ron\|)fiv 
 
 ^ |iM'r\ riior,,,,, KANci-. W ' 
 
 JOHN WILSON, 
 
 7 AND 9 YORK ST. HAMTLTnTT 
 
 ■nAmiJjiUiN. 8 AND 10 MARKET ST 
 
W. 1 1. W(iixlr()|)e. 
 
 -^5) 
 
 B 
 
 /\l?I^Lsri:l^, 
 
 >oLi(HOi^, 
 
 IX .... 
 
 No. M M/\IN :^TI^I:I:T l!/\5T, 
 
 ii/\A\ii;roM. 
 
 DEEDS, WILLS, ETC. DRAWN. 
 
 MONBY TO LOAN. 
 
 L^ •— ••iiiiiiiiiiii' 
 
 No. 97'^ Kiivi 5r. l-(Lst 
 
 ()|)|). L(Klic\s' ("olU'(|c, 
 
 Offkv Hours: 
 
 M/AMIITOM, OMT. 
 
A. I:. l3uNer ^ 
 
 & C/). i);'ciitT> in . . . 
 
 L(i(liCN (ind (icnllcinciV.s 
 rinc 
 
 KI■|;ul•.l^;>^, si.ii'i'i'.Ks, I'.rc. 
 
 'Illlllliinii 
 
 HAMILTON, ONT. 
 
 ] 'onr potronagc n'spictfitlly solicited. 
 
 mi'i 
 
 §^^M:'' 
 
 
 e; 
 
 Safety. . . 
 
 y\Ml:iii7 t'fW^ fi%«S?w^P^""^ '''"'"' " t''='"^''t^t'<"i with 
 
 simple as A. li. C. ^\e 
 
 pi'Dpose to st.'ll yiii\ >;;!fctv 
 
 A-'^-y-^Btii,^. 
 
 '*^K'^''*^'^/lr«^*'^'''''"'^ '" "'" ^''''I^-' "f iclial)le 
 
 :^fc^$^^^^''^€-^m J^^'IO^'-I'l-I^'--- \Vc are 
 
 t:/^j!b^S'^j-«^^'^W^^ «'""« '" 1"" "'^' Pi'ices so 
 
 -■-'■'^- -H^j'y.^'-'A V;',^i >Xv-^ i^' '"\^ 'li'it HO one else cm t{o 
 
 -£':Z''. \y z/"-.!^^"*^^5^esi»r'^ lower anil keep out ol tlie 
 
 ^-•.--;(i.Y^#i^T,:^,'' -^t^-i, slierilfs liaiuls. That's our 
 
 ■^ ' " --'' propo: ition. 
 
 . CdMK AND (;iVK TS A \TSIT 
 
 ly. T. HALL. 
 
 HAMILTON, ONT. 
 
nwm c M( iLix)v, 
 
 SPECIALIST 
 
 IN • 
 
 PRINTING, STATIONERY, BOOKS AND GAMES, 
 
 No. 8g Kifi^i^ Street linst, Hn mi I ton. 
 
 PRESBYTERIAN ROOKS OF PRAISE, BIBLES, HYMN BOOKS. 
 
 N. H.— School Books ami School Siipplius a Specialty. 
 SKK US ANVnoW. 
 
 .... XHtC .... 
 
 OF NEW YORK. 
 
 F. A. lUJRNMAM, ESQ PKKSIDENT. 
 
 Head (or Mome) Oflice for Ontario .. Freehold Loan Building, Toronto. 
 W. J. McMurtry, Fsq,, Manager. 
 
 The largest, safest and best Life Insurance Compauy in the world. 
 
 Issues I'RKli and i.iiu:k.\i, policies on acceptable lives fr(jni ages iH to 
 60 years, at the lowest possil)lc rates of preniiuin ronsisteiit wiih abso- 
 lute security and safety— containing the following and other special 
 advantages : 
 
 ist— Cash Surrender X'alue at any lime after fifth year. 
 
 2nd— Cash Hividends .Annually, after eleventh year. 
 
 3rd— Cash in a Lunsp Sum to the amount of one-half the "face" 
 of the policy will be paid at any time after acceptance of policy in 
 the event of Total Permanent Uisability of the insured — Irom any 
 cause, disease or accident, etc. to which all are more or less liable. 
 
 4th — ;\nd No Restriction as to Travel, Occupationor Residence. 
 
 The majority of prudent people insure agiinst 'PF. that may 
 never liai>pen, yet are sometimes tardy 
 against DK.\TH. That is absolutely ' <'i 
 
 References kindly permitted to 1< 
 other eminent divines, professional ai, 
 application to 
 
 S. ^ M« iLROY, 
 
 / (Jenera! Agent and Local Trv .isurer, Hamilton, Ont. 
 
 Ottice-8<i King St. East. 
 
 not ireles: ,0 ut insuring 
 ' cur sooner or later. 
 
 .. Cameron, S'abane, and 
 ness men msur Aith us on 
 
he following letter will represent to 
 
 «he reader what practical Life Insurance 
 really is. 
 
 S. K. M( II.K()\-, (iriri AkciiI, 
 
 Sq Ki:i^f Stii'i't I'iast, II.lM'.Jltnli, Out. 
 
 (.I'FJ.I'll, ONT.. April rtti. i^.)^. 
 
 ir. ./. .lA.i/rA'/AT, /•;,s(>.. 
 
 .\/<iii,rx'f>- Mutual Rcsctve /.if,; Assoiiatinn, 
 
 Toronto, Out. 
 Dear .S:r,- l\"iiiiit me toncktunvlfdKc, with thanks f(ir vntii priinipt 
 nndcjiirtcmis attention, tlic receipt el eheck \a.6.v,So„ iM.urth National 
 J5aiik, New V,)rk. f,ir $2o,coo in my favor as the executor of the last will 
 of the late J. 15. Armstrong, being pavinent in full claim, under I'uli, y 
 N3. 4^,(,02, held by him in the Mutual Reserve ImiiuI Life Association 
 (<f which you are the mnnaKer for Ontaiio. 
 
 When the principles of your Association and the mode ol conductiiiK 
 business were first brought to tlie attention of Mr. Armstrong. 1 am' 
 aware that considerable intiuonce was brought to bear up,m him to pre- 
 judice him against the Association ; but, in the exercise of his own judg- 
 ment (and the result has shown the wisdom of his decision;, he came t"o 
 tfie conclusion that it was both safe and advantageous to take out a policy 
 of even an unusually large amount, the highest at that time taKen out in 
 your Company by any person in Canada. 
 
 A few years atro similar influence was brought to bear on him, and 
 still further illustrative of his cautiousness and judgment, he visited the 
 head office and made all enquiries into the standing and operations of the 
 Association, with the result that he was <niite satislied with them, ap- 
 plied to have his line with them increased by Sio.ooo. which would have 
 made the total amount $.V),ooo. an application which had to be refused on 
 the ground of his being, at that time, more than fifty years of age. 
 
 That cuntidence in your Association has not been misplaced is proved 
 by the readiness with which the claim has been acknowledged, this being 
 even in anticipation of the later date you could have fixed, and which was 
 soon after you had made all the enquiry you considered necessary into 
 the case, and had become satisfied that the payment fell within the regu- 
 lations ol the Association. I am, dear sir, 
 
 V'ours truly, 
 
 ROMERT TORRANCF., 
 
 Sole Rxcctttor I'.'itatr J. B. Arxistroii'J.