Aa ^^> %^4^r:n^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // // «: RV KKHARn (LAV. BRtAD sTHEKl HILL. 1841. JOURNAL OF Till: VLSI TA HON, Av. A.- llnlifix, ^''tli l)>'coiiili>T, ISlO. The Society is already ivcquainteil willi tlu- causes of my delay in making my visit to New Brunswick, which I hud lu)j)cd to accomplisli at an earlier and more favourable season v{ the year. I was thankful, however, to be permitted to commence my journey, for this purpose, on 'I'hursday, the 8tii of October, altluiUijh aware that I should often l)e com- pelled to crowd into one day the proper work of several. I passed throuffh Windsor without delay, and slept at Kcntville, GG miles from Halifax, and reached my own cottage at Clermont ('22 miles) t-arly on the following day. On Sunday, 11th, J performed .\ir. Owen's duty at Aylesford, the scene of my first efforts in the ministry, for a crowded congregation, the remnant of my first flock, with many of their children and grandchildren. Mr. Owen was at the churches of Horton and Cornwallis, which still remain without a settled pastor. Never having been so long absent from the congregation at Aylesford, as I had tlien been, our meeting was not without an exercise of much feeling, mingled with pain and pleasure. Many had been removed for ever, during my absence, and many others had been added to the little flock. On Wednesday, the 1-lth October, I proceeded to Annapolis (.38 miles), and was glad to see the churches on the road, at Wilmot, Briflge Town, and Granville, in good order. I had an opportunity, also, for hasty communication with the Society's Missionaries, Messrs. I?obertson and Campbell, whose labours seem to have the blessing of Him for whom they are engaged. The Church is flourishing under their care and faithful ministry. I did not look for any difficulty on a road so familiar to me as this has been for many years, but in consequence of the rebuilding of an imjjortant bridge on the Ann.apolis River, I was compelled to cross u wide ferry in a small boat ; and owing to a very violent wind, and a rapid tide, the boat shipped a sea, whicli made every j)erson in her very uncomfortable. I passed the evening with the Society's very valuable Missionary at Annapolis, the Kev. Edwin (i;i,,;,, ,,,,j 1.;., 2c;Q:.c:faj-.t " Z I b S I . lOlIN S. At iin tiirly Imur tic1 hv tli' .>ni.lilv. I'M IK .V II. 1. 1. — (. \Ui I OM N. support, a.s lit- lin> 11 will' iiii 1 two \<)u:i^ cliikliih. 1 hr (Itimtation liail rciu'hed l'"it'deri(;toii jit :i lati- hour on the preccdinfj; eveiMiiEj, and wore ohlii^fd tu cuihark v.iili m*^ iit oiui; that we might attend to thi? busi- ncs>< 0!i our ]'a«sai^e to (th^c- Town, the only time that i couUi give to Ihens. Mr. Stirling also accomi .-.iiii d me jiow, anil throughout my visit to New HriiMsuirk, as niv chaplain, the Arehdeacon heing entirely unable to move iVoni I'Vedtricton. \'» e reached (Jage I'own l)t;l'orc uuon, and as s'ooa as convevanees couhl be jjrocured, I «et out with the Society's* Missionary, Mr. C'larUe, his elmrcliw aniens, and other gentle- men of the place, for the settlement near the Nereties road, known formerly .18 Coote? Hill, and New .lerusalem, !)ut now called I'etersville, distant from tiagu'l'own sixteen miles. L pon this occasion I had more than common evidence of the rapid improvement to which i have already alluded. In my first visit to this settlement, ten years ago, the access to it wassoditlicult thatwe had to travel twenty-thn e miles instead of sixteen, and so obscure that Dr. M'Cawley and Mr. Clarke missed their way, and were too late for the service. In the year IH.'i."), I made another visit to it by a road eighteen miles in extent, over which it was just possible for a waggon to pass. I lie frame of a church was then erected, but 1 was obliged to confirm in the open air. l/jjon the present occasion I was enabled to drive ton miles in an hour, ujion a road only sixteen miles in extent. I now found a very creditable and convenient church ready for con-^ecration. On many farms the original huts of logs had been superseded by comfortable houses and barns. Surely it is a holv and most useful work in which the Society is occupied, labouring to provide that, under the Heavenly blessing, Lue si)iritual advancement shall at least be equal to the temporal improve- ment. Hitherto it may be feared that this has hardly been accom- ])lished, for Mr. Clarke has not been able to attend sutiiciently to this deserving settlement ; but we may humbly hope that the advantage he will derive from the services of an assistant, will soon enable us to rejoice in better things. A large congregation, which nearly filled the building, was assembled. The church was consecrated with much gratification to them and to myself — it was named after St. Peter, as particularly apjjrojiriate to the church at Petersville. I preached to a very attentive Hock, and urged the duties which now specially bore uj)ou tiiem. I al.so had an ojiportunity for speaking to several of those who had borne a prominent part in advancing the church to its completion. All seemed most hajjpy in the hope of having it more frequently opened in future for the public worship of (iod. We returned to Ciage Town at a hite hour in the evening, and I was com- pelled to spend much of the night in writing letters, Saturday, October '24. — Another very favourable day. We had an early service at Gage Town, but owing chiefly to Mr. Clarke's inability, from illness, to make the necessary preparations, only five ])ersons were ready for confirmation. In addressing these, I had an ojjportunity for calling others to a due regard for this important institution. As soon as the service was finished, I was engaged with the churchwarilens and vestry to secure a fulfilment of their engagement, if the Society stiall be pleased to ai)])rove of Mr. Campbell's being assistant to Mr. Clarke, when the steamer's signal, as she was approaching from St. John's-, WOODRTOC K. obliged ine to embark hastily in a small boat, and rnw two mile<« tu meet her, attended hy severid worthy members uf the Chureli. I found Mr. Wood, the Society's Missi()nary at the Uriind Lake, on board, witii several i)ersons from more distant iihuea, with whom it was very con- venient for me to ediifcr, in reference to the state of the Church in the places of their rtxidence. We were at Kredericton soon after four, which enabled me to sec the Archdeacon on my way to the (Jovem- nient House. Sunday, October '2'>.— Having much before me for this day, I was very thankful to find the weather particularly favourable. We had a larj^e congregation in the morning, when Messrs. Hanison and Stirling were adnutted to the order uf i)riest». I jjrcaclied upon the occasion, not omitting to enforce, as well as 1 was able, the duties of pastors to their peojile, and of the people to their pastors. I had not time to unrobe before the afternoon service, when the church was again well hlled : sixty-nine persons, whose deportment was very becoming, were contirmed, and their seriousness encouraged me to address them at some length. Among them was an aged person, who, after much sickness anci afHiction, appeared to be in rajjid decay. He had been a passenger with me in a steamer, where he made known to me his earnest desire for confirmation, and made many projjcr inquiries, which I was glad to answer to his satisfaction. He was so feeble that he could not approach the altar without sujtport, nor remain there without a chair; but his heart and affections appeared to be devoutly engaged, and his whole manner was must interesting. He did not survive many days, but enjoyed to the last the richest consolation from having solemnly and faithfully dedicated himself to his Redeemer. Mr. Harrison preached at the third service. He is a native of New Hrunswick ; was ordained a Deacon by the Bishop of Barbados, but com|-,2lled, l)y his wife's severe illness, to quit the West Indies. He succeeded the Rev. (Jilbert Wiggins in the parish of Portland, of wliieh the most populous jjortion is a part of St. John's. The congregation he serves most willingly su])port him. The testimony which I received from the Hishop of Barbados, and my own knowledge of Mr. Harrison's praiseworthy exertions and exemplary conduct, left no doubt on my mind of his fitness for the office of a priest ; and I iiave received from Mr. Simoads, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, and a principal proprietor of Portland, a formal bond, by which he binds himself and his heirs to l)av f"^()() a-vear to Mr. Harrison, until a permanent and sufficient l)ruvision is legally secured to him by the parishioners. Monday, October 2(). — A very rainy morning, but I was obliged to set out at a verv early l.our for Woodstock (00 miles), attended by Mr. Stirling. We had to face a violent gale, which did great mischief at St. Jolin's and in other i)arts of the. province ; and to cross the St. .lohn's River twice— the first ferry is Iti miles from Kredericton, I found it much better appointed than it formerly was, so that our carriaire wa* driven with ease into a convenient gondola ; Ixit in the middle of the river we were struck by so violent a squall, that we expected our carriage every minute to be blown over. We were forced down the river far below the proper landing-jjlace, and could net recover our lo.-t around uutii tiic horses were ianueci, and one oi Liuni 8 WOODSTOCK — RICHMOND. harnessed to tlie gondola, which, after the loss of more than an hour was brouj.;ht to a place whore the carriage could be landed, but not until the boat was uja.ly filled with wattr ; and it required the utmost exertion of two powerful men to prevent her destruction, while heatinp •ijrainst the shore. A violent rain inrrcased our di. is great and commendable ; but it has not prevented very laudable exertions to meet the growing wants of their extem'ing settle- ments, and for this jiurjwse a third chajiel is in progress. Before closing my account of Woodstock, it is right that I should mention, for the information of the Society, that, as in other places, so in each congregation here. I stated, i)oth publicly to the whole, and more privately to individuals, the circumstances which rendered it imperative upon all the members of our flocks, to make such exertions as have never yet been made, for the support of the Church among them ; and it was my endeavour to satisfy all who liiitened to me, that such exer- tions would be most wholesome for themselves, and full of blessing. There is no place where I have better reason to be satisfied with the result of my endeavours in this respect, than at Woodstock. Meetings of the congregations have been held ; subscriptions ha^e been enlarged ; and the churchwardens have written to me. that they never before were led to view this matter in its tiuf light. They assume me, also, that more than the Society require .shall be regularly paid to their Missionary ; and I may consider them personally responsible for the fulfilment of this engagement. I baptized a child of the Missionary, Mr. Street, and then hurried on my return, attended, to the first ferry, by several of the principal })er8ons of the place, who had been present at our 7 o'clock service. Mr. Street and one of his churchwardens brought us 10 miles m our way. whence we were driven 20 miles further with fresh horses. Here we had to cross the river to meet a congregation at the church at Dumfries, which was necessarily small, as much snow was falling. A long island divides the river at this place. We crossed the mair channel in a canoe-carriages were waiting for us on the island, and, as the water was much lower than usual, we were able to cross the smaller channel in the carriages. Four persons were confirmed ; and after addressing these, I endeavoured to point out to the people their duty as arising from their present unhappy situation, when deprived of the services of a resident pastor ; this church, and that of Prince William, having seldom had any service since the removal of the Rev. Charles Wiggins. The day was nearly expended, but I had time to reach a comfortable lodging at the house of one of the churchwardens, and to visit a very aged member of our communion, from whom many of the congregation have sprung. I was glad to endeavour to animate her faith and piety, and cheer her view of the heaven that cannot be distant from her. Her hope appears to be rightly directed and firmly fixed. Thursday, October 29.-1 proceeded four miles to the cliurch at Prinr- William, where a good congr gation met me ; seven were con- firmed, and my effort here was similar to that at Dumfries. I visited ti