*^^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) fc ^^S8* tV ^ M ^ 1.0 I.I u 1^ 12.2 110 11.25 IIU 1.4 IllJi^ Photographic Sciences Corporation Tachnical and Bibliographic Notaa/Notaa tachniquaa at bibliographiquas The Instituta has attamptad to obtain tha bast original copy availabia for filming. Faaturas of this copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua. which may altar any of tha imagas in tha raproduction, or which may significantly changa tha usual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. 0Colourad covars/ Co 'ertura da coulaur r~^ Covars damagad/ Couvartura andommagte □ Covers rastorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura rastaurte at/ou paliiculAa □ Covar titia missing/ La titra da couvartura manqua □ Coloured maps/ Cartas giographiquas an coulaur D D D D Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bieue ou noire) I — I Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ D Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ RaliA avac d'autras documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La re Mure serrAe peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion la long da la marge intirieura Blank leaves sdded during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches aJout4es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans la texte, mels, lorsque cela Atait possible, ces pages n'ont pas «t« fllmAes. Additional comments:/ Commentairas supplAmentaires; L'Institut a microfilm* la meilleur exemplaira qu'il lui a *t6 possible de se procurer. Les details da cet exemplaira qui sont paut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographiqua. qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mAthoda normale de filmage sont indiquAs ci-dassous. The tot nn Coloured pages/ D This Item Is filmed at tha reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film4 au taux da rAduetion indiqu* ol*dessous. Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagias Pages restored and/oi Pages restaurias et/ou peiliculAes Pages discoloured, stained or foxei Pages dAcoiories, tacheties ou piquAes Ppges detached/ Pages ditachtes Showthroughy Transparence Quality of prin Qualiti in6gale de I'impression Includes supplementary materii Comprend du matiriel suppKmentaire Only edition available/ Seuie Edition disponible r~~| Pages damaged/ I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ I j Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ I I Ppges detached/ I I Showthrough/ r^ Quality of print varies/ |~~| Includes supplementary material/ I — I Only edition available/ Th« pos oft filn Orii befl tha sioi oth fif« sioi or 11 Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been ref limed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalament ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata. una pelure, etc., ont M filmies i nouveau de fapon i obtenir la meilleure image possible. Th« she TIN whi 10X 14X 18X 22X 2ex 30X 1 V 11X nx aox a4x aix ItX Tb« copy filmed h«r« hat b««n r«produe«d thanks to th« ganarotity of: L'axamplaira filmi fut raproduit grica A la gAnAroait* da: Mviropolitan Toronto LUmry Social SdancM Dtpartmcnt TtM imagaa appaaring hara ara tha boat quality poaaibia eonsidaring ttia condition and lagibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract spacif Icationa. Original copiaa in printad papar covars ara filmad beginning with tha front covar and anding on ttia last paga with a printad or illustratad impraa- ■ion, or tha back covar whan appropriate. All othar original copiaa ara filmad beginning on the first pege with a printad or illuatrated imprea- sion. and anding on ttie bwt page with a printad or illuatrated impreaaion. MttropoiltMi Toronto Library Social Sdcnoat Dapartmant Lea images suivantas ont it* raproduitas avac la plus grand soin, compta tanu de la condition at da la nattet* da I'axemplaira film*, et an conformity avac las conditions du contrat da filmage. Lee exempleires originaux dont la couvarture an papier eat ImprimAa sent f ilmis en commen9ant par la premier plot et an terminent soit per la darni4re pege qui comporte une empreinte d'impreasion ou d'illustration, soit par la second plat, salon le cea. Tous las autres exempleires origineux sent fiimAs en commen^ent per le premlAre pege qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustretion et en terminent per le dernlAre pege qui comporte une telle empreinte. The laat recorded frame on each mierofioha shall contain the symbol — «»■ (meening "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol ▼ (meening "END"), whichever epplies. Un des symbolee suivants apparattra sur la darnlAre imege de cheque microfiche, selon le ces: le symbols -^ signifie "A SUIVRE". le symbols ▼ signifie "FIN". Meps. pistes, cherts, etc., mey be filmed et different reduction retios. Those too lerge to be entirely included in one exposure ara filmed beginning in the upper left hend comer, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames es required. The following diegrems illiistrete the method: Les certes, pisnches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent 4tre fiimAs i des taux de riduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un soul clichA, il est film* i partir da I'engle supArieur gauche, de geuche A droite, et de heut en bes, en prenent le nombre d'imeges nAcssssire. Les diogrammes suivsnts illustrent le mAthode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 PRESBYTHRIANISM: Wkt it te im d Wkt it may k IN THK CANADIAN NORTH- WEST. (Being a Sermon pveaelicd in Kno.v Cr.urch, Winnipeg, July lOi':, 188/i-, a:, the opening of THE FIRST SYNOD or Manitoba+aiid*tt]e*North~we8UTerritories, BY THE MODERATOR. ©i'K. fMiOFE880(B JEOOiaK (BliYOE, L.L.Q. BY KEQT^BST or a-STNOia, WINNIPKO: MANITOItA rilRR PIIKHH I'RINT. 18H4. 25X j> z^^n yj). \ U 1. PRESBYTERIANISM. WHAIl W HAS DONE AND WHAT I1T MAY DO IN THE NOr^fnEWEST. 1. The following interesting review of the work of the Church, by Rev. Prof. Bryce, LL.D., First Moderator of Synod, was de- livered before the Synod of Manitoba on Wednesday evening, 10th July, 1884, on the tjxts: — Hcb. XIII : 7.— "Remember them which had the rule over you [revised version], who spoke to you the word of God ; whose faith follow, considerinK the end of tlieir conversation ; Jesus Christ, the same yci-jtorday. and to-da.v and forever. He not carried about with divers and strange doctrines." 2 Tim. IV : 2.—" Preach the word: be instant [press on— Alford] in season, out of season ; re- prove, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come whe!i they will not endure uound doctrine." Presbyterians are very sensitive as to anything approaching man- wc^rship. Their fundamental conception of Ciod is so grand that man is hidden in the blaze of God's glory. And yet the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews feels at liberty to employ the great ch)ud of Christian wit- nesses named in Hebrews \i, and tlieir heroic deeds, as incentives to us toward noble action. In the first passage before us, also, he uses the memory of the de- parted fathers of the church to incite the Hebrew Christians to faithful effort. This evening, appointed as I have been by the General Assembly, and chosen by the Synod itself, to open this Synod, — the first in the Northwest, — I feel as if I occupied the place rightly belong- ing to one called away from us, and now, we trust, a member of the (ileneral As- sembly and church of the First- Born in heaven — I moan the late Rev. Dr. Black. It seems appro{)riate that in opening this new synod, I should refer to the faith and sacrifices of tlioso who wore our church's first missionaries, rulers and patterns of excellence in the North- west. Thiuigh our ecclesiastical history has not been continuous it begins with the earliest attempt at settlement in the Northwest — the Selkirk Colony. The first colonial missionary of any of the ohurohes to Rupert's Land was James Sutherland, an older authorized by the Church of Scotland to baptize and marry, who came to the Red River in 1815. A colouy of Highlanders without a religious teacher would be an anomaly. The fervor of the Highland nature will enable it to endure scanty food, the privations of war, persecution or poverty unmurmur- ingly, but not the want of religious wor- ship. The colonists' agreement with Lord Selkirk included four things. 1. To have the services of a minister of their own church; 2. One hundred acres of land on certani conditions; 3. A market for their produce in the colony; 4. All the privileges of British subjects. Their first condition was a religious one. Years came and went but their minister did not come. Mr. Sutherland for three years performed the duties of his ofHce, until, in the conflict between the rival fur companies, he was forcibly taken away by the Nor'- West Company in 1818. He left a fragrant memory behind him, for as one said, " Of all men, clergymen or others, that ever entered this country, none stood higher in the estimation of the settlers, both for sterling piety and Christian conduct than Mr. Sutherland." Mr. Sutherland was not a college-bred man, but if the two be separated, a basis of piety is a better foundation for any church than more learning. It was in 1817 that Lord Selkirk visited his colony hero. A member of the Church of Scotland, as his son (the present Earl) is a member and older of the same, he sympathized with the people in their desire to have a minister oi their own faith. Standing on the lots whore now St. John's Cathedral and College are, surrounded by the colonists, Lord Sel- kirk said, "These two lots I intend granting, the former for your church, as you have already formed a churchyard on on it, and the latter for your school." On being reminded of the condition to provide a minister, their patron again promised it, saying, "Selkirk novorforfoited his word." 2 Weary with the troubles of his colony, and his health failing fast, Lord Selkirk returned to Britain in 1818, and in 1810 was so ill as to be compelled to go to the south of France, whither h '. went to die. Before going, true to his promise, he committed the duty of supplying to the colonists a minister of their own faith to Mr. John Pritchard, at that tijiic in Lon- don in hib employ. On the l.'ith ( )ctober 1819, the Hudson'sBayCompan.v through this gentleman's advice and much to tlie regret of the Selkirk Colonists appointed with a grant of £100 a year a minister for them of another faith than their own. This was the more trying to the colonists, that the French Canadian Roman Catholics had, through Lord Selkirk's assistance, had in 1818 a religious tea/' er of their own church sent to them. mission- ary of the Church Mission Society and his successors were men of zeal and devo- tion. The Highland Colonists however, were not satisfied. They maintained in their homes their sacred tire ; family worship and cottage prayer meetings were well kept up. They attended the services of the company's cha2)lam at St. John, but they held their own faith; their own version of the psalms was sung; the clergyman wore no ecclesi- astical garments to which they were un- accustomed; and when theBishopof Mon- treal visited the settlement in 1844 none of the Selkirk colonists would receive confirmation. In (lovernor McKonzio's time, between 1820-130, in (jovernor Christie's time, between 1830-40, tiiey held repeated meetings and sent [)etiti()n8 — unavailing petiti(ms — to Britain. In June, 1844, through Governor Finlay- Bon's advice petitions and claims wore sent to the Hudson's Bay Company, in London, but still to no effect. ^The company would acknowledge no claim ; nor I suppose was there any legal claim upon thum. I*ut not your trust in princes. A copy of their last petition was, however, sent to the moderator of the now-born and zeal- ous Free Church of Scotland and given to Dr. John Bonar, of the Colonial C(im- mittee. It was turned over to the I'ros- byterian Church of Canada and to a ruhi- tive of Dr. B(mar, viz., Dr. Uol)ort Burns, of Toronto — "clarum ot voneraliilo no- men" — a man tlian whom there stands none higher in the missionary annals of the Presbyterian Church inCanada. Witii the prescient eye of a loader, Dr. Burns seloct- ud Mr. John Black, one of the tirst band of students that entered Knox (college, To- ronto. After a long journey over the prairies from the Mississippi, Mr. Black arrived in Red River 19th of September, 1851. On the tirst Sabbath after his ar- rival Mr. Black worshipped with the set- lera in St. John's. On the foUowingSab- bath, in the manse which they had erect- ed on the site of the present Kildonan manse, 300 Presbyterians with their young Canadian minister resumed the broken line of succession or 33 years be- fore, when the godly elder Sutherland had ceased to ccjnduct their devotions. The period of 40 years from the landing (if the first band of Selkirk settleis on the H I lore of. Hudson's Bay had passed when Mr. Black reached Red River. Such was the infancy of Proabyterianism on the Red River. An uncertain, sickly, and much threatened infancy it had been, but life remained, and if there is one name deserving notice more than another dur- ing this period it is that of Alexander Ross, sherifl" of Assiniboia, to whom after- wards Dr. Black became related by mar- riage. IT.S ('UII.IHIOOK Witli whatword8,brothren,8hall I char- acterize the man who gave its visibility to Presbyterianism in tlicj Northwest. Like Jamws Sutherland, John Black was an eminently pious and devoted man; he was besides a politic, peace-loving and conciliatory man. The church needs variety of temi)er and disposition — di- versities of gifts in its ministers. No doubt, under the circumatiinces, he was the right man in the right place. He gained tlio esteem and BUi)port of the Hudson's Bay Company, which had been previously averse, if not hostile to Pres- byterianism; he won the respect of the other cliurches of the land; he was be- loved by liis people. To distant Atha- basca and Mackenzie River, the aroma of his goodness extended. He was more- over a student, a thinker, a man of pul- pit power, and- an earnest social re- former. The degree ot Doctor of Divini- ty, Kivon him l)y Queen's University, but put in definite form what evei*y one who know him f(ilt was his due. For eleven laborious yoars ho stood alone. It was in 18(12 tiiat a man of kindred spirit jdiiuul Jiim, under tlio auspices of the new hotly of Canada Presbyterians, who as Prushyterian Church of Canada and United Pres))yterian Church had united the year before I mean James Nisbet. Kildonan unci Ijittle Britain then represented the sum total of Northwest Presljytorianism. The one was the Sel- kirk Colony, the other almost the only mm f^ *: Ik. half-breed congragatiun belonging tu us in the country, and always identified with the name of the latt Hon. Donald Gunn, a.leg- islative councillor — a useful man of science — a historian, and better still,a good friend of the Cliurch. Mr. Nisbet was a man of great industry and perseverance ; he possessed that courage which made his brother a successful South Sea mission- ary. Able to plan and build houses, as well as to instruct the people, he was well suited for a new country. If Dr. Black was our Northwestern pioneer Home Missionary, Mr. Nisbet was our pioneer Indian Missionary. The mission begun by him on the banks of the Saskatchewan at Prince Albert in 186G has gathered round it the principal settlement of the Northwest Territories. Remember them that had the rule over you. Though they are dead, yet their meuiories speak. Two other brethren, Messrs. Fletcher and McNab, joined these pioneers, and the four in 1870 made up the Presbytery of Manitoba, established in that year. They have all gone from us, the ugh one who was with them as an unordained helper, Rev. Mr. Whimster, has come back to us after the lapse of years, and Rev. Alex- ander Matheson, who had previously worked with them, has since returned and still remains amongst us. As I knew the Presbytery of Manitoba in 1871, in the second year of its existence, the four brethren. Black, Nisbet, Fletch- er and McNab were its ministerial niem- bers, and Kildonan, Little Britain, Headingly, Poplar Point, High Bluff, P'jrtago la Prairie and Prince Albert — seven in all — were its preaching points in the country. From 1851 to 1870 made up the years of its childhood. The for- mation of a Presbytery by the church was coincident with groat political changes in the country, viz., the transfer to Can- ada. Many a time I had the pleasure of discussing with Dr. Black the old Red River days. They wore halcyon days to him; thoy wore tlie days of his early ministry — of his growing family — of a strong personal inlluence. The Canadian occupation of the country came in the '20th year ot his ministry, and made groat cliaiigos — but l)i'. Black was ever a warm friend to the now comer -and bo- came as dually beloved by tho new us he had boon, and continued to be by the old. ITS YOUTH. Of the third era of I'rosbytoriauiam in the Northwest, beginning with the Cana- dian occupation — which I may call the youth of Presbyterianism in this country — I can speak from personal knowledge. It was my good fortune to have to do with two important events in our histoiy, viz., the organization of Knox Churcn, •Winnipeg, early in 1872, and the estab- lishment of Manitoba College, October, 1871. Knox Church has influenced our c?use in this country very much; it has given the idea of organiza- tion to many ; its early determination to be self-sustaining gave the cue to many another to be as independent as possible of central mission funds ; its cultivation of a musical service has been of use to our cause; its early employmentof instrument- al music, not as a destroyer of vocal praise, but as an aid, has prevented us from ever having an "organ" case in the Northwest, while its use of our excellent hymn-book has led to its iHtroduction in many congregations of the Synod. Of Manitoba College it needs not that I should speak ; it has ever been a rallying point for the church. There can be no doubt that from 1870 to 1881 was the formative period of our church history. From being numerically insignificant at the beginning of this period the con- sciousness gradually grew within us that we were relatively gaining in strength and force, not by depreciating others, not by proselytism nor by any unfair methods, but by energetically following the settler and by preaching Christ. Ana brethren it was not a mere happen so. (Juided, 1 have no doubt, by divine im- pulse, our Presbytery set itself early to work up its casu in Canada. It boldly took stand as a Canadian church when others hesitated. I remember in 1872 at the Assembly in Hamilton, a leading member of the Assembly expressed con- tempt for Manitoba; for years we had to boar with rebuffs; but by personal api)eal, by constant nowspapor articles and let- to", by continued asking of the Assembly we obtained roco^'uition ; the Canadian church began to fool the importance of the Northwest; next it began to feel a little prwud of its operations, until now alio will do almost anything Manitoba asks. From 1870 to 1884, her intoroHt may bo measured by a sum of not loHH tlian i|p2()0,00() sent to assist us in iiiissionary and educational work. I believe, moreover, that the large influx of Canadian i)opulatioii of tho Presby- terian faitli that we have seen here, is largely to bo accounted for by this growth of interest throughout our church in tho Northwest from the persiitent aotiun of our Presbytery. During this period also the union of the Presbyterians of Canada in one strong body in 1875 no doubt helped on the work — though as early as 1872 both bodies in the Assembly and Synod of that year agreed to work to- gether, and Prof. Hart was sent to the Northwest as the pioneer of the Church of Scotland element among us. I have not time to dwell further on what is no doubt the most important part of our history, but I hasten to notice the fourth period. OUR MAJORITY. I have named 1881 as its beginning, rather than 1884, for we were agreed two years ago as to our need of a Synod, but technicalities have delayed it till now. 1881 was a remarkable year in our history. The work of the missions had so grown, that we felt the need of more machinery. Wo recommended the Asso lubly to establish a superintendency of Missions. The as- sembly called the energetic pastor of Knox Church to that office. No doubt some feared an infringement on our Presbyterian polity by the institution of such an ofHce. Properly understood, the oHicu of Superintendent of Missions does not so infringe. The superintendent was under the direction of the Presbytery, as in the future he will be under that of the Synod. After all, Presbytery is the strongest kind of government. Just as the free, representative Government of Britain or America has more power than the Czar,or the Emperor of China, so rule by a Presbytery is more eflicient than that by a Bishop. In the year 1881, church extension in Winnipeg took a decided start in the organization of the vigorous congregation of St, Andrew's, which threatens to outstrip its mother church — the beginning of a movement of chureli extension for the city only checked by the commurcii)! depression of the country. The year 1881 was also marked by the erection of the beautiful and com- fortable new building for Manitoba Col- le|j,e— a credit to our church and a joy to all our visitors. At this time, too, one of our best works was begun by tlio Superintendent of Missions in the or- ganization of the Church and Man&o Building Fund. This has been one of the most useful agencies of the church. In three years a goodly number of churches and manses have been erected. At this time, too, the interests of our Northwestern church had become strong enough to on- able UB to venture on expeditions of a predatory nature, and though Chahuera' church, Halifax, St. Andrew's church, Ottawa, St. James' Square, Toronto, and other places have been the sufferers, we have been large gainers. Surely I am right in saying we have now reached a bud- ding manhood of great potency and pro- mise. I cannot mention in detail the faithful men of our Presbytery who, un- der God, have accomplished all this, but this I will say that no more devoted or highly educated band of Home Mission- aries exists so far as I know anywhere. They and their partners in life have "en- dured hardness as good poldiers of Jesus Christ." To the eye of the worldling or the votary of pleasure, the obscure coun- try minister, as he is sometimes called, may occupy no high place, but in the eye of the Master, who was himself a foot- sore and weary — even a poverty-stricken Home Missionary, they are His dearest heroic souls. Yes, there are first that shall be last, and last that shall be first. The band of seven ministers and one cate- chist of 1870 with seven preaching places had as I gather from the latest authorita- tive documents grown last year (1883) to 58 ordained ministers, 22 students, 4 catechists, and i) elders engaged as preachers — in all 93, and these maintained services at 250 ditlerent points. The five church builduigs in 1870, costing say $14000, have become this year, including the ccjllego, 01, valued at about $280,000. From having 198 Presbyterian families in 1872, we have now some 3,600. What had God wrought may surely be our united exclamation! In the few niinutes remaining to me let me point out in the merest outline what the texts suggest as giving us advice as a church m the future. BE A PREACHING CHURCH — "PREACH THE WORD." The pulpit is not declining. There never was a time when there were so many great preachers as now. Spurgeon, Farrar and Hall are the peers of the preachers of any age. 1 could mention other great preachers by the hundred. The opportunity of the pulpit has never been so great as now, and so the demands upon the pulpit were never before so groat. A church that is not in favor of preaching is not in favor of intelligence, it is trite to say that communities have risen in intelligence. The preacher should in general intelligence be the peer of any of his hearers. In his knowledge of the Bible and of religion, in his (Hjwer to deal with his subject advan- tageously he should be peerless in his i. «»>* T «4r X ** V V congregation. It is as absurd to speak of a minister not being able to preach as to s[>eak of a knife that will not cut. It should be the consuming thought of the minister's life how he may preach efticient- ly. As the business man broods over his ventures, as the literary man becomes fil- led with his subject, as the doctor is anxious about his patients, so it should be a study to the preacher to adapt the truth to his hearers, to consider what is best suited to the minds, tastes, habits and foibles of his people, in order that where these are wrong they may be cor- rected, or right may be contirmed. But he is bound to preach the Word. His preaching is to be within certain limits. He is a man set apart for religit)n. The church where he preaches is dedicated for religious purposes. The day on which he usually preaches is a religious day. The text book — the Bible — with which he deals is a religious book ; and the Bible is a wide enough field for the preacher. Not that his sermons should be simply a string of texts; not that he should con- catenate theological commonplaces and call that a sermon; not that he should suppose the goodness of his motive will compensate for the dulness of the sermon. No, his sermon should be a living, organic whole, evolved from his mind, inter-penetrated by the subject taken from God's Word. May we adopt the motto of one of the cities of the mother land as ours : " Let Manitoba flourish by the preaching of the Word." UE A CHURCH FOU THE TIMES. We seem, as a Church, well adapted for our rising Canadian nationality. We are not a foreign Church — an exotic. We are a Church of the soil. I find our 54 ordained ministers in the Northwest re- ceived their theoh^gical training as fol- lows : Knox College, Toronto, 18; Queen's, Kingston, ; Montreal College, ; Hali- fax College, 3 ; Manitoba College, 4 ; elsewhere in Canada, (1 — i. e., 80 per cent Canadian. Whatever the times need, adapt your teaching to them. If it is a time when unsound doctrine is prev- alent and both texts refer to that, capture if you can, like Constantine the Pantheon — whore were arrayed the world's false gods, and make it a Ciiristian tuuiplu ; bring in the ark of the living Ood and Dagon will fall on the grunsel edge with head and hands lopped off ; preach the perfect Christ, and the cold ghosts of infidel o|)inion will flit away ; teach posi- tive Christian truth and the negations of Aguoatioiam are heard of nu more. This will require great watchfulness, a clear eye and lofty Christian '"iuetration that will, like Ithuriel's spear, disclose the error at first approach. And, too, brethren, this will require great patience, shrewdness and common sense. We all fail in these. It may be neces- sary to practise at difi'erent times such widely different maxims as Solomon gives, Answer a fool according to his folly, and, on the other hand. An- swer not a fool according to his folly. We are not to go with the times, in the same way as an oarless boat floats dawn stream — making a truce with erro" by surren • dering the truth. When a man finds the worldly, the dissolute, the people who do not go to church, and the ribald portion of the press commending his preaching and his theology, he may be sure it is time to cry a halt. What is called the popular sentiment on religioue questions is half the time wrong, simply because it is not the sentiment of religious people. The skilful preacher will select from his text-book what suits the time, the place, the season, the people. Our Saviour did so. In the spring time He spoke of the sower; going through the yellow fields He spoke of the world's great harvest; to the merchants He spoke of talents; to the woman at the Sychar well of the wa- ter of life; where the distant hillsides were covered with vines he preached the Gospel by picturing the husbandmen. Brethren, we should not preach over the people's heads, nor preaeh of things hav- ing no interest in them. We should feel bound to make every sermon interesting and useful. There is no subject so uni- versally interesting, so belonging to every age, and that men of ev- ery station in life so generally wish to hear of as "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day and forever." Not that the freshness and beauty of Christ should be blurred by what is sometimes known as theological preach- ing, wliich is often Christless. I would desire Christ to be made a living, real person before the hearer; the human, sympathizing friend; the great miracle- worker; the meek, and gentle, and sinless one; the model missionary and model for industry in every walk of life; the great social regenerator and benefactor; the saviour; the shepherd giving his life for the sheep; the sacrificial victim offered up for the sins of men; the majestic suf- ferer; the atoning Lamb of God; the chosen and accepted substitute for man. I would follow him to Oethsemane, to th« e cross, to the tomb, to the glorioua resurrec- tion, to the ascension from Olivet, and pass with him in thought to Heaven, where he sitsa king, to whom every knee should bow. Ah, brethren, these are outlines of a theme on wliich we may employ all the resources of eloquence,poetry, history, art, 8cience,imagination,philosophy,literature, and theology; and all our sermons should be like ever concentring circles, sweeping in and in like the mighty mael- strom, involving our hearers in a whirl of interest, until they are brought to Christ — the great Rock of Salvation. BE A FAITHFUL, NOT ATIME-SEKVING CHURCH. REPROVE, REBUKE, EXHORT. Brethren, this is our most critical work. We aim at having a pure church. I am little concerned about having a com- prehensive church, if it be not pure. It should be pure in doctrine and pure in life. We want it real. I need not say it should be a religious body. It is not a political organization ; it is not a fashion- able coterie ; it is not a selection of high- ly respectable or highly intellectual per- sons. Every one belonging to it should be a living, active member of the body of Christ, and to make it so our teaching should be outspoken. Things should be called by their right names. Righteous indignation against evil was one of our Saviour's characteristics. There should be, in order to do our work well,faithful house to house visitation. Our visits should be religious visits, not mere society calls. Our forefathers followed the practice of a regular examination of every household in religious knowledge. Our new world life seems not to permit such a thing. There is more freedom and ott-handedness needed amongst us, but if a minister has a definite religious aim he'll hud opportunity; and depend upon it the people long for religious conversa- tion. They feel disai)pointed when the minister goes away without dealing with the great subject of which they look on him as the exponent. In our very scat- tered population I believe such visits will bo more useful than public preaching oven. I cannot understand the missicm- aiy who, when the ])eople in their now homes long to see a friendly face, fails to make use of so great an opportunity for usefulness. During my nearly thirteen years Manitoba life, I know missionary after missionary of fair preaching power who has failed — become a burden ti - his field and a burden to the Presbytery — and on the plea of business, or distance, or on account of indolence has left his field unvisited, who has received reproof, rebuke and exhortation from the people rather than having been the messenger of God to them. But while discip- line should be maintained, and faithful dealing followed yet the text says this must be done discreetly. How hard it is to be faithful and not censorious. And kind, friendly dealing is far more conson- ant with the spirit of Christ than ecclesi- astical censures, anathemas, and thunder- bolts, though these have their place. As the loving and yet upright, faithful father is most beloved by his family, so the con- scientious minister, who comes like sun- shine into the dwelling will be beloved by his people. BE AN AGGRESSIVE CHURCH. Truth is always aggressive. It cannot divide the house with error. It must either die itself or vanquish its enemy. Disease must be expelled, that health may come ; prejudice must be overcome that knowledge may enter ; when the light shines forth, the shadows flee away. Sin desires to be let alone. But it is a deadly cancer, and grows with terrifio power. It cannot be left alone, for its end is death. There is a c^ for deliverance from it every where. The crowded city calls us to seek out its miseries. Sin-sick human nature though it strive to hide itself away must be followed, sought out, and the remedy applied. The gospel IS a sure remedy, if we skilfully and zealously apply it. So, bands of settlers, without our aid, soon lapse. The day of rest goes; chil- dren grow up in ignorance; society sinks; practical paganism follows. Our busi- ness is to press on. To plant a church, send a missionary, support him so long as there is need. The sound of the church going bell is soon followed by a change of morals. In town and country alike the cry is colne and help us. If there are great sins threatening the community we must grapple with them. Strong drink is a mighty evil in the land. Whatever others say we believe it to be a church (luostion. We ave bound to op- pose it. The press may more or less openly advocate lax views on the Sab- bath, on the rehitions of the sexes, on pernicious literature, and may scoff at morality. Our duty is by word and pen to oppose this. If there is carelessness, ignorance, crime, wr )ng, vice, irreligion or godlossness, we are bound to use this gospel which is "mighty for the ])ulling down of strongholds." If then the de- parted great had faith, if it led to Christ, I y< ar ar as to fa ai H if m b( ca re of MM I say, imitate their faith. Believe in your mission. You have the widest and best prospects. Remember you are ambassadors — elders as well as ministers — for Christ. It seems to me as if the mantle of our venerable father, Dr. Black, had fallen upon us as an encouragement to go forth in our Home Mission work; it seems to me as if the faithful service of our devoted missionary. James Nisbet, were like a beacon light upon the western prairies calling us to evangelize the redman on his reserves; it seems to me as if a long lino of Presbyterian her<»es from Knox down- ward were an inspiring cloud of witnesses to encourage us in educating the young, in keeping aloft the standard of higher education that we may have an able and educated ministry; it seems to me as if the emblem of our forefathers of the burn- ing bush with its mott -> "nee tamen con- sumebatur" were an inspiration to us to believe more firmly in our principles; it seems to me it there is anything ujwn which to fix our thought as we undertake the groat work of our new Synod, it is upon our Rock and our Defence — Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.