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 Twenty-fifth Anniversary of his Settlement. 
 
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 Pteached on Sabbath, the 13th of December, 1868, being the 
 
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 Tv7enty-fiith Anniversary of his Settlement. 
 
 OUELPH: 
 Puinn) AT vu '*HaiALD" Book and Job Otficb, Wtvdbah Stbut. 
 
 .'■ : 1869. ■ 
 
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 PR !<: F A C E. 
 
 The Mowing outline bun bueb suut tbrou<^h tbc press at tba teqatsst 
 of the MuQogora of the congregatiou of Melville Church^ And tbe 
 Author coqseuted to their request, uut because he thought his remarks 
 furqished aoythiug of a Sermon ou the text which heads them, but 
 booauBO they present a fcwftictsrwhioli mjiy bo interestieg iad useful to 
 
 his hearers at Utrgo. 
 
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 It Ifi twenty-five years, this 13tli D.comber, «nce I was Mtttt^ 
 niiniBtor in Fergug. At ^»nt date I was the onlv minister, of any dc- 
 rtoniiuntion, in the place,' and, so far ap I know, there wnf no other, and 
 wrtainly no Presbyterian niinister, directly north of ua within tb« V 
 hounds of the Province. When I now look around me, how few do I : 
 rpcognjjievof those who orijrinnlly coin|vi8c»l my congregation. Ought 
 not Kuch f.f us ns reninin, to ehorinh gintitudc to Almighty God ^r hi» 
 forbearance and mercy, in ihat we are stilK the living to praise Him 7 
 Should we not be filled with humility, whcrt wo call to muid His deal- 
 ings with as, and our unprofitnblencKS undo* these? And should wa 
 ,j^ not be eicrmscd in anxiety when, with all ottr experience of the past, -^ 
 
 we turn to the uncertain and momentous futur^ ? 
 
 At the outset, let me notice a few ./«!•/« coiintjctcd with our hisioty 
 and position as a oongregw^WL^-^'Arrd 
 
 Fir$t,—Of ihe five ElW^ who, along with nWlf, composed th« 
 Scssion'at the time referred. to, liot one survive^ Eighteen othera 
 'have from time to time been added ; and exactly one^«7/ of those now 
 remain in connection with us. 
 
 ,Se<'owd.— The Communion Uoil then numbered 275\-mostly licada 
 of families, for the great mnjority of the niembcrs were then in ih« 
 prime pf li {'<!-- lately emigrau?d— and their children not g^wn up. As 
 . there hi«d boon a viicancy of two y ears, and in the mean titao a consid- 
 erahle numhor of new settlern lu.d come in, Uie KollvWns Kot.n 
 inci eased, mid contained 449 nJimes before we left old St.\Andrew'» 
 Church, in 1847» However, by the time it was first made ubin coi- y v| 
 
 nection with our new organization in this chMroh, it had, in consirquepce 
 of a number being left tehind, fallen to 360. But ip^the P«>«f»e "j" 
 tvvnty one years thereafter, there have been, from fiwt to M, enVotled 
 nf>wai ds of 1 ,050 persons, who have been, or still are. connoted With 
 Melville Church, Ify however, jou take into account the fluotuattng 
 nature of a portion of the population of this country ; the number that 
 has been removed by death ; the f«cts that both Presbyterian chntehe#s 
 in the neighboring village of Elofa were largely made up at first of 
 members of this congregation ; that a flcuriphing congregation at 
 l)onglas^ aiid more recently another nt Cumnock, were formed iu corpera \ 
 if our original field, von will not b*^ aiitonisbrd to hear that our prewM \ 
 
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 roll does not exo««d 42S. Though our incroAm daring Ittt jaar wm 
 .' ' 32, ydt that hu been noarly oountcrbalnnocd bv the number of oertift- 
 Mtei of diBJUDOtion grautcd snd'the deaths whioh liare taken pi«^. 
 
 Third. — The numbor of children that I have baptized in oonneotion 
 V with my charge here hij« beoo over one thtrutand. Theae, it may b« 
 
 ^ aaid, have all aoruDg into oxistcnCo during the twciity-five years of mj 
 
 .: inoufuboncy. IVJany of tlictn huvo been carried away in early life, a* 
 « ' general stutisticB show that about one half of those who arc bom die 
 
 within the first fow years of their existeiioo. We have always had % 
 sabbath school in conuection with the church, Whioh all the children 
 within a rea<K)Qablodifltaneo wore invited to attend. .The attendance 
 has boon from 100 to 120; and allowing, at an average, five jears for 
 the period of the attendance of each young person who entered, would 
 »',. give 600 as the entire number that have been connected with the school. 
 
 .'!''■ ■ Now, what has bcconio of these ? K, goodly number — in some cases, 
 
 |\ • "^ U many as five and six out of single families— have boeii received into 
 
 ' > . full communion with the church; some have joined other churobea: 
 
 many have removed from this neighborhood ; one is 'now a 'useful and 
 respected minister in our church ; two who were then youths, are now 
 in the eldership; some are sabbath school teachers^ maity are settled ia 
 life as heads of families ; and several hove their own children now in 
 •ttendanoe at the sabbath school. We are now a generution in advance 
 \ of what we were when, as your pastor, I first addressed you— ^the sur- 
 
 v vivors of the original congrogotion;' ^^ 
 
 \ ' '■'■.■.■_■.. 
 
 '\ ■ ■' ■' 
 
 V -^ovt/t.^— Shall I at present advert to oujt financial position? It may 
 \ be proper, in the. circumstances, to do so, both because pecuniary means 
 are indispensable to the continuance of ordinances and to the prosperity 
 of any congregation; and alt^o because the state of a church't finances 
 forms no mean index of its spiritual condition. This congregation has 
 expended from «5,000 to $6,000 on sJinrcli property, which still 
 remains to them. Their annual revenue, which from 1843 has nearly 
 tripled, is now from $1,400 to $1,500. In all, from $^0,000 to $35,000 
 have been contributed by this congre^tion since its commencement, of 
 which sum more than one-half either remains in the form of property 
 or has been expended in maintaining the decency and comfort of your 
 place of worship, or been devoted to missionary and other ecclesiastiosl 
 ebjeots beyond your immediate pale. Now, if we consider that twenty- 
 five years ago lurpip tracts of the surrounding country, whioh now pro- 
 sent comlbrtuble homesteads, were unreclaimed from the forest, and tkat 
 our now flourishing village was composed of about a score and a half of 
 houses, mofltly log buildings; if you still further take into account how 
 much the condition of the early settlers has been in the meantime im- 
 proved, it may remain a question whether your liberality has kept paoe 
 . with your means, and whether you have been dieeharging your duty tp 
 __ the Giver of all |ood, who is also the Head of the Church. And if you 
 examine the stotistics of the church geuerully, you will find that small 
 congregations are often doint; far iuorc, in proportion to their nui^bers, 
 than large ^Ones; and that many congregations struggling for existenoe 
 ate m realir^ doing twice as much per member as we are doing. I suite 
 theae things merely as facts in the meantime ; and [ proceed to inqniit 
 
 ^-*/-' 
 
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 ^'i^i^-S:, 
 
 • . fi/tUy — What ban b«cn done npiritatlly during tho period under 
 . eoiiiideration ? The ccclefiiiHticttl iitnohiuory him been put fullv in 
 operation. We have hud oar. twulvo htindn'd niibbntba. Upwardin of 
 two thousand diBeourHcahavo bcvu jimiched ; nnd, of cou.riic, an «^al 
 number of portiona of the word of (jod brought undor our notice. The 
 Lord's table has been spread fifty tiuicn ; and tlinuHiindH of times have 
 we professedly united in offering up prainc nnd prayer. Now, beforo 
 jito^Mkicg you as to the ruultt, permit me utill further to dwcHl On 
 
 I. — Till Past— no moro to return. And in thd language of the 
 OODtezt, I Would be<i; to say — 
 
 1. That while <*.ye know from the fir»t day that f I oamo * * W 
 after what manner I hnve been with you at all HcMtMns,"— I am con- 
 aeious of having served tho Lord " with al^ humility of mind/' under » 
 •ense of much unworthincss, manifold Hhortconiingp, of which none oaa 
 
 ^1^. be so flenaiblc as I am myself, and of initdc-quiicy to the great and im> ^ 
 
 Eortant work, for " Who is sufficient for thcHO things?" Literally, '< I 
 ate been with you " often ** in weakness and in fear, and in much 
 trembling."^ 
 
 2. I trust I have also a good conscience in asserting that "I hate . 
 kept buck nothing that was profitable unto you " I dare not take you 
 to record and say that " I am pure from the blood uf all men ;" but I ^ 
 can say, that " f have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel 
 of Qod." I have always made it my object to give my bent energies to 
 the preaching, of the word, as th« hi<:hest function of tho ministry. . 
 And fVoni this place T have endeavored to exhibit, so far as I appre* 
 hended it, tl>o entire truth — whether ncccptable or unacceptable to any 
 
 ■'' licarers-^truvelling the whole range of doctrine and duty, and aiming, 
 with variety and suitableness, to give every one his." portion of meat in 
 due season." The topics pn which I have chiefly insisted have been - 
 the doctrines of grace and salvation ; in Other words,. evangelical truth, 
 
 —all else introduceil in relation to that j and corresponding practice. I 
 have urged the necessity of embracing Christ for ourselves, and proving 
 our interest in Him by }he truits brought forth in the life; or as the 
 apostle in the context summarily expresses it, "repcotaooe toward God 
 and taith toward our Lord Jesus Christ "—u e.^ turning from sin to* 
 God in the way of his appointment j seeing our personal need of tolva- 
 
 .tion, in order to our valuing the- offered remedy ;. believing in the Son 
 as the only way of access to tho Father; and the purifying nature oj^ 
 a justifying faith. 
 
 3. Besides the public preaching of the word *on tho sabbath, there 
 have been instituted prayer meetings on other days of the week, and 
 bible classes for the mstructioh of the young. I have also "taught , 
 fioni house to house," on nil cuch rcci-.pionp reading a portion of the 
 Koriptures, and lifting up the voice oi prayer; adapting my instructions 
 
 -^^- to eircurostanceo, and endeavouring, in the case of the aged and infirm, 
 - who were unable to attend on public ordinances, to exhibit more fre- 
 quently and more fully the leading truths of our h(>ly faith. The great 
 dnties of Christianity, at the same tiuio, have not l>een lost sight of, but 
 , ' urged upon your observance, as families and individnnls. Have I not 
 . tbip dealt specially whh many of you in private, admonishing, w^mio|; 
 
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 f f. 
 
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 inff «ri»rcatin}Z yon, an the casp roquircd ? Tlnvc I not Wn pwHenl to. 
 tympathiie and counsel in the dny of trial and advcmty, .ih well ng 1o 
 rrjoioe with you on more auspicioua oooaBions ? And few of your habi- 
 tatioDi are there which I have not visited in a time of sicknesB, or in 
 which I have not, in the providence of GodJ been called to minister in 
 oonneotion with the funeral rites of sonic dear departed relative— when 
 the heart might be softeaed.lind the thnaghts directed to another world. ■ 
 
 •Nqw» to ccrme to T" ' ; 
 
 XI.—TiiR Prbsent — the evanescent present. I would ask, in nil 
 fiolemnity, wh;.t ure th'fe results ?— 
 
 TVfn regard to, the community at \ar^. Have wo, as a confrrega- 
 I ion, exercised a salutary restraininia; or' leavening influence? Is the 
 world around us better fof our /labours, and for your profession and 
 
 ■practice?. ;".■■.;..■ . ; | ; ■• 
 
 2. In regard to the congregation itselil Is there aught of a healthier 
 religiou* tone rniopg us? Or is it, tl|at the more advanced^ in life, 
 through growing |>rofperity, have becomJB more worldly in their spirit, 
 and fallen away frOiii man^ of the good (habits of their fitherland and 
 of earlier days; and thai jibe young, in many cases, escaping from the 
 religious training and exc^mplary iDflixcjrtce of their parents, gradually 
 descending into the dust, have -apparency throwu off the fear of God 
 and regard for religious Ordinances? llave there been many ?— and 
 }iow many ?— or have anyl been brought (rom darkness to light ? Who 
 have been born again ? Or have any 'cjf those who, previously to their 
 connection with us, believef , been edificjdj nourished, and advanced in 
 Mth, holiness and comfort? These arf questions which may n(.t b« 
 definitely answered, except by individuals in reference to them^ilvea, 
 until the Great Day. But, surely ^ sortie impression respcctii g them is' 
 m^de on every reflecting mind ; and ia that impression hurobliftg,.or is 
 it animating and encouraging ? | 
 
 3. 1^ regard to ourselves personalljip, And here ^e may, and ought 
 to, be more definite. It becomes every on© to review the pn?t, .md 
 
 »*xBmine into the rcBttUs of a spiritual; nature derived in his own caw. 
 The oW— the romqiint of the original congregation, for only about one- 
 fifth of the male heads of families remains in connection with us— should 
 «?o. whether a quarter of V cdntury I of privilege has been blessed to 
 titem, or spent to no profit." The yaJ«j</, who have grown up among us, 
 and spent the most critical and imp<»tant period of their lives in Otir 
 society, we would question as to their experience. Have you seen life, 
 andthe world, and the things of EWniiy, in their true lig^t ?— or are 
 you still carried away with vanity and a deceived heart? And those' 
 who iu muldU rige, or otherwise, have joined us from other quarters, 
 we ask. ilas it-teen to your spiritual profit, or the reverse, that yo^l 
 entered our c|femupion ? If the liitter, has the fiiult been owing to 
 yr>urselybsor tons? Ifatallto Jbur^^^ j)erBuadqd to ponder 
 
 "the mattW^bd correct your fault; fet you be Itft in a downward career. 
 Pn any circumBtanccB, Idok to God without delay, and ask help.^ In 
 g},ort— and I appcAl to the consciences of all— has the relation sabniit- 
 iiig he<!wcen ^s and any of you, whether for a longer or a shorter time, 
 
,», ' .- i'" 
 
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 '■'■:: •*";. 
 
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 BTOvod « bleiwiug, or lias it l«ile<l ol' tlmtt-^r do you regard th« resoM 
 m» doubtl'ul? ^ If you hold it doubtlVI, tli« probubility is that you mt* 
 atVitid to fuoo the quostioa aud exaiuiuo iuto the matter thoroughly ; 
 «ud thiit the truth of the case Is advcrsw t«> you. But 41owiqg U to b« 
 doubtful, how luug had rt been so?— and how loug i« it to continue io'i ^ 
 It wore tiuio thut, in regard to u subjoct of such overwbolmiug impor- 
 tjiuce, you plaee yourselves beyond doubt, coutingeuey or hazurd ; apd 
 that you do not further pursue a odursc which, in all probubility— with 
 almost certainty— and, uulesa c'orieeted, assuredly will laud you in 
 destructiou.* • 
 
 The past ib gfme ; the present alone is ours, and it is evanetoeot— -» 
 point ever receding into the past— taking its complexion from woat ia 
 bygone, and, perhaps^ involving^ interests of all time to coma. 
 Twenty-five years GONE ! WhutTlre they ? Like a dream. Twenli- 
 five to CQME ! Who dares anticipate them ? In all likelihood, soaroely 
 one of those who met this day twenty-five years ago, will then be in tbi 
 land of the living. Some of the youfag.among ua may see that time; 
 bub to each of you, my dear friends, old or young, botv unoertaiD ia H : 
 
 ' . ••• Like onwdod forest tiocK wo stand, 
 And sotut) are iiiarkvil Ui fiitl ; 
 The axe will smito at (lod's ooniiuand. 
 Ab'I suon shall siuito UB 411." .^ 
 
 Therefore, let us all prepare for the wi!! of God concerning us ; for aoi^ 
 weshiillseeovje auothcr^sfuceno more; the dust shall cover a8,;an4. 
 we shall not meet agaui until confronted at the bar of God, to answer 
 for the manner in which we have severally discharged our duties—libe 
 inauuer in which we have respectively spoken and heard. Wherefore, 
 let me further direct your attention for a moment to 
 
 III._Thk FuTUllE— the dark and uncertain future. Changes are 
 continually taking place around us, and will ere long affect ourselves. 
 Be exhorted, then, earnestly aud without delay, to secure your personal 
 salvation : those of you who have hitherto neglected this important con- 
 cern, to seek it with your whole hearts; and those who have trusted in 
 Ihe Lord Jesus, to abide in Him, and maintain a well-grounded assurance 
 that they are His, T he Lord w aits to be gracious, C hrist is freely offered, 
 and the Holy Spirit pleads. " The Spirit and the Bride say. Come ; 
 and let him that heareth say. Gome ; and let hira that is athirst come ; 
 J^d whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Brethren, 
 giWdiligence to make " your calling and election sure." 
 
 Before dosing, jKjrm it mo to glance at soine of the Apostle's senti-* 
 ment^ which suceeod the text, as I have already done at otixexn wbich 
 precede it. And 
 
 " • N(»TK.— I feel at this time that I should bo wantinjin duty and in gratitude to toe 
 Clod of all grace, if I were ti< rolVain from mentioniiiK the aracious. onn>ouring of Hit 
 Holy Spirit with which the ooniiregation has beou rwoently visited. Dnrinc the laat 
 Spnne. through an instrwmehtaJity-^the cending of which was apparently ai sovervum 
 a*»hebleB«ingwhi«haooompaniedit— many careless persotu, young and (Ad, were led 
 to otmeeni about the salraticii of their souls ; many professors who were at ease w«r« 
 awakened andtrought to rely 6n the Loi-d Jesus Christ, uid many belieTeta weM qmnk- 
 ened. The eongregation nesrer enjoyed such a time of refreshing before. New liM 
 seems to nenrade it; aud it is to ba hoped Uiat tho fruit rpay abide, and be r«*P«d w 
 eternal gWy. «.».. 
 
te*W^^^' 
 
 ■'»»'■., 
 
 ■,.----:^ ■ — :■..: J..-.-:.v.-^,,^.; g. , ;„.;.'.- •.■■ . ■ ■.,,._. 
 
 lit. BisPBOTiNd But'y.—- Let U8 devote ourmlTes aft««h to the 
 
 work which the Master hnsa88i<>;ncd ue, and according to our relative 
 positiou and rosponsibility, wliether iis minister, elder, or church mem' 
 ber, as parent or child, as sabbiith sqhool teacher or scholar, endeavour 
 faiUiiully to fulfil all our obligatiohs. I would especiaily, in all affeo- 
 tton, remind jny brethren in the eldership of the apostle's worda— 
 " Take beed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock oyer the 
 which the Hbly Ghost hath made you overwers, to feed the church of 
 €k>d, which he hath purchased with his own blood ; for," he adds, " I 
 know this, that after my departing shuU grievous wolves enter ib among 
 jou, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, 
 speaking perverse" things, to draw away disciples after them." 
 
 9nd. IRiBSPEOTiNO DANaER. — It is evident from these words that the 
 inspired servant of God foresaw danger approaching, and he gave warn- 
 ing to th^ elders at Ephesus. Are there not, or may there not he, still 
 diingeiil in some form threatcuing the church of God — particular por- 
 tions of <it, or individual christians ? We aro each exposed to perils 
 idnumdrable from within and from without: from Satan, the arohh 
 enemy^ from the world, and from false teachers. Therefore let us 
 watch, and be prepared for all possibilities — guarding against personal 
 danger, and praying that those with whom we are associated may 
 be preserved from the hand of the enemy. And in this connection 
 ..I would say that, as it does not always fall to the lot <^ a minister to 
 addtess parting Words to his people, except when he removes to anothelr 
 sphere of labour, for he is generally arrested in his course and laid low 
 without opportunity tb;^take a tormal farewell-^uncertain of the future, 
 we wish these reflectiods on the experience of a quarter of a century, to 
 be remembered and acted <)n by those of you who shall outlive us. And 
 when the time shall arrive that you are called to take part in the seleo* 
 tion of a successor, aware of the incalculable evils of hasty decision 
 and of an unsuiteble choice, w^ would have you proceed in that duty 
 with prayerfulness and calmness, with a due regard to your own 
 tspiritual wtftare and that of the congregation, and to the advanoement 
 of the Redeemer's kingdom and glory in this place. ^ ' 
 
 3rd. Finally, Rbspbotino thB Source of Strength. — We beat 
 }fDU now, and at all times, on our heart at a throne of grace. May the 
 God of Israel bless you and Vour households with all temporal and all 
 epiritual blessings^ And wuhiuU confidence in the kindness of Hia 
 i^rovidence and the ali-^suffioiency of His grace, and assured that if yott 
 follow the directions and imbibe the spirit of His holy word, you shall 
 not fail to obtain at last admission into that kiii;;doni of glory which is 
 the free gift of God, for which His redeemed shall be made meet, and 
 which is <* incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away," w» 
 " commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to 
 build yoQ up, and to give you an inheritance among aU them whidi art 
 imotified." 
 
 
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