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32X

JAl^

MEMOEIES

JAMES BAIN MORROW

BY THE

REV. A. W. NICOLSON

Editor of The Wesleyan, 1873-1879

' ' The bird tliat to the evening sings,

Leaves music when its song is ended ;
A sweetness left, which takes not wings.

But with each pulse of eve is blended :
Thus life involves a double light,

Our acts and words have many brothers ;
The heart that makes its own delight,

Makes also u delight for others."

-Charles Swain

TORONTO:

MKTHODisT Book and Tuhlishino House.

HALIFAX:

Methodist Book-Room.

1881.

-// fi

5272

TO
JOHN S. McLEAN, Es(^,

FOR SEVERAL YEARS THE INTIMATE COMPANION OK

JAMES B. MORROW

IN THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND WORK
OF THE

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION ;

^ AND TO

THE YOUNG MEN OV THE MARITIME PROVINCES,

WHOSE SALVATION

MR. MORROW COVETED ABOVE ALL THINGS '

TO WHOSE WELFARE HE

CONTRIBUTED BY PRAYER, COUNSEL, AND LOVING GUARDIANSHIP

^\^\b itiolume

t(jRDIALLY DEDICATED.

PREFACE.

Why ivas this Book written ? It is hoped that a

ist

^f its pages will be sufficient answer to that
(juestion.

V/hy teas it not entrusted to some better handf
I can only reply that, while all who were consulted
felt the necessity for a published biography, no one
else was willing to prepare it. There was left to me
the alternative of standing by while a noble chai ■
acter and life vanished with the pahsing months, or
attempting to transfer to paper the moral lineaments
of one who had impressed his acquaintances of this
generation to an extraordinar}^ degree. In an age
which required some intense reflection of the divine
in man, God challenged Satan to consider His servant
Job. The scepticism of even our advanced age can
best be met by furnishing a portrait of what religion
can make out of such fragments of humanity as the
Fall has left to us.

PREFACE.

Why hits it been delayed ho long / In conse<juence
of an uncommon series of interrupti(ms, the locality
in which the work was being prepared, passed through
successive seasons of excitement, originating with
crimes of an unnatural character, which became sub-
jects of repeated and prolonged trials at law. These
distracted the attention of every one in the community •
A severe accident to the writer also prevented any
progress with the manuscript during several weeks.

To all who responded to the request for letters,
incidents, and othev material, I must express my
indebtedness. The quantity of paper thus sent in
to my addn^ss was somewhat abundant, making it
difficult, ver}^ often, to select the most suitable con-
tribution for iny purpose. Another book might be
written v "thout exhaustini>' all that I have been
privileged to examine of letters, kc, from almost
every region of Her Majesty's Dominions.

One aim 1 have kept before me uniformly in pre-
paring the book, — that of perpetuating Mr. Morrow's
pov/erful influence among young men.

THE AUTHOR.

Annatolls, N.S.,
January 30th, ISSl.

CONTENTS.

-«5-

Chap. '

I. INTUODUC'TORY

Paok

II. PARENTAGE AND BOYHOOD 16

III. THE SECRET OF HIS STRENGTH 30

IV. ATHOME... 42

V. IN THE CHURCH 50

VI. BUSINESS 70

VII. THE BIBLE 79

VIII. THE Y. M. C. A 96

IX. OUTSIDE WORK ... . 115

X. OVERWORK AND RECREATION 132

XI. THE END 152

.\ITENDIX, HESOLUTIONS, LETTERS, kv 167

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.

iaoiLi souls are serfs amonrj the free,

While otliers nobly thrive ;
They stand just where their fathers stood ;

Dead, even while they live.
Others, all spirit, heart, and sense,

Theirs the mysterious power

To live in thrills of joy or woe,

A twelvemonth in an hour !

— Bryan IV. Procter.

STRANGER entering the city of Halifax on
the afternoon of Monday, the 13th of Septem-
ber, 1880, mnst have looked about him with
some degree of astonishment. The flags of the ship-
ping in port were at half mast. Passing in by Water
Street, he would have seen shutters on the shop win-
dows, blinds drawn down in the dwellings, work sus-
pended on the wharves, and the streets either wholly
deserted, or only here and there resounding to a solemn
footstep. Approaching by Brunswick Street, his sur-
prise w^ould have been even greater. There were two

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORilOW.

li'

thousand persons in and around the large Methodist
Church at the unusual hour of three o'clock. Ministers
were addressing an immense assembly. The organ, in
muffled strains, gives forth the Dead March in Saul.
A coffin is borne out by tender hands, amid the tears
of strong men and the sol)s of women and children.
Then a procession is formed — not in the orderly, pre-
arranged manner of common funerals ; 1 )ut, as openings
are presented, individuals hasten to show the respect
due to the occasion. His Excellency the General in
command of Her Majesty's forces, with his suite, in
full uniform, took their places in the moving concourse.
The Governor and his staff w^ere among the mourners.
Officers of steamships, with their well-dresse<l crews,
fell into line. Representatives from abroad, clergymen
of all denominations in the city, without exception,
labourers from the warehouses and shops, soldiers from
the barracks, coloured people, and inmates of the Poor's
Asylum, very old men and very young children, were
either closing in with the procession or looking on with
tearful interest. When the hea<l of this procession had
readied Sackville Sti-eet, distant nearly a thou.sand
yards from the starting-point, many M'cre still waiting
to find a place in the ranks which were not fully
formed. After a lengthened and impressive service
had been read at the grave, and the mourners liad
begun to disperse, the rear ranks were still pressing on-
ward through the gates of the cemetery, anxious for a
parting glance at the sacred place of sepultui'e.

Halifax is not unaccustomed to pageants. Gn seve-

INTRODUCTORY.

ral occasions, Brunswick Street has resounded to the
tread of grand processions. More than once members
of the Royal family have been escorted over part of
this very route by immense throngs of people. Flags
have been displayed on every mast at times when dis-
tinguished personages passed through this magnificent
harbour, which forms such an important link in inter-
national transit.

But there was no extraordinary social or political
distinction in this instance. The city was not in holi-
day dress, 1)ut in sackcloth. It followed the dead ; and
even then there was no great worldly honour attached
to the name of him who was l^eing carried to his last
resting-place. He held no title from any institution,
literary, scientific or philosophical. There had been no
call by local fraternities to assend)lL' and do honour to
an illustrious associate. His busy life admitted of but
the one general duty in that I'espect — he linked his
sympathies with the broad brotherhood of man. Ti'ue,
he was connected bv blood and marria<;e with the best
of the population : but that ahme did not entitle him
to the universal, pi'ofound and absorbing grief which
was felt everywhei-e. Hundreds of the merely respect-
able have come and i^one without leaving; so wide a
blank, without arresting the business of the city for a
day, without sha<ling the faces of (government othcials
and day labourers alike, as did this uuvu.

" Kiiiil licnrts n\v iiioiv tlinii coronets,
Ami simple fnith thitii Noniiiui Mood."

For three days there was not an issue of any city

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

I :

! I

paper which did not in some way alhido to the sad
event. More than tliirty columns, much of it in small
type, 1 have at this moment undci- my i^ye, cut from
Halifax nt'wsj)apery alone, tieatiiijj^ on this suhject,
durin<,^ the lOth to the LSth of Se})teml)ei-. If all that
has been wi'itten of James B. Morrow, then and since,
were compiled for publication, it would form a volume
of considerable dimensions. Nor were the ex[)ressions
of the ordinaiy kind, eithei-; many of them would
have led a stranger to ask — " Ts not nuich of this hy-
perbolicaW T make a few extracts : — "It is doubt-
ful if any other similar ainioinicement could ci'eate
sucli a painful sensation in this city " — " Citizens of all
classes were Intterly pained and shocked wiien the in-
telligence came" — "The loss of this community cannot
be estimated " — " Such a funeral was never known
before in Halifax " — " It is a shock and a calamity " —
"There is no man liviiig in oui- conniuniity whose death
could create such a blank ' — " A lif(^ of unswerving rec-
titude " — " Position, wealth, talents, disposition, all that
he had by natui-e oi- fortuitous circumstances, was held
by him in trust^ to be used for the honour and glory of
the Master " — " The noble-hearted citizen, laid in his
grave amid the mourning of a whole connnunity " —
"No man can pohit a finger at his life " — " He was a
mighty worker " — " He seemed to have an o\'ersiglit of
all the younjr men in the city ' — and so on. These are
surely exti-aordinary tributes to the memory of a
fellow-citizen.

Conversing with persons who were present before

INTRODUCTORY.

and at the funeral, you may learn quite as much that
is beautiful an<l impressive. On the day, ever memor-
able to loved ones who were there, when the body was
bi'ouufht home from Londonderry, eyes that were look-
ing foi- the first dread mo\ement from the crowd, saw
a scene well calculated to bedew them afresh wdth tears.
I trive the words as they are cfiven to me — too sacred,
too inartificial to be changed \\\ a single particular: —
" One incident which occurred at the Railway Station,
when we brought home all that was left to us of father,
touched me. When the temporary coffin was carried by
some of our own labouring men, sent up from the wharf,
the railway poi'ter pushed up his baggage-truck and
sai<l — ' Put it on here.' One of the men called out on
the instant, as if it came from the bottom of his heart,
' No, we won't; we'll carry him.' And carry him they
did out to the hearse, which was in waiting away at
the other end of the station." Standing by the bier,
during the period between this and the burial, a
coloured woman was heard to say through suppressed
sob.s — " God took him because He loved him so well ! "
Another woman, with not much of this world's goods
represented in her appearance, m(jurned because " Only
last week he visited my dear lame boy, and cheered
him sol" Workmen on the wharves, whom no one
suspected of having ever met him, save as an employer,
turned away to hide their teai's. At more than one
Board of Directors, the mend^ers, looking acro.ss tlie
table, saw only sad looks, and prefei-red ijuietly to dis-
perse without attempting business.

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

.i ■ ■■'•>

■ i

In St. John, N.B., as stated by a representative of
the Y. M. C. A., the news of Mr. Morrow's death caused
" a paralytic thrill to his many friends, and the gloom
in the city was as deep as that which spread over
Halifax." " It came on St. John," writes Hon. John
Boyd, " so suddenly ! It was a shock to us all on the
streets, and on every face there was the sa.me expres-
sion, and every tongue gave voice to the sadness which
was in every heart." From Prince Edward Island,
Newfoundland, and Saint Pierre ; from Ontario and
Quebec ; from ditlerent points in the United States, and
from England, came letters by scores, written by
persons of all classes and professions, ottering sympathy,
while mourning in common with dear friends at home.

A collection of these letters has been made, which
is one of the most unicjue and expressive tributes ever
ottered to tlie memory of a private citizen, and will be
cherished for generations as an invaluable memento by
his loving kindred. Surely all this is suflicient reason
why a Memorial volume of James Bain Morrow should
be given to the public.

But a life of this kin<l is not always easy to trace to
the best athantage for biographical purposes. Its
springs are hidden to a great extent. Numberless little
streams of sympathy, originating with Mr. Morrow's
love and benevolence, which one tinds here and there,
cannot be followed to their source. Not one of every
fifty young men whom he influenced for good will
speak in these pages, simply because they caimot ex-
plain the subtle power by which he led them on, or

INTRODUCTORY.

restrained them. Men who endow Colleges or build
Orphanages very naturally and deservedly attract
public attention by these splendid monuments ; but the
charity which is scattered over a life-time — the dollars
which go out with daily prayers and letters among sick
ana suti'ering — while they may equal those larger bene-
factions, elude the sight of questioners. There are
fugitive checks occasionally, torn from their connec-
tions in the imndjered books issued \)y the Banks, that
no one shall be able to trace them afterward, which iro
their round of mercy, warming cold hearts and feeding
hungry mouths, then return to die. I have seen and
handled them — knowing well their origin, from differ-
ent quarters — but their record is only with God !

And yet, meagre comparatively as may be the
material for the purpose, and effectually as he may
have covered up all traces of his benevolence in many
instances, the story of James B. Morrow's life richly
deserves to be sent out into the world.

I ill I

i» '

CHAPTER 11.

:^ I

PARENTAGE AND BOYHOOD.

"In the lexicon of youth, which fate reserves
For a bright manhood, there is no such word
Ap— fail ! "

— Lytton.

pROM a fragment of family history, placed at
my disposal by one of the immediate relatives,
I learn that Mr. Morrow's ancestors, by the
father's side, may be clearly traced back to the period
when William and Mary ascended the British throne.
In 1689, Isaac Jackson was born at Alston Moor, and
died in 1812, at High Felling, County Durham, Eng-
land. This patriarchal founder of a family wliose
branches have extended to different (quarters of the
globe, during the 123 years of his remarkable life, saw
five successive monarchical periods, and retained to the
last " a singular brilliancy of complexion " which made
him the wonder and admiration of strangers. His
funeral procession extended over three miles — a fact
which would seem to correspond with the great respect

PARENTAGE AND BOYHOOD.

which has since been paid, in a similar way, to at
least two of his descendants. If physical and moral
qualities in a progenitor may be considered of any sig-
nificance, it will interest readers to learn that Isaac
Jackson, though blind during twenty years of his life,
" continued to shave himself every day," and wended
his way faithfully every Sabbath to the village church,
unassisted, though in doing so he was obliged " to cross
a bridge made of a single plank." He was a man of
sterling character, beloved by all who knew him. A
grand-daughter of Isaac Jackson, Mary Atkinson,
married, in 1793, Robert Morrow, grandfather of the
subject of this memoir. Their family consisted of
three sons and one daughter. John Morrow, second
son of Robert, and father of James B. Morrow, was,
during early life, subject to severe vicissitudes of
fortune. His father failed in business, in England,
losing everything but reputation. There was a noble-
hearted son, however, older than John, who acted a
part in this emergency which reveals something of that
sturdy integrity w^hich seems to have characterized the
Morrow family throughout. Isaac Morrow went to
London, succeeded in business, and in a few years paid
off every one of his father's creditors. The effort may
have cost him his life; for I find that he died very
shortly after thus satisfying justice.

The cause of this business failure is traced to the
very connnon one of an abrupt transition from manual
labour to commercial pursuits, without previous train-
ing or experience. The Morrows suffered a penalty

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

which has been inflicted upon too many innocent fami-
lies, in our own and other countries, for the violation
of a very obvious law. Young men cannot be too
faithfully warned against hazarding the comfort of
others with their own, by engaging in business for
whi' h they have neither aptitude nor capital. Provi-
dence promises no shelter even to its most favoured
children who lay aside their connnon sense and pru-
dence. The male members of the Morrow family, up
to this time, were minei's. The attempt to reach some
better sphere of life may have been caused by a ca-
lamity which left the family in deep sorrow. Thomas,
an uncle of John Morrow, was one of two hundred
souls that were swept into eternity by a single ex-
plosion. Another remarkable funeral " attended by
80,000 men " is alluded to in the imperfect narrative
from whicli I have l)een (juoting. The voices of these
80,000 miners and others tilled the air with Isaac
Watts' mournful Init triumphant song : —

" Thee we adore, Eternal name,
And humbly own to Thee,
How feeble is our mortal frame,
What dying worms we be ! "

! I

' !l

John Morrow resolved to find a new home. His de-
cision was perhaps hastened by witnessing an extra-
ordinary scene on Alston Moor. The miners assembled
in a monster meeting to discuss certain grievances of
their work and waoes. The distinguished advocate
who subsequently became Lord Brougham, Chan-

PARENTAGE AND BOYHOOD.

cellor of the Exchequer, was one of the interested
listeners. John Morrow ha<l just overlieard one of the
gentlemen who surrounded Mr. Brougham, making a
favourable connuent on the native elocjuence of one of
the chief speakers, when suddenly the very ground
seemed to trend^le beneath their feet. A thousand
Scots Greys galloped on to the Moor, dispersing the
miners in all directions. The workmen retired dis-
comfited to their homes, and John Morrow made his
way to Newcastle. Here he served as clerk in a
newspaper establishment, till in an unlucky moment
he gained a prize for some piece of literary composi-
tion, throwing tlie brilliant son of his employer into
the shade. In three months he was dismissed, and at
nineteen years of age took passage for Halifax.

It is now seen that his coming to America was part
of a Providential purpose. He entered (immediately it
would seem) the service of Mr. Bain, then doing busi-
ness in Halifax as a merchant. In this office he
remained as clerk for five years. The rei^ard which he
cherished for Mr. Bain is seen in the loving use he
made of his name, by conferring it upon one of his
children six or seven years after leaving that mercan-
tile establishment. John Morrow was married, Janu-
ary 2nd, 1820, to Mary Ann Dufi'us, when they were
l)oth within a few months of twenty-four years of age.
From a note which I find in the family records, it
seems that the Duffus family held some relation to
Alexander Cruden, who, with his many eccentricities,
combined a most devout regard for the Bible, with

I 1

! 1

' Hi

i i

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

such industry and assiduity as were necessary to con-
struct a book which lays divines especially under deep
obligations to hiui as an author. How far Cruden's
Concordance may have helped to perfect James B.
Morrow in the mastery of the Scriptures, is a very in-
teresting question, looked at from a family standpoint.

Linked with the Duti'us name is another which Hali-
fax will not willingly allow to die. One sister of Mrs.
John Morrow became the wife of Samuel, afterwards
Sir Samuel, Cunard. Another married Henry Cunard,
who was, it is thought, indirectly connected with the
great trade of Mirainichi, which in past days was a
matter of Provincial pride. To my own ears, while a
boy in Scotland, the name of Cunard became familiar,
from the fact that mv father was interested in the
prosperity of the tirm, as a trader, and was present
when Miramichi passed through a period of intense
excitement. A third sister of Mrs. John Morrow
married Mr. Wm. Sutherland, Q.C., of Halifax, still
living.

To John and Mary Morrow were born nine children,
of whom James Bain, born the 8th of November, 1831,
was the sixth. Of this family only two brothers and
two sisters are now living ; these are residents of Hali-
fax, with the exception of Isaac Morrow, in South
America.

James, as a child, gave no special promise of future
brilliance or greatness. He was not precocious in any
particular. It is recorded of him by one who
thoroughly understood his disposition and observed his

PARENTAGE AND BOYHOOD.

early life, that, evpn when very young, " his sense of
duty was particularly sti'ong, and he was never known
to neglect a lesson." Truthful, loving, gentle ; showing
no violence of temper ; he was chiefly remarkable for
those (|ualities which render parents contented, and
home a scene of abiding happiness. But even these
conditions were to be interi'upted. James was early
subjected to a kind of discipline which, overruled and
sanctified of God, assists in fashioning the best instru-
ments for His service and glory.

There is no more frightful poem in our language
than Byron's Dream of Darkness. All that imagina-
tion at its best — or worst — can heap together of con-
ditions horrible and death-like, he employs to describe
the effect, as

"The bright sun was extinguished, and the stars
Did wander darkling in eternal space,
Eayless and pathless."

Everything declines — everybody dies, or goes mad. I
have seen this powei-ful poem used to illustrate the
probable consequences of a reversal in the confidence
of the Christian believer. And it may be a portraiture
more or less truthful of what would follow if it could
be proved that Christ never emerged alive from the
sepulchre. Jean Paul Richter, in his " Flower, Fruit,
and Thorn Pieces," draws a thrilling picture from his
imagination of the cry tliat would ascend from the
living and the dead if the sun of the Christian 3 faith
were blotted out — if Christ were proved to be only a
superlative myth of ages long gone by. But some-

• 'II

I: f

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

thin^ akin to the picture of ])otli tho Enpflisli Poet and
tlie Oernian Pliilo.sopli(ir happens in every tnie home
fioni which tlie mother is carried to the ^rave. I can
assert from p<'rsonal experience that "raylessand patli-
less " indeed is this world to a motherless hoy of sen-
sitive and chn^inj^f dispositi(m. .lames lost liis motlier
wliile yet at tlie ten<ler a^e of five years. Happily foi"
him — and for us — he found an excellent ^nmnlian just
at liand.

Susannah, now Mrs. William Stairs, eldest of tho
family, very naturally assume<l the control of the houM^
thus early bereaved. James retained throu^di all the
years of his subsecjuent life a grateful remembrance of
th(^ wisdom and love which came to him through this
guardianship. He was sent to a private school, con-
ducted by a lady in the neigh bouihood. Afterward
he l)ecame a pupil of the late Mr. Crosskill. To this
excellent tutor, V)y whom he was thoroughly instructed
in the elements of an English eihication, he ever felt a
special indebtedness.

The connection of the Morrow family with tlie
(yunard business liegan while James w^as yet a l>oy.
J ndirectly, indeed, these names had been connnercially
associated some time before ; for Robert Morrow^ an
uncle of James B., came to this country early in life,
was engaged for many years in the Cunard establish-
ment at Miramichi, made money, failed in business, and
returned to England, wliere, after having repeatedly
made and lost much of this world's w^ealth. "he died a
comparatively poor man." James' father entered the

PARENTAGE AND BOYHOOD.

Halifax office of this growing entorprist' soon after
leaving the employment of Mr. Bain, and continued
there for a number of years. Hi' was afterwards made
American Consul, which office he continued to hold
for about five years, when it was decided that Ameri-
cans only should be appointed to that position. In
1844 he went to Edinburgh, to take charge of Mr.
John Stephenson's office work. This l^rought him into
contact with the great projects of the Stephenson
family, whose i '<es were then beginning to occupy
public attention in all parts of the wc)rld. John
Stephenson, nearly related to the veteran George, of
railway fame, was constantly employed as contractor
in the immense projects which were at that time revo-
lutionizing the conniierce of England. (Jeorge Ste-
phenson remendjered John Stephenson in his will,
though, as far as is known to the Morrow family, the
tM'^o men were not related. Mr. Moriow while in
Edinburgh sent for James, who joined him there. He
was then about fourteen years of age. His residence
in that old classic city gave him the advantage of
a training during two years in its High School, besides
contributing doul)tIess to his tastes ami habits for good
in other directions.

Upon the scholastic foundation which young Mor-
row thus laid in early life, he must have built assidu-
ously, by private study, in after years. Througliout
coming cliapters of this book, it will be seen that he
filled social positions, arrived at certain bil)lical con-
clusions, and solved scores of interesting problems,

r*^

'III j

I-

ill

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

which required more educational knowledge than is
embraced in a High School curriculum. He did not
rest satisfied with the lessons of Halifax or Edinburgh
tutors. He read, reflected, compared, and systema-
tized, until every position he was called to occupy was
adorned by his attainments. That he gave much time
to several languages — sufficient at least to make him
proficient in such studies as lay directly in his path to
influence and honour ; that he acquainted himself with
the intricacies of mathematical science, all must have
known who observed his readiness and intelligence in
the aflairs of his very responsible and busy life. There
were few great public questions upon which he had
not formed some independent judgment, tlirough care-
ful reading and meditation. This was ;:;.t the least
marked of his many excellencies.

To the knowledge of the French language, which he
obtained in boyhood, he added by patient and con-
tinual application for several years. Even after his
marriage he employed a French master in the evenings
for one or two winters. Frenchmen always gave him
credit for a remarkably pure accent. Spanish ships,
during the days of his clerkship, came into the harbour,
and he found it necessary to ac(|[uaint himself with the
language of old Castile, so soft and rich in cadence and
majestic in expression. He soon became so proficient
as to converse with Spaniards with considerable ease.
His French and Spanish Bibles, as we shall see here-
after, were among his familiar books.

It is interesting, too, to look in upon the life of the

PARENTAGE AND BOYHOOD.

lad at this period. He began a clerksliip in the office
of the Cun-:d Company, of which his uncle Samuel
was the head. The story of that concern has yet to
be written. It will prove a most entertaining chapter
in the history of British connnerce. Its foundations
were laid in hard work. Young Morrow thus writes
to a dear friend in a letter not dated, but known to
belong to this early period of his life : —

" This has been a very busy day. Indeed the last of
the week is always our busiest time, with steamers,
and getting the mails ready for England. Now I look
forward to the Sabbath as a day of rest. You, I dare
say, know something of the loss of a night's rest, but
when for two days and nights in succession, the mind
as well as the body is kept unceasingly at work, you
can fancy what it means to anticipate a day of rest.
What a blessing is the Sabbath ! " To his son Matthew
he wrote, in 1876, this word of comparative comfort,
showing that industry follows closely on the heels of
success : — " Your work puts me in mind of old times,
when I had to be at the office at six o'clock every
morning, and had often to be up till twelve and one
o'clock in the night. One night always, and sometimes
two, of each fortnight, was spent entirely at hard
office work." Those were days of discipline to Halifax
young men who chose to submit and prosper. A co-
temporary of Mr. Morrow's — one of the merchant
princes of this day — assures me his own experience
was very similar to that just described. His mother
lived but forty miles away, yet he was not permitted

'. m

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

to look upon her dear face for eighteen months after
he began his apprenticeship. Twenty-one years ago I
returned from Newfoundland for ordination, and took
passage on the embryo railway-train from Halifax to
Truro. One man did the multifarious work of con-
ductor, baggage-master, brakeman, and sometimes
ticket-agent. While reminding him of this a few days
ago, he exclaimed, — " Aye, often do I think of it ! If
I had been idle then, I might have been before this in
the poorhouse. If I had been dishonest then — for I
had a bag of money to bring back every night — I
might now be in the penitentiary ! But hard w^ork and
honesty have left me a good coat and a clear con-
science." These are the inen who laid the foimdations
of a prosperity on which most of us are building to-
day, so frequently with degenerate eflbrt and purpose.
In that period of stern industry James B. Morrow
was true to himself as well as to his employer. He
studied books and men, and kej^t his heart right w^lth
God.

There is such a thing as a symmetrical manhood.
Young men in busy life are in danger of building their
character only in one direction. Thus a man who may
have attained to civic or political honours, may be but
a sad deformity to the eye of a Christian or a philoso-
pher. Like some abnormal growth seen occasionally
in the forest, one or two ottshoots of the tree may out-
grow the tree itself, leaving it diseased at heart and
withered at the extremities. We shudder at a mis-
shapen human creature, malformed by accident, and

PARENTAGE AND BOYHOOP.

:hs after
irs ago I
md took
alifax to
ot* con-
•metimes
Pew (lays
P it ! If
e this in
[1 — for I
[light — I
v^ork and
ear con-
ndations
ding to-
piirpose.
Morrow
er. He
rht with

anhood.
ng their
ho may
' be but
phHoso-
sionally
ay out-
art and
a mis-
nt, and

doomed to misery or neglect : — have we no sympathy
for moral and intellectual deformities ?

Let us not be uncharitable. There were sufficient
reasons for the ignorance of our forefathers. Circum-
stances in this new country were all against them.
They concpiered cii'cumstances, believing with Napoleon
that " Impossible is the adjective of fools." What a
strong ai'm, an inflexible purpose, sturdy conunon sense,
could do, they did. Withered be the finger that points
at them with scorn ! Uneducated many of them, they
left a legacy of education to their descendants. Bent
and broken by hardship, these fields and churches and
free schools and colleges are the results of their toil.
They polished the colonial gems which shine in the
coronet of Britain to-day. Wherever there remains
man or woman of the generation which laid the corner-
stone of our fair fabric, let them be ranked with
heroes I

But now, reader, what have we ? A free school in
every section, an academy in every county, a college
for each metropolis. Consequently, in point of educa-
tional privilege, all men nearly are free and e([ual.
Ignorance has no longer a title to honour. A young
merchant whose name may stand well " on Change,"
with a liberal credit at the bank, adding certain thou-
sands per annum to stock account, yet having no know-
ledge beyond the reading of his bills-book and ledger,
is surely a sorry result for the early struggles which
made homes for lads in this country. Fourteen hours
for grinding and scheming and sighing ; seven hours*

'•^i:

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

? I

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i :

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for sleep ; three hours for eating and drinking, with
Imrricd journeys to and fro, do not seem a fair division
of precious time. Not an hour for intellectual or
spiritual improvement ; no opportunity for following
the world's great movements, save what may be
snatched by a feverish glance at some morning news-
papej". Surely this is not building up a symmetrical
manhood.

Halifax is an important stage in a great interna-
tional higliway. People of various languages and
pursuits pass through its streets every week. Why
should a young man here debar himself of the privi-
lege of open communication between his own mind
and those of ti-avellers fi'om continental Europe ^ Why
limit himself to a single language, while a half-hour of
each working day would soon elevate him to the ac-
quaintance of scholars and thinkers — would qualify
him to serve his countrv and his own interests to better
advantage !* And what is true of life in Halifax may
be said of life almost anywhere in th.ese Piovinces, now
made attractive by the genius of Artists, and the pens
of Poets and Historians.

On the other hand, there is danger from false con-
clusions in regard to the dignity of education. James
B. Morrow is an example of patient purpose in the very
common and even menial duties which apprenticeship
in every sphere devolves upon young men. It in a
reproach for which young men themselves are respon-
sible, that clowns and rustics make money where
scholars starve. We are in a world where living actu-

PARENTAGE AND BOYHOOD.

iterna-
38 and

Wliy

privi-

. inind

Why

alists must be met and borne with patiently, even when
they are begrimed with smoke, or clothed in fustian.
There is no room here for any pe<lantie philosophy.
The region of plausible hypothesis is fully occupied.
God created but one man ; in him he made a scientist,
a linguist, a philosopher, a perfect gentleman and a
common day-laboui-er, all in one. Ignorance is a
lamentable result of the Fall ; education is an element
in hinnan restoration. That is all that can be said of
it. Young men who spring full-Hedged from the
Universities would do well to remember these aphor-
isms of Hon. Schuyler Colfax : —

" It is not what you eat, but what you digest, that
makes you m-ow."

" It is not what you study, but what you renunnber
and reflect upon, that makes you learned."

" Knowledge is not what you learn in your boyhood,
but what you obtain and remember in a life-time."

: ;ll

'i^

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pens

^T^

CHAPTER TTI.

THE SECRET OF HIS STRENGTH.

" The end of life is to Im; like vnito (lod ; and the soul following Ood
will be like unto Him, He being the beginning, middle and end of all
things." — Socrates.

" The bread of life is love ; the salt of lov(.' is work ; the sweetness
of life, poesy ; the water of life, faith." — Mrs. Jameson.

HREE mighty influences were brought to bear
upon tlie character of James B. Morrow from
the age of sixteen to eighteen : — He received
a change of heart ; imbibed a lofty purpose from the
study of the Bible ; and came under the eye and
counsels of a very extraordinary Christian man.

JA must have been soon after his return to Halifax,
h ->■-. ""diaburgh, that lie began an active religious life.
ii • ..jtieulars of that interesting epoch are fresh in
ti ' f. <'<^>ryof persons now living. It was an event
of some importance in the old Argyle Street Methodist
Church, was a subject of no little comment at the time,

THE SECRET OF HIS STRENGTH.

and around it clustered many bright hopes and fervent
prayers.

The Morrows, it is thought, must have been Metho-
dists from the earliest days of that great religious
awakening. James' grandfather was a Methodist,
as was his father, all through life. Of the other
]»ranclies of the family, some were Episcopalians and
others Presbyterians. His mother was brought up a
Presl)yterian, and was a consistent member of that
connnunion till her death. It may thus be seen, that,
apart from the catholic spirit of the man, there were
strong reasons why James B. Morrow^ should be tender
and charitable toward all evangelical Churches.

While attending the Sabbath School in Argyle
Street, his mind became deeply impressed with the
lessons so faithfully imparted in that nursery of Meth-
odism. A i-evival w^hich began among the teachers and
scholars, extended to the congregation. Rev. Mr.
Bennett, the pastor — a man of a singularly devoted
ministry — followed up the opportunity thus offered for
good, by much personal and direct pulpit and pastoral
work.

It is related that, while the revival was in progress,
James found stronjif attractions in other directions. A
town meeting was summoned, for a purpose not now
known, which he attended on an evening while service
was being conducted in the Church, and before his
final step as to a religious life and purpose had been
fully taken. Whether the town meeting had any
political colouring or not, it is easy to imagine that

m !

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORKOW.

there must have been no little political electricity in
the air at the time. Nova Scotia held, at that day, a
galaxy of public men, such as few coloni<.'s of the same
population have ever produced. There is not a school-
boy amongst us whose heart does not swell with pride
as he turns over the pages of that period in the history
of his native province. " These were the men !" said
Joseph Howe, in his last hours, with his hands on his
breast, and suffering from oppressive breathing. The
veteran might well rest delightedly on the memory of
his associates. One of the iirst sounds tliat greeted
my own ears, as I landed a boy from Scotland, was the
tread of those giants, as they marched to the storming
of what was foi* years a key-fortress in eveiy political
campaign — the county of Cumberland.

Wordsworth, writing; of the Fi'ench Rev^olution " as
it appeared to enthusiasts at its commencement," and
imagining himself a Frenchman of that epoch, dwells
upon the

And adds

"Mighty auxiliars, which then stood
Upon our side."

" Bliss was it then to be alive

But to be young was very heaven."

The " mighty auxiliars " of Nova Scotia accomplished
bloodless revolutions, and have left a legacy of respon-
sible government, with its kindred benefits, to their
sons. Our poets may sing of the past days as did
Wordsworth of France, and without any qualification.

THE SECRKT OF HIS STRENGTH.

How far younj.^ Morrow s luiswcrvini,^ and ardent
loyalty, his re^^^ard for purity in puldic men, and his
ahidinjr hope for the land of ])is nnfivitv. may have
heen engendered by sueh elcKjiience as Halifax listene<l
to in those days, we can only conjecture.

The reli<i^ious conviction which had entered the heart
of the youth, however, led him hack from the town
meeting to old Argyle Street. His father, noticing his
pur|)Ose, permitted him to retire, following him with a
benediction. That iiight was the turning-i)oint in his
life. He sought and found mercy, through the merits
of Jesus Christ. To omit from a biogra]ihy of James
B. Morrow a special reference to the I'eligion which he
then embraced and received into a loving heart, would
be to paint our world without that influence which fell
upon it when God said " Let thei-e be light." It
beautified, illumined and gladdened his whole manhood
for thirty-three years.

For twelve months the profiting i)f the youth ap-
peared unto all men. There is some difference of
(jpinion as to the year that followed. Some say there
was a visible decline in his piety, that his best friends
cherished grave fears for his usefulness. Others as.sert
the contrary. It is certain there wei-e causes, very
natural ones, for the change, if it did occur. He was
"a fine, handsome young man," says a cotemporary,
" open to all temptations and allurements." Halifax
society was quite as varied, — as gay and frivolous,
where it was not sensible and wholesome — then as now.
At all events, there is but one testimony as to the sub-

LIFE OF JAMES IJ. MOKROW,

i I

« i

sequent period of liis youthful manhood — he served
(iod and liis ;^a'nei7ition unswervingly. The chief in-
struments in hrinj^ing this a'oout deserve to be noticed
at lenjj^th. His Bil)le and its influence upon his haMts,
1 will take u[) in a future chaptei*. i nmst now
attempt to deserihe a man whose name will meet the
eyes of my readers more frequently than they might
imagine otherwise it rlesei-ved.

Francis Johnson was by birth an Ii'ishman, by edu-
cation a Roman Catholic. 1 speak of education in the
domestic sense, foi* as to knowledge of the schofjls, he
seems to have been uttei'ly deficient up to nearly middle
life. He ari'ived in Halifax, a soldier, in the .*i4th Regi-
ment, al)out the year bS-SO. His life previous to this
peri(j(l has not been noticed in any account I have met
of liis career ; but a hint is given that he found his way
by some means to a Methodist Siniday School, obtained
a New Testament, and thence became greatly disti'essed
about his sins. His convictions, indeed, were of the
very pungent kind which so often precede a life of
great religious fervency and usefulness, as for instance
in the cases of Bunyan and Colonel Gardner. On the
12th of January, bS82, he " received a gracious per-
suasion that he was accepted in Christ." One of the
first visible fruits of tliis change was a persevering
industry in self-improvement. He learned to read and
write, and soon turned his new powers to great ad-
vantage among his conu'ades. But persecutions met
him from the outset. Among twelve companions in
the same sleeping apartment, he was the only one who

THE SECRET OF HIS STRENGTH.

prayed before retiring to rest. Jests und jibes were
followed by active pei'secution. His comrades would
use him as a target for shoes and belts, or attempt to
raise him on his feet by seizing his hair and whiskers.
Fi'om this fierce school of discipline, Francis Johnson
passed at length, by discharge from the army, into the
fellowshi]) of citizens and saints. In 1(S40 he returned
to tlie Customs' service, having an ofhce on Cunard's
Wharf. Officials in the Methodist Church, with whicli
he was by this time connected, noticing his zeal, gave
him a class-book. From two or three mendjers, his
class grew till it was of necessity divided. Again and
again this was repeated, notwitlistanding many of his
members I'emoved to other parts, and some fell back
into indifference. When he was compelled to discon-
tinue this charge, he had three classes on his hands,
numbering in the aggregate sixty-one persons ! If
anything in the nian's marvellous life exceeded his
success as a class-leader, it was his success in the Sab-
bath School. From being a teacher, he attained to the
Superintendency of Brunswick Street Sabbath School,
in 1847, which office he occupied, with a short interval,
for nineteen years. He began with ninety scholars,
and when he resigned theie were four hundred and
sixty on the roll ! In one year thii'ty of the scholars
joined the Church. In another year seventy-two were
reported as meeting in class. On three different oc-
casions, the trustees found it necessary to enlarge the
school-room. From this school went forth scores of

LIFE OF JAMKS B. MORROW.

excellent and influential men and women. At least two
of its scholars entered the ministry.

Amon(( ^^r. Johnson's writin<.(s wcr*' found papers
which he had prepared \'nm\ time to time on Christian
work and methods, which w<M*e the admiration of
many foi- theMi* Ixiautiful, succinct and orijjfinal mode,s
of thou;4;]»t and diction. A pi'ivate memorandum-hook
which he uscil dui'ini^ a voyag(^ to the West Indies
and hack for his liealth, has been handed to me by his
wife, whose name, with many othc^-s that he carried to
the iMercy-seat, occurs fre([uently in its pages. It is,
from hci^nnning to end, a mirror of the man — simple-
hearted, ^odly and sweet-tempered in ev^ery expression.
He records thc^ names of scores foi* whom he continue ^<1
to pray — brethren in the Cvhurch and teachers in the
Sabbath-school. He remembers the hours of meeting
in " dear ohl Halifax." and joins the fellowship
of believers in spirit. A Sabbath-school which he
visited is carefully noticed, with a view "to leai-ning
from them if possiltle." The Supei'intendent " seemed
to take things very easy ;" be found ' '>nly three of
the teachers whose hearts seemed to be in their work."
A quaint expression occurs at intervjds, showing that
his native wit had not quite forsaken him. " I have just
been oftei-e<l some of what they call here Old Tom ; I
should call it Old Nick ! But it gave me a chance to
talk temperance." Again — "The Alpha is dashing ahead
to Halifax. May Francis Johnson make as good head-
way to heaven ! " Even his medicine is taken with a

THE SECRET OF HIS STRENGTH.

blessing asked. More than one young man much in
these prayers of fifteen years ago, is still in the
shadows of sin. It is amon^* the mysteries of godli-
ness that persons like Francis Johnson are peiinitted
to pray in vain for any good ohject. This may help
to preserve some reader from the presumption of
trusting too nmch to the intercessions of good men,
even though they be " princes, having power with
God." There is a houndarv line which each sinner
must cross foi* himself, or perish. He must submit.
" Yield yourselves unto God," said Paul to the Romans.
A you til of James B. Morrow's temperament could
not well spend years on the same premises with
Francis Johnson without feeling the force of his in-
tiuence. Persons of far rougher libre yielded to his
powerful example and advice. From one who well
remembers the period which we are considering, 1
learn that the mere presence of the man was itself
l)oth an enc(juraf(ement and a rebuke. His manner,
though meek and unassuming, " conniumded more re-
spect than he could have gained from titles at the hands
of Queen Victoria." One does not need to go farther
than the evidence of those stately warehouses, to ascer-
tain that many clerks, porters, carpenters, coopers,
engineers and day labourers, were on the Cunard
premises late and early, in times gone by. And
the usual human and dialjolical evil was there,
mingling with the human and divine good. " The
men were very profane," says our informant, " till Mr.
Johnson came. Then all was changed. We rarely

ill

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ill

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

heard an oath after his influence was once thoroughly-
established. When we did, it was from some stranger,
come to work for a day or two, hut he would soon find
that he was alone, and so cease. During the doubt-
ful twelve months of w^hieli James's steadfastness in
religion is so nmch a matter of dispute among friends
who knew him, Mr. Johnson gave him but little peace.
The lad's walk and conversation did not come up to his
standard, at all events. " I missed you last night,
James, at the prayer-meeting." "Are you living as
near to God as six months ago, my lad ? " " I could not
withstand Mr. Johnson," said James afterward ; " he
was a lighthouse, never failing to show the dangers
ahead." Many, many stars will shine in the crown of
rejoicing of that heroic old soldier ; but it may be
questioned if a brighter one will stud his diadem
than James Bain Morrow. They are together now —
victors fi'om equally heroic scenes and deeds of holy
conflict — sharers in the happy spoils. Was it from
Mr. Johnson's example that Mr. Morrow^ adopted his pa-
tient, persevering, buoyant manner of usefulness ? The
.notive, ev^e^v one knows, came from Christ ; the
methods ma;^ have been partly those of him who tra-
versed, through mingled tribulation and joy, that
marvellous journey from the barracks to mansions of
glory.

Mr. Morrow became a member of Mr. Johnson's
class in January, 1853, to wdiich he gave regular
weekly attendance till he was himself appointed
a class-leader at some later date.

i i

THE SECRET OF HIS SiRENOTH.

Diaries of Christian experience are of little value
to general readers. Human emotions, in different indi-
viduals, under ordinary cii cum stances, seldom vary to
any considerable extent. It is doubtful, besides, if any
person, with the anticipation of what the world may
think of the narrative, can write a perfectly honest
record of one's own mind and its exercises. But a
perfectly transparent relation of soul-<^a'()wth, amid its
connnon associati^ms of conflict, self-depreciation, up-
ward and)ition, and abnegation, is alwnys valual)le in
teaching young converts the possibilities of the reli-
gious life. Fortunately, there are limited expressions
of this kind in Mr. Morrow's writings during his
earlier discipleship. They were never intended for
any eyes beyond those of the one loved friend to
whom they were a<ldressed ; and are, for that reascm,
to be regarded as the heart's sincere confession at the
time. The i-eader mav iudi>e l)y a few extracts as to
where this young Christian stood in relation to his
Lord, the world about him, and himself : —

; {

("i

l;;i

"June 9fh, 1S51. — The baiul-iiiccting, on Saturday evening, is
alwaj'S to nie a gootl time, ami so particularly was the last one. I
feol tl'at my besetting sin is lightness— trilling with the world in
couv^ersation. Hut on Saturday evening He who gave m'.; the rei)ent-
ing heart also gave the witness ol' His pardon and aeeeptanee.

' O for a thousand tongues to sing
.My great Redeemer's praise ' "

"Jane loth. — I find the service of Christ to he perfect freedoni, and
I have to rejoice in what I experience of the love of (!od. Not in
boasting do I say this ; I know I have been the chief of sinners ; long
did I sin against light ere I yielded to the Spirit's call. Not unto

: ' i 'li

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

myself, Lord, but unto Thee, do I ascribe the glory, lor Thou hast
made me what by grace I am."

'^August 23rd. — On Saturday evening 1 went to the band-meeting.
Mr. Morton, who usually meets it, was away from honif. I thought
Mr. Johnson wouM lead, but he asked me to do so. I objected. He
insisted. 1 gave out a hymn, but as I proceeded I nearly fell down.
(Jod, huv,'cver, assisted ; He did bless me. I cannot tell you how 1
feel on such occasions. My natural diflidence would lead me to hide
behind a pillar, or in a corner. Yesterday was to me both pleasant
and profitable. I heard Mr. McLeod in the morning. Mr. Kice
preached in the evening from Romans viii. 33: "The love of God
which is in Jesus Christ our Lord." what joy to hear of this love !
A subject so grand, that finite minds cannot comprehend it — so full,
that all nuiy obtain blessings from it — so free that all may bathe in it,
as in the ocean."

We liave, probably, in the entry of xVugust 23rd,
1851, an allusion to the first service which James B.
Morrow ever conducted. Little did his friend, evi-
dently solicitous to bind him to Christ by the mingled
joys and obligations of active service, foresee the end
to which this trembling effort was to lead. It may be
assumed that Mr. Moi'i'ow's voice, during subse([uent
years, was heard by tens of thousands in difi'erent
parts of this continent. As he ascertained that a path of
great pu))lic usefulness was opening before him, he
began a system of preparation which involved such
diligence and labour as few men with his secular
responsibilities have compassed, and of which our
readers may soon have an opportunity lo judge.
Though never remarkable for great readiness of
speech, he attained to a methodical and instructive
style of address that was often the admiration of hit*

THE SECRET OF HIS STHKNCiTH.

hearers. And all proceeding from the insignificant
fountain-head of a Saturda3^ evening Band meeting !
It has been a copious source of sanctified eloquence to
the world, however, the Methodist Band Meeting.
The number of God's ambassadors who hav(^ found
there the first stimulus and aptitude for expounding
the unsearchable riches of Christ, will never be
reckoned.

Very soon the comnmnity about him began to feel
the force of his ceaseless and energetic labours. In
the Sabbath-school and the week -night sei'vices of the
Church, his earnestness and power in prayer were
often the subject of remark. Within a year or
two of his conversion, he had established regular reli-
gious meetings at the North West Arm. Here " he
taught l)oth children and grown people to read, and
addressed as many as would gather together on sub-
jects of eteiiial importance. "From that day to the day
of his death," writes the same friend, in reply to my
enquiries regarding this subject, " he was always
enjzajTfed in some kind of mission work." Throucfh
storm and sunshine the company of scholars and
hearers at the Arm continued to assendjle, regulated
by the confidence that " y(nmg Master," would be
with them for certain. A word of en(|uiiy even at
this day will call up willing, precious testimonies, in
that vicinity, to the praise of James B. Morrow's devo-
tion to (*hrist and tlie intei'ests of Mis kiiii-dom.

Uf.

CHAPTER IV.

AT HOME.

"Whenever wc .'tep out of domestic life in search of felicity, we
come bcack ngcain disapi)ointed, tired, and chagrined. One day passed
under our own roof, with our friends and our family, is v/orth a
thousand in another place." — Earl of Orrery.

" Domestic Happiness, thou only bliss
Of Paradise that hast survived the Fall."

-Cowpcr.

IN March 20th, 1855, Mr. Morrow was united in
marriage to Matilda, second daughter of Rev.
Matthew Richey, D.D. Personal respect and
admiration for this distinguished divine, as well as the
reputation which he so long sustained for the highest
order of eloquence, render it reasonable that his name
should have a more extended reference than might seem
to be called for in a memoir of his son-in-law.

Matthew Richey was born in Ramelton, North of
Ireland. His parents were Presbyterians, of the old
Cameronian School. At an early age he gave indica-

AT HOME.

■i

tions of a remarkable aptitude for learning, especially
in the department of Greek and Latin classics. At
fourteen he had already made the acquaintance of
authors in those lanfjuatjes, wliich are usually reserved
for the lecture drill of ach'anced students. With the
same precocity he decided, while yet a l>oy, as to the
precise system of theology he would adopt. The
choice of an Arminian faith resulted, as a first sad con-
sequence, in his estrangement from the parental affec-
tions at home. By the permission of father and
mother, however, he left his native country and took
passage for St. John, New Brunswick. Here he
obtained a position in a lawyer's ofRce. He soon found
what was doubtless more congenial employment in
imparting to others a knowledge of his beloved classics,
by becoming assistant teacher in the principal academy
of that city. In 1821 he offered for the Methodist
ministry and was accepted. Thenceforward his career
was one of increasing popularity. " The boy preacher,"
at the age of seventeen, was followed by admiring
crowds. With the exception of a winter in Charleston,
S. C, where the same eagerness to hear him became a
feature of his ministry from the l)eginning, his effective
life has been spent in Canada, and exclusively in the
interests of Methodism and genei*al philanthropy.
In Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Kingston, Charlotte-
town, St. John, and other cities — as Principal of an
Academy, Chairman of District, Superintendent of
Missions, and President of Conference — he has given
the most distinguished service. As author and editor

1 1 ,

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

i i

his pen was employed to rare advantage. There are
evidences, though known to but few, and never once
used, so far as I am aware, by way of boast, or as a
reasonable claim f(^r sympathy, that Dr. Richey has
withstood ])rilliant inducements in moie than one
direction, to swerve from the profession and the Cliurch
of which he was so long an oinament.

In 18G2 he was stationed at St. John, N. B., with
Rev. J. R. Narraway. A.M., and myself as his associates.
Though then in the vie" nit j vi sixty years of age, "his
eye was not dim nor ]\\^ natural force abated." As a
Biblical exegete and txpcv Itoi lie always excelled,
though his chief excellency was a style of eloquence
which it would be very difficult to define. To say that
its language was extraordinary for beauty, that its
sentences were polished by the very highest art of re-
fined criticism, that its elocution was faultless, would
not do justice to the type of eloquence which Dr.
Richey held in his own exclusive right. There were
stores of learning and experience, subtle powers of
analysis, very keen perceptions of the subject in all
its details, and a mastery of arrangement, Avhich con-
stituted the great charm of liis address to educated
hearers. Of all this combination of special qualities, his
marvellous potency of language was perhaps the grand-
est and most conspicuous. When Lord Palmerston
spoke of Cobdeii's as " Demosthenic eloquence," cj'itics
objectetl tliat the great Athenian orator was majestic,
overbearmg; whereas Cobden's style w^as qui^t, conver-
sational an<l simple. It was true, howevci-, that in

i >

AT HOME.

essential practical coniuion sense — " the present and
determinate purpose " — there was a very marked simi-
larity. When Di". DeWolf, himself mellifluous and
grand at times, characterized at a Conference session
the address of Dr. Richey as " Ciceronian eloquence,"
a universal burst of applause met his ears, which told
how appropriate and happy in one way was the sim-
ilitude.

Mr. Morrow greatly admired and loved Dr. Richey.
There were manlv attitudes, stronof, but ever Christian
words, which the princely divine found it necessary to
assume and utter at certain periods of his life ; these
were often repeated by his son-in-law. There were
times, if I mistake not, when the remembrance of them
helped to give dignity and force to his own character.
My readers will see more clearly the influence of such
a man upon his intimate companions when I give
them the words of an authority before whom multi-
tudes stood with reverence thirty years ago. Dr.
James Dixon, returning from an American tour, as
delegate from the British Conference, in 1848, inserted
tliis paragraph in a personal narrative wliich was
published at the time : " At Halifax I lost my dear
friend. Dr. Richey, and was truly desolate. He had
been my companion at Pittsburg, at the Canada Con-
ference at Belleville, and travelled with me through
Canada, and forward to this place. Truth and justice
demand that I should say, that Dr. Richey is one of
the most perfect Christian gentlemen I ever came in
contact with. Politeness, founded on gentle, warm and

■n

-iti

T.TFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

genuine attbction, is the very element of his nature.
I never heard from liim a rash, rude or unkiinl word,
much less ever saw him perpetrate an unchristian or
unbecoming action. I looked after my dear friend as
far as tliQ dim lamps would allow me to see him, and
in my heart bade him a sad, a long, a last adieu."

When 1 add my own un(|ualified assent to this esti-
mate of Di'. Ridley's character, and ask my readers to
infer that he must always be permitted to hold an
honoured place among che agencies which gave us so
well-rounded a life as that of James B. Morrow, my
seeming digression will readily be pardoned.

Tlie domestic life which I am about to trace is not
the easiest part of my task. It will be difficult to con-
vince readers wliose acquaintance wiui the man was
not intimate, that liis memoir in some particulars is not
overdrawn, and in no respect is this more likely to be
the case than in the description of his home as he stood
related to it.

" From the time of his marriage, when his salary
was $1,200 per annum, his rule was to give away
a tenth of his income." This is our first glimpse of
Mr. Morrow's benc^volence and the purposes by which
it was regulated. There are features of this subject
whicli cannot be delineated, simply because a motive
which souji^ht concealment durin<][ life must not be
rudely disturbed now that death has closed its exercise.
It is enough to say that the tenth, as accountant, and
as partner, was always the least of his income which
went to meet the claims of mercy ; that at certain

AT HOME.

seasons the proportion was very far beyond this
standard ; that the modes of distributing his money
were sometimes laborious, thougli delightful, for they
necessitated a systematic visitation and perpetual en-
quiry, to make sure that nothing was done unwisely ;
that the circle of his benevolence was so wide, the
objects of it so numerous, as to excite the wonder of
one having access to correspondence revealing some of
the secret habits of his life.

As far back as July 14th, 1852, I find him com-
municatini;- an experimental fact or two having relation
to this, and which throws some light on the kind of
training to which he was subjecting himself :

" I have been reading Mr. Wesley's serinou on Self-Denial. How
far short I come of tlie mark in reference to this grace ! AVith Mr.
Croscombo, I must pray for self-abandonment, that each thought,
word, and action may be to God's glory."

Here was a good foundation for a business life I
Again :

"iVbr. 6th, 1853.— My thoughts this morning were occupied with —
My duty to my neighbour. How remiss I have been in this ! Truly
I am an unprofitable servant."

Many a widow and orphan and young man was to
participate in the fruits of these convictions and
purposes.

As the influence of Christianity extends, private
benevolence nrust necessarily increase. There are signs
of great cheer in this respect ; but while institutions
sustained by public liberality are multiplying, are there

■■a

LTKK or JAMKS |{. MoliROW.

< '

■j,M

not evidences in otlier directions that entirely too much
money is being lioarded under tlie very sliadows of all
our churches ? The natural unwillinijcness to surrender
our trust in, and love of, earthly possessions, is one of
our principal modern danf^ers. " A rich man shall
hardly enter the kinixdom of heaven." " Men who
only relinquish their hold upon money when
they are called upon to die," says Fuller, "would
not relinquish it then if they could help it."
Young men will find it perhaps irksome at first to
estimate carefully their real duty and ability to
give, on the principle of setting apart — " sanctifying "
— a proportion of their income. They may find
it a positive self-denial to make what may appear
to be inroads on a small capital being prepared for in-
dependent business life. But there are other considera-
tions which cannot be left out of this controversy with
self. The balance sheet is demanded by other parties,
and the proportion of profits as well. God, and un-
fortunate human sufferers, are partners — ought to be,
at least — in our business affairs. If you begin as a
Christian, resolve to be true in this respect. It will
save much distress to your indigent and struggling
neighbours ; possibly it may prevent more serious
trouble to your own conscience. Besides, it is due to
the religion you profess. Prayers are very well, and
good wishes, but popular, cheap and useless, without
such action as our ability allows to convert the wish
into a fact. Henry IV. wished there was a fowl
stewing in every poor man's pot throughout France ;

AT MoMK

yet, thoup^h (lesic^nmtod " The Groat " and " The Good,"
one of the Htii,niias on bis iiieniory is, that he did no-
thing to fulfil his own wishes for the poor. " Pray that
you may bo benevolent," said a preacher once ; " then
go and answer your own prayers." Persons who
acquire the habit of giving, find it an unending .source
of .satisfaction.

I quote again : — " To his father, who lived with his
family for several years, Mr. Morrow was the most
devoted and attentive son I ever .saw. Onlv a few
days before his death, when, inider the influence of one
of his premonitions, he .said .something as to the possi-
bility that his life might be cut short. I .said in reply,
' You will live long ; ' he a.sked why ? I repeated the
promise, ' Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy
days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee;' and added, 'I never saw such a good son
as you were, so the promise is yours,' "

The writer of this extract submissively construes
Christ's other promise, " Who.soever liveth and be-
lieveth in Me .shall never die," into a verification of
that in the Fifth Commandment. True, James B.
Morrow was not permitted to see, scarcely to taste,
death. Of the scores of letters which came streaming
in by every mail in the succeeding days of mourning,
there is a very frequent reference to that most com-
prehensive and significant of all human epitaphs —
" He was not, for God took him/' By common con-
sent, his was a translation. But there is another sense in
which the filial commandment has an application to the

I'll

I.,

<! . I

''I

F.IKK OK JAMKS U. MORROW

' ",

!!i

i i

l»

honoured <l(,"ad, ({uite as true to the principles of diviije
equity and goodness. Mr. Morrow's years, measured
by Mdiat be said, and did, and aeeoni[)lislied, were ten
connnon lives in one. In the memory, too, of what he
was, his " days shall he long in the land." " Keep my
memory green," said Charles Dickens. It is the
natural ambition this of every noble spirit, and to the
pure and good its gratification is never denied.

It ouglit to be a pleasant duty, that of comforting
father or mother in their downward progress to the
grave. God never gave to son or daughter a more
precious privilege. Certainly he has enjoined no re-
sponsibility that is more remunerative, hi the great
Decalogue it has a distinct connnandment and promise,
all to itself. Fortunes and con([uests and honours are
left out oL' that epitome of duties and privileges which
God wrote witli His finger on two tables of stone ; but
father and mother are in — stamped in so deeply that
they survive the attritions of the ages.

A clergyman, writing from Newfoundland, says :
" Mr. Morrow's family was the most pleasant, the most
perfect in all respects, 1 have ever known." Another
minister says : " Personally I have lost a real friend —
one with whom I have taken sweet counsel — a brother
born for adversity. I can never think of his beautiful
Christian home, with all the more than kindness I
received there during my illness, without repeating
Paul's prayer, changing the name — ' The Lord give
mercy to the house of Onesiphorous.' " These are ex-
pressions which I find repeated in other forms through-

! r

[ \ (I

AT FIOME.

out at least forty or fifty letters from difTcrent indi-
viduals and localities. They arc sntlicicntly sii!j^L,^estive.
I must now refer to incidents in my own memory.

I'l the forenoon of a Sabbath in the summer of 18G1,
I was pre{)arin<^ to enter the pulpit of Exmouth Street
CJhurch, St. John, N. B., when my attention was
directed to two strangers who sought seats as they
joined the congregation. They were both young men;
one of medium size, the other taller. P'roui their in-
tellitient attention to the exercises of the service, it
became a[)|)arent that they were sincere Christians.
Our singing was strengthened by their voices — a kind
of assistance very readily appreciated by a pe( ])le who
ere but beginning to mould themselves into sanctuary

jits of order and good taste. That is my only
recollection of the circumstances. Next day, during a
visit to the Rev. Dr. Richey, then stationed at Germain
St. Church, and my Superintendent, I learned that his
two sons-in-law had been with us in our morning
service. Thus I came to my lirst casual acquaintance
with James Bain Morrow\ His companion of tliat
morning I knew in after years as one of the pro-
foundest thinkers of my acciuaintance, possessing a
mind singularly original, especially in the study of
mathematical science.

Of Mr. Morrow I was to know more, during associa-
tions more or less intimate, covering a period of nineteen
years. His name even then was a household word
among Methodist ministers. As responsible and con-
fidential clerk in the Cunard business, he was a very

i«

f \

\'i-

! J

I 1

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

important element in the itinerant economy of the
Methodist Church, having connections with England,
Newfoundland and Bermuda. His counsel, sympathy
and co-operation, in furthering the interests of clergy-
men and their families, of our Church and others,
having occasion to make passages by the steamboat lines,
must have been very far-reaching. My acquaintance
with Mr. Morrow was renewed during my ministry in
Windsor, in whose classic and picturesque suburbs Dr.
Richey had selected a rural home. Hither the presence
of that entertaining divine attracted his son-in-law
from time to time.

Several very interesting features of that home life,
whose atmosphere I always breathed with no little ex-
hilaration when visiting Halifax, struck me at once.
Of course the husband and father contributed much
to make the domestic circle what it was. A very
slight change in his manner, so natural, buoyant and
spontaneous, would have changed everything. He had
a keen relish for humour, which often animated his con-
versation, and led the company — of whom the children,
dow^n to the youngest, were considered always a part —
into free interchange opinions. One instance of
this kind often comes j my memory when I listen at
any time to a running commentary on preachers and
preaching. Mr. Morrow had either heard or read of a
coloured brother — perhaps met with the incident
among the coloured people to whom he sometimes offici-
ated on the Sabbath — who silenced his companions, as
they were applying a discourse they had heard to

AT HOME.

certain black sheep of the pastor's flock, with the
shrewd rejoinder : " Too liberal, bredren ; altogether too
liberal. You gibben de good man's bread all away to
3^0' neighbours, and keepin' nuffin for yourselves ! "
" Who gave away the good man's bread, pa ? " asks
little black eyes in the high chair ; ' And did the good
man starve ? " Here follows, amid general laughter, an
attempt to explain the very unchildish philosophy of
charity to one's neighbour, and an unwillingness to
submit to the truth.

It was a home to which no one who had enjoyed it
once was likely to require a pressing invitation there-
after. To ministers particularly there was all the
charm that intelligence, piety, and most devoted atten-
tion to a stranger's wants, would be sure to create.
Ministers were sick there ; at least one minister was
married there. During Conference and other ecclesi-
astical occasions it was a popular resort. Among the
forty or fifty letters of condolence sent in by clergy-
men after Mr. Morrow's death, or to myself personally
in compiling for this memoir,! find allusions to such acts
and words, during the enjoyment of his hospitality, as
could never be obliterated from the memory,

Tliere is a letter, dated July 6th, 1880, addressed to
a ministerial friend, in which occurs the following
paragraph : " It is an abiding source of thankfulness
to know you pray for me. I dare say I have told
you, Father Pope often used to say to me, he prayed
for me every day. Now that God has taken IdTui, it
is a comfort to know that 1 have still an intercessor

i [■. A

t;,

V -!

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

I i

daily remembering me. Is this why it happens I
so often experience miracles of mercy? To God
be glory!" The allusion to Father Pope (a lovely
sample of mature religious character, and for many
years the simple-hearted, undisguised ideal of goodness,
whose name was known to all denominations in F-^H-
fax) is very touching. The blessed old man woul go
his weekly rounds cheering us all in our business and
ministerial responsibilities, with a word which left
warmth and sunshine behind him — " I pray for you
every day, brother." There were certain persons,
much pressed by anxiety, whose welfare Father Pope
carried into his devotions.

" I always admired him as the pious head of a family,"
writes Rev. Elias Brettle. " He was so genial and
playful, with his interesting children, more like an
elder brother ; though he never compromised his pa-
rental authority." One of the most difficult problems
to parents is, how they may retain the confidence of
their sons and daughters, even in little things, without
abating their own proper and natural supremacy-
It is a sad day for any father when his child selects a
confessional outside of his own home. This difficult
problem seems to have been satisfactorily solved by
Mr. Morrow. It is often a subject of remark that he
found so much time for philanthropic objects ; the
wonder to me is, that he could keep up such a minute
and perpetual correspondence with members of his
household as they began to find temporary homes
elsewhere. At periods when the business of the

AT HOME.

firm was very perplexing, and on occasions when
official duties to the Church, or the Companies he
served or represented, were making large demands
upon his strength, he would preface a letter to one of
his children with an apology, and then fill up several
pages with the most interesting details of family his-
tory. The baby's cunning ways and speeches ; the
habits of the favourite dog ; some little startling
accident ; in short, a portrait of homo life. To Mat-
thew he sends stamps — rare privilege for a boy in those
days to have a thoughtful fathor, who was receiving
letters with " hard " or " queer " stamps, from places
seldom mentioned in the Geography ! And all this at
a date, as he writes to another, when " I have to push
to keep up with the daily papers, and eight or
nine hours' steady drive at the pen daily makes one
apt to lay things aside to a convenient time." The
father misses his absent boy from the weekly class
which he conducted ; replies to a request for a few
weeks' detention of one of his daughters at Montreal,
that he " cannot really spare her — she has taken away
some of the sunshine ; " and so on, never ending with-
out pointing an index finger to Christ and heaven, and
breathing a parental prayer for the child's happiness
and preservation.

An extract or two will best illustrate this part of
my subject. To one of hi ^ sons from home he writes :

"There is no such thing in this world as independence. We are
continually made to feel that we are but part of a great whole, and
have to be governed by the wishes and sometimes the whims of others.

■4
•I

"j I

i i

ill

) ■ ■■■

I 1

MFK OF JAMKS H. MOKKOW.

* * * I think a good deal about you. You have trials and temp-
tations, but 'it is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth.'
Much can be done by a little niana^^enient. Arrangements are apt to
be broken in upon, but, at the; same time, you must have system.
Even Sunday you should try and have a method— lor service, school
if you attend one, or lUble-class at tlie Y. M. C. A. 1 would go to
bed early on Sunday night, and have strength to begin well on JSIonday.
In the week, you want ojie night for class, one for prayer-meeting, one
for visiting, one foi reading at home and writing to us. AVithout
system your time will be frittered away. Fix your night for exercise,
gymnasium, etc. Time will never hang heavy on your hands if you
are occu[)ied. Whatever you do, dear boy, don't forget the Lord Jesus
Christ. It is, after all, the great point of life to serve Cod. With all
the money in the world, what would it avail us without the love of God
in the heart ? With this, what have we to fear ? So, never give up
your religion. Never be ashamed of Christ ; and the older you become
and the more you see of the world, the more precious will Jesus be to
you. We are all well. Count Mareschelschi, a nephew of Marshal
MacMahon, President of France, takes tea with us to-night."

i. I

It must have been early in our acquaintance that,
sitting quietly in conversation one evening after the
family had retired, he spoke of his eldest son and
daughter with a natural happiness l)ecoming the cir-
cumstances of his remarks. Tliey had, without any
special urging from their parents, decided to spend
their evenings at home, instead oi at parties or public
entertainments. (.)f c(jurse there was a limit to this
decision ; but it gave him great satisfaction to see
what he regarded as an etiort on their part at early
self-denial. Others would have found in it rather a
compliment to the father himself. It would be diffi-
cult to reach a more pleasurable circle than that in
which they lived. Human nature is, the world over,

AT HOME.

»!■■

i temr-
youtb.'
3 apt to
system.
', school
Id go to
tlonday.
iiig, one
Without
exercise,
is if you
ird Jesus
With all
e of God
give up
I become
nis be to
Marshal

that,

er the

Dn and

le cir-

ut any

spend

public

to this

to see
t early
ither a
)e diffi-

hat in
d over,

disposed to fellowship; but it is passing sad to think
that many homes do not provide it. Dwelling under
the same roof, boarding at the same table, parents and
children meet between whom there is scarcely a point
of contact — whose souls are as separate as if they were
elements in a crucible repelled by some chemist's
powerful solvent. " Heaven is a glorious place," said
a pastor to one of the children of his parish, " and
your father will be there." " O, then," replied the
child, " I dinna want to gang ! " There were bitter
memories behind that naughty expression. The father
may have been all that was good, except just goodness ;
and a heaven would be intolerable with the presence
of one who, perhaps, left money behind him, which, in
the fell struggle to heap it together, had lost him his
child.

I ;';l

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P ■••«

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CHAPTER V.

IN THE CHURCH.

The true and grand idea of a Church is — a society for making men
like Christ, earth litce heaven, the kingdoms of the world the king-
dom of God.

— Dr. J mold.

I'ROM ineiiioranda left by Mr. Johnson, it was
inferred tliat Mr. Morrow became a Class-
Leader in 1857. There are, however, very
definite I'easons for concluding that he was thus actively
engaged a,t a much earlier period. In a letter without
date, but certainly written previous to 1854, there is a
paragraph which sets this question at rest, while it
reveals the spirit in which the young Leader — obcut
22 years of age — entered upon his serious responsi-
bility. I quote:

" Mr. Johnson tells me I shall likely have to take charge of a little
boys' class. I scarcely know what to do in this matter, believing as
I do that this is one of the most important classes we have. Here are
six or ten boys, with their hearts under the influence of the Holy

IK THE CHURCH.

Spirit. The ideas now being formed of Class-Meeting will perhaps
never be effaced from their memory. Tlieir minds unformed, their
ideas of religion probably undefined, and I but a bal)e in religion
myself, to be placed in charge of these precious souls. I feel it is a
charge of vast responsibility, and were my feelings consulted would
gladly be released from it. But if it be my Father's will, I will im-
plore His grace to enable me to fulfil the trust. I have been so un-
faithful as a Sabbath-school teacher, that I nuiy well be humbled
before God."

There are occasional references to tliis boys' class in
subsequent letters — his sense of inability and un-
worthiness, but, withal, his comfort in the use of the
privilege thus assigned to him. It would be interest-
ing to know what became of these youthful subjects
of so much prayerful solicitude. Not that we need
fear for the results altogether :

" The little drift of common dust

By the March winds disturbed uud toss'd,
Though driven by the fitful gust,

Is changed, but never lost.
It yet may bear some sturdy stem.

Some proud oak battling with the blast,
Or crown with verdurous diadem

Some ruin of the i>ast " —

which is quite as true in morals as in vegetation.
About this period we find him writing:

" Last evening I was reading the Life of liev. J. Smith, and was
struck with this thought, ' Many people talk of the expediency of this
thing ; the need of performing the other thing ; but while thus talk-
ing the moment for action slips by, and the opportunity for doing
is lost.' Act — act- now, is the word that should be constantly im-
pressed upon the mind, and put into practice."

■ m

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

(

! 1

Agcain:

*' J have been very busy with steamers, but am now through my day's
work. How i)leasantly the past few days have passed. Though
there have been tlie cares and trials incident to life, yet by grace I
have been saved through faith, and that the gift of God. My path is
strewn with blessings, all undeserved; and though clouds of temptation
have arisen, yet the Sun of llighteousness has broken and dispelled
the gloom."

Plainly, the influence of Francis Johnson was follow-
ing his disciple. A custom of this true soldier for his
Master was, often, to leave the little office on the wharf
at dinner hour and spend it with the sick and sorrow-
ing, instead of at his own home. Young Morrow had
this example before him, doubtless, when he wrote :

"I had fondly hoped to have been able often to visit the sick and
others, but I am so tied to the office it is impossible to do much in
that way.''

Only twenty-two, and sighing for opportunities to
share an hour with cripples and the diseased, who
were living above ricketty stairs and in shaded garrets !
Yet this young man was "fair to look upon," and open
to the sunlight as a flower in its gay young morning ;
not morbid by any means, but following Christ, who,
at his age, pursued precisely such employment. What
must have been the eflect of such a Leader among
boys, calling upon them to " Act — act noiv" and point-
ing to the woes and miseries of mankind, beckoning
all who would help to follow him ?

From that date until death, Mr. Morrow was a re-
cognized Leader in the Methodist Church. The boys

IN THE CHURCH.

grew to manhood, and required a more distinct recog-
nition as themselves members and co-workers. The
efficiency to which he attained in this department of
usefulness is said to have been very marked. In the
village where I now write he met once or twice a class
of adult members, some of whom remember his words
at those times as being the most impressive they had
ever heard from his lips. " He lived near to God," they
.say, " and seemed to carry a heavenly influence with
him. His talk was all Bible."

He must have assumed the relation of Local
Preacher about the same early period. A meeting was
begun in a room near Freshwater, which was kept up
by regular supply from city workers for some time.
In regard to this appointment he says :

" Mr. Johnson Las shown me the jtlan for the meeting down South.
I am not to go till the 1-ith of January. I would willingly not go at
all — would rather be ' little and unknown.' Yet I trust God may bless
this means to the good of many souls. And may those who go thither
as speakers, go armed with the Spirit's sword."

He was thus fairly in harness, having already three
separate offices in the Church, while but a youth,
'u,nd at a period in which most young men, at best,
are only in religious leading-strings.

Mr. Morrow's services vv^ere classed, by persons who
did not understand Methodistic economy, with those of
professional evangelists. Nothing was farther from
his thoughts than to assume independent responsibili-
ties, even in the high calling of an expounder of the
Word. He was a Methodist Local Preacher, and

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LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

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spurned the imputation of attempting work which
belonged, by divine appointment, to ministers of the
Gospel. The sacred office was ahvays sacred in his
estimation. He would have, in the high places of re-
ligion, men unhampered by worldly exigencies, and .so
independent of the smiles or frowns of mankind that
they might fc^arlessly proclaim the truth. Sufiicient
is said in these pages to show how willing he was to
sit at the feet of " the dear ministers," as he called
them, of any and every evangelical (Jhurch. At the
same time, he unhesitatingly accepted the doctrine of
individual responsibility as held by the Church of
which he was a member, and so sought no other
authority for proclaiming the will of God to perishing
men.

The spirit in which he met the calls for Sabbath
service, which pressed upon him so frequently, was
not the least admirable trait of his disposition. To
many preachers there is a degree of humiliation in
being obliged to "fill a gap." Human nature resents
any undue interference with one's privileges and pre-
rogatives. Few care to occupy the place announced
for another speaker ; and if the vacancy be caused for
the convenience of that other, it may well be pardoned
of the substitute if he demur and hesitate. Besides,
there is an unreasonable — I fear a growing — prejudice
against Local Preachers, which may be a sort of sacer-
dotal sentimentalism. He knew all this. I have
seen him tried in this way by almost every form of
temptation. Perhaps late on Saturday, or early on

>«^

IN THE CHURCH.

Sabbath, he would be told that soiiio minister was
sick, or absent, and his place must be filled. His man-
ner at such times wa'> always touchini,^ for its humility
and promptitude. Now that he has left us, that the
record of his services is so gratefully expressed, that
thousands look back with pleasure at what he did,
and how he did it, the question will not occur to any
of us — we are sure it does not concern him at this
moment — What were the exigencies that called him
out ? Did he go because he was sought, or because
there was none other ? It may be doubted if he ever
interfered with a programme on which his own name
stood as a speaker. He never questioned as to
motives or objects in assigning to him certain work.
" Try and avoid calling me out on boat days," he would
say ; and perhaps add, " here is the lun of our Eng-
lish steamers in and out. At any other time I am at
your disposal." But even this reasonable limit was
sometimes transgressed. We who knew his cares,
would sometimes, in mercy to the man, go the round
of other possible supply. Rarely we succeeded, for
preachers in the city are secured usually in advance ;
or it might be that others would decline on the mate-
rial ground of insufficient warning. Then we would
return to Brunswick street, and explain the circum-
stances. That was sufficient. T cannot recall an in-
stance in which there was a refusal.

This may be the proper place to mention another
duty which he filled in his own honest way.

Mr. Morrow's manner in the prayer-meeting seemed

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LIFE OF JAMES B. MnRROW.

to me specially significant. It was a subject of re-
mark at times, when under the influence of strong
feeling, that he would aV)ase himself at piayer in a
way not usual among modern worshippers. With his
hands closely clasped, resting on the scat, he would
bend his head low between his arms, his body, in a
kneeling posture, almost touching the floor. I have
no doubt that this posture, perhaps unconscious and
unstudied on his part, was much the result of his
favourite reading:?. Linwrinf:: over those awful scenes
of Old Testament history, which describe the inter-
course of Jehovah with mortals of the first Dispensa-
tion, he imbibed their spirit and imitated their man-
ners. The place was to him holy ground. He would
probably have "put ofl'tho shoes from oft* his feet," if
the occasion had admitted of, or recpiired it.

It matters little, it may be thought, what the atti-
tude in worship, provided the heart be sincerely en-
gaged. But there must be to every observer, more or
less of the mind reflected in every natural gesture of
the man. The posture is more or less an index of the
soul in worship, an unconscious portrayal of what the
man is, and thinks, and believes. Judge Wilmot, I am
told, usually knelt at prayer with his body perfectly
erect. It will be remembered that the Judge was
man of very opposite temperament from Mr. Morro^^ .
Naturally military in his bearing, he had lofty concep-
tions of the dignity of worship ; and loved, above all
things, to exalt the honour conferred upon mankind
by " the redemption which is by Christ Jesus." Cer-

IN THE CHITRCH.

fin

tainly this ago needs such examples. There is a list-
lessness nianifestefl hy the ordinary postures of our
prayer-meetinf^ worsliippers, not calculated to impress
strangers from other countries too favorably-

No one understood better than Mr. Morrow, the
obligations of church meml)ers to sustain the week
night and other means of grace. Johnson, in his Life
of Milton, expresses a sentiment wliich ho would
have adopted in full: — "Religion, of which the re-
wards are distant, and which is animated only by
Faith and Hope, will glide l)y degrees out of the mind,
unless it be invigorated and re-impressed by external
ordinances, by stated calls to worship, and the salutary
influence of example." In one of Mr. Morrow's Bibles
a passage is emphasized, which gives Dr. Johnson's
idea. Paul wrote to the Hebrews — " Let us hold fast
the profession of our faith without wavering ; and let
us consider one another, to provoke unto love and
good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one
another ; and so much the more as ye see the day ap-
proaching." It was the conception, then, of the
Apostle to the Gentiles, rather than of the great Eng-
lish sage ; expressed, too, in language less sonorous and
antithetic, but more concise and positive. In the Bible
from which I quote, " the day " is specially under-
lined, a peculiarity by which the student indicates all
throU' h his markings of the sacred oracles, how ^ro-
foundl}- was impressed on his own mind that eternity
is the end we are to have in view.

1^,

ttmsssi

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LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

Of the prayers which we heard from Mr. Morrow at
these services, it would be difficult to convey a cor-
rect impression. They were a breathing after God,
more than anything else. It seemed never to enter
his mind that there was any Atheism, or Unitarian-
ism, or Rationalism on the earth. God, and Christ, and
the Bible were to him abiding and comforting facts.
The sacred Word especially was magnified. Nine of
every ten sentences, sometimes, would be texts of
Scripture, so emphasized that one heard for instruc-
tion as well as profit. He was heart and soul in his
own petitions, while to the prayers of others he gave
audible assent. To have Mr. Morrow and Mr. Morton
both at a prayer-meeting was a great treat. No meet-
ing could well flag in that case. Ready at exhorta-
tion, quick to turn a passing thought to the best
advantage, rich in melody, they were heard with res-
pect and gladness, whetlier they prayed, or sang, or
spoke. About both there was a .spontaneity, too, which
was often followed by the happiest results. Once,
when a short report was given of services attended
elsewhere by a speaker, at which great good seemed
to be accomplishcid, Mi'. Morton rose to his feet, began
the Doxology, and soon carried the assembly away
with him in adoring gratitude. Mr. Morrow would be
seen reaching for a Bible, when we all knew wliat to
expect. The blessed volume became an endless reper-
tory of suggestion and consolation to liim and us.

Every office of responsibility, leader, local-preacher,
trustee, recording-steward, he filled for many years.

IN THE CHURCH.

The latter position — that corresponding with lay-
president, is the chief position in a Methodist official
meeting ; and to this he was appointed on three
different occasions, with intervals between. The lay-
men of Halifax District elected him to the General
Conference of 1878. He was a chosen representative
of the Nova Scotia Conference to the General Board of
Missions, having jurisdiction over all the Missions,
Domestic and Foreign, under the control of the
Methodism of Canada.

There are letters from the General Conference to
private friends, in which are manifested the conscien-
tious care with which he prepared himself to meet the
responsibilities of his appointment. It would have
been excusable had he simply observed ; this being his
first opportunity to look in upon a body of representa-
tives from a territory stretching from Labrador to
Vancouver's Island ; and he did observe. That so
much eloquence daily ran to waste ; that speculation
spread its wings and soared so widely, while practical
truth was lowly and seldom seen, gave an amusing
turn to his thoughts, and enabled him to conjecture
that human gatherings are much alike the world over.
His heart warmed when Zion's advancement was in any
way indicated. Missionaries who had journeyed from
extreme points of the North-West for three months to
reach the Conference, were a wonder and a delight to
his eyes. But he did more than observe. His name
stood on committees of great importance, for which he
must qualify himself. He read up on each subject ;

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LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

I i.

wrote to experienced men and women on a theme
then vexing the Assembly — the Class-Meeting as a
test of Membership ; and went into tlie Conmiittees
thoroughly instructed and decided. Having a seat be-
side him, I could see that, upon his little table, provided
for special convenience, there was always correspond-
ence in progress. There were lines of conmiunication
kept open with home, business men, and even foreign
Companies. This is now more apparent from letters
which left his hand during those days. One allusion
there is, among others, in the correspondence, which
will elicit a sigh from my readers. September 5th,
he writes : " I went to Great St. James St. to-night
to hear Mr. Coley, author of ' Thomas Collins.' He
gave the introductory address to the Communion —
very sweet, loving, tender and simple." Then imme-
diately following, " At the close I had to leave at once,
the air was so close that I felt compelled to get away.
The 'choky ' feeling only left me when I reached the
open air." That "choky" feeling, it is now known, was a
w^arning from the centre of his vital energies, that the
end was approaching. But who could foresee that Mr.
Coley and his admiring hearer were so soon to pass
away from earth to the " Marriage Supper of the
Lamb," within a few weeks of each other, and by the
same subtle disease ?

As the moral of this chapter there are two or three
thoughts which ought not to be concealed. This one
life is a pledge of what many might be. In the church
— all the churches — there is an immense force lying dor-

IN THE CHURCH.

mant. If every member of the body of Christ were as
early consecrated, as diligent in good words and works,
as instant in season and out of season, what a trans-
formation would ensue ! It is painful to reiiect that
the majority of even Christian lives are of the merely
negative type. They avoid harm, but accomplish no
great good. The recesses of human woe and dark-
ness are not illumined by the lij^ht of their influ-
ence or example. In the church they may fill up
the measure of their privilege — are seldom absent,
perhaps perfectly quiescent ; outside of the Church
they have no sphere, except t^ watch the currents of
the world's affairs, and take the advantage of its com-
mercial ebb and flow. The city set on a hill is obscured
by clouds of indifference ; the light is not in the
candlestick but under the bushel. With a Master who
leads the way, and disciples who show what long jour-
neys may be performed, even by life's brief noon,
surely more might be expected.

jS.

I f

III

CHAPTER VI.

BUSINESS.

To the diligent, labour bringeth blessing ;
The thouf^'ht of dut}' sweeteneth toil, and travail is a pleasure ;
And time spent in doing hath a comfort that is not for the idle ;
The hardship is transmuted into joy, by the dear alchemy of mercy.

—J/. F. Tupper.

T the age of sixteen, James B. Morrow entered
the office of S. Cunard & Co. The excessive
I lllBf work, in which he never spared himself, seems
to have occasioned, after five or six years' application,
his retirement for a few months, during which a voy-
age to England averted what physicians had reason
to apprehend — prostration by brain fever. That had
been a period of intense application. Mr. Joseph S.
Belcher, his associate in the same employ, has favoured
us wdth an insight of what was a methodical, cease-
lessly-active establishment. Like all others, however,
who have taken pen to illustrate the business of the
office he has very naturally diverged, more speedily

BUSINESS.

than might have been desired, to memories of young
Morrow, as he appeared to an ardent fi'iend and
admirer. To those glimpses of office-life with which
we have been favoured by extracts from his own
letters, we must add the observations of Mr, Belcher :
— That "he was always the same, obliging and
thoughtful ; a christian who carried his Christianity
into daily life, influencing his companions by example
and personal persuasion of righteousness ; tender to
comfort in sorrow, faithful to expostulate in danger;
a Bible-reading, Bible-expounding youth, not for con-
troversy, but for editication ; " a man whose uniform
consistency has so impressed his cotemporaries, that
they can think or write of nothing else in comparison.
Mr. Belcher affords, as a last, best evidence of his
friend's devotion, the conclusive testimony — " For I
always regarded him as the means of bringing me to
the Saviour."

On his return from England, after the vacation in
18.54, Mr. Morrow, fearing the night work at Cunard's,
took an office for himself, resolving to begin business.
Such a man, however, once fairly introduced into an
establishment, could not well be dispensed with. In-
ducements were held out to return, and the shutters
were closed upon the only windows through which he
ever, as a distinct venture, looked out upon the busi-
ness world. His form was thenceforth, for ten years^
to be seen at his old desk, from which he arose only to
take a higher position as a responsible member in the
concern. In 18G4< he accepted a partnership in the

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LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

firm of S. Cunard & Co. With the exception of whatever
secular advantages it may have brought to him, we
can see but little change this promotion could super-
induce. He was the man of the place at all times.
When the nominal head was absent, Mr. Morrow was
nominal head, contriving, guiding and systematizing
everything. " He was a man to lean upon," in com-
merce as w^ell as religion. Long before the newspapers
announced his accession to the partnershiji, he had
been a partner in every sense of burden-bearing and
self-sacrifice.

There is much misapprehension as to the precise
standing and relation of the firm to which Mr. Morrow
at this time became directly attached. It never was
the Cunard Company, in the sense generally under-
stood by that term. The Steamboat Line which has
carried the name of Cunard all over the globe, was not
at any time, in any way, the property of the house
known as S. Cunard & Co.

Samuel Cunard (now known as Sir Samuel) was
born in Halifax, and began business life as a clerk in a
lumber yard in that city. After the war of 1812, he
established an independent business, engaged in the
West India trade, (which has left, one time and another,
an immense accumulation of money in Halifax) ; be-
came a general importer, ship-builder and lumber-
merchant. With but limited education, he possessed
great tact and shrewdness. Two brothers were asso-
ciated with Samuel, who branched off in ventures of
lumbering at Miramichi and toward the East Indies.

BUSINESS.

The immense warehouses on Water Street were erected
to accommodate a great trade in teas and other com-
modities; nndsuitahle wharves were erected on a iarge
scale.

During a visit to England, Mr. Cunard's quick in-
tuition detected a new order of things coming into
existence. Steam was calling loudly for the privileges
of a youn^x monarch. It must needs have a double
crown. Already it was revolutionizing commerce on
the land ; it must now rule on the ocean. Mr. Cuiiard
formed a company, consisting of English and Scottish
capitalists, with himself, to own and run a Line of
Steamers from England to America. The history of
that venture is before the world — one of the proudest
chapters in the annals of the ocean. A retire was
selected from Liverpool to Halifax and Boston ; a sub-
sidy was secured for carrying the mails; the steamers
continued their trips to the satisfaction of their em-
ployers and the admiration of the world. After a
period of almost uninterrupted success, Halifax ceased
to be a link in the connection of the Cunai'd l)oats.
But the name remained, to a certain extent, with the
present Halifax company.

This was a distinct company, originated for purposes
altogether separate from those involverl in the enter-
prize just (lescribLMl. It has had, beside the agency of
the Cunard Steamers, a general mercantile trade, and a
large coaling Imsiness in supplying steamers calling at
Halifax for the purpose. There have also l)een several
agencies held from time to time, notably that of the
5

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LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

inch capital

General Mining Association, having
vested in Nova Scotia ; " and much iK'sides," adds my
informant " wliich cannot be placed upon paper. At
any rate, it was always a busy office."'

Mr. William Cunard, liead of the Halifax firm, re-
moved to England in 18()S, and from that date Mr.
Morrow was sole manager until IcST-S, when Messrs.
Francklyn and Peters were admitted to partnership.
This gave some relief, by sharing the responsil»ility of
office. Thenceforward the church, the family and the
surrounding world, were to receive more of his time
and thought ; " though it was ever his hal)it to spend
the greater part of the day at lousiness, and sometimes,
though seldom as compareil with former periods, to
continue writing business letters late into the night."
It was foreign to his nature to be idle, however, so
that relaxation to him merely meant change of em-
ployment ; from the strain of correspondence, to the
loved occupation of Biblical study — from directing a
great business, to addressing an assembl}^ of worship-
pers.

To understand the questions of wondering encpiiry
which came so often to the lips of his ac(iuaintances.
as to the work he accomplished as a christian, a citizen,
and a philanthropist, it will be necessary to state, what
was well known in his own immediate circle, that his
responsibilities of office were numerous and exceed-
ingly important. They may be thus enumerated : —

Responsibilities of the Firm : — Agents for the Allan
Line of Steamers, calling at Halifax fortnightly in

BUSINESS.

IJJ^

summer, and weekly in winter ; emi)luying at intervals
hundreds of men, apart from the regular staff of em-
ployees constantly on the premises.

Agents for the Cunard Steamers to Bermuda and
the West Indies.

Agents for the General Mining A.ssociation of Lon-
don, (already noticed).

Agents for the General Mining Association ; and the
Halifax Mining Company.

Agents for Lloyd's; and representatives for one or
two foreign Insurance Associations.

In the Church, Mr. Morrow held, as will be remem-
bered by readers, .several offices of consecjuence.

He was Chairman of the Executive Committee of
the Y. M. C. A., and

A member of the Executive Conniiittee of the Book
and Tract Society.

He was French Vice-Consul.

His name stood on the directoi-ate of several In-
surance Companies.

In the Appendix of this book will be found a
touching counting-house declaration — a tribute to the
memory of their sainted Master, such as (mly em-
ployees sensibly bereft of a friend, could have placed
on paper. Here was the starting-point of Mr.
Morrow's )»enevo1ence and love. Like the sun's
warmth, it must first fill its own immediate sphere,
before radiating to lemoter portions of the univer.se.
'' No man," said Madame Cornuel, " is a hero to his
valet." Montaigne has simplified the aphorism, by

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M':

r.IFE OF JAMFS R. MORROW.

ili

saying : " Few men are adiiiirc<l by tlicir servants."
It is a prying, carping wt)rl(l at Ijest ; and he is
favoured wlio well escapes without absolute contempt
from his familiar companions : while to be praised,
and so immeasurably, by those who look daily on one's
life, falls to the lot of very few. Tt may safely be re-
garded as a genuine specimen of humanity which stands
the close scrutiny of three hundi'ed days in every year.

Can such a life be ])roduce(l by the mere policy
of ambition ? No I Will good advice of itself
originate such a character '. Ncvei" I There must first
be certain elements of nature ; tliese, stiuiulatcMl by
counsel, and sustained by grace, can alone In-ing about
an admirable manhood. The stream cannot rise higher
than its sourc(\ Hence, to yt»ung men, 1 can only say,
— To affect your associates as did .lauK.'s B. Morrow,
you must seek James B. Morrow's Saviour.

And yet, much may l»e done, on th(^ very lowest
])lane of ambition, by considei'ing well the claims of
oui- fellow-servants. They an; human, — have nerves,
and cloudy days, and, perliaps, bitter memories. Many
a master and mistress who sinflis for some lietter
s]ihere of inliuence, might fin<l it by beginning at home.
Indeed, it is doul)tful whether anv one is iustitied in
attempting a mission to the woild whose strength has
not first been well exerted rouiul the desk and the
firesidr. We might hesitate* just here — T to write the
book, and you to read it — did we fall on the discovery
that Mr. Mon-ow was the subject of public eulogies to
which his office subordinates refused to subscribe.

Rr^iNES?;.

''I

Paul directed the clmrches to pray for deliverance
h'om " unrea,s(jiial)le men." He classed them witli the
wicked. Peter exhorts servants "to he suhject to
their masters witli all t'(>ar : not oidy to the cjooci and
gentle, hnt to the t'roward " — tlie crooked, gnarly
masters, who cause suhordinates to " entlure grief,
sufl'ering wrongfully." 'I'here is a petulance and
waspisliness winch takes shcOtei- helund the nnserahle
apology of cares of oiHce. A man who turns all
domestic and social amenity into gall and hitterness,
is excused on the ground of " so much to perplex om\"
rt is a cowardly spirit, without any fair subterfuge of
defence. If one life can l)e sweet annd perpetual re-
sponsihilities, why not a thousand :"

Had this man set up a plea of business cares, it might
have served a selfish purpose also in the direction of
the Sabbath. (Jf ccmrse, he had a fair claim to the
seventh day, who gave six to an excessive round of
duty. And the world would have excused him in a
measure, had Ik; loitered at home, or strolled to take
what is called "innocent recreation " in the fields and
forest, wdiich means, in too many instances, the com-
panionship of a flask and a fishing-rod. But he seldom
went beyond the sound " of the church-going bell."
And he brought more jo}' with him from Ins fellowship
with Christ and chi-istians, than the majority of
pleasure-seekers from their communion with Nature.
Rest meant to him change of employment. There is
more in that conclusion, to serve for the purposes of
self-government, than many imagine. It is routine

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LIFE OF JAMEK B. MORHOW.

tliat kills. The treadmill has been abolished, because
it was t'oiind to do more than the law reijuired ot* it;
it was intended to liold the prisoner to liard labour,
while it went further, and gradually destroyed l)is
constitution.

5^W^

(CHAPTER VI 1,

THE BOOK.

A good book is the precious lift'-blood of a master-spirit, eiiibrtlinril
Mild treasured up on purpose to a life heyoud life.- Miltov.

Yes, 'tis a mine of precious jewelry

The Hook of God ; a well of streams divine !

But who would wish the riches of that mine

To make his own ; his thirst to satisfy

Krom that pure well, must ear, eye, soul ajiply ;

On precept, prcce}»t scan, and line on line ;

Search, ponder, sift, compare, divide, combine, .

For truths that oft l)eneath the surface lie.

— Bp. Mant.

^MONG the most precious relics left by Mr.
Morrow are two Bibles. They are suggestive.
They have a history.
I am aware that Biblicists abound in our day. But
as there are both religion and religionism, so there are
Biblical students and Biblical aesthetics. Where, or
with whom the present system of Bible-marking
originated, perhaps no one can testify. Like other
methods of learning it has had, probably, a growth,

I •

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

more than a creation. It does not need, however, that
one shall possess any remarkable discrimination, to
judge of the general effect produced by a monomania
of this or anj' kind. Tliere are treatises on Bible-mark-
infj, as there are text-books on chemistry and mathe-
matics. One lays down a general rule to the etlect
that the st\ident may go through tlie Bible, using the
modern system, in twelve months, or tw(^ years at
farthest. Rules are established for signs, references
and comments. Here is a well-meanim; teacher,
doubtless; but we fear there are the elements of no
little mischief in his book. The world has heard
enou^'h of the Bible-readinix boast — of the scores of
times tliose sixty-six books in the Old and New Testa-
ments have }»een skimmed over l)y extraordinary in-
dividuals. The school alkided to would beget a class
outstripping by far the other ; for could they not add
that, in a lifetime of say thirty reading years, they
had I'uled, scril)bled and impi-oved gc^nerally, thirty
volumes of the Book of God ! iVIr. Mori'ow I have
heard express serious censure on the flippancy with
which the Bible is treated l)y some thoughtless persons,
and the new form of worship — a sort of Bibliolatry —
whicli has found too many devotees. It made him
very cautious in revealing his own habits as a Bible
student. The Bible to him was an awful book —

"The Autlior, God himself ;
The subjeot, God and r.-.an ; salvation, life
And death — eternal life, eternal death —
Dread words ! whose meaning has no end, no boujid."

THE BOOK.

•i|

It pained hiiii to see so many aping the evangelist —
a class for wliom, wlien genuine sei'vants of Clirist, he
liad a liigli regard. An Oxford or Bagster's BihU\ well
l)0iind and costly, under the arm of a jaunty, ill-
furnished, half-reverent peripatetic teacher or preacher,
was a sight he could not endure. Was he ever per-
mitted to see the insi<]e of a l)Ook thus ])araded ^ — its
inane expletives, its linear defacements, the general
evidences of a vounic man's dilip-ence in the attempt
to dispose of the J^il)le in twelve months^ On the
very threshold of this awakening — this Bihle-readiug
revival foi* which we are so thankful — let us warn our
generation against extravagancies that may degenerate
into blasphemy.

Til ere would seem to have been an licn-ditary cause
for Mr. Mori'ow's fondness for the B>il)le. " His father
l)efore liim," it is written for my guidance, " showed a
wondeiful ac(iuaintaiice with the -acred Book, and
seemed to know, from Ge-nesis to Kevelation, just
where to turn for a passage." His object and method
are deiined in words as concise as any I could seh'ct.
" He se<nned determine<l to Lfct at the root of the
mattei", and uudei'stand every word as fai- as possi)>le.
He would spend weeks at one verse," (Not much
confidence in the twelve-months' svstem, niy Masters!)
Then follows a list of his books — aids in l>iblical stndv
— on which a word of c(jmment n\ay be appro])riate.

For ascertain iu (If the structure of the Book, lie studie<l
carefully works on Biblical genealogy, histoiy, geogra-
phy and chronology. On the language of the Bible he

! 1 .

I :

f^TFE or .JAUT.fi K MORROW.

spent mucli time. With Rufus Choate, he wouhl have
it read, "not only for its authoritative revelations and
its commands and exactions, ohlii^^atoiy yesterday, to-
day and foi-ever, l)ut for its Englisli, for its literature,
for its patlios, foi- its imagery, its words of consolation
and wisdom, for its universal truth." He used the
Knulish man's Hehrew Bible and a Greek (Concordance.
There is good authority for believing that an excellent,
if not the best way to study a language, is " to take a
book and a dictionary, and proceed." It is certain
that, though not a FTebrew or (Ireek scholar, Mr.
Morrow attained to a critical appreciation of many
words and sentences in the Bible, whose delicate shades
of meaning can only 1h' ascertained by an intelligent
ac(]uaintance with their force in the languages in
which the ( )ld and New Testaments were originallv
N\ ritten. It is well known that the name of (iod, as
expressed by the most venerated Hebrew appellation,
passes through a great variety of meanings, according
to its prefixes and affixes. 1 find these followed every-
where thi-ougli the two BiV)les, and distinctly traced,
by wa}' of e])itome, at the beginning and close of
several l)ooivs, as the student went on. This is but
one instance. Of commentaries ho kept several at
hand. The " Commentary Wholly Biblical," first
brought to his notice in my own presence by John
McDonald, Esq., of Toronto, — a work that must have
helped both in the indulgence and strengtiiening of
Mr. Morrow's tastes for comparing scripture with
scripture. There is not an uninspired word in this

THE BOOK.

commentary. J fc is simply an ar ran clement of passages,
given in full, which throws light upon, oi* adds force
to a given text. He had also, besides Lange, the most
('omprehensi\(' connHentary.. perhaps, the most valuable,
in existence, Louth and Arnold's, Adam Clarke's,
Benson's, Cooke's, Kyle's, with Watson's Exposition,
and Wesley's Notes. A full Bihlical Encyclo{)tedia
made up this excellent e(]uipment.

A Bagster's Bible, fac-simile large edition, narrow
maigin, which Mr. Morrow used for many years, is, in
several places, crow<led with signs, which he hiuiself
readily understood, and annotations. On the Hy-leaf
are pasted th<' celeltrated golden verses of Pytlia-
goras : —

Nor let soft slumbor close your eyes
Before you've recollected thrioe
The train of actions through the day.
Where have my feet chose out the way f
What have 1 learnt where'er I've been,
From all I've heard, from all I've seen '■.
\N'hat know 1 more that's worth the knowing '
What have I done that's worth the doing .'
What have 1 sought that I should shun ?
What duty have I left undone 1
Or into what new follies run ?
These self-imiuirit^s are the road
That leads to viitue and to (lod.

liti

Results of extensive study are manifest in thi.s vol-
unie. It would be useless to hazard a conjecture as to
the number of entries it contains from the reader's
diligent pen ; but they are certainly to the extent of
thousands. He was not satisfied with glossaries by

<? !

^-■^^jii

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW

' '

ll:

other men, which can he ohtainerl for a few cents any-
where in our time ; he made <lictionaries for liimself.
The Itlank leaves and margins are all occupied witli
names and their meanings, coincidences, paradel texts,
references, wdiicli he had collated fi'om time to time.
During the last few years of his life, the most im-
portant gleanings of the old Bihle were transferred to
one of a lai-ger editi(jn, with broad margins, and other
facilities for retaining valual»le records. It was lov-
ingly begun, with exceeding care and neatness of
rulings and penmanship. And here the student's work
shows to some advantage. In the book of (lenesis
alone, there are 1,7()() aimotations and written refer-
ences of different kinds. Many of the notes are ([uite
oritjinal, as for instance on Gen. viii. .S, " The waters
returned from off the eai'th continually." In the
margin he has written, " Qy. the tides ( '" 1 can find no
suggestion in the conunentaries to which this query
may be traced. If the result of liis own reflections, it
shows some ingenuity as well as scientiiic research.
It is certain there were no tides durinix the Hood :
e(pially certain they resumed their motion some time
afterward. Was this God's way of saying — the tides
tnen began to ebb and How i Again, in Gen. xlv. 24,
Josephs advice to his brethren (h^parting from Egypt
— " See that ye fall not out by the way," — a marginal
wilting says, " Tremble not, wdiether from fear, grief
or anofer." The Commentators aijree in <dving the
old explanation — " do not quarrel by the way."
Michaelis, Gesenius, and others, make it an admonition

THE BOOK.

— " fear not."' Tlierc is, however, a very minnto foot-
note of Prof. Taylor Lewis, in Lan<^e's Commentary,
wliich niav liavc inclined Mr. Morrow to ]ii-i>fer the
meaning of either or all the tlu'ee passions comhined.
I cite the facts tliat readers may judge of the pains-
taking habits by which these annotations were reached.
Then, after tlie manner (^f some text-l)ooks, and Acts of
Parhament, tlu^re are index-words in each margin, in-
dicating tlie precise sul)jects, and wliere tliey terminate.
This makes the l)Ook all the more ready for i-eference.
By underlining words, and neatly coiniecting them
with a stroke of the pen an<l ruler, the train of tliought
in a particular chapter is readily sn})plied. Express
duties are particularly entpliasized, showing that the
Word was read for the reader's own direction, more
than as a precious heir-loom, which it will long con-
tinue to be. I give two instances: — Numbers ix. bS,
"But tlie man that is clean, and is not on a journey, and
forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same sonl
shall be cut otl* fi-om among his people." And Joshua
i. cS, 9, "This book of the law shall not depart out of
thy mouth ; bnt thou shalt meditate therein day and
and night, that thou mayst ol»serve to do according to
all that is wi'itten therein ; foi' then thou .shalt make
thy way ])rosperous, and tlu-n tliou shalt have good
snccess. Unve 1 not co!nmande(l thee :* Be strong
and of a good couraixe : be not afi'aid, neither bu thou
dismayed ; for the L(jrd thy Ood is with thee whither-
soever thou goest." It is not difhcr.it to conjectuiv,
with such^passages as these magnified before one's eyes

\'-\

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

t i

where he obtained his strenoth. There are treasures
of admonition and inspiration in these two quotations
alone.

Tliese notes and references terminate in the Old
Testament, at the Second book of Kin,L^s, and in the
New, though the intervening space is not all supplied,
at Re\\ vi. It woidd have rec^uired tlie remainder of
a long life, assiduously applied, to finish the Bible ac-
cording to Mr. Morrow's method. The verse on which
his last touch was made, is the ninth of the sixtli
chapter in Revelation : " An<l when he had opened the
fifth seal, I saw \nidei' Uie altai' the souls of them that
were slain for the word of Clod, and for the testimony
which they held." Another step and he would have
reached the white robes of the martyrs, which he has
since been gazing upon with holy rapture and adora-
tion !

I must add that a memorandum book, which has
fallen accidentally into my hands, carried by Mr.
Morrow (Un-ing some lengthened journey, evidently,
has entries of passages of Scripture to the nuud)er of
two hundred and thiity, either written out in ]»art, oi'
in full, and mau}^ with pages of connuents attached.
The Bible was his eomi)anion and friend every day and
everywliere. Yet if any one imaiiines that Mr. Morrow
read only the Bible. I must undeeii\ c him. Wherever
modern I'esearch, by travel, science, excavation or
scliolarslii]), afforded new light, or conlirmati(^n of the
Bible narrative, he saw it, and ap])ropriated the infor-
mation.

THE ROOK.

Two or three somewhat curious letters arc in my
possession, iUustratini,^ his hahits of tliouglit as n;-
spects tlie sacred volume. One, datccl '27t]\ of March,
J<S72, addrcsse<l to his son James, at Mount Allison
(yollege, Sackville, N.B., is a remarkal»l«' epistle, to
proceed from a great connncrcial warehouse. Not tluit
it is unnatural or unhusiness-like ; hut there is a
transition from one to the other of suhjects which are
supposed to helong to altogether ditt'erent regirjus of
thought, and a rapid transformation of relation.'^liips,
seldom, I imagine, equalled among tlie pursuits of
Water Street : — One of the steamers was aground in
the Chesapeake ; her detention till Good Friday woidd
break in upon tlie privilege of lioliday to the clerks,
for which some compensation must be made. Snow
had fallen to such a (h'pth that tlie railways were
blocked ; lience a threatened famine of beef, which
must be ordered from Baltimore ; though the old coach-
road was once more resorted to for conveyance of
bullocks from Cornwallis. Coal, too, had gone up fifty
per cent. — and here follows a minute detail of busi-
ness complications and disappointments in looking
after this article of connnerce. So far the business
man. There had been a break on some great wheel in
England, slowing down thf machinery of s])eeulation,
which would have recjuii'ed his immediate departure
for the Pacific; but a despatch might come at any
moment, in which case a route; is mapjx'd out. 'i1ir
business man becomes a prospective traveller, feasting
his imaj^ination on Mormondom and the El l)(jrado,

(1I

; t
I \

\AYK OF JAMES R MORROW.

California. " Owv Bible-class is quite large now," —
so runs the letter — "the dininii'-rooni where we meet
is (piitc! i'ull all ivjimd the sides — from HJ to 20. And
my class on \Ve(lnesday is also very full, 10 last ni,ii;ht
and sometimes 20." From a continental toui* to the
beloved Class-room — a third chann;e. What follows
must be li'iven verbatim : —

" I often laugh over your remark, that I am always studying The-
ology. My own feeling is that I don't get time to study at all. The
Bilde is a wonderful T'ook, and well rejiays study. Imleed, it is a
mine. To get at its ridios we nnist dig ; hut no gold or silver mine
ever paid its owner anything like the return in value whieli the Bible
gives to those who study it. You should have a Bible (a reference
Bible) whicli you should make your particular companion. l)egin at
the beginning, and read it through consecutively. Always have a
pencil at hand to mark, by i)re-arranged sign, any i)assages that par-
ticularly strike you. After you have read a chai»ier, go l)ack to your
marked passages and study them well. 'J'he effect of such reading is
to leave in the mind a pnunise, a precept, a warning, a rebuke, an ex-
ample, or some other form of truth, to be a subject of reflection when
the mind is otherwise occupied. Among passages that have thus
caught my own mind are, " He causeth it to come, whether for cor-
rection, or for liis land, or for mercy," — a gracious assurance of divine
)>rovidence even in aflliction. " (.'ursed be he that iloeth the work of
the Lord negligently," — a warning to all to do Clod's work with the
whole heart. " For all })eople will walk every one in the name of his
Cod, and we will walk in the name of our (rod for ever and ever," —
showing tlnit, whatever a man's profession may be, in Iwart he will
walk according to his true character; if Satan be his master, or the
world, or pleasure, the supreme object of his afli'ections, he will follow
them. But ifi'. should walk in the name of our (Jod. And so I might
nudtiply passages, IVom both Ohl and Xew Testaments, that ever abide
witli me, autl are us gems that, even in the l)rightness of divine truth,
shine out from the surrounding brilliancy — that as diamonds cut with
many facets, llasli light and glory at every turn. The advantage of

THK BOOK.

|lll|l

Ivill
tllp

I low

hiile

lull,

itli

kco}»iiig to Olio Hililo i;s. you ht'como acrustomod to '\U ])a,i,'cs, and ran
turn ininiiidiatL'ly to t'iiniiliar ]tassjif,'cs. Mt'siiU's, it is luttcr to mark
one book tlian many. "

From divinity lie turns, bi't'orr closing his letter, to
matters personal, domestic and pateinal. The wonted
pressing' advice as to ])iety, encouragement to pi-oceed
in his studies, an<l so to a prayer an«l a lienedietion.

It' tliere be any better way to build up a household
tor h(mour and usefulness — for the worhl, the church,
and eternity, who has ever heard of it i* "That was
the kind of Father he always was," writes another
son, "so kind, thoughtful, and taking so much intei-est
in all I did. I respected him, admired and loved him,
with what intense, idolizing love, God only knows."
Dear boy, would there were more such idols and idol-
atry in this poor world of ours !

My readers will indulge me in the perusal of one
more letter. From Quebec, Septembei* 14th, 1H67,
where he had l)een attending the Y. M. C. A. Con-
vention, he writes Mrs. Morrow in a mood which was
a mingling of playful banter and sympathy —

" Yours is not tlie first brain that i.a: been exercised and worried by
studying the Prophecies. They are " a deep, where all our thoughts
are drowned." One thing I have learned is, that for the study of such
topics, immense patience is needed, and we must learn "to make haste
.slowly." We are naturally impatient to get at the results; are
sometimes discourage<l to liml how tlui work of search opens out
almost indefinitely, and how littlr progress we make even in hours
of study. But we should anticipate this, at the beginning, and
get a little every day, taking care not to overdo it, and not to be over
anxious to get through, if it takes a long time. There is no hurry, for
it is not at all likely we shall get below the surface by doing our best,

'if

III

«■

it ;

111!

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

and eternity is all before us, where, with unclouded intellects, we shal
see things as they fire. So, do not let my dear one be perplexed. CJod
never gave us His word to l)e a source of weariness and anxiety. It is
full of mysteries so dccj) that the angels desire to look into them, i'ut,
it is said, "ilis word giveth lil'e." Do not perplex yourself with i)ro-
fundities. Take the life of Jesus and the Psalmist's exjieiiences fur
study. Wiser heads than yours or nune have attempted tlu'se subje(,'ts
with little profit. You cannot take up a treatise these days (on Pro-
phecy), but you find that others were wrong, and the wiiter alone
knows whereof he treats."

One instinctively looks at the close of a letter like
this for the signature of some Professor in Divinity,
and is surprised to find the initials rather of a man
supposed to be only deep in the mysteries of ocean
steamboats'.

A few months ao'o the following communication
appeared in the Presbyterian Witness. It was a
matter of wonder at the time as to who the author
could be. No one thoujxht of a business man ; far less
would they have suspected a very busy business man
of perplexing himself and others concerning subjects
dating back 3,000 years in human history. The con-
tributor was James B. Morrow ; this was the contri-
bution. It was not surprising that clergymen hesi-
tated to pronounce an opinion, or differed in their
views, as to the question raised. There is not one of
fifty in the sacred profession who gives the time and
thought to purely Biblical subjects that were given
by this man : —

*'"'

iTl

4' 1

THE BOOK.

ess
nan
ects
;on-
tri-
csi-
leir
of
and
ven

THE TAnERNACLE: THE LAVEH : THE ALTAH.

Mu. Edithr, — l{ea<liii^' ret.'ciitly in the Book of Exodus, my attoii-
lioii was flriiwn to an apparent diseropaney betwitn wliat is written in
"the Hook " anil a piitiuc upon my study wall, piiipnitin^' to Ik- an
illustration of the Tdbpniach'. In this pieture tin' Lavrr is phncd
l)etween the altar and the talx-rnacle, while, so far as I ran understand
the saeicd reeord, the Eaver was jtlaeed a1 the entrance of tln^ rourt of
the tabernarlc, and the altar lietweeu the Eaver and the tahernacli".
Having exhausted the resources at my command, the i-csult nniy lie
tlius briedy stated. Five distinct illustrations all a^^ree with my
jticture, as do most of the commentators ; one of the latter a;^'recd in
the view 1 have been led to form. One ndnistcrial friend, having
lookciljnto the ma(ti>r, has no doubt that 1 am li^id ; live other
friends, lay and clerical, simply say 1 am wrong, but give no reasons
for their comdusions. I mention this to slunv how debateable the
ground is. The reasons for my eonclusions an; :

Exod 30 : 18. Thou shalt put it (the laver) between the tabernaide
(okel) of the congregation and the altar.

Exod. 40 : 0. And thou set the altar . . . before the door of
tln^ tabernacde (mis'diar) of the tent (okel) of the congregation.

Exod. 40 : 30. And he .set the laver between the tent (okel) of the
congregation and tlie altar.

Exod. 40 : 29. And he put the altar of burnt-oifering by tin; door of
the tabernacle (mischar) of the tent (okel) of the congregation.

ijcvit. !:;■). . . . the altar that is by the door of the taber-
nacle (okel) of the congregation (note the tabernacle is now erected
and everything in its place more particular direction is not now neces-
sary.)

Take the order of mention. Exod. 37, ver 1. The ark. 6. The
mercy seat. 7. The cherubim. ]0. The table. It). Vessels. 17.
Candlestick. 25. Incense altar. Chap. 38 : 1. The altar. 8. 'I'hc
iaver.

Exod. 40 : 2, 17. -Set up the tabernacle.
** 3, 20, 21. Put therein the ark.
" 4, 22, 23. Bring in the table.
♦♦ 4, 24, 25. Bring in the candlestick.
" 5, 26, 27. Set the altar for the incense.

! n

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1 I
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23 WEST MAN STREET

WEBSTER, N.V. 14S80

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«-

?, !

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

Exod. 40 : 5, 28. Hnng iij) tho Imiigiiig.

r>, 29. Set up tlie altar tVtr l)nrnt •offering.

7, 30. Set th« l.ivpr.

8, 33. Set up the court.

9, Anoint the tahcrntclo.
•' 1(». Anoint tlie altar.

'• 11. Anoint the lavcr.

" 12. Bring Aaron to the door ol" the talMiiiaele.

Is it reasonahle — is it po.srjihle that if the Kaver was plaeeil next tti
the tabernacle and hetweeit it and tlie altar, it would havi- heen three
times mentioned in the onier mc \\u*\ it to he in Kxoil. .'<7, :>8, and 40 i

2 Chron. 4 : 1(1. And he set tin* sea on the right side of the east
and over against the south.

2 Kings It) : 14. An»l he brought also the bra/en altar which was
before the Lord from the forepart nf the house from between the Jiltar
(ver. 11) and the house of the Lord and put it (Hi the north side of
the altar.

Matt. 23 : 35. . . . betwe( n the tem|)lc and the altar. I'efer
to 2 Uhron. 15 : 8.— Kzek. 8 : 10.— Joel 2 : 17.

Many comments suggt-st them.selves, but your .space is precious.
(!an any of your readers throw light on this subject, .ind if they find
me wrong, tell me the where and the why ?

.\n Om> SrnsciuBKR.

This subject of the tahernack' was under his earnest
consideration down to the Uitest moments of life.
While his body was being borne homeward from
Londonderry, letters w^ere written in more than one
ministerial study, intended to convey to him the
results of much research upon tlie precise position of
the Laver and the Altar. And what was the object
of all this woriy and investigation ? Was it a mere
pedantic display of Biblical knowledge !* — the finical
agitation of a mind narrowed dow^n to Biblical tech-
nicalities ?

THE BOOK. it

It will be seen in the arrangement which he presents
from Exodus, that there must have been special design
in the precise? positions allotted to ditterent objects in
the tabernacle. God intended certainly that the order
should teach certain principles. Hence, Mr. Morrow
saw in the "picture on his study wall" — designed
originally l)y a devout and ingenious shipmaster —
that the divine intention was not properly represented.
CleanaiiKjy he maintains (with very sufficient reasons),
was the first necessity of tabernacle service ; and this
as clearly sj'mbolized the order of approach to Gotl's
service under the ( 'hristian l)ispensati( )n. Regeneration
is aV)solutely necessary — it is the first con<liti()n in the
economy of grace. There was a baptismal significance,
too, in placing the Laxer at the entrance of the taber-
nacle, though that was doubtless only a subordinate
consiileration in the diligent, sustained, and decisive
reseai'ch which this subject originated.

Side by side with Mr. Morrow's love for the Bible, we
everywhere meet evidences of his cravinj^^ for rest and
seclusion. "(\)me a})art into a desert plact'," said
Chi-ist to His disci])les. He who was generally sur-
r()un«led by crowds, moviuo' about in tlie excitement of
miracles and other wonders felt the giating eflect of
noise an<l human fiiction. It is only now becoming
cleai- to the medical profession, that the nervous
system sometimes becomes diseased through the per-
petual jar and discord of sounds. As much to exces-
sive sound, as to the oveistrain of the physical and
mental powers, are to V)e traced many nervous diseases

' , '

l>l

''■ - \

;

I 1

f 1

'■i J't

m ¥' ^''I

F.IFE OF JAMES B. MORROW

It is silenco, quite as much as ozone, whicli makes a
seasi<le, or mountainous retreat, contribute to the res-
toration of business men. In commercial centres, the
ear is seldom at rest.

"Tlio Inun
or iiii)viti/r wlu.'ds, iiiiil iiuiltitudos astir,
And all that in a city's mnrniur swells,"

breaks perpetually upon the most sensitive organs.
The normal con<lition of things is silence, and amid
silence the auditory nerves regain composure and
health.

It is even ottcrrd j^s a strange explanation of the
fact that some sounds arc more injurious than others,
that Nature has no voices which injuni the brain :
whiles all sounds into which human or animal will
enters as anecessaiy element, are in the highest degree
destructive of nervous life. The moaninjx of the
winds, the rustling of leaves, the murmur of the river,
the soujjfhinjj: of the wa\es, are to the brain as a
mother's lullaby: whih^ thought is distracted and
disease luigendered by the clatter of human enter-
prise.

" When Mr. Morrow c<»uld get an hour or two," so
I read, "' he retired to his (piiet room and his Bible."
'J'he quiet room alone wouhl have been a sanitary
blessing; with the Bible it became a spiritual invigo-
ration. Its atmosi)here followed him everywhere ; he
breathed the air of Mount Hermon. That peculiar
hesitancy in public address was simply a momentary

THE BOOK.

mental reflection — What does God say ? His " flashes
of silence," as Sydney Smith called such reticence,
was, one could see, from a conscientious regard to the
truth. " O how I love thy law ! It is my meditation
all the day," said David ; an experience reflected in
this modern instance.

There is a fascination in business, a charm, an in-
toxication even, which increases with the prosperity
of these times. Nine of every ten groups in the
streets are talking dollars and cents. Does it not
become the Christian young men of the day to show
this feverish age an example of self-control, of eman-
cipation from the cruel bondage of the Ledger ? Is
there to be no mental Sabbath ? — no higher inspira-
tion than that which comes —

.^' i

(( 'V,

To tlie dry drudgery at the desk's dead wood I"

Isaac, heir and manager of great estates, a young man
waiting for his young bride, made time to meditate in
the fields at even. Has there ever been statesman,
scholar, artist, poet, scientist, philosopher, to whom
re})utati()n and honor came independently of .solitude ?
Has any nation ever advanced that gave itself up to
idolatry ? Is not the idolatry of stocks and bales
and hogsheads as degrading as the worship of
metal and wooden images ? Moloch was not more
cruel than is Mammon. His victims were the fairest
of the youth, as are ours ; the l)ane of that day was
pagan priestcraft — of ours, retined. relentless compe-
tition.

CHAPTER VIII.

" i

THE Y. M. C. A.

So others sliall
Take patioiico, lal»our to tlu^ir hi-art and hand,
From tliy liaiid and tliy Iicart, and thy hrave cheer,
And CJixl's ^'race fructify through thee to all.

— }frs. Browning.

Yes ; we do differ when wo most agree ;
Foi' words are not the same to you and me.
And it may Itc our several spiritual needs,
Are liest supjtlied by seeming dift'erent creeds.

And ditfering, we agiee in one

Insepeiahle communion,
If the true life ho in our hearts.

~~H. Coleridge.

SSOCIATIONS of individuals, for the accom-
pllshiiit'iit of some particular ohject, have been
connnon in all ay:es and anionj*' all ranks and
conditions of mankind. In scientific and literary
circles, foi the promotion of art, knowledge, morality ;
to provide juodes of intercourse among persons of the
same profession or trade and the cultivation of special

ig.

If-
DUl-

•cen
and
ary

ty;

the
nal

THE T. M. C. A.

genial tastes. In the Christian religion there are forces
which cannot be pent up ; and one direction wiiicli
they take is toward co-operation for the world's re-
covery from sin. Brotherhoods have been a dis-
tinguishing feature of Christianity from the beginning.
MfiC generally in established organizations, called
churches ; but at intervals in the form of societies,
more or less numerous and influential. During the
earlior ages of our religion, this became a marked fea-
ture of the new economy. As far as history can
illuminate the so-called dark ages, theie are fraternities
springing into existence, now and again, which usually
come, sooner or later, under the moulding power of the
Papacy, and are employed by it as engines to work out
its propogandist purposes. Modern ages have given
birth to numberless associations, committees, frater-
nities, with a religious profession, but with a zeal and
morality not always in harmony with each other.
Some of these have crystallized, in time, into graceful
and godly fellowship of believers, taking a name and
place among the brotherhood of religious sects. ( )thers
have maintained an existence outside of the churches ;
yet, affiliated with one or all by sympathy or co-opera-
tion. Others still have shunned tlie light, or declined
and died. Belonging to the second class is the Young
Men's Christian Association. I^ike other similar
organizations, it took its rise from a yearning for com-
nmnion among kindred religious spirits, and a care for
other's necessities. Unlike others, it confined its aims
to a sex, to that portion of the male sex which has

1 1
I

1 1

III'

LIFE OF JAMES B. MOUROW.

principal stronj^'fch, Imt has special temptations, and so
needs extraordinai-y fidelity and i)r<)tection. From a
merely social, it became in time a sort of domestic, in-
stitution. It ^^ave the wor<I " brother " a meaning in
practical ways, which had only been understood, pre-
viously, in theory. It became, in the best sense, "all
things to all men." By meeting young men at the
cross-roads of life, and leading them into "ways of
pleasantness and paths of peace;" by exercising a
tender, paternal care over them at home, and following
them with warning, counsel and assistance abroad ; by
ajzain meeting; them amonuf strantifers, providing: for
them lodLjinj^s ard situations, wooln*!' them away from
sinful to righteous companionship, bearing them up
when they stumbled, ministerini^ to them in sickness,
<lisposing of them, as rei[uired, respeetaV)ly and reviT-
ently in death — the Association became a great enter-
prize, having its ramitications in all (Christian countries,
and its influence supplied from all evangelical churches,
without excepti(>n.

The Young Mens Christian Association bears on its
front the mark of direct Providential oritjin. It is a
(juestion whether anything so juirely unselfish ever
sprang from mere human ambition. Its story is .so
well known that we need not here repeat it. Ik'st Jind
surest evi<lence of its adaptation to modern and reli-
gious wants, is the door it opens to such men as James
B. Morrow. They make the Y. M. C. A. in a .sense ;
in a sense, also, the Y. M. C. A. makes them. It fosters
the talent of young men, that otherwise would be lost

THE T. M. C. A.

to the world ; it quickens into life much instrumental
power wliich otherwise would remain dormant. And
there is always a special influence j^a-anted l»y God to
the honest, self-denying lay-labourer, which clergy-
men cannot command, covet it as they may. In minds
not positively religif)us, there is often nioi'e or less
prejudice against services which seem to have a sti-
pendiary end or support. " He is paid for it," is a
ready suggestion of the enemy. Indetvl, one principal
obstacle in the way of evangelical work, both at home
and abroad, is tliis sinister suspicion of selfish aims.
The forcible fact is forgotten that Christian men and
women who devote themselves to a <listinct reli«rious
calling, often make sacrifices in the worldly sense, by
leaving foi'tuue-seeking to others, and hence accept an
agreement with the (Hiurch to labour for a bare sup-
port. Tlie irreligious listener seldom stays to reason,
however ; his shield is ready for defence ; he parries
very powei-ful blows with very unsubstantial armour.
Here is the chief advantage of a man who leaves behind
him a thriving business, even for an hour, for the pur-
pose of serving persons whom he had, perhaps, never
seen before, and mav never see as]^ain ; whose claims
up(m him may be no stronger than those of a common
human relation. Yes, there is a mission to-day for
business young men. They wear no professional gar-
ments — draw no professional salaries. They are not
chargeable with selfish motives, and are readily ac-
quitted of discharging merely perfunctory duties.
There are objections, too, against the Y. M. C. A.

Ir'

!: iiHii

100

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

itself, ))oUi without and within the churclies. There
is much in it to ])rovoke criticism from ungo<lly per-
sons, inasmuch as it directly bears against their fondest
sins and audjitions. More injurious, perhaps, is that
form of opposition which comes from jealous}', or
envy, or possibly lack of information, among the Chris-
tian bodies. " The Y. M. C. A. usurps prerogatives
which behjug only to the Church of Christ," we are
told. " It affords an improper gratification to office-
seekers." " It ])ecomes an advertisement for inviting
business." " It is even strained a little in the direction
of politics." These are serious charges ; have they any
weight ? Wolves there may be — always have been —
in sheep's clothing. Our Lord went so far as to warn
his disciples against ravening wolves — men who de-
ceive, that they may devour, the flock. But these, as
we all kn(/W, are exceptions. The deadly ergot grows
side jy side with the wheat — the poison with the
sustenance of man — defying detection, assuming a false
semblance, the more ruinous liecause seductive. What
has been Cod's law from the l)e(>innini'' ^ " Let hot/i
grow u^itU the hdrtrfit" These objections would bear
with ecpial strengtli against the Churches themselves.
To Mr. Morrow any lurkins*' mischief in this oreat
modern movement would soon have revealed itself.
He was a keen ol)server of men and morals ; and with
him, to become convinced was to act. Had he dis-
covered a fraud of any dimensions, he would have
exposed it, or abandoned the cause which gave it
shelter. That he remained in the Y. M. C. A. for many

THE Y. M. C. A.

101

yt'iirs — tlwit bo <^avo to it imich time and strenn^th and
money — is suHicicnt <(uarantee tliat it is a sound,
scriptural, ])liiIantli!'oi)ie aj^ency. He sustained it ; it
honoured and trusted liim.

A thousand witnesses mi^lit he sunnmmed to prove
tliat tlie Association has heen a ureat hlessin*; in the
Maritime Provinces of (.'anada. From personal know-
led<^fe, I could furnish at least a cliapter on tliis head ;
l>ut while some of the piineipal perstms who were in-
terested in the circumstances are alive, and may pro-
bably read tliis book, it would l»e indelicate to write
on the subject at len«;tli. Katlirrs and motliers, how-
(^ver, bear tlie record on tlieir memories and hearts,
of responses to their tearful, prayeii'ul solicitude for
their sons, throuj^di this institution. In some cases, all
was not accomplished that was (lesire<l ; in others, far
more resulted than any one had hoped. C/ypresses
have been planted over some graves, that otherwise
would have remained unadorned and unnoticed. Situa-
tions of honour and trust are filled by young men
whose career mijjbt have led them to ruin, but for the
Association. Before introducing the testimony of
others, let one or two incidents l)e accepted from the
author's memory.

A young man appeared in the Wesleyan office on a
stormy morning in mid-winter, scantily cla<l, but with
an li(inest expression of countenance, which gave
weight to his story. He professed to be a printer, and
claimed that he knew something of the literary as well
as mechanical work necessary to the production of a

;

itt

102

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

newspaper. Of course, we set the usual machinery in
motion for his relief — corresponded with relatives,
introduced him to employers, recommended him to the
intelligent and active secretary of the Association.
(Contrary t<j the usual result in such cases, we found
the promising youth coming hack on our hands. At a
loss to understand the cause, when all seemed fair
(»nougli on the surface, the wiiter did what he was
encoura<jed to do at other times — walked away for
counsel to a commercial estahlishment I Ft was ten
in the morning, the tmie when business, at rest foi-
sixteen hours, was hauLTry to Ix; fed. Pollers were
luirrying with burdens, truckmen were halting for
orders, possibly ships were awaiting the signal to pro-
ceed to sea, as we enteretl. Through a tile of busy
clerks, we found our way to the counting-house. At
least a half-score of letters were on the manager's desk,
waiting to be opened and answered. A great com-
mercial engine was in full blast, (juietly Init confidently
coining the money to support a hundred families, and
to accumulate, besides, a fortune or two for business
heirs. The belts of this machine stretched to the
European shores on the one side, to the seaboard,
Central, and Pacific States of America on the other.
Strangely out of place did we feel at that moment,
with our en(|uiry as to what should be the fate of a
single leaf which had fallen in the myriad-peopled
forest of humanity. But a moment's notice revealed
something even more interesting. The eyes wdiich we
looked into for advice were full of tears. The first

THE Y. M. C. A.

lO.S

li'tter oponofl on the desk of that l)Usinos.s manager
was a woman's pi-tition. or at least a wailiiii,' cry on
paper, for a youni^ hiisltand's wamlei'm^s and follies.
Some hapless wife, wlio had no otluT claim upon liim
than that he was an otlicer (d' the Association, ])ours
her sorrows into his heart, and heixs for his svmvjdhv
and protection to ln-i' wa.ywnrd hnshand. An answer
was half written already, hut it had l»een interrupted,
we may verily helieve, hy prayer from tlial desk, even
at that early hour.

Oh, y riamantine mcreliants, y(sliri\<!h ) mummies
of the countin^f-house, ye " incarnati(;hs of fat divi-
dends" at the ]>ank, look upon this man ! Here is a
fountain sprinj^int,' \\\) in the arid, parched san<ls of
the conunercial desert ! You who have not wept since
the day that Sympathy walked out and left a shred
of black crape lianging on the doors of your hearts ;
you whohave huried your own livinir wivesand children
under heaps of bonds and mortgages — come and see
in your neig]d)Our what you have lost in your pursuit
of gain. If Christ had been at the liead of a com-
mercial house in Halifax, instead of at a carpenter's
bench in Bethleliem, this is much the attitude and
the occupation in which we would expect to find
Him.

What became of either the young man or tlie young
husband, it is impossible now to say, nor does it con-
cern so nmcli our narrative. It is suilicient that a
bond of brotherhood has been proved. From rural
districts to populous centres, the tide of social move-

I'H

;■'(

104

I.IFK OF JAMES B. MORROW,

nieiit is always so strong that multitudes of young
men annuaily reach such places at Halifax. From the
maelstrom of depravity what is to save them f The
Churches ( True, they are there ; but do young men
generally incline toward places of worship from choice ?
])o the C/hurches usually sustain a vigilant outlook for
strangei-s ^ Do the pastors of country and city
(Jhurclies keep well open the channels of commmiica-
tion, by which intelligence is sure to be transmitted
in advance of a young man's arrival at his destina-
tion ? The Young Men's Christian Association has
dom; more to organize means of shelter, guardianship,
and advancement for young men, than any of the
Churches, perhaps than all combined. And in doing
this, it may as safely be asserted that the Churches
have done it through them. The ornaments of the
Association are the jewels of the Churches. The man
whose soul yearns toward the wanderers of any Church
is sure to feel kindly toward his own. Herein is love
— it is both concrete and abstract — filling a home and
a church, and overflowing for the world.

A few years ago a clergyman sought advice of two
or three friends of the Association, respecting a brother
who ha'l been reported as fallen into iniquity at a dis-
tant place. There were evidences merely that the
young man had been traced to evil haunts, in an Ame-
rican city, wliither he had been decoyed by bad
companions. The President of the Y.M.C.A. at the
place alluded to, was informed by telegraph of the
bald facts. In a few hours came back the reply — " He

THE Y. M. C. A.

lOo

is found, and will be sent home." Next steamer
brought him to the wharf in Halifax,

Daring my visit to the same city a few weeks pre-
vious to this writing, a gentleman, almost distracted
by his fears, set on foot the same agency for ascertain-
inq; the whereabouts of his son. The nearest iiuess
that could be made of his locality was Denver, Colo-
rado. A letter was despatche<l to the President of the
Y.M.C.A. in Denver. Within a few days arrived a
telegram — " He is here in hospital . will write."

These are facts that may easily be verified by the
reader. And they are but occurrences of which, per-
haps, every week might furnish the counterpart.
Surely, here is a merciful and a mighty agency ! Alfred
Tennyson, in his superb prophetic dream of the
Millenium, alludes to the " federation of the world "
as an ultimate possibility. Napoleon, while ruminating
in St. Helena, discovered that the federation already
existed. The empires of Alexander and Charlemagne,
the crude elements of an ideal, universal empire, for
which he had himself spent millions of treasure and
shed seas of blood, had all vanished ; the empire of
Christ, established eighteen hundred years ago, is
still in existence, and daily spreading itself over the
world. Its law is love ; its aim is human good ; its
ambition, to subordinate all hearts to the world's
Redeemer.

Making too much of the young men subject ?
There are secret depths to be explored before that
question can be answered. Who can forget the reve-

: ,

JklS^'im

•I

hi I .i

! ' ' '

ill

106

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

lations of Comstock ? Before one C-onvention of the
Y.M.C.A., he displaj^ed to startled beholders some of
the papers and prints which Avere being disseminated
by certain concealed publishers and mailed broadcast
to young men. Persons of strong brain and nerve de-
clare to this day their wish that thoy had never seen
those devices of unclean spirits ! John Angell James
asserted towai'd the close of his useful life, that a book
which he read when but a boy was so subtle in its in-
destructible iniquity that he would liave given
worlds not to have seen it. C'olcridge has wiitten a
powerful essay to i)rove that nothing is ever forgotten.
Oliver Wendell Holmes goes so faj* as to say that
nothing that ever happens fails to photograpli itself in
every conceivable aspect and in all its dimensions.
That as, in removing a book-case, you find its image
exactly outlined on the wall, and the form of, say, a
map, which hung there before the book-case was built,
as faithfully stamped upon the same spot, so, evil
things with which w^e may become familiar, may be
reproduced Ic ig after they are forgotten and forced
upon the memory, " when this lower universe is pulled
away from before the wall of infinity." Who, then,
shall assert that a class of so much importance — one-
fifth of our population, and the hope of the future —
our young men — do not require all the care that is
bestowed upon them, the pi'otection afforded them,
from these moral pests of the day ?

The first Convention of the Y.M.C.A. held in the
Maritime Provinces, was at Halifax, in October, 1867.

THE T. M. C. A.

107

The Association, first orii^.anizod in London, had been
followed hy one, on the same model, in Montreal in
18.")!. A kindred Association was oro^anizod in Boston
twenty days later thnn that at Montreal. During the
foUowini,^ year, 1(S.'>2, ten similar societies were formed
throuo;hont the cities of the United States. In lS(if)-7
there were 21 .") Associations reported nn this ( 'ontinent.
In 1M(I7-<S that numher was more than douhled. At
present there are not less than 1 ,000 Associations on
this side of the At antic, with a memhership of
100,000, havino- an anmial expenditure of So7G,000,
and owning property to the value of Si ,024,770.

Throughout the report of the Halifax Convention,
in isr)7, there is manifest a very <lecided enthusiasm
in three or four ditlerent directions. The meetin'Ts
" were pervaded hy love, jov and harmony, and evi-
dence of th<^ presence nnd power of (Jod s Holy Spirit."
The discussions turned mainly on young men — how
the}' might l>e readied, lescued, saved I Young men
were there whose exp<Mience, fresh from ( 'oii\(>ntions
elsewhere, gave hearers the conviction that a poweiful
agency had app(>are<l in the land. Without removing
okl lau<lmarks, it hccame evident that the Association
was more clearly traci'!':r the lines of distinction he-
tween nominal and \itnl gotUiness, without regard to
denominational or social harriers. The word earnrfit
was hrought into fashion many years ngo, by a mnu
who could only tiiul tvniis sufficiently intense to ex-
press his own burning thoughts, by coining tlieni—
Thomas Carlyle. We find the word adopted in this

108

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

Convention, because none other could so fittingly ex-
press the spirit of the new organization. It was a re-
flection of 8t. Pauls uieaning in one of his yearning
moods for souls, — " My heait's desire and prayer to
(lod foj- Israel is, that they might be saved."

A society of this kind was sure to awaken Mr.
Morrow's wainiest sympathies. We have seen him
surrounded by young men as a teacher ; he was now
to increase his audiences of young men, and widen his
intlu<'nce an hundred fuld. A clearly Pi-ovidential
preparation for work in this <lirection had preceded
this grand opening. He was then himself a young
man ; down to the hist such Conventi(jn that ne at-
tended, though verging on fifty, he had not reached
the pei'iod when the impassal)le gulf separates youth
from ohl age. He was always a young man in his
own estimation ; the young men of his acquaintance
thouirht of him as one of themselves. Much of that
subtle power, the magnetism of (,'hristian friend-
ship, which he possessed in so ennnent a degree, was
brought to maturity by his intercourse with young
men. He never saw the dav so sacred to business
that a voung man's cry for assistance could not hriufx
him instantly from his desk, smooth away the wrinkles
of care from his forehead, an<l replace them with a
look of sympathy and cheer. (Jharles Sprague has
nailed above the door of every selfish, bloated crea-
ture of the counting-house, his sarcastic designation —
"An incarnation of fat dividends." God's sunshine comes
sweetly into some desolate rooms, where all manner of

^i'l

THE Y. M. C. A.

109

noisome insects hasten to feed upon it and turn it
into loathsome (hist and (hirkness ; so does (lod ijjive
prosperity to men wliose s<dtishness converts it into
a curse. If riclies are only to he <>l)tained h^' drivintj
oat the ani^el and admittinLf the demon, hetter that
society should relapse into its ])rimitive oecu])ation
of herdinfj or root-ijatheriuLr.

" What boots it at one ^'atc to iiiako (Icfcnn'
Ami at aiiotlior to let in tlic foe ■ "

« ''

ikles
ith a
has
crea-
on —
omes
er of

On a resolution relatiui^^ to tract distrihution, the
Tteport contains a notice to which Christian philan-
thropists of Halifax attach importance. It is said to
have opened a new era in the circulation of relig'ious
literature. Din-ino- the lattei- years of his life, Mr.
Morrow very ardently espoused the interest of ti'act
and hook circulation, on a cheap and henevolent scale.
It will he seen by this speech that there were valid. ])er-
sonal reasons for his action. Says the Report: —

" Mr. .f. I). Morrow of Halifax, said lie Inul a few ])ra("ti('al roniarks
to make upon tin; subjcet : At a very farly a^^^' lie was leil to ^nve his
h<;art to Christ, ami for some time walked in tht; li;.(lit of (lod's eoiin-
tenanoe. As lie advanced in years, the time came for him to enter
upon the more active duties of life ; l)efore loiii,' he f<dl into temittation,
wandered from Christ, and forsook the ordiiianccs of (iod's house. At
this crisis in his history a younic niau now in the ( 'onvcntion very
kindly put ijito his hand a tract entitled ' He Xever took Stock.'
Nothiiifj; could have been more approitriate to his circumstances, and
by the blessing' of (Jod ujion the ])erusal of that tract he was led to con-
.sider his ways and return to Christ. It alforded him very great plea-
sure to have put into his hands at the great Exposition, in Paris, two
tracts, and also to have .seen on ditferent occasions in London, young

110

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

•I

J ;

men engaged iii tlie work of disKcniinating religious truth, and he
hoped tliiit, as one result of this Convt;ntion, some might be moved to
engage in this dejiartmeiit of the work of <Iu(l."

For tlie last ten or twelve years, two names have
stood at the head of the Y.MXIA. in Nova Scotia —
John 8. McLean and James B. Morrow. There was
very little, and yet very nnicli, that was similar in
their dispositions. Our Lor<l linked his disciples, two
and two; not always, not ever, indeed, with strict re-
gard to harmony ol* temperament. John and Peter
were as o2)posite in this respect as the poles, yet they
'Worked harmoniously, and to purpose. When James B.
Morrow died, next to the 1)eloved wife, now the be-
reaved widow, and her children, public sympathy
turned to Mr. McLean. The number of condoling
letters which reached him, was only exceeded by those
to the sori'owinj;' family. What joy and blessing these
two men foiuid together in common pursuits for the
world's good, no one can (iver understand. It is locked
in the mind of one upon whose living confidence none
will intrude, and has gone with the spirit of the other,
to be repi'oduced some day in a friendship that shall
be abiding. 1 could not omit this paragraph without
injustice to my subject, seeing what I have seen, and
reading what I have read.

Among the most potent forces whicli came into ex-
istence with the Y.M.C.A., were the now familiar
liymns and melodies. So far back as memorj^ serves
our provincialists, there were fugitive strains of re-
liffious sonof floatinij about in the settlemsnts, distinct

f^ O O

THE Y. M. C. A.

Ill

altogether from the common order of poetry and music
used in church worship. Fifteen years a<^o, evangelists
brought to our towns an occasional song, usually with
some touching refrain, which struck the popular ear
and heart directly. One of these I remember as far
back as l(S(jO. During a Sacramental Service in Char-
lottetown, P.E.I., a stranger sang a few verses, having
as their subject Christ in the (jarden, and ending with
an exceedingly plaintive chorus, in less than a week
the air was full of the new nuisic. In parlours,
kitchens, workshops, and counting-houses, it took pos-
session. Masons sang it to their movements when lay-
ing a foundation ; painters whistled it at the height of
church-steeples. By-and-by other songs followed.
Prayer-meetings and Sunday-schools adopted them.
Books of song multiplied. There were grave looks on
many theological faces, lest a seeming, subtle heresy
here and there might penetrate, like frost, to the but-
tresses of the church, and so overthrow its stately
walls. But no really meritorious hymn that once
took the hearts of the people, has ever been ruled out
because of a questionable couplet. Who shall repair
Cowper's imagery ?

'•

'!i

I t

" The bud may have a bitter tasto
But sweet will bo the flower !"

I :

Modern critics, who begin by shaking their heads at
Cowper's outrage on all rules of literary propriety,
usually end by swallowing both his bud and blossom.
So in our melodies. An instance of this kind is fresh

) I

^ 1

» F )
.1 i

i i ■ i

112

LIFE OF JAMES R. MORROW.

in my own recollection. When Sarah F. Adams threw
out on the air that winged herald of supplication and
submission — " Nearer iviy God to Thoe " — much ex-
ception was taken to the line, " E'en though it be a
TOSS that raiseth me." It was Popish ; it substituted
suffering or some other alternative for Christ. A
majority of distinguished Methodists clearly condemned
it, in my hearing, on the grounds referred to. Yet
readei's of the New JVIetliodist Hymn Book, just pub-
lished within a few months, will find that sweet
composition in its pages, and doul)tless thank the
compilers for the privilege.

" Mu<ic, when soft voices die,
Vibi'att's in the memory" —

wrote the gifted, misguided Shelley. This fact is the
only reason I can offer for alluding to j\Ir. Mori-ow's
fondness for sacred song, and his rare gift in recom-
mending Christ his Master by the strains of a voice
that was considered melodious. Some human harps
come into the world ready to the touch — tempered and
attuned. Mine lacks the strings. There is left to me
only the comfort of anticipation, — " When He shall
appear we shall be like Him." Christ sang on the
Mount of Olives, and the day is coming when all the
best human qualities that He possessed shall be given
to His people. We shall all sing then. But crude as
might be the musical knowledge of any hearer, there
was in Mr. Morrow's voice a potent charm, when he
sang, at his best, the melodies he loved so well.

THE Y. M. C. A.

U:^

•

lall

Ithe

lere

Witli the exception of 1800, at wliicli Convention I
cainiot 1in<l that lie was present, he took an active part
(hirin<; eacli ;innual meetiiiLC of tlie Associations for
Nova Scotia. Twice — in 1(S71 and hs77 — he was
elected to the PresicU'ncy of the ( V)nventi()n. The last
public utterances of his life were given in the in-
terest of the Association, and young men, in the city
of Halifax.

At Maritime and International Conventions, his
form and voice became familiar to the brethren, as
representing a genuine, unswerving devotion to the
common cause. His journeys to and from these enthu-
siastic gatherings, generally in company with Mr.
McLean, were im])roved to the benefit of localities
througli Avhich they passed. Tlie pictures([ue Meta-
pedia became a favourite resort for the two friends in
this way. Some of the most satisfactory evidences of
Mr. IMorrow's personal success in winning souls are in
that locality. Where others exhausted their strength
in sporting — not to be despised in its way — or indulged
only in the luxury of observing a superb landscape,
which has been but recently added to Canadian won-
ders, he was awakening new aspirations in souls im-
mortal and blood-boufdit.

It may have been on one of these excursions that
an incident occurred which I find thus narrated l)y a
brother minister : (The circumstance of the gift men-
tioned was not known, even to Mr. McLean ; as there
are scores of similar acts of l)enevolence brought out
by correspondence, which, but for the preparation of

'. 1

•r-

114

LIFE or JA>rES B. MORROW.

! !.'

this memoir, would never have met the eye of a third
party).

K. illy ill tln' evening of a soinowliat wet ami unpleasant day in the
summer of 1877, I was crossing the yard to attend my horse, when,
liearing my name called out and looking round, I saw two gentlemen
leaning over the gate on the main road. Hro. Morrow was the speaker,
and his companion, ^Ir. J. .S. McLean, of Halifax. Though suri)rised
beyond mea.sure t(» sec such visitors come thus uni-.xpectcdly upon us
(for in our little village it was almost impossible for a stranger to pa.S8
through unol)served), 1 gladly hail them come into the parsonage to
spend, as I thought, the entire evening with us. The few minutes
spent in our parlour were of the most agreeable kind ; the .spirit and
geniality of the conver.sation were inspiring to both my wife and
myself in a higii degree. We felt we had the presence of two Chris-
tian gcntUnicn ; not the ordinary average chun.'h-niember, V)Ut those
to whom il was alike their business and joy to think, and speak, and
work for the Master wherever they went If I remember correctly,
Mr. Morrow was not long under my roof when he inquired if we could
not have a meeting somewhere. It was not regular meeting night ;
the time in which to announce for any gathering was very limited ;
but we resolved to do our best, and after sundown, perhaps upwards of
a score were gatliered together in our little church. For the very best
of reasons, I gladly devolved the conduct of the service upon our two
esteemed visitors ; and what a blessed time ! The exercises were of
the siui])lest and most improm[)tu type ; but they were signalized by
rich and holy inlluences, the memory of which will remain with some
of us as a green and hallowed spot in our life history.

1 very well recollect, also, that Mr. Morrow privately conversed with
me regarding the financial condition of the circuit, and learning that
we were endeavouring to pay olf a debt on the recently-acquired par-
sonage, without any solicitation, or even the thought of such a thing
entering my mind, he immediately and quietly handed me a sum of
money toward the object.

He and his companion in travel took their leave by coach next
morning, only, as I afterwards learned, to scatter their blessings and
counsels in other retired spots in the Province, and uphold the
banner of their Lord.

CHAPTER IX.

OUTSIDE WORK.

Oir.-r thy life on tlie altiir,

la till' liigli purpose l)t' strung ;
And if till- tir.'d spirit slioiiM laltr-r,

Tht-n .sweeten the labour witli son"
What, il" the poor heart i.-oniphiineth,

Soon shall its wailings he o'er ;
For there, in tlie rest that reniaineth,

It shall grieve anil be weary no more.

— jy. Morley Piinshon.

||HERE is iiu iiiutliciiiatical scale by wliich to
'^ measure the labours wliieli i\ pliilantlu'opist
gives to tlie world. ]\lotives can only be
estimated by Him " tliat seetli in secret." Happy
are we in possessing a religion whose iirst docti-ine is
that of an Onniiscient, Onniipresent God, holding "a
book of remembrance." He notes

; >l

" That best portion of a good man's life,
His little, nameless, unremembered acts '
Of kindness, and of love. "

3i|j

116

r.IFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

But I find a record in Mr. Mori-ow's Bililc which the
reader may thank nie fur roproducin^r. It is a meth-
odical entiy, on one of tlic fiy leaves, of his preaching
services from Fehrnary, 1<S7!), to An«^nst l.'ith, LSSO.
The ])eriod, it will Ik; seen, covers seventy-eight Sab-
V)aths. The recoi'd contains the t«.'xts of eighty-six
discourses, or an avei-age of more than one sermon for
every Sunday. With the exception of two instances,
the texts are not repeate*!. He evidently spares not
himself, as so many preachei-s can do to excellent ad-
vantage, by turning over the same sul)ject to ditterent
con<n'eoations. To show the extent of his ministra-
tions in this way during later years, I note that nearly
(me-third of these discourses were delivered outside of
Halifax, in towns and villages througliout Nova Scotia'
and the adjoining Provinces. On referring to the
texts it is e(|ually clear that, while his style was
generally expository, his teachings must have covered
most of the principal doctrines in our holy religion.
Next to that abstracting power which I have already
alluded to, as enabling him to proceed directly from
the complications of the counting-house to the abstru-
sities of Biblical prophecy, I have marvelled at his
habits of sermonic preparation. Pope describes a versa-
tile man, in the moods which range

" From f^ravo to gay, from lively to severe ; "

wdiile as to the mind's mysterious processes of assim-
ilating and appropriating knowledge, we have such
testimonies as that of Walter Scott : — "I do not observe

OUTSIDE WORK.

117

liis
rsa-

irve

methods particularly in my reading just now ; I just
pour in the information as it comes. The mind does
the nece.ssarv ass()i-tin<^ — i)uttin<' awav each item on
its own particular shelf — and all that J haxf to do is,
to reacli out, when the time comes, and take the arti-
cle tliat suits me.' Both in mood and matter this
facility of ehaniic is seen in Mr. Morrow's letters, as it
was fre(r'<'ntlv noticed in his eonveisation. One letter
to an intiuiate ministerial friend will illustrate what 1
mean. It is a recital of varied experiences through
which he had passed —

" liits ol'glfulnos.s ami of sorrow
Straii^'ely crossfcl and interlakl," —

with allusions to business as it pressed heavily on his
mind at the moment, and endinjj^ with " a passage "
which had been much j)resent with him of late, .sliow-
ing how he intended to treat it — J'eally a tine sermonic
skeleton, only needing tlesh and hlood and breath to
make it comely and welcome to an audience.

There were two places in Halifax to which Mr.
Morrow gave any preference he was permitted to
show, in Sabbath sei-vices. One of these was the Poor's
A.sylum. Of the eighty-six services alluded to, thirty-
two were held in this refuge,

" Wliero hopeless Anguish pounMl his ff:o-ixi,
■ Ami lonely Want retired to die."

With what justice or injustice the poor laws are ad-
ministered in this particular city, I am unable to say ;

118

LIFE OF J.\A1ES B. MORROW.

I^'t

I -:

f '

but it is clearly understood that, as a Province, we
have here the most uri«;ent demand for philanthropic
agency. In the annals of Christian civilization there
are no more painful disclosures than those which i-ecent
public events in this Province have revealed as respects
the management of the poor. We need some powerful
ballad-sarcasm such as awakened ]>ity for the ]iauper in
England, when Hood's Song of the Shirt, and Bridge
of Sighs were published ; some Dickens, to flagelate
the system that offers a premium to selfish men for re-
ducing the comforts of helpless o-)jects of misfortune.
Mr. Morrow was punctual in his visitation. Wear}*
as he often was, and wasting, as we now see, under a
vital maladv, he would find his wav th"ou<di storm
and simshine across the comujon to those subjects of
his sym|)athy. His preparation for this service was
always methodical, witli a view of simplifying <loctrinal
truth. And he carried more tlum his Bibl(> thither.
His large winter coat had amph> pockets for the pooi'.
Tt is said to have been a ju-etty sight when the ]iros-
perous merchant took a seat beside some ignorant and
complaining old man oi- woman, talking or singing
thevji into a better faith and tempei'. They lost nuich
sunshine when he died, those

" Homeless, iinir ii tluiiisMinl lioiiies,"

Another favourite place of service was tlie coloured
peoples place of worship. Ther*^ wei-e two of these in
the city, in whose pulpits he oft(ui preached. His
heart warmed with their enthusiasm in sung. Their

^ we
ropic
thore
ocent

let in

^•elate
or rc-
rtune.
yeavv
J (lev a
storm
ects of
-" was
rinal
tlier.
poor.

])VOS-

t and
no-ing
much

loiu'i'd
K'so in
His
Their

OUTSIDE WORK.

119

simplicity in receiving the Word gave him much satis-
faction. Once I accompanied him to the Zion Episco-
pal Church — adherents of the British Metliodist Epis-
copal body, found chiefly in Ontario. In fact my own
feelings were cnlir^ted in the same work from that
evening. I think I ow^e to that visit one of the most
interestinjjf occasions of mv life. In companv with the
delegates from our General Conf(M«.'nc(^ to that of the
M. E. C/hurch, in Baltimore, L attended sci'vice in the
old Bethel, the spiritual hirth-place, if I mistake not.
of some Halifax coloured peo])le, and thetiist religious
home of their Bishop, Mr. Dizney. In a commodioiis
place of worship there were present 800 or 1,000
persons, rJl coloured, except ourselves. The singing
was led by a large organ and a choir of perhaps thirty
voices. We declined to preach ; giving us an oppor-
tunity of hearing a geiuiine plantation sermon. A
Sacramental Service followed, in which we o-lndlv took
part. For an hour and a-half the congregation joined
in plantation singing, prompted by an old man who
walked in front of the altar, with great ani, nation.
There was no break l)etw('(>n verses or melodies ; but
by a peculiar linking on of spare notes from th(^ cho-
rister, the music proceeded, hands locked, bodies sway-
ing, teai'S falling, on every hand. This while the
eml)lems were beinu" disti'ibuted to hundreds of com-
numicants. Then came an exhortation, during which
an extraordinarv scene ensued. The Pastor had an-
nounced that the straiiirers were from Canada. This
awakened great interest. Baltimore, my reader wdll

120

LIFE OF JAMES R. MORROW.

1
I' !

i I

I ' *

know, w^as in the heart of Maryland, an old slave state.
The stumps of two or three wliippins]^-posts were still
in existence, not far from the (Jliurcli. Canada had
Ijeen the Canaan of the slave — his refuge, his first
hope, next to Heaven. There were i)ersons present
who had heard much — perhaps themselves tasted — of
Canadian hospitality, during the dark days before
Lincoln's Proclamation. And the thought of Can-
a<lians being amongst them was an inspiration which
soon had its etlect. It must have been the memory of
some such occasion which elicited the remarkable pas-
sage in Paubb epistle to the Galatians, "For I bear
you record, that, if it had been possil)le, ye would have
plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to
me." The worship of freedmen has meant much to
me ever since that day.

Among many tributes to the broad catholicity of
Mr. Morrow, the following, by a minister of Halifax,
is not the least discriminating and expressive : —

One bright Sabbath morning, as I walked up Plea-
sant street, Mr. Moitow met me aoinof south. The
familiar Bible was under his arm, the old thoujxhtful
look on his face.

" What is your destination this morning, Mr. Mor-
row ?

" I am g^ing to St. Matthew's."
" To St. Matthew's ? "

" Yes ; Mr. Gi'ant is away, and he requested me to
take charge of his Bible class."

The circumstance struck me as very characteristic of

!:■:

( ■

OUTSIDE WORK.

121

'lea-
The
itful

Lor-

lie

both men. Mr. Grant (now Doctor, and Principal of
Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario), was at that
time a leading spirit in all tlie public life of Halifax.
His church was a centre of great attraction. Young
people, many of them from country districts, and at
service or in shops^ Hocked to his galleries, his Sabbath
school, and his domestic receptions, in great numbers.
His Bible class w^as lai'ge and flourishing. There were
Presbyterian Professors who might have Ijeen called
in during his absence, and doubtless were so fre-
quently. But Mr. Grant did not greatly trouble him-
self as to sectarian preferences when any important
work was on hand. That he loved his Church, that
his Church loved him, was too apparent to need proof.
He was honoured with every privilege and promotion
in the gift of his l)rethren ; yet his presence and
address produced, perhaps, more enthusiasm among
other denominations than his own. This was chiefly
owing to the man's benevolent and catholic nature.
He had a warm appreciation of what was good in all
the Churches, and did not indulge in any spirit of
criticism over their defects. He had been known to
give letters of church-standing to his members leaving
the city, with the advice that they should join an
Arminian brotherhood, rather than attempt a solitary
religious life where no Presbyterian Church existed.
Such men are doing much for Christianity ; they are
shaming its prejudices and rebuking its narrow bigotry.
It is altoirether a mistake that one's own denomination
must sufter by the charity we cherish for others. In
8

:•' I

122

IJFE OF .lA.MFS P.. MijKKOW.

fact, the lesults must he taken in the invorse order ; a
denomination that is hampered by iUiberal sectaries
cannot make make mucli progress in this day of large-
hearted, reliffions union.

Mr. Morrow, again, was equally loyal to his own
denomination. Its claims he always considered first ;
he would not leave a prayer or class-meeting at home
to patronize the veiy best occasion among strangers.
But in his heart, his ]>rayerH, his speeches, other
Churches found a warm place. He could be faithful
to Methodism, without suffering it to bind fetters upon
him that might limit his influence and charity. He
did not

" To the fescination of a name
Surremlcr jiulgineut hoodwinkod."

All the ins and outs of Methodist doctrine and economy
he made himself acquainted with. This, indeed, was
absolutely necessary in the official positions he was
called to fill. He was a Methodist from intelligent
conviction ; and yet we find from cultured adherents
of other denominations such testimonies as this : —
" Mr. Morrow was a Methodist," says Rev. Robert Mur-
ray, editor of the Presbytenan Witness, "a very
sincere and a very enlightened Methodist. We have
often ht-ard him speak in public, we have often met
with him in private ; but we have never heard him
express any views with regard to the gospel of the
grace of God, with which the most thorough-going
Presbyterian could not fully agree." We have no

OUTSIDE WORK.

12S

der ; a
ctarics
' 1 argo-
ts own
1 first ;
b home
angers,
other
aithful
rs upon
y. He

ionomy
id, was
le "vvas
elligent
herents
this :~
rt Mur-
very
In have
,en met
ird him
of the
h-going
lave no

doubt that a similar testimony would be given by
others of the different Churches ; and it is a fine
tribute to his motives in religious work. It is more
than that — a positive argument for union. If a man
can thus stand perpetually before an enliglitencd Chris-
tian public for thirty years, giving the results oi liis
rich Biblical studies, and pouring out the bui-den of
his soul for sinners, without creating a single prejudice
in any hearer's mind, surely there is enough of broad,
general, and important truth which the Churches may
inherit as common property, and so be united and
thankful !

And so it happened that Messrs. Grant and Morrow,
a Calvinist and an Arminian, met on common ground,
when the Lord's work required them. With a world
sinking into ruins, they could bare their arms together,
like twin giants, and help to lift it up. With a moral
battle raging about them, they would have spurned
any intermeddling, captious sectary with Tom Moore's
indignant couplet —

" Shall I ask the brave soldier who fights by my side,
In the cause of mankind, if our creeds agree / "

This may be the right place to insert a characteristic
letter from Dr. Grant, bearing on our subject. It
breathes somewhat the atmosphere of the Great North-
West, such as a man meets travelling " from ocean to
ocean." It also gives evidence that, however indebted
he may be to Thomas Carlyle — we all remember the
" stoor " that proud admission created in Mr. Grant's

r- fl

■A

^'1

i
I

124

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

earlier days — he does not accept the conclusion of the

rare old [)hilosopher, that " Biograpliy is the most

universally pleasant, universally profitable, of all

reading."

Ql'EKn'.s L'NI\'i;k.sitv, Kingston Ont.,
2nd Novcmlier, 1880.
[ ;ini glad to liear that a memoir of Mr. Morrow is to lie pnldisheil,
tliougli as a rule nienioirs are not tlu' most interesting reading. *
* * I always felt tliat Morrow was a grand man, t)ie right
kind of man to have with yon anywliere, or at any time; luit I did
not know liim in private, or Imsiness, or [lolitieal life ; never trav-
elled or camped with him ; never ([uairelled ami maile it np again ;
and therefore luul not opportunities (jf seeing him in tlu)se eiieum-
stances in which a man is most a^it to reveal iiimself. In religious
meetings, usually only tliose features of character are seen in which all
Christians are pretty much alike ; and we learn nothing ilistinctive of
the man from these. lirif'My, however, I may say that from the be-
ginning of my acquaintance, he imi)ressed me as a man to be loved and
rested on ; one of tlie rare men we meet in this worUl of oddly-com-
pounded people ; a ('hristian gentleman, combining in himself strangth
and tenderness. Christian fervour and purity with the wise and broad
tolerance that is the fruit of a sympathetic nature, and from having
had experience of all sorts of men, and seen the good that there is in
the worst and the bad that abounds in the best. It always did me
good to look at him. I always read any remarks made by him, whether
in religious meetings, or Cham))er of Comnu.'nie, or elsewhere, that the
papers got hold of. He was a witness for (.'hrist ; and such are the
witnesses that the world needs in Imsiness circles, and in [)ulpits and
lirayer meetings, and the only witnetses that it will believe.

Yours sincerely,

Gf.o. M. Grant.

" /hile this letter was being penned in Ontario, an-
otiier testimony was speeding hither from the opposite
side of the globe, written by a former ministerial
associate of Dr. Grant, and supplying an estimate of

I of the
e most

of all

Jut.,

iu])lisheil,
ing. *
the ri^ht
lilt I did
•ver trav-
P again ;
L' ciiciiin-
leligious
wliicli all
iiu'tive of

II the be-
loved and
Idly-eoni-
fstraugth

nd broad

III having
lere is in
s did me
, -whether
, that the
1 are the
limits and

G KANT.

rio, an-
)pposite
listeria!
iiate of

OUTSIDE WORK.

125

Mr. Morrow's character, furnished hy opportunities of
companionship in travel, of which tlie doctor re<2;;rets
lie had heen dci)i'ive(l. Rev. Fraser Camphell, Pres-
l)yterian Missionary, writes from Crntral India, 25th

Nov., LScSO:—

"Mv Df.ak Mils. MoKKow-- ♦ • « I j"^.(.| tliat I must
send you a few lines from this f;u-ntV land, to express .something of
the love I bore your dear Inisbiuid. * * « Qjj^, meets so
very few like him, that his removal is the mure distressing, and the
more j)erple.\ing, too, in the sight of the ehurch'sand the world's great
need. There were combined in him so many exeelleiicies, whieh too
often have their beauty marreil by being found alone, or associated
with faults so closely resembling them, as to suggest the doubt as to
how far they are prints of the spirit, and how far natural traits. He
was so eariKist, yet so good-tempered ; so fearless in confessing Chiist
b}' word and act, and yet so unostentatious and natural in his profes-
sion ; so active in Christian work, and yet so attentive to his jtrivate
Imsiness ; so diligent in the world's ail'airs, and yet universally acknow-
ledg(;d to be so spotless in his integrity ; so gentle, swei-t, ami yielding
in what concerne(l only himself, and yet so decided and uncomjiro-
niising in what he saw to be his duty.

You may, ])erha]>s, remember that I onvc or twice had the pleasure of
travelling along with him, and then I got to know him more inti-
mately than in any other w;iy. He wns a delightful comiianiou — now
singing a hymn, with his musical and cultivated voice; now telling
some incident in his cxpeiicinc, and again ronversingon some s])iritual
or otlur theme. ( >ne pleasure in hearing him speak in puldic was from
the feeling that his words carricil siwh added force to those wlio knew his
life ; and it was such a comfort to liiid that one was able to hurl his
name at any person scotlingat the inconsistencies of [)rotessiiigr"luistians,
fearless of tlu.' least attemi>t to cast it liack cvi-n with an insinuation.

Allow me to say, that great as is your loss and that of your children,
it ineasures your matter for thankfulness. " * ♦ » »

One of his favourite texts was John iv, 14, " That
water that I shall give him .shall be in him," &c. He

4 !

i^l

■■l I

12fi

LFFE <>F .JAMES B. MORROW.

had its elements of doctrine well defined, under three
propositions. The gift offered by Josus, its plentitude,
its perpetuity. To show the circuit which this sermon
made, I will insert here the places and dates of its
delivery, as supplied by memoranda prefacing the
text :— Barracks, May, 1869 ; Sydney, July, 1869 ; Zion
Chapel, July, 1869 ; Dartmouth, August 29, 1869; Kay
Street, October 7,1869; Point Levi, October, 1877;
Metapcdia, 1877; Windsor, 1877. Whitfield himself,
whose ministry swept a continent in its course, and
who declared that a sermon only became thoroughly
enjoyable to the preacher when he had delivered it
a score of times, would not have been ashamed of the
above entry. In later years, as he obtained more
time for study, his thoughts as well as his services
took a wider range seldom repeating themselves.
Mr. McLean and he have held services in every town
and village in Nova Scotia, excepting one or two
counties; and the other provinces received not a little of
his attention. Methodist preachers are proud of their
itinerancy ; but there is not one of every ten in our
ranks who had covered as much ground in his minis-
try as did James B. Morrow. We shall find him
preaching on the slopes of the Pacific, and whispering
gospel consolation in the latitude of the Dardenelles.
Mr. Morrow's admirers will expect to find in these
pages some preservation of his style in public address.
Unfortunately the power of faithfully transmitting a
sermon to posterity is among the lost arts, if indeed it
ever had an existence. Words are easily written ; ges-

OUTSIDK WORK.

127

ges-

tures are easily described. But who shall enter the
regions of the spirit-world so as to detect and describe
the subtle influences by which a mother's eye and
voice bring solace to the distressed babe ; or, more mys-
terious still, the processes by which the Holy Spirit
takes merely human words and applies them to the
divinest purposes ? We have Chalmers' sermons, in
some instances word for word ; but have they lost
anything ? Read tliem, or let them be read ; do they
pierce and penetrate, do they call multitudes to their
feet, or fill the heart with comfort or sorrow, as when
he delivered them ? Whitfield in print is a very differ-
ent thing from Whitfield in the pulpit. Thus, though
Mr. Morrow was neither a man of overwhelming pul-
pit power, nor an evangelist speeding over islands and
continents with the Word of Life, he had his own
measure of usefulness, and no man can define it. He
w^as not eloquent, if we are to take the word in its
popular signification. But he wielded an influence in
public addi'ess which is not always given to even
popular men. A very intimate friend declares that,
while prevented from reacliing Halifax to attend his
funeral, his sympathies w^ere quickened, instead of
being: subdued, bv tindiuL; himself at a distance of
a hundred miles or more from the scene of mourn-
ing. He met a sorrow for the dead even to him
unexpected. The station-master of a remote village
assured him that a young man had just been in, com-
pletely smitten by tlie telegrams respecting Mr.
Morrow^'s sad decease. On enquiry it was found

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128

LIFE OF JAMES H MORROW.

that lie had hecn reclaimed from a sinful life through
an address which he had heard Mr. Morrow deliver on
one of his flyinf^ visits to the country. ^Vhether a
"style" which })roduces s\ich results he termed plain,
or commonplace ; glowing, or ehxiucnt, matters little.
It does good, and is ahiding ])ulpit work. A l)iographer
of Sir Astlcy Cooper descrilu'S a curious interview be-
tween that great surgeon and the surgeon en chef of the
French empire. A certain wonderful fept of surgery
was the topic of conversation.

"How often have you performed it?" asked the
Frenchman.

"Thirteen times," replied Sir Astley.

" Ah, but, Monsieui", 1 have done him one hundred
and sixty times. How many times did you save his
life?" continued the curious Frenchman, after he had
looked into the blank amazement of Sir Astley 's face.

"I," said tlie Englislnnan, "saved eleven out of t1ie
thirteen. How many did you save out of one hundred
and sixty ? "

"Ah, monsieur, I lose them all: hut de operation ivas
very hrillid/tit."

There is another than the surgical profession that
operates for human life. In that too it is quite possi-
ble to measui'e success by the l)rilliancy of the opera-
tion rather than the lunnber saved from death.

As the last address delivered by Mr. Moirow, how-
ever, and illustrating, in some mea.sure, his method in
using the Bible as its own expositor, I insert a brief
report taken from the papers, whose ever-vigilant

OUTRIDE WORK.

129

the

enterprise Roui,'lit to furnish tlie Halifax pnhh'c with
every possible endearinf^Mncniento of a man they loved
so well. My reader will not rctjuire any further
assurance tliat the sketch is hut an imperfect outline
of that order of discourses which lie delivered im-
promptu when necessity demanded them. The extract
is from a newsimper of Septendjer 17th, 1680 : —

The last Y.M.C.A. Sorvice attondcd by the Into Mr. J. H. Morrow,
was at AssociiitioTi Hall, yostcnlay week. Tlir iiudiciicc was a siuall
l)Ut apprci'iativt' one. Mr. Morrow jtrcsidcd, and after K'^''"K out a
hyiim and olloring jtray<?r, road and o.\{daiiio(l in a most iinprossivc
manner, the one liundrod an<l sixteenth I'salni : "A good many years
ago," he said, "I reinondx-r there was a iianoramie sliow in Halifax,
and views on the Missis.sipiii were seen. "^'ou eould start from New
Orleans and go to St. Louis, or from St. Louis to New Orleans. As
the canvas rolled Itefore us, the s(!enes on ea(di side of the riviT wer**
shown — the steamers passing and re-jiassing eaeh other. 1 have
thought that this chapter is David's life, like the river r(dling liefore
us, and here and there through it we sec the stopping-jdaees. He lie-
gins : "I love the Lord because He hath heard my vniee and my sup-
plications. Ikcauso He hath inclined His ear unto me, thercloi'c will
I call upon Him as long as I live." H' we couM read the original, we
would tind that it meant something more than simply, "1 Inve the
Lord." The idea is the .same as in i'salm xlv. " My heait is inditing a
good matter," or, as the margin has it, " Uoileth, or V>ubl)leth up."

HIS IIKAKT WAS Fl'LI, OF KllATmHK

to God, so that it seemed to run over. Li the third vei.se, lie tidls us
some of his past experiences : "The sorrows of death eompasscd me,
and the pains of hell gat hold upon me; I found troulile and sorrow "
Who of us have not experienced this ? Trouble and sorrow takes hold
upon us all. What did David do ? "Then 1 called uj^on the name of
the Lord ;" and he gives us his prayer "oh Lord, I beseech Thee,
deliver my soul." He does not tell us in what way the Lord answered
him, but we know from the .succeeding verses tliat he was answered,
for he says, "Gracious is the Lord and merciful. The Lord preservetb

130

LIFE OF JAMKS H. MORROW.

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the Hiiiiple ; " or tlio littlt; ones. " I was brought low nnd He liclped
me." "Return unto thy rest, my soul ;" rest tliysolf in Oo»! as a
babe lies trustingly in its mother's arms. "For the Lord liatli dealt
bountifully with thee." " I believed, thendore have I sitoken, I was
greatly afllicted, I said in my hastt^ all men aie liars." Then the
I'salmist bursts forth again into thanksgiving. " ^Vhat shall I render
unto the Lord for all His benefits ! " This may be taken in two ways.

TKOUHLKS MAY HE CALLED ItENKFlTS.

Affliction is for our good. l)avid says, " liefore I was alllieted 1 went
astr.ay, but now I have ke]»t Thy word ; " and we know "Whom the
Lord loves he ehastens. " Alany can thank CJod for aiflietion. I think
I can say this in my own case. In fact I am sure that had it not been
for trouble at a certain stage of my life it might have been very dilfer-
ent with me now. I should not probably have been here. David
thanked tln^ Lord for his alllictions— they worked for his good. I re-
member some time ago 1 was in Saekville, and was talking to an
infidel, or rather he was talking to me, for he did the principal j»art of
the talking. Ho was s])eaking of the great Saxby storm and the
amount of dam.ge it did, and lie could not see liow it worked for
good. Hut although it certainly did much liarm, it carried away a great
deal of debris and other matter, and did the land much good, so that
the following year there was a wonderful cic)]i. 'J'liercfor<', it all worked
lor good. So with (iod's dealings ; and Daviil could say, " What shall
I render unto the Lord tor all His benelits to me ?" And 1 wish you
to notice that

IT LS A I'KUSOXAL >:A\Ti«;(

"to me " not to somebody else. If Christ n;\d died for everybody else
in the world l)ut me, then I might have no reason for thankfulness, or it
would be a peculiar kind of thankfulness. But He did die for vir, and
" What shall I render unto the Lord for all His goodness to me ? " In
connection with this Mr. M. read a I'salm and a verse in James: —
" Every good anil perfect gift cometh from above." Then what have
we that we can give (Jod since He has given us all we have. David
says, " I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of
the Lord." The reference here is to a custom in the East. Wheu
families met together a cup of wine was hamlcd round and drank by
each in turn, in token of thauk.sgiving. We must render thanks to

OUTSIDE WORK.

131

God. We must give Him ourselves, saving, "Lord I give Thee my-
self."

Just a.i I am, without one pica

Rut that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou hids't me come to Thee,

O Lamb of (lod, I come.

Mr. Morrow's address was delivered with great earnestness, and pro-
duced a marked impression on the audience, not one of whom for
moment entertained the idea that that was the last atldrcss he was to
deliver in that building— the Association— to the b\ii!dingup of which
he had devoted such a large portion of his time and thought.

CHAPTER X.

OVERWORK AND RECREATION.

':'■ Jl;

I am sure, care is an enemy to life. —Shah'spmre.

And tlie cares tliat infest the clay
Shall fold their tents like tlie Arabs,
And as silently steal away.

— Lnwifcllow.

NCIDENTAL to tlic maiuu'einent of the Cnnard
establishment, at Halifax, were occasional de-
mands for great exertion, and the severest
strain upon human sympathy, through the misfortunes
of the sea. Two incidents of this kind, which have
become familiar and most att'ccting e})isodes in our
provincial hi^ t jry, were closely interwoven with Mr.
Morrow's life, inasmuch as they gave a sombre colour-
inof to his subse(|nent vears, heh)i]ii>* as thev did to lav
the foundation of a deadly' and subtle malady. By
comparing dates, the reader will see the clo.scst con-
nection between those periods of mental and physical
prostration which (U^manded that he should seek abso-
lute rest and change of scene to avoid fatal conse-

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OVERWORK AM) RECRKATION.

13n

quences, and the exciting circumstances of this kind
which I will atte.npt to narrate. It will be noticed,
too, that they both happened in the same month, April,
and at junctures in his very complicated relations to
business when he was ill prepared to meet the exces-
sive demand they were sure to make on his very
sensitive nature.

On a morning- in A])ril, l.S()6, rumours w^ere floating
al)out the streets of Halifax that cholera had made its
appearance among the .shipping in the harbour. It
soon proved that one of the International Steamships
— the E)i(jland — from Liverpool, bound to New York,
with twelve hundred passengers, had come to anclior
outside of McNab's Island, reporting one hundred and
sixty cases (jf cholera on board. It was impossible to
prevent excitement and alarm in the city ; every at-
tempt at secrecy only helped to magnify the fears that
were abroad. Mr. Morrow was early in the agitation.
As Agent, in such cases, nothing could be decided
without consulting him. He went down to the ship.
A boat laden with dead bodies was at the stern, wait-
ing for interment. Thirty patients were under treat-
ment. Without attempting to l)oard, he returned, and
set about the sad task of fighting death at arm's length.
The health oflicer of the port, Dr. John H. Slayter,
met the dread responsibilites of the moment, and shut
himself out in (juarantine with the sick and dying.
Mr. Morrow drove with him all that morning before
entering on his secluded task, purchasing necessary
articles, advising, and encouraging the doctor. ** It

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LIFE OF JAMES 15 MORROW.

was a sad drive," he would say afterward, " for who
could tell whether poor Slayter would ever return to
us ? " " God only knows whether I shall ever come
back," the doctor had said to his companion. The
presentiment was verified. Mr. Morrow frequently
went toward the ship and conversed with the captain
at a distance. On one of those gloomy days ho saw
Dr. Slayter. There was snow falling as the brave
physician presented himself at the ship's side, his
sleeves rolled up to the elbow. After giving directions
as to things required, he said — " I must not stay ; it is
work, work, work ! " In a few hours after this inter-
view, he was seized with cholera and soon died. When
all was over, and the devotion of sanitary and medical
science had added a dearly-bought victory to its
achievements, it was admitted that a most malignant
type of disease had, for some time, been baffling the
genius of doctors on board and the agents ashore. On
the morning of the eleventh day — not till then — the
dead bodies were removed from the ship's stern to a
place of burial. Other doctors had volunteered mean-
time ; heroes they were, all of th(^m. But the tension
on Mr. Morrow's nerves through all that dreadful
period, had the effect of seriously disturbing a physical
organization never very robust.

During the closing months of this year there are
traces of the cholera disaster apparent in his corres-
pondence. An occasional run to the country for a day
or two brought no permanent benefit. Nature had
been clearly beaten down to a point so low that, with

I a

OVKinVORK AND Ul-XUr. VllON

135

work foicvor piessiiio-, uiily a change- jt scene for
weeks or months v.'ould persuade its reco\'ery. Hence
orijjinatcd his first ii-enuhie vacation since enterinj^^ the

or? o

second period nt Canard's.

A pocket nieniorandum-hook, sufficiently attractive
to give promise of brilliant entries, and with Itinding
to I'etain them as an heirloom f(^r ao'es^ v.as opened
with the following- heading" :

" Narrative of a rieasiiro Tour, from Halifax, X. S, to Europe, iu
1867, by J. I). Morrou', accompanied by his bclovoil wife, and their
daughter Mary.

" Having been for thirtern years constantly employed iu duties more
or less onerous, meeting oflice demands a good deal by night as well as
by day, aud during this period having no relaxation beyond an oc-
casional week's holiday in the summer season, my medical adviser
suggested the propriety of my taking a trip to Europe. The kind
Piovidence of God opening the way, by giving health to my family,
and removing various other difficulties, I am now about to carry out
this proposal. In f^ommencing to note down the incidents of my
travels, I first render devout thanks to Almighty CJod for His goodness
and mercy to me and mine. \ formally commend them aud myself to
His Divine protection and guidance, that He may iiave us all in His
holy keeping, bless and preserve those we have left behind, and restore
us to them iu good time. And finally, as a family, may we all be
joined together iu Heaven, never to part again. Amen."

This was a promising commencement. The Diary,
opened on July 18, lcS67, proceeds to August 8th, and
there abruptly terminates. What v.^as manifestly in-
tended for fauuly reading during subseciuent happy
hours around the hearth at home, soon assumes a more
philosophic tone, and finally enters into a somewhat
minute digest of certain sermons to which the party

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136

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

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had listened, or a comparative estimate of the appear-
ance and situation of provincial preachers who had re-
turned to England. The l)Ook soon found a congenial
aptitude. Its after pages are literally crowded with
passages of scripture, many of them indexed for pur-
poses that cannot now well be understood. Indeed
this was no uncommon fate with his memo, books.
He has left others evidently intended for records con-
nected with his classes and other duties, which in time
had to submit to the common fate of textual entries
and comments. So sacred to him was the work of
preaching the gospel that every spare moment was
given to reading, and all that reading turned at length
to one point of the intellectual and moral compass.
He was —

" No Sabbath -drawler of old saws,
Distillt'd from some worm-caukered homily ;
But spurred at heart with fiercest energy
To embattail and to wall about his cause
With iron-worded proof, hating to hark
The humming of the drowsy pulpit drone
Half God's good Sabbath."

The only question admitting of doubt, which I meet
among many opinions sent in by my correspondents, is
as to his pulpit abilities. Most of his intellectual
hearers, how^ever, gave him credit for excellent talent;
though few even of that class were aware of the extent
to which diligent, conscientious, laborious preparation,
had qualified him for his public addresses. It would
have been altogether remarkable if such habits had

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OVERWORK AND UfXREATlON.

137

not produced special results. One discourse on
"Judah's Captivity," occupying forty-four closely
written pages of a large memorandum book, is itself
sufficient to rank him with the foremost Biblical
thinkers in the Provinces. It is throughout a masterly
piece of research and reasoning.

On the 15th of August, he writes home that he has
fallen on wonderful lore ; at Bristol, Mr. Joseph Foy's
collection of old Bibles, some of very rare editions, a
few, the only copies in existence of the kind, had
touched a dormant antiquarian passion.

Fortunately, there w^ere other diligent hands in the
company, to which we are indeljted for a literary pano-
rama of the journey. European travel has, now-a-
days, no great marvels to divulge to American readers ;
the essence of all that was historically and artistically
precious, however, seems to have come under the ob-
servation of these travellers. The Crystal Palace,
Goldsmith's Hall, St. Paul's, Westminster, and kintlred
places in London ; celebrated preachers and peculiar
services, high and low, at St. Albans', and Spurgeon's
Tabernacle, by contrast; then to Calais and Paris,
where the usual varied experience of hotel life l)reaks
the monotony of conunon-place atlairs. At the latter
city " the little Methodist Chapel " and " the Grand
Exposition " are equally appreciated. In the former,
" at the close of a good sermon, partook of the com-
munion, and much enjoyed it ; " at the latter, for three
days, there were the usual l)ewildering and exciting

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IJFE OF JAMES 1{. MORROW,

observations, to be treasured up in the storehouse of
memory, as an unending fan)ily gratilication.

This trip covered a period ox two months, wlien the
family were reunited in the old home, Mr. Morrow
having taken, to all appearance, a new lease of life. It
was soon to be more seriously interrupted. One other
such shock was to undermine the tenement, and hasten
its aV)rupt and lamentable fall.

Before recordinj, the event by which his nervous
enei'gies were noain taxe<l to a degree that predisposed
him to a sul)tle foi n o^. iaterual disease, we nmst fill
up a very interesting period.

In a letter already referred to, we have seen that a
message was expected by him from England, ordering
his departure for Nevada. This territory, now one of
the United States, had attracted the attention of cap-
italists, on both Continents, as a silver-producing
region. From 1859 to 18G9 the value of its silver
products was set down at .^187/382,000. Mr. Morrow,
as confidential agent, consented to proceed thither in
the interests of certain shareholders in England. He
left Halifax on the 4th of May, 1872, accompanied by
Mr. William ]). Sutherland. On May 81st, they report
themselves at Salt Lake City. On the 21st of June,
Mr. Morrow writes from San Francisco. He arrived
home about the end of July. Much of the journey
was through a country of absorbing interest. Though
guide-books are numerous and cheap, thus rendering
inexcusable, to-day, any prolix details of natural
wonders anywhere, yet there is fore^'er a charm in the

'Ma

OVERWORK AND RECREATION,

1:^9

Juno,
wived
)urney
liougb
lei'ing
atural
ill the

original, indepciKlunt narrative of a traveller who
keeps his eyes and wits ahout him. There are pas-
sages of singular l)eauty in a few letters of that time
which we find among our fragmentary papers. Take
the following — a scene approaching Wyoming terri-
tory :—

"As we rapidly advanced into this territory, brush
and harreiis take the place of farms and prairies. Tlie
mountain tops are looming in the distance, snow-cap-
ped and majestic, glistening in the sun, or relieved by
the shadows. A glimpse here and there of Chinese
railway labourers, reminds us that we are approach-
ing ' the land of the setting sun.' 8u<ldenly our
passengers, weary from the journey, wake as from a
dream, as a view, like some ancient fable, l)ursts upon
our vision. It defies all powers of language. Change
upon change greets the astonished observers, and elicits
repeated exclamations of wonder. Ranges of hills
succeed each other, lying almost at right angles with
the track, their points jutting out as if they would
hem us in. Chasms, valleys, rocks worn into gio-
tesque figures, which fancy shapes into eagles, lions,
giraffes, and the gods of fable. One is well defined to
represent a woman sitting with a cat in her lap.
Helmeted soldiers, serried battlements, are passed by
in rapid succession, until one wearies of the panoi'ama
and wonders whether it is all reality or a very vivid
dream."

A letter, dated " South Camp, Star J3isti'ict, June
Oth, 1872," gives the writer's views of Mormonism.

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TJFE OF JAMES ]?. MORROW.

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He was in cainp, " in the centre of a canon, or
gulch aw^ay in the distance the snow-capped range of
tlie Wasatcli " — a glorious scene in which to spend a
Sabbath, though the company around was anything
but reverent, far away as they were from the restraints
of civilization : —

" I iun a good deal disappointed witli Mornionism," runs tlie letter.
" Though I had foimed no exalted conception of it, j^et I expected
some show of religion, and supposed that, notwithstanding peculiarities
and possible extravagancies, tliere would be much to admire, lint the
more I see of it, the more I am disgusted. The Capital — Salt Lake
City consists of small houses, and scattered, except in one or two prin-
cipal streets. There are few buildings having any pretension to res-
pectability in size or appearance, F'-m the adjoining hills, the city
looked like a large area of cani})s, widely apart, scarcely picturescpie.
Our hotel was promising in ap])earance, but alfording only miserable
fare."

He made the acquaintance of a family originally
from England, and learned that, " though once Mor-
mons, they had ' apostasized,' " and, like many of
similar position, gone into Infidelity, or something
w^orse than Paganism. Stories of Mormon cruelty
were still told, but " with bated breath." Polygamy
was a bane and a curse.

" Leaving out, altogether, the question of morality, on which,
however, a great deal might be said, Polygamy is a withering institu-
tion. One man cannot support several wives and families, so that the
result in many cases is misery and starvation, the women toiling like
slaves for bread. There are Gentiles in the streets ; but if you see an
ugly, half-witted woman, you may set her down without hesitation aa
a Mormon. Generally, among a Mormon's wives, the old lady looks
like a Tartar."

Wi. .i,l

OVERWORK AND RECREATION.

141

hing

A namesake, " General Morrow, sent in command of
troops, practically to watcli the Mormons," a genuine
American, though of Irish oi'igin, is introduced, and
affords an exceedingly pleasant season of converse : —

" I wt'iit to the Tiibernat'lt' on Suiulay morning. Hisliop Taylor pro-
fessed to speak on his reasons for being a Mormon, but the address con-
victed him of being a self-righteous Pharisee. He had not been a bad
man ; never killed any one, &c. There was no allusion to repentance, or
justification by faith, or peace with God. He spoke of everything but
religion. I want no stronger proof of the hollowneiis and instability
of Monnonism. He preached professedly to the Gentiles, but it was a
mixture of pre- umption, blasphemy, aiul ignorance, and I think btiue-
fitted neither Clentile nor ]\Iormon. The Tabernacle, built to hold
13,000 peo[)le, had not more in its audience than 2,000."

We have glimpses, too, of camp life at the Silver
Mines of Nevada : —

** In the camp we live 'in clover.' Our cook dresses beefsteak suit-
able for an epicure, places omelets on the ta])le that wouhl do no
discredit to the best restaurants of Paris. Our biscuits are superb, our
coftee clear as amber, and the English breakfast tea riniUy a ndish.
Our days are spent visiting the hills ; our party have killed two adders
and a rattlesnake, of which species there are plenty. Lizards are
everywhere, though harmless, and I got quite to like them. They are
active little creatures, and their motions ([uiti; interesting. Doors
and windows are left wiile o[)cu at night. Lift; is something after the
military style — prompt, regular ha1)its throughout. Delightful
days, peaceful nights — truly, an oasis in the desert of a commercial
man ! "

And what of the character, the habits of thought,
the vows and purposes, of the true religious life which
formed so marked a part in Mr. Morrow's existence ?
Did he leave these at home ? Was the Christian

142

LIFE OF .lAMES 15. MnRRoW.

mcrii^ed in the wondering travoller, in the exliilarjited
admirer, (hu'ini^ that kind of life which is said to send
the l)lood coursini'' witli new (MK.'ru-y thromi'li the veins ?
I have said notliin^^ of the l>i1)le ; Imt it is always in
his narrative. And so fai- from disLjnisinLf his true
relation to Christ and His cause, we come upon this
entry to confirm our coniidence : —

" It was my liajiitiiicss to ('Oiiduct a serinoii with tlie miners on
Siimla}'. All sccmcil vciy miicli amused wlieii I ^^iV(^ tlie iioticM^ ; Imt
the serious countenanees ami eaniesl looks of iii}- aiKlieiiee gavc! me
reason to lio^x- that it was not without good results."

It needed only tliat this word should he ad<led to
show how consistent was the Local Preacher in his
work, and how vast the rano-e of his voice and intlu-
cnce.

I remember Mr. Morrow as he entered on this
journey, havini^' joined him on the railway as far as
Sliul)enacadia ; and the change which was so apparent
on his return, from wanness and weariness to his old
sprightly self, is among my pleasant recollections.

During tlie winter of 1S72-.S, perplexities in the
business of which he was manager, gave Mr. Morrow
much anxiety and toil. Days and nights of laborious
application reduced his health to a degree which ren-
dered it inevitable that change and rest must be con-
templafccd. Instead of this, there came such a shock
— a repetition of troubles, indeed — as reduced him to
the very lowest extremitj''.

On the 1st of April, there were rumours in the
streets of Halifax that a steamer had been wrecked

OV^ERWOKK AM) UKCREATIOX.

I l^.S

soiiicwliure on the coast, and one or two lives lost. The
report was rei^arded as an "All Fool's-day " story by
most pers(jns. The evenin^,^ papers, liowever, were
more definite and empliatie ; they announced that a
steamer had I )een wrecked, and several had perished.
Mr. Morrow was called up, after retirini^ for tiie night,
to liear a story whicli, even at this late day, fills the
listener with awe and horror. The third otHcer of the
steamer Atlantic, White Star Line, had arrived in
town, bruised, worn out, abnost speechless, re(|uesting
assistance for his comjjanions in dire extremity. The
steamer left Liverpool, Enu^land, on the 20th of March,
bound for New York. Her passengers and crew^ num-
bered in the aggregate one tliousand souls. (Japt.
Williams, othcei' in cliarge, lieaded tlie sliipfor Halifax
to obtain coal — this was on the 81st of March ; and on
the following: morning at two o'clock, she struck Marr's
Rock, on the bleak coast, 22 miles west of Halifax.
The only boat attempted to be launche<l was full of
people, when a sudden lurch of the steamer crushed
her and her precious burden beyond recovery. That
fatal lurch was the begirniing of renewed sorrows.
Gradually the wreck was all but subm ^^od ; her
bow and masts alone remained above water. Numbers
of passengers never left their state-rooms ; those who
did reach the deck were swept off, till of one thousand
persons only two hundred and lifty remained. Cries
of anguish mingled with the wild winds and soughing
waves. There was much true courage shown in res-
cuing the survivors. Some of the details, indeed, are

144

LIFE OF .lAMKS 15. MORlUnV.

preserved on I'ecord, as among the proudest instances
of true darin<' wliich luunanity can l)oast. But even
on land, recovered from deatli in one of its most ter-
ri])le forms, tliere was still sutKcie.nt miseiy in prospect
for the small proportion of passengers who remained.
The shore everywhere was covered witli fragments of
the wreck, dea<l bodies, clothing, pieces of wood —
dreadful in their confusion, and even more so when
aftei'wards the corpses were arranged for purposes of
identification and burial. Turning from this sad scene,
the survivors found only a poor, though hospitable
district before them. Life still depended (m immediate
help.

This was all that could be told; and it was enough!
The night was stormy, winds high, with heavy rain,
making the roads leading to the scene of disaster very
bad. Mr. Morrow at once d''^ssed and went out to
make arrangements for a steamboat to proceed to
Prospect with despatch, carrying provisions, wine,
clothing and other necessaries. He drove in a cab to
the place of woe and death. His descriptions afterward
told how harrowing to his own feelings were all the
circumstances. The shore was strewn with dead
bodies ; these had been robbed of any valuables they
possessed. Drunkenness and profanity made the night
more hideous. " It seemed," said Mr. Morrow, " like
hell upon earth, so fearful the language, so fiendish
the acts of wicked men, all surrounded as they were
by the suffering and the dead." Of course, there were
redeeming features with all this — tender hands,

OVERWORK AND RECREATION.

14.3

prayei'ful hearts, «loini(, saying, what was possihle, to
bring cuint'ort and rcstor*' life.

An incident wliicli came luider my own notice may
assist in ait'ording some idea of tlie excitement wliicli
tliis appalling sliipwreck occasioned in Halifax. T was
stationed at Dartmouth at the time. Crossing the
ferry-l)oat one day, a man who lm<l just returned
from the scene of <lisaster was relating to an eager
group the details of what he had heard and seen ; —
the voyage, the crash, the superhuman att(Mnpts to
reach land, the devouring sea and its dreadful work,
and finally the shore, with Its awful display of
v/reckage and dead liodies. At this point he leaped to
his feet, as if to escape some horrible vision, exclaiming,
" My God, the children ! " Ranged in line on the beach,
their dear little hearts still in death, their hands
crossed on their breasts, a sweet smile or a twinge of
anguish, having photographed itself on each face,
according: to the condition in which death had seized
them ; the sight of these innocents had followed the
man, as it did many, many ]>esides, turning gaiety
into melancholy, dreams into horril)le nightmare.
Several persons walked for some days of that week on
the verge of insanity ; indeed it was known that one or
two really crossed the boundary. The reader may
imagine the effect of all this on the sensitive, over-
WTought system of a man who was obliged, from his
responsible relation to the circumstances, to stay and
think and contrive amid a thousand heart-rending asso-
ciations.

•lii

]
till

146

LIFE OF JAMFS I?. MORROW.

" For many djiyK Mr. Arorrow was fully occupicfl, f,'oiiit,' liaokwanls
and forwards, rect'iviiit,^ and answcriii^^ k-ltcrs rt'lativc to the dead.
Often he could give no inforniatiun. He would aci'(iiu|iaiiy fiiend.s who
were searching for lost ones; suiierintcnd the burial (jf bodies un-
claimed ; and so on, until he was eom[)letely worn out, seemed to
have lost the power to sleep, and was never well again. Indeed, he
kept getting worse and worse, until he detennineil to have home for
change of scene.

"All th(! cireumstaiK.'es of this jteriod agi'ee in rei)resentiiig his ease
as having been exceedingly critit'al. 'Health gave way completely,' is
!Mr.s. j\Iorrow's recollci^tion of that trying time. ' Fears were ent<'r-
tained that he would never physically be fit for much again. Withal,
his faith grew weak ami for some time he seeme(l to rest under a cloud.
lie became for a season irregular in his attendance ujion the religious
services and was often mmdi cast down in sjiirit. This was the only
period in our marrietl life when I ever knew him to yield t()dis(;ouiagt!-
ment.' ' The night before we started for New York, cii ruutr to
England,' writes his son James, ' father was more i'om]iIet(dy broken
down, iihysically ami mentally, than 1 ever saw him. it seemed as if
the strain had been so great that his mind must give way. We sat
writing, he dictating, and I acting as his amanuensis, till \) o'<doi'k in
the morning. At times he could scarcely collfct his thoughts ; it a[)-
peared as if his mind ahnost refused to work.' "

This gave but a sad outlook. After a few liours re-
freshing sleep, however, father and son were otf for
England, on the 15th of January, ls74. Business
cares were thrown aside, ehan of scene and companion-
ship brought a degree of iV /Urable reaction ; so that
by the time they had fairly endjarked for Britain, sun-
shine began to steal gradually back upon the deepening
gloom. The hills of Old Ireland were verdant, its air
invigorating, and this added to the promise of recovery.
Thence to London, taking Glasgow and Liverpool on
the way. After spending two weeks at the greatest of

LI:, is

OVERWORK AND RECREATION.

147

mo'lern Enolisli cities, they proceeded to the Mediter-
ranean, whose climate, Itoui Gibraltar to the Dardanelles,
was surely Elysiiun to a weary, worn invalid, but re-
cently passed out from under the shadows of winter
cIoud« in North America.

Ever watchful to gather favourable omens of his
father's health, James writes home in encouraging
mood. There weresignsof the old self returning. Father
was sure to bo on the bridge, when making a harbour,
l\'je})ing a good look-out for landmarks; the captain
pleased to find an extra man on the look-out beside
him. The passengers recognized " the American gen-
tleman " as a superior oreler of passenger — looked up
to and respected him — placing all arrangenuints in his
hands when some special treat was under contempla-
tion. Best evidence of returning health was the fact
that the strong religious instinct was asserting its
supremacy. He found among the deck passengers
certain Aral>s — " dirty, unkempt fellows " — whose ab-
lutions Tom Hood would li.ive described as performed

" With invisible soaj)
In iiiipei'ccptiblo wiiter,''

only one of whom could interpret between themselves
and the American, and that in mongi'el French. One
of these unclean companions was suliering painfully
from infiamniation, produced by a gold ring which had
tightened cruelly about a swollen finger, Mr. Morrow
went to his state-room for water an<l soap, cleansed the
parts, and cut the ring, very dexterously going through

iliM

'' '

8 fir

rfri

148

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

the difficult operation. Next morning the interpreter
was at liis door ; one of the Arabs was sick. In vain
Mr. Morrow protested he was no doctor ; the inter-
pieter laughed, looked incredulous, and refused to
leave. The good Samaritan yielded, produced some
homa^pathic globules, and returned to his state-roon
The Arab quickly recovered. This was all that was
necessary to establish the doctor's fame ! His sym-
pathy of heart often made for him rather troublesome
friends.

Another passenger — " a tough, smoke-dried speci-
men of humanity " — kept aloof from every one, cynical
and morose. Mr. Morrow found use for his Spanish,
though somewhat rusty. They were soon on familiar
terms ; and we may be sure that the Gospel of the
grace of God was for once tenderly dispensed to this
self-estranged child of a once proud people. They
never thence missed their morninoj chat throufT^hout the
voyage, till the Spaniard landed at Gibraltar.

There were fdeams of lifjlit in the " dark aG:es."
While the Bible was sealed, and superstition, forever
distorting the truth, introduced saints of doubtful
repute to take the place of Christ, there was still left
faith in the angels, as observers and friends of
humanity, while enduring trial, or struggling for
virtue.

" One, the Teacher and Reprover,

Marks each heaven-deserving deed ;

Graves it with the lightning's vigour,

Seals it with the lightning's speed ;

OVERWORK AND RECREATION. 149

For the good that man achieveth —

Good beyond an angel's doubt —
Such remains for aye and ever,

And cannot be blotted out."

It is quite probable that these very Arabs believed
in the Al Sigil of the Koran, keeping a complete
record of every man's life, embracing thoughts and
deeds, good and bad. They would look forward to the
rolling up of the scroll at a man's death, to be repro-
duced at the resurrection.

But it w^as the Lord himself who saw that trem-
bling, l)ewildered, smitten Saul, in a lone room at
Damascus, and broke in upon the dreams of Annanias,
directing him to seek out the penitent — " For behold
he prayeth ! " Ah ! there is a better than recording
angel still watching over those eastern lands, who will
ensure that words from a western messenLCer to " as
many as trade by the sea," shall not be lost !

For several weeks there w^as now an active corres-
pondence, conveying information of places, objects,
and persons of distinction, so thoroughly Oriental that
western readers would find the letters more than in-
teresting. Malta, with its famous traditions, its relics
of the knitjhts of chivalrous ajjfes, and its barbarous
religious customs. One of these customs in Monastic
life was " rather hideous. Preserving the remains of
the brethren, they pu'.; them in the ground for a
year, then simply cook them. The complete skeleton,
nails, muscles, and skin, are there ; and though the
effect could hardly be classed witli the beautiful, the

'fi

■1*1:

tit

■i 1

150

LIFE OF JAMES 1?. MORROW.

general outline of the huniaii t'onu was well retained.
One had died as recently as ISOl." Marvellous tastes
have those old Capaehins ; though this particular
usage extends to the laity in some eastern cities, as for
instance Palermo. Here are to l)e seen, in select vaults,
the mortal remains of men, women, and chihh-en, fully
attired, even down to kid gloves ; some recumbent,
some erect, all labelled witli names and dates. Every
year or two, affectionate relatives go to thi;m on feast
days, and renew the clothing and gloves, enjoying
much consolation and amusement, too, in an occupation
which would fill western peo])le with awe and lamen-
tation.

Constan anople comes next, far-famed for "dogs
and women." One of these "infidels" siii'lis that the

faithful a.-e " so incomprehensibly narrow " as to
prohibit other than a near relative from behohling a
woman's face ! It is tliought a dreadful doom that
" a man may live and die in the midst of a throngino-
population, without having gazed upon more than half
a dozen of the opposite sex." But the writer has his
revenge, and pronounces them " no doubt anything
but handsome ! " Passino- through the Dardanelles,
they have a snowstorm, reminding them of home.
There is a grand Sultanic show on the Bosphorous.
"A gun, signalling the departure of the Sultan, came
booming over the water. As if by magic, the Turkish
ships of war manned yards and displayed an uninter-
rupted array of Hags from stem to stern. The Sultan's
caicpie rounds the point, followed l»y six boats, pulling

i\i

OVERWORK xVND RECREATION.

151

the
to

a fine stroke. The rf)\vfrs in the Sultan's bar^e would
rise simultaneously, bow profoundly toward his Sul-
tanic Majesty, then recovering themselves, throw all
their energy into the stroke, keeping perfect time.
The caique was magnificent, having a gilded canopy
over the stern." On the 24th, tliey sped by special
train, " throuiih a land of almond and olive trees ;"
then took horses, to see theiuinsof Ephesus, filling up,
en route, a liberal journey of sight-seeing. A sojourn
at Smyrna, enjoying to the utmost its Greek h<\s-
pitality, and riding its incomparable donkeys, seems to
have well-nigh com})leted the invalid's recovery.

After returninrr to Malta, the travellers diverged to
Barcelona, Avhere they spent ten days; thence to
Valencia, and so back to Liverpool, having been a few
days untler ten Ave(iks out of that port, most of which
time was spent on board the steand»oat. They were
soon at the old, familiar threshhold, testifying, as so
many th(.)usands have had good reason to do, —

'' Viuic.'ty's tlu' very spice of lilt;
TliJit gives it all its lliivoiii."

h t i t _ni i\mmmmimi'Mmm

CHAPTER XL

1 1,1

jSl.l

THE END.

Leaves have their time to fall,

And flowers to wither at the north wind's breath,
And stars to set ; but all

Thou hast, all seasons for thine own, Death !

— Felicia Hcmans.

And he was not ; for God took him. — Gon. v. 24.

pRS. Morrow's narrative of the closing period
of her husband's life will naturally occupy
a part of this chapter. My readers will feel
fjrateful to have it in its affecting directness and art-
lessness. It will reveal to those who were not privi-
leged to observe their actual relations, a picture oi
domestic happiness which, happily for the world, is
one of the few blessings which survive the Fall. I
quote : —

" After his return home, in the summer of 1874, he continued to
improve in bodily health. His spirits, too, seemed to revive. On the
4th of November of that year, he entered into fresh covenant with God.
From that time to the day of his death, his profiting appeared unto all

h M

THE END.

1 5.S

}od.
all

men, and es})ei'ially to the members of his own family. He steadily
grew in grace, as well ns in knowledge, for he was a constant and un-
tiring Bible .student, taking ailvantage of every spare moment for that
]»nr})ose.

" All that knew him iiitimately are aware that he was a tender and
loving husband and father. It was often cause of remark that he eouM
devote himself so much to his family and yet lind so nuich time for
business, for religious services, and to aid those wlio needled hel[» in vari-
ous ways. ]>ut in every relation itnd position of life he seemed to excel,
and especially so in the last few years, during which time he grew in
spirituality of nund, and in an increasing desire to be pre[iaretl for all
God's will, whether by life or tleath, <loing or sutl'ering. It was inii)os-
siblc to live with him and not see that he was maturing spiritually.
His simple, childlike faith was always reiuarka])le. It was enough for
him to know that (luD lived. He had no sympathy with those ehris-
tians who spend much time, thought, and words, in trying to make
clear what God has semi (it to conceal. ' Shall not tlu; Judge of all
the earth do right?' He considered it a waste of time, trying to dis-
cover the why and wherefore of God's dealings with His children.

" Since his illness of 1.S7-1, he seemed to grow stronger and brighter,
and as his business responsibilities became icss pressing, he had more
command of his time than formerly. We were looking forward to Ji
long, useful, and happy life for him. As we look liack now on the past
few months, we can remember at ditferent times, when weary, how
a strange whiteness would overspread his face, and how, at such times,
he would complain of a momentary faintness ; Imt after a few nunutes
rest, the Hush would return, auil he would seem all right. These
changes did not then make much imp»ression on our minds, though
now we know they were all symptoms of that disease which so sucUlenly

ook him from us."

Early in 1880, liu spout tlireu weeks in a trip to
Jamaica. From his letters 1 find reference to a hur-
ried call on Methodist ministers, at B(;ruiuda, return-
ing, which had excited his syuipathy in re^-ard to tlieir
estranuement f rom home and kindred, notwitlistandinof

their delightful associations among the people of their
10

■ -ii'

liii

! :; '

tl'i i'

(.)

1.54

LIFE OF JAMES B. .AIORROW.

charge

Rev. E. B. Moore, of Hamilton, supplies a
vivid sketch of the call thus made on him : —

" I noticed in your last budpjet of payors llic smlden death of J. B.
Morrow, Esq. I was unfortunate onou^di not to make liis acquaintance
until lately, when, passing through these distant Islands, he kindly
sought us out ; and as the manner of the interview was characteristic
of him whom we mourn, I will give it to you. Happening to answer,
one day, the door of our parsonage, I met there a stranger, who, with
outstretched hand and beaming face said, ' This is Brother Moore, I
suppose ; my name is Morrow.' Bringing him into the house, he told
us in rapid words that he was just passing through Hamilton, and had
only half-andiour for business, but as he always souglit out Methodist
preachers, wherever he went, he called to see us. Knowing .something
of the toils of the itinerancy, it was always in his heart to aid them.
For a moment he sat thus enquiring into our work and its jirospects ;
then giving us some items of his own experience — as a good Methodist
is always able to do — he spoke some glowing words of comfort and cheer
which seemed to come from his whole animated countenance rather
than from his lips. Then it was, 'Good-bye, God bless you,' and he
was gone. Turning back to the house I noticed tli.at the countenance
of my wife was more radiant and her eyes more sparkling than usual.
Asking why, she said — ' Was it not like the visit of an angel ? ' Really,
the day did seem brighter and the burden of work lighter than usual.
The dear brother left a benediction with us, that lingered long after he
was gone, and the remembrance of which has cheered many an hour of
lonely toil. It was oxir tirst interview and last — hail and larewell, but
it has left a bright i)age in our memory forever. One can easily judge
from this how such a one will be missed. Is it not in such small
ministries that we can best imitate t'hrist, and secure the reward which
follows the words, — ' Forasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the
least of these, ye have done it unto Me ? '"

There is something touching and beautiful in this
interview — the brotherly salutation — the questioninf^
as to other's cares and joys — the comfort and cheer of
voice and countenance — and the benediction I

THE END.

-t t0 m

^' Like the visit of an angel ! " It might have been
" like the visit of an artist." Mr. Morrow had .-esthetic
tastes. Beriniida must have awakened his enthusi-
astic love of Nature, and he woidd have found in Mr.
and Mrs. Moore, appreciative companions, to afford
ample interchange of thought on such a theme. The
..s^^hject would touch the poetic sentiment in any re-
fined man or woman. All around them were semi-
tropical sunshine and flowers. Mrs. Brownino-'s
Dream Island was only a little nearer approach "to
Paradise.

" Tlio placo is all awave with trees,
Limes, myrtles, purple-beaded ;
Acacias, having drunk the lees

Of the night-dew, faint-headed,
And \van, gray olive woods, whicli seem
The fittest foliage of a dream. "

And the gifted poetess might have taken her picture
of coral caves, opening into a region of fragrance, from
these same Bermudas, —

" Long winding caverns, glittering far
Into a crystal distance ;
Through clefts of which shall many a star

Shine clear without resistance ;
And carry down its rays the smell •
Of flowers above, invisible ! "

It might have been, " like the visit of a scientist or
a philosopher." Half an hour spent in conversation on
" specimens " would have been natural enough. Odd
shells, and insects, and plants, odder habitst and cus-

lof)

LIFE OF JAMES K MORROW.

"1.

toms, and (jiiestions of social vexation, wore all ready
to their notice. Mr. Morrow might have left his audi-
tors a step farther advanced in the study of conchology,
botany, entomology, or what else, in which case they
would have, perhaps, admired his taste and penetration.
Or he might have indulged in some sharp criticism of
men and things about him, which always helps
to deepen any morbid gloom that Satan sends to
ardent ministers who may magnify surrounding
effects, and dishearten them in their sphere. He did —
said — nothing of all this ; but saw the want of the
moment, cheered and l)lessed, and went on his way,
leavinfj two singing souls behind him, who now come
to throw a loving garland on his grave. Byron was
surely riglit when he said

" He who happiness wouUl win
Must sliare it, — Happiness was born a twin !"

A little farther on, we shall find that the traveller,
while leaving with others influences as from " the visit
of an angel," was himself really in need of consolation.
He had gone from home under a dense cloud of fore-
boding, which, as he said afterward, was not (juite dis-
pelled till he had left Bermuda. But he did not permit
even a shadow from the cloud to fall upon the hearts of
others. They saw not beyond " the silver lining."

*' On the lOth of June," writes Mrs. Morrow, " the iirst break oc-
curred in the family, by tlie marriage of our ehlest tlaugliter. Though
she was to reside near the liomestead, tlie father keenly felt her sepa-
ration from the liome circle. On the 26tli of July my mother died at

i r

THE KND.

157

our house. Slio was ill for iiliout tcu days, and Mr. Morrow was most
attentive during her illiie.ss, always assisting to lift lier when that was
needed."

On the 12tli of Auoust, lie was witli tlie Convention
of the Y.M.C.A. for the Lower Provinces, whieli met
in Cliarlottetown. Two achbesses of Ijis are pnhlislied
in tlie report of proceeding's, one on a subject whicli
caHed out his heartiest sympathy and co-operation, tliat
of obtaining a traveUing secretary to stimulate and
systematize the work of Associations. I find a letter
to Mr. McLean, from New Yoi-k, dated Septend)er
Uith, signed Robert Werdensall, whicli piobably
alludes to the results of that agitation. I make an
extract :

" My DkauBro. McLean.— * * * I tliank you for se-
curing an interview witli our dear liro. Morrow through your tele]thone.
How well ho then looked ! How j)leasantly he greeted inc ! With
what a Godspeed and hearty hand-shake he sent nie oil' ! J low cheer-
fully he gave me time, in the busiest part of the day, to talk of the
great work of saving the young men of the Lower Provinces ! How he
listened to any report of the work I had done under your and his direc-
tion ! How fitting it was that ho should meet in convention with
young men, that by his stirring words and manly acts he shouM im-
press them with his noble examjde ! "

The session of Saturday morning was devoted to
the topic, 'The Duty and Joyfulness of Winning
Souls." As Mr. Morrow's last woi-ds in the Convention,
and as illustrative of the passion wdiich was at once
animating and consuming him, I supply, entire, his
speech as reported :

158

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

" In the toal country sf)ni(' of tin; pits hi*' known as such ami such
a 'winning,' an<l when I heard this topic announcftl, my mind went
down into tlie dcj)ths of the earth. To 'win' the coal is to get it.
Then I thought of Him who came to seek and to save that which is
lost. We do not think enough of lids ; every soul that is not
changed is lost. The; souls which we wish to win are lost.
In miidng a good deal of money must he spent. In winidng
souls the ohject is to get the soul up out of its lost condition. 'lie
that converteth a sinnci' from the ciror of his ways shall save a soul
from death, and shall hide; a mrdtitn(U,' of sins.' I like to hear these
liearty addresses, hut I feel more lik(! wci[)ing than anytliing else when
I think of th(! young men who are perishing. The thought 1 would
try to impress is, that W(; should lahour for young men every day, just
where we meet them."

lili

n m

it:; '

Ho addressed the iniinonse farewell meeting on
Saturday night. On Sabbath evening he preached.
There were both human and divine influences at work
in this service. The preacher was thoroughly dis-
heartened Ijy his effort. In vain did Mr. McLean
assure him that he had heard him with great satisfac-
tion. He would not be comforted, and came away
from Charlottetown under a sense of mortification from
the remembrance of that discourse. He had scarcely
reached home when intelligence met him that the ser
mon so much lamented, had been the means of ]"> * •
good. At least one had publicly professed his j ^>ose
to begin a reliuious life, havino- been brought lu de-
cision by Mr. Morrow's discourse on Sunday evening.
It is related of the celebrated author of the " Medita-
tions," that, while fleeing by the back door of his
church one night, to avoid meeting any one, in his
shame for the surmon he had just delivered, he

: li:

I !

THE KM).

159

stiinibled over a man in the graveyard, who was groan-
ing in tleep penitence of soul through tlie eti'ects of
tliat seeming faihn-e ! So God rehukes very often our
unbeHef, which after all may spring, more than we can
see at the moment, from that very natural pride which
preachei's chei'ish toward satisfying their own critical
demands.

In answer to a letter which he nuist have written
alxnit this date, I iind a beautiful reply, probably one
of the last such missives that passed through his
hands. It is from a Roman Catholic gentleman into
whose deep sorrow, on the loss of his wife by sudden
death, Mr. Morrow had entered by correspondence. It
could have been no common, trite expressions which he
employed, to call back such an answer, so full of
genuine, and I may add, evangelical prayer and trust-
fulness. Of the numerous evidences which meet the
eye, in turning over his letters, paying silent but elo-
quent tributes to his unbounded charity and love,
instances of this sort are not the least affecting and in-
structive. We resume Mrs. Morrow's narrative :

"On tlie 15th of August I wont to Bedford for a fortnight, and he
came up every evening, excepting his class night, returning to town in
the morning. He seemed to enjoy the chan<^e very much, and I
thought him so well. Anxious us always to give pleasure, he came up
one evening while it was raining very heavily, laden with a ]>asket and
parcels of fruit. I saw he looked worn an<l tired, and I begged he would
not come again on such an evening, lie turned, a il looking at me,
said — ' Do you like to have me come ? ' I assured him I did. * Then,'
he replied, ' it will be a big storm that will keep me away.' This
was so characteristic of him — always unmindful of himself, if he could
contribute to the happiness of others.

lili

i :>

1 r

\'>

1 '1

llr^

KJU

r.lFK nl' JAMES Ji. MOKROW.

" Th(! last Sunday of hi.s life, Sej)teml)er 5th, he attciuled inoriiiiig
service. I aceomitanicMl liim fur tlie first time in ciglit months. AVe
took communion togetlier. As we left the table he commenced
singing :

* Take my ])oor heart, and let it be
Forever closed to all but Thee,'

(a very common custom with him on sacramental occasions. )

"After dinner on that day, which was an excessively warm one, he
walked out to the I'oor House, where he held service, then back to the
Association rooms, where he delivered the address published in the
papers, and then home. He conqtlained of being specially tired and
overcome with the heat. Conseipiently he remained at home in the
evening, but was as usual, bright and cheerfuh

"On Monday morning he rose, I'estcd and refreshed ; was specially
engaged in business all day, as he ex]_»ected to leave the next week for
Englanil, and so had much preparation to make. On ^londay evening
lie attended an oflicial meeting at the church, also on Tuesday evening.
On Wednesday evening he was at the weekly prayer-meeting, where he
sjjoke with unusual jtower, as was remai'keil before and after his death.
On Thursday morning I remenilter him as very bright, making many
pleasant remarks. At dinner, in the middle of the day, he was un-
usually meriy, so much so that the children said—* How full of fun
father is to-day I ' Finding that he had to go to Londonderry, he
came home in the afternoon in time to have a (piiet half-hour and a
cup of tea before taking the train. He talked of his expected trip to
England, expressing the pleasure he anticipated on some accounts, at
the .same time sju-aking of the ])ain a long absence from home always
gave him, saying that home was to him the liai»piest spot in all the
world, and he would like always to have wife and children all with
him. After bidding me good-bye, I heard his bright, buoyant step
along the hall and over the stairs. A strange feeling came over me,
and I rushed to a I'ront window to take a last look ; but he was gone.
I never heard his voiie or step again, and only saw him as he was
brought home to me the next night, cold and motionless in tleatli."

Sir S. L. Tilley, Minister of Customs, was on a tour
of visitation to cortain nicclianical and industrial in-

THE EXP.

161

stitutioiis at this time. In company witli Mr. Tliomas
Kenn}^ Mr. Morrow went with liim to Londonderry,
for the purpose of inspecting works in whicli he was
interested. Mr. Kenny's statement is to the effect
that he and Mr. Morrow arose early on the following
morning, and took breakfast at half-past seven. They
had walked about the Rolling Mills of the Steel Com-
pany fifteen oi- twenty minutes, when Mr. Mottow com-
plained of feeling sick. His pale and ill appearance
at once alaiined Mr. Kenny, who immediately retired
M'ith him to the Company's office. Here he laid him-
self on the floor, distressed greatly with pain in the
lower part of the chest, when a doctor was summoned
in all haste. In brief conversation, he alluded to
symptoms which had awakened his suspicions as to
the conditicm of his heart; though he attributed the
iimnediate trouble at this time to the milk of which he
partook freely at breakfast. A couch was procured,
and the sufferer madeas comfortaltle as possible ; when
the doctor madci his appearance. His first (piestiou
was — " Doctor, what is Angina Pectoris ? " In answer
to the doctor's enquiry, he again inclined to the opinion
that indigestion was the cause of the pain. An emetic
was accor<lingly administered, which soon gave relief.
The stethoscope was used over his heart, only to allay
the doctor's fears as to any danger from that (juarter.
Alas, for the penetration of science I " I feel as if my
chest were in a vice," said the suflerer. His boots he
removed by his own exertions, put on slippers, chatted
with his associates, and spoke hopefully of returning

i:;

;ii

I', i :

"if

\ 'A

r I!

■jti

ir;2

IJKK OV JAMES |{. MOUROW

homo by the afternoon train. He sent a pleasant
good-bye to friends who were leaving at the i-ailway
station. Mr. Kenny, bearing this message of love, was
on his way to its fulfilment, when a messenger over-
took him, saying Mr. Morrow was much worse. He
hastened back to the ofiice ; but death, with swifter
strides, was there before him !

A letter from the physician in attendance to Mrs.
Morrow, will throw an additional ray of melancholy
light on the scene which had transpired in tliat brief
interval, — light to us, at least, who linger on the human
side of the river. Meantime, the closing part of Mrs.
Morrow's narrative will serve as an intermediate link
in this sad connection : —

" I may add, that last winter, before leaving for Jamaica, he seemed
to have a strong ])reseutiment that he was not coming back to us. He
did not then say so, in so many words ; but we saw from wliat he did
say what were his feelings. One day, as he was sitting alone with me,
he said — ' I have a verse which I want you to take as my verse to
you, and remember it —As thy day so shall thy strength be.' A few
days after, he asked me if I remembered his verse, and told me not to
forget it. I felt that he was desirous to prepare me for something, but
did not speak. When he was leaving for Jamaica, after bidding us
good-bye, he leaned down and said, * Do not forget my verse — As thy
day so shall thy strength be.' I knew what he felt, but believed it
arose from sonu! nervous feeling, an^l looked forward hopefully to his
return. I afterwards found he had sjmken to others, in an<l outside of
the family, as to the possibilities of his not returning home, and had
made some arrangements in reference to such an event. This made me
anxious. After his safe arrival, 1 spoke to him on the subject, and
asked him if he had not had some forebodings that he would never
return. He said he had, and .so strongly he could not account for it.
' Until I left Bermuda,' he said, ' I could not get ri I of the thought
that I should never see you.' Now it is a comfort to know that he

THE E\n.

1()3

liad takfii fully into consiileiatioii what it would mean to be taken
from us ; and we know that his life to the last hour was all that we
could wish it to have been.

" His veise will, I think, be always in my mind ; for on the morninr,'
of his death, when my s(m rame to break the news to me, he leaned
down and said, ' Mother, remendoer, as thy day, so shall thy streiii^'th
be.' It has been so, and I trust will ])e so with eaeh of our children,
till we are all j^'athered tof,'ether, reunited in our home above."

"It was good, it was kind, in the Wise One above

To fling Destiny's veil o'er tlie face of our years,
That we dread not the blow that shall strike at our love.

And expect not the beams that shall dry ui> our tears.
Oh ! did we but know of the shadows so nigh.

The world would indeed be a prison of gloom ;
All light would be (pienehed in yon eloijuent eye,

And the prayer-lisping infant would ask for the toml)."

There are bounds to all human skill. "Thus far
shalt thou come," is written over the ultimate limit of
both ambition and loving ministration. Few men feel
this more than physicians ; and few have gentler
voices in calling to mourners standing within a circle
they themselves cannot 'lenetrate. We subjoin the
doctor's letter : —

"Acadia Mfnes, Londonderry,

•'September ir>th, 1880,

"Dear Madam, — Although a stranger, I feel sure you will nllow me
to tender to you and your family my heartfelt sympathy in your sad
and sudden Ijereavement. lieing the only person present during the
last brief moments of your dear husband, it was my sad duty to do
what little I eould — alas ! how litth' — to soothe his sulferiuirs.

" Knowing the nndaneholy interest you take in anything whieh took
place at the time, I .shall brielly state the eireumstanees. After Mr.
Kenny and Mr. Jainme left tin; room I sat beside Mr. Morrow's
couch. The pain had greatly abated ; but at times it returned for a

i'.'

Hi.

164

LIKK OF .lAMES R MoHROW.

few sci'oikIk ; ynt lit' li'tiv it so jtatieiitly that I was .aware of it more by
obs(!rvin<^ tlic ap[»('araiioe of liis face tlian liy any complaint from him-
self. In abont ten minutes he se(!me(l almost entirely free from |>ain,
and taking advantage of this, I again examined him for symptoms of
heart disease, but could detetjt nothing positive. About this time he
said, ' I feel much better now ; but I suppose an attack like this
always makes a ])erson weak.' After sitting uj* a few uiiiiutes in
silence, during which he ajipcarctl ipiite compose(l, he saiil, ' I think
I'll put on my collar and necktie in case I catch cold about my neck.'
I bi'ought them to him, and was about to put them on for him when he
sat u[i on the couch, thankeil me, and said he couhl put them on him-
s(df, (juite well. IFe then lay down ami I tucked the clothes comfortably
about him, and smoothed his [»illows. lie closnl his eyes as if int.'lined
to resr, and I walked across the room to lower the window which had
been raised about an inch from the bottom. Before reaching it I heard
him say, (piite calmly, 'I believe I'm going to faint.' I rushed to
him, his i)ulse had stopped, uiid on putting my ear to his chest I fouiul
his heart had ceased to lie.it. One \-ery slight convulsive twitching of
the mouth, a f(iW sighs, and all was over. There was nothing to indi-
cate sullering at the last, and so calm and peacid'ul were the features,
that it was ditllcult to believe that he was dead. I ueed not say, dear
iMadam, how keenly I felt mv inaliility to do more than I did ; even
to give warning of the approaching end — but that was beyond human
power. iM[iy the (lood .Master, whom your dear husband has served so
faithrully, rondbrt ami console you all in your bereavement.

" I remain, dear Madam,

"Ycmrs faithfully,

"J. W. MAcDoXAi.n, M.D."

Mr. Morrow was in his forty-ninth year at his death.
A post-mortem examination disclosed what no one
ahout liini seems to liave suspected — that the vessels
ahout Ids licart had heen affected for some time, and
the disease had reached a stage whicli only required
some slight exciting cause to produce rupture, with its
attendant startling conse((uences.

v.\

THE END.

165

More than one has hinted in correspondence that he
may have anticipated an ahrupt, or at least not remote,
departure from this life. Now that so many symp-
toms comljined to warn his immediate relatives, it
may seem snrprisino- that more apprehension was not
excited in rei^ai'd to his health ; I tut it must l>e re-
membered that the disease was one of the very few
which defies even the closest scrutiny of the medical
art. Every intelligent mind, howevci", nuist acc('i)t
the inference drawn hy Mrs. Morrow : — he himself
was not left in iujnorance of what God intende*!. " The
secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him." His
allusion to a " choky " sensaticm, when at the General
Conference, in September, 1S7<S; his premonitions
during the months preceding the end ; finally his
question as to " Angina Pectoris " — heart-stroke, when
the doctor made his appearance, all show that he had
traversed nmch ground of anticipation ; a journey
rendered dark by the mystery which his God did not
choose altogether to reveal; rendered lonely by a pur-
pose not to disclose to his loved ones what might
greatly disquiet them; luit at every step of the way
illuminated by a presence which is a [)inar of cloud by
day, a pillar of tire by night. Did he pray unich cm
this subject :* Who, that knew^ the man, can doubt it^
And surely prayer was answered, —

"Time laid its IihikI
Upon his lioart, j^fiitly, not smiting it,
But as a liar])or gently lays his open palm
Upon his harp, to th'adcn its vil)rations."

160

LIFE OF JAMES B. MORROW.

It was not an accident. It did not happen. It was
" appointed," doubtless. The event was under com-
plete regulation — came at the best moment, accom-
plished its full purpose, did not overstep its mission by
a single hair-breadth. To abandon the issues of such
a man, in life or death, to mere chance, would be to
dislocate the entire system of christian faith.

Do you believe this reader ? If so, have you found
shelter from the inevitable, universal, otherwise over-
whelming, stroke of death ?

We have followed a good man to the verge of the
river. You and I must now separate. May we meet
— (ill meet — in the land where there are neither
shadows nor sin, disease nor death. Amen !

ft was
• com-
Lccom-
ion by
t' such
be to

found
over-

3f the

meet

either

APPENDIX.

JSIT iias l)een thouglit desirable that this Memorial
^'^' Volume should contain the more important
expressions made by several religious and
commercial organizations, in alln.siv^n to Mr.
Morrow's death. Several letters, written with the
object of recording his moral and social qualities,
have been interwoven with the general narrative.
A large number of the same kind must necessarily
be denied publication, because the object of the book
has already been provided for. They are treasured
none the less gratefully.

There is one communication, however, which must
find a leading place in these supplementary pages. It
might be furnished as a sample of that unique elo-
quence which accomplished Frenchmen sometimes so
naturally employ in epistolary correspondence ; but
we present it rather as the tribute of a Naval officer
— ranking similarly with our Post Captain — reflecting
the sentiments of a class with whom Mr. Morrow was

iSiiJ

l()(S

APPENDIX.

1.1 ;■

ever a great favorite. It was addressed to a near
relative : —

Saint IMkurk, 10th Sept , 1880.

Jc n'ossjiicifii pas de vdiis (k'peiiulre le jn'ofond cliaf^rin 41U' j'ai
eprouvo ("11 ])iviiaiit coiiiiaisaiu'u di; la tri.sto nouvt'llc inu- vous in'aii-
iKiuccr. -Il' crois revcr. .Je lis et rclis votrc lettri', [)(>ui' iiic iiersuadcr
que jo no sais pas cii pioct; a uiie lialliicination. Mallu'iircusi'iueut, Ic
fait est vrai et ee pauvrc Moiis. Morrow est eiileve h iiotre atleetioii, ;'i
iiotre Jiinitie.

Dans ma carriere, J'ai roncoiitre naturelleineiit Itieii des lioimiies
do merite, iiiais je Heme iap[)elle i»as en avoir coiiiiu que me fait plus
symi)atlie(jue. Sa loyauto sans indulgenee ])our les dofauts inhorents
a I'humanito, sa j^rande boiitc pour les [)auvre et los infortunes,
I'aminite do son caractdro, tout en lui seduisait, attirait irresistiblo-
mont. La franidiiso et la droituro so lisaient dans son regard limjude.
C'otait I'e ([ue nous ai)pel()ns un Iteau earactere.

Aussi raniionee do sa mort {a-telle [)roduit une immense sensation ii
bord do la "Cloriude." Tous mes ottieiers out oteeonsternes, lorscjue je
lour ai fait part do 00 cruel cvonomont. Cost un douleur pour nous tous,
inais plus partioulioromout ])our nioi ai voeu avoc lui, ilans los termes
do la jilus vivo ot do la plus ehaloureuse amitio. Vous avez pense
juste, niou chcr ami, en pensant (|ue ma douleur serait dt-s jtlus
grandes. II no pourrait en otre autroment, a[)res los relations que j'ai
ones avec cot homme do bion.

Los diicrots do la Providence sont insondables. Monsieur Mori'ow
arrivait a rcjioque do sa vie, oil il allait recueiller les fruits do son
travail assidu, de ses labours. II titait ainio do tous, lionore }»ar les
concitoyons, rosi)ecte par toutes les classes de la population do Halifax,
ot quol(|ues secondes out sutti pour enlover co mari, co jjore tondre et
devoue a I'alfection d'une famillo ([ui concentrait sur lui los sentiments.
Cost all'reux de songer a cola, mais comme vous lo dites fort 1)ien, mil
plus que lui n'etait mioux [iiopare a com[)araitro devant son Souverain
Jugo. II viendra dovant son trilnmal escortti de toutes les puros actions
de sa vie, de ses charits envers les pauvres, et surtout des sentiments
reufermos dans son coeur. Je n'ai pas rintention d'apporter des con-
solations ii la famille si criielloment frappeo. 11 n'ou est aucuue qui
puisse adouicr les regrets d'uuo femmo aimaiite ot d'onfants ch^ris. Le

APPENDIX.

16!)

l('nij)s soul pcMit, noil pus ciilcvur li' souvenir ilc eelui (jui n'ust plus,
inais tout au uioius uttt^'nuur Ics oU'cts produits par cetto ineurt si inat-
tendue. Soulenitiut, je vous priorai do vouloir bion titro nion inter-
prete anpr(is do Madanio Morrow ot dr tons los niumbrcs do la famille,
pour leur dere conibien je suis atHige, conibion Je ni'unis a oux par la
pcnseo ot par la ooeur, dans cetto tristo circonstance. Jo ne puis
ni'eni])o('lior <lo songor <[Uo nous dovions nous rooontror a Paris, ot je me
faisait uuo joie do rintroduiro aujMvs dos ujions, auxtjuols j'avais an-
nonce sa visito, ]»o\ir lo oas ou il sorait arrivo avant moi llelas I nou-
no lo voiions ]»lus lei lias, ot lasso lo oiol i|Uo nous puissions lui rosseni-
bler, de nianiero a lo retrouvoi'jdus tard. Vous oduijirondroz, nion olioro
Franklyn, lo dosoidro tjui ii<,Mio dans mos idiios ; jo voutlras jiouvoii'
<xprinior tout to (|Uo jo ressons ot no puis lo fairo ooniino jo lo voudrais.
Mais (.'royoz (juo }»ersonne no sent inioux que nioi rotonduo do la perto
que vous vonoz dv iairo. Kt doic (|u'on rocovant votro lottro, ayant
roconnu votro o'orituro, jo mo sontais tout joyoux do sii\oir dos nou-
vollos ilo mos amis do Halifax. Lc coup a oto rudo, ot jo no mo con-
solera do longt(UMps. Adiou, mon vhi'iv Ki'anklyn. I'rt^'sontoz je vous
pric, mos liomma<;'os u Madame Franklyn. .io n'ai pas oublio h-
•,'racieux accuoil qu'olle m'a fail. i^>uaiit a voUs rocevez I'assuranoe dc
uies sentiments airoctuoux.

U. S. Dkvauknnk.

Tons los oHiciers (Puooli) iiarticulioromoiit, mo chargont d'oxi)riino-
hmrs vivos sympathies pour la fiimille iW^ Mr. Morrow.

I'l'.ANSI.ATION.

Saint riKiiUi;, Sept. Ifttli, 1880.

I shall not attempt to depict to you tho deep grief which I have felt
since learning the sad news which you announced to mo. I fancy I am
dreaming : I road and re-read your letter, to persuade my.self that I am
not a jiroy to hallucination. Tnliappily, it is too true, and Mr. Morrow
is taken from our affection and friomlship.

In my career, I have naturally encounteroil many men of merit ; but
1 cannot recall one who was more congenial to me.

His fidelity, his indulgence toward the inherent faults of other.s, his
great goodness to the poor and unfortunate, the amenity of his chai-
ncter — all in him were irresistibly attractive and captivating. Frank-

,11

170

APPENDIX.

iicss and iiitc^'iity could be ivad in Ids open countenance ; liis was
wliat we would call a beautiful cliarac-tcr.

Also, the announcement of Ids death luis produced an immense sen-
sation on board the "Clorinde. " All my ollicers were astounded when
I told them of this (leploralile (circumstance.

It is sorrow for us all, but partiiularly so for mc, who have lived
with him in terms of the most intimate and warmest friendship. You
have thou^dit ri^dit, my dear friend, in thinking' that my grief would
be the greatest ; it could not be otherwise, after the relations which I
have had with that man of goodness.

The decrees of Providence are inscrutable. Mr. Morrow had arrivcid
at that ejioch in his life when he was just gathering the fruits of his
assiduous labours. He was loved by evciy one, honoured by his fellow-
citizens. Inspected Ity all the po[»idation of Halil'a.K ; and a few seconds
have sulUced to take away this husband — this tender and devoted
father — from the atfection of a family who concentrated upon him all
the sweetest sentiments.

It is frighti'ul to think ol' that ; but, as you very well said to me, no
one was better [)rcparcd to ap[)ear l)efore the Sovereign Judge. He
will come before his tribunal, surrounded by all the i)Ure actions of his
life, his chaiity towards the poor, and, above all, the sentiments cn-
rjosed in his heart.

I do not intend to convey consolation to the laiiiily so cruelly snnt-
tcn ; only time can assuage the grief of a loving wife and (dierished
children ; it will not tak(; away the remembrance of him who is not,
but more or less soften the etfects jtroduced by that death so unex-
pected. l)Ut I beseech you willingly to become my interiiretcr to
Madame Morrow and all the mend)crs of her family, to tell them liow
much I am alllicted, and how much I unite with them in thought and
lieart in this sad event. I cannot help thinking that I shall meet him
at Paris, and it would have given me so much i)leasure to introduce
him to my famil\', to whom I had announced his visit, in case he ar-
rived before me. Alas ! we shall see him on earth no more ; but may
heaven help us to resemble him, that we may see him again later. You
understand, dear F., the confusion which reigns in my ideas. I want
to express to you all that I feel, but cannot manage to do so as I should
like ; but believe me that no one knows better than I, the extent of
the loss which you experience.

: ij '■>

it '

APPENDIX.

171

Oil loceiviiig your It'ttcr iiiiil m()<,Mii/iii<; your writing', I felt ivjoico-l
to havo news of my HalilUx tVii-inls. The l.low lias Wvn harsh, ami 1
.shall not recover from it for a long limo.

U. S. I).

All the officers (Pueeh) particularly charge mc to express their fer-
vent symi)athy for Mr. Morrow's family.

[Letter written hy Captain Devarenne, of the "Clorin(lt>," to Mr.
Franklyn.]

INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE, Y. M. C. A. HESOLl'TloNS.

At a regular meeting of the International Committee, held in New
York, September ir>th, the following Resolution was adopted:—

"The Committee liave learned with profound grief of the sudd. ti
death of their friend ami associate in work for Christ among young
men, Mr. J. V>. Morrow, of Halifax, and desire to record their alfection-
ate appreciation of his patient and practical sympathy, and Ids gen-
orous and self-denying co-oix'ration in the work of Young Men's
Christian Associations, not only in his own city and country, but
throughout the continent. For many years he has made his inlluence
widely felt in promoting this work by a beneticence which has reached
far beyond the held of his efforts in Halifax an<l Nova Scotia.

"The Committee desire to place on record the expression of their
atfectionate and brotherly regard for this faithful witness for Christ,
and their sincere and tender .sympathy with his wife and fannly, and
with the multitude to whom his beautiful life and ( •lirist-like character
endeared liim, and who are now mourning his los^.

" In behalf of the Connnittcc,

"RicHAUdC. .MoitsF, AVoYtory."

Y. M. C. A. RESOLUTIONS, HALIFAX, N. S.

" Whereas, in the in.scrutablc Providence of God, He has taken .sud-
denly from our midst, in the meridian of life, our beloved friend and
broth(;r, James l>. Morrow,

** We, the Young Men's Chri.stian Association of Halifax, on whost;
roll his name has stood for twenty-seven years as a subscriber, twelve

172

AIM^ENDIX.

ilffi

yonrs as an active nionibcr ami ollifr-lifaror, and in wliosc ranks \\v has
raitlifully sfivfd fis a j^'oo'l Soldit-r of tlif Cross, would pjatr on iccord
this expression of onr rfM'lin;;s, wcfik though it Ix', as a testimony of our
sincere sorrow for our own loss, of our tenderest sympathy with the
afflicted widow and family in tluiir hour of sore hereavement, and of
our sense of the loss sustained hy the Chunh and denomination ft>
which lu; was faithfully attached, and l>y the community at huge, of
which he was an honoured mcmher.

"While others can speak truthfully and feelini^dy of his intense
patriotism, of his laif^'edieartcd lilierality, of his Christian charity and
loving sympathy, of his woik among the ]»oor and needy, and his
fdieering visits to the siik iiml tlying; while many can recall his kindly
disposition, and his iicts of suhstantial aid done (juietly anil unostenta-
tiously, just when most needed ; while his fellow-merchants hear testi-
mony to his commercial integrity and Imsiness i)rol)ity, in all of which
we see reve,ile(l the ti'ue typ<' of tin; Christian gentleman, we would
recur to his s]>ecial work in anil lor the Young Men's Christi;iii Assori-
ation in its varied iMiterprises foi' tln^ good of young men, and through
them the advaniH'inent of the Kcilccniei's kingdom.

" In all his relations to us as a supporter, as a member, as an olfice-
hearer, as a co-worker in the several departments of our ojienitions and
enterprises, wc lovingly hear testimony to )iis manly Christianity, in
our a<lversity as in i>ros|)erity ; in days of gloom and darkness, as in
days of light ; amid the elih tide of spiritual lethargy, as in tlie Hood
tide of religious ;ulvanccnient, our l)rother was ever loyal to our Associ-
ation, and devoted to its interests —;nid not only in Halifax were his
good works ahundant, hut also through the towns and viiliigcs of Nova
Scotia, and our sister [irovinccs ; aiding and assisting struggling associa-
tions, cheering weary workers, encouraging the faint-hearteil, giving
material support cheerfully and spontaneously, evi'r ahoumling in those
graces and activities that adorn the life of the true follower of Christ.
" The best and truest tribute of love andallection we can oiler to the
memory of our departed brother, is to take up the work where he Liid
it down, to i)ress on in our labours for our common Lord and Master,
doing our duty honestly and uprightly to our fellow-men ; and under
the incentive of knowing the blessed end of a life well spent, and a day
and generation faithfuly served, we wouM go forward working and
labouring in that special field of Christian activity to whiidi we have

AFfENDlX.

17:i

I'Pcn called, looking forward to that day, when like our beloved l.rothei
Jii8t departed, we eaii lay life's Ixirden down and mter into the rest
j»repared for the people of (iod,

".I. S. Maci.kan, I'lrtiu/nif.

" HknKY TirivMilSToN, .Senrf' I )•)/."

FROM TlIK V. M. C. A., ST. .lOJIX, \. 1!.
"Mh.s. ,[. iJ. Mmi:i:uu-,—

' * Afij drar M(Kf i()n. —ThcA )l]\i-v\s and niendM-rs of this Associiition
<lesire to express their most sinrrrr si/mpaf/ii/ iuu\ hrarf/r// sorroir at the
loss of your devoted and nuu'h h.ved Imsliand whom we /uuy n/imy.s
rstficmcd as one of our Wsf and vulnnl friends. •' W'v soirow not, even
as others who liave no hope, for W(; lielirvc that Jesus died and rose
again, even so them also, wldrli sh'ep iu Jesus, will Cod l>iin" with
Him.'

*' With prayerful sym[iathy and christian regards,

" I remain, yours most respectfully,

"JVMI-.S A. (ioll.lt, ,S'/,y,/,//y. "

Wo.MKX'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

"Dkai: .Mrs. Mduuow.— We have heen rciiue.sted hy the \Vonu.fn's
Cliristian Association to expi'ess to you their, ami our, heartfelt svm-
pathy with you in your deep atfiiction.

"We feel, in addition to our [tersonal grid' at the death of Mr.
Morrow, and to our |iain at the almost ineparal.le loss to the Church,
the Young Men's Christian Association, and the city, that, as regards
our own Association, we have lost oiu; of our most valued friends ; for,
on several occasions, indeed, whenever we rcfpiested it, we found Mr.
Morrow ready to help us, when, without his aid, we would not have
known where to turn, and when his rendering us the services we asked,
must have been very inconvenient to one whose time was so valuable.

" But we were desired Ity the / ssociation to write this, more [)artic-
ularly, to convey to you, as being one of our mend)ers, our [uofound
sympathy with you. We know that you <lo not grieve as tho.se with-
out hope, and that you have a fiiend, Jesus Christ, the Comforter, who
will sustain you, and on whom you can east your burden of sorrow ;

i *

174

APPENDIX.

but still we wish to assnif you that you have not only our warmest
sympathy, I'Ut our earnest juayi^rs, tliat you may he supitorteil in this
extremity by our Ileavt-nly Father.

" Vonrs, very aineereiy,

"Chaui/)TTK Srini.iNc, President.
" K. Mackintosh, Cor.- Secretary. "
Moij.lay, 27t]i Sei)t., 1880.

RKSOLIITIONS— MISSTONARY COM.AI ITTEE.

The late J. 13. jMoriuow, Es(j.

''oved by the Rov. U. Duncan, sccondetl l»y Dr. Norris and Com-
mittee unanimously.

" Whereas, it has ](l(>ased our Heavenly Father, in 11 is wise Provi-
ilenec, to take unto Himself, since the last session of the Hoard, our
beloved bi'other, James B. INforrow, Ks(|., of Halifax, for souu; years
and at the time of his death a member of the lioard. Therefore :

liesolution 1st. — "That the Hoard cannot pernrit the present meet-
ing to close without recording its admiration of our departed brother's
cliarai.'ter, and its grateful recollections of the faithful and important
services which, during a series of years, he rendered to the Board, and
to the MissionaiT and general interests of our Church. During all their
asstjciations with their lieloved and now glorified friend, the uniform
im]iression made ujion the meinltei's of this Board was that James B.
Aloi'row was a hiunbie and devoted servant of Christ, living in al)iding
communion with Cod, enjoying the ])ower and peace, and bringing
furth lichly the fruits jf the Spirit ; that he was loyal and earnest in his
attacliment to his own liramdi of the Church, and generous in liis.sym-
jtathy with all ; that he was ready at all times, and to tlie utmost of
his ability, t*) serve the intere^;ts of this Society antl aid its im]»ortant
work ; a!id in their sorrow at the loss sustained by this Board, and by
the (/hurch at lai-ge, their one cond'oi't is the solemn and grateful
c(»nviction that may be said of him that he ' walked with God
.and was not, for (iod took him.'

• t

ATM'ENDIX.

17:

2n(l. — "That wo (loi>i>ly .sympathize witli the wi(h)\v and cliiltlicn in
the siuhU'ii and severe atlliction whicli lias conic upon tlieiii, that we
bear them in mir hearts before (!o(l, prayinf^ that tlie peace of God,
which passeth all understanding, may keep their hearts and minds in
("hrist Jesus.

3rd. — "That a co}iy of the lure<^oiiii;- resolutions be sent to Mrs.
Morrow, with the assurance of our symj>alhy and }irayers.

(Signed)

" \V. .). lirNTKU, Seen tar ij."

RESOLUTION OF HI.'UXSWICK ST. CHUIJCII.

Whereas, Almighty (!oiI, in His evrr-wise Providence, has ])een
pleased to remove from our midst by death, our esteemed friend and
brother, James H. Morrow, Heeording Steward of this ('ii'uit, who.se
deeply pious and consistent life was so Iiright .111 exaui[>h' for us all.
Therefore be it

Resolved — " That this meeting desires to record its dee]> seii.se of the
great loss the Church has sustained in the (leatli of one, whose high
Christian character, zeal and usefulness in the cause of religion weic so
con.spicuous ; and who as local preacher, classdeach-r and hohler of
other otliees, in connection with this Church, rendered most etHcient
service, and eiideareil himself to all by his urbanity, simpleness of piu-
pose, liberality and ( (instant efforts to promoti' the cause of (iod. Aini
thus this Hoanl ti'udci' Mrs. Moirow and family its lU'Cpcst synipaths
in their bereavement."

Copy of a Resolution p<issed at a Meeting of t!ie Trustees of Bruns-
wick Street Church, hehl (Ui Thursday evemng, Xo\einl>ei' 18th, 1880,

" Resolved, — That the Trustees desire to express their «Iecp sense of
the loss they have sustained in the removal, by death, of their late re-
spected co-trustee, James )>. Morrow, Ksi|., who, lor nearly ten years,
had taken so active a part in all their work. I 'uring this ])eriod, not
only (lid he give much valuable time to the tiust aflairs, and contribute
liberally of his means, whenever occasion rciiuireil, ])ut his judicion--
counsels were often a guide to his fellow-workers, and were ever to
them a source of strength ; while the genial intluence of his truly

ill

176

APPENDIX.

Cliristian spirit was always present witli liini, and is cherished in the
iin'niories of tlioso wlio knew liini.

^' Ilrsolvcd, also: That a ('oj)y of this Resolution lie forwarded to
Mrs. Moirow, with the ex})i'ession of the deep sympathy of the Trus
Icf's witli her and lifr family in their <;reat bereavement.

" K. (J. Smith, .SV'c//. of TnisU'Ps."

FROM THK crNAR!) OFFICK, HALIFAX.

" H.MJKAX, N. S., Ski'Tk.mi;!:!!, IStli, 1880.

"Dkar Mi;s. M(»i!it(tw. — We, the \indersignc(l employees in the
ollicc of which your late beloved husljaiid was the most honoured head,
beg, at this time of your great sorrow, to ajii)roach you with a feeling
of the deepest I'espect, and to oiler our heartfelt sympathy with you
and your dear cdiildi'en, for the irre[»arablc loss which the Lord has
been ]ileased to call Upon you to sustain.

" Our late beloved employer endeared himself to each of oui' hearts
Inyond the power of language to expre.ss. His preseiu-e among us
always commanded the deej)est respect and esteem ; while on the other
liand Ins gentle, considerate regard for the wcdfare of each of ns, called
forth our d epest affection. It is not often that a similai' removal of
any one at the head of an establishment like this wouhl create so ])ro-
found a sensation, and it is not often that emi»loyees similarly situated
• •ould «ay, in the integrity of their hearts, that it was ever a pleasure
to serve him in any way. We shall ever hold his memory .sacred and
«lear to oui' hearts.

" We remain, dear Mrs. Morrow,

" Very I'espectfully your obedient servants,

" Jam is Fknnincton,

" RolM'.HT HlMI'IIKEV,
•MJl'.nllOK r. RiiUNE,

" GEOiKiF.F'. Vanbuskiuk,
•' Ci,At i)E Wanewrioht,
" F. 0. H(.WF,,
"(Jkouck TUAlV."

islied in tho

brwarded to
if the This-

7'nistrcs."

3tli, 1880.

)yeos in tlu';
tionred head,
vith a feeling
hy witli you
he Lord has

(if i)ur hearts

I'e among us

1 on the other

of us, called

removal of

cate so i)ro-

arly situated

r a pleasure

saeretl and

IHKY,
slU'SKIUK,

vviii<;nT,

APPKNBIX.

177

fJENKRAL MIN1N(; ASSOCIATION.

6 Nkw IjUoai) Strkkt,
" London, E. V., Oetoher 7th, 1880.

" Dkaii Mrs. MoiiPwOW.— I am desired hy my Direetors to convey to
yon their deep regret on receiving the sad intidligeiiee of Mr. Morrow's
sudden death, and I extract from our Minutes of tho last IJoard Meet-
ing the following Resolntions, viz : —

"'That the Board, having received with extreme regret the an-
'nonncement of the sudden death, on the 11th ult., of Mr. J. I*.
' Morrow, of Halifax, long their respected and valued Agent, de;dre to
leeord their sense of the high esteeni and nfgard in which he was in-
' variahly held hy the Directors, their full appreciation of the long and
* valuahle .services he has rendereil as their Agent in Nova Scotia, and
' the great loss the deprivation of his judicious assistance and zealous
' co-operation will entail upon the Association.'

" I am rcfjuested hy my Directors, in tran.'-niitting to you the ahove

Kesolution, to convey to you the a.s.surance of their sincere condolence

and sympathy, hoth with you and your family, in your .sad and sudden

hereavement.

"I am, faithfully yours,

"C. G. SWANN, Srcrrtnry."

SPEECH OF CHAIRMAN AND RESOLUTION- (lENEHAL
MINING ASSOCIATION.

" I think that is all I should have said to you on this occasion, hut
for one other very painful suhje(;t, to vlii<h I s^hculd not do ju.stice to
my own feelings, nor to those of my colh agues, if 1 did noi refer. I
allude to the death — not hy an accident, hut ecjUally .sudden and
lamentable — of our excellent correspondent in Nova Scotia, Mr.
Morrow. On the 0th of Sejitimher, he lelt Haliliix in jcrfcct heallh
to visit the Londonderry Steel Company, s(.me fifty miles from Halifax,
and next morning he died suddenly in the (Jliceof theCom})any. Mr.
Morrow, who was a memher of the fiim of ( iiiiaiil k Morrow, our
agents, ha.s Ic.ng hcen connected wilh this A.sjd iatii n, having hcen U r
more than twenty years the mtnihcr of the tiim in whoo hands the
management of our alfairs has hccu placed. He was a gentleman in

(

i
t

* J

! ]'-i:

If ' I

178

APPENDIX.

whom the Hoard had tlie greatest confidence, and we are greatly in-
debted to liim for the zealons and judicions manner iii which he, fcr .s(»
many years, attended to the afiairs of the Association. We never had a
lase of difiicnlty or dispnte bnt what Mr. Morrow settled it for ns, and we
were snre that in his hands justice wouhl he tk)ne to us, whiU; avoiding
any h^gal or unph^asant contention with our customers. This is hardly
tlie ]»lace, even if I wei-e cai)ahle of doing justice to the suhjeiit, to ex-
patiate on the merits of Mr. Morrow's character ; but I could read to
yon the newspa])er extracts, showing the universal )-esi)ect in which he
was held, and sorrow felt at his death. His funeral, which was almost
a j)ubli(' one, was attended by all classes of the community, from His
Kxccllency the Commander of the Forces, to the very labourer who
wheels our (;oals. The people attended in thousands to show their
respect for so well-known and deeply-lamented a member of the com-
munity. I think tliis universal testimony to his worth justifies the
confidence wliiidi this lioard always reposed in his integrity and as-
sistance. This Hoard have, by their resolution jdaced upon their
minutes, recorded their lit^ep sense of the loss sustained, their ajipre-
ciation of the very valuable services that he had so long rendered to
us, and I fed satisfied that the shareholders generally will join in that
expression of regret and sympathy which we have conveyed through
his remaining j)artner to his bereaved widow and family. Gentlemen,
I think I have no further information to give you, but 1 shall, as
usual, be happy to reply to any questions you may wish to put to me.

' ' Mr. Reeding : Probably the shareholders would like to join in the
expression of sympathy to the relatives of the late Mr. Morrow, which,
1 gatlier from the Chairman, the Hoard h.as already made ; and I beg,
therefore, to move the following resolution : —

" 'That this meeting desire, on the part of the shareholders of the
' Association, cordially to unite with the directors in their expression
• of deep regret at the lamentable and sudden death of the late Mr. J,
' 15. Morrow, their agent in Nova Scotia, in acknowleilging the valu-
' able services rendered to the Association (luring so many years, and
' in symjuithy with his widow and family in the great lo.ss they have
' sustained.' "

" Mr. Hridge : I shall be most hapjty to second that.

" The motion was unanimously aclopted."

APPENDIX.

179

SPRINilFIELD MIXING COMPANY.
Tlie Directors of tho Springfield Mining Company, having heard with
•'xtrcnie sorrow of tlie (h;ath of their co-director, James B. Morrow,
K.s.|uire, wish to convey to you and your family, their fullest sym-
patiiy and regret ; feeling as they most sincerely do, that they have
lost a pers(»nal frieml, and th(; Company an invaluable adviser.
Dated at St John, N. 15., I.Sth Sept., 18S(i.
•Mas. .Iamks I). .M(ii!i!<»w,

Jialirax, X. S, Al.KX. M.VcF.VRI.ANE,

i'n'aident.
S. S. Ha 1.1,,
John Ma(;kk,
W. ^'K^•Is■r(^N SiAKi:,

Jas. L. DiiKlNY,

I) li'crtors.