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CORNELL
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

 

FROM

The Hstate of Chas.H.Hull

 

 

 

 
‘01

T6B
ri

“ii
 
AUTOBIOGRAPHY

OF

REV, ALVIN TORRY,

FIRST MISSIONARY

TO

THE SIX NATIONS AND THE NORTHWESTERN TRIBES
OF BRITISH NORTH AMERICA.

EDITED BY REV. WM. HOSMER.

AUBURN ;
WILLIAM J. MOSES,

1864,
 

Entered accor...- 3 to Act of Congress, in the year 1861, by
REY. ALVIN TORRY,
In the Clerk’s Office of the Northern District of New York.

 
INTRODUCTORY NOTE.

 

The reader of the following pages will be struck with the clear-
ness and vigor which pervade them. The writer leaves nothing
obscure, expresses nothing feebly, and in short gives us a well-sus-
tained, interesting narrative throughout. We haye not elsewhere
met with so connected and intelligible an account of Methodist
Missions among the Aborigines of Canada. In the rapid work here
sketched, the careful observer will see much bearing a very close
resemblance to the recorded successes of the earliest christian preach-
ers — the seventy disciples and the twelve apostles. Nor were these
effects confined to mission fields. The same, or nearly the same,
proofs of our author's call to the ministry, appeared on every circuit
which he travelled.

A correspondence in instruments, as well as in results, is also to
to be noticed. ‘ The apostles went not from the schools, but from
their secular pursuits, to the ministry, and so did the subject of this
work. In this, however, his case was not different from that of the
great body of our early preachers. Those who love to trace the on-
ward march of Christ’s kingdom, will greet this volume with a cor-
dial welcome; they will see at a glance that it reveals, with artless
simplicity, the only way in which true religion has been, or can be
propagated in the earth.
PREFACE.

——___2 -_-—

For several years my numerous friends have been urging me to
write out the particulars of my labors among the “Six Nations,”
and north-western tribes of Indians in Canada, together with other
ineidents of my itinerant life. Inasmuch asI was the first christian
missionary sent among the tribes, and as I saw the commencement
of that great work of God now going on under the supervision of
the Wesleyan Canadian Methodists, I have endeavored to notice the
special providences of God which led me into the work; and of his
wonder-working power in saving the lost and wandering from ruin
and eternal death, through the Gospel of his Son. :

I have borrowed somewhat largely from different sources, all,
however, intimately connected with my subject, and calculated to
make this work interesting and profitable to the reader. If what
T here present shall have a tendency to wake up a deeper concern
in the hearts of our ministry and membership, for the salvation of
the millions of heathen now groping in pagan darkness, and shall
cause a more earnest seeking for that apostolic faith and power
necessary for success in the great enterprise, I shall consider my
labor not in vain.

Tar AUTHOR.
CONTENTS.

 

CHAPTER I.

Birth—Early Life—Religious impressions—Converted at seventeen
years of age—Call to preach—Assisted by Rey. Loring Grant—
Leaves a widowed mother and her helpless family—Junior Preacher
on Cayuga circuit—Admitted on trial in the Genesee Conference,
and appointed to Scipio circnit—Revivals at Marcellus, Skaneateles,
Spafford—Sent to Long Point circuit, Upper Canada.........-PaGE 7

‘CHAPTER II.

Condition of the Canadas—Incidents of the journey—Meets with Rev.
Z. Paddock—Society at Long Point—A dream—Expects a revival—
Change of colleagues—Has charge of the circuit, though not yet
twenty-one—The work of reformation begins the first round—Sixty
admitted on probation—Powerful meeting—Camp-Meeting—Re-
markable conversion—Visits Lodersville—A revival—Church built
by one man and presented to the society—Opposition—Ministers
raised up—Bishop George visits the Canadas—Chosen to travel with
the Bishop—Re-appointed to Canada,...esecerseccecerere sigieais 20

CHAPTER III.

Preaches at Mount Pleasant—Opposed by the Hicksite Quakers—A
convert alienated—Reclaimed by a sermon—Goes to a Quaker Settle-
ment—Debate—Society formed and church built—Asks to return to
the States—Request not granted—Visits the Indians on Grand River
—Second visit—Conference at Vienna—Appointed to Grand River

38

WNISSIOD. save reccccrsacsnsccnsenece ces een tes eenseeees ee neensnee
vi : CONTENTS.

_CHAPTER IV.

indian Tribes of Canada—Historical details—The Six Nations—Alli-
ance with Great Britain—Provided for by the Government—brant
visits England—Translates portions of the Bible into Mohawk—Be-
comes a member of the Established Church—Paganism abandoned
by the Mohawks, but without embracing true religion—The author’s
plan of missionary labor—Brainard—Jobn Steward—Indian council
—Mohawk the general language—Honesty of the Indians—Didicult
travelling—Near perishing from hunger—Two Indians, the celebrated
Peter Jones and his sister, converted at camp-meeting—Great revival
among the Indians—A society formed and church built—Their mode
of worship......... aa aieerete rere reer oes e eee cee veseteee PacEe 50

CHAPTER V.

Indian customs—Reforms—Conference—Dr. Clarke’s Commentary—
Return to the mission—A Mohawk Chief’s reason for joining ‘the
Methodists—Exhorts a Bishop—The work extends to other tribes—
Peter Jones visits the river Credit—Intemperate habits of the Indi-
ans—They promise to Visit Grand River....csccccsccccecececes - 89

CHAPTER VI.

The Indians arrive at the Grand River Mission—Many converted, and
among them the mother of Peter Jones—The Indian converts re-
main with the Mohawks—Exemplary Christians............000. 99

CHAPTER VII.

1ne Munceys on the river Thames-—Letter from John Carey, a teacher
at Muncey town, U. C.—Resolves to visit that tribe—Accompanied
by Peter Jones and other Indians—The Munceys preparing for a
giand religious feast—Ceremonies and incidents of the occasion—
Hostile demonstrations—Obtains at length a cordial reception—A
school established—Return to Grand River—Large number of con-
verts—Peter Jones made a Chief—The Chippewas go to their Res-
OFvation...esecees ste eee eee ceeeeeseerencsscccescccescescesens 106

CHAPTER VIII.

Attends the session of the Genesee Conference—Canada Conference
ut. Hallowell—A band of Chippewas attend—Twenty converted in
one meeting—Incidents—The missionary cause receives a new im-
pulse—Personal enjoyment—The lion tamed............0+ iteee 188
CONTENTS. VII

CHAPTER IX.

The Mississaguas established on the Credit—Schools—Distribution
of aunuities—How drunkenness was prevented—The converted In-
dian women refuse jewelry—Carpenters and masons sent to build
houses—The work spreads—Great numbers converted—Letter to
the Methodist Magazine..........ceeeeese eee aaies seeee+ PAGE 186

CHAPTER X.

Returns home—Leaves for Conference—Annual report of the Confer-
euce on the Indian Missions—Letter from Rev. Loring Grant—In-
crease of missionary funds—Liberality of the Canadians...... 151

CHAPTER XI.

Devotedness of the Indians—The work exicvis—The state of the
Mission—Letter of Dr. Ryerson—John Carcy successful at Muncey
town—An Indian tries to kill him—He escapes—Refuses to
TEAR G ics akkx paxonee ere hntES OA ee eR SAR ESN eg Vaden eee, DRS

CHAPTER XII.

Stability of the Indian converts—Causes of it—Triumphant deaths—
An Indian deceived and made drunk by the whites—Commits sui-
cide—The tribe resolve to exclude all rum-sellers—Worse than
diabolical character of the liquor traffic....... 2+. Seteherses, 192

CHAPTER XIII.

Pioneer work—Exposure—Health impaired—Asks for release from
the mission—Urged to continue—On his way to Conference faints
and falls from his horse—After Conference goes home to the States
to recruit—Returns to Canada invigorated—Again dangerously ill
—tTransferred to the Genesee Conference—Appointed to the Ulysses
circuit—Goes to the Canada Conference—Successful meeting
at Salt Springs—Remarkable instance of presentiment—Henry
Ryan...--.-- ence cen nce ree cc ecenee $4 deste cise euieesce aie(esvisie'sis - 208

CHAPTER XIV.

Travels the Ulysses circuit alone—Returned the second year—Has
Gideon Laning and Schuyler Hoes for colleagues—The character of
Brother Hoes—He leaves the Church on «é-cant of severe treat-
ment—Death of the author’s mother—Tie Genesee Conference
divided—Retains his membership in the Qucida Conference—Pom-
pey circuit second year—Revival at Delpki—Controversy—Fabius
circuit—Revivals in many places—A battle with Universalism—A
Mormon convert reglaimed—Norwich CLECs aciiniachs aja pestle: OSE
Vill CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XV.

Chenango, Otego and Canajoharie circuits—Oneida Indian Mission—
Rise of the Mission—Superannuation—Removal to Andover, Alle-
gany Co., N. Y.—A revival—Society formed and church built—Be-
comes effective—Straightened circumstances—Again superannuated
—Removes to South Onondaga—Remarkable conversion of a
young man—Assisted in the purchase of a home—Death of rela-
tives......00- ote c cee cceeccceees etnvenah ewe cones seeeeeeesPAGE 206

CHAPTER XVI.

A visit to former fields of labor—Cayuga—Ulysses—Canada—Resi-
dence of the late Peter Jones—An account of his last illness and
death—His character—New Credit Mission—Great changes—Ser-
mon of Rev. Wm. Case—His sudden death—A memoir of him.—
Incidents—Mode of worship—Hamilton—Brantfordville...... 282

CHAPTER XVII.

Extent of the Indian Mission work—Selections from the correspon-
dence of missionaries—The leaven reaches beyond the Rocky
Mountains—An appeal from the Flathead Indians—Responded to
by Rev. Jason Lee....e.ceecesseccaccccecsseccscvces soceseceee 334

CHAPTER XVIII.

Return home—Incidents—Camp-meeting at Lebanon—Sacred associa.
tions—Death of a son—Retrospection—On the rock—Joyous pros-

POCh.ccccccve recess OOS ke Ge te wae wer teeenagecreeruneescsens, S84
CHAPTER I.

Birth—Karly Life—Religious impressions—Converted at seventeen
years of age—Call to preach—Assisted by Rev. Loring Grant—
Leaves a widowed mother and her helpless family—Junior Preacher
on Cayuga ircuit—Admitted on trial in the Genesee Conference,
and appointed to Scipio circuit—Revivals at Marcellus, Skaneat-
eles, Spafford—Sent to Long Point circuit, Upper Canada.

I was born July 27, 1797, in the town of Stafford,
county of Tolland, State of Connecticut.

My parents were both natives of this State. They
both became members of the Presbyterian Church in
early life. As yet, Methodism had no existence in
that part of the State, but no sooner did one of the
Methodist itinerants visit the town of my father’s res-
idence, and publish an appointment for preaching,
than he became one of his first hearers; and so well
pleased was he with this first sermon, that he invited
him to preach at his own house in another part of the
town. The minister accepted the invitation, and this
was the beginning of Methodism in old Stafford,
Conn.

A reformation soon followed ; a society was organ-
8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

ized ; my parents became members, and three of my
mother’s brothers (of the Dimmick family) became
ministers. My parents became members about the
time I was born. They emigrated to New York State
in the year 1801, and settled on the Butternut Creek,
Otsego Co. Here the country was new ; no Metho-
dists, nor Methodist preaching near.

This same year the Tioga circuit embraced Unadilla.
The preachers were Gideon C. Knowlton and Moses
Morgan. These heralds of the cross soon planted
Methodism along the Unadilla River, which was only
four miles from my -father’s residence. They estab-
lished preaching at his house ; a society was organized,
and a glorious reformation followed. The Chenango
circuit was formed soon after, embracing both the
town of Unadilla and the Butternuts. John P.
Newman, David Dunham, Matthew VanHousen, John
Husselkus, Benoni Harris, Benj. Bidlack, Wm. Heyer,
Sylvester Hill, Ebenezer White,* and Chas. Giles,
were some of the itinerants who visited and preached

 

“Ebenezer White—O, that man of God! Truly his memory is
blessed—he was my spiritual father. I must be allowed here to speak
the language of one who knew him well, and who wrote his obituary
notice.

“The term, ‘Father White’ was used—though only forty-three
years of age when he died—out of deep reverence for his piety and
usefulness; and it may be said of him, as was said of Job of old
times, ‘When the ear heard him,’ whether in social converse or in the
public assembly, it blessed him; and ‘when the eye saw him,’ in all
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 9

at my father’s house, and under whose ministry I re-
ceived my first religious impressions.

All these have gone to their final reward in heaven,
excepting the last mentioned. He still lingers upon
our earthly shores ; but, doubtless, will soon be releas-
ed, to join that holy band of martyrs who worship
around the throne of God in heaven.

When I was seven or eight years old, I remember

 

the relations he sustained to his fellow beings, it bore witness he was
truly a man of God.

“He had, naturally, a robust constitution, but in consequence of a
fractured limb, his future life was marked with afflictions. This
stroke of Divine providence, which fell upon him while questioning
his call to travel and preach the Gospel, he received as an admonition
from heaven.

“His daily sufferings taught him the bitter consequences of disobe-
dience, and proved a spur to him in his religious course. He was de-
voted to the work of the Lord; he denied himself; he left all; even
the ties of affection toward his dear family, though strong, did not
draw him from the duties of his charge. He made it the business of
his life to point sinners to the cross, and to build up the Church of
Christ, in which his soul delighted, in holiness and truth. He count-
ed not his own life dear, so that he might please God, who called him
to the ministry, and be instrumental in doing good to his fellow men.
He labored—travelling through heat and cold—when his infirmities
indicated dissolution near. Many, in his condition, would have
pleaded exemption from such laborious dutice, tat his ardent soul,
burning with an immortal flame, could not resi, aad when he was not
able to preach standing upon his feet, he stood upon his knees, and
thus, in that humble posture, declared the whole counsel of God. In
his ministerial character, he was deservedly esteemed as a father and
apattern. He was plain, artless, and solemn, in his style and address.
He never studied to ring the ear with pleasant sounds, or dazzle the
eye with shining things. His aim was at the heart, and the heart he
won. Conscience seldom slept where he preached. He loved the
souls of men, and would nt be denied. He went deep, and swam far
10 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

being powerfully operated upon in a great meeting at
my father’s house, A pentecostal shower fell upon
the people. All seemed to be overwhelmed with the
power and love of God; and I shared with the rest,
and was happy. From this time until I was soundly
converted to God, which occurred when about seven-
teen, I was inclined to read my Bible—for as soon as

 

in the Gospel sea. From his golden treasures, through the vehicle
of his heart, he brought forth things new and old. He was a faithful
shepherd; he never ‘earried sand instead of salt to the flock, nor fed
them with flowers instead of fruit; but he fed them after the great
Shepherd’s example, with the words of eternal life. .

“He was not only a preacher in the pulpit, but out of it; he was in-
stant in season and out of season, reproving and exhorting. One es-
sential trait in his ministerial character, and which distinguished him
as eminently useful, was his unwearied labors in catechising and in-
structing children. His toil was crowned with marvellous success,
and his happy soul has often been transported by hearing children
from eight years and upward, praising God in the temple, and singing
hosannas to his name.

“He was a lover of order in the Church, and under his administra-
tion of discipline, which was strict and mild, the Church always flour-
ished like a garden of lilies.

“Thus was our beloved brother White eminent as a minister, yet
not less so as a Christian. He ascended high in the kingdom of grace
—possessed great faith, humility, zeal, and love; and in the elevation
of his soul in spiritual things, he learned to count all things below as
cross.

“He was a good counsellor, a consoling friend, prudent in judgment,
reserved in conversation, discreet in behavior, and patient in suffering.
He was a great blessing, not only to his family but also to the Church
of Christ. He entered the itinerant ranks in 1802. He filled eleven
stations in the old Genesee Conference. He was attacked by the pre-
vailing epidemic, which in about three days terminated his useful life,
in the town of Hartwick, Otsego Co., N. Y. About half an hour be-
fore he died, he raised the window of his room to reprove some chil-
dren who were playing in the street, it being the Sabbath day. Soon
after, he laid down upon his bed, and calmly expired.”
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 11

I became old enotigh to read, one was given me ; and
I remember how much better I understood it after
reading it through by course, than when reading it
promiscuously ; and I believe I shall bless God to all
eternity, that I was favored with religious training in
the Methodist Episcopal Church fifty years ago ; and
that I learned in the Methodist school, to distinguish
between the power of religion and its form.

From the time I received my first religious impres-
sions, which was at the meeting at my father’s house,
of which I have spoken, until I became a member of
the M. E. Church, at sixteen, my love for Christians,
and a relish for the means of grace increased, until I
received the evidence that the Lord accepted of me as
his adopted son. This was about six months after I
joined the Church on trial. When brought into the
full light and liberty of the Gospel of Christ, I soon
found I was in my greatest element when engaged in
the Lord’s work of persuading men to be Christians,
and in preparing myself to be useful in the Church
aud to the world.

I had strong impressions of mind, from the time I
began to give my heart to God, that I must preach ;
but I kept these impressions to myself until interro-
gated by Rev. Loring Grant, preacher in charge of the
Lebanon circuit on which I resided.
12 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

I had been called upon to pray and exhort in the
public assemblies, and the Quarterly Conference had
voted me a license to exhort, without my asking for
it. I was conscious I should have to preach, but how
I could ever start out as a travelling preacher, under
my embarrassed circumstances, was something I could
not then know. My father had died suddenly, and
through the dishonesty of one he had confided in as
an old friend, had lost all his property. My mother,
with four children who were too young to support
themselves, was thus left to the care of myself and a
younger brother. But he being from home, at school,
during the winter, and working through the summer,
the care of the family devolved upon me, until Br.
Loring Grant, preacher in charge of the circuit on which
I lived, called upon me on his way from Conference,
and said, “Br. Alvin, are you ready to mount your
“horse and enter the itinerant field?’ I said to him,
“T have no horse.” ‘‘Well,” said he, “Z have a horse,
saddle, bridle, and portmanteau, which I will let you
have, and you can pay me when you get able.”

I laid the matter before my mother ; she said she
did not know how she could keep the children together,
and get along without me ; “but,” said she, “I must
aot oppose nor discourage you in what seems to be
your duty to God and to the Church. The Lord will
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 13

provide. Go, and my prayers shall ascend to heaven
for your success.”

Accordingly, having made every necessary prepara-
tion for leaving, I bade farewell to my weeping moth-
er, sisters, and youngest brother—who was but four
years of age—mounted my horse, and set my face for
the west. After getting fairly off, and alone on my
horse, I gave vent to my feelings in tears. I lifted
up my heart in prayer to Him who I believed had
called me to the work of the ministry, that he would
help and bless me, and give me favor in the sight of
the people with whom I was to labor. After travel-
ling sixty miles, I reached Cortlandville, where the
first quarterly meeting was held fcr Cayuga circuit.
I was warmly received by brother and sister Grant ;
and George Harmon, the presiding elder for Cayuga
district, greeted me with a fatherly tenderness, I
was directed to take the appointments of the circuit,
and go to work as the junior preacher. I had only
received an exhorter’s license, and, of course, the
official board of the circuit, after some months trial,
were to determine whether I was competent to be a
travelling preacher or not.

None but God knew what trials and sore conflicts
I had with the powers of darkness during my first
year’s labor ; but the Lord gave me favor in the sight
14 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

of the people. Brother and sister Grant were like a
tender father and mother to me during the whole
year ; and Br. Kimberlin, who was supernumerary on
the circuit, also treated me with great kindness, and
encouraged me to go on in the great work I had en-
tered upon. During this Conference year, the Lord
gave me the most satisfactory evidence that I was
doing the work he had made me for. On one public
occasion, while I was preaching, the power of God
fell upon the people, and before we closed our exercises,
several were powerfully converted to God. O, what
sweet and heavenly-seasons I enjoyed with the good
people of old Cayuga circuit! |The remembrance of
those days revives me now in my declining years,
amidst suffering and poverty. I like to survey those
retreats in groves and barns, where the Lord revealed
himself to me gloriously. I remained on the circuit
until Br. Grant returned from the Conference, which
held its session at Elizabethtown, U. C., where I was
admitted on trial, and appointed to Scipio circuit,
which lay directly north of the one I was now leaving.

At this time, Genesee Conference included all the
territory now embraced in the Genesee, Hast Genesee,
Oneida, Black River and Wyoming Conferences, and
Upper and Lower Canada.

During the year, I had visited my mother, and
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 15

found that the Lord had, indeed, been providing for
her, and in a way I had not expected. My brother,
Daniel, with my oldest sister, Hannah, had embraced
religion, and united with the M. E. Church; so she
now had three of the five that were with her, who
could unite with her around the family altar in prayer
and praise to God. Wealthy, one younger than the last
mentioned, had experienced religion at a camp-meet-
ing which I attended. When she emerged into the
light and life of the Son of God, her bodily strength
gave way, and she had no use of any of her bodily
powers excepting her voice ; with that she cried,“Glory,
glory, glory,” for three hours, while the multitude gath-
ered around, gazing upon her, for her face shone like
the face of an angel. She was, at this time, but ten
years old, and has long since taken her place by the
side of her sainted mother, fast by the throne of God
in heaven.

During this Conference year, I had an impression
of mind that I must visit a certain village of people
from house to house, and talk and pray with them.
I followed out the impression, and when about half
through my work, visiting and praying with the peo-
ple, a gentleman of the village said to me, “‘will you
preach to us this evening?” I said, “yes, if you have
a house the people can be convened in.” He said he
16 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

would open their new school-house. He did so, and
when evening came, the people came rallying to the
place, to see who the crazy fellow was who had been
crying, “Repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and be saved.” I gave out my text, ‘Escape for thy
life ; tarry not in all the plain; escape to the moun-
tain, lest thou be consumed.” The word took effect ;
salvation came to the people; and in a few months
a good society was raised up, which has remained to
this day. The above mentioned village is Dryden,
Cortland county.

This year (1817) I found I was to be associated
with Br. Zenas Jones for my colleague. He was a
good man, and a spiritual preacher. After having an
interview with him, and receiving a plan of the cir-
cuit, I found it was as large as the one I had just
left. It embraced Scipio, Cayuga, Mentz, Elbridge,
Jordan, Manlius, Onondaga, Owasco, Otisco, Auburn,
Skaneateles and Spafford.

Through all these towns we travelled, and preached
in every neighborhood and village where the people
would give attention. It was a four weeks’ circuit,
and all we could do in the preaching line, was to give
each congregation one sermon once in two weeks ; and
this required us to preach almost every day in the
week, twice or thrice on the Sabbath, and long rides
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 17

between. Thus we had plenty of work in preaching,
visiting and praying with the people, and in attendiny
to revival meetings, which were very common in those
days of Methodism,

In the town of Spafford, we had several week-day
appointments in private houses, school-houses and
barns. At one of these appointments, in a barn, ou
what was called Spafford Side-Hill, was a small congre-
gation, tor as yet we had not got the attention of the
people turned much to the great interest of the soul.

I had preached to them but two or three times in
my turn round the circuit, before the Lord favored us
with a glorious revival. It commenced one afternoon
while I was trying to preach to the people assembled
in the barn, I gave out my text, and when about
half through with my discourse, there appeared at the
door a young woman of sume seventeen years. As
she was entering the barn, to take her seat with the
people who were now listening to the word preached,
she stopped suddenly and began to weep. The word
of truth had taken fast hold of her heart, and in a
moment or two, while she was yet standing in the
door, the Lord converted her soul. She shouted aloud,
and passed from the south door, through the congre-
gation, to the north door, to lay hold of her father,
who was sitting near the door. When he saw her
18 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

coming towards him with a quick step, and shouting
_ “glory,” his first thoughts were to run, for he made
no profession of religion, but before he had time to
leave his seat she had fast hold of him, and was ex-
horting him to give his heart to Christ.

This was like the shock of an earthquake among
the people, and the power of God was manifested to
save lost and perishing sinners.

The father and mother of this young woman, and
several of her brothers and sisters, were converted to
God ; and this was the beginning of Methodism in
Spafford.

Another glorious revival began in the town of
Marcellus, in the vicinity of David Holmes’. David
Holmes was a local preacher in our Church; his wife
was a woman of a powerful mind, and a devoted
Christian. They have given to the Methodist Church
two or three strong and able ministers of the New
Testament. From this revival was raised up one
of the most noble bands of young men and women
that I have ever known; and who can tell the
amount of good, that, during the past forty years,
has grown out of this revival! When I beat up
for volunteers at the commencement of the refor-
mation in brother Holmes’ barn, brother Stephen
Cobb was the first to give in his name for member-
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 19

ship. He has not only been a successful minister for
many years, but two of his sons are able and success-
ful itinerants in our Church.

During this year I was invited to preach at Skan-
eateles village. I was obliged to preach on a week-
day evening. The word of truth took effect, and we
soon organized a society. This, on the whole, was a
good year. I labored in harmony with my colleague to
the close of the Conference year. I attended the Con-
ference, which held its session on the banks of Cayuga
Lake. At the close of this Conference, I was read off
for Long Point circuit, U. C. After receiving my
appointment, I visited my mother, divided my hun-
dred with her, and prepared for my journey to the
then far off regions of the dominions of George the
Third.
CHAPTER II.

Condition of the Canadas—Incidents of the journey—Meets with
Rev. Z. Paddock—Society at Long Point—A dream—Expects a re-
vival—Change of colleagues—Has charge of the circuit, though
not yet twenty-one—The work of reformation begins the first
round—Sixty admitted on probation—Powerful meeting—Camp-
Meeting—Remarkable conversion—Visits Lodersville—A revival—
Church built by one man and presented to the society—Opposition
—Ministers raised up—Bishop George visits the Canadas—Chosen
to travel with the Bishop—Re-appointed to Canada.

The war of 1812 had spread desolation through
the provinces, but the English, in order to repair the
damages done the inhabitants, and to induce immigra-
tion, offered one hundred acres of land to every set-
tler who would clear a small place, build a log house,
and live in it. These inducements brought thousands
from the European kingdoms, and new townships were
filled up with families from England, Ireland, Scot-
land, Wales, and the United States. .

Hundreds, throughout the length and breadth of
these newly settled towns, were without the Gospel
and holy sacraments, except when the Methodist itin-
erants occasionally visited them.
REV. ALVIN TORRY, 21

At this time, there were only two Presiding Elders
in the Canadas, and they took the supervision of the
whole work, They were William Case and Henry
Ryan, and to them constant applications were made,
from the people of the new settlements, for preachers.
The fields were all whitening to the harvest. The
Genesee Conference was under obligations to supply
these perishing thousands with the Word of Life, by
sending them the men of their own body who were
prepared to make sacrifices, endure hardships and suf-
fering for Christ’s sake, and the salvation of souls, and

. who counted not their own lives dear, if they could
but please God and win souls to Christ. This year,
1818, Br’s Case and Ryan attended the Conference
above named, and requested the Presiding Bishop to
select from the Conference, a troop of young men for
the Canadas.

It was done, and as soon as the Conference closed
its session, they: mounted their horses and started. I
was among the number whose fields of labor were as-
signed them in the British provinces. Our equipage
for the battle field, was a port-manteau and valise ; in
them we stowed our wearing apparel, Bible, hymn-
book, and what other books we were able to get; and
but a few dollars in our pockets. Our outward dress
and appearance, when mounted, gave us the name of
“The Methodist Cavalry.”
22 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

A single man’s salary, in those days, was from sev-
enty to a hundred dollars, if he could get it from the
people among whom he labored. With this he had to
equip himself with a horse, saddle, bridle, port-man-
teau, valise, and a small library of books,

After travelling one hundred miles, our company
was reinforced by the addition of one to our number,
Br. Z. Paddock, now of Wyoming Conference, and
who has since become D. D. He was on his way to
his field of labor, assigned him by the Bishop. His
pleasant and enlivening conversation, mingled with a
deep, devotional spirit, added greatly to our social and .
religious enjoyment, and cheered us on our march to
our distant fields of labor. We were privileged with
his company only three days, as he had then reached
his destination, on the east side of the Niagara river.
We parted in tears, wishing and praying for each
other’s success in cultivating Immanuel’s land, and in
bringing souls to Christ.

Often, while far away among strangers, did my mind
revert to those pleasant hours which were passed with
such congenial spirits ; and often while toiling and la-
boring in the dominions of King George, did memory
revert to those pleasant communings, and thus cheer
me on my way.

We now pursued our journey till-we reached the
-

REV. ALVIN TORRY. 23

waters of Niagara, having travelled already two hun-
dred miles. Crossing over, we entered the Canadas
at Queenstown, a little below where the great battle
was fought during the war of 1812, in which the
brave and noble Gen. Brock and his aid-de-camp, Col,
McDonald, were shot from their horses within a few
moments of each other, by American riflemen ; and
whose remains are interred beneath a monument of
marble, near the spot where the last named officer fell
dead from his horse. We stopped to survey the battle
ground where so many brave men lost their lives,
through the mismanagement of their commanding of-
ficer.

Here I took leave of my brethren, they going to the
north and I bearing off to the west. I still had over
sixty miles to travel before reaching my circuit, and
among entire strangers ; but I found them very kind,
and as hospitable as those of my native State. »

When within about twelve miles of Long Point,
the oldest settled place in that part of the Canadas,
and which gave its name to the circuit which I was to .
travel, I entered a small valley where was a little vil-
lage, called Lodersville—it had received its name from
a wealthy merchant of the place, who owned a large
distillery there, and who had in his employ and under
his control, a large number of men. Neither the

“ae
24 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

merchant nor his men professed religion, and I found,
on inquiry, that it had been given over and abandoned
by both Presbyterians and Methodists ; the former of
whom had commenced building a church, but when
half finished, had left it to the moles and bats.

I turned my eyes towards if as I passed through the
village, and said to myself, “I must make an effort to
save this people, as soon as circumstances will permit.”
I went on to my field of labor—found the class-leader
of a small society at Long Point, who received me
kindly, and directed me to the dwelling of a local
preacher in our Church, Dan Freeman, who I found
had been an itinerant in the early days of Methodism
in the United States, but had taken up his residence
here. I found him a good brother, in good circum-
stances, and with a most amiable family. They bade
me welcome to all that was calculated to make my-
self and horse comfortable,

One night, while at Br. Freeman’s, I dreamed a
great fire broke out on Long Point plains, and seemed
to light up the whole country around. When I awoke,
I said, we shall have a reformation through this
country. When the family called me to breakfast, I
told them my dream and said, we shall have a refor-
mation soon through this country.

I found I was to be associated with an aged brother
REV. ALVIN TORRY, 25

for my colleague, David Yeoman ; but he did not re-
main long on the circuit, as the Presiding Elder re-
moved him to another part of the province, and sent
on a Br, Jackson, who was not what I wanted for a
colleague, He, after several years travelling under the
direction of the Genesee Conference, left our Church,
and showed by his works that his heart was not right
with God.

’ My experience in the work of the ministry was
small, for I was not yet twenty-one, but my Presiding
Elder said I must consider myself in charge of the
field of labor in which I was at work. My first ap-
pointment was at a small, unfinished meeting house,
on Long Point plains. Before entering upon my Sab-
bath labors, I retired to the grove to ask the Lord to
bless and prosper me in my work of winning souls to
Christ. I took for my text, “And now if you will
deal kindly and truly with my Master, tell me ; and if
not, tell me ; that [ may turn to the right hand or to
the left.”

The Lord helped me and gave me tokens for good ;
and before I had gone one round on my circuit, the
Lord began to convert sinners and reclaim back-
sliders.

Our circuit extended into many of the new settle-
ments which were difficult of access, by reason
26 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

of the badness of the roads and the large, un-
bridged streams of water, we were obliged to pass in
getting to them ; and after reaching them, the ac-
commodations, for both man and beast, were very
poor, the people living mostly in small shanties ; but
so hungry were they for the Word of Life, that when
we entered their dwellings, they would greet us with
tearful eyes, and express a desire to make us as com-
fortable as possible.

I had not gone once around my extensive circuit,
when the work of reformation began; and in one
round, I admitted into the Church sixty on probation.
The most of these were new converts.

At Long Point, Br. Ephraim Tisdale, who was one
of the first Methodists in Canada, and the leader of
the society there, had fitted up a large room in one
part of his house for meeting, and in which he had
preaching once in two weeks, and regular service every
Sabbath. He had a numerous family, and several of
his sons and daughters, with his pious companion,
were members of our Church ; and several of his sons
and grandsons are now ministers in the M. E, Church,
The father and mother of this noble and pious fam-
ily years since joined the Church triumphant, and are

receiving their reward for their kindness and liberality
to the servants of Christ,
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 24

At an evening meeting at this brother’s house,
while trying to dispense the Word of Life to the peo-
ple, the mighty power of God came down upon the
congregation, and two stout, able-bodied young men
were brought trembling upon the floor, crying for
mercy. They were brothers ; and one of them seemed
in such agony of mind that he stretched himself upon
the floor, crying, “The Lord charges me with his
death.” Others, all around the room, were crying for
mercy, or praising God for his redeeming and saving
power. This meeting lasted all night, and the young
man whose agony was so great, continued in this
death-like struggle until the morning light appeared.
Just as the king of day rolled up the eastern hori-
zon, and threw his first beams aslant the earth, the
sun of righteousness shone into his heart, and he
sprang to his feet, with his soul filled unutterably full
of glory and of God. His face shone with a heavenly
smile, and his tongue was loosed to tell the wonders
of redeeming grace and dying love.

The other brother had found peace to his soul, but
was differently exercised ; they both became faithful
members of our Church, and one of them a zealous
and successful minister of the Canada Conference.

The number converted during this night I am not
now able to give ; but this mighty flame spread rapidly,
28 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

and we soon cammenced a camp-meeting within the
bounds of our charge, and God was with us in great
power. A company of rowdies from a distance came
on to the ground during the meeting, with the inten-
tion of disturbing us. They had chosen one of their
number as leader, but soon after entering the encamp-
ment, he was arrested by the mighty power of God.
He tried to leave the ground, but suddenly fell, and
lay all night as stiff and cold as a dead man. In the
morning animal life returned, and he was able to
walk around; and his countenance showed that a
great change had taken place in his mind. His jaws
were set, and he could neither open his mouth nor
speak, until towards noon, when he said he had seen
heaven and hell; he was remarkably solemn and de-
votional. Our camp-meeting closed up gloriously, and
the Lord was with us in great power, to save lost
sinners from death.

I now resolved to visit the people of Lodersville,
who had been on my mind from the time I first passed
through the village, on my entrance into the province.
By my orders, an appointment for preaching at the
old, unfinished church, had been given out, and when
T entered, I found a respectable and intelligent con-
gregation assembled. I stepped upon a platform
which elevated me above the people, knelt down and
REV.. ALVIN TORRY. 29

prayed, and then sung some appropriate verses.
While singing, I perceived I had gained their atten-
tion; and during my sermon, I saw the truth had
taken fast hold of the hearts of many in the congre-
gation, and I knew the Lord would save this people.
As soon as I closed, I was obliged to mount my horse
and start for my afternoon appointment ; but be-
fore leaving, I told the people that in four weeks, the
Lord willing, I would preach to them again. So ex-
tensive was my circuit, and so great the work
already on my hands, I found I could not preach to
them sooner. When the day arrived for the next
meeting with them, I was enabled to reach their vil-
lage at the hour appointed. As I was making for the
old church, I was met by a man who told me that the
people were assembled in a large, unfinished house, in
the Centre, and said he would take care of my horse.
All this was by the order of Mr. and Mrs. Loder. I
entered the house, and found a fine congregation, well
seated, waiting for the minister. I immediately com-
menced our religious exercises, and the Lord was with
us in great power. The people melted down like wax
before the fire. | Weeping, and cries of, ‘What shall
I do to be saved,” were heard from every part of the
congregation ; and before I closed the meeting, I read
the “‘General Rules” of our Societies, as found in the
30 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

Discipline, and said, “All who are willing to be
governed by these Bible rules, and wish to be joined
together in Church fellowship, will rise up.” Over
twenty rose and gave in their names. Among these
were Mrs. Loder, her only child, a very amiable
daughter of sixteen, a sister, who was an inmate of
her family, and a young gentleman who was clerk in
Mr. Loder’s store.

After closing our meeting, which was lengthy, Mr.
Loder invited me to his house, saying that he had or-
dered my horse taken care of. I went. After seating
ourselves in his parlor, he said, ‘Mr. Torry, I am glad
you have succeeded so well in organizing a Church
among us to-day; and Iam pleased that my family
have become members of the same, and when I shall
become fit, I intend to be one among you. And now
we want a decent house to worship in, and I am de-
termined to build one, I can do it without asking for
a cent from any one.”

The Lord wrought gloriously for this people. Mr.
Loder built a neat, good sized house, finished it to
the turn of the key, and I was called upon to preach
one of the dedication sermons.

About this time, I was requested to preach the
funeral sermon of an aged Presbyterian minister, who
lived within the bounds of our circuit. This aged
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 31

man had been preaching about forty years. He was
one of the first settlers of Upper Canada, and had a
numerous family of children and grand-children. He
was properly a Calvinist of the Old School, and was
not inclined to let Methodist ministers preach within
the bounds of his parish; but when he died, I was
sent for, though twenty miles away, to preach his
funeral sermon. The services were held in the same
house that he had preached in forty years. A large
circle of relatives, with his Church and the citizens of
the surrounding country, had come to pay their last
respects to this aged and respected citizen.

I felt that I needed special help from above on this
occasion. My desire and prayer was, that I might be
the means of doing this people some good. The Lord
did assist me to preach, and to go through with the
services, to the satisfaction of the friends of the de-
ceased, and I was invited to preach to them again. I
did so, and in a short time organized a society, with
which nearly all of the members of the Presbyterian
Church united, and in less than six months we had
built a respectable house for worship, and Methodism
took fast hold of the hearts of the people in that
place.

We were constantly enlarging our circuit, by pen-
etrating newly settled neighborhoods, and the word of
32 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

truth took immediate effect upon the hearts of the
people to whom it was dispensed. At one of these
new settlements, on the west part of our circuit,
called Talbert-street, the spirit of awakening began.
In the same place lived two men, who professed to be
Presbyterian ministers, and who seemed to think it
was their privilege to say just what they pleased
about Methodism and Methodist ministers. They had
told the people that I was as well calculated to de-
ceive as the devil, and that Methodism was a system
of error. They came to one of my meetings, and I
gave out for my text, ‘“‘We are journeying unto the
place of which the Lord said, I will give it you; come
thou with us, and we will do thee good, for the Lord
hath spoken good concerning Israel.” When about
half through my discourse, a woman who had not pro-
fessed religion, nor appeared serious before this meet-
ing, seemed to be deeply affected, and springing from
her seat, began to shout, “Glory, glory to God.”
‘When she had given vent to her full soul, she wheeled
around, and facing those persecuting ministers, began
exhorting them to repentance before God, ‘‘for,” said
she, ‘‘you have been persecuting this minister of
Christ, and speaking against this blessed religion en-
joyed by these Methodists, and which now makes my
soul so happy.” During her exhortation, I of course
S REV. ALVIN TORRY. 33

paused, and blessed God for his wonder-working power
upon the hearts of these people. The ministers
turned pale, and were glad to retreat from the house
of God. O, what a victory was achieved at this meet-
ing! That woman, with her family, became a mem-
ber of our Church, and they were good soldiers of the
cross. The word of life here was like fire in a dry
stubble.

From- Long Point circuit went forth some of the
most able and successful preachers the Canadas have
been favored with. From one family at Long Point,
Col. Ryerson’s, five sons became itinerants, and mem-
bers of the Canada Conference, and several of them
are now efficient and successful preachers in the prov-
inces. Toward the close of this Conference year,
Bishop George visited the Canadas, and appointments
for him were published through Upper Canada, as far
north as Kingston. He commenced his labors upon
Long Point charge, and preached at our last quarterly
meeting for the year, and his visit and preaching were
a great blessing to us all. The Bishop, in those days,
rode horseback, as did all other Methodist itinerants ;
he therefore requested the Presiding Elder of Upper
Canada district, Henry Ryan, to furnish him with
one of his preachers, that he might accompany him
through the province. Br. Ryan told him to choose
34 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

for himself, from a number who were attending quar-
terly meeting, and he would have his place supplied
during his absence. He accordingly chose me. This
pleased me right well, for I thought I should now have
an opportunity of profiting by his preaching, praying,
and able counsels. Accordingly, we mounted our
horses and set off. I found he was in the habit of
making remarks on almost everything that appeared
beautiful and lovely in nature. Occasionally he would
relate some facts connected with his history, and which
were calculated to instruct and benefit myself, yet he
always appeared solemn and devotional. When he
entered a house to put up for the night, he, after
speaking with the family in a very familiar and fath-
erly manner, would ask for a room to which he might
retire ; or if he perceived there were no conveniences
of this kind, which often happened, he would take his
Bible and retire to some grove, where he might read,
pray and meditate undisturbed. During the day on
which he preached, it was seldom any one could have
access to him until the public services were over.

He was very reserved in conversation, and seemed
deeply afflicted with any one, whether of the ministry
or laity, who evinced a spirit of levity. I said to him
one day, ‘Bishop, since entering the ministry, I have
become fully satisfied that I cannot do as some of our
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 35

ministers do; some of them even, who are called
great ministers. If I allow myself to spend hours in
light and trifling conversation, or in relating some
funny anecdote which will set the company in a roar
of laughter, dissipation of mind immediately follows,
and the sweet and heavenly influences of Christ are
grieved away from my heart, and I am left like Sam-
son, when shorn of his locks. And I have spent days
in darkness, regretting and repenting, and not until L
had resolved to be more guarded in future, could I
regain the favor of God. To carry out my plan more
fully, when I am in such company, or visiting families
that think a minister should spend most of his time
in common chit-chat, I immediately abscond, and
spend my leisure time in prayer, or reading my Bible,
and such other books as I have. For this the people
complain of me, and say I would be more popular if
I would be more like themselves, and not so reserved
and melancholy.”

_After hearing me through, he said: ‘‘You are right.
When I first entered the ministry, I found I could not
spend my time even as older ministers did, and make
that advancement in holiness which the Lord requires
_ of all, both preachers and people. When we are happy
in the love of God we will be cheerful, yet grave and

solemn, and such a spirit becomes all people who are
36 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

so soon to close their probationary existence, and try
the realities of an unending eternity.

“ ‘No time for mirth or trifling here,
If time so soon is gone.’

“Well,” said he, “after struggling along for two or
three years, I fell in company with an aged minister
who set me on the right track, and I have followed his
advice ever since, and have been saved ; and brother,
I advise you to move steadily on in the way the Spirit
of the Lord is leading you, and you will be guided
into all truth.’ He said moreover, ‘““How ministers
can pursue a different course, a course popular with
many of our people, and preach in the demonstration
of the Spirit, and with power, is more than I can
tell. Indeed, their effort is not preaching, but talking,
and this is why our people are not more holy;
why Zion languishes and sinners are not saved.”
The Bishop said further to me, “‘brother, if the people
persecute you for your serious, devotional, retired
course, glory in it, but never yield to friend or foe,
and God will bless you.”

After the Bishop had performed his mission in the
Canadas, we put aboard a sloop at Kingston, crossed
over Lake Ontario, and landed at Ogdensburg. From
thence we went to Watertown, where I left the Bishop,
and steered a direct course for home, at my mother’s.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 37

My youngest sister, Lydia, had passed over the river
death during my absence, but my mother said she
believed she had made safe the haven of eternal rest.
After spending a few days with my mother, and leav-
ing a part of what the people whom I served had
given me, for her support, I went on to our Confer-
ence, and again received an appointment for Canada.
CHAPTER III.

Preaches at Mount Pleasant—Opposed by the Hicksite Quakers—A
convert alienated—Reclaimed by a sermon—Goes to a Quaker Set-
tlement—Debate—Society formed and church built—Asks to return
to the States—Request not granted—Visits the Indians on Grand
River—Second visit—Conference at Vienna—Appointed to Grand
River mission.

On reaching the Westminster circuit, I found a field
of labor more extensive and laborious than the one I had

left. I was placed alone on this circuit, and as I passed
around to the appointments left me by my predecessor,
I found there were continued calls, from the newly
settled parts of the country for preaching, and truly
could we say, “The harvest is great, but the laborers
are few.” I had but little time for rest. While
preaching at a place called Mount Pleasant, from the
text, “Quench not the Spirit,” a young man was
awakened and soon converted, who afterward became
a member of the Canada Conference, and, I believe,
is still in active service, and an efficient preacher.

We had formed a small society in one of the new
settlements, where was but one house convenient for
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 39

preaching, and this was owned by a brother, who, be-
fore experiencing religion and joining our Church, was
inclined to Quakerism. His father, who lived near
him, was what some term a “Hickory Quaker.” He
was opposed to his son’s remaining in the Church,
partly because he wished to break up the Methodist
society in that place, and partly because his son had
to feed the minister and his horse. So the old man
went to work at his son to convince him that the Old
Testament, the Sabbath, baptism, and the sacraments,
were of no particular use under the present dispensa-
tion; and this doctrine which he called Quakerism, he
finally made his son believe to be true. On arriving
at the settlement, I found this brother had been at
work with his team on the Sabbath. As I had an
appointment for the evening at his house, I called
upon him as usual, and perceiving he received me
coolly, I sat down and said to him, “brother, I under-
stand you, with your team, work on the Sabbath as
on other days.” ‘‘Yes,” he said, he “thought the
Sabbath no better than any other day.” As I cast
my eye around the room I saw the family Bible was
gone, and the New Testament had taken its place.
“Well,” I said, “then you have really embraced
Quakerism?” ‘Yes, and I wish to withdraw from the
M. E. Church.” ‘You should have asked for dismis-
40 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

sion from our Church,” said I, “before you violated,
not only thé laws of the Church, but of God and
man, in working on the holy Sabbath. My duty will
require me to call you to an account before the so-
ciety, and if you do not repent of your sins, and make
confession, I shall have to expel you.”

As I closed, he looked at his wife, whose counte-
nance expressed deep trouble, for she was a member
of our society, and had remained unshaken in her
faith in the doctrines of Methodism, and after a pause
of a few moments said to me, ‘If you will prove the
Old Testament to be the Word of God, the Sabbath
a divine institution, and baptism and the sacraments
obligatory under the present dispensation, and meet
the objections the Quakers raise to them, I will give
up my faith in Quakerism and acknowledge my wrong ;
but now, I believe it to be right.”

After reflection, I concluded to advertise the peo-
ple that evening, that at my next visit to them I
would prove the authenticity and divinity of the Old
Testament, show that the Sabbath, baptism by water,
and the sacraments, were as sacred and binding on us
now as when first instituted, and meet all other ob-.
jections the Quakers raised. I therefore set myself
at work examining Fox and Barclay, and making my-
self thoroughly acquainted with Quaker doctrines.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 41

My advertisement spread like wild-fire among the peo-
ple, and when the evening arrived for me to preach,
the house was crowded with people, some of them
from a great distance.

The Quakers had employed a female speaker to
meet me—their great champion, Peter Lawson, it was
said, not being able to be present. I gave for my text,
‘All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness; that the man of God
may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good
works.” I had liberty in speaking, and felt strength-
ened mightily to explain and enforce the truth of the
Bible upon ‘the hearts of the people, and show the
sophistry and error of Quakerism.

When I had finished, the female speaker took the
floor, but the Spirit did not ‘‘move” long enough for
her to make a proper defence of her creed. She soon
took her seat. Then rose up the brother who had
been led astray from the path of right, and who had
sinned against God, by believing in Quakerism, and
said, “I am satisfied the Methodists are right, and
that I have greatly sinned, and I hope the brethren
will forgive me.” His tears showed his sincerity and
deep sorrow of heart, for having broken the holy com-

mandments of God.
42 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

But the Quakers were not willing to give up this
matter in this way. So they appointed a meeting in
the same neighborhood, and brought on their great
champion and defender of their faith, Peter Lawson.
I told our brother to be present and hear all that was
said, for Mr. Lawson would say all that could be said
in defence of his doctrine. He did so, and afterward
said to me, “I am now more than ever convinced that
we are right in reference to the Bible, Sabbath and
sacraments, and that the Quakers are wrong.” After
this skirmish, Quakerism took leave of this part of the
country, and was never heard of more while I re-
mained there, except what was left with ‘‘old Hickory.”

But the Quakers, though they do not believe in war
or fighting, resolved on giving me battle, if I should
ever again attempt to preach in their principal settle-
ment, which was about thirty miles from the one in
which they had made their first attack, and they had
noised around that they should rally and make an at-
tack upon me, and they seemed to think they would
force me to retreat, and be glad to leave that part of
the country. A.ccordingly, before I had time to reach
their settlement, they had made bitter complaints of
me to the only family we had to call on in that part
of the country. Happily, I received timely notice of
this, so, going directly to their settlement, I engaged
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 43

an old building for a short time, fitted it up as a kind
of fort to use during our campaign, for I saw we must’
have a regular fight with them; gave out that I would
have a two-days’ meeting, embracing the Sabbath, and
during which time the sacraments would be adminis-
tered ; invited some of my brethren to meet me there
‘and see what the Lord would do for Quakers, and
others of their neighbors who had not embraced their
doctrine.

. When our meeting began, there was a great rally
of Quakers, and others, who had come to see how the
battle would go. On Saturday, we began leveling our
artillery at error and the devil’s strongholds, and in
about twenty-eight hours we had broken the enemy’s
ranks, and nearly twenty persons, embracing some of
the most influential in the settlement, were completely
subdued, and fell upon their knees crying aloud for
mercy, and it was not long before the shout of victory
rolled up and over the battle field.

The Lord, in his own way, showed these deluded
Quakers that there was power in his Gospel to save
from error, sin and death; and that his method of
saving men was by sanctification of the Spirit, and be-
lief in the whole Bible truth. We organized a society
and erected a good sized church, nearly in the centre
of their settlement, and in sight of their own; and
44 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

when I left that circuit we had one of the best so-
cieties there was in that country; and these peaceable
Quakers found, by sad experience, that it was bad
policy for them to wage war with Methodism.

This was a year of great toil and sacrifice, and yet
it was a good year, for the Lord blessed us, and many
souls were saved through the blood of the atonement.
At the close of this year I attended the session of
our Conference, and again received an appointment
for Canada. After visiting my mother, and spending
a few days with her, I again mounted my horse, and
after three hundred miles travel, reached Ancaster
circuit, of which I was in charge. Here I found a
comfortable resting place at Father Bowman’s, one
of the stewards of my circuit. I had placed my horse
in his pasture, intending to give him several days in
which to recruit, but going out soon after, I found
him dead.

I was now without a horse, or means to buy one,
as I had but a few shillings in my pocket, having
given my mother about half the one hundred dollars
I received as my salary from the people among whom
I had labored during the past year. The rest I had
to lay out for clothing, and in increasing my small
library. My colleague, Br. Furguson, a poor man
with a family, soon after met with a like loss, and
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 45

thus we were left without horses to travel an extensive
circuit. I borrowed a horse to begin with, and as I
passed around the circuit, I found the brethren sym-
pathised with us in our misfortune. It was not long
before a brother let me have a horse on credit, and as
my colleague was successful in getting one also, we
went to work. But it was not long before my health
became poor, and I found much of the time I was
not able to do the work assigned me, still I kept on
attending the appointments, The Lord gave us re-
freshing showers, and manifested his power to save
souls from sin and death.

In closing up this year, I requested my Presiding
Elder, Br. Wm. Case, to use his influence with the
Bishop, to give me a field of labor in the States. He
said he could not promise me a discharge from the
Canadas. I said, “you know we entered these mis-
sion fields with the understanding that after two or
three years’ labor in these provinces, we should be re-
leased, and others of our age in the Conference should
take our places, and share in the toils and sacrifices
necessury to be made in serving a people in a new
country.” Br, Case replied, “Br. Alvin, there is a
hereafter, and we shall see who will have the most
stars in his crown, by and by.” So I saw I must cal-

culate on staying longer in Canada.
46 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

I attended the Conference, received my appoint-
ment back again, on Lyon’s Creek circuit, and after
visiting my mother, and dividing my pittance with
her, bid adieu to home, and again started for my dis-
tant field of labor. My health remained poor, and
the fatigues of a journey of three or four hundred
miles on horseback were too much for me. However,
I entered upon the duties of my charge with as much
courage as I could command. , I was alone, and I
found a large field to explore, which required the
greater part of my time. At all of our appointments
the Lord gavé us evidence of his power and willing-
ness to save perishing. sinners, and we had some very
signal manifestations of his divine mercy and love.

Toward the close of this year, I felt an impression
of mind that I must visit the Six Nations of Indians,
whose Reservation lay to the west of my circuit.
During the whole time I had been in Canada, I was
accustomed to cross the Grand River within a few
noiles of the Mohawk tribe, and frequently met with
groups of them here and there, and not unfrequently
saw them lying drunk around huckster’s shops, kept
by white people for the purpose of getting the Indians
drunk, and then robbing them of all that was of use
to them. But it had never occurred to me that the
Gospel of Christ could be the power of God to the
salvation of Indians.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 47

Now, however, my mind was impressed with a de-
sire to visit these Six Nations, though for what, I really
could not tell. From the west end of my circuit to
the Indian Reservation, was twenty or thirty miles ;
and now, at the closing up of the year, while on the
west part of my charge, I put off for their settlement.
As I struck the Grand River, and passed along up
through the several tribes, I stopped and talked with
them, and questioned them as to their views of our
holy religion ; and: my mind began to be impressed
with the propriety of making an effort to instruct
them in the first principles of the Gospel of Christ.
After spending a part of a day among them, I re-
turned to my charge, and now began to prepare to
take a final leave of the Canadas, for I had received
encouragement that my next appointment would be
in the States.

My Presiding Elder, Br. Case, had appointed a
meeting on his district, at which I was to meet him
and then go directly on to Conference. But before
the time for the meeting arrived, I thought I would
make the Indians another visit. So off I went, and
after further conversation with them in respect to their
views of our Bible religion—for they had a religion of
their own, which they supposed pleased the Great
Spirit, but which gave them no proper knowledge of
48 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

salvation from sin, by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ
—I became interested in their behalf and felt a de-
sire to instruct them in the way of salvation.

After leaving them, I hastened on to meet Br. Case,
and the next day fell in company with him. As soon
as opportunity offered, I told him of my visiting the
Six Nations, and expressed my belief in the probability
of Christianizing them. While I was speaking, he
listened with his sharp, penetrating eyes fixed upon
me, and then bringing his hands together he said, in
a raised tone of voice, “Br. Alvin, prepare to goa.
missionary to those Indians after Conference.” I asked
him to explain himself. ‘‘Well,” said he, “my mind,
recently, has been impressed with the importance of
our trying to better their condition, and I have spoken
to several of our brethren about this matter, and one
said he would give ten dollars and another said he
would give five, towards supporting a man among
them. Now,” said he, ‘‘the Lord is in this, and you
must prepare to enter upon the work of teaching and
preaching to those nations.”

- We now made preparations and started for our Con-
ference, which held its session at Vienna, N. Y. On
our way, and after we had reached the seat of Confer-
ence, the subject of a mission among the Indians was
the all-absorbing topic of. conversation with Br. Case
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 49

and myself. At the close of the Conference, I was
read off for “‘Grand River Mission.”

Duty required that I should spend a few days with
my mother, for I had to see to her, which, with what
my brother Daniel could do, kept her and her younger
children comfortable.

When my mother first received the intelligence of
my appointment among the Indians, she seemed some-
what alarmed for my safety, for she had been accus-
tomed to hear frightful stories of their cruelty to the
. whites; but when she heard from me the circum-
stances which led to my appointment among them, »
she became cali, and her mind seemed to take strong
hold of the promise of the Savior, “Lo! Iam with
you alway, even unto the end of the world.”

I took leave of my weeping friends, and started for
Grand River, which I struck near its mouth. This
river is one hundred miles long, and empties irto Lake
Erie about forty miles from Buffalo. It is navigable
for twelve ‘miles.

During the war of 1812, the British ran a number
of sloops up this river, which, with a body of troops,
remained after the war, and during my stay in Canada,
CHAPTER IV.

Indian Tribes of Canada—Historical details—The Six Nations—Alli-
ance with Great Britain—Provided for by the Government—Brant
visits England—Translates portions of the Bible into Mohawk—Be-
comes a member of the Established Church—Paganism abandoned
by the Mohawks, but without embracing true religion—The author’s
plan of missionary labor—Brainard—John Steward—Indian councils
—Mohawk the general language—Honesty of the {ndians—Difficult
travelling—Near perishing from hunger—Two Indians, the celebrated
Peter Jones and his sister, converted at camp-meeting—Great revival
among the Indians—A society formed and church built—Their mode
of worship.

Although the Indian tribes which have been scat-
tered over the entire continent were very numerous,
they have been all found to belong to eight or ten dis-
tinct groups or families. Four of these at present are
of Canada, viz: 1. The Esquimaux, who, in their
physique, but still more in their manners, belief and
superstitious customs, resermbled the natives of Lap-
land and Greenland, 2. The Chippewayans, (who
should not be confounded with the Chippewas, or
Ojibwas,) including the following tribes: (1.) The
Dog-ribs; (2.) The Hares ; (3.) The Yellow-knives ;
(4.) The Slaves; (5.) The Deer-eaters; and (6.)
The Beaver. 3. The Algonquin ; and 4. The Huron-
Troquois.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 51

Each of these four groups, or families, spoke a dis-
tinct language, having no affinity to the other. The
four groups were sub-divided into various tribes, each
speaking a separate dialect of their original tongue,
yet among all the tribes a remarkable similarity in
customs and institutions prevailed. In color, form,
temperament, religious belief and pursuits, all were
alike. The men engaged in war, hunting and fishing,
while the women performed all other kinds of labor.

The Sacuem, or head of a tribe, was frequently a
hereditary monarch, and sometimes owed his elevation
to his prowess or to his oratorical powers. He could be
deposed ; but while in power hewas supreme. In coun-
cil composed of the elders, he presided as umpire, and
to his decision all bowed with submission. A chief was
subordinate to a Sachem, and was the leader of a war-
party. A war-party generally consisted of forty braves,
or warriors, but sometimes six or nine would venture
out upon the “‘war-path” alone. —

The principal groups of Indians which occupied
the area of Canada at the time of its discovery, were
the Adirondacks, (the Algonquins proper,) and the
Huron-Iroquois. The Algonquins, with the Huron-
Troquois, are said to have descended from the north,
by the Ottawa (or Uttawas) river at the close of the
fifteenth century, and to have occupied the left bank
52 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

of the St. Lawrence. They were called Adirondacks,
(or bark-eaters,) in derision, by the Iroquois. They
received the generic name of Algonquins from the
French. In Indian they were called Odis qua gume,
“People at the end of the water.” In arts and other
attainments they excelled the Iroquois. They are
supposed to have ‘been at the head of a great north-
ern confederacy, similar to that of the Six Nation
Indians. In later times they were allies of the French
and Wyandots, in their wars against the Nodawas or
Iroquois.

The principal tribes of the Algonquin group were,
(1.) The Sangenay Mountaineers; (2.) The Bull-
heads of St. Maurice; (3.) The Ottawas; (4.) The
. Ojibwas, or Chippewas of Lake Superior and river
Winnepeg; (5.) The Maskegons of the river Nelson
and the Crees (les cris) of the river Saskatchewan.
No tribe of this group has been found west of the
Rocky Mountains, nor have any of the Chippewayan
group been found east of Hudson’s Bay.

The O-jib-wa, or Od, jib-way, (plural Odjibwiig)
occupied the shores of Lake Superior, and included
the Mes-sas-saques (or Mis-se-saugas,) who occupied
the area at the mouth of a river called by their name,
lying between Point Tessalon and La Cloche, on the
north shore of Lake Huron. The Ojibwas and Mis-
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 53

sesaugas are both called by different writers, Chippe-
ways. (The Chippewayans are a Rocky Mountain
tribe.) The Chippewa, like the Algonquin of old, is
now the common business language of the Indians,
and is as necessary among them as French is among
Europeans. The Huron-Iroquois group, or family, in-
cluded, (1.) The Six Nation Indians ; and, (2.) The
Hurons (Wyandots) as well as the following tribes ;
(3.) The Sioux ; (4.) The Assineboins, (Sioux of the
rock, or Little Iroquois,) and the Blackfeet.

The history of the Indians of the Six Nations, al-
though chiefly identified with the history of the State
of New York, is also intimately connected with that
of Canada. As a confederacy, they were faithful al-
lies of the British crown from the earliest colonial
times, until the close of the American Revolution.

At the close of the revolutionary war, the Mohawks,
Cayugas, Onondagas, and others, removed to Canada
and settled ; 1st, at Brantford, on the Grand River,
(so called from Brant, the celebrated Mohawk chief,)
where they received a grant from the crown along
both sides of the river to its mouth. 2d, at Tyin-
dinaga on the Bay of Quinté, (so called also after
Brant’s Indian name,) and 3d, on the river Thames.
In 1671, a party of Mohawks settled at Sault Ste.

Louis, near Montreal.
54 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

The origin of the Iroquois is very obscure. Their
own tradition is that they originally descended the
river Ottawa, and resided as a small tribe at Hochelaga,
or Montreal. They were subject to the Adirondacks,
and from them learned the arts of husbandry and
war. Becoming numerous, they sought to secure their
independence, but being vanquished, they were com-
pelled to fly. Having ascended the St. Lawrence, and
coasted the southern shore of Lake Ontario, they en-
tered the Oswego river, and scattered themselves in
separate bands through various parts of the State of
New York.- Afterwards, for mutual protection, and
at the desire of the Onondagas, they formed a league,
under the title of Hodenosaunee, or “people of the
long-house.”

This house extended from the river Hudson to the
great lakes of Canada. The Mohawks guarded the
eastern end, and the Senecas the western, The struc-
ture of this league suggested the union of the thirteen
colonies in the revolutionary war—a union which was
afterwards developed into the political compact of the
present United States. The confederacy is supposed
to have been formed in 1540, It was successfully main-
tained for upwards of 200 years ; indeed, it has never
been formally dissolved. Originally, it only included
five cantons or nations, but in 1712 the Tuscaroras, a
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 55

southern tribe, were admitted and became the sixth
nation.

The Necariceges, a remnant of the Hurons at
Michilimacinac, (the “Great Turtle,” abbreviated to
Mecinaw) was nominally admitted in 1723 as a seventh
nation, By the Adirondacks, the Indians of this cel-
ebrated league, were known as the Min-goes ; Vodowas,
or Adder Enemy, by the Ojibwas and Hurons; Iro-
quois, by the French ; and Six Nations, by the English.
The French term “Iroquois,” is founded on the Indian
approbatory exclamations, ““Yoe ! Haugh 1”

The Ottawas have a tradition that many, many
years ago, they, with the Adirondacks and Hurons, be-
longed to a great confederacy of the North, similar to
that of the Six Nation Indians, and that about the
close of the 15th century they emigrated, descending
the Ottawa river and stretching themselves along the
banks of the St. Lawrence, occupied what is now
Canada and through to Lake Superior.

At this time, the nations now known as the Iroquois,
were a small tribe who had descended the river Ottawa,
and were living at Hochelaga or Montreal. They
were subject to the Adirondacks, and from them
learned the arts of husbandry and war. In the course
of time they had increased in numbers to such an ex-
tent, that liberty was talked of by the boldest of
56 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

them, and not many moons passed ere they had risen
in arms to assert their rights. But their masters, not
willing to allow them more freedom than they already
enjoyed, declared war upon them, for the purpose of
subduing them, and bringing them back to their alle-
giance.

The Adirondacks succeeded in defeating them, and
destroyed many of them; but now that they had
tasted liberty, they would not yield to enslavement
again, so they fled from their native land. They
passed up the St. Lawrence till they reached lake
Ontario. They coasted along the eastern and southern
shore, till they came to the Oswego river. Up this
river they paddled, till, becoming satisfied with the
face of the country, they landed and scattered them-
selves throughout what is now the State of New York.

Some years afterward, at the suggestion of the On-
ondagas, they formed that celebrated league by which
they became so formidable to their enemies. This
combination was first formed for protection against
their former masters, the Adirondacks, or, as they were
known by the French, the Algonquins. The Hurons,
of Canada, claim to have been at the head of this
league, but afterwards making peace with the Adiron-
dacks, war was declared by their former allies, the
Five Nations, and they were defeated and chased
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 57

from their country, until they came among the Ojibwas,
_who were a tribe of the Algonquins. The Ojibwas
joining with their fleeing allies, gave battle to the
Troquois and defeated them at Pt. Iroquois, or place
of the Iroquois bones. The Iroquois afterwards over-
came the Algonquins, defeating the Ottawas and ut-
terly routing the Hurons. They then established col-
onies along the shores of Lake Ontario.

The Tuscaroras, a nation from the south, emigrated
in 1712, and taking up their abode in this State, were
admitted as another nation. The Six Nations were in
possession of Canada, besides owning all the State of
New York, the right of the great lakes, &c. About
1740, they reached the zenith of their greatness, and
after the Revolutionary war, began to decline in power.

The Iroquois have always been firm friends of the
English, while the Algonquins were allies of the
French. In the treaty of Paris, in 1763, France ceded
to Great Britain all her northern settlements in Amer-
ica, thus withdrawing herself from all intercourse with
the Indians, after which the Algonquins formed
a treaty of peace, besides selling their right to their
lands in Canada, reserving only some portions in dif-
ferent parts of the provinces, along the course of rivers
or near some fisheries on the lakes. The treaty pro-
vided for the annual payment of the interest in blank-
58 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

ets, guns, ammunition, jewelry, &c., which they were
to receive at their Reservations.

At the commencement of the Revolutionary war,
there was a division among the Six Nations regarding
the justice of the course pursued by Washington and
his co-patriots; many, under Brant, continuing their
allegiance to Great Britain, while others were firm
supporters of Washington and his principles. Ac-
cordingly, at the end of the war, many emigrated to
Canada, where lands were granted them for their
services. Here they had a government and laws of
their own, and lived in every respect as free and inde-
pendent as their fore-fathers. In their treaty with
Great Britain, they were to arrest and try any of their
number who should commit depredations on the
whites, and if not brought to justice, Britain claimed
the right of doing so herself.

Joseph Brant, (Thayendanega) a pure Mohawk by
birth, was a prominent ally of the English. He in-
fluenced several cantons, or tribes, of the Iroquois, to
fight under the British standard during the Revolu-
tion, At the close of the war, he removed, with the
Mohawks, to Canada, settling on the Grand river, a
grant six miles wide, and extending the length of
the river. The town of Brantford, or Brant’s ford, on
the river, was named after him; as was also the county
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 59

of Brant, in the same locality, and the township of
Thayendanega on the Bay of Quinté, where a number
of the Mohawks had settled.

In 1783 he visited England, and was received
and treated by Britons as a prince, and such he
really was. He, in many ways, exerted himself to
promote the temporal and spiritual welfare of his
people. He was employed by the Church of England
to translate into Mohawk portions of the Holy Scrip-
tures, some part of their prayer-book, and also the
ten commandments—the latter were written upon two
boards in large gold letters. The Church of England
built them a meeting-house, the Queen gave them a
bell for their new church, and the ten commandments
were placed in the altar.

The Brant family, with a few of the Mohawk na-
tion, renounced paganism and were baptized and ad-
mitted into the English Church. The holy sacraments
were administered to them by their missionary, who
lived thirty or forty miles from them. He only visited
them once or twice in a year, and after the Sabbath
exercises closed in the church, it was his custom to go
with the Indians to their horse-racing and card-playing,
where they had plenty of the fire-water to drink, and
I have been informed upon good authority, that he has
often become so intoxicated as to be unable to leave
60 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

the ground. This was the condition of these Indians,
when, in the year 1822, I commenced my labors
among them.

How to commence with these Indians so as to arrest
their attention and draw them from their pagan cus-
toms and worship to the true worship of the living
God, I had yet to learn. I had received no particular
instructions as to the manner of commencing or pro-
ceeding with my labor, and I doubt if there was a
man in Genesee Conference, excepting Br. Case, that
believed that the Indians, in their pagan state, as we
now found them, could be christianized, and I am
sure my brethren in Canada did not believe I would
succeed in this work. Their theory was, “First civil-
ize, then christianize.” In order that the mission
might not be an entire failure, I had embraced in my
mission two townships, Reignham and Walpole. These
lay bordering on Lake Erie, and had been settled many
years ; but the people all through these were as desti-
tute of the gospel and Bible, as the Indians them-
selves—some of them had not heard a gospel sermon
in ten years, ,

Part of my time was devoted to them, and in al-
most every settlement that I visited and preached, the
Lord was present to bless and save. In one of these
settlements, a very wicked man opened his house for
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 61

preaching, and seemed to have much care for me and
my horse. The Lord converted his wife, a very amia-
ble woman, who joined our Church, and remained a
devoted member till she joined the Church triumph-
ant. By her will she left, at her decease, a hundred
dollars for me to dispose of as I thought best. This
was some years after I left the province, and not until
five years after her death did I receive information of
the fact.

I then gave Br. Case a written order for the money,
with instructions to use it for the benefit of the Indians
with whom he was then laboring, which he did. This
woman’s husband became powerfully awakened under
my preaching, and seemed resolved on being a Chris-
tian, but his instability of mind was such, that though
truth found a lodgement in his heart, yet it was like
the seed which fell upon stony places. He died before
his wife, and after I left the country, so that I am not
able to say what his end was, but his wife is among

_the blood-washed company in heaven.

But to return to the Indians. It will be perceived
by those who are familiar with the history of christian
churches in America, that no apostolic reformation
had made its appearance among the North American
Indians since the days of Brainard, except what had
appeared among the Wyandots in Upper Sandusky.
62 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

Brainard, it seems, was employed by a Missionary So-
ciety of Scotland. He was a remarkable young man,
and had his work greatly at heart. He had not been
preaching long to one of the tribes of this country,
before a glorious revival followed ; but, in the midst
of his labors of love, and when it seemed his little
flock needed him most, the Lord called him to join the
ransomed above, and wear the martyr’s crown. Before
his death, he committed his little flock to a younger
brother, with a solemn charge to care for them as he
had done. But his brother being so unlike himself,
the work in a little time withered in his hands, and
nothing like an apostolic revival appeared among the
Indians until the work commenced in Upper Sandusky,
through the instrumentality of a colored man, John
Steward.*

 

*John Steward, a colored man, but born free, was raised in the State
of Virginia, Powhattan county, having been brought to the knowledge
of salvation by the remission of sins, and become a member of the M.
E. Church at Marietta, Ohio, being divinely impressed, as he supposed,
the latter end of the year 1815, went among these people, with a view to
impart to them the knowledge of the true God.

Unauthorized by any body of Christians, he went of his own ac-
cord, under, however, a persuasion that the Holy Spirit had moved him
to it; nor did he stop, except for rest and refreshment, until he arrived
at Upper ‘Sandusky, where dwelt the Indians to whom he believed God
had sent him. He was first directed to Jonathan Pointer, a colored
man, who had been taken a prisoner when young, and adopted by them
as one of theirnation. After making known his mind to this man, he
prevailed on him to become his interpreter, and he accordingly intro-
duced Steward to the Indians as their friend. They were at,that time
amusing themselves in dancing, and they seemed at first very indiffcrent
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 63

In different parts of these United States efforts had
been made by several religious denominations to chris-
tianize tribes of Indians on our continent ; but it had
never occurred to any one of these, that these pagan
nations could be converted and made humble Chris-
tians without first civilizing them. No one, it seems,
had thought, since the days of Brainard down to the
time of the reformation among the Wyandots, that
the gospel of Christ could march directly up to the
wild, drunken, degraded Indian’s heart, and make a
successful attack upon the evil of his moral nature,
and prove itself to be the very same power which an-
ciently arrested the wild man among the tombs, who,

 

in respect to the message of their strange visitor. He, however, re-
quested as many as were willing, to come together and hear the word
of the Lord. To this they all consented, by giving him their hands.

Accordingly, the next day was appointed for the meeting, at the
house of the interpreter; but instead of a numerous assembly, which
might have been expected, only one old woman attended. Not dis-
couraged at this, Sueward preached—as Jesus had done before him to
the woman of Samaria—the gospel to her as faithfully as if there had
been hundreds. He appointed to preach again the next day at the same
place, when his congregation was increased by the addition of one old
man. To these two he preached, and it resulted in their conversion to
God.

Next day being Sabbath, preaching was appointed in the council-
house. Eight or ten attended this time, some of whom appeared
deeply affected. From this time the work of God broke out rapidly,
and meetings were held every day in the several cabins, and on the
Sabbath days in the council-house. The consequence was, that crowds
flocked to hear the Word and to learn to sing, and a glorious reforma-
tion was the result. Br. Finley was sent to take charge of these, as

his history shows.
64 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

presently, was found sitting at the feet of Jesus, cloth-
ed, and in his right mind.

I commenced attending their councils. I found that
each tribe or nation had a council-houseé, and that at
the Mohawk Castle wasa grand council-house, where
the head chiefs of the Six Nations met to consult and
deliberate, to sanction or veto any matter that related
to their general interest. In general council, while at-
tending to national affairs, they appeared in their best
dress, their heads adorned with large feathers, jewels
often hanging in their ears or noses, or in both, and
silver brooches fastened on their garments ; and from
their appearance and actions they felt their indepen-
dence and consequence.

Independence of thought and action is one great
characteristic of the Indian; they would sooner see
their children tomahawked than enslaved, and though
they have been wasting away, and decreasing in num-
bers and power ever since the English began to people
this continent, yet their brave, free, and independent
cast of mind is not subdued. They most certainly are
the descendants of some great and powerful nation.
Each tribe or nation speaks a different dialect ; but
the Mohawk language is spoken exclusively at their
general councils. Ifa speaker cannot speak that lan-

guage, which, however, rarely happens, he must speak
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 65

through a Mohawk interpreter. I found some of their
speakers in council, perfect orators ; though all do not
make a practice of speaking on the council floor, yet
such as do, speak with as much ease and fluency, if
not as eloquently, as any orators the world can point
to. Perfect order is observed in their councils, and no
one is allowed to speak above a whisper while a speak-
er has the floor.

When any new subject is introduced, or any diffi-
cult matter is brought before them, they deliberate
upon it with great moderation, often spending days
upon one topic before giving a final decision. They
seem not to be embarrassed at the presence of white
men, though of distinguished reputation and high rank.
When they noticed me seated in their council-house,
and listening to their deliberations, they seemed to be
in a great quandary as to what could be my object in
spending my time among them. They knew I pro-
fessed to be a minister ; but they had formed a very
unfavorable opinion of ministers, from what they had
seen of the minister who officiated, occasionally, at the
Mohawk church. When they would speak of me to
wicked white men, especially those who were dealing
out fire-water to them, they would tell them to look
out for me, for I might be after their squaws, or de-
vising some plan to cheat or injure them. This put
66 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

them on their guard to look out for me, and though I
would use every available opportunity to address them
on the great interest of their souls, yet they had no
confidence in my professions of friendship. They be-
lieved that before I left them I would do them some
injury. Whenever I wanted food for myself or horse, I
would pay them their own price for what I received.
When calling upon them to make pastoral visits, if it
happened to be their mealtime they would sometimes
ask me to eat with them.

I have been with the pagan Indians for days and
weeks, and left my portmanteau in some one of their
houses, or wigwams, and sometimes unlocked, and yet
I never had the value of a penny stolen from me by
any Indian, but I have had fifty dollars stolen from
me at a time by white men. They are not given to
thieving, even in their pagan state, and in this they
excel almost any other nation on earth. All these
tribes were given to intemperance except the Cayugas,.
who had renounced all spirituous liquors. The subject
of intemperance had come up in their councils, and
they had deliberately considered the evils of the fire-
water among them, and they had said, “It destroys
our young men and women; we will put it away ;
and when liquor dealers come among us to deal out
their poison in exchange for our money or furs, we will .
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 67

drive them from our nation.” If any one of the tribe
became intoxicated while abroad, as was sometimes
the case, they would call a council to deal with him,
and if the offender was stubborn, and refused to prom-
ise reformation, they would continue their labor with
him for days, until he promised not to drink any more
of the white man’s poison. When I conversed with
them upon the good of our Bible religion, they said to
me, ‘We not like your Bible religion ; it says ‘Drink
whisky.’” I said, “No, that isa mistake.” ‘Well,
they said, “Look at the Mohawks ; they have Bible
religion, and they all get drunk ; we not want it.” I
said, ‘Their Bible and my Bible says, ‘No drink of
the fire-water ;’? but they don’t do as the Bible says.
They not good, very wicked, and the Great Spirit very
angry with them. They all go to the bad place if they
don’t put away the white man’s poison.”

It was easy to see what the Church of England had
done, and was doing in the way of religious instruc-
tion. Instead of reforming and bettering their condi-
ion, they were likely to prove their ruin, both soul
and body. We found the so called “Mohawk Chris-
tians” were persuaded that the Methodist religion was
not good, for it prohibited their drinking rum, and
playing cards, and,horse-racing. So they said, “We
won’t have Methodist religion.” These were some of
68 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

the difficulties we had to grapple with when we enter-
ed upon our work of christianizing the Indians of Can-
ada.

I had now been three months on Grand River,
and during that time I had tried to make myself ac-
quainted with the history of the Six Nations, by at-
tending their councils, and visiting them from house
to house, and when opportunity offered, singing and
praying with them. But as yet, no one among them
seemed inclined to renounce paganism. But among
the people of those isolated settlements, bordering on
the Indian Reservation, the Lord was at work glorious-
ly. My visits to them, and labors with them, served
to keep me from desponding.

‘Winter began to close in upon us, and the fall rains
had filled up the swamps, and raised the Grand River
so as to make it difficult to cross. The streams run-
ning from the swamps to the river were, at this time,
bridgeless, so that myself and horse were often in dan-
ger during the winter, and I found very few places in
my travels among the Indians where I and my horse
could be comfortable.

Br, Case had made me one visit, and said and done
what he could to help me in my work, He thought
with myself, that the time was notefar distant when
many of the poor, dark, pagan Indians on Grand Riv-
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 69

er, would know and feel the power of redeeming grace.
Many days and nights I spent in the woods on my
knees, supplicating a throne of grace for the blessing
of God upon these nations. Some of my brethren in
the ministry thought it was cruel to keep me toiling
and suffering among the Indians, when they could see
no prospects of saving them.

As the spring opened upon us, I found my roads
through the swamps were at times impassable with a
horse, and I was under the necessity of footing it. At
one time, I left the Indians for a white settlement
lying east of Grand River.

I not unfrequently, while among the Indians, would
have to pass whole days and nights without food, or
but very little, for the Indians themselves, at times,
seemed to be without enough to satisfy hunger. I was
in this situation at the time of starting. I had ten
or twelve miles to travel, and an almost empty stom-
ach to begin with. But I commenced my journey.
When a little over half way through the wilderness, I
began to feel faint, and extremely hungry. I looked
along in the woods, hoping to find some roots, or some-
thing which would satisfy the gnawings of hunger,
but I could find nothing. As I approached the set-
tlement, my faintness increased, and my strength be-
gan to fail. But still I dragged myself wearily along.
70 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

‘The road, as it wound around through the trees and
brush, or over logs, and through the swamps, now
turning out of my course to find a crossing place, as |
came to a stream that took its way to the river, seem-
ed to be without end ; and when, at last, I came in
sight of the settlement, I could go no farther. My
strength was entirely gone. I sunk down upon a log,
and as I gazed wistfully on before me, I saw a single
house not far off. O, how Ilonged fora crust of bread
even, for then would I have strength to reach that
- house. But nothing couldI get. To proceed, seemed
impossible—to stay there and starve to death, in sight
of friends and plenty, was a thought not to be endur-
ed, and I strove to press on, but I sunk back exhaust-
ed. I had not ceased to pray to God for help, and as
I sat there, with my eyes fixed upon that house, from
which, as yet, I had seen no one come, I began to
feel a little rested, and I said to myself, “I must reach
that house,” and then with what remaining strength I
had, I pressed on. Every few rods I had to stop, but
the sight of that house, and the fearful gnawings of
the hunger pain within, made me strain every nerve
to reach the house. At last I reached it. As I en-
tered, a decent looking woman made her appearance,
and I said, “Can you give me something to eat, for I
ar. very faint.” She saw from my appearance and
REV. ALVIN TORRY. W1

manner of speaking, that I was suffering greatly for
want of food ; and in a few moments she had placed
before me the very best her house afforded. As soon
as I had eaten, my life and strength returned ; and
when this good woman found that she had been feed-
ing one of God’s ministers, she seemed highly gratified,
and I now had an opportunity of asking the blessing
of the Lord upon this kind and benevolent woman, the
blessing which he had promised, ‘That to him who
should give to one of his servants a cup of cold water,
even he should not lose his reward.”

On another occasion I had to pass through an ex-
tensive swamp, in order to reach the Indians on the
river. I entered the swamp with my horse. The
spring of the year was just opening upon us, and the
roads were breaking up. Soon after entering the
swamp, it began raining very fast. I had many small
streams to cross which were bridgeless. As the rain
continued pouring down, the streams began to rise
and overflow their banks, and soon the swamp looked
in many places like one great river or lake. I could
tell by the current when I came to a stream, and at
such times I would take my saddle and port-manteau
from my horse, and telling her to swim across, would
wander up or down till I could find some log or tree
by which to cross. Then returning to where my
72 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

horse waited for me, I would proceed till we came to
another stream, and thus we passed the whole day,
while the rain was pouring down in torrents.

Towards sundown, we came in sight of the river,
which had risen to high water-mark. Near the river,
and entering into it, was a deep, wide gorge, or gulf;
and over this gorge was a bridge of poles, which, at
most seasons of the year, was safe enough to cross
upon. But now the water had risen and filled the
eulf full. The poles, wonderful as it may seem, still
lay where the bridge used to be, though they were all
afloat.

The waters of the river went roaring and surging
past me; the bridge was afloat; night was coming
on; neither myself nor horse had tasted food since
morning, and upon examination, I found I had left
my tinder-box and flint behind me, so that it was im-
possible for me to kindle a fire ; and whether to go on
over the bridge or wait till the waters subsided, was a
question which I devated for a few moments. If I
should venture across, a single misstep might plunge
either of us into the dark, deep, boiling waters below,
and no chance for escape, for the sides of the gorge
were nearly perpendicular.

On the other hand, if I staid, I must a the
night without fire, without food, and wet through.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 73

My horse seemed to understand my difficulty, and
stood with her head close to mine, as if conscious that I
would help ourselves out of this difficulty. At last, with
a prayer to God for safety, I said: “Well, Fancy, we
must at least make an effort.” So, stepping up to
the bridge, I put one of my feet on the first pole. It
settled down till it rested upon the cross pieces, which
were still solid. Fancy was by my side, and when she
saw me step on the pole, she carefully put out her foot
upon the same, and finding it solid, she proceeded
without fear to step when I did, keeping close to
me all the time, and we soon reached the other side.
We shortly came to an Indian wigwam, where we
stopped for the night. * After seeing that Fancy had
the best the place afforded, I laid myself down beside
the roaring fire, and thus passed the night.

We now began to make preparations for a camp-
meeting, within a few miles of the Indian Reserva-
tion. In the appointment of this meeting, we had
the Indians in view, hoping they might be inclined to
attend a wood-meeting ; but in this we were disap-
pointed. They were always on the lookout for white
men, expecting injury from them. I did not arrive at
the camp-ground until the last day but one. I reached
the ground at the time of intermission. Br. Case was
holding a quarterly conference with the official board

of Ancaster circuit.
74 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

From what I could learn, the meeting had not been
_as good as on former occasions, and in a few moments
I passed from the encampment, and retiring into the
woods some two hundred yards, I knelt down and
lifted up my heart in prayer to God; in a few mo-
ments I felt the sweet, melting influences of Jesus’
love filling my heart, and I could weep freely. With
this blessing came a text of Scripture, and I felt the
Spirit of the Lord God upon me, like a fire shut up
in my bones.

I arose, returned to the camp-ground, found Br.
Case, who was still engaged with the official board,
and whispering to him said, ‘‘Are you going to have
more preaching to-day?’ “Yes,” said he, “if you
will preach.” ‘Very well; if you say so,” said I.
He closed his business, and we repaired to the preach-
er’s stand. The horn was sounded, and from the
tents came the people to hear the Word.

As the people flocked around, I commenced the
public exercises. I gave out my text and began to
preach. The power of the Lord was upon me, and I
felt his mighty influence in my soul. As I proceeded,
a deep feeling of solemnity came over the people.
They swayed to and fro, and as the mighty power of
God came sweeping down from heaven upon us, saint
and sinner fell before it, and the slain of the Lord
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 75

were in the camp. The groan of the sinner, the cry
of the penitent, mingling with the shout of triumph,
and the song of the victor, rolled up from that encamp-
ment like a mighty cloud of incense, and angels
looked on and shouted for joy.

Away on the outskirts of the congregation, and
leaning against a tree, stood a poor, benighted son of
the forest, who, during the day, had been wandering
about among the tents and over the ground, and now,
drawn by the sound of the minister’s voice, he had ap-
proached nearer and nearer, till he stood gazing at me.
As he listened, the word of truth sunk deep in his
heart, and conviction seized upon his soul. The tears
streamed from his eyes, and when the call was given
for all who wanted religion to come forward and kneel
at the altar, he hastened forward and cried aloud for
mercy.

Attracted by the same heavenly influence, a sister
of this poor red man, came weeping and crying for
mercy to the altar. How our hearts thrilled with joy
and thanksgiving to God, as we beheld these benighted
youths bowing before the God of the white man.

Here, at last, were the fruits of all our toil and la-
bor ; for this had we suffered cold and hunger, priva~
tion and want ; for this had we given up the comforts

of home and friends, and gone forth among strangers ;
76 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

to this end had we breasted wind and storm, snow and
hail, and made our couch upon the damp earth, with
nothing but the sky and stars above us, and the dark,
dim woods, like watchful sentinels, around us; and
now, as we saw that youthful couple before us, all our
toils were forgotten, and we kneeled around and
wrestled earnestly in their behalf.

The sister was the first to be converted. When
the first beams of the sun of righteousness shone in
upon the darkness of her mind, she sprang to her feet,
and shouting forth the praises of her Redeemer, she
then hastened to her brother, saying, ‘‘The Lord will
bless you, Peter, for he has had mercy on me and
blessed me.” It- was not long before his soul was
brought into the full liberty of the gospel of Christ.
When the victory was proclaimed to the anxious,
praying friends of the poor Indian, a shout of triumph
rolled up and swelled out upon the air, till the sound-
ing aisles of the dim, old woods echoed back the joy-
ful cry. We had now unlocked the door of the red
man’s heart, and thrown back the bolts and bars that
superstition and suspicion had placed there; and as
we. looked forward into the future, we could see crowds
of Indians coming from their distant homes from the
far West, and bowing down to the gospel of Christ.

As we advance in our history of facts concerning
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 77

the great work of God among the Six Nations, and
the North-Western tribes, we shall discover the infi-
nite love of the Son of God, as manifested towards the
most degraded of our fallen race, and his willingness
to raise them up, and bring them back to his favor.

Our camp-meeting closed up gloriously. The Indi-
ans above named, Polly and Peter Jones, returned to
their home in the north part of the Mohawk tribe,
and began to talk with, and pray for those with whom
they associated. The blessing of God attended their
labors, and the result was, ‘when I reached the settle-
ment, a number of Indians were awakened to see their
lost and ruined state, and were seeking salvation
through Jesus Christ.

On the following Sabbath we had a meeting appoint-
ed at the house of Thomas Davis, a Mohawk chief. He
and his wife-had renounced paganism, and been bap-
tized by the English missionary who officiated at the
Mohawk church. When asked for the use of his
house to worship in, he said, ‘You can have it, but I
not change my religion. If you can reform my people,
I be glad.” He had renounced spirituous liquors, read
the prayer-book in his family, and they considered
themselves Christians.

This Indian was no common person. In stature he
was tall, well formed, and as straight as one of his own
78 AUTOBICGRAPHY OF

forest pines. Born to command, he had the air and
mein of one who knew his power. His forehead, like
his spirit, was high ; his eye as piercing as the eagle’s.
His mind corresponded with his person ; it was like
those vast solitudes of the American wilderness, which
civilization has not yet reached. Though its sponta-
neous productions were luxuriant, and often-times
gigantic, yet, had the ploughshare of civilization, and
the refining process of art passed through, and over
the virgin soil, mankind would have been astonished at
the result.

As an orator, he would have graced any of our leg-
islative halls ; and he far exceeded many who hold
themselves up as patterns in the art. Bishop Hedding
said of him, after listening to him, as he gave his ex-
perience in his own tongue, and seeing the grace and
artless simplicity of his gestures, “I have seen many
who professed to understand the rules of elocution,
and those who carried those principles out in practice,
but never before did I see a perfect orator.” He was
grave and dignified in his manner and address, and
prided himself on his stoical indifference in all minor
matters, which moved the mass around him. He was
respected by his nation, and his counsel was sought in
all matters of public interest. His influence over his
people was great, and in all matters of legislation he
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 79

moulded them to his will. He was in the habit of
calling his people together at the church every Sunday,
and reading parts of the prayer-book and scriptures
to them, after which, they were accustomed to finish
the day in card-playing, horse-racing, and drinking
fire-water, as taught or allowed by the missionary of
the Established Church. But Thomas could see the
inconsistency of such conduct, and he never allowed
himself in any of these things. He knew me to be a
Methodist, and as he had been taught by his minister
that Methodism was an error, he had not been dis-
posed to look upon me with much favor. But when
he heard Polly and Peter talk about leaving off their
bad practices, he thought there might be something |
more than he at first believed, and though he believed
his religion was the religion, yet he was willing to coun-
tenance anything which promised reform among his
people.

At the time appointed, we commenced our meeting.
The house was crowded, and many gathered around
the windows and doors. There were several there who
had been awakened to a sense of their lost and ruined
condition, by the efforts of Peter and Polly. I com-
menced the exercises, it was not long before sobs and
cries broke from every part of the house; men and
women, old and young, crying out, “O, my sorry,
80 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

wicked heart! O, my sorry, wicked heart! I shall
go to the bad place!” ‘The scene was solemn and
impressive. Scattered all over the room, were eighteen
or twenty, who were wringing their hands, and crying
- as though their hearts were breaking under some great
grief ; while others, crowding up to see what was the
matter, looked on in wonder and awe. Their sorrow-
ful faces showed, as they peered through the windows
and doors, their heartfelt sympathy ; while a feeling
of wonder, as to what all this might be, mingled with
their sympathy—caused them to stand silent and at-
tentive. We found it necessary to point them direct-
ly to the Lamb of God. We said to them, “Jesus
Christ, the Son of the Great Spirit, and who lives
with the Great Spirit above, will save you. He
can cast the bad spirit out of your hearts, and make
your sorry, wicked hearts good and glad, like Polly’s and
Peter’s. If you will say in your hearts, to the Great
Spirit, and his son Jesus Christ, that you will put
away the fire-water, the white man’s poison, and drink
no more of it ; that you will not be wicked any more ;
that you will do all this Bible tells you to do—for this
Bible contains his will; he will help you, and bless you.
You must believe he will help you, and his blessed
Bible says he will, if you ask him; and you must
believe that Jesus Christ can drive the bad spirit out
KEV. ALVIN TORRY. 81

of your hearts, and make them glad and ‘PAEPY, by
entering in himself.”

They seemed at once to believe these gospel truths,
as thus simply expounded to them, through an inter-
preter, and simultaneously with their believing, they
fell from their seats either to the floor, or into the arms
of some one near by, and to all appearance were dead
persons. The Indians at the doors and windows, and
those in the house, were very much frightened at this,
and ran for water.

One little girl, who was sitting by the side of her
mother when she fell under the power of God, think-
ing she was dying or dead, ran home to tell her father.
He immediately came, but before water could be
brought by Indians without, they had begun to drink
of the waters of salvation, In a few moments the
shout of victory was heard from those who, a few
moments before, seemed plunged in hopeless despair.
The father, who came expecting to find his wife dead,
found her shouting and praising God. His soul was
awakened, and he was soon rejoicing with his wife.
Jesus Christ had now taken possession of them ; their
souls were filled with light and love ; their tongues
were loosed, and from all parts of the house was heard
the cry, ““O Jesus, he make me happy! O Jesus,

17?

how I love thee! Glory! O glory!
82 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

During all this time, Thomas Davis had remained a
silent, and to all appearance, an indifferent spectator ;
but now he arose, and wrapping his blanket around
him, went out of the house. Taking his prayer-book
with him, he went into the field, and seated himself
under an oak. He had seen the deep grief manifested
by the others, and had seen that grief changed to joy
almost unspeakable. He had never felt anything like
this, though he had long been a Christian. He began
to reason on the subject, and enquire what made this
difference. He began to feel bad at heart, and remem-
bering what he had heard the missionary say, he
thought he would pray. So, kneeling down, he began
to say over the words, as he had heard them. Soon
the love of God filled his heart, when he arose and
came to the house. During his absence, his wife, who
had remained during the whole service, was awakened,
and following the example of the others, soon was
made happy. She said when she gave up her heart
to the Great Spirit, the power of God came down
upon her, as she expressed it, “All over, hoo, hoo.”

Both Thomas and his wife were converted, and
at about the same time of day. Thomas immediately
began to exhort those about him, who still remained
sinners, to turn to the Great Spirit, and partake with
him of the blessed peace and joy which he felt. This
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 83

meeting lasted allday. We immediately proceeded to
organize a class ; we read and explained the “general
rules,” and received between twenty and thirty as the
fruits of that day’s labor.

We now started the building of a house which
should serve the double purpose of church and school-
house. The Indians turned out with their axes, cut
down trees, hewed them on two sides, drew them to
the building spot, which was in the north part of the
Mohawk tribe, and we soon had a good sized house
erected. I went to the white settlements, procured
boards and shingles for the roof, and we soon had the
building finished. Just at this time, Seth Crawford,
a young man, and a licensed exhorter of the M. E.
Church, living at Saratoga, feeling a desire to visit,
and if possible be of benefit to the Indians of the
Canadas, came among us. We immediately employed
him as our school teacher, and leader of our Indian
society. When we dedicated our house, it was filled
with Indians, who seemed to be friendly to our cause.
We established a day and also a Sabbath-school,
where the children were taught English. When we
called the children together, we used a tin horn, but
when we wanted the Indians to assemble for worship,
we blew a shell, which could be heard from two to
three miles. Whenever this was sounded, the Indiaus
84 '  AUTOBICGRAPHY OF

dropped all their work and repaired immediately to
the church. This house we had cleaned out very ~
often, in order that it might be perfectly neat and
decent. Whenever they met here for worship, they
would kneel before taking their seats, and ask the
blessing of God upon them; and often in so doing,
they would receive such direct answers to their
_ prayers, that they would be unable to take their seats
for some time.

As soon as they were brought under religious influ-
ence, they became as docile and as tractable as little
children. We taught them to observe one day in
seven as fast day; we appointed Sunday for such a
day. Accordingly, they abstained from all food until
after the morning service and class-meeting, which
generally closed about one o’clock in the afternoon,
About three, they would take their dinner, and at
five, or evening, they assembled for prayer-meeting,
and if there were any who were seeking religion, they
would all unite in prayer for them, and seldom closed
until all were made happy.

Morning and evening devotions were established in
their families as soon as they gave evidence of renewed
hearts. Baptism was administered by sprinkling at
the altar. The parents all seemed anxious to have
their children baptized, for we told them, “the promise
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 85

is to you and your children.’ The sacrament was
administered to them quarterly, and these seasons
were always of great interest. We endeavored to
present to their minds.the blessed Jesus as he appeared
upon the cross, “‘pouring out his blood unto death,’
and to explain to them the object and utility of eat-
ing the bread and wine consecrated before them, and
so great was their faith in Jesus Christ and his blood
shed out for their redemption, that they did truly feed
upon him in their hearts with thanksgiving and praise.
At such times, the love of God would so fill their
hearts with its overwhelming power, that their animal
strength would be suspended, and they would sink to
the floor. O, we all could say,

“Even now we mournfully enjoy,
Communion with our Lord,

As though we every one,
Beneath his cross had stood,

And seen him heave and heard him groan,
And felt his gushing blood.”

It seemed, on such occasions, as though we could all
soar to higher regions of light and love than at other
times. On one occasion, while the altar was crowded
with communicants, the power of God came down
upon them, and they sunk to the ground as though a
mighty wind had passed over them. ‘Tears streamed
down their faces, as the windows of heaven were
opened upon them, and the fountains of their hearts
86 - AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

seemed broken up, while amid shouts of praise and tears
of joy, they lay perfectly helpless upon the floor.

O why is it that some of the professors of religion,
at the present day, living as they do in the broad,
mid-day sunlight of science and christianity, and at a
time when the gospel of Christ, spreading its wings
of light, and sweeping over mountain and plain, over
river and sea, has pierced the blackness of darkness
that has so long hung, brooding like a pall, over the
nations of the earth, and has sent its loud, joyful
trumpet tones, thrilling through the hearts of millions
who sat in the valley of the shadow of death, and
now poising its bright pinions, hovers over our own
fair land—why is it, I say, that professed Christians,
knowing all this, will point the finger of scorn and
derision at those who, by faith, drink of the waters of
salvation as they flow from under the throne of God,
and yield to the glorious influences of joy unspeakable
which, with every draught of love that they receive
from the fountain of light and life, fills their souls,
till they are constrained to cry aloud, and with uplifted
voice, proclaim to those about them, the wonders of
redeeming grace and dying love ?

What wonder is it, O ye of little faith, that under
the mighty influences of such love, they fall to the
ground ? Is the arm of the Almighty shortened, that
REV. ALVIN TORRY. | 87

he cannot save ? Is not his power the same that it was
in olden days, when on the plains of Bethlehem there
appeared an unnumbered host of shining ones sweep-
ing through the air, and with voice of melody, pro-
claiming to the astonished and awe-struck shepherds,
the joyful tidings which they bore ?

Is not the love which thrilled the hearts of angel
and archangel, of cherubim and of seraphim, and that
caused them to tune their harps anew, and swell the
mighty anthem of praise, till heaven’s high arches
echoed back the joyful strains, mighty enough to
overcome the strength of puny man? Is not that
power which sent, from beyond the vast realms of
space, the chariot of fire to escort Elijah safely to his
home above; or, which set at defiance all nature’s
laws, when the Savior, standing on the Mount of
Ascension, rose silently, slowly, and majestically, up -
into the bright blue of heaven’s dome, till he was lost
from sight in immensity; or, which on the day of
Pentecost, came with the sound of a mighty rushing
wind, and sat in tongues of flame upon the heads of all
present, endowing them with power to speak in all
languages of the earth ; or, which struck Saul to the
earth, blinding him with the brightness of its glory ;
and which opened the prison doors and loosed the chains
which bound the apostle Peter, the same now as

then ?
88 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

Is not that power which darkened the sun in mid-
heaven, which rolled back the door of the tomb, and
filled the hearts of those brave old soldiers with such
fear that they “became as dead men,” able to fell to
the earth the proudest, the mightiest of earth’s nobil-
ity, now

If so, then why, when you look upon the prostrate
form of some fallen son or daughter of Adam, why
say it is all delusion, and that though you wish to
enjoy all that can be measured out to you, yet you
can never be willing to “lose your strength?” Where
is the propriety of such reasoning ? Where is the
philosophy that countenances such unreasonable de-
sires P and what is the foundation on which you build
your argument ? .
CHAPTER V.

Indian customs—Reforms—Conference—Dr. Clarke’s Commentary—
Return to the mission—A Mohawk Chief’s reason for joining the
Methodists—Exhorts a Bishop—The work extends to other tribes
—Peter Jones visits the river Credit—Intemperate habits of the
Indians—They promise to visit Grand River.

The Indian children showed great aptitude in learn-
ing to read English, and were very devout when in the
sanctuary. They always came neat and clean, and
whenever the rest kneeled they kneeled also, invariably
preserving a serious deportment while in church.

We endeavored to inculcate habits of industry
among them; for in their pagan state they were
brought up to think it was degrading for an Indian to
work. His business was to sit in the council, smoke
the pipe, hunt and fish, while the women had to plant
the corn, beans, and potatoes, hoe and gather in the
harvest, chop the wood, and in fact do all the drudgery.
But we told them, “Indian man_ plant potatoes, corn
and beans, he hoe and gather in the harvest, cut the
wood, and help carry the children when travelling,
while the women must stay in the house, bake the
bread, cook the victuals, wash, and make the clothes,
90 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

and keep the children neat and clean.” Our instruc-
tions were generally well received, and as a conse-
quence, those Indians who followed the Savior were
temperate and industrious, provided well for their
families, and proved the truth of the apostle’s doc-
trine, “Godliness is profitable unto all things.”

We now found it necessary to prepare for Confer-
ence, which held its session in Westmoreland, Oneida
Co, N. Y. This journey, going and coming, could
not be less than from six to eight hundred miles, to
be performed entirely on horseback ; and no one who
has never performed such a journey can form a cor-
rect opinion of the fatigue consequent upon it, es-
pecially when encumbered with the baggage we were
obliged to carry. It was in the heat of summer, and
many long and weary days we travelled over the dusty
roads, the sky seeming like brass above us, while the
parched and thirsty earth reflected back the intense
heat of the sun, that rolled through the heavens like
some avenging angel, whose mission was to punish, by
thirst and heat, the nations of the earth. Often would
I have to dismount and walk by the side of my Fancy,
for such weather was unendurable by any horse, with
the load she carried.

I reached the Conference the morning it commenced.
Here I found an agent for Dr. Clarke’s Commentaries,
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 91

Rey. Charles Giles. These works had but just found
their way into this country, and of course were prized
very highly, but Br. Giles let ministers have them at
reduced rates, sixty dollars being the price as reduced.
They were in pamphlet form, unbound, and about the
thickness of a spelling-book. I had never seen these
volumes, and of course they were a treasure to me.
But as I only had one hundred dollars a year, and half
of that went to support my mother, I could only pay
him fifteen or twenty dollars at a time, which I did
every year until they were paid for. I had them
packed and sent on to Canada, for J had received my
appointment back to Grand River Mission, and at the
close of Conference, paid my mother a visit before
returning.

My mother had heard from me during the year by
letter, in which I spoke of the commencement of the
work of God among the Indians, but yet she seemed
not fully to conceive how wonderful it was, till I gave
her a full account of it. She rejoiced greatly that
the war-whoop had been changed to shouts of joy and
praise ; that the drunken revel, and midnight orgies,
had been superceded by the earnest tones of midnight
prayer, or the joyful song of peace and love ; and she
gaid if she had a dozen sons, and every one should be
called of God to preach his gospel to the heathen, she
92 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

would willingly say, “Go, my son, and may God bless
you.”

I now took leave of home and friends, and again
started for my mission. But with a somewhat dif-
ferent feeling did I start, than when, one year before
I bade adieu to all my early associations, and started
on an enterprise which promised much of danger and
suffering, if no more. Then I started, like a mariner
on an unknown sea, with nothing but God and my
own judgment to guide me; now, I was going to a
church of Christians, whose hearts were all aglow with
the love of Christ ; where I would be welcomed as a
brother ; where I expected to meet many old friends.
Then, I started with the good wishes of all, to be sure,
but with the expectation from. every one, that my at-
tempt would be a failure. Now, I was returning to a
field of labor which, through the blessing of God, be-
gan to blossom as the rose.

After a long and fatiguing journey for both man
and beast, I reached the Niagara waters. Here I found
my box, containing my Commentaries, which I took
across with me at an expense of four dollars as duties,
I carried them to the house of an old friend, near my
field of labor, where I left them, only taking one at a
time with me. I had a tin box made in the form of
a cylinder, with a cover fitting so closely that no water
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 93

could find its way in. I then rolled up one of my
pamphlets, and slipping it in there, packed it away in
my valise. The cover to this box served the purpose
of drinking cup, when alone in the wilderness. By
improving every leisure hour, I could read one through
by the time I came round to my starting point, when
I would take another, and in this way I first read
Clarke’s Commentaries. During the first year of my
itinerancy, I had found Dr. Coke’s Works. I read
them what I could, but this work was not common in
those days, among our brethren of Western-New York.
I had also read Mr. Wesley’s Notes on the New Testa-
ment, which, with Dr. Clarke, seemed to put us right
on all the most difficult parts of the Holy Scriptures.

I found our Indian brethren expressed much joy on.
my return. One Indian, on hearing that I was again
stationed among them, said, ‘O, I so happy, I jump
up
found the spirit of awakening had got hold of Indians

17?

In passing around my extensive mission, I

for thirty miles from our mission-house ; and the In-
dians here and there, on hearing what was going on
among the Mohawks, were anxious I should preach to
them.

The Mohawk chief, Thomas Davis, after joining
our Church, had discontinued his attendance at the
Mohawk Castle. Soon after, he was visited by an
94 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

English Bishop, who was on his annual tour through
the Canadas, and their interview was rather amusing.
The Bishop enquired of the old chief, why he had
left their Church, and joined the Methodists. The
old chief replied, “Bishop, you know your ministers
preach to Indians forty years. No see at all; all
dark—no feel any good. All drink fire-waters—get
drunk—all bad. But the Methodist minister come
preach to Indian ; he feel sorry, then glad. He put
away all the fire-waters ; begin to pray—be sober—
work—have plenty to eat—all very happy. What you
think of the Methodist religion, Bishop ?”

The Bishop sat listening attentively to him, till he
finished, then with a shake of his head replied, “I
don’t know anything about this Methodist religion.”
The old chief quickly replied, “You not know any-
thing about this Bible religion ?_ I very sorry.” And
then warming up with the subject, he gave him such
an exhortation that the Bishop was glad to bid him
“good day,” at the first chance he could get. The
Bishop soon returned to England, and immediately
dispatched a young minister to fill the church at the
Castle. This gentleman took up his residence a few
miles from the Indians, and preached to them one
sermon every Sunday. He then returned to his board-

ing place ; but the Indians, as on former occasions,
REY. ALVIN TORRY. : 95

spent the rest of the day in their old amusements,
horse-racing, card-playing, and drinking. Mr. H
their minister, hearing of this, resolved to give them
a severe reproof on the following Sabbath. Accord-
ingly he told them what he had heard about them,
and said he should have no more such work on the
Sabbath, if he preached tothem. But the Indians, not

liking his reproofs, put on cloudy faces, and said to him,

 

?

“We not want you to preach to us—we not have you.”

He called upon me, and wished to know how it was
that we reformed the poor drunken Indians, and
brought them under religious discipline. I said to
him, “In order to get pagan Indians converted to
God, we must go among them, visit them, eat with
them, converse with them, pray with and for them,
_and look to God for his Spirit to accompany his truth
to their hearts, then there is no difficulty in leading
them to Jesus Christ, who saves them.” He said he
believed in being religious, and in attending to the
means of grace, “but,” said he, “the wonderful change
of heart you speak of, I don’t understand.” He wish-
ed me to give him the charge of the society of the con-
verted Indians, while I should go among the wild ones
again, “for you have such success,” said he, “in con-

verting Indians, you can soon establish another society
96 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

equal to the first.” This I declined doing, and he left
me, and in a few months returned to England.

Peter Jones was a young man of about twenty years,
and though connected with a Mohawk family living
near our mission-house, wasa Chippewa of the Missis-
saguas tribe. Not long after his conversion, he began
to talk of trying to hunt up his mother, and of per-
suading her, and the tribe to which she belonged, to
come up to Grand River, and share with the Mohawks
in the blessings of the gospel.

At this time the Chippewas were not confined to
any one place, but, like the Arabs, moved about from
place to place, and wherever a white man had erected
a huckstering shop, there would they be seen, rolling
in the mud like swine. Their yells, when in their
drunken frolics, were frightful, and often has my horse
been frightened, when passing these haunts of vice.
No one cared for these poor Indians, nor would any
one give them shelter from the weather, unless to get
their money, or their furs from them. When these
were gone, they were turned into the open air, where
they were obliged to stay during any and all the storms
of the seasons. This constant exposure to the in-
clemency of the seasons, together with their habitual
use of the ‘‘fire-water,” caused a rapid diminution of
numbers, and when I became acquainted with them,

they were comparatively few in numbers.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 97

Peter, after thinking over his mother’s condition for
months, and praying for her salvation, concluded to go
and hunt her up. In this work, he was encouraged by
us. Accordingly, one day, he put off for the river
Credit, where he thought he would be most likely to
find her. On reaching the river, he found the whole
company, with the exception of their chief, Captain
John, holding a drunken frolic.

When he beheld their condition, he turned away
with disgust and sorrow of heart, thinking, “Surely
these people are too far gone in sin and wickedness, to
be saved ; I willreturn.” So, turning about, he start-
ed for home, but he had not proceeded far, when he
was met by Captain John. He told the old chief
what had been done at Grand River, and his errand
there, Captain John said, “You wait a little, till my
people get sober, then you tell them your story.” He
concluded to wait.

After they had finished their frolic, and were again
sober, Peter began a talk with them. He told them
how the Son of the Great Spirit had saved, and blessed
him, and other Indians at Grand River; and how
happy they were after putting away the fire-waters ;
and concluded, by asking them to come to Grand
River, and get this religion for themselves. Their
answer was: ‘You say you no drink whisky there.”
98 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

“Well,” says Peter, “we something better than
whisky ; come, get this religion, and you shall know
for yourselves.” They finally promised to come, and
Peter bidding them “Good-bye,” returned. When
he related his story, we concluded they would soon
forget their promise, and this would be the last they
would think about it.
CHAPTER VI.

The Indians arrive at the Grand River Mission—Many converted, and
among them the mother of Peter Jones—the Indian converts re-
main with the Mohawks—Exemplary Christians.

The Reservation of the Six Nations, as we have
before remarked, lies on both sides of the Grand
River. This valley, for miles on each side of the
river, is hardly above “high-water mark,” and in some
places it is below, thus causing the many swamps
which are found along this river, some of them being
of great extent. Where the land comes above
“high-water mark,” the ground is dry and the soil
fertile. In many places on these plains, the timber
consisted entirely of oak, hence their name, “Oak
Plains.” These oaks were scattered thinly over the
surface, forming beautiful groves, and as the ground
was free from underbrush, objects could be seen at a
great distance.

One day, while at the mission-house with several
of our Indian brethren, we descried, away in the
distance, a long line of persons in Indian file, winding
in and out among the oaks of the plain, and making
100 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

towards us. We called attention to them, and they
were immediately pronounced by our brethren, as the
Mississaguas. We at once concluded they must be
Capt. John and his party. We accordingly blew the
shell, or trumpet, and in a few moments the Mohawks
were flocking in from all quarters, to make ready for
the reception of their visitors. As they came up, there
was a general shaking of hands by all present. We
found Peter’s mother among the number.

Before starting from their homes at the Credit, they
had fixed themselves out in all their finery, and dressed
in their best clothes; they intended to present quite
an imposing appearance, but they were obliged to pass
several whisky shops, and at each, they thought they
could stop and take “just one drink around.” The
consequence was, that long before reaching Grand
River, they had parted with all their money, and
much of their jewelry, besides getting their clothes
stained with dirt and filth, We now invited them
into our church, in order to gratify their desire of
knowing more of the work of the Great Spirit, as
related to them by Peter. They were seated at the
back part of the house, the front seats being reserved
for those who took part in the exercises. The
Mohawks, on coming in, kneeled, as was their custom,
and asked the blessing of the Great Spirit upon them-
selves and their visitors.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 101

For a few minutes all was still. Then rising, they
commenced singing some verses in their own tongue.
They were beautiful singers, and their music pro-
duced a visible impression upon these wild, untutored
savages. After singing, we addressed them, told them
of the Savior, and how they might be saved; told
them of the work the Great Spirit had performed
among their brother Indians, and exhorted them to
seek for the blessing. We now all kneeled down, and
Peter led in prayer, in the Chippewa tongue. For
this time had Peter long wished, and hoped, and
prayed.

The conversion of his mother was to him an all-
absorbing theme ; and for months he had waited and
prayed ; for months he had plead with the Great
Spirit, to influence the mind of his mother and her
tribe to listen to the Gospel of Jesus; and with his
faith strong in the Lord, that he would work in his
behalf, did he start on his visit to the “Credit.” And
now that his desires were gratified, his prayers an-
swered, his faith in God waxed stronger, and as he
knelt in that room, and saw his mother on her knees
before God, his soul was moved, and he cried with a
loud voice to the Lord of Sabaoth, that he would
hear his cry, and answer his petition. His faith was

strong, his plea an urgent one; his soul was stirred
102 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF °

within him, and as he poured out his heart before God,
his words were like fire in a dry stubble.

While Peter was still praying, being joined by the
others in an undertone, the poor Mississaguas were
pricked in their hearts by what they heard, and began
erying aloud, while sobs and tears almost choked their
utterance,—“O, my sorry, wicked heart, O, my sorry,
wicked heart, I shall go to the bad place.” When
this cry arose from those poor heathen, the effect was
almost indescribable. Those who had before been
praying, earnestly, to be sure, yet silently, now broke
forth as with one accord, and with a loud voice cried
unto the Lord of hosts to hear and deliver. When
the Lord saw that they had drunk the bitter cup of
repentance long enough, the sweet balm of heavenly
consolation was sent to heal their wounded souls, and
then came the joys of salvation.

Now, as on a former occasion, they sank to the
floor under the mighty power of God, and arose with
shouts of glory upon their tongues. Before many
minutes had passed away, nearly every one of the
thirty who had entered the house of God as poor be-
nighted heathen, was basking in the sunlight of Chris-
tianity, and praising God for his goodness in bringing
them to a knowledge of the Gospel of Christ, who
for the first time in their lives had stepped foot inside
of achristian church.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 103

Soon all these Mississaguas gave evidence of a
change of heart by the power of divine grace, and
that they had received the spirit of adoption, whereby
they might cry, “Abba, Father,” and call Jesus Lord,
by the Holy Ghost ; and as they had just emerged
from pagan darkness into the glorious liberty of the
Gospel of Christ, and were in the fullest sense, ‘babes
in Christ,” it became necessary for us to pay particu-
lar attention to them, that we might instruct them in
the first-principles of the doctrine of Christ, and ex-
plain to them the devices of Satan, when combined
with wicked men, that they might fortify themselves
against them.

These Mississaguas were now enjoying the hospital-
ity of our Grand River brethren, but we knew they
must soon leave. Our anxiety on their account was
great, for we knew if they returned to the Credit,
they would have to pass many whisky shops, where
every art that could be brought to bear upon them, in
order to get them to drink again of the “fire-water,”
would be used ; and also if they returned, they would
remove their children from the English school, the
advantages of which they now enjoyed. But we were
soon relieved of our anxiety, by an offer by our Mo-
hawk brethren, of as much land as they would wish
to till, and on which they might build houses, and
104 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

make comfortable homes for themselves and children.
How much this seemed like the days spoken of in
Acts ii, 44-47, “And all that believed were together,
and had all things common, and sold their possessions
and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man
had need. And they, continuing daily with one ac-
cord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to
house, did eat their meat with gladness and single-
ness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all
the people. And the Lord added to the Church daily
such as should be saved.”

After reading and explaining our ‘General Rules,”
to which they all readily subscribed, we administered
the ordinance of baptism, by sprinkling, at the altar.

It was customary among the pagan Indians to
marry by taking a woman and living with her as long
as they both could agree. But should any serious
misunderstanding arise between them, they would
part, each going their own way, and leaving either
free to marry at pleasure. We explained to them the
nature and extent of the marriage covenant, as laid
down in our blessed Bible, and they readily agreed to
its precepts. They all stood up around the altar, and
we joined them together in the holy bands of
matrimony. They builded themselves neat, though
small houses, planted and sowed, and seemed anxious
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 105

to receive instruction in all subjects relating to their
temporal and spiritual welfare, always appearing at
the house of God, as neat and as clean as any of our
Mohawks. _ They occasionally went on hunting excur-
sions, and sometimes were obliged to be out in the
wilderness over the Sabbath. At such times they
would spend the day in prayer and praise, observing it
as strictly as though at home. They always returned
loaded with game. Not unfrequently they met with
some of their own nation, who were also hunting, and
they always invited them to come to Grand River and
get the “good religion” which they enjoyed. Many
did so, and often were they converted under the first
sermon they ever listened to. Our number constantly
increased. Daily were they added to the Church,
till the mission-house was filled with christian Indians.

All seemed anxious to have their children learn to
read English, and the adults even, would put them-
selves under the instruction of Br. Crawford, and were
as studious as any persons could be. Capt. John’s
wife entered our day school with a determination to
learn English enough to read the blessed Bible, and
in a few months she was able to read intelligently.
CHAPTER VII.

The Munceys on the river Thames—Letter from John Carey, a teacher
at Muncey Town, U. C.,—Resolves to visit that tribe—Accompanied
by Peter Jones and other Indians—The Munceys preparing for a
grand religious feast—Ceremonies and incidents of the occasion—
Hostile demonstrations—Obtains at length a cordial reception—A
school established—Return to Grand River—Large number of con-
verts—Peter Jones made a Chief—The Chippewas go to their Res-
ervation.

Sometime before this, 1 had received intelligence
that quite a body of Munceys, (Delawares) who spake
the Mississagua dialect, resided on the river Thames,
This river had its source mn the wilderness which then
extended from Grand River to Lake Huron. It runs
a north-westerly course, emptying itself into Lake St.
Clair, forty miles east of Sandwich, thus affording
communication by boats with Lake Erie and the
northern lakes. There were several bodies of Indians
on this river. In one of these the Moravians had
established a mission, and a minister resided among
them. This Moravian town was about ninety miles
from Sandwich. The Munceys lived one hundred
miles from Sandwich and seventy from Grand River.
There were two bodies of these Munceys residing some
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 107

seven miles apart. Of these tribes, one was a remnant
of the Delawares, the other the Chippewas. They
were designated as: the Upper and Lower town. I
had received a letter from John Carey, a young man
some twenty-four years old, who was teaching school
in Westminster, Talbott’s street, U. C. He wasa
pious youth, the son of religious parents residing in
Schoharie, N. Y. He had visited the Munceys
(Delawares) once or twice, and now expressed a desire
to become the teacher of an English school among
them, if we could succeed in obtatning the consent of
the chiefs and counsellors. In his letter he says:

“Muncey Town, May 2d, 1825.

“Dear Br. Torry :—As you desire me to give you in
writing the particulars of my undertaking among the
Indians, I send you the following: While employed in
my school in Westminster, I had seen these people pass,
and they had encamped near my school. They were given
to intoxication. Their poverty and ignorance excited a
pity, and I felt my spirit stirred within me to endeavor
to improve their state by instruction. Accordingly, in
December last, in company with a friend, we travelled
through the wood about seven miles, and found the
dwelling of George Turkey, the principal chief. He was
not at home, but his family was hospitable, and appeared
capable of improvement, which encouraged me to make
them another visit, which I did on the 3d of April—but
now I found none at home. The night was cold, and I
spent it in a poor wigwam, without fire and without food,
On the 15th, I made another’ visit, and again their
108 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

wigwams were empty; but on the fourth visit to their
town, (April 25th,) I found the Indians at home.

“I now endeavored to learn their wishes about having
their children learn to read, and offered to become their
teacher. Some appeared friendly to the design; others
were indifferent. A council of all the chiefs was called.
and I was permitted to be present. When assembled,
they stretched themselves on the green grass and com-
menced their deliberations in their native tongue. After
about two hours’ debate, chief Westbrook arose, and
gave me in English the opinions of the chiefs, the sub-
stance of which was, that some were in favor of the
school, others were opposed to any innovation in their
established manners. He, and others of his brethren,
wished their children taught to read. I concluded to
make the trial, and appointed a time to commence the
school.

“The system of morality and religion entertained by
this people, is very dark and sensual. It comprises a
mixture of catholicism, paganism, and some correct no-
tions—remains of the labors of the devoted Brainard,
Heaven they think to be a place for the good, where
are plenty of clothes, food, and other good things. I
have endeavored to show them the difference between
their sensual notions and the pure and spiritual blessings
of Christianity. They heard attentively, and appeared
more thoughtful, In my critical situation, I need the help
of grace. Pray that my endeavors to do this people good,
may be accepted and blessed. I hope to see you soon,
accompanied by Peter Jones. Till then, farewell.

“Joun Carey.”

Having a little spare time, I now resolved to visit
REV. ALVIN TORRY, 109

these Indians, and make an effort to save them,
Accordingly, I enlisted Peter Jones, and five of our
most zealous and reliable Missionaries, and off we
started for the Munceys. Taking a westerly course,
we travelled on till we reached the last white settle-
ment which stood bordering on the wilderness. Here
we met Br. Carey, who accompanied us, and was a very
good pilot to Muncey town. I was obliged to leave
my horse at the settlement, and go in on foot. On
arriving at their town, we found the Indians preparing
for their annual religious feast. They brought to the
council-house, a little of all they had raised during
the summer, as an offering to the Great Spirit. Night
was fast closing in, and as yet, Br. Carey and myself
had found no lodging place. Our Indians had early
found both food and shelter, but to us nothing had
been offered, and we had tasted no food since early in
the morning. We finally received an Indian cake,
and some boiled corn, which was thankfully received,
and as heartily eaten.

Their council-house was from thirty to forty
feet long, and eighteen wide, with no windows,
chimney or hole, for the smoke to escape, that I
could perceive. It had a door at each end, with
a broad alley running through the center, from one
door to the other. A pole, about six inches in
110 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

diameter, extended on either side the alley, the
length of the house. They had collected large quan-
tities of wild grass, dried it, and placed it inside the
poles, for the Indians to sit or lie upon. A large post
was placed about midway from the doors, and running
to the roof. As soon as it became dark, one of the
- leading chiefs called for all the men and women to
hasten in to the house. This they immediately did,
the men taking one side of the house, and the women
the other. Fires had been kindled within four feet of
each door, which gave light enough to see the way
through the house. I, with my company, was invited
in, and we accepted the invitation. We took sides
with the men, who by this time were all seated. At
the center post was seated one of their most intelli-
gent looking Indians, with his head ornamented with ~
beautiful feathers, and with other marks of distinction
upon him. He was called their Commissary, and he
had, properly speaking, a secretary by his side. Back
of these, were seated a number of Indians, who had
before them a pile of dried deer skins. Each one held
in his hand a stick similar to a drumstick.

After all were in their places, the doors were ordered
to be shut, and the fires smothered with hemlock, in
such a manner as to stop their blazing. This was

done by two smart looking young Indians, and now,
REV. ALVIN TORRY. fli

nothing was to be seen or felt, but smoke, and it seem-
ed for a time, as though I should suffocate. I put my
face into my hands, laid them upon my knees, as I
was sitting on the ground, and tried to keep my eyes
shut as closely as possible. In every part of the house
was heard coughing and sighing. In about six minutes
the doors were opened, and gradually the smoke disap-
peared. One of the chiefs now stepped out into the
alley. He had a turtle-shell in his hand ; this shell
contained wampum, and shining beads. He began
shaking it slowly at first, and dancing moderately.

Opposite him, sprang up a fine looking woman, with
wampum in her hands. She kept step with the chief,
who increased his speed, and his efforts to shake the |
shell, until he was dancing with all his might, the
woman meanwhile keeping up with him. This they
continued for some time. Finally, the chief took his
seat, and the woman, walking up to the center-post,
laid down the wampum which she held in her hand,
and then took her seat.

During the whole of these exercises, the men with
their drumsticks kept beating upon the deer-skins,
which made considerable noise. Directly, another
chief made his appearance, with the shell of wampum,
and commenced shaking and dancing, as the other had
done. He also was accompanied by a woman, as
112 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

before ; and thus these exercises lasted all night. A
little while before daylight appeared, several men and
women were requested to leave the house, and set the
kettles, which contained their meat, &c., over the fires,
The young Indians, for the occasion, had brought in
twelve yearling bucks. These were dressed, and cut
in small pieces. But the heads of the twelve bucks
were neither skinned nor dressed in any shape, but
were thrown in with the rest of the meat, as they
were first taken from the animals. With their meat
they had boiled corn, potatoes, squashes, and beans ;
and when it was all cooked, they brought it into the
council-house, where one of the chiefs distributed it
to those who were present. To each person he gave
one piece of meat, but to me he gave two. Their
succotash, which they seemed to enjoy so much, was
more than I could eat. None of it was salted, for
they were entirely “out of” the article. As near as
I could determine, the twelve deer heads were given
to those who had used the drum-sticks. After devour-
ing the twelve deers, and eating up all their succotash,
the leading chiefs marched out of, and around the
house, with their eyes upraised, and in a loud tone of
voice, crying, hoo! hoo! hoo! and thus ended this
night’s feast.

I now supposed they were through with their pagan
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 113

worship for the present ; but I was soon informed that
they were preparing for another night’s worship, in
which the devil, or “bad spirit” was to be invoked.
In this, they put on false faces, which they called their
“erandfather’s faces.” These made them look very
frightful. I said to some nearest me, ‘that no good to
worship the devil.” This spread like wild-fire among
the warriors, and ina few moments they put on cloudy
faces, and showed by their actions and looks, that they
were much displeased with me, for condemning their
proceedings. However, the Cony chief, Turkey, in-
formed them they must prepare to meet me in council
in about two hours.

The dwellings of these Indians were scattered in
the edge of the forest, and bordering a large clearing.
In the centre of this clearing rose a small conical hill,
or large mound. This was covered with grass, and
around the top were placed seats. Here the chiefs
and warriors often met in council. Their council-
house stood to the south of this, and just in the edge
of the forest, being surrounded by those stern old
oaks that stood like grim sentinels, watching the
“council fires” that burned within. As one stood
upon the summit of the clearing, the little log dwell-
ings of the Indians could be seen on every side,
some standing boldly out from among the front ranks
114 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

of those giant monarchs of the forest, who stood, with
arms interlocked, towering high and majestically, as
if conscious of their grandeur, frowning upon the
pale-faced intruder, but pouring forth sweet straing
of music for the red man, as the wind sighed mourn-
fully through their Atolian-like branches, or waking
again the far-off echos of the forest, swept howling
and thundering by in maniac strength, while thread-
ing the labyrinthine passages of the dark, shadowy old
woods. Others of these cabins, set farther back, stood
peering out, as if watching for some advancing enemy,
while others yet were buried deep in the leafy recesses
of the forest, their existence made known only by the
curling smoke which rose gracefully above the trees,
and was lost in the deep blue vault of heaven.

' It was a beautiful place, away there in the wilder-
ness, far from the haunts of civilized men; and as I
stood upon that little eminence, with the bright sun
shining above my head, and the beautiful carpeting
of grass and flowers spreading out at my feet, and
away to the edge of the woods, I listened to the sweet
carol of the birds as they flew from tree to tree, or,
perched upon the topmost bough of some tall tree,
poured forth, in strains both loud and long, their
sweetest notes of melody ; and then I heard the mur-
muring music of the rushing river, as it wound in and
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 115

out among the moss-covered trees of the olden forest,
and its tones, borne upon the wings of a passing
zephyr, fell upon my ear like the enchanting strains
of melody that float through the halls, and fill the
echoing corridors of the fairy-like palaces of the
dreamy Orient. All else was still, save when the
watchful dog was aroused by the rustle of the timid
deer, as it bounded through the thicket, or was heard
the triumphant chattering of the squirrel, that, perched
upon some high limb, had escaped the jaws of the
eager dog below. Now and then a solitary Indian,
with his blanket closely wrapped about him, would
glide quickly and stealthily from one cabin to another,
as if in secret consultation with his fellows upon some
momentous subject.

My friends had scattered themselves among the
different cabins, and were watching with anxiety the
course of events. All the Indians, with the exception
of their Sachem, Turkey, and his friend, Westbrook,
were jealous of me, and considered me, in common
with all white men, their enemy. During the time
allowed them to consult together before meeting me
in council, some of the boldest had proposed killing
me, in case I persuaded Turkey to change their cus-
toms and worship, for they knew he was friendly to
my enterprise, though I did not. My friends, the
116 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

Mississaguas, were acquainted with their designs, and
waited with much anxiety for the time appointed.
When the hour arrived, several of the chiefs appeared
at the edge of the clearing, and giving the war-whoop,
started for the rendezvous. Hardly had the sound of
their unearthly yell died out in the distance, before
the woods again echoed with the same yell, and this
time it seemed as though the woods might be full of
savages, so loud were the sounds of those horrid yells,
as they echoed and re-echoed through the woods. In
a few moments over sixty warriors, painted and dressed
in war costume, with tomahawk and scalping-knife,
made their appearance. Turkey and Westbrook,
dressed in their ordinary costume, took a seat apart
from the rest, and commanding a view of them all.
I took up my position with the speakers chosen for the
occasion, while the others, with eyes flashing vengeance,
gathered themselves together in a group a little way
from us. Our Grand River brethren were gathered
in a group by themselves, and sat trembling with fear
for me. Knowing, as they did, the threats that had
been made, they expected nothing less than to see me
killed before the council broke up.

I now informed them that I was a Methodist min-
ister, and was patronized by the Governor and their
agent, and that my business was to get their consent
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 117

to preach to them Jesus Christ, and teach their chil-
dren the English language. I then asked them if
they were willing we should do all this. One of them
answered “no.” I then asked him why. He said the
white man had cheated them out of the lands the
Great Spirit had given them to live on; and that
where their fathers and grandfathers, their mothers
and children had been buried, there the white man
now planted and sowed his grain. The white man
had cheated them out of their hunting grounds, and
were continually seeking their ruin. They would have
nothing to do with him nor his religion.

Tn reply, I said to them, “not all white men so bad ;
some good; they not want to cheat and hunt the
Indian, but do him good. Such believe in the religion
of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Great Spirit. Of him
I come to tell you.” They said, “Indian has been
murdered after he get white man’s religion. Many
years ago Moravian preach to Indian on the other side
lake. He get good many to join him. Then he get
them all together in a house, where he murdered them,
and burned them up.”

J said to them, “‘you are mistaken. It was not the
Moravians that committed this barbarous act. It was
a band of renegade fellows, who, under the cloak of
friendship, possessed themselves of the arms of the
118 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

Indians, and then confined them to their houses,
where they put them to death, This wicked act has
always been disapproved of by good men. Besides,
the Moravian missionary could have no hand in the
affair, as he was at Sandusky, while those that were
murdered were at Muskingum, having gone thither
for provisions.* The Moravian missionary had never
intended to do them harm, but had labored much to
make them wise and good.” “Well,” they said, “they
understood the French were coming to make war upon
them, and they would wait and see what they would
do.” I told them the French could not get to them,
and besides, they never would try to harm them.

I now spoke of my authority from the Great Spirit,
and told them he had authorized me to come and tell
them the good and right way. They said, “the Great
‘Spirit send us prophets. They tell us to live as our
fathers lived, and keep up the ancient customs.” I
told them the Great Spirit had given us a great book,
and that this book told us that the Great Spirit made
all men ; that we must all live in peace, and love one
another as brothers, and do each other good. The

 

*In March, 1792, a band of ruffians, 160 in number, near Fort Pitt,
formed the design of cutting off the Moravian Indians at Muskingum.
Colonel Gibson, at Pittsburg, having heard of the plot, sent messen-
gers to Muskingum, to inform the Indians of their danger, but the
messengers arrived too late.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 119

same great book told us of the right way to worship,
and of the Savior who died for sinners. ‘‘Now,” said
I, “the Great Spirit has not given you any such book,’
but he has given it to us, and told us to hand it to
our red brethren ; and if you take this good book, and
obey what it says, it will make you wise and happy
in this life, and direct you most safely to a happier
life to come. Now, brothers, we come to hand you
this book, and to teach your children to read it, that
they may be wise and good.”

When we told them that the Great Spirit had
given them no such good book, and that we had come
to hand it to them, and to teach their children to read
it, they paused, hung down their heads, and appeared
deeply thoughtful. Turkey, with Westbrook, both of
whom were favorable to our design from the first, had
listened with deep anxiety, to see how the controversy
would end, and now, seeing that I had overcome and
silenced them by argument, he arose, and pointing to
a house that stood near the woods, said: “Brother,
yonder is my house. If you come there and preach,
you be protected. If any my people want to hear,
they can come to my house.” Pointing to another
that stood near his dwelling house, he said, “There
is another house ; you have it for school-house.”

As soon as Turkey had ended, the whole council,
120 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

who had before stood waiting only the signal to hurl
their tomahawks at my head, or to take me prisoner,
and dispose of me as they might determine, and thus
get rid of all innovations on their ancient customs,
now put on smiling faces, and instead of the dark
scowl of suspicion that before had rested upon them,
they greeted me with friendship, and shook hands with
me, to prove their good intentions. I now prepared
to depart, while Br. Carey should remain and com-
mence a school.

T have only given a synopsis of the arguments that
were brought up in this council, which lasted some
two hours or more, during which time none of us sat
down, but remained upon our feet. During this time,
I do not know that one fear entered my heart, though
I knew by their looks that they were intensely hostile.
Truly the Lord did protect me, and saved me from
out the power of mine enemies. Br. Carey immedi-
ately commenced teaching their children English, and
we thus laid a permanent foundation for the salvation
of this whole nation. I, with my Indian brethren,
now took our leave and started back for Grand River.
I will relate one incident which transpired the night
before I reached Muncey town.

In common with most of the tribes of North
American Indians, the Munceys believe in witchcraft.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 121

Their method of curing a bewitched person was, to
lay the person bewitched upon the ground in the
evening, and choose twelve young men to dance around
the person all night, and with shouting and yelling
and frightful gestures, they would try to drive or
frighten the witch away. At the time of my visit,
there was a woman among them who had the con-
sumption. The night before my arrival, they, thinking
she was bewitched, concluded to perform their incan-
tations over her and see if they could break the spell.
They therefore brought her out, and laying her on the
damp ground, engaged a dozen young Indians to
dance all night for what whisky they would drink.
Accordingly, soon after dark they commenced their
dancing, accompanied with their hideous yells. The
whisky they drank served to keep up their ambition
to see which should yell the loudest and dance the
hardest, and they thus made “night hideous” with
their infernal incantations. As a matter of course,
the poor woman was much worse the next morning,
and this fact, which I brought up in my controversy
with them, seemed to have considerable weight in un-
dermining their belief in their old customs.

On my return, I passed through two of my old fields
of labor, and was greeted by many of my old acquaint-
ances in the Lord, with much warmth, and many
122 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

encouraging words did they give me, which much
strengthened me in my labors and sufferings.

At Long Point, we called upon George Ryerson, Esq.,
who was teaching a high school there. He had re-
quested me to make him a visit, and bring some of
the christian Indians with me. His wife was an Eng-
lish lady, a daughter of Judge Rollf, and not having
been in the province long, had hardly been favored
with the sight of a North American Indian, especially
a christian Indian, They both wished an interview,
that they might see and converse with them, and hear
them sing and pray. We were all very kindly received.
Br. Ryerson invited his father, Col. Ryerson, to spend
the evening with us, which he did. Br. Ryerson had
a very large garden of melons, which were of the finest
quality. During the evening, a large table was spread,
and piled with melons of various sizes, and all were
invited to partake. And, truly, it wasa feast, such as
we never before had enjoyed. The next morning we
took leave of this excellent family, and pushed on for
home on the Grand River.

T found, on my return, that our mission house was _
very much crowded with christian Indians, for we now
had over one hundred and fifty converted Chippewas,
and we began to talk of taking them down to the
Credit River, the place of their former residence.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 123

The Chippewa Nation had a Reservation of land at
the mouth of this river, but it had long been occupied
by white men, for it was one of the best fisheries on
Lake Ontario. Several chiefs of this tribe had been
converted, and Peter was made chief, and now gave
evidence of being called of God to preach the gospel
to his countrymen. After consultation with these
chiefs, it was thought proper to make application to
the government authorities, through their agent, Col.
Givens, to put them in possession of their lands, which
were secured to the Chippewa Nation, at the treaty
with Great Britain, years before.

The Indians had never enjoyed their Reservation
longer than to receive their annuities, or to make an
exthange of their furs and money, for whisky, which
kept them drunk a greater part of their time. They
now, therefore, petitioned for the right of possession,
which was granted them, and they made preparations
to leave. Their place of settlement was about twenty
miles from Toronto, Taking an affectionate leave of
the Grand River brethren, they started for their new
homes. Here they made barracks or loose shanties for
their protection against the weather, until they could
build themselves more comfortable homes. How soon
that would be, we could not tell, for as yet they pos-
sessed no means to procure better buildings.
124 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

As soon as their dwelling houses were up, they
erected a large one, in which we could worship the
Lord God. This was done by driving posts into the
ground, and nailing boards, which I had procured from
the whites, to them. The roof, also, was made of
boards. This building answered every purpose, until
the foul weather, in the Fall, came on. I now began
to prepare for Conference.
CHAPTER VIII

Attends the session of the Genesee Conference—Canada Conference
at Hallowell—A band of Chippewas attend—Twenty converted in
one meeting—Incidents—The missionary cause receives a new im-
pulse—Personal enjoyment—The lion tamed.

At the General Conference, in 1824, the British
Provinces were set off from the Genesee Conference,
under the title of Canada Conference. This year was
the first in which we held a Conference under our new
title. But asit seemed duty for me to visit my mother
annually, I concluded to visit the Genesee Conference,
which held its session in Tetertown, (now Lansingville,)
Tompkins Co., which was embraced in the first cir-
cuit I ever travelled—which I could take in my route
home, and then get back in time for our own Conference
at Hallowell. This would make a journey of about
one thousand miles, to be performed on horseback, and
on foot.

The Genesee Conference commenced its session July
26th, 1824. I found my boarding place was at Father
Tooker’s, one of my stopping-places when I travelled
old Cayuga circuit. I had anticipated much pleasure
126 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

in once more seeing and visiting those old friends who
had treated me as a son, and I was not disappointed.
At the close of the Conference, I pushed on for my
mother’s, where I spent several days. Canada Con-
ference was to commence August 25th, so that I soon
had to start again for my far off field of labor. As
usual, I had reserved half my salary for my mother,
which she found a great help to her. Bidding her
farewell, I once more mounted my horse, and departed.

Hallowell was two hundred miles north of Grand
River circuit, and for that place I directed my foot-
steps. Bishops George and Hedding, and Dr, Bangs,
of New York, attended this Conference. Bishop
George embraced me, and putting his hand upon my
head, said: “Well, I see the Indians have not got
your scalp yet!” At this Conference, about seventy
of our converted Chippewas, by invitation, came and
pitched their tents within a short distance of the place
where the Conference held its sessions. In doing this,
our object was two-fold: First, that the Indians
might be benefited by the meetings ; and, secondly,
that the preachers might behold the wonders of ‘‘re-
deeming grace and dying love,” as shown towards
these poor red men of the forest, and thus be able to
understand the necessity and utility of the missionary
cause. During the time they were here, news came
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 127

to them that a band of Chippewas, living far back in
the western wilderness, were within two or three days
journey of them. Two or three of our chiefs immedi-
ately started out to hunt them up, and invite them in.
Two days after, they returned, bringing with them
about thirty of their pagan brethren. They arrived
_ on Sabbath morning, during the hours of preaching.
A meeting had been appointed in the grove, near the
encampment of Indians, and Bishop George and Dr.
Bangs preached to the assembled multitudes. Bishop
Hedding, being attacked by ague and fever, was not
‘able to be present. At the close of preaching, it was
given out that after an hour’s intermission, there would
be a general prayer-meeting at the altar, or preacher’s
stand, for the benefit of the thirty Indians, who had
just arrived, and who had expressed a desire to embrace
our holy religion. When the hour arrived, the stran-
gers were placed in a half circle before the stand, the
christian Indians near them, while in front, were a
large number of ministers, who intended participating
in the exercises.

-The chief of the pagan band was a brave and noble
man. He wore a large silver plate upon his breast, a
wide band of the same material upon his arm, and his
dress otherwise gave proof of high rank among his

people.
128 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

We commenced our exercises by singing, after
which, all were requested to kneel and pray. I had
placec4myself near the chief, of whom I have spoken,
in order to watch the effects of the Spirit upon him,
One of the Indians led in prayer, accompanied, in an
undertone, by all the others. In afew moments, tears
began to run down the face of the old chief, who was
upon his knees, his body erect, and his eyes closed.
His prayer was going up to heaven, “O, Great Spirit,
have mercy on poor Indian! O, Son of Great Spirit,
have mercy on me! J esus, come and cast the bad
spirit out of my heart, and make poor, wicked Indian.
glad and happy!” By this time, all the Indians were
so engaged, that they were praying with a loud voice,
and their prayers ascended up to heaven, like a mighty
cloud of incense. They felt the importance of the
work, and with strong cries, and with tears, they
petitioned the God of Sabaoth to save their wandering
brethren. Soon all those pagans were weeping and
crying aloud: ‘“O, Jesus, save! O, I shall go to the

4??

bad place! O, Jesus, come and save me Our min-
isters were so overwhelmed with the solemnity of the
scene, that they scarcely knew where they were. The
old chief was still crying to God, but in less than ten
minutes after tears began to fall from his face, he

began to tremble and shake, like an aspen leaf in the
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 129

wind, and in a moment more, he fel] to the ground
like a corpse. It seemed as though some mighty
power had passed over them, for one after another of
those pagans, with their leader, fell prostrate to the
ground. But the Lord passed over them, and breathed
upon them, and with joyous exclamations in their own
tongue, they sprang to their feet, giving praise to God.
When the old chief arose, with a shout, and a heav-
enly smile upon his countenance, he clasped his hand
to his breast, saying: ‘‘O, happy here! O, Jesus,
blessed Jesus, how I love thee! O, glory, glory !”
Thus, one after another arose, uttering language
similar to this, until twenty of the thirty were praising
God for redeeming grace and dying love.

While preachers and people were giving praise to
God, in songs and shouts of praise that could be
heard afar off, I directed my footsteps to a house some
two hundred yards distant, where were Bishop George
and Dr. Bangs. They were sitting in the shade of
the house, and as Lapproached them, I said: ‘‘Bishop,
the Lord has just been converting twenty pagan
Indians.” The Bishop arose from his seat, and clasp-
ing his hands together, gave glory to God. The Dr.
immediately started with me for the place where the
Lord was giving life and light to the dead. As he
entered the prayer circle, his eye fell upon the old
{30° © AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

chief, who had just been converted. Making his way
to him, he commenced a conversation, through an
interpreter, asking his views and feelings on the sub-
ject of religion, and the change he had experienced
To all his inquiries he gave‘satisfactory replies, which
showed, conclusively, that he was as soundly converted
to God, as was St. Paul, when Ananias said to him :
“Brother Paul, receive thy sight.” The Dr. afterwards
said, in a communication he gave us in the Magazine,
that that chief made him think of the old Roman
Generals.

O, who can tell the joy there was in heaven, among
the angels and saints departed, when, as they stood
leaning over the battlements of heaven, anxiously
watching the first glimpse of a swift-winged mes-
senger who, on wings of uncreated light, was speeding
through realms of space, with the joyful news of
sinners saved! Who can paint the joy that beamed in
their celestial faces, as they saw, far away, in the
mighty deep, the messenger they were so anxiously
waiting, his countenance, brighter than the sun, with
the joy that thrilled his heart, and heard his voice, as
he waved his hand high in air, and shouted forth in
trumpet tones, that another score of precious souls
had been rescued from the power and dominion of the
devil, and saved from eternal ruin! Let it be remem-
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 131

bered that this was the first religious meeting they
had ever attended, and that the first offer of salvation
made to them, was accepted.

At this Conference, a new impetus was given to the
missionary cause. Both preachers and people, from

what they had seen of the work of God among these
Indians, declared that pentecostal days had again
returned, and that the prophecy of God was being
fulfilled,

When our Conference closed, I received my appoint-
ment back to Grand River Mission. My field of labor
had now become so extensive, that no time was allowed
me for rest, and no time for study, except while on
horse back, or before light in the morning.

From the first year of my itinerancy, I had endeav-
ored to follow Mr, Wesley’s rule for preachers: ‘Rise
at four in the morning.” This gave me time for
reading, meditation and prayer, before most of families
would be out of their beds, There were now so many
calls for preaching throughout the length and breadth
of the Reservation, that I seemed to want to runa
dozen ways at once.

In passing through the country of the whites, to
reach the more distant tribes of Indians, I was often
solicited to stop and preach, and relate what was going
on among the Indians. I could now say: “In jour-
132 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

neyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers,
in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the
heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilder-
ness, in perils in the deep, in perils among false breth-
ren ; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often,
in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and
nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that
which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the
Churches.”

In the care of all these new born babes in Christ,
who needed instruction daily, and watching over con-
tinually, my cry was: O Lord, who is sufficient for
' this great work! Yet, in the midst of all these labors
and sufferings, my soul was happy, for the Lord was
my sun and shield, as the shadow of a great rock in
a weary land: a covert from the storm; and as a
river of water in a dry place. Often, when obliged to
camp out in the wilderness, with the cold, damp ground
for my bed, and the stars above me for my covering,
with prowling beasts of prey around me as guardians
of the night, often did I think of our Savior who spent
many nights alone, in prayer, upon the cold ground,
and I always found him near to bless and comfort me.

Within about four miles of our mission house, lived
a tall Indian of the Oneida tribe. He was very wicked
and very intemperate. He had a wife and two daugh-
REv. ALVIN TORRY. 133

ters, who were as smart and fair looking women as any
T ever saw among the Indians. But they were all
pagans, The father, as soon as he became intoxicated
—and that was as often as he could get any of the
fire-waters to drink—was likeamad man. He wanted
to fight with every one he met, and would fight any-
how, and he often became as bloody as a butcher.
The Indians were all afraid of him when he had been
drinking. To procure whisky, he would part with
anything he possessed. On one occasion, he offered
to sell the only bullock he had, that he might obtain
whisky. But his neighbors would not buy it. He
then attempted in his rage to destroy it.

At another time, when he had sold every thing he
could get, even to the clothes upon his back, that were
worth any thing, he stole from his wife, the few “ traces
of seed corn” which she had carefully laid away for
another year. This he offered for whisky. Destitute
as they were before, the poor woman now thought
herself undone, for seed corn that year was very scarce,
and this was their only hope of future harvest. The

 

corn was purchased by a brother F , a white man

who was doing business with the Indians, and at whose

 

house I often stopped. Br. F returned the corn
privately to the afflicted woman, who was thereby much

relieved. In his drunken fights this Indian would
134 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

sometimes get bruised and scarred in a shocking
manner, and in this plight return to his hapless family,
destitute of clothing, and bearing the description in
Mark v. 2, of one possessed of devils, and coming
from the tombs. This Indian afterwards became con-
verted. And what a change there was in him. He
was like the man among the tombs, after the devils
were cast out—“sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed
and in his right mind.” He now left off his drinking, ’
went to work, treated his family kindly, was well
clothed, attended to his religious duties, and every
Sunday morning could be seen with his wife and
daughters—all of whom had experienced religion with
him—threading his way to the chapel, Indian file,
where he staid until after class-meeting in the after-
noon. It was no uncommon thing to see this tall,
gigantic Indian who, but a few months before, was the
terror of his countrymen, while sitting in his seat, or
on his knees supplicating God, fall to the floor as
though an arrow had pierced his heart, and lay, appa-
rently dead, for some time ; and when he would
recover consciousness, he gave us evidence, by his
spirit and language, that Christ had full possession of
his heart.

One Sabbath, in the spring, he came to me after
preaching, with a smile upon his countenance, and
putting his hand into his blanket pocket, took out a
~ REV. ALVIN TORRY. 135

very nice, white cake of maple sugar, which he pre-
sented me as a proof of his own and family’s love for
me. I received it with many thanks, which seemed to
more than repay him for his trouble in preparing it.
At another time I received a token of chief Davis’
love for me. He had a garden in which he raised
many melons, This year he planted, as usual, for a
large crop, but all the ‘Vines, save one, failed to bear.
This one vine had one melon uponit. “This,” the chief
said to his family, ‘‘ this we must keep for our minister.”
So no one was allowed to meddle with it, and it was
watched and tended with much care, until it was fit
to pick. It was then taken in and kept until I came
around. When I called to see him, he took a clean
earthern plate, put the melon upon it, set it on the
table, and then drawing his knife, which he always
carried in his belt, he wiped it upon his blanket, and laid
it beside the melon, He then very politely said to
me: “Come, you go and eat,’ himself and family
refusing to take any, for it was the minister's melon.
I took his knife, cut the melon open, and ate a slice.
It was very delicious. I then took another, and said :
“ Br., I have eaten. Come, you and your family, and
see how good it is.” They then took a piece and we
feasted together upon it, and spent an hour in social
converse, and in blessing God who gives us all the
good things of this life which we enjoy.
CHAPTER IX.

The Mississaguas established on the Credit—Schools—Distribution of
annuities—How drunkenness was prevented—The converted Indian
women refuse jewelry—Carpenters and masons sent to build houses
—The work spreads—Great numbers converted—Letter to the Meth-
odist Magazine.

As soon as the Mississaguas became comfortably
settled at the Credit, we established a school among
them, in which John Jones taught the branches of a
common English education. This Br. Jones was a
Mohawk, and a half brother of Peter. He had re-
ceived a good education among the whites, and had
experienced religion at the commencement of the
revival on Grand River. Being employed by the Mis-
sionary Committee, he accompanied his Mississagua
brethren to the Credit, and commenced his school with
about twenty scholars. They had not been here many
weeks, when information was received from Col. Giv-
ins, their agent, that he would be at the mouth of the
river in a few weeks, with their annual presents. In-
formation of this event was conveyed to all the tribes
living west of us, and it was now certain that we
should have thousands of the pagan Indians, from the
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 137

western lakes and the wilderness, thronging about us
for several days. We knew that many white men,
with their barrels of whisky, would be on hand to trade,
and cheat the Indians. We, therefore, after much
deliberation and prayer, thought it best to erect a sort
of pavilion, of boards, the sides being open so that all
could see and be seen, in which we would hold meet-
ings during the delivery of the presents, which would
occupy several days. When the day appointed arrived,
thousands of these Indians came rushing down, and
pitched their tents back from the lake shore, and around
the huckster shops established by white men.

These wicked men said to the Indians, ‘‘You must
not mingle with the Mississaguas, for they are be-
witched, and their religion will kill you Indians,”
—treferring to their falling under the power of God.
This declaration of the whites, put the pagans on
their look-out for the christian Indians—for they dread
witchcraft. They would come within hearing of their
singing and praying, stand and listen a few minutes
to their incantations, as they supposed them to be ;
then with a whoop, would leave for their wigwams,
assured that what the white man had said of them
was true. After waiting several hours for the arrival
of the sloop that was to bring their presents to them,
the cry was heard, “She comes! she comes !” and all
138 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

the chiefs and counsellors rushed down to the water’s
edge, to give their agent a salute and welcome. The
sloop came up in a pleasant gale peculiar to the waters
of Ontario—the anchor was thrown out, and the agent,
with the governor and suite, embarked in the small
boat, and rowed for the shore. During this time, the
christian Indians remained in their tent, singing and
praying, undisturbed by all the noise and bustle. The
governor and his lady had heard much of the converted
Indians, but could not believe that such poor, drunken,
degraded creatures as these Indians had always been
represented as being, could ever be made respectable
citizens, and sober men and women. They had, accord-
ingly, with several other ladies and gentlemen, come
up on purpose to sce these Indians, and on landing,
they proceeded directly to the open tent, where the
Indians were singing, and as they drew near, the gov-
ernor and his friends removed their hats. After
singing, they all knelt down, and one of the chiefs led
in prayer, the governor and his company also kneeling.
After prayer, they all arose, and advancing, shook
hands with the governor and his suite.

The Col. now gave orders for all the chiefs and
counsellors to arrange themselves, in order to receive
their goods, that they might distribute them to the
numerous families of the several tribes, according to
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 139

_ their custom. He then ordered the sailors to bring on

shore the presents, and also several kegs of rum, with
which to “treat” the Indians, The presents consisted
of guns, ammunition, brocade cloths, blankets, calico,
and jewelry. When the Christians saw the rum, they
went to the Col. and said: ‘‘Col., we don’t want you
to offer any of our people that rum, for we no drink
any more rum, or whisky, and we not want any of it.”
“Well,” said the Col., “then the rest shall not have
any ‘of it,’ and immediately ordered it back to the
ship. This prevented intoxication on the beach, while
receiving their presents ; and this thoughtful act of
their agent, together with the respect shown to them
by the governor and company, produced a more favor-
able impression on the minds of the pagans toward
the Mississaguas, and they began to say among them-
selves: “Guess the Mississaguas not so bad as white

iy

man say ;” and so they ventured nearer them, and
listened to their songs, and prayers, and exhortations,
and many of them were made sensible there was some-
thing good which they knew not of. Some were saved,
and many more would have been, had it not been for
the powerful exertions made by the wicked whisky
sellers, to keep them from listening to the gospel of
light and life. They well knew that when the Indians

once began to drink, they would continue drinking for
140 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

several days, when they would part with anything
and everything they had, in order to procure the “‘fire-
water.” In this way they would strip them of every-
thing valuable, and then leave them. Sometimes one
in each family would keep sober, in order to take care
of the valuables. In such cases the traders found
poor fishing among them.

One circumstance which occurred during the distri-
bution of the annuities, is worthy of special attention.
When the Col. was about handing over that part of
the jewelry which belonged to the Mississaguas, our
christian women approached their agent very modestly,
and said: ‘“‘ Colonel, we would like it if you would
give us the value of those jewelsin money. We want
it to help buy cows and oxen with, that we may work
our lands. We don’t wear jewels in our ears and noses
any more ; you can sell them to the white women, for
they love to wear them.”

This request of these noble, christian women, with
their christian deportment everywhere, had a wonder-
ful effect upon the governor and his company, and on
his return to York, he sent on carpenters and masons
to build twenty neat, good houses, in village form, on
the south side of the Credit river, and on the lake
shore where we had previously marked off the grounds
and divided it among each family. The houses were
Aa

REV. ALVIN TORRY. 141

built as the governor had directed, and the expenses
were all met by him ; not, however, from his private
property, but from the public funds. He also sent on
men with teams, who plowed up their fertile flats, and
now they found themselves as comfortable and happy
as any of their white neighbors,

The reformation still continued to spread among the
Chippawas, as well as among the Six Nations. About
one hundred miles north of the river Credit, there was
a whole tribe converted, baptized, and brought into
the fold of Christ. They, with those converted at the
Hallowell Conference, moved on westwardly with their
religious influence, until the wilderness resounded with
the shouts of the redeemed tribes that inhabited the
shores of Rice, Mud, Skawgan, Simcoe and Huron
Lakes. Br. Wm. Case took the oversight of most of
these tribes, as they bordered on his district, and with
a view to supplying some farther particulars, I give
a letter, written by him about this time, to the editors
of the Methodist Magazine, at New York.

Kineston, U. C., June 30, 1826.

Dear Brethren :—In my last, a few days since, was
announced the conversion of another body of Mississagua
Indians, and that twenty-two had received christian bap-
tism, and were received into society. This letter will
detail to you a farther account of these people, as con-
nected with the camp-meeting at Adolphustown, which
commenced the 15th, and closed the 19th instant.
142 —- AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

After the baptism of the native converts at Bellville,
the 31st May, and having been strengthened in their
faith by the pious exhortations of Br. Jones, who came
down from the river Credit to assist on the occasion, the
good work appears to have gained additional strength,
and now and then an awakened soul was brought out of
the sorrows of mourning into the joys of the Savior,
As these brethren had signified a wish to be present at
the camp-meeting, they were encouraged to attend, ex-
pecting that at a woods’ meeting these children of the
forest might not feel themselves less at home than they
had done in the chapel at Bellville; it was hoped, too,
that their faith might receive additional strength from a
communion of so numerous a body of Christians of their
white brethren. A portion of ground* was accordingly

 

*This encampment was situated in a most delightful and healthy
part of the country, upon the north bank of Carnahan’s bay, which
deeply indents Adolphustown on the west. Opening in a broad view
of the Bay of Quinte, and connecting with its deep waters, it afforded
a convenient landing for the steamboat and other vessels. The ground
for the encampment was enclosed by a gun fence, made high and
strong, with two openings only, and these were secured by gates,
which were opened and shut at pleasure. By this precaution the
watch were able to keep out any drunken persons, should any such be
disposed to disturb such meetings. About one hundred yards from
the camp was an overflowing spring of cool waters, which, running
from a sandy soil, were very sweet and healthful. During the night,
lights were kept up, by inflammable wood placed about six feet from
the ground, and in situations to illuminate the whole encampment.
The fires appear also to have rendered harmless the night damps, for
we have known no instance of ill health occasioned by these meetings
in this place. On the contrary, numbers, we understand, have gone
out of our villages with afeeble habit, whose health has been im-
proving ever since. Probably an airy ride has been to their advan-
tage, but the drinking freely at so pure a fountain, for several days,
together with the respiration of unconfined air, and the gentle, revi-
ving breezes of a summer month, could hardly fail to induce a better
state of health.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 143

assigned them, in the rear of the tents of the whites, but
within the enclosure, that they might be as much as pos-
sible secure from the gaze of curiosity. By Thursday
afternoon of the 15th, a line of tents had nearly filled
the first circle within the fence, and the exercises of sing-
ing and prayer had commenced with spirit in different
parts of the ground. We were now informed that the
Mississagua fleet was in sight, when a few of us repaired
to the shore to welcome our new friends, and conduct
them into the encampment. We found between 50 and
60 landing from their bark canoes.* Their furniture of
cooking utensils, guns, spears, &c., were taken out, with
barks for covering their wigwams, their blankets rolled
up, and all prepared to be borne on the heads of the
squaws. When all were in readiness, the Indians took
each a canoe, reversed, upon his head—the squaws in
the rear—and the whole body advanced in Indian file to
the encampment.

We had previously caused all the exercises to cease,
not knowing what éffect so many voices in different parts

 

* These canoes are the work of the natives, and display considerable ~
ingenuity. Being made wholly of white cedar, and bark taken. from
the birch, they are very light, and easily conveyed, on the heads of
the natives, from one river to another. The ribs are of cedar, three
inches wide, and half an inch in thickness, variously bent to form the
hull of the vessel. These serve the purpose of knees for supporting
other strips of cedar put on lengthwise, in the usual mode of plank-
ing. Over all-is a sheathing of birch bark, similar to the copper
sheathing which secures the bottom of shipping. With thongs of
the cedar root, the whole, catching the ribs and bark, is sewed to the
raves, which forms the finish of the vessel. The vanoes employed in
the Northwest trade are large, carrying from three to six tons; but
those used by the natives in these parts are about twelve feet long
end three feet wide; they are very convenient for the conveyance of a
single family, and if nécessary will carry from 6 to 8 men.
144 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

of the camp might have on the minds of the natives, who
were unacquainted with such a scene; and we wished,
too, that the entrance of the natives into a christian en-
campment for the first time, might be witnessed by the
whole congregation. Two of the preachers having been
placed at the head of the file, the party entered the camp,
some of the men bearing the canoes on their heads, others
the guns and spears, and the women their burdens of
blankets and barks. As but few of the congregation
knew that the Indians had arrived, their sudden appear-
ance in this equipage created considerable emotion. The
first was that of astonishment. They gazed with amaze-
ment; then reflecting on the former wild and wretched
state of this people, contrasted with their present hope-
ful condition, and remembering their many prayers for
the heathen, and seeing, too, their petitions fulfilled be-
fore them, surprise gave place to feelings of gratitude
and delight ; they broke forth into praises, and gave glory
to God for the salvation of the heathen.

When they had arrived at that “part of the ground
which had been assigned to the use of the natives, laying
down their burdens, they all kneeled and prayed for some
time, the pious of the whites joining in the petitions for
God’s blessing on these strangers, and that this gracious
work might spread through all the wilds of America.

In building their camp, the natives formed it an oblong,
with their canoes, placing them at the same time on the
sides reclining inward, to form a part of their shelter.
Poles with one end in the ground, and leaning over the
canoes, supported a roof of barks above. This com-
pleted their covert, to shelter them from the rains. The
smoke from the fires in the centre escaped through the
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 145

uncovered space above. Their mats of bark unrolled,
were then spread beneath the shelter, and served the
double purpose of carpeting and couches, The number
of adults which occupied this camp was 41; their chil-
dren about 17; in all 58, Of the adults, about 28 had
given evidence of a change of heart, two of whom off-
ciated as exhorters. The remaining 13 appeared some-
what serious; you will hear more of them at the conclu-
sion of the meeting.

The natives being encamped by themselves, their meet-
ings were generally held apart from the whites, except in
the public preaching, when a portion of the seats on the
right of the stand was reserved for their use. At the
conclusion of each service, the leading points of the ser-
mon were delivered to the red brethren, being inter-
‘ preted by William Beaver, one of the Indian exhorters.
On several occasions the exhorters were called on to
address their brethren in their own language. The first
exhortation was given on Friday, by Wm. Beaver, and
from the peculiar earnestness of his manner, and the
solemnity of his voice, together with the effect it appeared
to produce on the minds of the natives, we judged the
discourse to be powerful and awakening, for many wept,
and some appeared to have been awakened from this time
to seek a change of heart. On Saturday and Sunday the
congregation was large, we judged between three and
four thousand. Much order was observed, and great
attention paid throughout the public services, but more
especially when the native exhorters spoke. They were
heard with profound attention, and spoke with fluency,
for some time. When Beaver had concluded, we de-
sired him to inform us what he had been saying. After
146 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

an apology for his bad English, he said, “I tell °em they
must all turn away from sin; that the Great Spirit will
give ’em new eyes to see, new ears to hear good things;
new heart to understand, and sing, and pray; all new!
I tell °em squaws they must wash ’em blanket clean—
must cook ’em victuals clean like white woman; they
must all live in peace, worship God, and love one another.
Then,” with a natural motion of the hand and arm, as if
to level an uneven surface, he added, “the Good Spirit
make the ground all smooth before you.” During the
meeting the pious Indians took an active part in the
prayer-meetings, in behalf of the mourners, sometimes
among the whites, but mostly among themselves ; and it
was principally by their means that the thirteen who
came to the ground unconverted, were brought to the
knowledge of the truth. At the close of the camp-
meeting, every Indian on the ground appeared to be
happy in the Savior’s love. By constant labors, and fre-
quent exercises of faith in prayer, several of the Indian
brethren became very skil/ful in this mode of labor, and
it was very striking to see the answers to their prayers
in behalf of mourning penitents. On some oceasions
their faith was such, and their prayers so powerful, that
the hearts of bystanders were melted, though they could
not understand a word.

On Monday, the eucharist was administered, when
several hundreds partook in the holy ordinance. The
solemnity was great, and many were comforted in this
joyful hour; yet our native brethren appeared to enjoy
the greatest share of the Divine blessing. The late con-
verts having signified their desire to receive christian
baptism, twenty-one adults were presented at the altar
REV. ALVIN TORRY. _ 147

as candidates for the ordinance. One of the ministers
present having explained to them, by an interpreter, the
nature and design of the ordinance, we proceeded to pro-
pose the apostles’ creed and covenant, by the same in-
terpreter, to all of which, with great solemnity, they
severally assented, in the Chippewa,“Yoach.” Baptism
was then administered, and afterwards the communion.
During these exercises their minds were considerably
affected, and some of them so much as to be unable to
stand, and were borne from the altar in the arms of their
friends. After the meeting was concluded we repaired
to the Indian camp, and administered baptism to ten
children of the believing Indians. The whole number
of converts now belonging to this tribe, and who have
received christian baptism, is forty-three, and twenty-one
children.

This camp-meeting we consider to have been, in some
respects, one of the greatest we have witnessed in this
country. We could not estimate the number present on
the Sabbath, at less than three thousand; many good
judges think there were at least four. Notwithstanding
this multitude, good order prevailed throughout the
assembly, and great attention was given to the word
preached. The effects resulting from the exercises, have
been apparently greater than usual. It is ascertained
that about ninety persons professed to experience a change
during the meeting ; and besides, an impulse was given
to religious feeling, in neighborhoods which have hereto-
fore shown great indifference to the subject. Many left
the ground under strong feelings of conviction, who, we
hope, will be brought to a saving change. The marked
attention and serious deportment of the multitude, we
148 REV. ALVIN TORRY.

attribute to several causes. The improved state of re-
ligious society, which is apparent in this part of the
country, together with the general awakenings which
have prevailed during the past year, have had their in-
fluence to check disorder. The precautions in preparing
the ground, together with the vigilance of the watch by
night and day, must be considered essential to good
order. But most of all, an unusual degree of spiritual
influence attended the exercises. The inspiration of the
Holy Ghost appeared to engage the pious in prayer,
strengthening their faith and filling their hearts with
joy and peace, and over-awed the multitude. The de-
cent and orderly deportment of the Indians, too, was a
standing reproof to ill manners.

The solemn attention which these natives paid to every
point of religious order, could but be admired by all;
and their devotions, in a barbarous language, hitherto
unknown in these parts in the worship of God, all con-
tributed to engage attention and promote the solemnity
of the services. As yet, these Indian brethren have but
one hymn they can sing, and they know but one tune.
This they sing and sing, over and over, as if to them it
was always good and always new. Some of their voices
are remarkably melodious, and being softened and refined
by the meltings of Divine grace, their singing is quite
delightful, To give you a specimen of their language,
L insert the first and fourth verses of the first and only
hymn this tribe of the Mississaguas ever sung. It con-
sists of four verses, and is a translation of the first four
verses of the first hymn in our hymn book.

1, “O apa kish ke che go twak-
Nege a ne she na paig
Che na na ka moota waa wat
Ing ke sha mon ne toom.”
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 149

4. “Wune si o kee ma ma she dn
Ma che md ne too wish
Kee pe se qua pe na moo nunk
Koo se non 0 me squeem.”’*

I will conclude my remarks on the natives by the rela-
tion of an anecdote: Jacob Peter, a sprightly youth of
about eighteen years of age, belonging to this tribe,
became pious about a year ago, at a camp-meeting held ,
on the same ground. He has since been very zealous in
behalf of his nation, and frequently exhorts with fluency
and acceptance among his people. A few weeks since,
Jacob, with a number of his brethren, attended an anni-
versary of the Missionary Society at Demorrestsville. In
the evening, several of the white inhabitants gathered
in to witness the devotion of the Indians, who had
assembled by themselves for prayer-meeting. Esq. D.
being present, requested Jacob to speak a few words to
the English, by way of exhortation. Jacob arose, and in
broken, but plain English, addressed them thus: “You
white people have the gospel great many years. You
have the Bible, too; suppose you sometimes read it, but
you very wicked. You get drunk, you tell lies, you
break the Sabbath.” Then pointing to his brethren, he
added: “But these Indians they hear the word only a
little while—they can’t read the Bible, but they become
good right away. They no more get drunk, no more
tell lies, they keep the Sabbath day. To us Indians, it
seems very strange, that you have missionary so many
years, and you so many rogues yet. The Indians hear
missionary only little while, and we all turn Christians.”

Jacob, with two more boys of his age, has lately gone

 

” *The letter @ marked thus a, has the Italian sound as in father, and
has nearly the sound of ar.
150 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

to school on Grand River, to join the three sent there
the last winter. A great field is opening for usefulness
among this people. It is, indeed, already white for the
harvest. In my next, which I hope to forward you soon,
will be given some interesting facts relative to the origin
and progress of this glorious work.
_ I remain, very affectionately, your fellow laborer in the
gospel of Christ. Wittram Case.
So great and extensive had the work of God now
become among the Chippawas, that we found we
lacked many men and much means to give them
the care and attention they needed, but wherever we
could locate them, teach them agriculture and place
their children in schools where the English language
was taught them, we were successful beyond all our
calculations, in christianizing and civilizing them, and
making them happy, soul and body. In one of these
western tribes, lived a man and woman, each over one
hundred years of age. They were converted to Chris-
tianity, and baptised on joining the Church. As it
was impossible to give an intelligible translation of their
names as given in their native tongue, we called them,
on account of their great age, Adam and Eve.
CHAPTER X.

Returns home—Leaves for Conference—Annual report of the Confer-
ence on the Indian Missions—Letter from Rev. Loring Grant—In-
crease of missionary funds—Liberality of the Canadians.

The time of our Annual Conference now drew near,

and as it was necessary I should visit my mother

before or after Conference, I took this time, and made’ _—

my preparations to be back in time to be at the open-
ing of the session. On reaching home, I found the
family all well, and working bravely to maintain them-
selves, and gain an honest livelihood. After a visit
of a few days, I again mounted my horse, having di-
vided my pittance with my mother, and turned
my face toward the scene of my labors, leaving the
family comfortable and happy.

I arrived, without accident, at the seat of Confer-
ence in time to be at the opening of the session, hav-
ing made a journey some hundreds of miles entirely
on horseback and on foot ; for in those days a poor
Methodist preacher had no other way of travelling.
Bishop Hedding presided at this Conference. After
listening to the first report of the Canada Conference
152 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

Missionary Society, which was formed the year before,
he said he had never read of so great and powerful a
work of God among the heathen since the days of the
apostles. Here is the report, as read at the Confer-
ence :

“The managers, in presenting their first annual report
to the society and the public, beg leave to call their at-
tention to the fields of labor for their missionaries, and
the prospects which lie before them, of probable useful-
ness, as well as to exhibit to them the state of their
financial concerns. The fields of labor in this country,
which are presented to the attention of the society, and
which are now open to the labor of our missionaries, are
the newly settled townships, and the Indian tribes.

“The new townships which have been surveyed, and
opened for location since the late war, form a line of set-
tlements in the rear of the old settlements, the whole
length of the province—a length of about 600 miles.
To these new townships are thronging thousands from
Europe, and the older parts of America, who, in most
places, would be without the means of grace, were it not
for the labors of the itinerant ministry; nor can it be
expected that any adequate supply can be afforded by
any other means—such is the scattered state of the pop-
ulation, and so insulated are they by vacant lands. It is
to these new townships and destitute settlements, that
our missiovaries are to continue to direct their attention,
that the voice of grace with the sound ofthe ax may be
heard, and that log cabins and chapels of devotion may
continue to rise up together.
‘REV. ALVIN TORRY. 153

“The missionary ground which has heretofore been occu-
pied by our missionaries, was the new settlements on the
river Rideau, and the newly settled townships at the
head of Lake Ontario. These are now embraced in the
Perth and Toronto circuits, and supplied by the labors of
the circuit preachers, the inhabitants being at length both
able and willing to support the expenses of regular
circuits.

“By the labors of the late missionaries these circuits
have been organized—-order in society much promoted—
the altar of devotion erected in many families, and many
sinners converted from the error of their ways, and thus
added to the church of Christ. The duty of the mission-
aries, and the services which they were expected to per-
form, are to labor daily for the welfare of their flocks, by
preaching the word in every destitute settlement; to
distribute the Holy Scriptures to the destitute ; to exhort
to peace, and the support of the civalauthorities; to en-
courage the establishment of Sabbath Schools; to recom-
mend economy, decency, and industry; to press the
worship of God in every family; to visit the sick, and
assist the poor; to administer the ordinances; to labor
for, and suffer with their flocks; and to do all in their
power to bring sinners to repentance, and thereby en-
deavor to extend the interests of the Redeemer’s kingdom.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE CONDITION OF THE INDIAN TRIBES,

“Of the -natives, there are two bodies which present
themselves more especially to the benevolent considera-
tion of the christian public, viz: the Six Nations, and
the tribes of the great Chippewa nation. The Mohawks
are the leading tribe of the Six Nations, having been
rendered more intelligent by some advantages of educa-
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

British liberality, schools have been kept up
1awk for many years, by which means, prin-
eral have been matured to a state of intelli-
zenius sufficient to prove that the native mind
of virtues and excellencies the most refined.
in monuments of real greatness amid the de-
the nation, who, by the destructive use of
‘its, are hurried on to the dreadful precipice
stens their utter extinction, Nothing, in our
n rescue this people but the power of the

e truths and power of grace are capable of
great alterations, we have evident examples
id River, some of the most dissipated of that
ng been changed from confirmed habits of
s and irreligion to habits of sobriety, and to
and pious deportment, worthy, indeed, of
of more enlightened communities. At the
se on the Grand River, there are about thirty
who adorn the gospel of their profession ;
e is a chief* of considerable distinction, who
voted, and takes a deep interest in the wel-
society and of the schools.
ippewa nation, in its various tribes, is by far
merous. They spread out the whole length
ince, extending also far to the north. Their
said to be the prevailing one, and is held in
. that the chiefs in every tribe must speak it
councils; and thus, with a knowledge of this
traveller may pass through to the western
ersing with every nation. The Mississaguas,

 
REV. ALVIN TORRY, 155

once a powerful tribe of the Chippewas, have been much
reduced by former wars, and in later times by the use of
ardent spirits. Such a thirst have they for the taste of
spirits, that they have been known to barter the most
valuable of their presents for a small quantity; and not
unfrequently have they continued their drunken revels
till the whole of their property was expended. In this
state they are frequently exposed to sufferings and death,
by the waters and frosts; and to this cause principally
may be attributed their present degraded and wasted
condition.

“Their religion, too, is another proof of the benighted
state of their minds. Among their sacrifices are dogs;
their offerings are made to the sun and moon, and when
influenced by apprehensions of danger, they have been
known to pay their worship to the evil spirit, in order to
induce him todo them no harm, Their views of a future
state are altogether sensual, for they appear to have no
higher idea of happiness than plenty of game and
pleasant huntings. Thus do these unhappy people appear
to be entirely without God, and without hope in the
world. Their wandering state and manner of life have
been supposed to be insurmountable obstacles in the way
of their conversion; for they are everywhere at home,
seldom long in one place, never erecting any permanent
habitations, but residing in temporary huts, covered with
matted flags, or with barks from the trunks of trees.
For such a people, then, where is there any foundation
for hope? ‘Can these dry bones ever live ?? Yes, verily,
for he that made them, can he not redeem? Is there
any tribe of all the nations for whom the Savior did not
die? And did not our Savior command that the gospel
156 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

of his grace and mercy should be preached to every crea-
ture? By how much farther these pagans have wan-
dered from the true God, by so much the more is the
power of the gospel manifested, and the riches of his
grace exalted in their conversion.

“Of the degraded Mississaguas, more than sixty during
the past year have embraced the gospel; and such have
been the changes wrought in their feelings and manners,
as to be matter of astonishment to all who knew them,
and of especial encouragement for the society to perse-
vere in their labors. Native schools, for the improve-
ment of the mind, must be considered of importance,
whether for the purposes of civilization, or to fix more
permanently in the mind, the principles of Christianity.
Where this has been already received, and even where
strong religious feelings are experienced, ‘line upon line,
and precept upon precept,’ are necessary. A knowledge
of reading, then, will greatly aid in such a course of
instruction. By opening the Bible, and whole libraries,
to the astonished minds of the native disciples—thereby
unfolding the works of the Creator, the plan of redemp-
tion through the Savior,.and the wonders of his love—
it will prepare them for teaching these great things to
their friends and neighbor: . To the schools, then, and
the revivals of grace, we must look for native ministers,
who may hereafter preach th the surrounding nations of
their red brethren, ‘the unsearchable riches of Christ.’

The natives themselves perceive the importance of
education, especially wherever Yeligious awakenings have
commenced ; immediately they Solicit schools for the in-
struction of their children. It is mow about two years
since a school was commenced at the Upper Mohawk,
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 157

where from 25 to 30 children have been taught to read
in English. During the same time, a Sabbath School has
been kept up, and well attended. Through the summer,
both schools have been prosperous—the Sabbath School
on some occasions consisting of about sixty youths and
children. The improvement of the school has been con-
siderable, and some of the scholars give indications of
superior capacity. To brothers Crawford and Johnson
is due the gratitude of the society for their assiduity and
perseverance as teachers in the school. The house at this
station was erected for the double purpose of schools and
meetings; and is of hewed oak, neatly plastered, and
made comfortable by a stove for winter. It was built
partly by the labor of the natives, but mostly by liberal
donations of benevolent persons in the adjacent settle-
ments. Before the house was erected, no room could be
obtained for the school, till an aged chief, lately converted,
offered his own house for the purpose, and retired to a
cabin in the woods. At this station, (Mohawk) about
100 adults of the Mississaguas have their tents erected,
with a view to afford their children the advantages of
education,—the principal chief* of the tribe, setting a
suitable example, by encouraging his young wife to attend
the school.

“A strong and increasing desire is waked up in the
youth for learning to read ; the following is an example:
A few months since, a lad of about seventeen, having
heard of the school at the Grand River, and prompted
by a desire for education, set off on a journey of one
hundred miles to visit the place where Indians are taught
to read. Being hospitably received by the Indian breth-

 

*Capt. John.
158 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

ren, he entered the school, and is now making proficiency
in his studies; and what is farther encouraging, he ap-
pears to have experienced a change, and begins to improve
his gifts by prayer in his native tongue.

“Among the Muncey Indians, a tribe of the Delawares,
on the river Thames, a school was opened in the month
of May last. Its commencement was discouraging, and
was attended with circumstances of wnpromising nature,
among which was the reluctance of some of the chicts to
consent to the school. Had the pious youth who com-
menced the undertaking, possessed less enterprise and
perseverance, the attempt would probably have failed,
and thereby much good been prevented. After several
visits, and much labor, he at length succeeded in getting
a school of seven children. The school has since become
more popular, for on the first of the present month it
consisted of fifteen scholars. Through the exertion of
the preachers, and the liberality of the friends in the
Westminster and Thames circuits, materials have been
procured for erecting here a convenient building for
schools and meetings. In two other places teachers have
been solicited by the natives; and such are the prospects
that we are encouraged to hope that their solicitations
will be complied with, and two more schools be in ope-
ration before the opening of the spring. Besides, it is.
expected that provision may be made for the board and
education of several Indian boys from a distance, who
have signified their wishes to attend the school.

TRANSLATIONS.

“For two years past, Doctor A. Hill, an intelligent
Mohawk chief, has been engaged in the translation of the
evangelists, St. Matthew and St. Luke; and having cor-
REV. ALVIN TORRY. _ 159

rected a former translation of St. Mark and St. John, the
whole are now nearly completed, and will be ready for
the press in a short time. A princess of the same nation,
and well qualified for the work, it is understood, is engaged
in the translation of the Acts of the Apostles: so that
the Six Nations may hope, at no very distant period, to
possess the invaluable treasure of the whole New Testa-
tent in the Mohawk language—a tongue which most of
the Six Nations understand. A number of excellent
hymns have also been translated by the doctor, and are
now ready for printing. In this compilation, care has
been taken to select the most spiritual of our hymns, as
well as to furnish variety ; such as for evening, morning,
Sabbath, sacramental, &c. When this book shall be in
the possession of our pious native brethren, we expect the
melody of their devotions, (already excellent,) will be
greatly improved, to the advantage of public worship,
and for the advancement of personal piety.

NATIVE TEACHERS,

“Considerable hopes are entertained, that teachers and
preachers from among the natives will be raised up, and
prepared to carry instruction and the Word of Life to
many nations of our vast wilderness. In this hope we
are encouraged, from the fact that several promising and
useful gifts have already appeared, both among the
Mohawks and Chippewas. Among the former, native
teachers of schools have been employed for many years
by the Church Missionary Society, by which means a
very considerable portion of that people can read intel-
ligibly in their native tongue.

“In our school at the Grand River, a Mohawk convert
has been engaged for some time as a teacher. Others,
160 — AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

both Mohawks and Chippewas, are well qualified for use-
fulness in this department of the mission. Teachers of
righteousness, also, in whom is seen the excellencies of
grace as Christians, and the power of the gospel as ex-
horters, are rising up from among their brethren, and
promise much for the interests of religion among the
natives. We have already stated to what an extent the
Chippewa language is understood among the tribes of
the west and north. When, therefore, this favorable
circumstance is taken into view, together with the effect
of religious instruction on the minds and manners of
this people during the past year, we cannot think it too
much to hope that the Gospel of the Savior may be
made known to these nations by means of native teach-
ers; that churches may be formed among the wild men
of the woods, and that the high praises of Jehovah may
yet be sung throughout the vast forests of America;
‘then shall the wilderness and the solitary places be glad
for them, and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the
rose.’—Isaiah xxxv. 1.

EFFECTS OF THE GOSPEL ON THE MINDS AND MANNERS
OF THE NATIVES.

“We are aware that objections have been raised against
any attempt for the improvement of the natives—be-
cause ‘they have grown worse by their intercourse with
the whites’-—thence it has been inferred that ‘all instruc-
tion to the natives has a demoralizing, rather than a vir-
tuous tendency.” To this we reply, that if the acquaint-
ance of the natives generally had been with the most
virtuous part of the community, who had afforded them
instruction, enforcing the same by examples of piety and
virtue ; and if, in consequence of such intercourse, the
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 161

natives had become more immoral and worthless, there
would then be some force in the objection ; but when it
is considered that the instruction of the natives has been
generally neglected, and that, in the meantime, their
manners have been debased by the vices of the immoral
whites, who have thought it their interest to introduce
the means of intoxication among them; the objection at
once appears without weight, inasmuch as the vicious
taint which the natives have received is from another
source than that which is contemplated by this society,
and altogether foreign from the precepts of the gospel.
The natives of America, we have no doubt, are as capa-
ble of improvement as any other people of similar advan-
tages, and that religious instruction may be as salutary
on the savage mind, we are prepared to exhibit proofs,
which will not be questioned.

“We refer to the changes which have taken place at
the several missionary stations, and particularly at the
Grand River, where by the plain preaching of repentance
toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, about
one hundred natives have been reclaimed from confirmed
habits of vice and irreligion, to be sober, virtuous, and
industrious people. Of this number, sixty-eight are
Mississaguas, who, with few exceptions, were entirely
pagan; and who, from their love of spirits, were among
the most filthy and wretched of the savage tribes; but
since their conversion, all is changed. The drunkard’s
whoop and savage yell, have given place to the voice of
supplication, and the orisons of pagan worship are ex-
changed for the melodious songs of grateful praise to
Jehovah. The Christians are aware of their weakness,
and they deny themselves altogether the use of ardent
162 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

spirits. In this respect, they exhibit an example worthy
of imitation to their white brethren of the like infirmity ;
for when these Indians have been urged to ‘take a little,’
they have been known to reply, ‘No, me drink no more.
Once me drink too much, and me fear if me drink a
little, me drink too much again.’

“The Indians, by becoming a sober people, find their
condition more comfortable in many respects. Their
presents of clothing from the Government, being saved
from the waste of intoxication, they are enabled to
appear more decently, and to live in a more comfortable
manner. By the same means, the comfort of the Indian
families is also promoted. In the former state, the
females were made unhappy by excessive toil, and more
so by abuse from their drunken husbands; they are now
treated in a manner more suited to the delicacy of their
sex. By the industry of their husbands they are better
provided for; and the cleanliness of their persons, and
the neatness of their apparel, are a handsome comment
on the change which has taken place in their husbands
and fathers.

“The peace and amity which prevail among the con-
verted Indians, is another proof of the happy effects of
the gospel. Between the five Iroquois nations, (among
whom the Mohawks have stood conspicuous,) and the
great Chippewa nation, a deeply rooted animosity has
existed for ages, This hostility was founded in the
bloody wars which long prevailed, in a severe contest for
the sovereignty of the great lakes. From that time,
the two great bodies were entered into confederacies,
never mingled in general councils, never pitched their
tents, nor held their festivals together; but since their
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 163

christian profession, their animosity has ceased. The
Mohawks, who possess the fertile flats of the Grand River,
have invited their Mississagua brethren to occupy their
lands, and reside among them. They now both plant in
the same fields, send their children to the same school,
and worship in the same assembly. The Mississaguas,
since their conversion, have shown a desire to commence
a civilized way of living; and from the experiment of
planting, the present season, we are encouraged to hope
they may do well in this new mode of life. Their fields
of corn have been pretty well cultivated, and promise a
good harvest.

“Having signified to the government their wishes to
settle on their lands, for civilization, they have received
assurances of encouragement and aid beyond their high-
est expectations, and they hope to be able to commence
an establishment on the Credit, in the course of another
season.”

Jt is hardly possible for the reader to conceive what
effect the conversion of these Indian tribes produced
upon the minds of our Canadian brethren. That God
was in this work, is shown in the outward events and
circumstances that continually transpired to further on
the great work just begun. At the Conference when
I received my first appointment to the Indians, a Con-
ference Missionary was appointed to pass through the
bounds of the Conference, organizing missionary socie-
ties, and waking up an interest in the cause.

Rev. Loring Grant, one of the most talented and
164 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

efficient ministers then in the Conference, a delegate
to the late General Conference, and noted for his ex-
tensive business capacity, and great tact in financial
matters, was appointed to fill this arduous post, which
he did with the greatest success.

After travelling through the various parts of the
Conference embraced in the States, he crossed into
Canada just at the time we needed his help most.
Passing from one end of the Province to the other,
and visiting all the principal places, by his admirable
manner of presenting his work, he enlisted many
prominent men in every place, who made no profes-
sion of religion, but their sympathies being enlisted,
they joined the societies, and gave both money and
influence to help the Indians become civilized. The
following letter which I have lately received from him,
relating to the subject, will be of interest to the reader :

My Dear otp Frienp anp Br. Torry: . . . You
ask me about the formation of Missionary Societies. I
answer: In January, 1819, the friends of missions, in the
city of Philadelphia, took the initiatory steps towards the
formation of a missionary society. Preparing a rough
draft, they sent it to the General Conference, which was
to hold its third session as a delegated body, the first of
May, 1820, in the city of Baltimore. As a delegate of
the General Conference, I had the satisfaction of listening
to the proposition, and of assisting in perfecting the
organization of the Missionary Society of the M. E.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 165

Church. At the Annual Conference in Vienna, July 24,
1822, the Genesee Conference formed itself into an
Auxiliary Missionary Society, and recommended the
appointment of a Conference Missionary, who should
be President of the Society, in the absence of the offici-
ating Bishop. When the appointments were announced,
I felt, as you may well suppose, surprised to hear my
name announced as the missionary referred to.

Judging from the remarks of the various friends of
the enterprise, showing the importance of such an appoint-
ment and the many things to be done by him, I felt the
task an arduous one; however, I determined to do the
best I could, although in much weakness. J expected to
receive at least ora/ instructions, from our worthy Super-
intendent, but he left without giving the much desired
information. I was thus left to my own resources, but
calling to mind what was said in Conference by the Pres-
ident and various others, I found meeting houses were to
built, which I attended to, without leaving any debt upon
the Church. Our work was then divided into large
circuits, generally embracing as much territory as is now
contained in a Presiding Elder’s district, and in some
cases even as much as an entire Conference. In cases of
revival upon our large circuits, it was considered neces-
sary to have some one to call upon for help in such
places, which was made my duty. ‘These calls I obeyed
whenever made. Another and important part of the
work of the missionary was to organize societies for the
purpose of creating a feeling of interest in the heaven-
appointed enterprise of converting the world, and to
raise the requisite means of carrying this good work
forward.
166 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

After ranging through the bounds of the Genesee,
Oneida, Wyoming, and portions of Black River Confer-
ences, as now organized, I determined to visit the Can-
adas. Accordingly, in the spring of the following year
I visited all the principal places in the region bordering
on the Niagara River, from Lake Erie and Lake Ontario,
and around to its head over on Dundas-St., &c. I enlisted
the principal citizens of different denominations, and also
those making no profession of religion, and although they
were the first Missionary Societies formed in the provinces
yet the people have sustained them with a zeal and energy
showing their cause to be a good one.

Societies then formed have not only kept their organ-
ization, but have manifested an interest truly commenda-
ble, so far as we have been informed. The hope of doing
the red man good, seemed to inspire all. Christians
thought and talked of bringing them to Christ and
heaven, believing, as you know they were taught by the
examples before them, that a growth in education and
every good, would follow a genuine work of grace in the
hearts of these savage men. The red man’s seeking God
and a genuine Christianity, resulted from the use of a
sanctified education brought to bear upon them. Con-
sequently, when you went among them with your heart
burning with love to God and the souls of the degraded
sons of the forest, and pointed them to Calvary, telling
them that God so loved the world as to give his
Son to die for them, that they might be saved, with what
interest they listened you know; and, thank God, the
Church and the world are ready to bear testimony that
your labors were so far from being vain, that scores and
hundreds were brought to God as the fruits of your
REV. ALVIN TORRY, 167

untiring labors and abundant zeal in a work that angels
might have delighted to engage in.

Hearing of your great success, while on the Buffalo
District, in 1825-6, I determined to visit you. Accord-
ingly, on Monday, after my winter quarterly meeting
for Niagara circuit, I crossed the river and proceeded up
the Lake, calling on the friends at the different places,
where, a few years before, I had formed societies, and
found them delighted with the result of your labors, and
glad they had entered into the work of raising funds for
the support of the mission cause, especially the Indian
mission, They spoke of the great change among the
Indians; that it had made them new creatures; that they
were sober, pious persons, giving up their old habits of
vice, and instead of the lazy, filthy, drunken savage,
they were now cleanly, somewhat industrious, deeply
pious, and orderly.

Feeling much interested, I determined to press for-
ward, although suffering from a severe attack of influ-
enza, Some friends taking me in their sleigh, we found
you, the second day after crossing the Niagara river,
some four miles from the mission house. It was just
beginning to grow dark, and now we had an opportunity
of seeing and feeling what religion had done for these
Indians, for, as you met them on the way, as we pro-
ceeded towards the mission house, and told them a mis-
sionary from the States had come to visit them, and
preach to them that evening, their eyes brightened, joy
played over their countenances, and they hastened on to
inform their friends.

On arriving at the mission, we found Br. Crawford and
wife, with a large number of girls, who were learning to
168 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

knit and sew. You informed Br. Crawford of my de-
sign to preach, although quite sick. The long tin trumpet
was immediately sounded, and after a brief space we saw
the Indians coming rapidly from every direction. So
thoroughly had they been trained, that, with one look at
the missionary from the States, they fell on their knees,
and spent a few minutes in the most devotional manner.
This, with other evidences of a genuine work of grace,
so inspired me as to make me forget my pain.

I was told I might have my choice, preach plain, or
have an interpreter. I chose the former, and was still
further helped by the attention and responses of, to me,
this new class of hearers. I felt myself greatly favored
with such an audience, that gave the best of evidence of
sound conversion. After I had finished, Capt. Davis, one
of the most eloquent men I ever heard address any audi-
ence, arose by request of the Missionary, and, as I was
afterwards told, repeated the sermon verbatim, not sub-
stituting, or omitting one word, although he spoke in
Mohawk, andI in English. I felt God wasinit. Ishould
have listened with rapture a vastly greater length of time,
for I never was more delighted. The class-meeting that
followed, would have compared favorably with any in any
place, and under the most favorable circumstances. For
strict decorum, great spirituality, and a knowledge of,
and a strict adherence to, the usages of our Church, they
were excelled by none; thus showing the indefatigable
industry of their spiritual guide. As I had a quarterly
meeting at Buffalo, the Saturday following, and as this
was the only opportunity I could have of worshiping
with them, we continued the meeting till near 12 o’clock
at night. As I passed from Grand River to the ferry at
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 169

Black Rock, I was pleased to learn from friends, all along
the route, that the mission had the deepest hold upon
their feelings and confidence.
Very respectfully and affectionately yours,
Lorine Grant.

Auxiliary societies being now formed in almost every
part of the Province, our worthy brethren began to
hand over of their abundance, some five, some ten, and
some twenty and twenty-five dollars, until our annual
missionary collection amounted to over one thousand
dollars, whereas, two or three years previous to this
time, not a dollar of missionary money was raised.

The reason for this absence of missionary funds was,
that no call had been made, as I always found our
people of British North America to be the most lib-
eral of any part of our wide spread Zion. They have

‘always taken better care of their ministers than many
of the brethren of the States ; always paying them
their full salaries, and giving the superannuated their
full disciplinary allowance, never even dreaming that
a man ought to work his whole life for them at half
pay, and then be turned upon the cold charities of the
world to beg, or suffer and starve, because he can no
longer work. Their religion partakes more of the
“live and let live” policy, and less of the sordid,
miserly meanness of some Christians, who will pinch
a sixpence into the size of a half dollar, whenever any
170 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

call for the support of the gospel is made, but who
can spend their money by fifties to gratify their pride
or love of aggrandizement. Such Christians are al-
ways trying to get into heaven with all their bonds,
their stocks and mortgages, their farms, and all they
can hoard together during their brief stay upon this
earth ; but it only serves as so much weight to drag
them down to eternal woe and perdition. Such a
thing as a stingy Christian never was heard of in
heaven, and never will be, and no chart is laid down
in the Bible, by which such a person can get there.
But it does say, ‘“He that giveth to the poor, lendeth .
to the Lord,’ and “Give to him that asketh of thee,
and from him that would borrow, turn not thou away.”
But we do not call it giving when a church-member
pays his preacher, or his missionary bill, or gives for
the Bible cause, or tract cause, or any of the many
calls which go to support the gospel, whether it be to
feed those who are now laboring, or those who are
beyond the age of labor, and who, that they might be
instrumental in spreading the gospel, have been content
with a mere support while laboring, trusting to God,
and the honor and honesty of their brethren, for help
in their declining years, but through culpable neglect,
are suffering, and starving, and dying for want of
the necessaries of life. You will find them scattered
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 171

through the land, some of them living in houses that
many of our farmers would refuse to stable their cat-
tle in, wandering over the hill-sides, gathering a few
scanty sticks here and there, to keep themselves warm
during the cold of winter, or forsooth, if they are able,
sawing wood for their rich neighbors who, in return,
dole them out the smallest possible wages, never once
asking why they are thus employed. They, who should
have their places among the first in the land, who have
labored their lives long in the noblest of all business,
not only are left to suffer, but too often, insult is added to
injury—the well to do passing them by with the con-
temptuous remark that such must be poor economists,
or poor financiers, or they would have been as well off
as other people.

God has placed men upon this earth as stewards of
his property ; he has given them full and explicit di-
rections as to the use of it ; he has told them he shall
require his own again with usury, and then he leaves
them for a season. But think ye the cry of the
hungry, perishing for bread, the cry of the beggar who
is turned from your door to perish in the street, the
cry of the widow and the fatherless, whose faces ye
grind in the dust, think ye the cry of all these, as
they lift up their despairing voices to heaven, enters
into an ear that heareth not? I tell you nay! God
172 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

_ is long-suffering, but he is just. When he shall come
at the latter day to make up his account with his
stewards, ye will hear his voice thundering in your
ears, saying, ‘Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou
knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather
where I have not strewed ; thou oughtest, therefore,
to have put my money to the exchangers, and then
at my coming I should have received mine own with
usury.” Then shall he say unto his angels, as the
king said unto his servants in the parable, ‘Take
therefore the talent from him, and cast ye the un-
profitable servant into outer darkness ; there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
CHAPTER XI.

Devotedness of the Indians—The Work extends—The state of the
Mission—Letter of Dr. Ryerson—John Carey successful at Muncey
town—An Indian tries to kill him—He escapes—Refuses to leave.

After the work of God became general among
the natives, the standard of piety in our Church
throughout the provinces was raised fifty per cent.
It was not unfrequent that our white brethren from
different parts of the provinces, who would visit the
natives and worship with them, would say to me:
‘“We are ashamed of ourselves, when we see how far
beyond us the Indians go in their devotedness to God,
and in their enjoyment of his grace.” The secret, if
any, was, the natives made a full surrender of soul
and body to the Lord; they fasted once a week, and
prayed to God always; and thus they made true the
declaration of the Savior: “He that honoreth me, him
will my Father honor.” And the Father did honor
them with a cloud of his divine glory, and made them
to drink from the rivers of his pleasure, and he fed
them with the bread of heaven continually.

There lived, on the Grand River, about ten miles
174 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

from our first establishment, a pagan Indian, by the
name of Jacob Hill. He wasa sober and industrious
native, and could speak good English. The Lord con-
verted this man, and shortly after, his whole family were
walking with him in the way to heaven. We soon es-
tablished an appointment for preaching in his neigh-
borhood, collected the native children, and commenced
a school, and it was not long before we had a good so-
ciety of converted Indians, giving glory to God for re-
deeming grace and dying love.

A good work of the Lord also broke out among the
Delawares near the mouth of Grand River, and also
among the Senecas, and we now could sing:

“O, Jesus! ride on till all are subdued ;

Thy mercy make known, and sprinkle thy blood!
Display thy salvation, and teach the new song,
To every nation, and people, and tongue.”

I append some extracts from the “State of the Mis-
sion under the direction of the Missionary Society of
the Methodist Episcopal Church,” as found in the
Methodist Magazine for 1827 :

MOHAWK AND MISSISSAGUA INDIAN MISSIONS.

The Rev. Wm. Case writes under date of Dec. 25th,
1826 :

“The work is progressing and extending to other
bodies of Indians in the back wilderness. We hope to
give you further accounts soon. Thus much we now say,
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 175

that it exceeds ‘our highest anticipations. I cannot for-
bear saying that Br. Ryerson, at the River Credit, is
making progress in the knowledge of the Chippewa. He
has advanced far enough to ascertain that the structure
of the language bears a resemblance to the Hebrew.”

In another dated Jan. 4th, 1827, he observes :

“If we now had four or five native missionaries, they
might be employed to great advantage. The work is
mightily prevailing throughout their border, on the Rice
Lake, Mud Lake, and Skoogog Lake. On this account, I
think the speakers we have, cannot be spared at present.”

In another dated Bellville, Jan. 10th, 1827:

“The society at the mission house, on the Grand River,
continues to advance in its christian course. Its numbers,
however, have been lessened by the removal of the
Chippewas, and the society has met with a heavy loss, in
the death of one of its most faithful members. The
faithful warnings and triumphant death of the pious Jacob
Hill, will be long remembered by the Mohawks on the
Grand River.

“The conversion of another Mohawk chief in the same
neighborhood, has again renewed their strength. And
the addition of several families of the Chippewas, lately
from the forest, has increased the society to the number
of forty. The Chippewas, who were converted at the
Grand River, now reside at the River Credit, where
twenty comfortable houses have been provided for them,
by the kindness of the governor. With the exception of
a few families, the whole tribe have embraced Christianity,
including the two chiefs. The whole number of souls is
176 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

about one hundred and eighty ; the society, one hundred
and ten; the school, between thirty and forty; the Sab-
bath School between forty and fifty children. In Novem-
ber, I heard eleven of the children read intelligibly in
the New Testament. At this establishment are to be
seen the effects of Christianity on the manners of a rude
and barbarous people. Here are industry, civilization,
growing intelligence, peace, and grace. And those who
have witnessed the change, have expressed their persua-
sions that this new nation of Christians enjoy a sum of
religious and earthly felicity, which is not always found
in the civilized societies of longer standing, and greater
advantages. How great the change! <A nation of wan---
dering, idle drunkards, destitute of almost every comfort
of life, have, in the course of twenty months, through the
influence of Christianity, become a virtuous, industrious,
and happy people! All praise to Him who changes the
heart by the power of his grace, and who gives to his
people by the same Spirit to delight in the work of en-
lightening the heathen! The conversion of the tribe in
the vicinity of Bellville, is as remarkable as those at the
River Credit. Ten months ago, these were the same
unhappy, sottish drunkards. They are now, without an
exception in the whole tribe, a reformed and religious com-
munity. They number about one hundred and thirty
souls, and the society embraces every adult, about ninety
persons. We have now been engaged four days ina
course of instruction to about one hundred, in the chapel
in this place, during which time they have made consid-
erable improvement in singing, and a farther knowledge
of Christianity.

“By the aid of the interpreters, Wm. Beaver and
REV. ALVIN TORRY. ‘177

Jacob Peter, the congregation is taught to memorize the
commandments, the Lord’s prayer, and other portions of
the Scriptures, which have been translated into the Chip-
pewa. The interpreter pronounces a sentence in the
Indian, when the whole assembly together repeat it
after him. This method of instruction was commenced
last fall, on Grape Island, with about one half of the tribe,
(the others being gone to their huntings in the north,)
and it succeeded so well, that now, on the return of the
hunters, we proceeded to teach the remainder of the
tribe in the same way. During the exercises yesterday,
they were much affected while we proceeded to explain
the ten commandments. At the conclusion of each, we
applied the subject thus: ‘Now, brothers, you see you
have broken this law, and being guilty, how will you
stand before your offended Judge?’ By the time we had
concluded the exposition, sobs and groans were heard
through the assembly, and we proceeded: ‘Now, broth-
ers and sisters, you have sinned, and you have no good-
ness to plead. But you are sorry for your sins; yet
where will you go for relief? I will tell you, brothers,
there is but one path for your feet, but one wigwam that
can defend you from the storm: Jesus Christ is a strong
rock to defend you—run to him; he loves you, for he
died for you; and your Great Father receives you, and
forgives all your sins, because his beloved Son died for
you, and now pleads for you; yes, he gives you his Holy
Spirit to comfort your hearts, and to assure you that your
sins are forgiven.’ ”
CONVERSION OF ANOTHER BODY OF THE CHIPPEWAS.

“Qn Monday afternoon,” (says the same writer, under
date Jan. 16th,) “‘we proceeded to an examination of the
178 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

assembly in regard to their christian experience; and
the result was, that the whole body, of about sixty
adults, had become reformed in their manners, so as to
give up the use of spirits, and all but about ten pro-
fessed to have received the hopes and joys of the gospel.
The converted natives we invited forward for baptism, .
while those who had more recently been awakened, were
told that, when they should be able to declare the mercy
of God to their souls, they also would hereafter be admit-
ted to the ordinance, and they were requested to retire in
the rear of the congregation. When they arose to retire,
they began to weep, and then to pray, that the Great
Good Spirit would now have mercy upon them. When
we perceived how deeply they were affected, we sent
some of the most experienced Indian brethren to engage
in prayer in their behalf. During the exercise of prayer,
the spirit of grace appeared to be powerful on the minds
of the penitents, and in the course of about an hour,
nine persons professed to have found peace to their
souls. The most of those present, had been reformed
from their drunken habits for several months, and having
now become so deeply impressed with a sense of their
sins, and of the blessings of their Savior, we concluded
to admit all the converts, with their families, to the ordi-
nance of baptism. The nature and design of the ordi-
nance were now explained, and we proceeded to propose
the formula, ‘Dost thou renounce the devil, with all his
works? Again we paused to give them further instruc-
tion in regard to the extent of Satan’s power and influ-
ence, for the natives of the Chippewa have been terribly
afraid of the evil spirit, (Muchemuneto) and to avert his
displeasure, have made their offerings and paid their devo-
tions generally to him.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 179

“We informed them from the Scriptures, that Satan
had no power but to tempt to evil, and to punish the
wicked; that those who believed in the Lord Jesus
Christ, had nothing to fear from him, and in the Lord
Jehovah there was everlasting strength to tread Satan
beneath their feet. While on this subject they appeared
unusually moved, and when we again proposed, ‘Dost
thou renounce the devil, with all his works?’ they
responded, with great earnestness and a strong voice,
‘Ah !? and some of them put down their feet as if tread-
ing the power of Satan beneath them. Seventy-five now
received baptism, about sixty of whom were over the age
of ten years. On the same evening, the Lord’s Supper
was also administered to the adults who had been bap-
tized.”

MISSION AT MUNCEY TOWN.

Extract of a letter from the Rev. Thomas Madden,
dated March 8, 1827 :

“T have lately visited Muncey town, and I think there
is a prospect of good being done there; and although
the school is small at times, and has not been attended
with that punctuality we could have wished, in conse-
quence of the unsettled state of many of the Indian
families, yet those whom we have clothed, and whose
parents have food and raiment for them, have made good
progress in reading and writing.

“There is no opposition at present to the school, or
ministration of the Word. Some have become reformed,
and are preparing for christian baptism. A local preacher
who is well acquainted with their manners, has settled
among them, and his labors are acceptable and useful. I
180 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

hope there may be something done for him. Br. Carey
is doing what he can. We expect to get things ina
more settled state in the course of the season. We have
a second school in operation on the Grand River, which
- commenced about the first of January. There are about
twenty-five native children who attend, and make fine
progress in learning. A Sabbath-school was commenced
at the same time, which is well attended by the parents
and children, so that the prospect in that place is more
favorable than it has ever been before. The school and
society are still going on at the mission house. A num-
ber of the Mississaguas were brought in at the mission
house last autumn, and baptized, but have since removed
to the Credit, so that the society remains about the same.”

Br. Crawford, who became our first Indian teacher,
was faithful and successful in his work of teaching, as
also in his office of class-leader and exhorter. The
converted natives improved rapidly in piety, and in
them were all the christian graces seen. Their pro-
gress in agriculture and the arts was rapid, for the
Lord blessed them spiritually and temporally; and
while I staid with them, they were the happiest people
I have ever known, and with them I would have lived
during my earthly pilgrimage, had not my health failed.

The natives of North America have always been
noted for surpassingly sweet voices for singing,
wherever they have any chance for cultivation, and we
found the Indians of Canada easy to learn anything
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 181

relating to vocal music. At first they had but one
hymn in their own language, yet they never grew tired
of it, but sang it over and over at all their meetings.

As the work spread, and the number of Christians
increased, the demand for a larger supply of music be-
came more apparent, and accordingly I selected about
thirty of our most spiritual hymns, some for evening,
morning, Sabbath, sacramental occasions, &c., and tak-
ing them to Dr. Aaron Hill, engaged him to translate
them into Mohawk. The Dr. wasa Mohawk by birth, a
very intelligent man, and quite a skillful physician. He
had a good English education, and was one of the best
translators of the Indian into Mohawk we had in the
Six Nations. We also employed him to translate the
New Testament into Mohawk, and as he had no par-
ticular place of residence among his people, we en-
gaged his board with a white family residing on the
Reservation, near what is now called Brantfordville,
and within a few miles of our missionary establish-
ment, where I called upon him in my regular rounds.

He entered upon his work with much spirit and am-
bition, for we had promised him a compensation if he
succeeded in his work. He first translated the Gospel
according to St. Matthew and St. Luke, and having
corrected a former translation of St. Mark and St.
John, he soon finished the collection of hymns, and
182 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

they were immediately sent on to New York, where
our Missionary Society printed them, and sent us back
a neat hymn-book, containing the English and Indian
on opposite pages. The art of singing by patent notes
being at that time much in vogue, we obtained some
note-books, and by singing a tune with them a few
times, they so mastered it as to sing correctly and
harmoniously each part of the tune. So great was their
improvement, and so marked their progress, that
hundreds of whites who visited them at their devotions,
acknowledged that they excelled, by far, the whites
in that branch of divine worship.

At the last session of our Conference, Br. Egerton
Ryerson, a scholar learned in English, Hebrew and
Greek, was appointed to labor among those Indians
who were now settled at the Credit. He, with Peter
Jones, now translated a number of hymns into the
Chippewa tongue, which is entirely different from the
Mohawk, and thus were the Chippewas favored equal-
ly with their Mohawk brethren. Br. Case, in a letter
to New York, thus notices the pleasure with which
the natives received their hymn-book:

“The work of religion among the natives here con-
tinues to prosper. Of another body of Chippewas, in
the vicinity of Kingston, about ten have been converted,
and the whole body, of about forty, have renounced
spirits, and have come up to Grape Island for instruction
REV, ALVIN TORRY, 183

Peter Jones is now with us. The condition of our In-
dian friends is every day improving. You would delight
to hear our whole assembly, about 130, singing the
Indian of
“How happy are they, who their Savior obey,
And have laid up their treasure above;

Tongue cannot express the sweet comfort and peace,
Of a soul in its earliest love.”

Nah kooh sha a she

Pah pe na tah mooh wadt

Kee sha moon ne toon kane wah mah chik
Ah pe che sah kooh

Cepe pah he na tah moogk

Pe je nuk shah wane one kooh se wadt. *

“The Indians are much delighted with the new hymn
book, and their desire to read is, by this circumstance,
much increased. Weare exceedingly happy in seeing the
progress of this good work, and we are much encouraged

_ by the deep interest which is taken in their welfare, both
in this country and by strangers. To-day we renew our
labors on the Island. I arrived here about two weeks
since. Several of the preachers from the Hallowell and
Bellville circuits accompany us in the labors of this
week — of building a scow, making a harrow, planting,
shingling houses, and teaching these new Christians the
way to heaven.”

Br. Ryerson, being mostly stationary at the Credit,
was able to give his time closely to the affairs of our

 

* It may be proper to add, that the Indian words are divided into
syllables, to enable the young learner to read with more ease. It is
therefore, not to be understood that in every division is contained a
word. Itfrequently occurs that asingle word extends throughout the
line, and that the same word contains a whole sentence of the English,
184 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

Mississagua brethren. The board shanty erected by
them for a church at their first settlement, was unfit
for use in cold weather, as it afforded them little or
no protection from the winds and sifting snows. Br.
Ryerson, therefore, formed the project of building a
new and comfortable church, and he succeeded so ad-
mirably in his noble enterprise as to complete, in a
few months, a fine church, which was the pride of the
Indians, and the ornament of the village. Br. R.
acquitted himself like a man, and a noble minister
of the Gospel, in the work assigned him as missionary.
We give a letter written by him at this period to
the Missionary Society at New York :

“Inpraw Mission at THE Crepir, U. C.,
April 18th, 1827.

“ Rev. and Dear Sir :—I now sit down to discharge a
duty, which, for various reasons, I have long neglected.
I arrived at my station the 16th of Sept., 1826, when I
commenced my labors among this new made people. I
was at that time a perfect stranger to Indians, and but
little acquainted with their customs; but the affectionate
manner in which they received me, and the joy they
appeared to feel on the occasion, removed all the strange-
ness of national feeling, and enabled me to embrace them
as brethren, and love them as mine own people. I found
them happy in their spiritual cireumstances—of one heart
and one soul, rejoicing daily in the Lord, and their chil-
dren attentive at school.

“ Tow changed the scene, thought I, while visiting their
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 185

several camps; this flat,* which had heretofore resounded
with the yells of drunkenness, and teemed with intoxica-
ted Indians and white men, is now covered with wig-
wams of Christians, and vocal with the praises of
Jehovah! This injured people, whose thousands have
dwindled to a little more than five-score, are now regard-
ed by the Sun of righteousness, and are admitted to
behold a light which is shrouded from the view of many
of their more wise and refined neighbors, The grace of
God was manifest among them, but they needed to be
instructed more perfectly how to cleave unto the Lord
with full purpose of heart. Order and discipline were
wanting, and a house that would answer the double pur-
pose of literary and religious instruction.

“ As the cold weather now began to pinch, so that we
could no longer have morning prayers in the old board
chapel, it was necessary to erect a house immediately.
We thought it advisable to make the first attempt tow-
ards procuring the means for building among ourselves,
Accordingly, the Indians, men, women and children, were
collected together by the sound of the horn, and the
matter was explained to them by Peter Jones, and a sub-
scription presented. In half an hour, one hundred dol-
lars, lacking four-pence, were subscribed, and (it being
the season for catching salmon) forty dollars were paid
at the time. Many of the Indian women, when they
saw others go forward and present the widow’s mite,
(for they gave all they had, which was from one shilling
to three dollars,) expressed their sorrow that they had
nothing to give, but added, they would have some soon.

 

#The Indians were encamped on a level piece of ground near the
river, where fishermen of every description had formerly been accus-
tomed to resort.
186 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

“They immediately plied themselves to the waking of
baskets and brooms, and soon presented their dollars and
half dollars, and had their names set down among the
others. Little boys from eight to twelve years, brought
their shillings and two shillings, the product of their
little fingers, to help in building a house where they could
learn to be wise like the white boys, and pray to Re-sha-
mun-ire-to, (the Great Spirit.) How astonishing the
contrast! A short time ago these Indians would sell the
last thing they had for one tenth its value, to get a little
whisky ; but now they will labor and exercise economy
to get something to build a house, wherein they can
worship the Lord of Hosts. Perhaps some of the intel-
lectual and refined may be tempted to impute the zeal
and benevolence of these poor Indians to their ignorance
and imbecility. But, sir, is it ignorance and imbecility
to be zealous for the King of kings—to love Jesus with
our whole hearts and honor him with all our substance ?
How would he, who possesses all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge, decide in this case? He has
decided it in Luke xxi. 3,4. Ab! sir, were all our white
Christians as much attached to our blessed Savior and
his house, as these babes and sucklings in Christ are, how
would the temples of Jehovah rise to our view in almost
every part of this extensive and populous continent.

“Tn the evening, when I retired into our temporary
wiki-wam, and reviewed the scenes of the day, and called
to mind what several Indian women had said while pre-
senting their offerings, ‘now we will have a house where
we can hear about, and pray to Jesus, without getting
cold,’ I felt to exclaim with the old patriarch, when he
heard of his long lost Joseph, ‘It is enough —it is the
Lord’s doings, and it is marvelous in our eyes.’
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 187.

“About the middle of November, the house (which is
thirty-six feet long by twenty-eight feet wide,) was suf-
ficiently finished to teach school in, The white inhabi-
tants in this part of the province, have shown a very
commendable zeal and liberality, by aiding in the erection
of the building. It is also worthy of particular notice
and grateful acknowledgment, that some benevolent
individuals of the London district, (nearly one hundred
miles west of this,) hearing that we wanted a stove, pur-
chased a very handsome one, and sent it to us at this
place. The house is now finished, except the seats, which
would have been made before this time, could lumber
have been procured and paid for.

“‘ Order and discipline were now to be established. For
this purpose we (myself and Peter Jones) dividedthem into
classes, and selected two of the most intelligent and expe-
rienced men to take charge of each of these classes. Each
class meets once a week. We meet the class-leaders every
Sabbath, when weenquire into their own, and the state of
their classes, and give them severally, the most suitable ad-
vice of which we are capable. We also endeavor to explain
to them how they should watch over, and talk to their
brethren, and what particular duties they ought particu-
larly to enforce. These class-leaders are thereby prepar-
ing for more extended usefulness; and in part, become
interpreters of good things to their respective classes.
They feel themselves as shepherds (which is a comparison
I often use in explaining to them their duty,) over their
little flocks, and often communicate the state of their
classes in the most interesting manner. As some of them
speak English, I have often heard them say, ‘We are
weak children.” “But I think my class is getting stronger
188 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

and stronger, and I do believe that Jesus will, by and
by, take all up in his arms into heaven.’

“ There have been three instances of intoxication since I
came here. Two of the offenders were restored by deep
repentance ; and the other, in the anguish of his soul for
what he had done, terminated his existence by suicide.
Each of these improprieties was the effect of white men’s
impiety and baseness. In one instance, the Indian was
pursued more than a quarter of a mile, and then was, as
it were, compelled to take the poisonous draught ; in the
other instance, the poor victim was persuaded to ride in
a wagon, when similar means were used to destroy him ;
and what is horrid to relate, whisky was secretly mingled
with cider. - Alas! sir, how does the blood, not of an
individual only, but of tens of thousands, cry from the
ground of America, for vengeance upon her inhabitants !
What woe shall be too severe for him who causes one of
these little ones to offend, and puts the bottle to his
brother’s mouth ?

“The school consists of about forty scholars, and is
taught by Mr. Peter Jones, whose exemplary life, and inde-
fatigable labor, will doubtless give the most perfect satis-
faction to the Missionary Committee, and be a lasting
blessing to his pupils. About twenty Indian children
have learned those catechisms which teach the first prin-
ciples of the christian religion, and a number of Watts’
hymns for children. About the same number can read
the Holy Scriptures—twelve of these can repeat the
greatest part of our Savior’s sermon on the Mount, and
are beginning to write intelligibly. The children are
generally exemplary in their conduct—several of them
have professed to experience a change of heart from
REV, ALVIN TORRY. 189

nature to grace; and some of them show signs of supe-
rior capacity and genius, and will, I doubt not, be seen
at no distant day, standing as daysmen between the
Great Spirit and their heathen brethren, crying to the one,
‘Spare us, good Lord,’ and entreating the others in the
language of the ancient Gentile missionary, ‘We pray you
in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.’

“The Indians have commenced their spring’s labor, and
appear to improve in habits of industry. However, their
former habits of hunting and fishing, on which their whole
dependence for support has always been placed, prevent
them from feeling that deep interest in their agricultural
success, which we could wish. But in this respect, judg-
ing from the past, we anticipate greatimprovement. By
means of their funds invested in the hands of the govern-
ment, they have purchased two yoke of oxen, one wagon,
three ploughs, chains, harrow teeth, hoes, and other
implements of husbandry, in order to commence the im-
portant and interesting business of agriculture. They
have likewise received from their affectionate York and
Yonge-street brethren, the present of a very elegant
Scotch plow, which will be of great utility in breaking
up the soil. Our village consists of twenty houses, (besides
the chapel,) built on half acre lots, which are now fenced
in, and will soon be prepared for planting. A number of
heathen Indians, having heard that their brethren at the
Credit had learned to live in a new and better way, have
come here from different parts of the province—have
embraced Christianity, and now appear to be established
in the faith as it is in Jesus. The society contains one
hundred and twenty members, who are steadfast and im-
movable, and seem to be growing in grace and in knowl-
190 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

edge. I never experienced more affecting marks of sin-
cere friendship, christian affection and tenderness, than
among this people. I must defer the details of any furth-
er particulars till a future period.
“Yours affectionately,
“KH. RYERSON.”

Br. Carey succeeded admirably in his work at Mun-
cey town, and showed himself to be a hero indeed.
He continued teaching, under many dangers and diffi-
culties, and under many discouragements, until the
whole tribe were brought under the influence of the
Gospel of Christ. During the earlier period of his
teaching, and before many of the natives had re-
nounced their old customs and habits, one of the In-
dians, having gone to the white settlement for whisky,
was told that unless he should drive Carey away from
his nation, he should have no more whisky. Accord-
ingly, he determined to shoot him. 8o, loading his
rifle, and drinking whisky enough to make him brave,
he started back for the place where Carey was teach-
ing. He crawled stealthily up to the door of the wig-
wam, which was open, and raising his rifle to his
shoulder, he aimed at Carey, who stood with his back
to the door. A little girl sitting near the door, saw
the Indian when he came to the house, and watching
his motions, saw him raise his rifle. Quick as thought,
she sprang from the seat, and seizing the end of the
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 191

gun, pushed it to the floor. Br. Carey, hearing the
noise, turned around, when the Indian, seeing himself
discovered, fled to the woods.

When our friends abroad heard of Br. Carey’s dan--
ger, they advised him to leave so dangerous a place;
but he, like a good soldier and faithful sentinel, said:
“No! I will not leave my work, for I do not believe
the Lord will allow a drunken Indian to take my life
while engaged in his work.” And soit was, though
the same savage tried the second time to murder Ca-
rey; the Lord was round about him like a wall of fire
to guard his servant, and to show those wicked whis-
ky dealers that they were dealing with some power
greater than man’s. .
CHAPTER XII.

Stability of the Indian converts—Causes of it—Triumphant deaths—
An Indian deceived and made drunk by the whites—Commits sui-
cide—The tribe resolve to exclude all rum-sellers—Worse than
diabolical character of the liquor traffic.

It was a very general opinion of skeptics, and, in-
deed, of our christian friends and brethren at large,
that our Indians, who had been converted so suddenly
from heathenism to Christianity, would relapse soon
into their former habits of drinking and degradation,
that they would soon return to their former mode of
worship, and cling with greater tenacity to their
pagan rites and ceremonies. But in this, happily, all
were disappointed, for when they became soundly con-
verted to God, they also became the most devotional
people I ever saw. When we explained to them the
requirements of the Gospel, and the great good the
Lord had in store for the humble, persevering Chris-
tian, who sits at the feet of the blessed Jesus, to learn
from him of his law, they seemed to lose all thought
of worldly cares, of personal distinction or aggrandize-
ment, but gave their whole souls as an offering to
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 193

their blessed Redeemer, to do with them as he saw
fit ; and this they did day after day, spending much
of their time in prayer and devout meditation, morn-
ing and evening ; for as they considered it their chief
business to save their souls, they could find time every
day in the week, as well as on Sunday, for their devo-
tions ; and when the pale horse and his rider appeared
for them, summoning them away to the land of spirits,
to dwell with him whom they had served so diligently,
and loved so fervently here on earth, they hailed the
messenger as the harbinger of eternal rest, and with
song, and shout, and glad hosannah, they entered the
dark river of death, and the sound of their voices
could be heard even as they reached the other shore.

Among those who died in the triumphs of faith,
was a young girl of the Mississagua tribe, at the River
Credit. She was about twelve years of age, and
among the first converts of this tribe. She entered
the school at Grand River, and while staying there,
showed herself a diligent scholar, as well as devout
Christian, remarkably consistent in all her intercourse
with her friends and fellow-scholars. She soon be-
came able to read and write. A nice Bible was pre-
sented to her by a friend, as soon as she became able
to read in it. This she read day and night, as she
carried it with her wherever she went, and it may
194 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

truly be said, “In it she meditated day and night.”
This course of conduct continued until the day of
her death, which occurred some two years after her
conversion to God. She seemed to ripen for heaven
as days and months wore away, and when at last the
message came for her, it found her ready to enter the
cold stream of death without a sigh, or a word of
sorrow, at parting with all those she held dear to her
on earth, but, with hands clasping her precious Bible
to her bosom, her faith strong in its precious promises,
she calmly awaited the final dissolution of the bands
which held her from a closer communion with her
God, and leaning on his strong arm she sweetly fell
asleep. On the day of her burial, one of her class-
mates bore in her hand, as she followed her to the
tomb, the Bible the departed had held so dear, and
which had been a lamp of life, guiding her in the
paths of righteousness.

Another instance of the power of religion over the
last foe, was shown in the death of a woman of the
Tuscarora tribe, who had become a subject of con-
verting grace, but in consequence of ill health, had
never received the rite of baptism. As her health
continued to decline, it was thought best, by her
friends, for her to leave her family and journey a
short distance down the river, for the purpose of
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 195

procuring medical aid. Accordingly, she was placed
in an Indian canoe, and they started down the
Grand River. After traveling some fifteen or twenty
miles, she suddenly became worse, and it was found
necessary to land immediately. She was taken to a
small Indian house close to the river, and belonging
toa native of the Delaware tribe. As Providence
would have it, I was passing just at that time on the
opposite side of the river, on my way down to the
mouth, then some ten or twelve miles distant. When
I came opposite the house where the sick woman lay,
I was espied by one of the attendants, who informed
her that the missionary was passing. She immediate-
ly requested them to send forme, Accordingly, an
Indian sprang into a boat and made on down the river
after me. He soon came within hailing distance, and
beckoned me to stop. As he came up, he informed
me there was a sick woman on the other side of the
river, who wished to see me. I immediately hitched
my horse to a tree, and crossing the river with the In-
dian, was soon standing in the presence of the dark-
winged angel of death.

As I approached the bed of sae whereon lay the
sick woman, I enquired how she was. She said she
must soon die, and requested me to baptize her before
her death. I administered the ordinance, and it was
196 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

‘a solemn time. She seemed happy in God, and now
took leave of her husband and friends. Last of all,
and hardest to give up, was her infant. This, with all
a mother’s yearning, she pressed to her bosom, as
though she could not give it up; but the grace of God
was sufficient for .her, and, with one last fond
look, she gave it into the hands of those around
her, and folding her hands, she awaited the com-
ing of those bright ones commissioned to bear her
spirit to its eternal rest. While we were thus
standing, expecting every breath would be her last,
the door opened, and her mother, a pagan, quick-
ly and anxiously approached the bedside of her dying
daughter. She had heard at a distance of her daugh-
ter’s illness, and hastening on, she reached her bedside
in time to see her die. :
The daughter eagerly grasped the hand of her
mother, and for a few moments all was silence, save the
quick, deep sobs of the sorrow-stricken mother. At
length the dying daughter, in a feeble voice said-
“Mother, I am going to heaven, to live with Jesus, my
adorable Savior; and I want you, before I die, should
promise me you will get religion and meet me above.”
The mother, strong in the religion of her forefathers,
hesitated to give an answer to her dying daughter.
Seeing her reluctance to part with her old customs,
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 197

the dying daughter, still clasping the hand of her
mother, said, while the tears were streaming down her
icy cheeks: ‘“O, mother! I cannot die until you
promise me you will get religion and meet me in
heaven.” Thé mother, trembling, while the tears
showed the deep feeling of her heart, at length said:
“T will try to be a Christian, and live so as to meet
you in heaven.” Then this dying saint let go her
mother’s hand, and, as she heard the rumbling of
the chariot wheels that were to bear her away, and saw
the bright and shining angels fluttering above her, as
they waited to escort her to the mansions of bliss, she
closed her eyes, and with a smile of ineffable joy upon
her features, she joined the waiting band of heavenly
ones, and passed on to her home beyond the skies.

One other instance of death among these Christians
I extract from Rev. Peter Jones’ Journal :

“Sunpay, June 4th, 1826.—Rode this morning to our
settlement at the Credit. Found the Indians engaged in
the Sabbath School, and all pretty well, except Br. Geo.
Youngs, who was very ill.

“Monpay, 5th.—Towards evening, at the request of the
sick man, (Geo. Youngs,) we had prayers with him, that
he might be resigned to the will of God, as there was
little hope of his recovery. He said there was only one
thing on his mind, ‘He should have liked to live a little
longer, to have known more of this good religion, but
198 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

for that, he was willing, if it pleased the Good Spirit, to
die then” O Lord, spare thy servant a little longer, if
thy holy will; nevertheless, not our will, but thine be
done.

“Tunspay, 6th.—In the morning prayed with Br. Geo.
Youngs, who was evidently sick unto death. He appear-
ed very prayerful, and resigned to the will of God. Dr.
A. called; he informed us there was no hope of his
recovery. About ten o’clock, word came to me that he
was dying, so I hastened down and got there just as he
was breathing his last. He fell asleep in the arms of
Jesus, to join with the glorified spirits above, where, in
the paradise of God, he will rest from all his labors.
Blessed be God, that he died a Christian! At our
prayer-meeting in the afternoon, we had a solemn time.
O Lord, continue to carry on thy work till all the natives
of the forest become Christians !

“Wepnespay, 7th—At 11 a.m, I preached a funeral
sermon to the Indians, on the patience of Job. While
addressing them on the duty of resignation to the will of
God, under all the dispensations of his providence, there
was a solemn joy on every countenance, and frequent
bursts of praise. After this service, I committed to the
grave the remains of our good brother, in sure and cer-
tain hope of a glorious resurrection. This is the first
Christian Indian buried at the Credit.”

In contrast I give another incident, most melan-
choly in its details, of one who, through the satanic
intrigues and influences of wicked white men, fell from
his high estate, and in his remorse committed suicide.
The fisheries of the Credit were very profitable, and
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 199

the whites, availing themselves of the indifference of the
natives, were in the habit of resorting there yearly,
and carrying off barrels of fish. As the natives de-
pended much upon these fisheries for food during their
season, they were always there in large numbers, and
always willing to barter what they did not want for
immediate use, for anything the whites had to offer, and
which most generally was whisky. When the In-
dians once began to drink, they would part with any-
thing and everything they possessed, even to the
clothes upon their bodies, to get more fire-water; and
those avaricious traders would take the last blanket
they had, leaving them without covering from the
weather. It was no uncommon sight to see these na-
tives, both male and female, lying drunk upon the
beach around the traders’ shanties, with scarcely any
clothing, having been robbed, as it were, by the tra-
ders, who intended, when they became sober, to sell
back the clothing at exorbitant prices, to be paid in
fish.

After our converted Mississaguas settled there, the
traders came as usual, with their barrels of whisky,
but not one Indian could they get to touch one drop
of their poisonous stuff. At this they began to think
their craft was in danger, for if they could not make
Indians drunk, there would be no profit in buying
200 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

their fish. They therefore laid their heads together,
and with the help of their father, the devil, who was
chief counsellor, they laid their plans to entrap the
natives unawares. They tried many schemes, in vain.
They arranged their decanters and glasses in their
most attractive form, and put on their blandest smiles,
but all to no purpose. At one time, one of the tra-
ders, seeing a christian Indian and his family passing
his door, invited them to enter, and offered them
whisky as a token of his pleasure at seeing them again.

The Indian said, “Have you Bibles?” “O, yes !”
said the trader, and handed one down. The Indian,
taking the Bible in his hand, and looking at the trader
said, “Much gospel; little whisky !” The trader,
surprised and foiled in his attempt to intoxicate them,
said nothing, and they passed on. They next tried
force, and in one instance they pursued a native more
than a quarter of a mile, when they forced him to
drink of their liquor. Again, they changed their tac-
tics, and offered the natives sweet cider, telling them
that though they could not drink whisky, there surely
was no harm in drinking a glass of sweet cider, as that
was not forbidden them. After much specious rea-
soning of this sort, they prevailed upon one Indian to
drink a glass of cider. But these demons incarnate,
had mixed whisky with the cider, and as they plied
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 201

him with glass after glass, he soon began to feel the
maddening fire coursing through his veins. Feeling
he was undone, he started for home. As he entered,
his wife seeing his state, cried out in her anguish,
“We are ruined ; you have let the white man make
you drunk!” .The Indian paused a moment, as she
thus bewailed their misfortune, then taking down his
rifle, he left the house, unnoticed by his wife, who was
deeply lamenting this unhappy event, and making his
way to the grove near by, shot himself through the
body. The Indians, hearing the report of a gun near
by, went out, and there they found him, lying on the
ground, rolling in his blood, and writhing in his anguish
and agony of spirit, mortally wounded. They carried
him to the house, and laid him upon his bed. The
christian natives had gathered in, and now with his
family fell upon their knees, and offered up prayer to
God that he might be saved. When asked, how he
felt in his mind, he said, “‘All dark ; no feel happy —
‘no feel like praying! Though every exertion was
made to save him, he gradually sunk into the embrace
of death, wailing out in his last breath, “All dark,
dark !”

As they arose from their knees, and stood mourn-
fully around the bed-side of their unfortunate broth-
er, and heard his dying exclamation, as he entered
202 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

upon the dread unknown, and learned the story of
his fall, how, with many professions of friendship and
fond regard, those servants of darkness had enticed
him to do what in itself he thought no wrong, they
determined to drive those traders from their midst,
and henceforth to allow no white man on their land,
with anything in the shape of drink, and never to take
anything from the hand of a white man that could
contain anything intoxicating.

T have often thought what an account those men, who
trafficked with the aborigines of our country, must give !
The blood of thousands cries from the ground for ven-
geance against their destroyers. Surely, if there is any
work too mean for the devil to do, it must be this rum-
selling, whisky-making business. That there is work so
mean and so dirty that the devil disdains to touch his
hand to it, although gloved, we do not doubt; and when
those men who have been his most faithful servants here
‘on earth, who have cheerfully performed his vilest drudg-
ery, come into the presence of their Master, as he sits
on his throne, in those lurid, sulphurous regions below,
and claim an exalted station near him, because of their
zeal in his service, he will spurn them from him in
contempt, and tell them that the darkest, farthest,
hottest corner of his dungeon is only too good for them.
CHAPTER XIII.

Pioneer work—Exposure—Health impaired—Asks for release from
the mission—Urged to continue—On his way to Conference faints
and falls from his horse—After Conference goes home to the States
to recruit—Returns to Canada invigorated—Again dangerously il—
Transferred to the Genesee Conference—Appointed to the Ulysses
circuit—Goes to the Canada Conference—Successful meeting at
Salt Springs—Remarkable instance of presentiment—Henry Ryan.

From the commencement of my labors with the
Indians, my path seemed to lead me to those who had
not as yet received any knowledge of the Bible or a
plan of salvation. My business was to break up the
fallow ground, and having sown the seed, leave others
to water and gather in the harvest. Thus, as soon as
a station was formed at the River Credit by those
natives converted at Grand River, and who, because
they had no particular abiding place, settled there, I
left them in the care of a missionary stationed among
them by the Conference, and only occasionally visited
them afterwards, as I was pressing on to carry the
gospel to others yet in their pagan state. Among
such I labored while they were wandering about, but
as soon as they settled down in one place, they required
some one to watch over them, and guide and instruct
204 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

them daily, until they should become men and women
in Christ. And as there were, as yet, but few who
would take their lives in their hands and wander
through the wilderness, hunting up the wild man of
the forest to tell him of a crucified Savior, it became
necessary for me to take this post of exposure and
peril, and be continually pushing on the outposts of
the work.

Peter Jones had begun, at this time, to preach, and
travelled much among his brethren, telling them what
God had done for him, and inviting them to come and
possess themselves of the same joy ; but his heart was
with his brethren at the Credit, and he was loth to -
leave them until they could better guide themselves.
The result consequent upon the privations I was
called upon to endure, of breasting storms of wind
and rain, of snow and ice, of sleeping upon the cold,
wet ground, wherever night overtook me, oftentimes
without fire or food, toiling through trackless swamps,
or swimming deep and swollen rivers; such things,
after three years of hard labor, began to undermine
my constitution, and as I entered upon my fourth year,
I found I was overtaxing my strength. My constitu-
tion had not fully recovered from the effects of my
sickness while travelling among the new settlements
of the whites, and my constant exposure to wet and
cold, was not in the least beneficial to me. |
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 205

As I looked into the future I could not hope it
would be any better for me, for we were constantly
making aggressive warfare upon the powers of dark-
ness, and this necessarily kept me among the wild,
untaught savages much, or most of my time, save
when, that I might recruit my strength, I would spend
a few days’ time enjoying the hospitalities of my
white brethren. At times I felt mightily strength-
ened, and nerved to the conflict, while storming some
of the strongholds of the Prince of Darkness, and
especially when we succeeded, through the name and
strength of the Captain of our salvation, in unlock-
ing the prison doors of death, and in leading forth
into the light and liberty of the Son of God, those
who had been long bound down in the chains of hell-
. Ish darkness. To listen to the songs and shouts
of victory, and to witness the glory and peace which
filled their happy, liberated souls, seemed enough, at
times, to fully compensate us for all the toil and suf-
fering we endured. :

Often I felt like saying, ‘‘Let me live and die on
the battle-field ;” but at other times the voice of duty
warned me to leave the field, before I should be com-
pelled to do so for want of health. Under these im-
pressions, I wrote to Br. Case, stating my circumstan-
ces, and my convictions that I ought to leave my post.
206 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

He soon answered my letter, in his affectionate and
fatherly way, calling my attention to the manner the
first successful missionary effort commenced under
‘Brainard, who labored among the natives of North
America with glorious success, but after three years’
toil and privation, was brought to the gates of death.
When on his dying bed, he called a brother of his,
studying for the ministry, to him, and in a solemn
charge, gave the care of his flock into his hands. But
this brother, though a good man, lacked that mission-
ary fire which barned so brightly in the heart of young
Brainard, and the mission, so well begun, soun dwindled
away. “Now,” said Br. Case, “here we are, with
this mission just begun. You have been among the
Indians until they have confidence in all you say.
We have other good ministers who would be employed
in the work, but they are unacquainted with the In-
dians ; and the natives distrust all white men whom
they have not proved. Now, hrother, you must not
think of leaving this work. There is a hereafter, and
who knows the stars that will be added to your crown,
if you continue on in this blessed work.’

About this time, chief Davis, hearing me say I soon
must leave them, in consequence of my ill health,
came to me, and taking his seat beside me, said: “Be
you going to leave us ?” I replied, “‘I think I shall
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 207

be obliged to, on account of my health, which is fail-
ing ; and I find I cannot do the work expected of me.”
“Brother,” said the chief, “let me tell you. You
must not leave us now. We not strong yet. You
leave us now, we all go down.” Ireplied, “If I
leave you, our good Bishop will send you another good
minister to preach to you and live with you.” He
quickly replied: ‘He not know Indian ; Indian not
know him ; Indian not mind him. You know Indian;
Indian know you ; Indian mind you.” This was said
with so much feeling and concern for his people, that
with what Br. Case had said in his letter to me, it
nearly discouraged me from entertaining any more
thoughts of leaving the mission field at the coming
Conference. ,

On my way to our Annual Conference, while
traveling through a roadless wilderness, I became so
unwell as to faint and fall from my horse, I lay some
time senseless, how long I know not. My horse had
gone a few paces ahead, when he stopped and waited
for me. On recovering, I arose to my feet, moved
slowly on after my horse, and taking the bridle in my
hand, sat down by the roots of a tree, and lifted up
my heart in prayer to God, that he would direct me
and assist me. J now looked ahead of me, in the di-
rection I expected to find a settlement, and -saw a
208 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

white man and woman coming towards me. As they
came near, and saw me sitting on the ground, they
asked me if I was sick. I told them I was; that I
had fainted and fallen from my horse, and asked them
how far it was to a settlement of white people. They
informed me I was near what was then called the
Dundas road, and that I would find a public house
but a short distance ahead. Upon this, I arose, and
walking slowly along, soon came in sight of the house
spoken of. Here I had my horse taken care of, and
then went to bed. After a few hours I felt better,
and again mounting my horse, proceeded on my way
to Conference. —

Much of the time, while on this journey, I was hard-
ly able to ride ; but I persevered, and finally reached
my destination. Bishop George presided at this Con-
ference. He and all the preachers saw the state of
my health, yet would they not consent to release me
from my work. The Bishop said I might visit my
friends in the States, and in spending a few weeks
with them, I would probably recover, so as to continue
my work. Accordingly, I made the best of my situa-
tion, and started for my home in the States. Here ]
spent several days, in that quiet and rest I so much
needed, and on returning to Canada, my health was
much‘improved, so that I entered upon my work with
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 209

strong hopes of pushing forward the victories of the
cross, with all my former strength of physical en-
durance.

About this time, we were called upon to mourn the
loss of one of our most efficient and pious Indians, Br.
Jacob Hill, of whom I have spoken as being converted
some two years previous. The society we established at
his house, and which consisted, at first, of himself and
family, had continued to increase, until nearly all his
neighbors became members, and a flourishing school
was now in operation. Br. Jacob evinced great inter-
est in the success of the school, and also in the work
generally. While in his pagan state, he was much re-
spected by his white neighbors, for his honesty and
temperate habits ; and after his conversion, he was one
of the most happy, devoted and consistent Christians
in the nation, During his last sickness, he exhorted
all who came to see him to prepare to meet him in
heaven. He was very happy, and spent most of his
last hours conversing with his family and christian
brethren, warning them io be faithful, humble Chris-
tians. He told them they might expect the Lord
would yet convert and save a great many of their
brethren. Though his stay with us as a Christian was
short, he died in the full triumphs of faith, and has
taken his place among the blood-washed, around the

.. throne in heaven.
210 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

About ten miles below our first establishment on
Grand River, were a number of wigwams belonging
to the Oneida tribe. They had established them-
selves at this place because of some salt springs,
where, in years gone by, Indians had manufactured
salt. The place was known as “Salt Springs.” I
succeeded in drawing the attention of these Indians
to the importance of establishing a school among
them, and I also left an appointment for preaching at
this place.

Winter had now set in upon us, and my head, hands
and heart, were overcharged with the great interests
of these natives who were just emerging from the
cloud of heathenish darkness that enveloped them, into
the clear and dazzling sunlight of gospel day. I
found it necessary, during the winter, in consequence
of the increase of scholars and hearers at Salt Springs,
to build a house which should answer the purpose of
church and school-house. The Missionary Society as
yet did not afford us any help in building among the
Indians. I had only drawn on our fund for one hun-
dred dollars a year, with a few dollars more as ex-
penses, that being my salary while among the Indians.
Some of our teachers were receiving small salaries
yearly, but when we commenced building, I was
obliged to go out amongst our white brethren, and
REV, ALVIN TORRY. 211

presenting my cause before them, rely upon their
benevolent contributions for assistance.

I now devoted all my spare time, when not upon
other parts of my large circuit or mission, to the
gathering together of materials and collecting funds,
that we might commence building as soon as spring
opened. As winter wore away, I found my health,
which had not fully returned since my sickness of the
previous summer, was continually failing, under the
care and exposure necessary to meet my appointments,
and to oversee all the different portions of the work.
Preaching every day at stations miles apart, made
it necessary for me to be out in all weathers, when
possible for a man to travel. The spring had just
opened ; materials for building were all collected
and on hand, and everything was prospering when I
was taken sick and confined to a small unfinished room,
in a house about one mile from Grand River.

Here, for four weeks I lay, the physicians expect-
ing I never would leave my bed alive. The Indians
from all parts called to see the Missionary. They
sympathized very much with me, and wanted to do
something for me. They would come to my room and
weep while listening to me, as I talked to them of
the good things of the kingdom of heaven, and morn-
ing and evening their prayers arose to the Great Spirit,
212 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

that my life might yet be spared. At the end of four
weeks I was able to sit up, and soon began to walk
about. This was about the first of May, in the fifth
year of my labor among the Indians.

At Salt Springs there lived a pagan woman, very
industrious, temperate and economical in all her
habits. She had settled on those fertile flats border-
ing the river, and by carefully tilling the soil, which
yielded profusely when properly worked, and hoarding
all she raised, amassed quite a property, and was
known among the Indians as the “rich woman.”
When I commenced preaching to her tribe, we invited
her to come to the meetings, which we informed her
were to benefit the Indians, and cause them to leave
off the use of fire-waters, &c. She said she would
wait and see if our religion reformed the drunkard,
or made them any more industrious. She soon had
evidence that the Gospel could reform the most disso-
luteamong them. She then became friendly, attended
our meetings, and seemed inclined to be pious.

My brethren in the ministry, with myself, now
thought it best for me to leave the mission field ; ac-
cordingly, as soon as I became able to ride my horse,
I started for my mother’s house, in Chenango Co.,
N. Y. On mounting my horse, I found I should be
able to ride but very few miles in a day ; but when I
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 213

was fully under way for home, and had been several
days among white people, where I could have com-
fortable beds and wholesome food, my health improved
rapidly, and at the end of a week’s journeying on
horseback, I reached the village of Penn Yan, in this
State,

Here I met with Abner Chase, of the Genesee
Conference, and Presiding Elder of the district. He
thought it best for me to take an appointment on his
district at the approaching Conference, which held its
annual session in “Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania. In
order to this, I must take a transfer from the Canada
Conference. As my health had improved very fast
after crossing the Niagara waters, up to that time,
and as I was growing stronger every day, I consented
to let Br. Chase present my case before the presiding
Bishop and Conference, and if it was thought best
for me to take an appointment within the bounds of
his district, to do so. I now continued on for my
mother’s house, which I reached in the course of a
few days. Here I spent the few weeks intervening
before Conference commenced its session, at which I
was transferred by the Bishop to the Genesee Confer-
ence, and received my appointment, according to my
request, as junior preacher. I was appointed to labor
upon the Ulysses circuit, with R. M. Evarts as senior

preacher.
214 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

I immediately took leave of my mother, and started
for my circuit, which was some sixty miles distant.
My colleague was taken lame, and did not join me
in the work. Thus, again, the whole care of a circuit
fell upon me. This circuit embraced all the country
lying between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes, from the
town of Enfield to Ovid. Within the bounds of that
circuit, there are, at the time of my writing this, nine
different stations, with as many ministers.

As it was necessary for me to be at the Canada
Conference, which met in September, in order to re-
port the state of the mission at Grand River, after
going once around my circuit I started for the Canadas,
and reached Grand River the week before the Confer-
ence commenced its session. Having one Sabbath to
spend before the opening of Conference, I concluded
to preach at the Salt Springs, where I had commenced
building, and where the Indians were just beginning
to listen to the truths of religion. .

Everything remained about as when I left. It was
announced that I would again preach at that place,
and when Sunday came, we had a general rally of the
Indians and whites from all parts of the country
round about. While I was preaching, the Spirit of
the Lord sent home the truth of the Gospel to the
hearts of nearly all present, and a general weeping
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 215

and crying out for mercy was heard in all parts of the
house. We all fell upon our knees and commenced
praying. Soon the Lord began to lift up the bowed
down, and shouts of victory were heard among those
who were weeping and wailing because of their lost
and ruined condition.

The Lord was present to save and bless. Among
those who rejoiced in the love of a new found Savior,
was the noble Chief, Doxtader, one of the most in-
fluential chiefs of the Six Nations, and a part of his
family. His son William, a young man of great
promise, noted for his sagacity and shrewdness, to-
gether with the reputation of being one of the best
Mohawk scholars in all the reservation, was arrested
by the Spirit of God, soundly converted, and, like St.
Paul, began to preach to his people almost as soon as
he was brought into the light of the Gospel. He
seemed like a burning seraph, such power accom-
panied his prayers and exhortations.

We had witnessed but few instances among the
Indians of a more powerful meeting than this. Over
a score were converted that day, and were rejoicing
in the Savior’s love. I stayed with this people several
days, and the Lord wrought gloriously for us here. I
was obliged to tear myself away, that I might attend
Conference. ‘Fhe news of this glorious work had pre-
216 . AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

ceded me, and Christians everywhere were rejoicing
at the wondrous displays of Divine love.

While stopping at Salt Springs, and during my ill-
ness in the spring, I had made it my home at a Mr,
Tuthill’s, who died during my absence in the States.
As his death was quite sudden, and the events relar
ting to it somewhat remarkable, I will relate it as given
to me by his widow. A short time before his death,
while lying in bed, he heard three raps at the head of his
bed. He immediately informed his family some of
them would soon die. The day on which he was
killed, he had business away from home, which re-
quired him to start early in the morning. He arose
about four o’clock, and was on his knees, praying, much
longer than was usual, for him. On leaving, he bid his
family farewell, which was an unusual thing for him to
do, Hedrovehisownteam. The distance he had to go
was ten miles. He had travelled that distance, left his
load, finished his business, and started forhome. He
seated himself in his empty wagon, with a man by his
side. The man said he seemed not inclined to talk, save,
every few minutes he would say, ‘We are alive yet,” and
thus they moved along for his home. Their road was
smooth and sandy, passing, now and then, under dry
oaks, which had been girdled. As they were passing
under one of these trees, a large limb fell from the
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 217

tree, striking him on the head, and killing him in-
stantly. He was a member of our Church, and a re-
spectable, friendly, good man. He and his family had
shown me much kindness during my sickness, and I
had often been blessed while praying with and for
them, and at my last meeting with the Indians, I had
the pleasure of seeing two of his children made happy
in the love of God.

I reached Hamilton, the seat of Conference, the
second day of its session. Bishop Hedding in the
chair, At this Conference, Henry Ryan, an aged min-
ister, left our ranks. For over thirty years he had been
one of our most efficient and successful ministers. He
was Irish by birth, of a tall, gigantic frame, inclined
to corpulency, and weighing near three hundred. He
was by far the largest man I ever saw. He hada
voice like a lion, and when speaking in the open air,
to a large assembly, he might be heard distinctly for
miles, Br. Case once said of his preaching at camp-
meetings, that ‘when fully roused to his subject, and
raising his voice, it was like throwing handirons and
crowbars among the people.” His greatest success
was in his early ministry, which was mostly in the
Canadas. When a young man, he was a colleague of
Bishop Hedding. Probably no minister braved more
difficulties, or encountered greater hardships than
218 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

Henry Ryan. He was presiding elder in the Canadas
for many years. I remember hearing him relate some
of his adventures, of which he had many. During
the war of 1812, he had charge of all the societies and
circuits both in the Upper and Lower Provinces, as the
British Government would allow no American preach-
er in the Canadas. Father Ryan, as he was called,
when I entered the Canadas, was a British subject by
birth, and the people had such unbounded confidence
in his integrity and loyalty that he was allowed to
travel in any part of the Provinces of British North
America. During this war, an Indian came to his
dwelling to sell him a quarter of venison. He bought
it, and gave him in return a silver half dollar, with
the American eagle stamped upon it. The Indian
looked at it and said, ““You Yankee ; I kill you;” and
drawing his knife, made towards him. Father Ryan,
being unarmed, caught up a sled stake, and raising it
above his head, said, “If you come one step nearer,
Pll kill you!” The Indian, having no other weapon
than his knife, durst not venture further. ‘Now,”
said Father Ryan, “you lay down that piece of mo-
ney.” The Indian laid it down. “Now,” said he,
“take your venison, and be gone.” The Indian picked
up the venison from where Ryan had thrown it, and
was soon out of sight. ‘And would you have killed
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 219

him ?” said I to him, when he related to me this in-
cident. “Kill him!” said he, “I would have killed
him as quick as I would a bear !’’

At another time, while travelling to one of his ap-
pointments, he stopped at a public house, to feed his
horse and refresh himself. Two ruffians, who were an-
gry at him, placed themselves at the outside of the
door, intending, when he came out, to clinch him and
give him a pounding. The landlord, knowing their
design, told Father Ryan the facts, and advised him
not to go out until they had left. But Father Ryan
was no such man, Taking hold of the little end of
his riding-whip, he walked deliberately to the door.
Opening it, he said to the fellows that stood there,
“Stand back!” They looked at his gigantic frame,
then up into his flashing eyes, and immediately fell
back, as they were told, while Father Ryan went on
‘his way unharmed.

At another time, a number of the baser sort of men
determined they would whip Father Ryan, at a place
where he was expected to preach. The old hero had
received timely notice of their intentions, and at an
early hour entered the pulpit, which was one of the
olden sort, six feet from the floor, breast high, and
doors on each side. The people were all assembled to
hear Father Ryan preach. Soon the wicked fellows
220 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

made their appearance, and began crowding up towards
the pulpit. Ryan rose suddenly to his feet, pulled off
his coat, rolled up his sleeves above his elbows, doubled
up his huge fist, and stretching out his mighty arm
exclaimed, as he shook it at them, “Look here, you
ruffians, God Almighty has not given me this arm and
fist for nothing ; come here if you dare!” At this,
these desperate fellows made a pause, when Father
Ryan immediately began preaching one of his thunder
and lightning sermons, and in a few minutes his ene-
mies were glad to get outside the door, and the
preacher with his congregation had a great and glo-
rious time in worshiping the Lord God of hosts.

This mighty man, while in the spirit of his work,
seemed not to be daunted or discouraged by the most
trying circumstances. Opposition, instead of fright-
ening him from his work, only served as a stimulus to
greater exertion. Like many other pioneers of Meth-
odism, he suffered much for the cause wherever he in-
troduced it ; and like all early settlers, he endured
many hardships and privations incident to a life in a
new country. The spirit of Methodism is ever that
of a pioneer. Wherever the smoke of a solitary cabin
may be seen above the primeval tree-tops, there has
been the Methodist missionary proclaiming the Son of
God, and offering free salvation to all.

The life of such a herald of the cross is ever full of
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 221

privation, of danger, and of suffering. He is often
exposed to the drifting blasts of winter, the heats of
summer, or the chilling rains of autumn ; often with-
out food or shelter; fording bridgeless rivers, and
threading pathless forests, with no friend but his God
and no companion but his Bible. And yet his reward
is laid up on high. In this manner did Henry Ryan
spend the greater portion of his itinerant life. Al-
ways foremost in the cause of his Redeemer, he feared
no danger, and shrank from no hardship that appeared
before him when engaged in his Master’s business.

For more than thirty years did he go about doing
good and dispensing the Word of Life to thousands of
his fellow mortals.

But he has long since gone to his reward on high,
For several months before his death he was unable to
converse much except with his family, yet he often
assured them that the name of Jesus—which he had
proclaimed to hundreds of thousands of his fellow
men as the only name given whereby they could be
saved—now charmed his fears and bade his sorrows
cease ; and when, in his last moments, he passed the
swellings of Jordan, it was asa victor returns from
battle to receive the reward awaiting him. One of
his daughters became the wife of the Rev. Isaac
Smith, a powerful preacher in the Canada Conference,

Br. Smith removed to the western part of New.
York State, where he passed the evening of his days.
222. AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

He has three sons who are ministers of the Genesee
Conference. May they live to accomplish much for
God and suffering humanity. ,

The Indians, finding my health was much improved,
plead with me to stay longer with them. I would
have done so, notwithstanding I had already received
my appointment within the Genesee Conference, and
had commenced my labors there; but I knew that
though my health was much improved, yet I was far
from being able to enter upon the mission field and
endure even one-half what I had been obliged to,
during the nine years of my stay in Canada, among
the whites and Indians.

Bishop Hedding and Br. Case, after learning the
true state of my health, said they would not press me
back into the mission field, but thought it would be
necessary for me to accompany the missionary now
stationed among them, and introduce him to the
Indians of Grand River and surrounding places.

During the exercises of our Missionary Anniversary,
a large handful of silver jewelry was placed on the
table. A message accompanied it from one of the
western tribes of the Chippewa nation, praying us
to come to them with some of the great good Book,
which the Great Spirit had given us white people.
They had heard that Indians could have it ; that it
made them good and happy, and they wanted to
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 223

know more about it. Had my health permitted, I
would gladly have gone, bearing the tidings of great
joy to those poor, wandering men, and preaching Jesus
and his resurrection to their waiting minds.

When the Conference closed, Br. Mesmore was
sent to Grand River, James Richardson to the Credit
Mission, Solomon Waldron to the Grape Island Mission,
and Peter Jones to the native tribes of Chippewas.
Thus, from a beginning which some of our preachers
and people ridiculed as useless, saying, it was folly for
me to stay among such a besotted people, as they could
never be converted —from such a beginning and under
such circumstances, had in five years grown up a work
which required four men to manage, and a continual
call for more.

The fire, which at first was lighted with a single
match among those swamps and forests, had, by care-
ful watching and feeding, spread itself into one vast con-
flagration, lighting up the whole province with its glo-
rious blaze, and, sweeping on to the westward, was
devouring every sin and all uncleanness. The white
pagans, hearing the roar of its oncoming strength,
became frightened, and swinging their whisky barrels
on their shoulders, hastened from its track. The poor
Indians, roused by the unusual sound, raised them-
selves in their darkness, ana seeing the treetop lighted
224 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

up in the blaze of gospel fire, eagerly watched its
approach and hailed its coming with joy, as the har-
binger of that glorious day which should drive all
sorrow, darkness and night away from them, and leave
them in the full blaze of light, life, and liberty. And
still that fire is sweeping onward. To the north and
west it spread, crossing those vast upland plains of
inland North America, gathering strength in its on-
ward march, until upon the peaks of the Rocky Moun-
tains it blazed forth, lighting up the eternal snows
with its brilliancy, and shedding its welcome, beacon-
like rays far and wide into the surrounding darkness
And now it has descended the western slope of those
mountains, and among the gigantic forests of Oregon and
western British North America, can be heard the roar
of its ever devouring elements ; and the crash of falling
superstition ever and anon echoes in the distance,
while the crisp and withered leaves of Indian rites
and ceremonies only serve to feed the flame. © May
the fire continue to burn until the whole continent
shall be wrapped in one broad sheet of gospel flame,
and all men, like the poor Indian, shall rejoice at its
coming.

Br. Mesmore and myself immediately left Hamilton
for Grand River Mission. We steered our course for
Salt Springs, as at that part of the Mission we had
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 225

so lately received a pentecostal shower, that we were
still favored with a sight of the blessed drops as they
fell here and there among the people. We called the
Indians together, and once more I worshiped with
those people whom my soul loved.

At the close of our exercises, I arose and thus ad-
dressed them: ‘Brothers and sisters, the time has
now come, when I must leave you. Our good Bishop
has sent you this good minister,” pointing to Br. Mes-
more, “who will live with, and preach to you. Broth-
ers, listen to what he says to you; love him and he
will love you, and do you good.” I then sat down
. when chief Doxtader arose and said: ‘Brother, we
thank you for coming to us. We thank you for show-
ing us how we might be saved and become happy
We thank our God for what he has done for us.”

As he finished the last sentence, he began weeping.
aloud. Sobs were heard from all parts of the house,
and I could not refrain from joining with them. I
looked at Br. Mesmore, and he too was weeping. For
a while we gave vent to our full souls, and then taking
the parting hand, Br. Mesmore and [ started for our
horses, which were hitched to some of the trees around
the house. As we mounted and made off, I turned
my head to take one more look of the people who had
become so dear to me. They had left the house, and
226 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

were leaning on the fence and against the trees, still
weeping aloud.

Before reaching Salt Springs, Br. Mesmore had said
to me, “I do not believe I ever can love Indians as I
love my own people.” After our parting at the
church he said, “Well, Br. Torry, I never saw any-
thing like this in my life. You ought never to leave-
these Indians. I believe, after all, I shall come to
love them as much as any people I ever labored with.”

Having now taken a final leave of the Canadas, I
hastened back to my appointment in the States, and
after a long and tedious journey, through the mercy
of the Lord, I arrived at Townsendville church about
nine o’clock one Sunday morning, and found our people
gathering from all parts for a love-feast.
CHAPTER XIV.

Travels the Ulysses circuit alone—Returned the second year—Has
Gideon Laning and Schuyler Hoes for colleagues—The character of
Brother Hoes—He leaves the Church on account of severe treat-
ment—Death of the author’s mother—The Genesee Conference
divided—Retains his membership in the Oneida Conference—Pom-
pey circuit second year—Revival at Delphi—Controversy—Fabius
circuit—Revivals in many places—A battle with Universalism—A
Mormon convert reclaimed—Norwich circuit.

On reaching my circuit, I found that my colleague,
R. M. Evarts, was unwell, and had not as yet com-
menced laboring on the circuit. I was again alone
on a large circuit, with plenty of preaching and trav-
elling to do, As I travelled from one part to another,
visiting and praying with the people, I found the Lord
present to bless the people, and we had many a happy
season together, and many sinners were converted to
God. At the close of the year, the Official Board
petitioned Conference for my return, and I was sent
back as preacher in charge. My colleagues for this
year were Brs. Gideon Laning and Schuyler Hoes.

Br. Laning still survives, an honored member of
Genesee Conference, and though sustaining a super-
annuated relation to the Church, he still labors as he
228 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

can, and through the columns of the Northern Chris-
tian Advocate occasionally gives us glimpses of olden
times, as he portrays the itinerant, travelling over the
hills and through the valleys of his extensive circuit,
waking with his clarion voice, thousands of careless,
slumbering sinners to the claims of the gospel, as it
is in Christ Jesus. May he long live to enjoy a green
old age, and may his last days be unclouded by a
single sorrow, and may his death be triumphant.
This was the first year of Br. Hoes’ experience as a
travelling preacher. Br. Hoes was a pious, zealous,
and successful preacher. Possessing a powerful mind,
with more than ordinary ministerial talents, united
with a fervent zeal to do his fellow men good, he
preached and prayed as though life and death were the
result of his labors, and he would surely be held respon-
sible for the influence he exerted. Preaching he con-
sidered serious business, therefore he never tried to
ring the ear with pleasant sounds, or dazzle the eye
with shining things. He viewed his fellow men as
mortals hastening on to the final day of judgment,
there to receive their sentence for eternal happiness or
woe, and as such he raised his voice in trumpet tones,
warning the sinner of the terrible retribution that
awaited him, if he died in his sins. He took for his
motto that passage, ““Whatsoever thy hand findeth
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 229

to do, do it with thy might,” and his preaching or
praying was like a storm of thunder bolts falling upon
the heads of sinners.

The last time I saw him he told me some of his
brethren had advised him to be more moderate in his
manner of delivery, and he had tried it, but, said he,
“T cannot get happy in so doing, and the words I
speak do not take hold upon the hearts of my hearers ;
and now I have made up my mind to preach so as I
can please God, get blessed, and bless the people.”

Br, Hoes was a strong opposer of American slavery,
and he boldly denounced it as a great sin, striving
with his brethren, to show them the enormous guilt of
slave-holders ; but some of his quondam conservative
brethren, looking upon him as a dangerous innovator
and disturber of the peace of Zion, and being in au-
thority over him, dealt so severely with him as to
cause him to leave the Church and join the Wesley-
ans. Subsequently, some of these men have, by their
actions, acknowledged him their superior in judging
the signs of the times, and now tacitly, as an atone-
ment for their want of penetration, they follow in the
path marked out by him, and, in their zeal, carry their
measures to such extremes as were never advocated by
him. After joining the Wesleyans, he became a dis-
tinguished minister, and for several years labored with
230 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

great success. For a few years before his death he
travelled extensively in the South, for his health, which
was fast declining. His last trip was to California,
where, finding his health did not improve, he finally
came back to his family in Fulton, New York, and
after a few months’ illness, died. When he approached
the river of death, it was with a firm step, and an
unshaken confidence in Jesus Christ, the mighty con-
queror of death and hell. When, as it was supposed,
the last struggle was over, he revived, as one waking
out of sleep, and exclaimed, ‘Have I come back
again? I have taken two steps into the river ; I shall
go over next time.” And so it was; for in a few mo-
ments he passed quite over, and found his resting
place with the redeemed ones in heaven.

This year was abundant in work and revivals. We
all had plenty of work to do, and in the course of the
two years, we built, repaired, and finished five churches.
During this year, my mother had taken her leave ot
earth, and gone to dwell in the mansions of the blest
in heaven, I visited her some six weeks before her
death, and found her waiting the coming of her Lord,
with her lamp trimmed and burning. I staid several
days, doing all I could for her comfort ; and then otek
my leave of her for the last time ; no more to hear
her voice, or see her “ace, until the resurrection morning
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 231

shall wake the slumbering dust to life, and the dead
shall come forth clothed in immortality. The Lord
had given her twelve children, and for these she never
ceased to pray, till her pulse ceased to beat, and her
eyes closed in death. Five of the twelve had passed
on before, and, doubtless, were among the first to hail
her ransomed spirit, as it entered the abodes of the
blessed.

This year the Genesee Conference was divided into
two; the eastern portion taking the name of Oneida,
and the western retaining its original name. My field
of labor being in the eastern portion, ] was trans-
ferred, with several others, to the Oneida Conference,
which held its first session at Cazenovia, where I re-
ceived an appointment to Pompey circuit, Isaac Puf-
fer being preacher in charge. As Cazenovia was near
the centre of the circuit, I made my home there. We
had some good revivals, and I was continued the next
year upon the same circuit, with G. Stoddard and
Benjamin Phillips as colleagues. During this year we
also had several powerful revivals. At Delphi we had a
small chapel, well finished, a small society, and a small
congregation.

One evening, while preaching to these people, the
Lord so directed the truth declared to them, that they
were pricked in their hearts, and a cry like that heard
232 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

in the days of the Apostles, when Peter was preaching,
rose from the congregation. As soon as I finished my
sermon, I hastened to the altar, and invited all who
wanted religion to come forward, and we would pray for
them. More than twenty immediately crowded around
the altar, and began to plead for the pardon of their
sins. In the course of an hour, nearly every one found
peace in believing. IJ appointed next day morning,
which was Monday, at 9 a. u., for a love-feast. Dur-
ing the night, many, of the converts went from house
to house, telling their neighbors what great things
God had done for them, and inviting and urging their
friends to accept of the same for themselves,

In the morning, before the appointed time, the people
were seen gathering from all quarters, to see and hear
for themselves what all this stir and noise should mean.
It seemed as though all Delphi valley was aroused and
alarmed for its safety, and now came flocking to our
little chapel, as doves hasten to their windows before
a mighty tempest. Our altar was crowded with pen-
itents of all ages, from the youth of twelve, to the
white-headed father of three score and ten. We con-
tinued our meetings from nine in the morning till ten
and eleven at night, only giving the people time for
food and rest. This meeting lasted eight days, during

which time over one hundred were converted to God.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 233

The Divine power manifested among the people at
this meeting, was similar to that we had been accus-
tomed to witness among the red men of the wilderness
of North America,

I soon discovered that many of our converts were
favored with visits from the Baptist minister of Del-
phi, as he felt it his duty to inform them of the im-
portance of being baptized without delay; that they
must be immersed, if they expected to be saved, as the
doctrine of sprinkling, held by the Methodists, was no
doctrine at all, and as the Methodists disbelieved in
immersion, they must, as a consequence, be baptized
by him ; that we believe in being saved by works and
not by faith, which was a very pernicious doctrine, and
ought not to be inculcated.

In order that the people might not be misled, or
form erroneous opinions respecting our belief and prac-
tice, I read to all the congregation, our Articles of Faith,
as laid down in our Discipline, which, of course, would
show satisfactorily and conclusively, that his statements
were incorrect. Lalso told them if any of them wished
baptism by immersion, I could accommodate them in
that way at any time. After explaining our rules and
creed to them, they nearly all seemed satisfied, and
our Baptist friends did not have the pleasure of seating
many of our converts around their close communion

table.
234 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

Among the inhabitants of the valley were several
“heads of families,” belonging to the Presbyterian
Churches at Cazenovia and Pompey Hill. Many of
their children were converts, and they thought it best
to organize a Church at Delphi, that their children
might join the Church of their fathers. Accordingly,
a day was appointed for the meeting, and as they had
no church of their own, we offered them the use of
ours. They had taken pains to circulate what they
call “Pamphlet Articles,’ among those converts whom
they expected would join them at. their organization.
One of these pamphlets was handed to me a few days
before the meeting, and as I had a copy of the “Say-
brook Platform” in my possession, I compared the two,
and found they were unlike. As this “Platform” con-
tained their whole ‘Confession of Faith,’ I thought
it best to show it to these Presbyterian brethren, and
ask why the Pamphlet Articles differed from their
“Platform.” They immediately disowned the Say-
brook Platform, as not containing their true Articles
of Faith, and more than hinted that I had procured
them to pervert the minds of the young converts. One
lady said to me, “‘I have been a member of the Pres-
byterian Church for more than thirty years, and I
never before heard such doctrine preached as you have
in that book.” Very well, said I, “when your minis-
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 235

ter comes, you will abide by his decision, I suppose ?”
“Certainly, he ought to know ; but he never will say
that is part of our creed.”

The part referred to, is that part treating upon
election and foreordination. That all may see the in-
consistency of such a creed, and know why the good
woman referred to, disowned them, I will insert them
as I find them in the book I then had with me:

“CuapteR II. Or Gopv’s Erernat Dzcren.—God
from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel
of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain what-
soever comes to pass, yet so as thereby neither is God
the author of sin: nor is violence offered to the will of
the creature, nor is the liberty or contingency of second
causes taken away, but rather established.

“TI. Although God knows whatsoever may or can
come to pass, upon all supposed conditions, yet hath he
not decreed anything, because he foresaw it as future, or
as that which would come to pass, upon such conditions.

“Til. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of
his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto
everlasting life, and others foreordained to everlasting
death.

“TV. These angels and men, thus predestinated and
foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed ;
and their number is so certain and definite that it cannot
be either increased or diminished.

“V, Those of mankind that are predestinated unto
life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid,
according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the
236 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen
in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free
grace and love, without any foresight of faith or good
works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other
thing in the creature, or conditions, or causes moving
him thereunto ; and all to the praise of his glorious grace.

“VI. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so
hath he, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will,
foreordained all the means thereunto. Wherefore, they
who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by
Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his
Spirit working in due season; are justified, adopted,
sanctified and kept by his power through faith unto salva-
tion. Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effec-
tually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but
the elect only.

“VII. The rest of mankind, God was pleased, accord-
ing to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby
he extendeth or withholdeth mercy as he pleaseth, for the
glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass
by, and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their
sin, to the praise of his glorious justice.

“VIII. The doctrine of this high mystery of predesti-
nation is to be handled with special prudence and care,
that men attending to the will of God revealed in his
word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the
certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their
eternal election. So shall this doctrine afford matter of
praise, reverence, and admiration of God; and of humil-
ity, diligence, and abundant consolation, to all that sin-
cerely obey the gospel.”

Upon the day appointed, the people gathered them-
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 237

selves together. The minister from Pompey Hill came
and preached what the people called a good Methodist
sermon ; not a bit of election or foreordination was in
it. After closing his discourse, he organized a Church
of those who were already members of the Presbyterian
Churches at Pompey and Cazenovia, and gave notice of
an intermission of an hour, after which an opportunity
would be given for any who wished to join the newly
organized membership. During all this time I had re-
mained a silent, though attentive spectator, of all that
transpired. As soon as the benediction was pro-
nounced, and before the people left their seats, I stepped
into the alley and approaching the altar where Mr. 6.,
the minister, stood, spoke in a voice loud enough for all
in the house to hear: “Mr. §., I hold in my hand a book
which I wish you to examine, and determine whether
it contains the Articles of your Faith, as recognized by
your Church.” He took it, and turning to the title-
page, said, “Why, yes, I presume so; I see the name
of our printer and others here.” “One more question,
sir,” said I. “Do your Pamphlet Articles contain the
same doctrine as set forth in this book?” “Why,
yes; the same in substance, but we don’t circulate
this book among our people much.” “Why not ?”
said I. ‘Well, because our people can’t understand
them very well. I replied, “I should think your
238 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

Articles of Faith ought to be plain enough for any one
to understand.” Upon this, our conversation closed,
for having proved them to be what I had said they
were, I had cleared myself from the imputation of any
underhanded means in the matter, and I now left the
young converts to do as they wished. When I stepped
forward, the people paused and remained silent in their
places while we were talking. As soon as we had fin-
ished, there was great commotion among the people,
and many opinions were expressed, so that when the
afternoon services commenced, and the opportunity
was given for any others to join their Church, not one
of all the converts arose, they having determined they
never could believe in such a doctrine, and never would
join a Church that professed them.

I now told the people I wished them to examine
carefully and prayerfully the creeds and doctrines of
all Churches, that they might decide in an enlightened
manner which seemed most christian-like in its senti-
ments ; that we had but one Discipline, and that con-
tained all our Articles of Faith ; that, if after carefully
perusing them, they could not conscientiously fellow-
ship them, we had no objections to their going else-
where. Soon after this, I gave an opportunity for
those who wished, to join our Church. Nearly all of
the converts took upon them the vows of a Christian

as laid down in our Discipline.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 239

During this powerful revival, there was converted an
aged man by the name of Hill. He had spent his
whole life without an interest in Christ, and now at
the eleventh hour he called for mercy and found pardon
through Jesus Christ. His wife had long been a
member of our Church, and he was ever friendly to
the cause, making his house the home for ministers of
the gospel, and sustaining the principles of Christianity
as far as a moral life, and honorable dealings with his
neighbors, were concerned. He had long been skepti-
cal in his belief of an experimental religion, but at
one of the series of meetings he became convicted of
his sins, and after groaning under the weight of guilt
which seemed like mountains pressing him down to
hell, light broke in upon his mind; the chains of
death were broken asunder, and his redeemed soul was
set at full liberty. He died soon after his conver-
sion, and -we have reason to believe, but for that revi-
val he would have been lost in an eternity of misery.

It may seem somewhat strange to the reader, that
I have said nothing of my colleagues helping me in
this meeting. At the time it commenced, Br. Benja-
min Phillips was in the eastern part of our circuit,
laboring in a revival which was in progress there. It
being some thirty miles distant, he did not receive the
news in time to reach the place, until just before the
240 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

meeting appointed for the organization of a Presbyte-
rian Church. Br. Stoddard was journeying in the far
west, and did not return until sometime after. Br. 8.
Seager, now Dr. Seager, with Br. Cole, students at
Cazenovia Seminary, rendered us timely assistance.

At Conference, I received my appointment to Fabius
circuit. This was a very extensive field of labor, and
I was directed to employ one or more men, as the work
seemed to require. Within the bounds of old Fabius
circuit are now stationed ten Conference ministers, to
such an extent has the work since spread.

Until this year, (1831, ) I had remained a single man,
with a salary of only one hundred dollars a year, and at
no time since have I ever received, while an effective
preacher, over two hundred dollars yearly, except while
at the Oneida Mission, and all who know the manner
in which a Methodist preacher’s salary is made up to
him, will remember that a fifty-cent piece is more
often stretched into a dollar bill, than contracted to
the size of quarter of a dollar.

By the permission of my presiding elder, John Demp-
ster, I invited Br. North, a local preacher, living near
the circuit, to assist in meeting the wants of the people
on our extensive circuit. He accepted my invitation,
and thus commenced his itinerant career, which he has
followed until within a few years ; when, by reason of
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 241

the infirmities of age, he retired from active duties, and
now sustains a superannuated relation to the Oneida
Conference. The Lord grant he may have grace to sus-
tain him in his declining years, and that his last days
may be days of peace.

After our first quarterly meeting, our presiding
elder gave us Calvin Danforth, a young man of fine
‘talents. He was sent, the year following, to labor at
Utica, where he was attacked by the cholera, and
brought to death’s door, He however recovered, but
with a broken constitution, and but indifferent health.
He afterward went South, where he lived several years,
but was never able to preach much. He was a young
man of great promise, but God took him to himself,
and he now stands with the angels around the throne
in heaven.

We had several powerful revivals this year. God
was with us, and nearly two hundred souls were gath-
ered to the fold of Christ. At Preble, where we had
a small society, with a good-sized church, we com-
menced a ‘‘meeting of days,’ and in about a week
sixty professed to be converted to God. One young
man converted at this meeting, became an itinerant
minister of our Church. This was the beginning of
good times for the Methodist Church in Preble.

At a northerly point of our circuit, South Onondaga,
242 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

we had a small society worshiping in a Union Church,
built by the Presbyterians, Methodists, Universalists,
and surrounding community, who belonged to no per-
suasion. The Methodists had an appointment at 2
P.M, Sunday, once in two weeks. The Universalists
had appointed theirs the same day, at 11 o’clock a. m.
As I had to preach at Cardiff, at 10 1-2, attend a
class meeting and ride four miles, I never arrived at
my afternoon appointment until the congregation were
assembled and seated. It often happened that the
Universalist speaker would continue his services until
time for me to commence the exercises of the after-
noon, and often many of his congregation would stay
during both services. :

On one occasion, as I entered the house, I
found him still speaking, and the house crowded
full with both congregations, I took my seat among
the congregation, and waited patiently for him
to close; but he continued, until he had trespassed
upon my time to such a degree, that I found it would
be impossible for me to preach and get through in any
season. As usual, his theme had been uerie salva-
tion—heaven for all, and hell but a myth. “After he
had closed, and left the pulpit, I ascended it, and told
the congregation that, in consequence of the lateness
of the hour, I should not preach that day. “But,”
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 243

said I, “let us pray.” I immediately kneeled down,
and if the Lord ever helped me to pray, he did at that
time. I had perfect liberty to say what I pleased,
and the believers in Universalism quaked and trembled
as they saw the subtle fabric they had woven for them-
selves, melting away before the gospel light and the
power of divine truth. Such was the divine influence
that pervaded the whole assembly, that it seemed as
though the heavens and earth had joined themselves
together, so evident was it that the Lord was with us,
to help us on to the rescue. After prayer, I dismissed
the people, telling them that we would commence
a protracted effort to save the lost and wandering ones.

Our plan of proceedings at a “meeting of days,”
was to have a love-feast in the morning, followed by a
prayer-meeting for penitents—as we were always sure
to have some who were concerned for their soul’s wel-
fare—preaching in the p. m. at 1 or 1 1-2 o’clock, and
prayer-meeting, or preaching and. prayer-meeting in
the evening. Thus, while making an especial effort
for souls, we devoted our whole time to the work ; and
to the fact of continually pressing the claims of the
Gospel upon the hearts of sinners, together with a
burning zeal among the members for the salvation of

souls, and a full sense of the responsibility resting
244 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

upon them, as professors of the religion they invited
their friends and neighbors to receive, we owe much
of that wonderful success which always crowned our
protracted meetings in those days.

We commenced the meeting. I had a few valiant
soldiers to help me, who knew how to wield the
weapons of faith and prayer, and we commenced an
attack upon one of the strongest holds of darkness
then within the bounds of the circuit. In about
twenty-four hours we had broken the enemy’s ranks,
and the Lord gave us victory over the powers of sin
and death. Thus we made it literally true in that
mighty conflict with earth and hell, that we took the
kingdom by storm. Such was the terror thrown into
the enemy’s ranks, that even the leading champion
of Universalism (a military man,) was arrested by the
power of God as he sat in the congregation. When
he felt the invisible power of Almighty God fastening
upon him, he sprang from his seat, rushed towards
the door, swinging his arm as though brandishing his
sword, and swearing fearfully as he retreated from the
field of battle.

When fairly out of the house, he made for his dwell-
ing, not far distant, but the groans of the wounded
and the shouts of the victors, as they beheld the
powers of hell fall before their onset, reached his ears
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 245

even as he sat by his own fireside, and as shout after
shout fell upon his ear, they seemed like terrific claps
of thunder in the mighty tempest that surged through
his soul. He tried to shut from him those fearful
sounds, but the walls of his dwelling were as paper ;
and still he listened, till it seemed he heard voices
from the spirit world, ringing forth his fearful doom.
In sheer despair, he, with some eight or ten of his
strongest men, returned to the battle field, threw
down their arms and cried aloud for mercy.

In that hour, was the old castle of Universalism
shaken to its foundations ; its walls crumbled and fell
to the dust, as did the walls of Jericho, amid the
shouts and hallelujahs of the redeemed of the Lord,
and now from the mouth of him who but an hour or
two before had uttered horrid imprecations and blas-
phemy, was heard “salvation to our God, who sitteth
upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.”
Then in quick succession, from the sacramental host
of God’s elect, rose the victorious shouts of “amen!
hallelujah!” and in less than a week that gallant little
band of South Onondaga were rejoicing in the acqui-
sition of over sixty converts, who had now enlisted in
their ranks, and from that time till this, Universalism
has never dared set foot upon the ground where it
was so signally beaten. May the Lord ever save his
people from this delusion of the devil !
246 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

One of our laborers, Br. Wilson Newman, who dis-
tinguished himself in those glorious achievements made
for our Immanuel, has since taken his leave of
the Church militant, and joined the Church triumph-
ant. He died in holy triumph. Shouts of victory
fell from his tongue till he found himself with the
redeemed and blood-washed throng around the throne
of God in heaven. Others, also, Br. Cole, and sister
Seeley, have gone up from South Onondaga, to join
their leader and swell the song of redemption. Peace
to their memory! The leader of Universalism after-
wards became a circuit steward, and an humble fol-
lower of Jesus Christ. Several young men, also,
fruits of this revival, are now active and successful
ministers of Oneida Conference. To God be all the
glory. Amen, and amen.

During my second year upon this circuit, I was
brought, for the first time, in contact with Mormonism.
Two Mormon preachers had entered the town of Spaf-
ford, and were preaching what they called the “Apostolic
doctrines,” professing to have the gift of tongues,
and of working of miracles. They claimed a special
commission from God to pronounce a woe upon all.
christian Churches in the world, for having forsaken
the commandments of the Lord, unless they returned
to the doctrines of primitive Christianity, which they
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 247

professed the Lord had in a very marvelous manner
discovered unto them. They also claimed to possess
the last portion of divine revelation to fallen man,
engraved on tables of gold, which they affirmed were
found in the earth, where they had been hid from
the earliest ages of Christianity, but which the Lord,
a short time since, had revealed unto a certain indi-
vidual, the founder of their sect, who had transcribed
it, and formed it into a book, which they denominated
their bible, that the world might, as they said, know
what great honor the Lord God of heaven and earth
had conferred upon them. One of our leading breth-
ren, of Spafford Hollow Society, Br. 8., a man of good
sense, and great respectability, and also a licensed
exhorter in our Church, hearing that these men had
entered the town, resolved to visit them, and hear
for himself those wonderful accounts, as the Mor-
mons were but a few miles from him. Accordingly,
without forming any opinion, either good or bad, as to
their merit, he went and listened to their doctrine.
For some time previous to this, he had felt a con-
viction in his mind that he ought to know more of the
power and love of God in his soul, and it was with
much prayer, and an ardent desire to have more of
religion in his heart, that he entered the place where
the Mormon preackers were holding forth their doc-
248 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

trine. They commenced by telling the people that
they were commissioned of God to preach primitive
Christianity ; that he had given them the power to
cast out devils, to speak in any language necessary, to
heal diseases, and to raise the dead ; that these were
gifts from heaven bestowed upon their Church ; that
whosoever believed them to be divinely appointed of
God, embraced their doctrine, believed their Bible to
be inspiration, would have all these gifts conferred
upon them, after being baptized by immersion. In
order more fully to deceive the people, they commenced
muttering over something, which they called “speaking
in unknown tongues.”

Br. 8. sat all this time listening with great atten-
tion to everything that was said, when suddenly his
mind became impressed with the belief that these
men must be sent of God in order to revive primitive
religion ; and as he began to cherish the impression,
which he thought divine, his belief in Mormonism be-
came stronger and stronger, until he had faith to go
forward and receive baptism from one of these men.
They then told him he must expect to meet with great
persecutions; that his friends, and even his family,
would turn against him ; but that it must make him
only the more zealous for the faith which he had now
received.

That he might be well fortified in argument against
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 249

his opponents, they furnished him with one of their
bibles, and he returned to his home wrapt up in his
wild enthusiasm, and thanking God that he had at
last shown him the good old apostolic way. When he
showed to his wife and children his bible, told them
he believed it divine, and that he had been baptized
and joined the Mormons, they were, as it were, struck
dumb with astonishment and mortification. His
friends, on hearing of it, treated him with impatient
contempt, which only served to make him stronger in
his faith, as the ministers had told him he must suffer
for truth’s sake.

Soon after this event, I called upon him. He re-
ceived me rather coldly. I told him I had come to
put up with him during our meeting of days, which I
had appointed at a neighbor’s barn, near by, and
which was to commence next day.

“Very well,” said he, “I will put out your horse.”
So we walked out together. On leaving the house,
he said :

“TI suppose you have heard that I have joined the
Mormons ?”’

“Yes,” said I, “I have heard so,” and then contin-
ued my conversation with him about other matters, in
the same friendly manner that I had formerly been
accustomed to. Very soon he began to appear like
250 AUTOBINGRAPHY OF

himself, friendly, open and free in conversation, until
we again entered his dwelling, and were seated. I
then, in a pleasant way, said :

“Br. §., have you the Mormon bible ?”

“Yes.”

“JT would like to see it, as I never, as yet, have come
across one.” He readily handed it to me. I took it,
and commenced reading. I soon found the author
had stated many things which were as absurd and
false as the Mohammedan Koran. Said I, “Br. 8, I
find many things in your bible that I do not under-
stand; will you explain them to me?’ He drew
near, and listened to me, as I read and exposed the
sophistry of the author’s reasoning. When I had fin-
ished, he exclaimed, “Well, I had not noticed that
before 1”

I continued reading, pointing out its errors, and
showing the utter impossibility of its being a revela-
tion from God, until his faith in it began to be shaken.
I then said to him, “Do you really believe this book
to be a revelation from God, and that the Mormons
have come in possession of it in the way they inform
mis P”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then,” said I, “you really have become a Mormon ?”

“Ves
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 251

““What did the Mormon preachers tell you, when you
were baptized ?”

“They told me I would receive the gift of tongues,
and have the power of working miracles, as the Apos-
tles did.”

“Well, did you receive any special gift when you
were baptized ?”

“No.”

“What do you think was the reason ?”

“The preachers told me I had not faith enough,
but if I held on the good way, I would soon receive
all they had promised me.”

“Well, you are going to attend our meeting of
days P”

“O, no, the Methodist brethren don’t want me with
them.”

“Well, I want you to attend, and I am calculating
to put up with you during that time; and now,
Brother, you perceive there is something about this
new bible, we cannot understand ; and then, again,
you have not received the gift of the Holy Ghost nor
the power of working miracles, &c., as your preachers
said you would, and my advice to you is, that you
attend our meeting and make it a matter of special
prayer to God that he will show you whether Mor-

monism is true or false.”

 
252 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

He finally agreed to my proposals. On the following
Sabbath morning we had a love-feast in Br. O’Farrall’s
barn. Br. 8. attended ; took his seat in one corner,
as much out of the sight of the assembled multitude
as possible, and commenced praying to the Lord to
show him the right way in this matter. During the
love-feast, the Lord revealed himself in a very special
manner ; a flood of light and glory broke in upon us,
and the whole barn seemed lighted up with the glory
of God. In that hour, the scales fell from the eyes
of our brother, and the snare of the devil was broken.

The love-feast closed. I informed the people there
would be an intermission of fifteen minutes, and then
public preaching would commence. I then left the
barn, but had gone only a few rods when Br. 8. came
up by my side and said, “Br. Torry, I am now con-
vinced Mormonism is of the devil, and I want you to
allow me to tell the people how I have been duped by
him, and to warn all against this dreadful heresy
which is gaining ground in our land.”

I promised him the opportunity, and we soon re-
turned to the barn, where we found a large body of
people collected from every part of the town. I said
to Br. 8., “Now you take the stand and say what you
want to.” He didso. He told them how, by yield-
ing to a sudden impression of mind, he had been led
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 253

away by the evil one; and then and there renounced
his belief in Mormonism, and warned all to take the
holy Bible as their guide, and to measure all isms by
it, that they might know whether they were of God or
the devil. The whole assembly were melted into tears ;
and from the assembled multitude one universal shout
of thanksgiving to God arose, that Br. 8. was at last
free from his delusion.

Had not this brother been reclaimed, he would, in
all probability, have sold his farm, and with all his
property emigrated to Nauvoo, where the Mormons
were then engaged in building a city. His family,
one of the finest in the country, would have been
broken up, and that good brother would have lost all
he was worth in this world, if not his soul forever.

Dear reader, in the relation of the facts of this case,
you see how very possible it is to be led astray from
the path of duty, and to embrace great errors, even
while trying to do right. If we do not bring our feel-
ings and notions of christian theology up to the Word
of God, and ask of God in faith, to show us plainly
the way he has cast up for us to walk in, we are liable
to be duped by wicked men and the devil. May the
Lord save you and me from his wild delusions, and
may we who have professed faith in Christ, be kept by
the power of God unto full salvation. “Then shall we
254 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

know, if we follow on to know the Lord, his going
forth is prepared as the morning, and he shall come
unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain ;” so
shall we be ripe for heaven. When the Lord sends
forth his angels with a great sounding trumpet, to
gather in the harvest, may we hear from our Judge,
“Well done, good and faithful servants, enter ye into
the joy of your Lord!” Amen!

During my second year, we had a daughter born,
who only lived six months, She faded from earth like
the morning flower, for the angels loved her, and bore
her away to Him who said, “Suffer little children to
come unto me—for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

The next year I was stationed upon Norwich circuit,
and had for my colleague Br. Stowell. During the
year our circuit was divided. Br. Stowell took the
north, and I the south part, which embraced Norwich
village, where was no church. We started a subscrip-
tion, and commmenced building the first Methodist
church in that place.

In the east part of the town, the Christ-ians had
circulated their pernicious doctrines, until many of our
membership embraced those views of the doctrine of
the Trinity, and of the Divinity of Jesus Christ. As
Mr. Millard, the leader of that sect, had published
his views and doctrines in two letters to the public, I
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 255

advertised that I would preach two sermons for the
purpose of meeting and refuting his arguments. I.
did so, and the Lord helped me in such a manner that
I was enabled to successfully refute all his dogmas,
and to convince the people that his doctrine was but
a species of refined deism. So thoroughly convinced
were the people of their error, that they renounced all
fellowship with the doctrine, and in the public congre-
gation confessed their wanderings, and ever since then,
. that doctrine has been unable tc obtain scarce any
foothold among those people.
CHAPTER XV.

Chenango, Otego and Canajoharie circuits—Oneida Indian Mission—
Rise of the Mission—Superannuation—Removal to Andover, Alle-
gany Co., N. Y.—A revival—Society formed and church built—Be-
comes effective—Straightened circumstances—Again superannua-
ted—Removes to South Onondaga—Remarkable conversion of a
young man—Assisted in the purchase of a home—Death of rel-
atives,

I was next stationed upon Chenango circuit. With-
in the bounds of this circuit I had spent the most of
my time from four years of age, until I commenced
my itinerant life. When my father moved from Con-
necticut, he settled in the town of Butternuts, and
his house was the first in the town where Methodist
preaching was heard, and from this place spread the
gospel, until all the hills and valleys of that and ad-
joining towns, were vocal with the praises of a people
redeemed through the blood of the Lamb. But after
the lapse of a score of years, Methodism was scattered
from that part of the town of Butternuts where she
had achieved her greatest victories, and for a number
of years it was among the things of the past. But
the Lord returned again the captivity of his people,
and once more the heralds of the cross planted their
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 257

ever victorious standard upon the hill-tops, and again,
in all its loveliness, appeared the waving banner of
Methodism.

During the year I labored on Chenango circuit we
preached at what was called “Gregory Hill,” a place
where, in an early day, Methodism had builded a
church, but which for many years had been given up
to the moles and bats. I could well remember the
time when that house was thronged with devout wor-
shipers, as it was only two or three miles from the
place where I was raised, but now it was entirely de-
serted, and as there were but two or three families
who were the true worshipers of God, preaching was
had in a private house near by the old church.

One night, while preaching, the Lord blessed his
word to the awakening of souls. The work continu-
ing, I soon gave out for a two days meeting at the
old church. Our meeting commenced on Saturday,
and on Sabbath evening the Lord revealed himself to
us in great mercy and power. We continued the
meeting for a number of days, and sixty professed the
love of God in their hearts, as the fruits of that meet-
ing. During the meeting, a young man who was
skeptical in his religious views, but who considered
himself a man of some importance, attended the meet-
ings with a troop of followers, for the purpose of mak-
258 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

ing sport of the work of God. He finally told his
companions he could and would go forward with other
mourners, take his seat with them, kneel when they
kneeled, and pretend, finally, to experience a change
of heart, and shout, and sing and speak, and thus de-
ceive both preacher and people.

On the evening fixed upon for the trial, he, with
all his fellows, was on hand. When the invitation
was given for those who felt the need of religion, to
come forward and present themselves for the prayers
of the people of God, this fool-hardy young man took
his seat with the crowd of others. As he sat down
he placed his elbow upon his knee, his face upon
his hand, and thus waited until they all kneeled. At
the request of the minister, the others kneeled to pray,
but he remained in the position he’had at first taken.
The meeting progressed, the Lord was with us in great
power, and many souls were saved that evening ; but
still no one said anything to that young man who sat
with his head upon his hand, apparently unmoved by
the scene around him.

The meeting closed. The people had nearly all
left the house, but still he retained the same position
as before, neither moving nor looking up at anything
that passed. Finally, as the house was about being

closed, some one went and spoke to him, but not a
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 259

muscle moved. They took hold of him, and shook
him, but he could neither stir nor speak. Finally, as
he afterward said, he resolved to change his course of
life, confess his motive in coming there, and ask the
forgiveness of the people and of his God. Then his
physical strength returned to him, and he could walk
and talk as well as ever.

This proof of God’s power in punishing such high-
handed wickedness, so wrought upon the fears of those
who came to disturb the meetings, that no more
trouble was experienced from them during the meet-
ing, or at any subsequent period of my stay upon the
circuit. The Lord did great things for us this year.

During this year our second child was attacked with
the scarlet fever. When the disease left him, he be-
came convulsed with a fit which lasted seven hours.
Though he grew up to manhood, and was a bright,
active child, he was never free from fits.

I love to go back in memory to those days, and call
up these triumphs and trials which occurred upon the
old battle-ground of the Butternuts and Unadilla
river, and to talk of the wonder-working power of
God to save sinners from.their guilt; and I love to
speak the names of those veterans who bore with
me the burden and heat of the day ; who used to
gather themselves together in barns and groves, and
260 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

speak often one to another, of the glorious love they
felt in their souls, and strengthen each the other to go
forth to labor more effectually for their master, and to
contend more earnestly for the faith once delivered to
the saints. There were Daniel and John Eastwood,
the Brs. Chamberlain, Brs. Wood, Hyer, Corkins,
and a host of others, both male and female, who
fought the battles of the Lord valiantly, and achieved
victories for Christ that will tell upon posterity through
all coming time. |

At Sidney Plains, which lies near the south end of
this circuit, lived Arvine Clark, one of the best men I
have ever met with. Though engaged in public busi-
ness, and much of the time abroad, he always seemed
devotional, a man of much prayer and great faith,
“Through his influence and untiring efforts, the M. E.
Chapel was erected at Sidney Plains ; for the accom-
plishment of that enterprise, his contribution was
large and liberal.’ He was always looking to the
wants of those who were sent by the Church to min-
ister the word of life, and was ready to divide his last
dollar with them, if necessity required. He loved the
Church as he loved his own household, yet he was
ever ready to extend the right hand of fellowship to
his brethren of other denominations, and his influence

was widely felt, for his life was a fitting commentary
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 261

on his profession of love to the Savior. He was
blessed with an amiable family, who all became mem-
bers of the Church of his choice, and one of his sons
has since become an able and successful minister in
one of our eastern Conferences. He left the shores of
mortality some three years since, and has joined the
ransomed host above. May his mantle fall upon his
sons, that they, with their honored father, may meet
above, to share the rewards of the faithful, amid the
glories of the throne.

My next field of labor was Otego circuit. I had for
my colleague, Br. J. Soule, a good and zealous young
man, then in his first year of itinerant life. He be-
came a successful minister, and after twenty years’
labor within the bounds of Oneida Conference, was
transferred to one of the western Conferences, where
he soon finished his labors and entered into his rest
above. This circuit extended on the east to the Sus-
quehanna River, the eastern boundary of our Confer-
ence. We had some especial manifestations of Divine
power, to bless and save lost men from sin and ruin,

My next circuit was Canajoharie. My colleague
was Isaac Grant, who has -finished his work and gone
to his reward in heaven. The Lord gave us souls as
seals to our ministry.

The next year (1837) I was appointed to the Oneida
262 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

and Onondaga Indians. Some six years previous to
this, these Indians had been visited by William Dox-
tater, one of their countrymen from Canada, son of
the noble chief, Doxtater, who was converted at my
last visit with them at Salt Springs. Soon after his
conversion, he gave evidence that the Lord had des-
tined him to carry the gospel to his countrymen, and
with his soul filled with burning zeal for his Master’s
cause, he went from place to place, declaring the will
of God towards his countrymen. He felt as did the
Apostle of old, “Wo is me, if I preach not the gos-
pel!’ Under such impressions he visited his brethren
at Oneida Castle, N. Y., and with his soul filled with
love for his Lord and Master, he told them of his mis-
sion to them, and entreated them, as they valued
their happiness in this world and the world to come,
to turn from their ancient customs and follow his Lord
and Savior. So eloquently did he plead, and with
such a masterly hand did he portray the sufferings and
death of Him who came into the world to save fallen
man; and such was the power from on high that ac-
companied his preaching, that a gracious revival broke
out among them, and a goodly number forsook their
old customs and mode of worship, and became meek
and humble followers of the Lamb of God.

Some of the Onondagas invited William to visit
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 263

them, which he did several times, going by stage, the
mode of conveyance at that time. William dressed
and appeared like other gentlemen travelling, and as
he saw many well dressed, gentlemanly appearing men
step into the bar-room, whenever the stage stopped at
" any station, and call for “something to drink,” and as
he was often invited to join them, he at last yielded,
drank once, twice, and soon became intoxicated. He
was called to an account by the authorities of our
Church, and immediately silenced. He returned to
Canada, where, among his friends, he was finally re-
claimed from his backslidings, and died, we hope, in
the Lord. William was a young man of superior tal-
ents. He was considered the best Mohawk scholar in
the Six Nations, and had he been watched over and
taken care of, as all young men should be, when first
converted, and on entering the ministry, or had a dif-
ferent course been pursued towards him when he first
fell, he might have been the honored instrument of the
conversion of thousands of the pagan tribes who now
sit in the shadow of death. I can never think of him
without being deeply affected.

On entering upon my work at the Oneida Castle, I
found the training of the Indians had been such that
they were in the habit of mingling with the dissipated
whites, who sold much spirituous liquor to them, and:
264 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

made them discontented and uneasy. We found much
trouble in keeping them in the right way, as they
were so prone to follow their own desires. Théy
seemed entirely different from their Canadian brethren,
not having as much stability and strength of purpose
about them. During my stay with them, they received
the principal of their annuity, and afterwards sold out,
some going to Canada, some to Green Bay, and a few
families remaining at their old homes. Those who
have stayed have been doing well,spiritually and tem-
porally. Two of their number are local preachers,
Thomas Cornelius and Br. Johnson, both smart men
and good preachers. May they, with their little band,
continue steadfast in the faith, as once delivered to
the saints, that they may be able to comprehend the
breadth and length, the depth and height, and know
the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that they
may be filled with all the fullness of God.

After staying with the Oneidas two years, my health
became so much impaired that I was obliged to ask
of the Conference a superannuated relation to the
Church. It was granted me; and I, with my wife
and three little sons, the youngest only one year old,
moved to Andover, Allegany Co., N. Y., where I had
a brother and two sisters living. At the time we
moved to Andover there was no Methodist preaching
REV, ALVIN TORRY. 265

in the place. I succeeded in establishing stated ap-
pointments and we soon had a revival of religion, in
which many souls were converted to God. One of the
leading men of the place, Jason Hunt, joined the
Church, and has since become a local preacher of our
Church. By his exertions, a new church was built,
and since then Methodism has taken a strong hold
of the hearts of the people in that place. Great good
has resulted to the people of the surrounding country
from the zeal and piety manifested by the leading
members of Andover society. May the Lord continue
to favor them with the redeeming and saving influen-
ces of his grace, until the whole village and surround-
ing country are saved in Christ.

During the time of my superannuated relation to
the Church, I continued to preach, and do all I could
to advance the kingdom of Christ. As soon as I
thought myself able to do effective service as an itine-
rant minister, I returned to my Conference, and took
an appointment to a field of labor. I entered upon
my work with strong hopes that my health would
allow me to push on the victories of the cross, and
bring home trophies of redeeming grace to the fold
of Christ. For the few months of warm weather
I was able to work as in other years, but as soon as
the cold of winter came, I found I could not labor in
266 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

evenihg meetings, nor be out much in stormy weather,
without serious injury to myself. For three successive
winters I made the effort, and then was obliged again
to leave the itinerant field, and seek a shelter for my-
self and family. The health of my companion had
also become very much impaired with the labors of an
itinerant life, and the care of four small children, one
of them being sick much of the time. My horse and
carriage, which had been moving us from circuit to
circuit for sixteen years, was as nearly worn out as
ourselves, and we were without any earthly home to
go to, or means to get one.

‘As I have before observed, my salary had never been
over two hundred, and often, very often, I received but
part of the sum stipulated for my maintenance, which,
with the continued sickness of our oldest son, who
was constantly under the care of some physician,
obliged us to use the utmost economy to make our
means hold out, and pay all our debts, which we
always have been able to do. As a superannuated
minister, my yearly claim upon Conference, according
to the Discipline, was a hundred dollars for myself, a
hundred for my wife, and twenty-four for each child
under fourteen years of age ; but all that I ever received
of this sum was from eighty to one hundred dollars
per year, and for several years back we can depend only

on sixty or seventy per year.
REV. ALVIN TORRY, 267

This diminution in the pittance doled out to super-
annuated preachers, widows and orphans, must be
caused, I suppose, by the continual passing of resolu-
tions by our venerable body of ministers, assembled in
Conference, who yearly declare their solemn intention
of raising, by a tax of less than twenty-five cents a
member, the whole amount necessary to pay off the
whole claim of their superannuated preachers, their
widows and orphans. We sincerely hope they may
yet be successful in fulfilling, even to the letter, their
resolutions. But continually resolving and never per-
forming, can only have the effect to defeat the object
at which it aims,

Our friends at South Onondaga, hearing that my
health had again failed, and that we were left without
the means to purchase a home for ourselves, kindly
wrote to us, and offered to meet us with teams at Sy-
racuse, and convey us and baggage to their village.
Our furniture was not much, for we had moved from
Dan to Beersheba, until it was marred, and broken in-
to many fragments, and two hundred a year did not
allow us to purchase much to replace the old. We
accepted the offer our friends had made us, and accord-
ing to appointment, met them at Syracuse, and were
taken by them to the house prepared for us. We en-
joyed their hospitality, and I in return, was able to
268 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

preach some, and pray with and for them, and some
good, I trust, was done them during the fall and win-
ter I staid among them, which will have a lasting ef-
fect upon some who attended our meetings.

In the spring I moved one mile from the village,
into an old school-house, that I had preached in thir-
ty-five years before. It had been fitted up as a dwel-
ling house, and for a little garden spot with it, I paid
fifteen dollars a year as rent. During our stay here,
our oldest son experienced religion at our family altar,
and united himself with the Church. Soon after his
conversion he was brought very low with a very se-
vere attack of fits, and from that time until his death,
they increased in number and severity. We paid, this
year, over fifty dollars for medicine, which we hoped
might do him good, but it was without avail.

I was without horse or carriage to get around with,
and therefore visited my friends at a distance, for the
purpose of preaching or praying with them, only when
they came forme. By the kindness of our neighbors
we had been able to purchase a cow which became our
main support. As winter approached, so large had
been our expenses for sickness, that I found myself
destitute of money to purchase any hay for our cow.
Hay was high, and a cash article that year. In my
extremity, I carried my case to the Lord and asked
his assistance.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 269

Just at this time I was requested to attend a meet-
ing about twenty miles from home. I did so, and on
my return, when within two miles of Syracuse I called
upon Br. Horton, a member of the first M. E. Church,
of Syracuse. As I drove upto his gate, he met me
and took my horse to the barn. While taking care of
my horse he said to me, ‘‘ I have a son who has come
home sick with the consumption ; we have just had a
counsel of physicians over his case, and they have
decided he cannot live. He has no religion, and does
not seem inclined to seek it.” We went into the house
and seated ourselves around the fire, for it was now
cold weather. The sick son lay in another apartment,
and while visiting with Br. and sister Horton, I had
no chance to see him, but he was continually on my
mind. His mother, without my knowledge, had
spoken to him when I rode up to the gate, telling him
an old Methodist minister was coming in, and asking
him if she should invite me in to see him. He told
her it hurt him to talk, and he wished to see no one.
After staying with Br. Horton a couple of hours, I
told him I must be on my way home, “but,” said I,
“T should like to speak to your sick son before I go.”

“Very well,” said he, “‘while you are visiting him, I
will get your horse.”

J accordingly entered the sick room and found Albert
270 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

sitting in a rocking chair, his morning gown on, and
with a pale, sickly looking countenance. I said to
him: ‘Mr. Horton, you seem quite out of health.”

“Yes,” said he.

“Do you enjoy religion P”

“No.”

“You believe religion is necessary, I suppose, for as
you have had a religious training, you cannot think
otherwise.”

He looked at me earnestly for a moment, and then
said: ‘If the Bible is true, I suppose I am a great
sinner, and need religion.”

I replied: “There can be no doubt of the truth
of the divinity of the Holy Bible. It is a revelation
of God to man, and it plainly shows us that all men,
by nature, are sinners, and need regeneration by the
Holy Ghost.” I then endeavored to show him how
man, in his fallen, sinful state, may come to Christ
Jesus and be saved, at the same time urging upon him
the all important necessity of an immediate application
to the Great Physician of souls.

While thus talking, his father and mother entered
the room and I said, “ Let us pray.” We knelt, and
while supplicating a throne of grace, I felt in my heart
that God would save their dear son Albert. On tak-
ing my leave, I took hold of his hand and said, “Now
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 271

give your heart to the Lord and know the blessedness
of the religion of the Bible.”

The tears flowed. from his eyes and I knew the
Spirit of the Lord had found a lodgment in his heart.
As I passed from the house to my carriage I said to
Br. Horton, who accompanied me, ‘Br. Horton, the
Lord will convert your son.” I returned home.

The second day after, while standing near my shanty,
Br. H. drove up, and after shaking hands, and enqui-
ring after each other’s welfare, he said to me, “Br,
Torry, I have come to take you home with me.”

“For what,” said I.

‘‘Albert has been deeply concerned for his soul ever
since you left my house, and is very anxious you should
visit him again. He says, he believes if you come and
pray for him, he will get religion.”

“T cannot go with you to-day, but to-morrow morn-
ing I will make an effort to be there.”

Accordingly, he returned. I went into the house,
told my wife, and said, ‘“You must go too, for you can
help sing and pray, and we shall see that young man
converted.”

She consented, and accordingly the next morning
we started, and reached Br. Horton’s about half past
twelve. Br. H. met us at the gate, and as we passed

in, I saw a man leaving the house, and going away.
2172 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

Upon enquiry, I found it to be another son, who lived
in the city. We took our seats by the stove to warm
us, and sister Horton immediately commenced prepa-
ration for our dinner. She told us Albert was very
anxious to see us; that he had told his brother while
visiting with him, “I am going to have religion to-day.
Father Torry is coming to pray with me, and I shall
get religion.” Was not this faith like that of Corne-
lius of old, when Peter met him at the door of hig
house, “And Cornelius said unto Peter, ‘We are all
here present before God, to hear all things that are
commanded thee of God ?’”

As soon as I became warm, I went into Albert’s
room. As J approached him, he grasped my hand,
exclaiming, ‘‘I am glad you have come! Iam glad
you have come! I hope you have come full of relig-

1?

ion! full of religion I took my seat and com-
menced singing,

“Come, ye sinners, poor and needy.”
> 1

Just at this moment, the door opened, and sister Hor-
ton said, ‘Your dinner is ready;” but I was too much
engaged to think of eating dinner, and continued
singing. My wife and sister Horton immediately en-
tered the room, and as Br. H. had also now come in, I
proposed prayer. We knelt. Albert fell upon his
knees, and I commenced presenting the case of this
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 273

humble suppliant before the throne of God. All were
_ praying, and in less than five minutes, salvation from
heaven came. Albert was converted. He sank to the
floor ; we raised him up, placed him in his chair, when
he exclaimed, “O, how happy I am! Is this reli-
gion?” We assured him that he had found the pearl
of great price. Then was there joy in that house. If
there was not dancing, as when the prodigal son re-
turned to his father’s house, there certainly was music,
for we all could but rejoice and praise God that an-
other soul was saved from sin and death. In half an
hour, Albert rejoiced and praised God, as the rock of
his salvation ; then, all at once, he paused, looked at
me as I sat near him, and uttering a deep sigh, said,
“To you think this is religion? I feel distressed
here,” laying his hand upon his heart. “Ah,” said
I, “the old adversary has come; the devil always
makes an attack upon young converts.”

Albert had indulged in skeptical notions regard-
ing the emotional part of religion, as, in fact,
many others, even those who call themselves Chris-
tians do, and now the devil had said to this redeemed
soul, “You are laboring under excitement ; you are
not converted to God.” And as he paused to listen,
the temptation took fast hold of him, till it seemed
like an arrow piercing his heart. We again used our
274 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

weapons of faith and prayer, and Satan was soon driv-
en back and this redeemed soul was again filled unut-
terably full of the love of God; and through the en-
tire night he was unspeakably happy.

The next morning as we took our leave of him, he
slipped a five dollar note into my hand, and at the
next visit I made him shortly after, five more, thus
making just the sum I had asked of the Lord a few
days previous.

‘My last visit with Albert was a few days before his
death, As I was leaving him, I took his hand and
said, ““Br. Horton, we shall see each other’s faces no
more until we strike hands above, for I see you are
Tipening fast for that world of bliss,

“Where God the Son forever reigns,
And scatters night away.’”

He quickly replied, “Do you?”  ‘Yes,” I said.
Then with an ecstasy of feeling he shouted, “Glory
to God! I have nothing in my heart but love; love
for everybody!” ‘“Thank God,” said I, “that is per-
fect love.” Then came the farewell; and ina few
days his happy soul found its home beyond the storms
of earth, in that sunny clime not measured by the
flight of years.

His funeral took place at the first Methodist
Church in Syracuse. A numerous assembly attended,
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 275

to pay their last respects to the deceased. He was
universally respected as a good citizen, and an accom-
plished gentleman. As a scholar and a business man |
he was rarely surpassed. His conversion to God, and
triumphant death, proved a blessing to his brothers
and sister, and others who visited him during his last
days. He exhorted al] who visited him to seek the
blessed religion of Jesus Christ, telling them it was
the only thing that could make them happy here, and
give them a glorious prospect of immortality hereafter.
During this winter, our neighbors made us a dona-
tion of thirty dollars, and we were thus able to get
along quite comfortably. While visiting an old friend,
Stephen Houghtaling, in the town of Lafayette, he
said he would give ten dollars towards buying a small
place then for sale some three miles from him. We
mentioned the proposal to the Rev. Aaron Cross, who
had several times called upon us, and who was very
friendly towards us. He immediately wrote to Br.
Hosmer, editor of the Northern Christian Advocate,
who kindly consented to insert a notice in his paper,
calling upon my friends to help me in this undertaking.
They nobly responded to the call, and donations from
fifty cents to ten dollars came in, until some four hun-
dred dollars were pledged. A good brother in Pompey,
Oliver Watkins, assisted me in collecting the money,
276 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

and we purchased the place, and took possession in
the spring of 1857.

I have retained on paper, and in my memory, the
names of those who generously assisted us at that time,
and I hope never to cease praying for them and theirs
while life shall last. Br. Aaron’ Cross and Br. Wat-
kins, who not only donated of their own substance,
but also spent many days in collecting what my friends
had subscribed, will have their reward, I trust, not
only in this life, but also in that which is to come.
My earnest prayers shall ever rise for their continued
prosperity.

As soon as we had taken possession of our new home,
I invited my neighbors and friends to my house on
Sunday afternoons and evenings, for the purpose of
holding meetings. There was no meeting of any sort
within from three to five. miles of our neighborhood,
and many had grown up, who seldom ever heard the
sound of the gospel. The congregations soon became
so large that I was obliged to fit up my barn for their
meetings, which increased in interest continually.
Many of my brethren on surrounding charges, hearing
that meetings were held weekly here, left their own
societies, and came to help us.

Some one thought it best to report to the preachers
on a circuit some three miles east of us, that I was
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 277

holding opposition meetings for the purpose of dis-
turbing them. They, without speaking to me, in-
formed the Presiding Elder of the, as they supposed,
correct statement of facts, and he came to me with
the matter. I gave him the particulars, but finding
that the course some were taking in order to break up
our meetings, would cause much hard feeling in high
places, I gave up the endeavor, and the people again
relapsed into their former state. Though years have
elapsed since that period, there has never been any
real revival of religion among that people, and they
still sit in darkness. While I stayed among them, I
tried to do my duty as a minister, as far asthe Church
would allow me to. I finally sold out, and moved to
Tully. While living here, I received news of my
brother Daniel’s death. He entered the itinerant field
about twelve years later than myself, as his obituary
will show, which I copy entire, as written for the
Advocate.

“Rey. Daniel Torry, of the Wyoming Annual Conference, died at
Brooklyn, Susquehannah Co., Pa., Sept. 30th, 1857, in the 57th year of
his age.

“Br. Torry was born in Stafford Co., Conn., in 1800. He removed
with his parents to Western New York, and at the age of twenty was
converted to God, under the labors of Israel Chamberlayne at arevival
in Plymouth, Chenango Co. He soon united with the M. E, Church,
and very early in his christian experience began to feel that God had
called him to the work of the ministry. Being naturally diffident, he
strove to banish the impression, but his convictions of duty deep-
ened, until he felt, ‘Wo is me, if I preach not the gospel.” In order

 
278 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

The next year, (1858) news reached us of the death
of our aged and much honored father, Nathan Clark,
my wife’s father, who died Sept. 9th, 1858, in the
96th year of his age. Father Clark was born in
1763, and served for awhile as a soldier in the Revo-
lutionary war. In 1810 he moved from Vermont, his
native State, to Madison Co., N. Y., where he lived
until his decease. In early life, he and his wife both
belonged to the Baptist Church, but on moving into
this country, they were deprived of their former privi-

 

to get rid of his impression, as he informed the writer, he removed to
Norwich, in the same county, taking his certificate of membership.
He held it in his own hands, and, being among strangers, he did not
openly profess religion for a time, till a little circumstance occurred,
which rendered it impossible for him longer to conceal his real char-
acter. :

“A young lady, who had formerly been a classmate of his at Ply-
mouth, being on a visit among her friends at Norwich, met young
Torry at the house of Reuben Reynolds, of precious memory, and, as
was quite natural, the good sister began to talk over the precious sea-
sons of the past, which soon brought Br. Torry from his hiding place,
and before parting that evening, Br. Reynolds proposed having a fam-
ily prayer-meeting, and called upon young Torry to lead in prayer. He
dare not refuse, and as he bowed with one of his classmates, it called
up many of the touching reminiscences of the past, and awakened all
the devotional feelings of the soul, and such was the fervency and faith
of the suppliant, that an overwhelming Divine influence came down
upon their heads and hearts, until many were attracted to the place
by their shouts of victory. This family prayer-meeting not only
brought young Torry from his religious seclusion, but greatly encour-
aged the pious few at Norwich, and led to efforts to secure regular
preaching at that place, by the Methodist preachers.

“Soon after this, a small class was formed, and Br. Torry was ap-
pointed leader and steward. His first license to exhort is dated July
8th, 1825, and signed by Isaac Grant, in behalf of the Society at Nor-
wich. He was licensed to preach, some time during that year,
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 279

leges, and commenced meetings at their own house,
where a revival soon broke out, and in the spring of
1811 a Methodist society was formed by James Kelsey,
of those who had experienced religion during the win-
ter, and also a few who were professors on coming into
the country, among which were Solomon Root, Sen.,

 

which license has been lost or mislaid. The first license to preach
that we find among his papers, is dated April 29th, 1826, and signed,
by George Peck, Presiding Elder. This year (1826) he entered the reg-
ular work, on old Wyoming circuit, with Geo. Peck and Philo Barber-
ry as colleagues. The balance of his labors was on the following char-
ges: In 1827-28, on Bridgewater; 1829, on Binghamton; 1830-31, on
Broome; 1832,on Spencer. This year he was married to Betsey Smith,
daughter of Isaac Smith, Esq., of Brooklyn, Pa., who still survives him.
In 1833-34, he travelled on Lanesborough; 1835, on Brooklyn, 1836,
on Vestal; 1837,Skinner’s Eddy. In 1838 we find him on the superan-
nuated list for one year. In 1839-40 he travelled on Pike circuit; 1841,
on Orwell. Here, again, his health failed, and from 1842 to 1847 he
was onthe snperannuated list. In 1847-8 he travelled on what was
then Montrose and Great Bend, where he ended his itinerant career,
since which time he has resided at this place, only preaching occasion-
ally, as his feeble health would admit.

“He possessed a naturally strong constitution, but his excessive la-
bors and exposures early induced a complication of diseases that baf-
fled all human skill, and hurried him from labor to repose. WhenI
came to this charge last May, I found him rapidly sinking into the
arms of death; yet his stay was protracted much beyond my expecta-
tion. He wasagreat sufferer, yet he bore his afflictions with chris-
tian fortitude, and met death with the heroism of a christian philoso-
pher. As a preacher, he was above mediocrity, and had he been
favored with early mental culture, might have shone among the stars
of the first magnitude. He was an acute observer of men and things,
a thorough scholar in human nature, a firm disciplinarian, a safe coun-
sellor, a fast friend, and a faithful minister of the Lord Jesus. His end
was peace. His hope was big with immortality. The last words I
heard him utter were, ‘I am only waiting!’ and after along pause, he
added, ‘Almost over, almost over!

“A, H. ScHOONMAKER,”
280 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

and his wife and mother, Justus Root and his wife,
and also father Clark and his wife,

This was the first M. E, Society in the town of
Madison. But few of those old soldiers now remain,
after the lapse of half a century, to tell of the trials
and triumphs, the losses and crosses which followed that
little band of settlers who, away in the wilderness
of a new country, gathered themselves together to
strengthen each other in the way they had chosen, and
to call upon God as the Captain of their salvation.

Mother Clark, a woman of strong faith and earnest
piety, mighty in prayer and abounding in good works,
departed this life many years ago, leaving her husband
to wait ‘yet a little longer,” even until his head was
frosted with the snows of many winters, and the corn
should be fully ripe for harvest. Though Father
Clark lived to an advanced age, he retained his mental
faculties unimpaired to the last. When asked, some
time previous to his death, how his mind was in regard
to a future state, “Strong in God,” said the aged
saint, and then he repeated, :

“On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand,
And cast a wishful eye.”

“This is my situation,” said he, “and I am only
waiting the call of my Master, when I shall join for-
ever in the song of the redeemed.” As might be
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 281

expected from such a life, his end was peace. “Mark
the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end
of that man is peace.”
CHAPTER XVI.

A visit to former fields of labor—Cayuga—Ulysses—Canada—Resi-
dence of the late Peter Jones—An account of his last illness and
death—His character—New Credit Mission—Great changes—Ser-
mon of Rey. Wm. Case—His sudden death—A memoir of him.—
Incidents—Mode of Worship—Hamilton—Brantfordville.

Having in view the writing of this work, and know-
ing that I needed some information in regard to the
Canadas which I did not possess, I concluded to make a
journey thither, visit once more the old scenesand battle-
grounds of my youth, collect what information and ma-
terial I needed for my work, and once more look into
the faces of those old friends who once with me were
young, and who stood shoulder to shoulder, as we
drove on the battles of the cross. Accordingly, upon
the fifth day of July, I started with my horse and car-
riage, from my residence in Homer, Cortland Co., N. Y.

A few weeks previous to this, I had visited my old
field of labor, lying in that part of the country then
embraced in the old Cayuga circuit. I found many
old friends scattered all through the country, many of
whom were members of the Church when I preached
to them forty-four years ago, and many more who
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 283

claimed me as their spiritual father. It was refresh-
ing to me, and I spent many precious hours with
them in calling up old times, and in bowing once more
_ around their family altars, where for many years they
had offered daily sacrifice.

My first visit was at Br. Brown’s, who lives near
where he did when I first knew him, forty-four years
ago. He was then a member of our Church, and with
his wife, is still making on for that heavenly country,
to which they have so long been journeying. It is re-
freshing to meet with these old pilgrims who are
already in sight of their future home, and who, as they
stand upon the bank of the river, can feel the sweet
breezes as they blow from those celestial fields just
upon the other side of Jordan. At the Mack settle-
ment I found some old friends, the brothers Lambert,
with whom I used to worship thirty-two years ago. I
had a good time in praying with them and their fami-
lies. One of them has since fallen asleep in Jesus, to
awake again in the first resurrection, over which the
second death hath no power. May his two sisters,
who administered to his every comfort in his last sick-
ness, receive, like Martha and Mary of old, the bles-
sing and sympathy of the blessed Jesus.

As a camp-meeting was to commence at Millport, I
concluded to attend it. This was within the bounds
284 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

of old Ulysses circuit, and I expected there to meet
many friends whom I otherwise would not see. When
within fourteen miles of the camp-ground, I stopped
for the night at Br. Barker’s. For more than thirty |
years, this good brother and his wife had btaved the
storms and trials of a christian life, and were still con-
tending for the faith, with all that zeal and persever-
ance becoming valiant soldiers of the cross.

During the night a swelling began upon my face,
Just above one of my eyes, and by morning, it had in-
creased much and become so painful that I was forced
to give up all thoughts of attending camp-meeting,
and immediately set my face for home.

Near evening, I stopped at Mack settlement, where
a good sister kindly made a poultice for my face, which
much relieved it, and as it became much better the
next day, I finally concluded to return to the Millport
camp-meeting. I reached the ground on Monday, and
tented with Br. Mallett, a local preacher of the M. E.
Church, whose wife claimed me to be the instrument,
under God, of her conversion. In their morning love-
feast, before closing the meeting, my friends made me
a present of the sum of twelve dollars, for which may
the Lord reward them.

I have made this little digression, in order to show
the manner in which Providence opened my way, and
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 285

supplied me with means for my journey. The route
which I had chosen for my journey, led me to the head
of Seneca Lake. Here the village of Watkins is
situated, and here I found a son of Br. Dodson, an
old superannuated preacher of the East Genesee Con-
ference. With Br. Dodson and his now sainted wife,
I had spent many precious hours around their family
altar, and in the house of God, while travelling Ulysses
circuit, and now, as I visited him again, we enjoyed
another blessed season of prayer, which seemed like
former days. He, like myself, is sinking under the
weight of years, and the excessive labor of former
times. He has a son and daughter living here, who
both belong to the M. E. Church of this place.

The next day I called upon a Mr. Matthews, son of
the widow Matthews, at whose house I used to preach
thirty-two years ago, and where the Lord often blessed
us. Sister Matthews is still walking in the straight
and narrow way that leads to life eternal. I found
this son of hers, with his wife, very friendly, kind and
hospitable ; his wife a member of the M. E. Church,
and deeply pious.

My next stopping place was at the Rev. Loring
Grant’s. Found himself and wife in tolerable health,
surrounded with the good things of this life, and with
blooming hopes of entering their rest above, when
286 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

done with the things of this earth. I spent a Sabbath
with them, and talked over our toils, and sufferings,
and triumphs of other days. Monday morning I
left their hospitable mansion, and pursued my way to
Canada. At Canandaigua I stopped for the night
with Br. McKinstry, pastor of the M. E. Church of .
that village. He with his lady treated me very kindly,
and in the morning he showed me through their splen-
did church. :

I continued on my journey until I reached Lewis-
ton, on the Niagara, opposite Queenstown, in Canada.
Forty-two years ago, I crossed this ferry in an old
scow boat ; now I drove over upon the suspension
bridge, which has been erected at this place within a
few years past. I passed on through the village of
Queenstown, one mile north, and stopped with a
brother who lives in the house where General Brock
expired, after being shot from his horse at the battle
of Queenstown height, in the year 1812,

Next day I passed on to St. Catherine’s, a large
commercial town upon the Wellington Canal. In its
harbor lay a number of splendid vessels bound to dif-
ferent ports upon the lakes, and. other parts of the
British Empire. Thirty-two years had passed since I
stood upon Canadian soil, and in that time how

changed had everything become.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 287

I continued my journeying until I reached Fifty
Mile Creek. On Sabbath morning I entered one of
the Wesleyan churches and took my seat among the
congregation who were all strangers to me. I looked
around upon the assembly, thinking, perhaps some
familiar face might greet my view, but no man or
woman had I ever seen before. Years before, I had
travelled and labored and preached through this coun-
try, and many people lived around here who were well
acquainted with me, and whom I loved to see. But
they were gone, and a new generation had taken their
places. The old church in which the Methodist Con-
ference held its session thirty-five years before, when J
was one of its members, was now filled by a uew race
of people. The preacher in the pulpit was a fine
looking young Englishman, who commenced the servi-
ces by reading a portion of the Holy Bible, after
which, he gave out one of Wesley’s hymns. After
reading the hymn, the congregation rose, and all
together, commenced singing the first two lines as the
minister had read them. They then paused ; he read
the other two lines of the first verse and they sung
again. In this manner they proceeded through the
hymn. When the minister kneeled for prayer, the
whole congregation, without exception, kneeled with
him. Accustomed as I was to the mode of wor-
288 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

ship in the States, where even members do not
kneel, I asked myself if all these persons were pro-
fessors of religion, not at the time thinking that this
was the mode in which they were formerly instructed,
and that they had not departed from it.

After the sermon, came the class-meeting. Here
my eye fell upon a man, who, by his resemblance, I
called a son of old father Lewis, one of the old stand-
bys in days past and gone.

After class-meeting was over, I introduced myself
to the minister, and enquired who that person might
be. He told me I was right in my conjecture, and
immediately introduced him to me. I enquired after
his father, and others of the old settlers. He told me
they were all slumbering in the tomb; that he lived
upon the old homestead, and invited me, with the
preacher in charge, to dine with him.

The same Sabbath I attended service in one of the
most splendid Wesleyan churches in Hamilton, where,
as I was informed, was stationed the most talented
minister in all the Canadas. As I entered the porch,
the sexton, perceiving me to be a stranger, offered me
a seat just in front of the pulpit. The house was
large and spacious, well fitted up, with a large organ
just back of the pulpit, and a vestry opening near
the pulpit stairs. The house was soon completely
REV. ALVIN TORRY. . 289

filled with seemingly devout worshipers, for not a
whisper did I hear, or a smile did I see, upon the face
of anyone. The minister, a large, portly looking man,
read a portion of Scripture in a deep, full and sonorous
tone of voice, then his hymn, which he lined, as did
the minister I had listened to in the morning, and all
the congregation joined with the organ in making
melody in the house of God.

During the prayer, all kneeled except a few Presby-
terians or Baptists, who stood upon their feet, as is
the custom in their own churches. The minister gave
us a good ‘sermon, though not as great as I had ex-
pected, from the reputation he seemed to have among
the people.

Hamilton is a city of more than 21,000 inhabitants,
with many churches, flourishing schools, and enter-
prising and industrious business men, who, by their
trade and influence, are continually advancing its in-
terests, and beautifying its surroundings. When I
left the Canadas, thirty-two years ago, the greater part
of the ground where this city now stands was covered
with heavy oak timber, with only a few houses to be
seen, and those scattered here and there, according to
the fancy of the settlers.

From Hamilton I journeyed on until I reached
Brantfordville, a large village on the Grand River.
290 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

This village is beautifully situated, containing many
large and spacious buildings, both public and private,
and is rapidly increasing in wealth and population.
Forty-two years ago, this village consisted only of a
few shanties, and a tavern or “liquor-hole,” on each
side of the river. It was a great resort for drunken
whites and Indians, and so notorious had the place
become when I came into the country, that the two
taverns bore the names of “Sodom and Gomorrah.”

At that time there was a certain white man who
was in the habit of drinking to excess occasionally.
These drunken frolics were periodical, and at such
times it was almost impossible for him to pass either
Sodom or Gomorrah without getting pretty well
“corned.” Some of his friends speaking to him on
the subject, he said he could form a resolution to pass
both places and not touch a drop of liquor, and he
could keep it. Accordingly he started out, and true
to his word he passed both Sodom and Gomorrah with-
out stopping to touch anything. But after he was
quite past them, he became so elated with his success
in resisting temptation, that he determined to go back
and “‘treat resolution !’” which he did, and soon was
as much intoxicated as ever. It was only about one
mile and a half from this that we built our first mis-
sion house for the Indians. Now the village contains
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 291

several splendid churches, all of which are well filled
every Sabbath.

One mile from Brantfordville is the elegant and
spacious mansion of the late Rev. Peter Jones, built
by him after he superannuated. Here he lived until
his Lord called him to join the ransomed host above,
and occupy the mansion prepared for him at the right
hand of the Father. J found her who had been his
companion in labor and suffering, living here with four
fine sons, the eldest nineteen, and the youngest eight
years of age. She is now the wife of our much
esteemed brother, John Carey, who was one of the
first to help on the work of christianizing the Indians.

When I first called upon Br. Carey and his wife,
they were both absent from home ; I therefore drove
on, and on my return, a day or two after, as I drove
up to the gate, I espied Br. John walking through the
beautiful grounds that surround their mansion. As
soon as he saw me, he started across the garden upon
a run, and without waiting to pass around to the gate
which opened upon the road, he placed his hands upon
the high picket fence which surrounds the grounds,
and with one bound was at my side. Grasping me in
his arms he exclaimed, “Why, Alvin Torry !”

 

*This will not appear strange, neither will the elegant paper which
follows, when it is remembered that Mr. Jones, on his visit to Eng-
land in 1830, married an English lady.—Eb.
292 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

I found this old friend in excellent health and
spirits, with a fine property which he had amassed at
Muncey town, living in ease and elegance, and spend-
ing the evening of his days in peace and prosperity.
The time I spent here was busily employed in narrating
to each other the eventful portions of our lives since
our separation, in calling up old times and the many
changes that have taken place within the past forty
years. Sister Carey kindly gave me access to the
papers of her late husband, Rev. Peter Jones, and I
listened with great interest to the account of his last
hours and death, for he seemed very near and dear to
me, and everything pertaining to him was of interest
tome. The beautiful and touching account of the
closing scenes of his life and his character, from the
gifted pen of sister Carey, I subjoin here, as being
more appropriate than anything I might say :

“Turspay, May 20th, 1856.—My dear husband, ac-
companied by myself and Dr. Griffin, left home for
Toronto, not without much previous prayer and consulta-
tion whether it was advisable to venture such a journey,
with one whose strength was so greatly prostrated. We
reached the hospitable dwelling of our old and tried
friend, Br. Ryerson, about 5 p. M., where we had been
invited, and as usual received a kind welcome, with sub-
dued feelings of mingled pain and pleasure.

“WEDNESDAY, 21st.—Dr. Bovell came early with Dr. G,
and after careful examination, confirmed all Drs. M. and
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 293

G., of St. Catharines, had said; but also discovered a
disease of long standing, in the region of the heart. The
Dr. informed me after we left the room, that disease had
made great progress, and that his continuance here any
length of time, was very uncertain; he said my dear
husband was falling a sacrifice to his former exertions for
others.

“FRripay, 23d.—My dear husband is evidently worse and
not able to rise at all to-day. The Revs, E. Wood and
Gemley, and sister Taylor called, prayed most fervently,
and conversed most sweetly about the things of God, and
his wise and loving dealings with his own children. He
responded to all, saying: ‘Allis well, I feel resigned to
the will of my heavenly Father who will do all that is
right and best.’

“THurspDay, 29th.—The Rev. James Richar dson kindly
called.

“Monpay, JUNE Ist.—Little better; sickness somewhat
abated. Dr. Hannah, Revs. Jobson and Gemley came to
dinner, after which, at my dear husband’s request, Dr.
Hannah administered the Lord’s Supper. It was a very
solemn time, when feelings, such as words cannot express,
filled our hearts. We knew that he would never again
drink of the fruit of the vine, till he drank it in his
Father’s house above.

“Wrpnespay, 3d.—This morning, Dr. Bovell brought
Dr. Hodder with him. Sister Taylor came and sweetly
prayed and talked with him. He told her he found it
difficult to collect his thoughts, or keep his mind for any
length of time upon one subject. ‘Oh, yes, Br. Jones,’
she replied, ‘but a look of faith, a desire is enough;
Jesus knows all your wants, and will supply them, without
294 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

words to tell him. When you wish water, or anything
else, without speaking, sister Jones knows by your look
or sign, what is needed, and is ready to supply your
wants ; how much more the Savior, who is touched with
pity, and sympathizes in all your sufferings

“Turspay, 10th—Very, very low, apparently worse
than any day before. My soul so cast down, groans and
tears were my only relief. '

“WerpNESDAY, 11th—What alternations of hope and
fear ; this morning favorable symptoms appeared.

“Tuurspay, 12th.—Dr. Ryerson returned from Confer-
ence. He prayed with him, and told him the Conference
news, to which he listened with deep interest, making
special enquiries about the Indian Missions, and appoint-
ments to them.

“SarurDAY, 15th.—He was quite cheered with the
thought of seeing his dear children, and happy home
again.

“Monpay, 17th.—Dr. Ryerson kindly aided me in prep-
arations for our homeward journey. The Dr. then went
to the railroad office and made arrangements for his
comfort as far as possible, to Paris.

“TuESDAY, 12th—In the evening Dr. Ryerson prayed
for the last time by the dying bed of his dear friend and
brother. Seeing me much affected, he took my hand,
and with a heavenly smile on his countenance, said, ‘We
have lived most happily together for many years, and it
is hard to part; do not weep, dear; Christ will take
care of you and the dear children ; he will give you grace,
supporting, strengthening grace ; in a little time we shall
meet again, and spend eternity together with Jesus,’

“Werpnispay, 18th—In extreme weakness he awoke
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 295

this morning. After a day of travel, and of great fatigue
and excitement, he felt almost overwhelmed with grati-
tude, as he laid down again on his own couch alive, and
he said several times, ‘Bless the Lord! bless the Lord!
What shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits
towards us?’

“Tuurspay, 19th—My dear husband very low this
morning. Many called to see him. To his friend, Rev.
H. Biggar, he said, ‘I am resting on the atonement.’

“SaTuRDAyY, 21st.—My husband passed a very restless
night. The Rev. J. Ryerson and wife came, and during
prayer he felt very happy. He presented sister Lincoln,
who, with her excellent husband, came to see him, with
a book, as a dying gift, saying, ‘The religion of Jesus is
enough for a dying hour.’

“Sunpay, 22d.—Through mercy my dear husband passed
a quiet night, but in the morning threw up a quantity of
clotted blood. Our kind friend, Mrs. Nelles, spent the
day with us. He gave our servant a book this day, tell-
ing her to serve God faithfully to the end of her life.
Being too illto hear much reading or talking, a little
from the best Book, and some from ‘Thoughts in Afilic-
tion,’ was all he could endure. It was excessively hot,
and he slept much.

“Monpay, 23d.—Spent a very restless night. A great
many friends called to see him, who will remember how
kindly and thankfully he enqnired after the welfare of
their families, and often said, ‘Has so and so been to see
me? tell them I wish to shake hands with them before I
go home.’ He gave books to several as dying gifts, and
when able, signed his name, dictating a few words to be
written. A number of Indians from the New Credit
296 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

came to-day. It was affecting to witness their deep sor-
row as they gazed on the emaciated form of their long-
tried, faithful friend. He said to Br. Carey, ‘Tell the
Indians at Muncey, if I had my life to live over again, I
would wish to live as I have in the service of God,

“Turspay, 24th.—The dear afflicted Indians met seve-
ral times during the day for singing and prayer. He ex-
horted them all to meet him ina better world. They
‘all wept sore, fell on his neck and kissed him, sorrowing
most of all for the words which he spake, that they
should see his face no more.’

“WEDNESDAY, 25th——The Rev. C. Byrne and wife
came; neither saw any hope of his recovery. Br. Byrne
prayed most fervently. As our dear Charles had not.
arrived after two telegraphic messages, Mr. Strobridge
kindly sent his son to Simcoe to fetch him. Our good
friend, Mr. Nelles, was in daily attendance, and adminis-
tered much consolation.

“THurspay, 26th.—Many called to take a farewell to-
day. To one taking both hands in his, he said, ‘I am
going home, going to my Father’s house above; all is
well’? After taking a little ice jelly, it was too evident
that the silken cords which had bound him to earth, were
soon to be loosened; and as his family were now all
together, they were summoned aroundhis dying bed, that
they might, for the last time, receive his blessing, and
listen to the faint, yet touching relation to prepare to
meet their God. His beaming look, his expressive smile
as he commended each separately, with patriarchal dig-
nity, to the care of his covenant-keeping God, can never
be forgotten. Placing his hand on the head of dear
Charles, giving him one of his Bibles and his dressing
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 297

case, he said, “Be a good, obedient, loving son to your
mother, and as much as possible fill my place.” He then
exhorted him to give his heart to God. He then
put his hand on dear Frederick’s head, giving him another
of his Bibles, telling him he hoped that blessed book would
be his guide to heaven; that he would read it, and meet
him in a better world; he also gave him his gun, saying,
‘God bless you, son; be a good son to your mother, and
loving to your brothers. Then to Peter Edmund he
said, also placing his hand on his head, ‘God bless the
lad; take this watch which I have used so many years,
and keep it for your dying father’s sake ; give your heart
to God, and we shall meet again. Take this Testament,
read it, and may it guide you through life to glory’
Then, to dear George Dunlot, who sobbed aloud, and
clung to him, he said, ‘Be a good boy, love God, obey
your mother, love your brothers; here is my hymn-book ;
I have used it a long time; keep it, and use it for my
sake; liere are two volumes for you to keep in remem-
brance of me.’ He then put his hand on his head, and
said, ‘God bless you, my sweet child” He then took
my hand, and kissing me said, ‘I commend these dear
boys to the care of their Heavenly Father and you.
Train them up for heaven. God bless you, dear. I pray
we may be an unbroken family above.’ Shortly after
this, turning to his kind and constant friend, Rev. A.
Nelles, he put in his hands three volumes of Chalmer’s
Works, saying, ‘I give you these as a parting memorial
of your dying friend. I thank you for all your kindness ;
I hope we shall meet above.’ After this, he slept for a
lung time. The Rev. Mr. Alexander came in the eve-
ning; he responded during his prayer, saying, ‘Amen,
298 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

amen.’ When Mr. Burwell asked him how he felt, he
replied, ‘Sinking, sinking ;? I said, ‘Yes, dear, into the
arms of Jesus.’ He replied, ‘O, yes.” He gave his sister,
Mrs. Brant, three books, saying, ‘I give you these as
tokens of remembrance of the brother who was convert-
ed at the same time you were. May God bless you and
your family, and may we all meet again in a better world !?
From this time his eye-sight failed, so that he could scarce-
ly see at all, but he heard distinctly, and always seemed
conscious. If I was out of the room for a few moments,
friends would come and say, Mr. Jones is asking for
you. Dear creature, he seemed to want me by his side
all the time.

“Fripay, 27th.—My dear husband slept most of the
night. In the morning he asked to see Abraham, our
hired man, and taking his hand, said, ‘I shall soon be
gone, and want you to be faithful in taking care of every-
thing, just as if I were here; try and love and serve God;
there is nothing like a preparation for death; God bless
you and your partner; look well after the interests of my
family. God bless Abraham. Rev. W. Sutton and
many other friends called. To all he addressed a few
parting words. To the doctor, who had attended him
faithfully and skillfully, he said, taking his hand, ‘I thank
you for all your kind attention; you have done all you
could, but it is the will of God to take me home. I hope
you will give God all your heart, and meet me in a bet-
ter world. Hearing him say, ‘Blessed Redeemer,’ I
said, ‘you can say, “I know that my Redeemer liveth.” ’
He said, “I can say that all the time.” This afternoon
the Rev. J. B. Howard and his wife came. They only
returned home to-day from a long visit, or would have
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 299.

been often by his side. They sang sweetly (which he
seemed fully to enjoy) the beautiful hymn:

“We speak of the realms of the blest.’

“Sunpay, 28th.—My precious one was too low to speak
or see, but he showed consciousness by just saying, ‘Yes,
when spoken to, and evidently knew his friends by their
voices. It was on the morning of this day, that he took
hold of my hand with a most affectionate and indescriba-
ble look, and said, ‘I have something, dear, I wish to
say to you, and I may as well mention it now: You
must try not to be alarmed, or too much grieved, when
you see me die; perhaps I may have to struggle with the
last enemy.’ Dear creature! what an example of kind
consideration, even in death. I said to him, ‘How canI
do without you, love?’ He teplied, ‘Jesus will take
care of you.” As this never-to-be-forgotten night drew
on, the actual approach of death was too evident. The
friends who watched with me till midnight, were Mrs.
Brett, Mrs. Johns, daughter of old Capt. Brant, Mr.
and Mrs. Beamer, Mr. C. Welles and Mr. G. Johnson,
Mohawk. About 10 p.m., he said, and these were his
last words, ‘God bless you, dear.’ After this, I said,
‘If you have given the last token of love, and spoken
the last word, do, dear, show you are conscious, by pres-
sing my hand, and assuring me that you die in the full
prospect of a blessed immortality.’ He did so, feebly,
but with all the remaining strength he had, twice. From
this time he laid perfectly quiet ; whether conscious or
not, we could not discover. About half past one there
was a decided change; I saw the long dreaded event
was near. I desired the dear boys and his mother and
sister might be called. We were all soon around his dy-
3006 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

ing bed. Every breath was watched, as nearer and yet
nearer the last enemy approached, and an union was to
be dissolved from which had been derived so much hap-
piness. It seemed to me that the flesh and the spirit had
along and a hard struggle. Oh, the agony of that hour!
Ob, such a scene! bleeding hearts that have witnessed
can understand, Dut no words can describe. Fainter and
yet fainter still, the last quiver of the lip told all was
over; the warfare was accomplished, and the spirit had
taken its everlasting flight. As I tried to trace its pro-
gress, methought I heard shouts of victory resound
through the vaults of the New Jerusalem, as the re-
deemed Indian bands hailed with a fresh song of triumph
the benefactor of their race, the friend of suffering hu-
manity, and the adorable Savior who had prepared for
him aseat in glory, purchased with his own precious
blood, bid him welcome, with the plaudit, ‘Well done,
good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy
Lord.’
CHARACTER.

“As a husband, he literally obeyed the command of
the great apostle, contained in the fifth chapter of Ephe-
sians, from the twenty-fifth verse. In him I found com-
bined everything that was amiable, tender, confiding,
faithful and judicious. I think it is Newton says, ‘A
friend is worth all hazards we can run.’ I knew this
when I united my destiny with his, notwithstanding the
fearful forebodings, and the cruel things that were writ-
ten and said. I knew that he was a man of God, a man
of faith and prayer, a friend in whom I could trust, and
I looked with pity on those who, from ignorance and
prejudice, viewed the alliance with contempt, deeming
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 301

them not worthy to tread in the shadow of my honored
husband. Never, from the day of the happy espousals,
had I cause to lament that our destinies were united
Would that all who marry white men possessed in them
the same lovely christian graces that rendered my home
with my noble Indian such an abode of peace and love.
But he is gone! gone to his reward; and he who ‘turned
many to righteousness, now shines as the stars forever
and ever.’ Daily I need the present promise, ‘My grace
is sufficient for thee; my strength is made perfect in
weakness.’

“As a father, he ruled by love; perhaps too much like
Eli, a little firmer rein might have been occasionally for
the advantage of his sons; but in him his boys found a
friend ever ready to give them advice, a father who
joined in their amusements, instructing and helping them
in every way that would promote their happiness or im-
provement. His children both loved and feared him, for
lenient as he was, I never knew him pass over sin with-
out severely punishing the guilty one. With filial confi-
dence his boys trusted to his judgment, and reposed in
his tender love. For hours have I seen them listen with
delighted attention to the fund of anecdotes he had
treasured up in his memory, particularly Indian stories.
The loss of such a father is irreparable. May his mantle
fall on each of them, and may ‘God bless the lads!’

“Ay a master, he was mild and persuasive. Often have
I marvelled at the patient forbearance he has displayed
when greatly provoked to anger; but religion had
wrought that change in his heart which enabled him to
‘endure all things. He was ‘slow to anger; he knew
how to ‘rule his spirit,’ and many times has his ‘soft
302 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

answer turned away wrath.” Those who served him
faithfully, always found in him a friend and kind adviser ;
but when he met with imposition or ingratitude, he faith-
fully warned, and if that failed to produce the desired
elfect, they parted.

“As the priest of his family, he always made it a rule
to be short in reading and prayer, so as never to weary
the children or servants. His prayers were very simple
and devotional, offered up in strong faith. He often
mentioned individuals by name, as their circumstances
required particular notice. The poor and the needy, the
sick and the dying, the widow and the fatherless, were
seldom omitted in his supplications at the throne of the
heavenly grace; and I have often thought, since his de-
parture from our midst, how much of our present com-
fort we owe, through Jesus Christ, to his intercessions at
the mercy seat. I believe no sincere prayer is ever un-
answered, although it may not be in accordance with our
short-sighted desires, consequently how many needful
blessings may his widow and fatherless boys expect to
descend on them.

““As a friend he was firm in his attachments; he was a
man whose friendship and society needed to be sought ;
he never courted the favor of any, and I often told him
he lost the intimacy of many who would have proved
valuable friends, by his backwardness to intrude unsolic-
ited into any society. His amiable and gentle manners
rendered him a favorite with all who knew how to appre-
ciate real worth. He was faithful in giving advice and
reproof, but it was always done in so mild a manner, it
was impossible to take offence. His Indian brethren can
bear testimony that ‘faithful were the wounds’ of their
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 303

friend, Peter Jones. He never saw sin in them without
pointing out the evils resulting from it, and ever encour-
aged industry and virtuous deeds. They all looked up
to him with respect, and consulted him as their dest
Friend. May the Lord raise up another to fill his place!

“His course of reading and study was desultory. His
was 4 mind that gained more from the study of men and
things, than from books, although, whenever he got in-

- terested in a work, it was difficult to divert his attention
from it. As his early education had not encouraged appli-
cation or deep study, neither had formed a taste for men-
tal culture, it could not be expected that in his later years,
with the cares of a family, very poor health, and a vast
amount of business to transact for his tribe, that he should
be able to devote much time toreading. He never took
much interest in biography, and when J expressed my sur-
prise, he would say, ‘Persons are extolled too much. Bible
biography is honest? And I am certain nothing would
have grieved him more than that his character should be
set forth to the world as blameless. He was well in-
formed on all the great events of the day.

“As a correspondent, he was punctual and explicit, his
style varying according to the subject and parties he
addressed. He could be solemn, touching and comforting,
or humorous and loving. _He never wrote (except purely
on business matters,) without saying something of the

¢ Savior. I believe those friends who have his letters, will
keep them for his sake.

“In preparing his sermons, the Bible and prayer, with
the teachings of the Holy Spirit, were his principal aids.
Having several Commentaries, he made use of them when
he needed light thrown on any difficult passage. His
304 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

notes were rather concise, depending more on the teach-
ings of the Holy Spirit than any preparations for the pul-
pit. He often said he could never preach, however much
time he took to prepare a sermon, unless the Lord helped
him. In summing up my dear husband’s character, I
should say his actions, words and looks were governed
by a principle of uniform consistency, humility and mod-
eration. Amidst popular applause, to which in the old
country he was no stranger, he kept on his steady course,
and never seemed the least inflated, even by the notice
of monarchs, and the great and noble of the earth. He
was remarkable for integrity in all his dealings with his
fellow creatures, never taking advantage of ignorance.
This was one excellence that raised him so in the estima-
tion of the Indians; they placed implicit confidence in all
he said, and trusted the management of their temporal
affairs in his hands. Not only was he chief over the tribe
to which he belonged, but the Muncey town and Mora-
vian Indians made him chief in their tribes, and urged
‘him to do their business for them. In one instance, he
paid, I think, £200, which no law could have obliged him
to do, but a sense of honor made him spurn the tempta-
tion to take advantage on that account. I think the cir-
cumstance of his rising so superior to the generality of
his countrymen should be noticed. Although he was ev-
idently chosen by God to do a great work, and prepared ,
by his Spirit for the accomplishment of the same; still °
the remarkable way by which he was guided through the
wilderness, his preservation from the temptations so fatal
to youth, and especially Indians; his never having the
least. desire for the accursed fire-water; the marked
blessing that rested on all his lawful temporal under-
RLV, ALVIN TORRY. 305

takings, so that he rose by industry, honesty and piety, to
a respectable and honorable station in society ; these and
many other circumstances demand remark, not only to
his own credit, but for the glory of that God who made
him by his grace what he was.

“Eiza JONES.”
“Brantford, C. W.”

This account of the death of my old friend and
fellow-laborer affected me deeply, and as J read over
the labors of his life, Ido not wonder at the respect
with which he was viewed by every one who knew
him.

“Br. and sister Carey now drove with me to the
New Credit Mission, where we found many of the
Indians still living, who were the first fruits of the
Grand River Mission. I found Peter Jones’ mother
yet alive, although in very feeble health. [I have
since received intelligence of her death ; she died in
the Lord] I prayed with them, and the tears
streamed down their eyes as they thought of the time
when they first listened to the prayers of the Mission-
ary. These Indians have a Reservation of twelve
miles square, divided into farms which compare favor-
ably with any I had seen among the whites ; good
houses, good fences and barns, everything in as good
order as their white brethren. I was told that one

Indian during the past summer had raised from a
306 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

farm worked by himself, over one thousand bushels of
grain. They have a good church and parsonage, and
are under the entire control of the Wesleyans, who
appoint their minister from year to year.

After taking leave of these good people, I went on
and called upon Br. Wm. Ryerson, who lives on the
spot where, thirty-two years before, I worshiped with
the Indians for the last time. The Indians here have
sold out to the whites, and now all through this part
of the country appear fine farms and splendid houses,
giving token of the thrift and energy of Canadian
farmers, Br. William has purchased him a small
farm, and being in comfortable circumstances he pur-
poses spending the evening of his days in this quiet
spot. He has been one of the most popular and
successful preachers in the Wesleyan Canadian Con-
ference, but now holds a superannuated relation. He
was raised, converted, and commenced his itinerant
life upon the first circuit I travelled in Upper Canada.
May his last days be peace. .

How changed the face of the country. Every-
where I go nothing seems natural. Where once was
nothing but woods and foot-paths through the forests,
now are seen handsome farms, good roads, large villa-
ges, flourishing manufactories, and everything denoting
the presence of man.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 307

At Muncey town, where, thirty-seven years ago the
forest hid the wigwams of the savage— where the deer
bounded along in perfect liberty—where naught was
seen but the form of the Indian —as he followed the
chase through the windings of the forest, or strolled
along the banks of the river in pursuit of fish —where
the only music heard was the death chant of some
unfortunate prisoner, or the unearthly yell of the war
dance, as those fierce, untutored sons of the forests
circled round the warpole, or listened to the magic
incantations of some celebrated pow-wow as he deliv-
ered to them the will of the Great Spirit—where I
had stood alone as the representative of Christianity
and civilization, facing the flashing eyes and frowning
countenances of that hostile band of warriors who
thirsted for my blood because I wished to turn them
from their old customs and their idolatry— where,
as I held up to their sight the Book of books, and told
them that it contained the will of the Great Spirit to
them, their flashing eyes grew dim, their countenances
changed to smiles and looks of friendship, and their pur-
pose, once so strong in the faith of their forefathers,
now changed to seek and know the will of the Great
Spirit as revealed to them through the Bible,— there at
that place is the beautiful and flourishing model farm
of the Mount Elgin Industrial High School for the
308 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

benefit of those Indians who wish to advance still
more in the knowledge of civilization and the arts,
and instead of a waste and howling wilderness, well
well cultivated farms, with all the improvements of
modern husbandry, are spread out to the view, present-
ing a change as strange and wondrous as that wrought
by the magician’s art. But that the reader may be
able to comprehend the extent of the change produced
in that country, I will insert an extract from the
Jubilee Sermon of Rev. Wm. Case, which although
lengthy, will give as concise an account of the state
of affairs as any that can be offered, and for Scriptural
doctrine und choice Methodistic reminiscences, it is
unsurpassed by any production of the kind. The
sermon was delivered before, and at the request of the
Wesleyan Canada Conference, assembled at London,
Canada West, June 6th, 1855 :

“In the visit of those brethren, Torry and Jones, are
some of the most interesting communications with the
Indians that I have known. The prejudices of the chiefs
were strong and determined, arising out of the abuses
and injuries their people had received from the white
man, who had ‘ruined them by whisky, and dispossessed
them of their lands ;? and they dwelt much and strongly
on the cold-blooded massacre of the Moravian Indians, at
Muskingum. The controversy continued for hours, and
with such discretion on the part of our missionaries, that
when the council closed, it was found that much of the
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 309

prejudice of the opposing chiefs was subdued, and they
ceased to object, by saying, ‘we will think more upon
the subject. At this interview, and others that followed,
the foundation was laid for the conversion of the three
tribes.

“The accounts which are given of these councils need
only to be read to be admired, for the wisdom, patience
and discretion of Torry and Jones, in answering objec-
tions, and urging the claims of the Gospel. I will notice
one, as a specimen of the wisdom in which the whole
controversy was conducted :

“On our saying that the Great Good Spirit had sent
us to tell them the good and right way, they replied that
the Great Spirit had sent them prophets who told them
they must live as their fathers had done, and keep up
their ancient customs. We then said, ‘But the Good
Spirit has given us the good Book; that this book in-
formed us that the good Spirit made all men; told us to
love and do each other good; the same good Book told
us the right way to worship, and informed us of the
Savior of sinners. Now the Great Spirit has not given
you any such book, but he has given it to us and told us
to hand it to our red brothers. If you obey this good
Book, it will make you wise and happy, and direct you
most safely to a happier life to come. Now, brothers, we
come to hand you this good Book, and to teach your
children to read it, that they may be wise and good’
This discourse seemed to have effect. They paused and
seemed thoughtful, and at last said that they would not
oppose those who wished to hear the word, and to send
their children to the school.

“On our next visit, we found our affairs more prosper-
310 AUTOBLOGRAPHY OF

ous; the school had become popular with the Indians.
There were eighteen children, and a prospect of more.
With the like discretion were the objections of the chiefs
answered and explained in regard to the murders at
Muskingum, and the use of ardent spirits. They did not,
however, attempt to justify the wrongs they had suffer-
ed. Some stern, some truthful pen may record them.

“Tt was previous to the good work on the Grand River,
that the people of God became unusually fervent in pray-
ing for the Indians, several of whom offered pecuniary
assistance for the support of a missionary among them.
In like manner, when the Christians of Bay of Quinte
heard of the conversion of the Indians in the west, (for
we spoke of it at all the quarterly meetings) a like fer-
vent spirit was manifest for the conversion of the Indians
of Bay of Quinte and Kingston.

“Tn the meantime, Peter Jones and others, from the
Credit Mission, accompanied me to Bellville, where the
gospel was preached to the Ojibwas of that vicinity,
and where similar changes were wrought by the power of

God. The conversions commenced in the spring of 1826.
From a state of drunkenness, poverty and degradation,
not to be described, these Indians, too, became a sober,
praying people, and immediately entered upon a settled,
industrious course of life.

“The journal of the Grape Island Mission contains not
a few remarkable events of providence dnd grace; as
those of the divine care and guidance, powerful conver-
sions, fervency of devotion, piety of the children, patience
in sufferings, triumphant deaths, the faithful labors of
missionaries and teachers, the influence of the mission on
the white inhabitants, both in the vicinity and elsewhere ;
REV. ALVIN TORRY. ~ 3il

the schools, as the day, the Sabbath, the infant and
industrial schools. It is also to be noticed that a numher
of the converts have been useful in extending the truths
of religion to other tribes. The names of Sunday,
Beaver, Moses, Paul, Frasier, Chechang, Crawford, Stein-
ham, Salt, Blaker, are on the list of laborers; several of
whom have carried religious instruction to the tribes of
Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, and Hud-
son’s Bay, to the extent of two thousand miles in the
north. Many of these events we have on record, others
are remembered by the missionaries and teachers, and
may yet be given to the public. This people remained
on Grape Island, near Bellville, eleven years, where they
were employed in gardening, farming, house-building,
and some of the trades, as that of smithing, shoe-making,
&e.

“The Indians of the Grape Island Mission having been
fitted for a more enlarged sphere of labor in civilized
life, they were, in the spring of 1837, removed to the
township of Alnwick, near Rice Lake, on lands assigned
them by Sir John Colborne. Here they are provided
with comfortable dwelling houses, barns, cattle, farming-
tools, saw-mill, &c.; chapel, school-house, missionary and
school teacher. The buildings, cattle and mill were paid
for out of the Indians’ annuitant funds. The cost of the
chapel, in part, the parsonage, and the missionaries and
teachers have been at the expense of the society. Before
their conversion, they were in habits of great irregularity.
In scenes of drunkenness and revelry, they would, ina
few weeks, waste their annuities, return to their hunting
grounds in the wilderness, too bare of clothing to endure
the severities of winter. Since their conversion, thelr
312 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

annuities and presents from the Government have made
them comfortable for clothing and bedding throughout
the year.

“These Indians now, (1837,) numbered 212, haying in-
creased twelve in the eleven years since their conversion.
In eleven years previous to their conversion, they had
diminished about fifty. Here at Alnwick too, extensive
brick buildings have been erected for the education of the
children of this and neighboring bands, the expenses of
which have been defrayed by a voluntary subscription of
one fourth of their annuities. They have also set apart for
school purposes, two hundred acres of land, as a farm for
improving the scholars in the business of agriculture.
They bear the expense also of clothing and board of fifty
children in the Industrial School, the missionary and
teachers being paid by the Missionary Society.

“Rick Laxe.—The introduction of Christianity among
the Ojibwas, of Rice Lake, is kindly furnished by our
Indian friend, Rev. Peter Jones, as follows :—During the
Methodist Conference, at Hamilton, near Coburg, in Sept.,
1827, several of the converted Indians from Grape Island,
and others of us from River Credit, met at the Confer-
ence by direction of father Case. The Indians pitched
their wigwams in a grove. Here religious services were
held. During this time, chief Sawyer, Big Jacob, and
others, were sent to Rice Lake to invite the Indians to
come down to our encampment. Next morning they
returned, accompanied by Capt. Paudaush and Peter Rice
Lake, the two chiets, and thirty or forty others. After
refreshment, we commenced religious talk. We told
them what great things the Great Spirit had done for us
at the Credit and Grape Island, to which they all paid
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 313

great attention, and seemed much impressed. During
the same day, Bishop Hedding, father Case, Dr. Bangs,
and other ministers, visited and addressed the Indians;
prayer and religious instruction were continued till
towards evening, the Indians becoming more and more
deeply impressed. At length the Spirit of the Lord was
poured out in great power upon the minds of the Indians,
and many cried aloud, ‘What shall I do to be saved ?
That we might have more convenience for giving them
instruction, an altar was formed by placing a pole against
two trees. To this place the mourning penitents were
invited to come and kneel, for instruction and prayer,
and instruction was given them as their several cases
seemed to require.

“Tt was not long when chiefs Rice Lake and Paudaush
arose and expressed their joyful feelings, saying they
had found peace to their souls, and they gave glory to
God for his mercy. Then another and another gave the
same testimony, and ere the meeting closed, every adult
Indian was made happy in the pardoning love of God.
O, what a joyful time! The wilderness resounded with
the voice of joy and gladness! At the Sabbath services
which followed at the Conference, the Indians saw for
the first time, a body of about thirty ministers, heard
the preaching of the Bishop, Dr. Bangs, and others, wit-
nessed the impressive ceremony of ordinations, the sweet
melody of song, by the whole congregation, with all
which they were much impressed, and greatly edified.
On the return of the Rice Lake converts to their home,
Capt. Beaver and others from Grape Island were re-
quested to accompany them, for the purpose of further
instruction and edification in the christian faith.
314 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

“The following occurrence will show the nature of the
temptations the Indians had now to encounter, the device
of the white pagans to ensnare them, and the firm resistance
they showed against their two great enemies, the Drunk-
ard and Rum. One of the disciples of whisky wax
‘sure he could induce the Indians again to drink,’ and
providing himself with ardent spirits, he moved in his
canoe over to the island where the Indians were encamped.
Leaving all at the shore, he went up to the camp, and invi-
ting the Indians down, brought forth his bottle. ‘Come,’
said he, ‘we always good friends; we once more take
a good drink in friendship” ‘No,’ said Capt. Pau-
daush, ‘ we drink no more of the fire-waters” ‘O, but
you will drink with me; we always good friends.” But
while this son of Belial was urging them to drink, the
Indians struck up in the tune of Walsal, the new hymn
they had lately learned to sing—

“Oah pa kish-ke cheen go twauk
Keye e ne she nah baig.” -

“O for a thousand tongues to sing
The great Redeemer’s praise ;”

and while the Indians were singing, Bacchanalian, defeat-
ed in his wicked device, and looking like a fool, paddled
away from the island, leaving the Indians to their tempe-
rance and their religious devotions.

“In the records of this work are incidents of very lively
interest; as their ready reception of the Gospel, their
firm resistance of temptation,—the industry of the women
for the support of the children while at school; as also
the useful labors of Peter Jones, H. Biggar, Miss Barnes,
and others. The results are, improvements in morals,
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 315

temporal comforts,. and religious duties; and besides,
several of this tribe have been usefully employed in ex-
tending the gospel to other bands, both in Canada and
Michigan. ;

“Lake Snicoz.—The following is also from the pen
of Mr. Jones. In 1827, John Lunday and myself, ac-
companied Rev. Egerton Ryerson to Newmarket, where
we found some Ojibway families of Lake Simcoe, among
whom was Chief Perahbick. To these families we spoke
on the subject of Christianity. They listened with atten-
tion, and expressed a willingness to be taught the white
man’s religion. This, I believe, was the first attempt to
introduce the Gospel to the Lake Simcoe Indians”

“During the summer of this year, native exhorters
were sent from Grape Island, who visited them in their
wigwams and sang and prayed withthem. A conviction
for sin was soon apparent, and they began to pray. At
length the whole tribe of six hundred was brought under
religious influence. On one occasion, with the efficient
assistance of Mr. Jones, we held religious services among
these Indians for five days successively, during which
they were instructed in the commandments, the Lord’s
prayer, the apostle’s creed, the office and influence of the
Holy Spirit, as also the nature of the ordinances of bap-
tism and the Lord’s Supper. At the conclusion of the
services we baptized one hundred and twenty-two of the
adult converts! Such a day of power and blessing was
seldom witnessed among the Indians. To a deep and
humbling conviction of their sinfulness, which constrained
them to ery aloud for mercy, was succeeded a joyful
assurance of the Savior’s pardoning love. Their feelings
were expressed by weeping, and by shouts of praise and
316 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

glory to God for his salvation. On some occasions, they
were so overpowered as to be unable to stand, and were
borne away from the services to the wigwam in the arms
of their friends. This was in June, 1828.

“The converts were now united in Society, with native
leaders, each leader having twelve or fifteen in his class,
From this body have been raised up some of sterling
worth, among whom were Thomas Briggs, of about six-
teen, and Henry Steinhaur of about ten years. Of the
former, when the leaders were to be appointed, Thomas
was proposed by the Indians. To this we objected, on
account of his youth, but the Indians urged, saying,
‘Though he is young, he prays and speaks like an old
man,’ This pious and lovely youth of sixteen was then
appointed the leader of about twelve persons, some of
whom were of the age of fifty or more.

“Of the latter, then ten years old, was Henry Stein-
haur, whom, with the consent of his widowed mother,
we took to Grape Island, where, after a few years in the
mission school, he was entered at the Cazenovia Semi-
nary, and instructed in the higher branches, including the
Latin and Greek. - He was afterwards employed for
several years as teacher in the mission schools; then, fin-
ishing his education at Victoria College, was, in the
spring of 1840, appointed with Rev. James Evans, to the
Hudson’s Bay Mission, where he has labored fourteen
years as schoolteacher, preacher of the Gospel, trans-
lator, and in the printing of the Scriptures..

“We would proceed in these details, but the limits of
a single discourse do not permit. We have, however, to
add, that as we have referred with delight to some of the
labors of the Church in fulfillment of her covenant en-
: REV. ALVIN TORRY. 317

gagements, and have seen the ways of the Lord to be
mercy and truth, we would with equal pleasure refer to
the conversion of the natives of Saugany, St. Clair, Fort
Malden, Michigan, Mackinaw, Kewawenoug, Lake Supe-
rior, Gardeu River, and the several stations in the Hud-
son’s Bay territory. In all those bodies of Indians simi-
lar awakenings, conversions and happy changes have been
the result of our ministry.

“Of the Hudson’s Bay Mission you have the deeply in-
teresting tour by our deputation, the Rev. John Ryer-
son, giving account of that country, its trade and com-
merce, the state of missions, both of ours and other
Churches; a work ably written, and which we cordially
recommend to the friends of missions. It has one fault:
it should have contemplated the advance of Christianity
among the numerous Indian tribes of the Thousand Miles
Plains, then over the Rocky Mountains, to Vancouver’s
Island, where, on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, we an-
- ticipate meeting with the missionaries on the Oregon, to
recount in songs of gratitude the toils, and crosses, and
triumphs of the gospel among the pagan tribes of a wil-
derness of three thousand miles.

“Well, then, brethren, we are already on the way.
Two missionaries, the Rev. Messrs. Wolsey and Stein-
haur, will leave this Conference in a few days. They go
by railroad to Galena, thence to St. Pauls, four hundred
miles on the Mississippi, (distant from its mouth two
thousand miles) and near the centre of North America ;
thence by ox-cart to Red River, four hundred miles;
thence to Edmonton, the ‘Rocky Mountain House,’ one
thousand miles west. At this new mission, a British
trading post, our brethren are appointed to labor among
318 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

the pagan Indians of the Rocky Mountains, where they
expect to arrive in the month of November next.

“We may here remark that during the thirty years of
our missionary labors among the wild men of our forests,
fourteen bands of wandering pagans have been converted ;
people degraded in ignorance, and besotted by strong
drink, without either houses or domestic animals. These
have been mstructed in the christian religion, gathered
into villages, provided with dwellings of comfort, and
taught the duties of domestic life. They now possess
oxen, cows, horses, and other domestic animals, with
farming implements. Both day and Sabbath schools have
been in operation in all these villages, from the com-
mencement, where their children have had opportunity
for education.

“We may further remark, that the several bodies are
still under the pastoral care of faithful ministers and
teachers ; that the voice of prayer and praise is heard in
their families and public assemblies ; that native laborers,
among whom are able ministers of the gospel, have been .
educated and trained for the Indian work ; that the work
is still in progress, both north and west, the Divine bles-
sing attending the word for the conversion of souls, and
the edification of the Indian Church. Two noble institu-
tions, too, have been erected, and are now in operation,
the one in Alnwick, near Coburg, the other at Mount EI-
gin, near London, on the River Thames.

“At these institutions the Indian youths are taught the
common branches of an English education, as well as
agriculture, on the farms attached to those institutions. .
At each of those establishments, provision is made for
the board and clothing of fifty Indian youths. If the
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 319.

Indians have not availed themselves of the advantages
of the schools, as they might have done, it is no fault of
the Church. She has provided for their education
efficiently, and she enjoys the pleasure of knowing that
her labor is not in vain in the Lord!

“We have made reference to the conversion of Indians
in Michigan, and the south shore of Lake Superior. On
the subject of missions to the Indian tribes, the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church in the United States, and the Wes-
leyan Methodist Church in Canada, have known no polit-
ical boundaries, each assisting the other with men and
means. The former commenced, and for many years
contributed largely for the support of the ‘Canada mis-
sions. We in return commenced their missions in Mich-
igan, and we are happy still to afford them native labor-
ers in their Indian mission work. We remember with
grateful emotions, the liberal donations and fervent
prayers of christian friends, as well of other Churches as
of the Methodist, in the United States. We are happy
to learn that the early and constant friend of the ‘Canada
missions,’ the Rev. Dr. Bangs, is still living, at an ad-
vanced age, to witness the permanent and increasing
progress of christian missions, both in Canada, the Uni-
ted States, and elsewhere.

“During the same period of thirty years, more than
one hundred townships, newly surveyed and settled, have
been visited and religiously instructed, and Sabbath-
schools established. Our Church has now in the mission
field, twenty-one missionaries to the Indians, seventy-nine
ministers to the domestic missions, sixteen day school-
teachers, fifteen day schools, two of which are large in-
dustrial institutions, 10,624 members; 1,142 of that
320 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

number are Indians. She is still acting on the plan, that
in the new settlements, ‘dwelling-houses and chapels
should rise up together ;? and with the sound of the
falling forest, the voice of salvation should be heard.

“After the Canada Conference was, by mutual consent,
separated from the Conference in the United States, and
an union formed with the British Conference, the missions
were committed to the general oversight of the Wesleyan
Missionary Society in England. In these arrangements,
the religious interests of the Indians and new settlers
continue to be provided for; and such are the grounds
of confidence in the management and success of these
missions, that ample funds are raised in the country, by
voluntary subscriptions, without foreign aid. The col-
lections for the year now closing, are about thirty-six
thousand dollars. Thus far has the Church kept the
‘covenant and statutes of the Lord’

“That other and further duties are included in the divine
covenant, is most evident; but those are permanent. At
the same time it is not to be forgotten that the Church
has been early and constant in the circulation of the Holy
Scriptures. She has also established at Toronto, a Book
Room, and printing office, which has afforded a large
amount of religious reading to the people of Canada,
during the past twenty years. It is still accomplishing
its high mission by the ‘spread of scriptural holiness
throughout the land.’ During the past year, more than
twenty thousand volumes of a sound religious literature,
in addition to four thousand of our valuable weekly peri-
odicals, have been issued from the Book Room. We
have much reason to be pleased with the establishment,
as a means for diffusing religious instruction, second only
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 321

to the preaching of the word, by multiplying and scat-
tering abroad a sanctified literature, a blessing to the
Church and to the land. Her voice, too, has been heard
in high and loud denunciations against the drunkenness
and revelry of the times, against gambling, whether by
cards, or by lotteries, by dice, or other ‘games of chance.’
By gambling few have been gainers! thousands ruined.
The obligations of the holy Sabbath, too, have been
urged, and its violaters warned,

“In conclusion, I suppose it is expected that I say some-
thing of the divine dealings with myself, having arrived
at the advanced age of nearly seventy-five, and been
engaged as a minister of the gospel for fifty years. My
birth was in the town of Swansea, on the seaboard of
Massachusetts, on the 27th of August, 1780. After years
of religious impressions, and a sinful course, I was con-
verted in February, 1803. In June, 1805, I was admitted
as an itinerant preacher in the New York Conference,
then in session at Ashgrove; and having volunteered for
Canada, I was appointed with Henry Ryan, to the Bay
of Quinte circuit. I have much reason to believe that
my appointment to this country was in the order of
Providence, and divinely directed. A field thus distant
was the more suitable, to wean me from a numerous cir-
cle of friends; and a new country was best adapted to
my youth and inexperience. I have every cause to be
satisfied with my choice, and abundant reason to be
grateful to my christian brethren, and the inhabitants of
Canada generally, for their generous and marked hospi-
tality which has everywhere been shown me in every part
of the Province.

“In connection with this subject, I beg to relate an inci-
322 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

dent which occurred in my journey to this country. It
was while travelling through the forests of Black River.
As I was drawing near to the field of my future labor, I
felt more and more deeply impressed with the importance
of my mission, and my insufficiency to preach to a people
already instructed. As yet, but a boy, only about two
years since my conversion; devoid of ministerial talents
as I was of a beard, I feared, on account of my incompe-
tency, that I should not be received in a strange land.
So strong were the emotions of my heart, that I dis-
mounted my horse and sat down, and wept and prayed,
While thus weeping, these words were spoken to me ina
voice that I could not misunderstand, ‘I will go before
thee—will prepare the hearts of the people to receive
thee; and thou shalt have fathers and mothers, and
children in that land.’ This promise I have seen fulfilled
to the letter; and I hereby give glory to God for this
and a hundred promises more, which have by his blessed
word and his Holy Spirit, been impressed on my heart.
It is proper here to say that, of the fifty years of my min-
istry, six of them were spent in the labors of the New
York Conference, from whence I first came; i. e., one
year on the Ulster circuit, and five years on the Cayuga
and Oneida districts. And happy years they were. The
piety and hospitality of the people—the zeal and devotion

of the ministers with whom I was happily associated—the ;
mighty outpourings of the Spirit, and the revivals of re-
ligion which everywhere in the limits prevailed, made the
country a hill of Zion, a real ‘Mount Pleasant. A few
only of those excellent ministers are still living. I have
them in my eye, they live in my heart, and I hope to
meet them .
fn)
bo
Ww:

REV. ALVIN TORRY.

“ Where all our toils are o’er,
Our suffering and our pain ;
Who meet on that eternal shore,

Shall never part again.’ ”

“The ways of the Lord I have seen to be ‘mercy and
truth,’ in numerous instances of exposure and danger.
Five times have I been laid low with fevers, bilious and
typhus ; and although with no home of my own, I was
provided for among strangers, who watched at my bed-
side for weeks together, nursing me with christian solici-
tude, and faithfully administering to my recovery. The
Lord reward them in that day! Sometimes in those af-
flictions, but more afterwards, I found they ‘yielded the
peaceable fruits of righteousness,’ and then how sweetly
could I sing,

“<Oft from the margin of the grave,
Thou, Lord, hast lifted up my head,
Sudden I found thee near to save,
The fever owned thy touch, and fled.’

“In my labors it has been my lot to be much on the
waters, both in summer and in winter. While travelling
the Catskill mountains, on the Ulster circuit, in 1807, my
route took me across about twenty streams, which, in
heavy rains, swelled to the overflowing of the banks ;
but I suffered no injury, and never missed my appoint-
ments. I was, indeed, once in that year overwhelmed
with my horse in the Delaware river, but I escaped in
safety, my horse reaching one shore and I the other.
Once was I shipwrecked on Lake Ontario. Five times
have I been through the ice with my horse, on the bays,
rivers and lakes of Canada. Through all these dangers,
the Lord in his providence delivered me; and then 1
have sung with delight :
324 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

“ ‘Oft hath the sea confessed thy power,
And given me back at thy command ,

It could not, Lord, my life devour,—
Safe in the hollow of thy hand.’

“The christian minister, in any perplexity, has abun-
dant sources for relief, as that of the Church, his expe-
rience, the Bible, and his God. If the first fail him, he
is sure of relief from the last. ‘In all thy ways acknowl-
edge God, and he shall direct thy paths’—Prov. iii. 6.
For the encouragement of my young brethren, allow me
to make allusion to a few cases out of many, very many
more.

“In 1806, I lost my health by hard toils in the swamps
of Canada, and for three months my strength was wasting
away by fever and ague. I now thought I should receive
an appointment suited to my feeble state; but contrary
to my expectations, my appointment was to the moun-
tains of the Ulster circuit. I felt it as a disappointment,
and thought I could never ascend those lofty summits,
nor endure the toils of a circuit of three hundred and
thirty miles around. But, submitting all to God, I went
forward, and I have reason to believe it was the very
circuit the best suited to my febrile state, for such was the
purity of the water and the salubrity of the atmosphere,
that I immediately began to recover. My health was
again established, so that at the next Conference I again
offered myself for Canada.

“ Acain, as I sat at the foot of the mountain, feeble in
strength, unable as I thought, to perform the labors of
that circuit, I opened my Bible to read, when, without
forethought, my eyes fell upon Isaiah xli. 14,15. And
so it came to pass: I regained my strength, the moun-
tains were easily overcome—myself and colleague, Rob-
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 325

ert Hibbard, were greatly aided by the Spirit ; we could
‘thresh the mountains’—revivals in religion prevailed,
and one hundred were that year added to the societies.
(See the Minutes.)

“Again, in 1808, on my arrival at Black Rock, the
embargo prohibited the transport of property across the
line. At first I was perplexed, and knew not what to do,
so I went to the hay-loft and fell on my face in prayer.
I asked the Lord, as I was engaged in his work, to open
my way to fulfill my mission in Canada. Having com-
mitted all to God, I returned to my lodgings at the inn,
when a stranger smilingly said, ‘I should not wonder if
the missionary should jump into the boat, take his horse
by the bridle, and swim round the embargo.’ I did so,
swam the Niagara river, and landed safely in Canada.

“Having seen so many years, I can scarely expect to
continue much longer, though yet, as you perceive, my
voice is strong and clear, and I am full of life and
spirit; and yet, my mind recoils at care. Sensible
of this infirmity, I still desire to be free from a burden
which has pressed so heavily in the numerous and weighty
charges of the past fifty years. Not only a voice, but a
heart to feel! I love the assemblies of the saints, and
the fireside where conversation is free with children’s
children, on the piety of those who have passed away —
their acts of faith and their triumphs in death—as well
as of the glorious work of God in by-gone days! These
visits to the scenes of my former labors, have been sea-
sons of great delight, and I hope if I live, to enjoy them
still in days to come.

“To my brethren in the ministry, [am happy to say
that there appears at present little to interrupt the peace
326 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

ful prosecution of the work. Free from agitations which
occasion pain, but produce no good—the work of revi-
vals in happy progress—in friendly alliance with other
Protestant branches of the christian Church,— with them
engaged in the cause of the Bible, of education, and of
christian benevolence, we proceed in the joyful work of
offering salvation to the lost, and of feeding the flock of
God which he has purchased with his own blood.

“We cannot, however, forbear to remind you of the
prevailing sin of the age,—the love of gain. As yet,
most of you have disregarded the rise of property, and
the wealth of cities. Your temporal interests have been
forgotten in the care and welfare of your flocks. This is
right; and the promise of the Savior, in Matthew, vi.
33, is being fulfilled by the Church in the increasing com-
forts for yourselves, and supplies for your families.

“We are reminded, too, of the onerous duties devolv-
ing on the worthy President of the Conference, to whom
is committed the general oversight of the Church; and
to afford him that support which his arduous labors re-
quire. Connected with his extensive charge, is the over-
sight of the numerous missions, both domestic and In-
dian, which, extending daily as they do, must induce in-
creasing solicitude and labor! Although laborious, their

. success and prosperity renders the duty a delightful one.
It calls, too, for grateful acknowledgments to the Parent
Society in England, from whom both valuable men and
generous means have been willingly afforded, to main-

_ tain and extend the influence of our agency among the

Aborigines.

“During various periods of our history, they have not
hesitated to give assistance to our domestic missions,
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 327

from a consciousness that they were yielding to the just
claims of the necessitous and destitute of their own race,
some of whom were among the brightest ornaments of
their own pastorate at home. Appeals to them on be-
half of the Indians of America, always met a prompt
and benevolent response; and we rejoice in our relation-
ship to a Society whose successful missions are found
throughout the world, verifying the almost prophetic
saying of our common founder—‘The world is my parish”
“To parents and Christians generally! Wee call aloud,
in the language of the Savior, ‘Pray ye the Lord of the
harvest, to send more laborers into the harvest!’ Too
many are favorable to worldly professions for their sons,
apart from the interests of the Church. Mothers! De-
vote your sons from their birth, to the service of God
and his Church! As encouragements, remember Hannah
and her Samuel! that already two hundred young men
have been converted in Canada, and engaged in the min-
istry. Hundreds more will be wanted, as the harvest
fields are enlarged. Who has not heard of the piety of
the venerated Mrs. Wesley ; of the faith of mother Kent,
of New England; of mother Covel, of the Catskill
mountains; of mother Ryerson, of Canada; and many
other mothers in Israel, and of their sons in the ministry.
In 1807 I came to my appointment in a small log cottage
in a gorge of the mountains of the Ulster circuit, where
I met with two itinerant ministers, twin sons of a pious
mother. After the sermon by one of them, I met the
‘class,’ when I congratulated the mother on having two
~ gons in the ministry; the reference was sufficient, it
kindled anew the ardent flame in her heart, and she broke
out in expressions like these: ‘Yes, glory to God, I know
328 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

how they became ministers! On my conversion to God,
my soul was so blest, and I felt such love for my Savior,
and for the souls he had redeemed by his blood, that I
wanted to tell it to the whole world. I went to the cradle
where my boys were asleep, and kneeling over them, I
wept and prayed, and devoted them to the service of
God, and the ministry of the Church. Now, here they
are, ministers of the gospel! Glory to God; glory: to
God in the highest!’ This was ‘mother Covel.’

“To my lay christian brethren: May I be allowed to
call your attention to the case of your enfeebled and
worn-out preachers. There is scarcely a subject for
sympathy more touching than that of a minister in the
decline of life, after having worn away his palmy days in
the service of the Church, brought to the necessity of
asking alms for himself and family! I have known such
and may witness it again.

“ “There comes,’ says one, looking out from a comfort-
able dwelling, ‘There comes, now, old Mr. ; he
can’t preach any more, and he will stay with us a fort-
night, I suppose, or want something for his wife and
children.’ Facts worse than this; read it in ‘ Western
Methodism, by J. B. Finley, p. 411, as follows:

“In 1815, Russell Bigelow commenced his itinerant
labors in the Ohio Conference, and for twenty years la-
bored in that and other Conferences in the western settle-
ments. Faithful and unwearied in his labors, and every-
where successful, too, he was beloved and respected by
all. While he was able to preach, all was well. Bright
faces and open hands greeted him in all his walks; but,
aias! when disease preyed upon his system, and he was
no longer able to preach the gospel, faces were hidden

 
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 329

and hands were turned away! Unable to labor more, he
rigged up a jumper, and under deep depression of spirit,
he returned to his destitute family, a wife and seven
children, with them to linger in poverty for a time, and
then to die! In about 1814, I saw young Bigelow. He
was with me in the pulpit in Albany, and a lovely youth
he was. He was then on his way from New England to
Ohio. When I read of his sufferings and death, I sat
down and wept aloud.’

“Brethren, you who have accumulated wealth, and
have your families provided for, think of your worn-out
preachers, and leave to the Conference a few hundreds for
their support. ;

“On the peace and prosperity of the Church, I offer
my christian gratulations. From the experience of the
past, I am persuaded her members will ponder well before
they allow themselves to be drawn into questions of con-
troversy, the influence of which may divert their minds
from the work of God in the growth of grace, and the
advancement of pure and undefiled religion throughout
the land. Amen.”

Shortly after the delivery of this sermon, while at
the Wesleyan Indian Mission at Alnwick, he fell from
his horse, and died soon after, from the effects of the
fall, at the honored age of seventy-five. His departure
was mourned by many, both in the States and Cana-
das, and many tributes of respect were paid to his
memory. Dr. Bangs, of New York, on the reception of
the news of his death, preached a funeral sermon in

honor of his former friend and fellow laborer, and from
330 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

the obituary notice in the Canada Conference Minutes,
T extract a few additional particulars :

“The eventful period when he assumed the christian
profession, is thus briefly stated by him: ‘After years of
religious impressions, and a sinful course, I was converted
in February, 1803. At no time was there evidence that
the peace he possessed was fluctuating, and that the light
of his Heavenly Father’s countenance had become dim.
In his exhibition of the graces of the Holy Spirit, there
was neither uncertainty nor extravagance; and even to
old age, there was in his disposition and demeanor a
childlike simplicity, affection and uniformity, which elic-
ited the willing testimony, ‘This is a man of God.

“His body was never robust, and his habits were
always temperate. His presence was dignified and pre-
possessing. His mind, though never trained scholasti-
cally, was vigorous, searching and tenacious, and by much
reading, observation and experience, it became enriched
with a knowledge as practical as it was adapted for all
the purposes which his diversified positions in the Meth-
odist Church required. His acquaintance with Wesleyan
doctrine, discipline and usages was correct and compre-
hensive; his publication of those doctrines judicious,
experimental, persuasive—often pathetic; his enforce-
ment of that discipline in its integrity, while there was
no lack of fidelity to our incomparable system, was in-
variably marked with moderation and caution; his pas--
toral assiduities for adults and youth, parents and chil-
dren, were spiritual, fatherly, and unremitting.

“A divine hand led him into the ministry, and his
hallowed charity prompted him to volunteer his services
for Canada; after which, some remarkable answers to
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 331

prayer, and much success, confirmed him in his choice of
this magniticent and favored Colony of the British Em-
pire. And his selection of Canada at that time was ex-
pressive of a heroic intention, and a burning zeal; for
the recesses of the wilderness had been little explon ed,
and ruggedness, privation and peril awaited his footsteps,
while the scattered settlers were for the most part with-
out stated Gospel ordinances, and the aboriginal tribes
were pagan and degraded; but he entered upon, anil
discharged with inflexibility of purpose, his arduvus
duties, won the esteem of the people everywhere, and
brought many souls to Sinai, and then to Calvary.

“In 1805, he was received on trial by the New York
Conference of the M. E. Church, a commanding and
beloved branch of the great Wesleyan family; in 1807,
was received into full connection, and ordained Deacon ;
and the following year he was ordained Elder, when the
apostolic Asbury was a Bishop of that Church, and had
the wide-spread States of the American Union, and
Canada, for the field of his evangelical and most effective
superintendency. The Rev. Mr. Case commenced his
itinerancy on the Bay of Quinte, and his first six years
were spent under the direction of that Conference.

“In 1810, he was appointed a Presiding Elder, and for
eighteen years he had charge of important Districts—the
Cayuga, the Oneida, Chenango, Lower Canada, Upper
Canada, and Bay of Quinte. In 1828, he was made
Superintendent of Indian Missions and Schools. In 1830,
and the two following years, he was General Superintend-
ent, pro tem, of the Methodist Societies in Canada, For
several years he was a missionary to the Indians, and
Superintendent of Indian translations. In 1837, and for
332 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

fourteen years continuously, he was Principal of the
Wesleyan Native Industrial Institution at Alnwick, until
ably succeeded by the Rev. James Musgrove.

“In 1852 he was permitted by the Conference to visit
different parts of the work, as his health enabled him ;
and without being superannuated, it was his wish— and
his fine social spirit made it a pleasure—to pursue this
course, until his Master should bid his servant rest. As
an early pioneer and untiring laborer of our Missionary
Society, he was highly respected by his brethren, and by
none more so than by the honored President of the Con-
ference, the Rev. Enoch Wood, under whose very able
general superintendency of the missions for the last eight
years, he was a faithful missionary.

“Ti the language of our Missionary Notices, we record
the opinion of our lamented friend, that ‘However once
to be valued in the offices he once filled, and among his
brothers and sons in Conference assembled, when he
would rise with coolness and decision, and by his delibe-
rate and prudent counsels, carry many with him, it is
thought he was best known as our Apostle to the
Indians; and for them he lived and died. Here we want
space to set forth his early and manly dedication of him-
self to their interests; his acquaintanceship with their
condition ; the adaptation of his powers, and acquisitions,
and means, to their necessities ; his influence over them ;
his sympathy, his vigilance, his shrewdness, his tender-
ness, his authoritativeness, his travels, labors, inde-
fatigableness, success. The efficiency of a native agency
was his prayer. He witnessed the conversion of a native
with exultation. Many Indians from the wilds of North
America, once ready to perish, will be his glory and joy
forever.
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 333

“He had many friends in Canada, and elsewhere on
this continent, and his unsullied reputation had extended
to other lands. The Wesleyan Societies of Canada can-
not forget his person and his tender courtesies. They
cannot forget his mature christian excellencies, his intelli-
gence, sound judgment, and salutary counsels. They
cannot forget his patriotism, his pure philanthropy and
attractive catholicity. They cannot forget his works of
faith, and abundant labors of love for half a century.

“His Wesleyan survivors would emulate his great vir-
tues, and follow in his path of distinguished usefulness,
rejoicing exceedingly that the same adorable Being who
gave a Swartz to India, an Eliot to America, and a Bar-
nabas Shaw to Africa, gave also a William Case to this
country, whose name will ever be associated with the past
progress, the perpetuity, and the glorious future of Meth-
odism in Canada.”
CHAPTER XVII.

Extent of the Indian Mission work—Selections from the correspon-
dence of Missionaries—The leaven reaches beyond the Rocky
Mountains—An appeal from the Flathead Indians—Responded to
by Rev. Jason Lee.

From the extracts I have given, it will be seen that
the mission which commenced thirty-eight years ago
upon Grand River, by the conversion of two young
natives, has continued to spread until its members are
numbered by the thousand, and from every part of
the northwest, through all that vast territory around
Hudson’s Bay and west to the Rocky Mountains, and
even beyond, the call for help is continually increasing.
“The aboriginal population is variously estimated, at
from 200,000 to 500,000 souls, all very generally free
from the vice of intemperance and favorably disposed
towards the religion of the white man.”* This num-
ber the reader will remember are those that have not
as yet received the gospel, but are anxiously expecting
it. There were in 1855 twenty-one mission stations,

where one or more missionaries were sent, each having

 

* “Narrative of Rev. John Ryerson’s tour to the Wesleyan and
_ other Mission Stations, in the Hudson’s Bay Territory.”
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 335

a society of converted Indians to take charge of. The
reports of these missionaries are very interesting, as
showing the toils and privation endured by them for
the sake of those poor benighted people, and the
spread of the gospel among them in spite of opposition,
ignorance and superstition. Rev. Wm. Herkimer, an
Indian, writing from Rice Lake, says :

“You have, dear brother, been at Rice Lake, our beau-
tiful Mission, and as I have heard, you have spoken well
of it. Could you visit us now, or by-and-by when the
crops are ripening, you would still admire our little vil-
lage, with its green slopes down to the water, which, be-
neath a cloudless May sky, and as far as the Islands, is
dotted all over with points of fire from the little waves
dancing in the sunlight. The white man puts everything
under him. The waves of our Lake, free since the Great
Spirit made them, are free no more. Iron bands bind
them from shore to shore. The white man’s fingers are
strong fingers. Iron bands in his hands become as plia-
ble as the sinews of the deer in woman’s hand, when she
is beading a moccasin. God has been good to us Indians,
in letting us see these times. Glory be to hisname! I
am in good spirits. Last Sabbath was the best quarterly
meeting we have had on the mission. God was with us.
To him be the praise. Often have I been here, but it
appears to me that this spring there is more light and
life on the Lake, in the field, and in the sunlight, than
there used to be. Ah, here itis. We have good meet-
ings. God is with us. The people are all busy on their
farms. Soul and body are being cared for, and our good
336 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

God has not waited for us to go half way to meet him,
but has, glory be to his name! come right here, to our
own homes, and is blessing us.”

From G. M. McDougall, at Garden River, we have

the following :

“The Indian is no theorist ; his case demands present
help. Give him Christ as a present Savior, and then—to
use the words of chief Payahpetahsung,—‘ with nothing
but the big house which Murceda has built us for a shelter,
and a few rabbit skins for our clothing, we are rich.’

“During the past year, several have died in the Lord.
Among these were two Roman Catholic women, who
were savingly converted while living among our people.
One of these, (whose disease was consumption,) we visit-
ed a short time before her death. For several days she
had not spoken intelligibly. "We endeavored to point her
to the Savior, and then commenced to sing the hymn,

‘Jesus my all to heaven is gone,’ &.,

in the native tongue, when, to the astonishment of all pres-
ent, she began shouting, ‘Praise Jesus, I love Jesus, I
shall soon be forever with Jesus.” She continued in this
happy state of mind till the next evening, when her
happy spirit took its flight to mansions on high, ”

The missionary from Pic River writes :

“This new mission is established at the mouth of the
Pic River, on the north shore of Lake Superior, near the
Hudson’s Bay Company’s Tent. When I received my
appointment to this remote field of missionary toil, it was
with considerable reluctance and trembling I entered
upon it. But I came, hoping it was my providential
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 337

path. Trusting in the Lord, I determined to do all I
could to advance the good cause, and for this I have
labored day and night in my weak way. During the
year, I have visited the Indian in his wigwam. Last
winter I spent four or five weeks in search of the poor
benighted pagan on his hunting ground, in the interior of
this cold country, and have laid night after night on the
top of the snow, without shelter ; sometimes I have found
a foot of snow on top of me in the morning. We may
not always reap an abundant harvest from our toil. Yet
when there is some good effected, it is cause of much
gratitude to Him who condescends to employ such feeble
instruments in improving the condition of those who sit
in darkness. At this mission we have a few that enjoy
the comforts of religion, and meet in class regularly. In
all, nineteen have renounced paganism, given up their
images, and are striving to serve the true God. One
who was converted last fall, continued faithful during
the winter, and this spring, while ona hunting excursion,
he died in the triumphs of faith.

“Three families have promised to build houses at the
Pic, and remain, which, we hope, will induce others to do
the same. My first effort was to build a house with my
own hands, 14 feet square with a cellar, which I com:
pleted in September last. I had no shingles, so I made
the roof of timbers, laid close together, then plastered
and covered it with cedar bark. The Hudson’s Bay
Company kindly furnished me with plank for the floor,
and several other materials without charge.

“All the Indians I have met with in this remote coun-
try, give the utmost attention to the Word of Life, and
often they come to me and enquire what they must do
338 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

to be saved. ‘The harvest is great but the laborers are
few.’ Gro. BLaKER.”

From the Missionary at Norway House, Rossville,
June 14th, 1855:

“JT am happy to inform you that we still are in the en-
joyment of peace and prosperity. On Christmas eve, we
held a missionary meeting,— the first, probably, ever held
in the place. All the donations to the mission cause from
all sources, amount to something over £12 sterling.
About a week ago, we equipped two brethren, and sent
them on an evangelical tour of two months to Nelson
River. In building new houses, making new fields, and
enlarging old ones, and making roads through the village,
there has probably been more done this spring than in
ten years previously, and it has required but little prompt-
ing to do it.

“We have inclosed and brought into cultivation, about
one and three-quarters of an acre, and it’ has been rather
a heavy job; but as it lay immediately joining the mis-
sion premises, I was apprehensive we might lose it if we
waited much longer, as our Indians have manifested quite
a spirit of improvement, and land in our immediate vicin-
ity is being prized. We have now a little over three
acres in all, belonging to the mission. We have, howev-
er, not planted our new ground, as we have nothing to
put into it as yet.

“On our arrival here, I commenced the study of the syl-
labic character, and the Cree language. In two months
I was able to read the morning service in Cree, written
in this character. For three or four months I have
been praying publicly in this language, and as we have a
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 339

large number of Indians around us, I have occasion to
converse with them from twenty to fifty times a day. I
feel that, under these circumstances, to be compelled to-
use an interpreter would be an intolerable burden. It
has taken much of my time to oversee the work we have
done. In consequence of the kind of material we had to
work with, I have found it necessary to be almost con-
stantly present, and then I would not only tell how it
should be done, but take hold and help. Thus I have
worked at plowing, planting, fencing, ditching, grubbing
up stumps and roots. We have a pretty good garden,
and I have attended to that mainly myself. Early this
spring I made, nearly all alone, two small boats that we
needed for the mission, &c.

“T expect to visit Berrin River soon. This will take me
from home about two weeks. I am happy to say we are
all in usual health. Mrs. H. has not suffered from the ef-
fects of this climate, as she did from that of Lake Superi-
or. We have additions to our number from time to
time. A short time since, Adam Moody came and
wished to join us. This man had got some knowledge of
Christianity from the Church missionaries at Red River,
and when Br. Rundle arrived here in 1840, he found
Adam exhorting the Indians to be Christians. He is de-
cidedly a man of talent, but some years ago stopped
short in religion. He wishes to try again. One of the
Company’s servants, an intelligent watchman, and an
Indian, have joined us within the last week or so.

“T have just returned from a visit to Berrin’s River.
The distance we travelled is about 260 miles. We spent
three days with a company of most wretchedly degraded
savages. We learned many particulars concerning them,
340 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

and our prospects of doing them good. I baptized two
children of a member of ours residing at the place, and
a few of the Indians expressed a desire to become Chris-
tians, and promised to visit me at this place soon. Isaw
some of those Indians last summer, and promised them
a visit this season. Br. Ryerson also advised me to visit
them. I need not remind you how necessary it is for us
to be particular in keeping any engagements we make
with the Indians. We used our own small boat; two
good brethren accompanied me, to whom I paid one
pound each for the trip, besides furnishing them. At the
present time our men are away in the Company’s service,
taking furs to, and bringing from, York Factory, so that
our congregations are smaller than usual.

“We have done what we could in the way of garden-
ing, and raising our supplies, but an army of caterpillars
has destroyed everything in all this region of country,
except potatoes, and them very much. I had one and
three-quarters of an acre of barley, with turnips, one
thousand fine cabbages, &c., but not one spire of barley,
or a cabbage, is to be seen; all, all is gone. The like
was never heard of here. We are not anxious in regard
to the amount of salary, but I am urgent that the Com-
mittee should fix the amount on some uniform scale.
We are expected to abound in works of charity; for
instance, on our arrival, we found eighteen pounds of
tea among the groceries furnished by the Company. We
have not used a particle of it except for the male teacher,
and yet it is all gone. We have a large population
around us, so this old woman and that would send for
upesees, it did them so much good.

“We should be furnished with some simple medicines,
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 341

for we are constantly applied to for them. Iam anxious
to save the Society from certain expenses as soon as it
can be done with safety. I feel perfectly content with
the appropriations made for our salaries. It is as near
equal as earthly things can well be made. It will, how-
ever, require close economy for us to make the year’s
end meet with it. The customs and circumstances of
the country render it necessary for us to have more ser-
vant’s hire than in Canada. I think it very necessary
that all our missionaries in this country should be strict
temperance men. We are in usual health and spirits.
“July 26.—I write to acknowledge the receipt of your
letter by the hands of Br. Woolsey, who arrived, with
Br. Steinhaur, safely this evening, and will leave in a day
or two for their appointed field of labor. It is easier to
come from Canada to this place, than to go from here to
Edmonton. Tuomas Hurieurt.”

We add two more letters illustrative of Missionary
life in those high northern latitudes :

“Oxrorp Hovussz, Jackson’s ea
June 7th, 1855.

“You will have been aware by this time, that we
arrived here on the 21st of August of last year, and at
that time we only found one family on the mission; the rest
had dispersed abroad on different parts of the Lake and
other places, to catch fish and game. The general aspect
of affairs was far from pleasing. The house was barely
habitable, even at that period of the year, and the church
scarely fit to perform Divine service in. Very little had
been done to improve the general aspect of the place.
The potatoes that Mr. Steinhaur had planted, in conse-
342 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

quence of his removal to ‘Norway House,’ had been
greatly neglected, the consequence was, that where we
ought to have had one hundred bushels, we did not get
near half that quantity, and these had not ripened when
we had to dig them to secure them from the frost. The
place, however, is ‘beautiful for situation,’ and with some
labor and a little expense, can be made all that is desira-
ble in these hyperborean regions. Since my arrival, I
have been excedingly busy in fitting up the interior of
the house, and in making several articles of furniture.

“The house, which is built with logs, and filled in with
clay, was penetrated by every shower of rain, and the
clay washed down on the floors, and everything else that
happened to be in the way; added to which, it was liter-
ally swarming with mice, so that both our little daughter
and the girl were bitten by them while asleep, and during
my absence to York factory, Mrs. B. was obliged to keep
candles burning in order to get any sleep. Not being
able to procure a carpenter, I had to purchase a few
tools and set to work in good earnest, and I can say
most conscientiously, I never worked harder in my life;
but I have done it cheerfully, knowing by experience
that the Indians are more apt to learn by example than
by precept. The house is now comfortable, as far as the
small size of it will allow, and the extremely severe win-
ter has been passed in comparative comfort as far as the
cold was concerned.

The place, as I have already stated to you, was exceed-
ingly bare of furniture, but I have made during the
winter, two very good beds, one sofa, a good side-
board, a chest of drawers, a table, and several other use-
ful articles. Besides which, with the assistance of the
REV. ALVIN TORRY. — 343

men I have hired, and the school-master, I have got a
good fish house erected, 18 by 16, for which we have had
to get out all the timber. I have also got about one
thousand boards of various sorts sawed and brought on
to the premises, also the frame timber for a school-
master’s house 26 by 18; the same for another building,
which we require as a store-house ; ice-house and dairy,
24 by 13; also, enough for the addition of two wings to
the dwelling house, each 16 by 14, and an excellent light
clench work-boat 16 feet long, very nearly fit to launch,
and which could not be purchased in Canada, exclusive
of the sails, for less than £16. This, also, I have entirely
built myself.

“On my arrival from York factory, I found that several
Indians had returned, and from that time until the hunt-
ing season arrived, we had about twenty-five families on
the mission. Two new houses have since then been
built, and other Indians are preparing to build this sea-
son. Their attendance on the means of grace was good,
scarcely one remaining away on these occasions.

“We have not been able to commence a school as yet,
partly from the want of suitable and necessary books, of
which, indeed, we have none; but principally from the
fact, that the fishing was a complete failure, so that the
Indians were under the necessity of taking away their
wives and children, to prevent them from starving,
Indeed, so extreme were the wants of many of them,
that we have seen them cook the entrails of fish and rab-
bits, and other disgusting garbage, to keep body and soul
together.

I am thankful, however, that no other evil conse-
quences of the scarcity have come to our knowledge. I
344 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

find that we shall have no difficulties in establishing a
mission here. In this country, in consequence of its
norther latitude, and long winters, (the lake is now,
June 7th, partly covered with ice,) the Indians must be
principally dependent upon their hunting for their sub-
sistence, as nothing but a few vegetables can be raised.
The consequence is, that they are necessarily absent from
the mission nearly seven months of the year, with the
exception of occasional visits.

“At Norway House they have an annual examination
of the School, when considerable sums are collected from
the gentlemen of the company, which are laid out in suit.
able clothing for the children ; but here, in consequence
of our isolated position, being quite out of the line of
travel, we have no such resources, and unless we can pro-
cure articles of clothing suitable for children of both
sexes from three to ten years of age, we shall never be
able to keep anything like a school in operation. But if
we had these little aids, we should soon have a good
School, as I think we could easily collect from sixty to
seventy scholars.

“In conclusion, let me say, that we never more fully felt
the need of the prayers of the faithful than now; and I
feel confident that if our case be fully brought before the
Church, that we shall not fail in securing the sympathy
and prayers of its members. Here we have no christian
communion, no one to converse with or consult, whatever
difficulties may arise, and in case of dangerous illness, no
medical aid to be obtained within two hundred miles.
But our trust is in God whose mercy and aid never fail.

“R. Brooxine.”
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 345

“Lac-La-Piing, Fort FRANcEs,
July 4th, 1855.

“As Sir George Simpson will pass here, I write a few
lines beforehand, in order to fulfill my promise, which I
mentioned last winter in my letter.- Early in the spring
I visited the River Indians, and held a consultation with
them in reference to establishing a mission at the Mu-
nido Rapids. Some of them were willing, but those who
appeared to have the most influence opposed the object.

“The Indians from different parts have been tenting
near this fort for several days, and performed their cus-
toms of metaisms, dancing with a human scalp, war-
whoop, the pretended intercourse with the spirits of
animals, and gambling. They are aware of the service
which I am kindly allowed to hold every Sabbath in one
- of the largest rooms in the fort, but they do not attend.
The only course I pursue is to speak to them one by
one; and I perceive that several would embrace Chris-
tianity if they were not intimidated by the principal
metas, who get clothing from their fellow Indians by
initiating them into the customs, and telling pretended
revelations successively. I learn that they do these
things every year in the month of June; hence their
combination against receiving instruction from mission-
aries.

“I know not the number of Indians that have been
tenting here, the greater part of whom have left for the
American territory, to receive their first payment for the
lands which they have surrendered. The chief of this
band was the one who threatened me not to speak to his
young men last year, but he was quite low this summer,
for he is under the displeasure of his band, on account ot
346 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

their lands in the American territory. Though they
know my sayings against their deceptive and barbarous
customs, yet they have not acted rudely towards me, as I
expected, when so many were tenting on the Portage.
On one occasion several of them came into the yard bf
the fort naked, variously daubed with vermillion, oxide
of iron, and clay, with guns and tomahawks, and half
drums. I asked one of the party what they were going
todo. ‘To perform one of our customs,’ said he. It was
the war-dance, war-whoop, &c. They performed this
three several times this summer. It is a begging custom,
but I do not favor it. ALLEN Satt.”
The rapidity with which the news of the great
work of God among the Six Nations, spread to the
west and north-west among the Indians of that *
country is surprising, when we take into account the
fact that they have no regular methods of conveying
intelligence from one nation to another; but to
Indians, religious news, or anything concerning the
will of the Great Spirit towards them, is of great im-
portance in their estimation, and when couched in the
language generally used to describe such events, it
acquired great interest in their eyes, and was among
the items of news of greatest importance, when they
met around their camp-fires or mingled with each
other in their councils. In this way, the news of what
the Great Spirit was doing for Indians in Canada,

soon traversed the vast plains of the West, crossed
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 347

the Rocky Mountains and reached the Flathead Indi-
ans upon the coast of the Pacific.

Of such importance was this intelligence to them,
that they immediately called a general council of their
nation, and after mature deliberation they appointed
four of their most distinguished chiefs, renowned for
their wisdom and prudence, to make a journey to St.
Louis, where lived Col. Clarke, a man who had been
among them, and by his honorable conduct had won
their esteem and confidence. They started upon their
long and toilsome journey of three thousand miles
and over, through swamps and over mountains, cross-
ing trackless plains and journeying through hostile
countries, until they reached the place of their des-
tination. Here they found their friend, Col. Clarke,
who welcomed them to his house and hospitable
board, and treated them with the attention due to
their rank. They told him the object of their journey,
how they had heard that the Great Good Spirit had
sent a Book by the hands of the white man, to their
brethren towards the rising of the sun, that this Book
told them of the will of the Great Spirit in regard to
their manner of living and worshiping, that their
brethren who had received it, had now become very
wise and happy, and they concluded by requesting
Col, Clarke to send them a white man with this great
348 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

Book, that they too might listen to the words of the
Great Spirit and become wise and happy.

The Colonel assured them that he would use all his
influence to obtain what they so anxiously desired, and
invited them to stay with him several weeks, until
they should recover from the fatigues of their journey.
They did so, but two of them were taken ill while at
his house and died. The Colonel, according to his
promise, published a call to the Churches of the
United States, shortly after my return from Canada,
stating the particulars of his interview with the Flat-
head chiefs, and asking them to furnish what was so
loudly called for. This went the rounds of the press
in the States, and though thousands of ministers,
commissioned from on high to preach the Gospel to
all nations, read the appeal, and saw before them the
door opened wide for the introduction of the Gospel
and the evangelization of thousands of a benighted
race of fellow mortals, yet but one of all that host of
God’s elect, felt constrained to leave his home and
friends and brave the perils of a wilderness, to carry
the tidings of a crucified Savior to those waiting thou-
sands.

The Rev. Jason Lee, of one of the eastern Confer-
ences of the M. E. Church, felt constrained to take his
life in his hand, and to go to that distant land to carry
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 349

the tidings of mercy and salvation to those who,
through the order of Providence, had so ardently de-
sired it. With a travelling companion he started
across the continent, and after a long and toilsome
journey, reached the nation of Flatheads, where his
labors were abundantly blessed. This was the com-
mencement, not only of that extensive mission of the
Pacific, but also of the republic of Oregon.

In the year 1819, in consequence of a grant made
by government, of one hundred acres of land to any
one who would move into the new country back of the
old settlements in the Canadas, and commence a farm
by building and planting, there was a great emigration
from the European countries and the older settlements
of the Canadas. These formed the new townships
_ where I travelled the first years of my stay in Canada.
The oak plains along the rivers were soon taken up, and
crops were easily put into the ground, as they had only
to girdle the trees that were scattered thinly over the
country, and thus cause them to die, when they could
fell them at their leisure.

Rough shanties, or small log houses, were put up to
screen them from the inclemency of the weather, and
then they awaited the ripening of their crops with
contentment. Amoug these I labored, often tying
my horse to a tree as I dispensed the Word of Life
350 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

to those who, while in their native land, listened to
the regular preaching of a well settled country, but
who now were deprived of all means of grace, and,
like sheep without a shepherd, wandered unwatched
and uncared for.

Where the city of London now stands, and in the
surrounding country, I travelled much, and had the
pleasure of forming the first societies ever established
in those parts. Hundreds of persons who had grown
up to manhood within sound of the gospel, and had
remained unconcerned about their soul’s welfare, though
the children of many prayers, now greeted the appear-
ance of a minister with tears of joy, and listened with
attention to his words.
CHAPTER XVIII.

Return home—Incidents—Camp-meeting at Lebanon—Sacred associa-
tions—Death of a Son—Retrospection—On the Rock—Joyous Pros-
pect.

On my return from Canada, I attended a camp-
meeting near Geneva—found the people encamped in
the grove, but not as devotional as formerly on such
occasions. However, some good was done. I returned
by the head of Seneca Lake and stopped at Mr.
Mathews, where I was taken sick, the fatigues of my
long journey to Canada being too much for my broken
down constitution. I was detained with this kind
family several days. May the Lord reward them a
hundred fold in this life, and in the world to come, with
life everlasting. On the following Sunday I preached in
the Pokeville church. Thirty-two years had rolled
away since I had preached in this place. Then we had
no church, but preached in a school house.

Two brothers, Caleb and Chauncy Smith, have re-
sided in this society forty or fifty years, and have been
leading members of the Church. The two years I
travelled Ulysses circuit, Br. Caleb was the leading
352 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

circuit steward, and Br, Chauncy was class-leader. I
always called them ‘‘Caleb and Joshua,” for, like them
of old, they were always leading on the sacramental
host of God’s elect to victory. May they finish their
course with joy, cross the Jordan of Death trium-
phantly, and enter into the rest above, where I hope
to greet them, and all the good brothers and sisters of
Hector.

Between Cayuga and Seneca Lakes, J still find many
old friends who are now among the most able and
influential of the land. Many whose homes formed a
resting place for me while cultivating Immanuel’s land,
are still living, surrounded by children who have joined
in the way their fathers trod, and many who have
passed on before, have left to their children the legacy
of a good example, and an unwavering trust in God.
May they profit by their parents’ example, and so live
while on earth, as to meet with them above.

I reached home after an absence of two months ;
found my family comfortably well. My eldest son had
been better during my absence, than for two years
previous. -

After a short rest, I attended a camp-meeting held
at Lebanon, the home of my boyhood. Many associ-
ations connected with this part of the country, render it
peculiarly interesting to me. But a few miles from
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 353

this camp-ground, is the place where, more than fifty
years ago, the venerable Eben White presided at a
similar meeting. I was but asmall boy at that time ;
my father and mother were there, and I well remem-
ber the manner in which the Lord manifested himself
to his people in all his fullness, and where the slain of
the Lord were in the camp. I never think of that
meeting without a thrill of emotion. Many times
since then, while passing that consecrated spot, have
I hitched my horse, and walked over the ground, hal-
lowed by so many associations, and as I wiped the
falling tear from my eyes, I have lifted up my heart
in prayer to God, asking for a more full return of those
early scenes in our meetings at the present day. Here
also repose the remains of my honored father, my eldest
brother, his wife and only daughter, all of whom, I
hope and trust, have made heaven their home.

In this neighborhood lived my first class-leader, J.
Hitchcock, who, for deep piety and sound judgment,
was unsurpassed by any around him, Br. H. was
among the first to open his doors to Methodist preach-
ing, and the weary itinerant always found a welcome
at his table. Years have rolled by since these vet-
erans left the Church militant for their home above.
And may all their children—children of many prayers,
see to it that they fail not in meeting their honored

parents in heaven.
354 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF

October 28th, our dear but much afflicted son,
passed away from earth to join the ransomed host
above. He was a child of great promise, learning
easily and rapidly anything that was taught him. He
was religiously inclined from his infancy, and when he
first mingled with other children at common schools,
he acted the part of a little missionary, so shocked
was he at their wickedness, and so anxious was he to
reform them. At the age of sixteen he experienced
religion, and from that time forward lived a devoted
life. He had many trials, temptations, and conflicts
to endure, and from the peculiar nature of his disease,
was debarred from many of the privileges commonly
enjoyed by Christians, but his trust was in the Lord,
and to him he went with all his troubles, his griefs and
fears. His sufferings were great at times, seeming
almost beyond physical endurance. For a few years
before his death, his mental faculties much of the
time were shrouded in the gloom of night, but at
times the clouds would break away, and the flashing
eye, and animated countenance, told that reason did
but slumber. At such times much of his conversation
was his love to God, and of the unutterable love that
filled his soul. The Lord was merciful to him, and
during his last days, suffered not the tempter to come
nigh unto him. During his last moments, he was
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 355

anconscious of the approach of death, but we know
the Lord took him to himself, and that now he reigns
in an eternity of joy.

Rest, gentle sleeper, rest

From all thy pain and anguish deep;

For thou art now among the blest,

No more by sin or grief oppressed,
But hushed in quiet sleep.

In surveying my past life, I see many instances
where I have failed to accomplish for God what I most
earnestly desired to. I see I lacked that faith the
ancients had, who “subdued kingdoms, wrought right-
eousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of
lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge
of the sword, out of weakness were made strong,
waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of
the aliens.” Had I been more fully imbued with the
spirit of the blessed Jesus, how much more good I
might have done to my dying fellow men, with whom
I have been associated during the past forty-five years
of my ministry. How much better I could have
braved the storms and ills of life, and ascended higher
in the kingdom of grace, to inhale the breezes coming
fresh from the throne of God and the Lamb. My
daily prayer to God is, that he will pardon all my sins,
both of omission and commission, and blot them for-
ever from the book of his remembrance ; that he will
accept of me as his adopted son forever.
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My trust is in him ; I feel that my faith rests on
the atonement ; and I believe that the blood of Jesus
Christ is sufficient to make a full and complete atone-
ment for all sin, and to cleanse from all unrighteous-
ness. Its healing power I have felt for fifty years,
and I know that his precious blood avails for me at
the mercy seat of God on high, I know I have
entrance into the holy of holies by faith and humble
prayer, and I can now say, “One thing have I desired
of the Lord, and that will I seek after, that I may
dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my
life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire
in his temple. In the time of trouble he shall hide
me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle
shall he hide me ; he shall set me upon a rock. And
now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies
round about me: therefore will I offer in his taber-
nacle sacrifices of joy: I will sing, yea, I will sing
praises unto the Lord. For I know the law of the
Lord is perfect; converting the soul: the testimony
of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The
statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening
the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring
forever: the judgments of the Lord are true, and
righteous altogether. More to be desired are they
REV. ALVIN TORRY. 357

than gold: yea, than much fine gold ; sweeter also thax
honey, and the honey-comb. Moreover, by them is
thy servant warned: and in keeping of them is great
reward.”

And now, dear reader, I must close. In writing these
incidents of my life, I have selected such as I thought
were most marked with the special providence God, in
showing how the Lord has blessed my feeble labors in
trying to bring souls to Christ. I cannot expect to
stay many years more with the Church militant, for
already the frosts of sixty-five winters have passed
over my head, and my weather-beaten bark is nearing
the heavenly port. After braving a few more of the
storms and ills of this life, if I hold on to the Holy
Bible as my compass and chart, with an undying
grasp, and keep Christ Jesus at the helm, amid the
roaring tempest and the foaming billows as they roll
darkly over me, I shall escape the rocks and quick-
sands, and safely moor my bark in the harbor above,
for my anchor already is dropped within the vail, and
the light of the celestial city breaks in upon my vision.
Until my Lord says, “come,” I will stay on board the
old ship Zion, for she is sure of the harbor, and I soon
shall join in the song of the ransomed, ’mid the bright
mansions where immortal friendship blooms in perfec-
tion. In the following beautiful lines, from one of
our poets, the reader has the language of my heart :
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“T love thy kingdom, Lord,
The house of thine abode,

The Church our blessed Redeemer saved,
With his own precious blood.

“T love thy Church, G God!
Her walls before thee stand,

Dear as the apple of thine eye,
And graven on thy hand.

“For her my tears shall fall;
For her my prayers ascend ;

To her my toils and cares be given,
Till toils and cares shall end.

“Beyond my highest joy,
I prize her heavenly ways;

Her sweet communion, solemn vows,
Her hymns of love and praise.

“Sure as thy truth shall last,
To Zion shall be given,

The brighter glories earth can yield,
And brighter bliss of heaven.”