THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 MEMOIR 
 
 §it|Iit lUi'fitiul 3loliH J^tiarliaii 
 
 D.D., LL. D., 
 
 FIRST BISHOP OF TORONTO. 
 
 BY 
 
 A. N. BETHUNE, D. D., D. C. L, 
 
 HIS SUCCESSOR IN THE SEE. 
 
 TORONTO : 
 
 HENRY ROW S E L L , 
 
 LONDON : 
 R I V I N G T O N S . 
 
 1870.
 
 AxY Profits arisiso from the sale of this Work will be devoted to Church 
 
 0B.IECT8 WITHIN THE DiOCESE OF TORONTO.
 
 
 > 
 
 2rh(s ittcmofv, 
 
 UNnKRTAKF.X TO PERPETUATE THE NAME AND WORKS OF 
 ONE ACTIVELY ENGAGED FOR NEARLY 
 
 SIXTY-FIVE YEARS 
 
 IN THE ENDEAVOUR TO I'ROMOTE TIIK WELFARE OF IILS ADOPTED 
 COUNTRY, AND THE SPREAD OF GOD's CHURCH, 
 
 IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED 
 
 TO THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND 
 IRELAND IN THE 
 
 DIOCESES OF TORONTO, HURON, AND ONTARIO, 
 
 WHICH CONSTITUTED ORKUNALLV THE EPISCOPAL CHARGE OF 
 THE DECEASED, 
 
 BV THEIR VAITHFUL AND HUMBLE SERVANT, 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 G80840
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 pa(;k. 
 
 CiiAP. I. — Parentage. — Early life in Scotland 1 
 
 Chap. II. — Emigration to Canada. — Residence at King- 
 
 .ston. — Ordination, aud removal to Corn-svall, 9 
 
 Chap. III. — The Cornwall Grammar School, .• 18 
 
 Chap. IV. — Domestic and Parochial life at Cornwall. — His 
 
 Marriage. — Appointment to York, 30 
 
 Chap. V.— Eemovnl to York.— The War with the United 
 
 States, 40 
 
 Chap. VI. — Death of the Hon. Richard Cartwright — Ap- 
 \)ointment to E.Kecutive Council. — McGill College, 
 Montreal. — Loss of his Hou.se by Fire, 51 
 
 Chap. V II. — Effects of the "War. — Emigration to Canada. — 
 Controversy with the Earl of Selkirk. — i\Ir. Robert 
 Gourlay, 00 
 
 Chap. VIII. — Services as Executive Councillor. — Sir Pere- 
 grine Maitland,and his Administration. — The Church 
 in York. — Ai)pointment to the Legislative Council,.. G9 
 
 Chap. IX.— Recollections of York in 1820.— State of the 
 Church in Up})er Canada.— Episcopal Visitation at 
 York in 1820, 79 
 
 Chap. X. — The Clergy Reserves Question 87
 
 PAGE. 
 
 CiTAr, XI. — Visit to England and his Native Land. — 
 ]\osistance to the proposed Sale of the Clergy Reservts 
 to the Canada Company. — Poliucal strife in Upper 
 Canada, 06 
 
 CiiAP. XII. — The Echicational Question. — Prosj>ect of the 
 early establishment of a University. — Second Visit to 
 England, 104 
 
 Chap. XIII. — Death of the Bishop of Quebec. — His suc- 
 cessor, Dr. Stewart. — Ujiper Canada divided into two 
 Archdeaconries. — Dr. Strachan appointed Archdeacon 
 of York. — Correspondence in England in 182G-7. — 
 Return to Canada, Ill 
 
 Chap. XIV. — The Clergy Reserves Controversy.— -Speed i 
 in the Legislative Council in Defence of his Conduct 
 U|nin this Question, 120 
 
 Chap. XV. —Departure of Sir Peregrine Maitland. — His 
 successor Sir John Colborne. — Continued Agitation 
 on the Clergy Reserves and University Questions. — 
 Revolutions in Europe, and Political Changes in Eng- 
 land.— Breaking out of the Cholera in 1832, 129 
 
 Chap. XVI. — Letter to Dr. Chalmers on tlie Life and 
 Character of Bi.shop Hobart. — Presentation of a Piece 
 of Plate by his Cornwall Pupils 139 
 
 Chap. XVII. — The Clergy Reserves Question ; establish- 
 ment of the Rectories. — Meeting of Clergy under the 
 two A)-chdeacons in 183G. — Deputation to the Mother 
 Country determined upon. — Resolution to establish a 
 Church Newspajjcr, 154 
 
 Chap. XVIII. — Administration of Sir Francis Head. — 
 Corresj)ondcnce regarding Seat in the Legislative 
 Council. — Death of Bishop Stewart of Quebec. — ■■ 
 Previous appointment of Archdeacon Mountain as 
 his Assistant. — The Rebellion in 1837-8. — Decision 
 to form Upper Canada into a separate Diocese. — 
 Destruction of St. James's Church, Toronto, iGl
 
 Vll 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 CiiAP. XIX. — Consecration as Bishop of Toronto. — The 
 Union of llie Provinces. — Settlement of the Clergy 
 Kescrves Question in England, 171 
 
 Chap. XX. — First Confirmation Jour. — Primary A'^isitation 
 
 at Toronto, ISO 
 
 Chap. XXI. — Establishment of the Diocesan Theological 
 College at Cobourg. — Laying the Corner Stone of 
 King's College at Toronto. — Formation of the Church 
 Society. — Confirmatiojis in 1842, 190 
 
 Chap. XXII. — Opening of King's College, Toronto. — 
 Second Triennial Visitation of the Clergy.— Special 
 Meeting of the Cliurcli Society in reference to Sales 
 of Clergy Reserves. — Legislative action thereupon,... 20-t 
 
 Chap. XXIII. — Confirmation Journeys'iu 1845, 213 
 
 Chap. XXIV. — Resignation of Archdeaconry of York, and 
 Rectory of Toronto. — Triennial Visitation of the 
 Clergy in 1847. — Consecration of the Church of the 
 Holy Trinity, Toronto, 226 
 
 Chap. XXV. — Abolition of the University of King's College. 
 
 — Establishment of Trinity College, 236 
 
 Chap. XXVI. — Establishment of the Diocesan Synod. — 
 Laying the Foundation Stone of Trinity College. — 
 Ojiening of the College, 249 
 
 Chap. XXVII. — Last contest for the Clergy Reserves. — 
 Settlement of the Question in 18.54-5. — The Commu- 
 tation Scheme. — Synod of IS.')!.), and E[»iscopal 
 Address, 203 
 
 Chap. XXVIII. — Division of the Dioce.se. — Election of the 
 Bishop of Huron. — Visit of the Prince of AN'ales to 
 Canada. — Election of the l>islio]i of Ontario. — Synod 
 of 1801, 273
 
 VIU 
 
 PAQE. 
 
 Cii.vp. XXIX. — Farther eflforts in England on behalf of 
 Trinity College. — Death of Chief Justice Robinson. — 
 
 ' Movement for a Coadjutor Bishop in Synod, passing 
 a Canon for his Ajjpoiutment. — Death of Mi's. 
 Strachan, 281 
 
 CuAP. XXX. — Synods of ISGG, and Election of Coadjutor. 
 
 —Synod of 1867.— Sickness and Death of the Bishop 289 
 
 Chap. XXXI. — The Funeral. — Characteristics and Recol- 
 lections. — Conclusion, 297 
 
 Appendix 309-385
 
 U E ]\r I R . 
 
 m 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Parentage. — Early Lit"<' in Scotland. 
 
 ''E have, in various existing documents, V)rief 
 sketches of the early lite of the late BiSHOi' 
 of Toronto. He was born at Aberdeen, in Scot- 
 land, on the 12th of April, 1778; his parents' names were 
 John Strachan and Elizabeth Findlayson. Of his father 
 little is recorded, save that he earned a modest stij)end 
 as overseer of the gi-anite quarries in the neighbourhood 
 of Aberdeen ; which, as long as he lived, sufficed to main- 
 tain his family in respectability and comfort. His death 
 was sudden and very .sad. A blast of tlir i[uany ]ia<l 
 one day been prepared ; and as the time for ignition 
 seemed ovei'past, the overseer went forward to see what 
 was the matter. The blast took place ; a splinter of rock 
 lodged in one of his eyes, and he died two days after, 
 in May, 1794, at the age of '^2. He was much respecte<l 
 as an honest and trustworthy man, and his death excited 
 universal pity ; so that, at his funeral, there was such 
 a concourse of volunteer mouriiei's that the ])roce.ssioii 
 exceeded a quarter of a mile iu length. In the midst 
 of Presbyterians, he was attached to the non-jurors : and, 
 in principle and ]n-actice, might be regarded as nu 
 Episcopalian,
 
 His wife, the mother of the late Bishop, appears to 
 have maintained through life her connexion with the 
 Presbyterians ; but, though differing from her husband 
 in reliofious creed, she lived Avitli him in the utmost 
 harmony and affection ; and each were kindly tolerant 
 of the other's opinions. It is stated as a curious fact, 
 that she used to make her children every night, before 
 going to bed, sign themselves with the sign of the cross. 
 
 The father's religious predilections were, at an early 
 age, shared by his son, the subject of this memoir, who 
 frequently accompanied him to St. Paul's Episcopal 
 Chapel in the Gallowgate, and was a gratified hearer of 
 the then Bishop Skinner. No doubt, the foundation 
 was, at that time, laid of those partialities which ripened 
 afterwards into so decided and zealous an adoption of the 
 principles of the Church. 
 
 His mother, though without the opportunity of many 
 early advantages, was evidently a woman of superior 
 understanding and acute discernment, as the following 
 extract from her letters abundantly prove. In May, 1801, 
 when this son was so far removed from her, and in a land 
 which was deemed wild and barbarous, she addressed him 
 in these terms: "As God has laid the stress of me upon 
 you, I hope you will not be angiy at my advice, which 
 is, prefer not a moral precept to the counsels of Jesus 
 Christ, or the dictates of his apostles ; vainly opposing the 
 dim candle of man's reason to the sunshine of the gospel 
 light, as displayed in the sci'iptures. My dear son, you 
 know better than I do ; but my earnest desire is for your 
 welfare, soul and body." 
 
 If the.se are the concepti'>iis of <tne in whom is the 
 root of a genuine faith, they are the expressions also of a 
 cultivated mind. Not less so are the thoughts and lan- 
 guage of a letter addressed to him in August, 180G : 
 " My dear son, we are looking ever}'- day for a letter from 
 you, and that is all I can expect, for I am now in tlic
 
 Heventieth year of my age, and I cannot think to live 
 long, but I have been blessed with very dutiful and aftec- 
 tionatc children. I entreat you, dear son, take heed unto 
 yourself and to the doctrines of Christ; for in doing 
 this, thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee. 
 For all his followers are enquired of by him, and are 
 enabled to speak the word in due season ; and this, I hope, 
 by his assistance, you are. Take not this ami.s.s from 
 your mother, though you know, better youi'self." 
 
 When his lather died, the subject of this memoir was 
 only fourteen years of age; and as then the whole support 
 t)f the family ceased, he wa.s, as he him.self has expressed 
 it, thrown u|)on the world without a single friend or 
 relation capable of affording him any assistance; his 
 mother ami two sisters reduced by that sud<len bereave- 
 ment almost to actual want. When his prospects were 
 thus gloomy, and to all appearance hopeless, he found 
 a timely benefactor in the late Dr. Beattie, of whose son 
 he had been a friend and companion. He found him a 
 situation as tutor in a family who were spending a fe\\' 
 months in Scotland, and who had a little boy and girl 
 to be instructed. The little earnings obtained from this 
 short cnffajuement he carried to his mother, and with 
 gi*eat delight placed them as a gift in her hands. The 
 recollection of this, he said, often gave him happiness 
 in after years. 
 
 He appears to have entered the University of Aberdeen, 
 in 1794, when he was sixteen years of age; and, as here 
 the sessions or terms lasted only five months, — that is, 
 from the latter part of November to the end of April, — 
 the remaining seven months of the year were at the 
 disposal of the students. This was a great advantage to a 
 young man situated as he was. He could employ him.self 
 in teaching during this interval, and return to his mother, 
 at Aberdeen, with the amount of his earnings; and, 
 without beino- burdensome to her. avail him'^elf of the
 
 College lectures during the winter months. In this Uni- 
 versity there were a number of bursaries, or scholarships, 
 and frequently ten or twelve of them became vacant in 
 a year. Tliey were of small amount each, only five or six 
 pounds iK'Y annum ; they were given to those who were 
 found best qualified after an examination in Latin; and 
 were tenable for four years. One of these Mr. Strachan 
 t'asily gained ; and through the influence of the Professors, 
 with whom he was a great favorite, he obtained one or 
 two private pupils during the session. This added three 
 or four pounds more to his slender income ; making it, 
 with the addition of his summer earnings, hardly £20 per 
 annum in all. Trifling as this sum appears to be, it 
 enabled him not only to get through his studies at the 
 University, but to aff'ord material help to his mother and 
 sisters. And nothing delighted him more than this ; for, 
 he says, " never was there a more excellent mother than 
 mine. She made religion amiable to me, and the source 
 of moral strencrth." 
 
 Tlie getting employment during the long vacation was 
 always an uncertainty, and a cause of much anxiety. 
 Yet, as he has recorded, God was ever kind ; and during 
 the three years of his stay at the University, something 
 always turned up, and he was enabled to take his degree 
 of Master of Arts. 
 
 After this, he oVjtained a })arish school in the neigJiboi-- 
 hood of St. Andrew's, worth about £30 a year. A ])ortion 
 of this he managed to save for his mother, and jilaced it 
 in her hands at his usual visits in harvest time ; ti-a veiling 
 on foot ninety miles in order to save expense. At St. 
 Andrew's he became intimate with Dr. Chalmers and 
 Professor Duncan, who were about his own age ; and with 
 these eminent men he kept up a frequent correspondence 
 to the time of their death. In this University he joined 
 the Divinity class in Ajail, 1797; though, from his other 
 occupations, he was unable to give a very regular attend-
 
 ance at the usual lectui'es. He obtained, Iiowovlt, on 
 leaving, this testimonial from Dr. Hill, the Principal : 
 " In each of the sessions, Mr. Strachan delivered a discourse 
 which appeared to me a very favorable specimen of the 
 acuteness of liis understanding, and of his talents fnr 
 composition; and ihrnx all the opportunities I have had of 
 conversing Avitli him, as well as from the reports of others, 
 I consider him a young man of excellent parts, wIkj is 
 ([ualified to discharge with ability and success tlic duties 
 of a public teacher." 
 
 At St. Andrew's he soon discovered that his inconu* 
 of £30 a year, derived from his parish school in the neigh- 
 borhood, — with the maternal claims upon it which were 
 always so atiectic)nately recognized, — was, as he ex[)ressed 
 it, rather lunching: so he felt himself obliged to look 
 ahout for something better. Hearing that the parish 
 school of Kettle, worth £oO per annum, Avas vacant, he 
 [)roposed himself as a candidate. He was then scarcely 
 nineteen, and learning that there were five other candi- 
 dates, all much older than himself and of more experience ; 
 and hearing, too, that the examination was to be a very 
 strict one, he felt discouraged, and disposed to withdraw. 
 But T)r. Barclay, the minister of the parish, who had taken 
 a .strong liking to him, insisted on his persevering; bidding 
 him have no fear, but to come up boldly to the exami- 
 nation. This Dr. Barclay was the father of the gallant 
 ('a})tain Barclay, who lost both his ai'ms in the contest 
 with the United States fleet on Lake Erie; and the father 
 also of the Rev. Mr. Barclay, who had charge, from 182 2 
 to 1826, of the congregation of the Kirk of Scotland at 
 Kingston, in this Province. His friend's couiisels wen^ a 
 great encouragement to him ; but, still afVaid of losing 
 credit by a failure, he went to St. Andrews, and waited 
 on Dr. John Hunter, from whom he had received mauv 
 kindnesses;, and requested that he would do him the fa\-or 
 of examining him. He did so ; antl told him he " was no 
 great things, but would be the best there notwithstanding."
 
 6 
 
 This remark, little flattering as it was, gave hiin great 
 encouragement; for the good Doctor had sifted pretty 
 closely his knowledge of Greek, and Latin, and Mathe- 
 matics. Mr. Strachan realized the predictions of his 
 fi'iends, and proved the successful candidate. He under- 
 took the charge of a school numbering 106 pupils, — rising 
 sometimes to 120, — many of them older than himself; 
 and, as he said, learning every thing. In this condition 
 of things, he bethought himself of the system of moni- 
 tors; for which Dr. Bell and Mr. Lancaster afterwards 
 obtained so much credit. But in attempting this, he 
 frequently experienced difficulty : parents sometimes de- 
 murred, contending that, instead of teaching their children, 
 he made them teach others. It was found hard to convince 
 them that, in teaching others, their sons were effectually 
 teaching themselves. At length, by increasing the number 
 of monitors, and thus assigning a smaller share of work 
 to each, and by frequently changing them, those objections 
 were quietly overruled, and the system was found to work 
 most successfully. The discipline and order of the school, 
 too, was so excellent, that children were sent to it from 
 other parishes ; and Dr. Barclay and other leading persons 
 of the place, who had preferred having their children 
 taught at home, now sent them to the parish school. 
 Wilkie, the painter, who became afterwards so eminent, 
 was one of his pupils at Kettle. His turn for the art in 
 which he subsequently excelled, was soon discovered by 
 his youthful tutor ; and he urged his father to use every 
 means to have it fostered and improved. 
 
 Mr. Strachan was very hai)py at Kettle, and out of his 
 increased means was able more largely to befriend his 
 mother. But this state of pleasantness and contentment 
 came soon to be disturbed. Dr. Brown, the minister of 
 the pari-sh near St. Andrew's, in which he had taught 
 school before removing to Kettle, was promoted to the 
 chair of Natural Philosophy in the University of Glasgow. 
 He was an excellent mathematician, and an elegant writer;
 
 hut so ox(;ot'(lii)gly iktvuus tli;it, lie was uiiaMc to perforin, 
 witli satisfactory skill, tlic; experiments required in his 
 (lei)aitiiieiit. He, therefore, ])roposed to make Mr. Straehaii 
 his assistant, as he was considered well fitted for tlie ]iost ; 
 V)nt, somehow, tlie arrangement was never cariied intu 
 ett'ect. This was a great disappointment; as the ohtaining 
 a chair in a University, — to which the proposed appoint- 
 ment would undoubtedly lead, — was, at that time, the 
 highest object of his ambition. A happy oppoitunity for 
 the ultimate gratitication of this hope, was closed as soon 
 as opened. 
 
 In the midst of the conflict of feelings thus awakened, 
 between golden visions and their speedy dissipation, an 
 application was received from Upper Canada for a person 
 qualified to take charge of an academy, which was after- 
 wards to become a college, under the patronage of the 
 government of the Province. The situation, it is said, 
 was first offered to Dr. Chalmers, and then to another 
 ])erson of literary distinction ; and when declined by them 
 it was offered to Mr. Strachan and accepted. He accepteil 
 it, as he stated in a letter to a friend, chiefly on account of 
 the situation of his mother and sisters ; whose wants, out 
 of the emoluments of his present situation, he was unal)le 
 adequately to su})ply. His prosjjects of obtaining any 
 thins: better in his native land, were remote and uncertain ; 
 and so filial affection constrained him to become an 
 unwilling exile. The promise of £80 sterling per annum, 
 with free board and lodging, ami all the expenses of th<' 
 Journey provided, gave him ho})e that, if his own j)ersonal 
 happiness .should not be increased, those nearest his affec- 
 tions would not be allowed to want. 
 
 Having formed this determination, and sundered his 
 connection with his pai i.sh school, he obtained the follow- 
 ing testimonial from Dr. Barclay, dated, Manse of Kettle. 
 July 20, 1799 :— 
 
 " The bearer, Mr. John Strachan, student in divinity, 
 tauijfht our school, at Kettle, for about two vcars, Avith
 
 much approbation and success ; ahvays conducting himself 
 with decorum and respectability in his private deport- 
 ment ; and is hereby heartily commended to the notice 
 and attention of all into whose hands these presents 
 shall come." 
 
 The wording of this testimonial incidentally disi)roves 
 the statement which, in various quarters, has been affirmed 
 and believed, that the late Bishop of Toronto was once a 
 licentiate, or probationary minister, of the Church of Scot- 
 land. He merely, as we have seen, attended the Divinity 
 Lectures at St. Andrew's ; but had never taken orders, or 
 received a license to preach, in that church,
 
 CHAPTER TI. 
 
 Emigration to Canada. — Re.sidenoo at Kingston. — Ordination 
 and removal to Cornwall. 
 
 MANY, from experience, can laucy what \\'ould be 
 the sensations, what the trials, of a young man 
 \^_y_j alone at sea, in a vessel,— one of the ordinarj- 
 traders ul" the time, — with a very slender supply of 
 comforts; without friend or acquaintance to lighten the 
 solitude ; with none hut the rude ship's company to 
 conver.se with. 
 
 There is, it is true, a buoyancy in youth which can 
 surmount these trials. The novelty of all around,— the 
 waste of waters, the wonders of the deep, the halo of 
 brightness with which hope invests the future, — all this 
 would reconcile to passing discomforts, and shake off the 
 depression which separation from the dearest on earth, 
 growing wider and wider every hour, will create in the 
 most cheerful and the most hopeful. 
 
 Those were not days in w^hich the Atlantic was tra- 
 versed with the speed of the present time ; and a slow craft, 
 with adverse winds and calms, rendered the voyage of 
 Mr. Strachan an unusually tedious one. It was about the 
 latter end of August, 1799, when he embarked for Ame- 
 rica ; and it was not until the last day of that year that 
 he arrived in Kingston, Tapper Canada, the i>laco of liis 
 destination. 
 
 Here, at the outset of what he believed was to [.rove a 
 life of exalted usefulness and brilliant promise, he was 
 doomed to bitter disappointment. What liad been pro- 
 jected regarding an Academy,— by and by to merge into a 
 2
 
 10 
 
 College, — was found to be a fancy only, not a reality. It 
 was amongst the wise plans and purposes of leading men, 
 wishing well to Upper Canada ; but it had taken no shape, 
 it had not even a foundation. Moreover, General Simcoe, 
 who had devised the praiseworthy scheme, had left the 
 country and returned to England ; and tliei'C was no one 
 in the Province of sufficient influence and courage to take 
 it u}). The feeling amongst leading men rather was, that 
 the Province was not yet ripe for such an institution : the 
 pt»pulation was thin and scattered ; and there were not 
 many of sufficient means to send their sons to be educated 
 at a distance. A public school of such magnitude as had 
 been contemplated, was therefore regarded as quite beyond 
 the times ; as a project adapted to a much more advanced 
 state of society than the country now possessed. 
 
 We can understand the effect of this upon one who had 
 made himself an exile from his native land, in expectation 
 that all was ripe and ready for the school, to the charge of 
 wliich lie liad been so specially invited. It is well expressed 
 in a few lines addressed to a fi'iend in England in aftei- 
 years, — " Thougli gifted with a iiappy disposition, and 
 disposed to see the best side of things, I was so beat down 
 that, if I had been in possession of £20, 1 should have 
 leturned at once; but in truth I had not twenty shillings, 
 and was therefore obliged to make the best of it. My 
 situation was, indeed, desolate ; for I knew not a creature. 
 The gentleman in whose house I was to reside, had no 
 convenience fr>r a person of retired and studious habits ; 
 and he seemed reserved and distant in his manners. The 
 i'nw young men of the town, or rather village, were unedu- 
 cated, and inclined to practices in v/hich I could not join." 
 
 But time gradually allays such teni])orary ills and 
 disappointments. He soon discovered that the gentleman 
 in whose house he was an inmate, was a person of a 
 superior order of mind; of considerable acquirements; and 
 of great strength and purity of character. He was, too,
 
 11 
 
 an earnest Christian, without fanaticism or ostentation ; 
 and a zealous and consistent Churchman. What struck his 
 oruest at first as reserve of manners, speedily disappeared; 
 and increased intercourse, witli a congeniality of principles 
 and tastes, made them companions and friends. Such Avas 
 the late Richard Cartwright, Esq., of Kingston, \vh<>. 
 through quiet industry, and unbending integrity, had 
 amassed a considerable fortune ; whose Avell-stored mind, 
 aided by a memory of uncommon power, rendered him nn 
 .'igreeable and instructive companion ; and whose abilities 
 ;in<l worth qualified him to fill various public situations 
 with honor to himself and benefit to his country. Very 
 few survive who knew that gentli>man i)ersonally ; but his 
 name is fresh in the memory and regards of the present 
 generation, as one of the pioneers of our social and 
 political state of whom Canadians are justly i»roud. 
 
 For this gentleman Mr. Strachan aciiuired more and 
 more regard, as their acquaintance ripened. He had a 
 room built specially for his accommodation as a study ; 
 and his two eldest sons, placed under his charge as pupils, 
 were left entirely to his control and management. Mrs. 
 Cartwrio-lit, too, was so amiable and kind, that he felt 
 himself quite at home in their house. His little school, 
 numbering twelve, became even then distinguished; the 
 management of tlie boys, and the mode of instruction, 
 being so superior to any thing they had jircviously been 
 accustomed to. He went on successfully and hai)i)ily in 
 this occupation for three years and a half; but as another 
 opening then presented itself for eidarged usefulness, hi.s 
 connection with King.ston was reluctantly se%'ered. 
 
 But the friendships he formed there, were never dis- 
 solved in life. With Mr. Cartwright and his family he- 
 lived always on terms of afiectionate intinuicy ; and he 
 was appointed by that gentleman to be the guardian of 
 his children when death sliould dein-ive them of his own 
 <-ave. He had another lovi-d and value«l fj-iend in tho late
 
 12 
 
 Rev. Dr. Stuart, then the Rector of Kingston, and Bishop's 
 Official in Upper Canada. Two of his sons were amongst 
 his pupils; and both became highly distinguished men 
 at the bar in Lower Canada. With one, the late Andrew 
 Stuart, of Quebec, he maintained a cordial and intimate 
 friendship. From the time that the little school at Kings- 
 ton was broken up, there was a steady correspondence 
 kept up between them ; and while the tutor was, on many 
 important occasions, asked for his judicious counsels, the 
 pupil, on his part, was not backward in offering his 
 remarks on passing events and opinions. In a letter 
 written by him from Quebec, August l-2th, 1803, while 
 yet a youth, we find the following very interesting pas- 
 sages : — 
 
 "If you perceive a greater degree of-stiftness than usual in 
 this letter, you must attribute it to the apprehension of my 
 catching myself in the use of a hard word, after tlie genealogy 
 you have given of them ; though, as the term hard lonrd is a 
 relative one, and a dozen of such as were so to me might pass 
 unnoticed in a letter to you, I believe I may shake off my fears. 
 The rea,son you give for the aversion in which hard words 
 without meaning are now held, is very satisfactory ; but don't 
 you think that those with meaning, those which are introduced 
 to enable me to express elevated ideas in language unappropriated 
 to vulgar ones, or to mark their nice shades, owe their unpopu- 
 larity to a principle more universal ; to that self-love which 
 teaches us to look witli dissati.sfactiou on the i)ersou who, we 
 think (causelessly), makes us feel our inferiority, and which by 
 a.ssociation of ideas, creates at the same time an aversion to the 
 means which he uses to that effect." 
 
 We shall be excused, we feel sure, for preserving and 
 pei'petuating the following extract froin the same letter : — 
 
 " I am happy to leai'u that Cornwall docs not want the 
 apology of nisi si pair i a sit; and, indeed, I did not think it 
 would. I recollect, in some part of oiu- cla.ssical reading, you
 
 13 
 
 inpntiont'il to us a surju-i.siug circiim.stanco, — the siloiico of all 
 tlio Latin historians and philosojihois ro.sjjecting that great 
 natiu-al jihrnonicnun, the diversity of colour in tlie human com- 
 plexion ; more ])articularly, as you then oljserved, since in their 
 oonimeroe with Africa, they had an ojiportunity of observing it 
 in. its greatest extent. Will not the language of Tacitus account 
 satisfactorily for this otherwise astonishing indifference? lie 
 evidently suj)posed an indigenous origin of man ; and he would 
 hardly sport so wild a notion unless it were sanctioned by tlif 
 Ifarned of his time. And if, at his time, it was the current 
 ojtiiiion, how much i-ather at the period of the first Punic war, 
 when the Africans, I believe, fii-st became known to the Romans. 
 Now, adopting this notion, much greater diversity than that 
 under consideration would pass unnoticed. And the differences 
 in man would excite no more surprise than the differences of 
 any vegetable production peculiar to one or other of those two 
 fjuarters. The name which the Athenians assumed to them- 
 selves of Auiurhtliou'i, leads me to suspect that this was the 
 univei-.sal opinion of antiquity. If so, considering tin; effects of 
 this opinion in another jMjint of view, it might have concurred 
 forcibly with moral and political causes to jn'oduce that jiatriot- 
 ism in every class of citizens, which so frequently commands the 
 admiration of the modern in reading tlie liistory of Greece and 
 Rome ; and which admiration is so much increased by a eom- 
 j)arison of the im[)assioned views of the lower classes of the.se 
 pt'o|ile in regard to the duties we owe our country, with the 
 dullness of the feelings of a modern mob on this sulijcct." 
 
 It wa.s, no doubt, owing to the coiivertiHtiou and counsels 
 of hi.s friend Dr. Stuart, that Mr. Straclian, durino- his 
 .sojourn at King.ston, determined on taking Orders in t.he 
 Church of England. And, once started upon tliis purpose, 
 we can understand with what vigor and earnestness he 
 would pursue it. The testimony he received from the 
 Bishop of the Diocese, the first Dr. Mountain, as to the 
 extent and satisfactoriness of his (pialitications for the 
 sacred ministry, we shall best state in his owji words, 
 contained in a letter to Mr. L'artwriuld, dated Mav 2(),
 
 1-i 
 
 1803: — "The testimony contained in your letter of the 
 3rd instant, in fiivor of Mr. Strachan's character and con- 
 duct Ava<^, in a |)articular manner, satisfactory to me. In 
 Ih: Strachan's examination, and in the conversation I have 
 had with him, I have found nothing to contradict the 
 advantageous opinion you have formed of him. He 
 appears to be a young man of competent attainmeVits, 
 of fair understanding, and great modesty and Avorth. 
 I thought it might be acceptable to you to know that 1 
 am extremely w^ell satisfied on his subjects, and have 
 therefore been induced to give you this trouble." He. was 
 ordained on the 22nd May, 1803 ; and his appointment to 
 Cornwall, as stated in the letter of the Provincial Secre- 
 tary, dated from that day. 
 
 He appears to have entered without delay upon his 
 duties at Cornwall; and at fir.st in a temporary place of 
 worship, as some time nuist have elapsed before the church 
 was built. There is a record of the sale of pews early in 
 180G; so that the church could not have been available 
 for service much before that time. His income as clergy- 
 man was only £130 per annum ; a sum, as he stated in 
 writing to a friend, not sufficient to enable him to keep 
 house, and withal to extend the never-failing assistance to 
 his excellent and beloved mother. His personal wants 
 were few, and his habits simple ; and yet, as he said, he 
 was never beforehand. His means were always largely 
 taxed for the aid of others. 
 
 Amongst the fresh objects of his solicitude, was his 
 elder brother, James. This brother writes on April 10, 
 1801, from H. M. ship " Boadicea," at Torbay; intimating, 
 though we are without particulars, that he had been 
 making an experiment of naval life. Speaking of the 
 death of another brother, William, he says, in that lettei-, 
 in reference to the one to whom he was v/riting, — " O how 
 happy I am to have a brother yet, who I hope is, and will 
 be, an honor t<j the family. T thank you in the name cf
 
 15 
 
 my mother an«l myself lor your kindness towards her in 
 hor old ai^^e. The Almighty will reward you for your 
 troodness to an old and infirm jiarent." Of the interests 
 of this brother he wjvs not forgetful ; for the first £100 he 
 had to spare, lie advanced to enable him to open a book- 
 seller's shop in Aberdeen. This was done with th(> con- 
 ditrnn that he would live with his mothei", Avho, in Iht 
 advanced age, required j)rotection; and aftbrd her such 
 jjecuniary help as his business would allow. He was very 
 successful in this enterprise, and became at last a man of 
 good independent means. 
 
 Mr. Strachan's clerical duties at Cornwall were iu)t such 
 as to occu]\v liis whole time; so he soon commenced 
 taking pupils, and gradually formed that school which 
 afterwards obtained so much celebrit}-. Amongst his 
 earliest pupils was the late Chief Justice of Upper Canada, 
 Sir John Beverley Robinson, Bart., who went to him in 
 the autumn of 1803, ha,ving been previously under his 
 charge fV)r a short time at Kingston. Dr. Stuart, in 
 .sending him to Cornwall, mentions him as an 'old 
 acijuaintance" of Mr. Strachan; and such was his master's 
 aj»])reciation of him, that he otiered to educate him gra- 
 tnitousl}', if his mother, a widow, should not find it 
 convenient to meet the expense. The Avarmest friendshijt 
 — founded on viuitual adniiration — sul»sisted lietween them 
 until death severed the tie. 
 
 One after another of those distinguished men followed 
 as pupils at Cornwall, whose names adorn our Canadian 
 history ; some having filled the highest ofiSces in church 
 and state ; and all, with scarcely an exception, evincing 
 through life an elevation of principle, high gentlemanly 
 bearinj;, disinterested love of country, and a zealous 
 attachment to her time-honored institutions. All, too, 
 evinced for him who trained them to such thoughts and 
 duties, a love and veneration which time could not impaii'. 
 With nearly all he maintained a correspondence a? long
 
 16 
 
 as they lived ; and the few who survive their honored 
 master dwell with the warmest aftection upon his memory^ 
 
 It was an early desire of Mr. Strachan to select from his 
 pupils those who had a taste, and qualifications, for the 
 sacred ministry. This he intimated to the Bishop of 
 Quebec; and his Lordship, in February, 1809, replies, — 
 " I have no sort of difficulty in saying that I will receive 
 Candidates for Holy Orders educated by you, and will 
 give them ordination, provided always that I shall be 
 sufficiently satisfied with their attainments, and that there 
 shall be a situation open in which the Government shall 
 consent to place them." In the same letter, his Lordshij) 
 says, " I am glad that your school — a much more accept- 
 able term in these days than academy — goes on so well. 
 I congratulate you both u])on your* success and yt)ur 
 usefulness." 
 
 Amongst his early Cornwall pupils, the only two who 
 entered the church were the present Dean of Montreal, 
 the Ver}^ Rev. John Bethune, D.D.. and the Rev. William 
 Macaulay, Rector of Picton. The former was ordained at 
 Quebec, in 1814; and the latter in England, in 1818, after 
 a residence at Oxford of about two years. That he did 
 not remain to take his Degree at this University, was 
 always a subject of great regret to his early tutor, and 
 much lamented by many of his Oxford as well as Cana- 
 dian friends. There had been another aspirant to the 
 ijiinistry, the late Hon. George H. Markland, of whom 
 Dr. Stuart wrote to Mr. Strachan in 1810; stating his 
 strong desire for the sacred profession, and describing him 
 as "a good, indeed an excellent young man." His parents, 
 it appears, were loth to part with him, being an only 
 child; and the consequence was, the misfortune of his not 
 being brought up to any profession at all. Had his early 
 inclinations been encouraged, Mr. Markland — having excel- 
 lent abilities and very agreeable manners — might have 
 proved an ornament to the Church, and a blessing to
 
 17 
 
 society. AVlio can tell what an influoiicc fur o-ooJ tliis 
 might have imparted to his thoughts and life ; how many 
 gloomy and sad days it might have bi-ightened and 
 solaced ; how etlectually it niight have turned his aims 
 and elibrts to paths of holiness and usefulness ! Pity it is 
 to thwart the early inclinations of youth in selecting their 
 work in life; the more pity, if the direction of these is to 
 serve God and to promote; the best welfare of their fellow- 
 men.
 
 18 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Tlie Cornwall Gvanunar Scliool. 
 
 (\/T was on one of those bright warm mornings in 
 ^1 early May, which our Canadian climate occasionally 
 (o^ affords, that a lad about ten years of age was 
 making his way to Cornwall on horseback. He was 
 attended by a trusty servant-man ; across the saddle of 
 whose horse was slung a pair of capacious saddle-bags, 
 containing the youth's modest wardrobe and supply of 
 books. This was the only practicable mode of conveyance 
 at that season of the year; and in some places floating 
 "corduroy" bridges rendered the road rather hazardous, 
 especially to so inexperienced a horseman. He was full 
 of glee at the idea of entering the renowned school at 
 Cornwall, and allowed no gloomy presages to overcloud 
 his bright hopes. But there was many a sad day to 
 mingle with the joyous ones that came after ; a monitor 
 of the future life, — a lesson conveyed thus early that 
 even youth's hopeful season is not all serene and bright. 
 The next day was Sunday; and he joined the gathering 
 of boys at the old grammar school-house, nearly opposite 
 the parsonage. Those outside maintained a very staid and 
 respectable demeanour, — standing in groups in their Sun- 
 day's best, or sauntering about within safe distance of the 
 parsonage ; whereas, within, there was romping and tumb- 
 ling, shouts of young voices and clouds of dust. But the 
 moment the Principal presented himself in his flowing 
 gown and powdered head at the front door of the parsonage, 
 there was a rush of every boy to the gate of that dwelling; 
 a procession was formed ; and the whole school, two and
 
 19 
 
 two, marched to the church close by, — the master following. 
 On arriving at the church door, they formed two single 
 lines on either side, and the master walked between them 
 into church, — all the boys uncovering. The service was 
 conducted with great decorum ; the elder boys making the 
 responses audibly, and the simple, rustic-looking congrega- 
 tion very devout and attentive. Old Mr. S usually 
 
 led the singing, and maintained it in tremulous, quivering 
 tones ; very few others joining with him. One honest 
 
 member of the congregation Mr. E , invarial)ly stood 
 
 up about the middle of the sermon, and, facing the clergy- 
 man, kej)t his eyes fixed upon him till all was concluded. 
 In the afternoon, — for there was but one service, — the 
 boys had liberty to walk where they pleased; but they 
 rarely misconducted themselves. There was, in fact, great 
 risk in doing so ; as the "censors" for the week, who gave 
 in their reports on Monday morning, had a column for 
 such as played, or otherwise misbehaved themselves, on 
 Sunday. 
 
 Monday was generally called "black Monday"; as, what 
 from the censors' reports, and the numerous tasks and 
 exercises on that morning presented, a more than usual 
 amount of punishment followed. The youth referred to 
 above, crept quietly in after the school had opened, and 
 was much awed by the sights and sounds he witnessed, — 
 the sounding lash, and the shrinkings and contortions of 
 the unfortunate ones that were made to come under it. 
 But the punishment after all was not very severe, and 
 was administered with great temper and impartiality. This 
 ordeal through, the principal came over to where that 
 youth sat quiet and timid ; he kindly shook hands with 
 him, patted him on the head, and assigned him his cla.ss 
 and his work. Thus commenced the acquaintance, that 
 by and by ripened into a life-long and never broken 
 friend,ship, between the late Bishop of Toronto and the 
 writer of this Memoir.
 
 20 
 
 A brief sketch of our school woi-k, as it was in those 
 (lays pursued, will not be uninteresting. 
 
 After Prayers on Monday morning, the "Weekly Register" 
 was read by one of the censors of the past week ; mention- 
 ing every class, what they had done during the week, who 
 had been head and foot of the several classes, and how 
 often. On other days, the Register called the " Daily 
 Register," stated in the same form the work of the pre- 
 ceeding day only. At the end of each month, a book 
 called the " Book of Merit," was made uj) from the Weekly 
 Rci^ister, in which were inserted the names of those who, 
 during the previous month, had been oftenest head in their 
 respective classes, or who liad in other respects distin- 
 guished themselves. The ])orformance of voluntary tasks 
 was much encouraged, — such as translations from English 
 into Latin, original poetry, and essays on any subject 
 selected at the winters' own discretion ; and if these were 
 approved of by the Principal, they wei-e ordered to be 
 inserted in the Book of Merit. 
 
 There was also a "Black Book," — of much less pon- 
 derous size and pretentious appearance than the Book of 
 Mei'it, — in which wei-e recorded the names of those who 
 Iiad been jtarticularly negligent, oi- who had tlisgraced 
 themselves by improper conduct. The records of each 
 book were read out aloufl l)y the Principal on the first 
 Wednesday in each month, with remarks from the Prin- 
 cipal of commendatory or disparaging charactei", as the 
 cases might respectively demand. The "Book of Merit" 
 is still in exi.stence, and has oftentimes been examined and 
 commented upon by old scholars of the Cornwall School, 
 when spending a quiet evening with their revered Tutor. 
 With considerate tenderness, the "Black Book" seems to 
 have been consigned to fitting darkness. The records oi' 
 its pages have not been allowed to recall unpleasant 
 memories of the past; honours and rewards are remembered, 
 but boyish delinquencies and degi-adations have been given 
 over to oblivion.
 
 21 
 
 The ^vol•k of each day commenced with the reading aluud 
 by the respective classes, of a portion of some historical 
 work, or p]nfield's or Walker's Speaker, — the principal 
 taking them, with his assistants, in turn. On two days in 
 the week, dictation followed the reading. The master 
 read aloud a few sentences, carefully noting the punc- 
 tuation ; and this, every member of the class was roquircfj 
 to write down carefully on liis slate. Each boy's perfurni- 
 ance was then examined, and errors were marked by a score 
 underneath ; those with fewest mistakes took respectively 
 the highest places. If the mistakes were so numerous as to 
 betoken particular negligence, not only was then* u 
 lowering of position in the class, but a .slight punishment 
 was also inflicted. This proved an admirable method of 
 getting boys into the habit of spelling correctly, — an 
 accomplishment in education not unfrequently overlooked. 
 On one occasion it hajipened that the dictation was made 
 inadvertently from a chapter that had not been read ; 
 and, in consequence, every boy's performance was miserabl}' 
 incorrect. The Principal ordered the whole chapter to be 
 committed to memory agfiinst Monday morning, — the da}- 
 i)f the occurrence was Saturday, — as a punishment for the 
 a{)})arent negligence. This was a hai'd case, but it had to be 
 submitted to. In the interval, however, he had discovered 
 his mistake, and made no demand on Monday morning for 
 the imposition, — greatly to the relief of all in the class. 
 
 The junior Latin classes were very thoroughly drilled. 
 The lessons were short ; but not only had the whole to be 
 construed several times over, but. every noun that occurred 
 had to be declined, and every verb conjugated ; the rules, 
 too, demanded for every variation. Even in the more 
 advanced classes, this particularity, though in a diflerent 
 way, was maintained. In nouns and adjectives they Avere 
 asked to state one or more cases in each number; in verbs, 
 they were asked for the participles or supines, or bid to go 
 through conisecutively the second or third persons, singular
 
 22 
 
 or plural, of every tense in every mood, both in active and 
 passive voices. Sometimes to ensure more perfect accuracy 
 and mastering of the suljject, they were desired to cro 
 through this backwards. 
 
 In Arithmetic and Algebra, the several classes brought 
 up one or more prepared questions. on their slates, which 
 were examined as to their accuracy. Then the work was 
 rubbed out ; some one boy was called upon to read the 
 question, and thus commence working it aloud, giving the 
 rules and reasons for every step ; and, as he proceeded, the 
 rest of the class silently worked with him, writing down 
 figure by figure, but ready to correct him, and take his 
 })lace, if he made any mistake. When the leader had 
 finished, the work on each boy's slate was inspected ; and 
 if any eiTors were detected, he lost place according to theii- 
 number. The second question was then proceeded with 
 in the same manner ; and sometimes both were worked 
 over a second and even a third time, so as to test every 
 boy's ability and expertness. 
 
 About twenty minutes before the close of the school on 
 each morning, Saturday excepted, the several classes formed 
 for writing, — their respective copy-books placed before 
 them, with copper-]>late lines at the head. At the word 
 "Compare," the boys started up, and placed their copy- 
 books on a range of desks, in the order in which they stood 
 the day before. They were inspected by the Head-master, 
 and made to take jorecedence according to their merits, — 
 a copy-book sometimes shifted from a very low position 
 almost to the top. 
 
 The Geography of countries, Natural History, and Civil 
 History were taught in a peculiar way. These had each 
 their respective days in the week, — always in the afternoon, 
 and the last thing before the closing of the school. On 
 the day appointed for each respectively, not less than 
 twenty questions with their answers were to be produced 
 by each boy, fairly written out. The boy at the foot
 
 23 
 
 then askfd ;t micitiun, upon the gi\cii .subject, of the 
 boy next above him: if answered, the latter asked the 
 tliird, and so on through the cUiss. If it happcneil that 
 the boy asked coukl not answer, the questioner answered 
 for him and took his phice ; and he then continued to ask 
 questions until stopped by 'being correctly answered. II" 
 there was any unreasonable delay in a boy's asking a 
 rpiestion when his turn came, he lost his privilege of asking 
 any more ; and any one asking a question that had Ijeen 
 fisked l/cfore, also lost his privilege. In this way the conqje- 
 titors soon became reduced in number, and the whole was 
 concluded within a reasonable time. As the chances of 
 success were very poor unless the subject had been Avell got 
 iq) beforehand, — for no boy had time to be searching 
 throuofh his paper for an answer to the question proposed, 
 — it is very evident that no more effectual method could 
 have been adopted for thoroughly inq^ressing on the 
 memory the subject thus introduced. 
 
 Once a week, generally on a Monday afternoon, there 
 was an exercise in Reading, and a method for inq^roving 
 the Elocution, which probably was peculiar to this school. 
 'J'wo or three boys in their turn, challenged each two otliei' 
 l»()ys to read a passage in prose or verse: this was formally 
 announced a week beforehand and duly recorded, so that 
 every one had ample time for preparation. The challenger 
 came into an open place, and read first; the challenged 
 immediately followed. Judgment as to which was the best 
 reader was not pronounced by the Principal himself, but 
 left to a committee appointed for that purpose. If these 
 by their spokesman gave a wrong judgment, they were 
 sharply rebuked for it; but almost universally their judg- 
 ments were acquiesed in by the Principal. The benetit of 
 such a system to all i)arties, — the listeners as well as the 
 I'eaders, — is obvious. 
 
 About once in two months there was the })ublie recitation 
 of a debate, for which great preparations were made. Two
 
 u 
 
 leaders on either side of some j^a-eat question, — say the 
 Slave Trade, — were selected, and they made their choice 
 out of the best speakers in the school, of as many as were 
 required to fill the debate. Every one's allotted speech 
 had to be committed carefully to memory, and some of 
 these were several pages in length; so that, in conjunction 
 with the regular work of the school, it was pretty severe 
 labour. Still the boys took very cheerfully to the task; 
 as the excitement on the day of repetition was intense, 
 not only on the part of the debaters, but of the whole 
 school ; especially at the close, the Principal gave his 
 judgment upon the manner in which each side acquitted 
 themselves. 
 
 I shall notice only one other peculiarity of the school, 
 and this was the Saturday lecture. On this day, just 
 Vtefore the half-day's school was closed, a lecture was 
 delivered by the Principal, occupying about fifteen minutes, 
 on Ancient or Modern History, Ethics, or a portion of 
 Scripture, as the case might be; for each of these subjects 
 was taken up in turn. Probably two-thirds of the school 
 were required to hand, in on the Monday morning, a short 
 abstract of this lecture, which was carefully read over by 
 the Principal. Praise was fully bestowed where it was 
 deserved; but negligence, exhibited in a very poor per- 
 formance, was rebuked, and sometimes punished. When 
 the transcript was particularly bad, the writer was made 
 to learn it by heart and repeat it next morning; and on 
 some occasions, he was desired to stand on the top of a desk 
 and read it aloud, to the great amusement of the school and 
 his own deep mortification. No more effectual cure for 
 indolence or negligence could have been devised. 
 
 F.nough has been addressed to shew how patiently and 
 thoroughly the boys of the C<jrnwall Granunar School 
 Avere drilled on every subject that formed part of their 
 studies; enough to shew the grounds for the reputation f?ir 
 and wide which that school has gained.
 
 25 
 
 Distinguished men were occasionally visitors of the 
 school; nnd the annual examinations attracted gentjenion 
 from Quel)(!c and Montreal on the one side, and York, 
 Kingston, and Niagai-a on tl:r other. yVmongst the 
 casual visitors was the Bisliop of Quehcc, l)i\ Jjicoh 
 Mountain, whose first visit to the school was signalizeil l.y 
 the presentation to liis Loi'dsliij) of ;in Ode in English from 
 the three senior l)oys of the school, and an Ode in Latin. 
 Sapphic and Adonian, from the Principal himself The 
 fn'mer Avas very creditable to its youthful authors; and 
 upon tlie latter the Bishoj) thus ex})ressed himself in a 
 letter dated January 'lo, 1804: — "'With resjject to your 
 Ode, I find considoral)le difhculty in giving an opinion 
 upon the merits oi' a composition, in which you are 
 {(leased to speak so very favourably of me. But I must 
 not refuse to do you the justice, nor my.self the pleasure, 
 of saying that, in my judgment, it has real poetical merit ; 
 and contains sentiments which do ecpial honour to your 
 feelings and 3'our taste. I need hardly add, that the 
 cultivation of this talent, in a moderate degree, and ap- 
 plied to ])roper subjects, may clearly be placed under a 
 certain class of amusements to which I alluded in my 
 charge ; nor need I, I am convinced, caution you against 
 indulging even this elegant and i)leasing talent, to the 
 neglect of more important })ursuits, and more profitable 
 .studies. The very sentiments contained in this Ode nre a 
 l)Iedge to me that such a caution is unnecessary." 
 
 Poetical composition Avas nuich encouraged in the Corn- 
 wall .school, as being of much value in ])romoting a readi- 
 ness of conception and expression, and a more copious and 
 graceful diction. Half-holidays, except on Saturday.s, Avere 
 never granted except on some special occasion or event,— 
 as a great victory on land or sea, the arrival of a new 
 scholar, or the visit to the school of some gentleman of 
 high standing in the country. But a few lines of sati.■^- 
 factory poetry would always ensure a half holiday, when
 
 26 
 
 there was nothing else for which to claim it ; and af> the 
 schoor Avas never without its; laureate, his talents were 
 frequently in ref[uisition to procure this boon. Like other 
 poets, he was not alwcxys "in the vein," and his lines were 
 therefore rejected ; but his successes, on the whole, were 
 more frequent than his failures. The laureate sometimes. 
 and no doubt for satisfactory reasons, refused to write. 
 On one of these occasions, — the poet, we believe, was the 
 late Sir John B. Robinson, — the task was assigned to two 
 or three others who, amongst them it was thought, would 
 evoke the passable lines. These young gentlemen, to avoid 
 interruption, betook themselves to the tower of the church, 
 standing at its west end generally with open doors. This 
 work proved a failure ; and many a })layful gibe and 
 jeer was afterwards flung at the " steeple committee," as 
 they were designated by him to whom the}^ ventured to 
 constitute themselves rivals. 
 
 An appropriate conclusion to these remarks on the 
 Cornwall school, will be a few extracts from a very excel- 
 lent address delivered by the Principal to his pupils at the 
 annual examination in August, 1807; when several of them 
 had completed their education, and were about to prepare 
 themselves for the work in life which they had respec- 
 tively chosen ; — 
 
 " I begin with an observation whicli, ti> iiuiuy of you, will 
 appear a little extraordiiiury ; it is thi.s, that one of the greatest 
 advantage.s you have derived from your education liere, arises 
 from the strictness of our discipline. Those of you who have 
 not already perceived how much your tranquillity depends upon 
 the proper regulation of the temper, will soon be made sensible 
 of it as you advance in years. You will find people who have 
 never known wliat it is to be in habitual subjection to precept 
 and just authority, breaking forth into violence and outrage on 
 the most frivolous occasions. The passions of such jjcrsons, 
 when once roused, soon become ungovernable ; and that impa- 
 tience of restraint which they have been allowed to indulge,
 
 embitters the greater portion of their lives. Now the discipline 
 necessary to correct the impetuosity of the passions, is often 
 found no where; l)ut in well-regulated schools ; for, though it 
 should be the first care of parents, they are too apt to be blindeil 
 by affection, iind grant libei'ties to their cliildren which reason 
 disapproves. 
 
 *' Next to the due regulation of the passions and melioration 
 of the temper, which we very justly reckon one of the most 
 important advantages resulting from a well-conducted education, 
 we place those habits of diligence and api)lication, to which ycju 
 have been accustomed in the prosecution of your studies. These 
 habits are of the greatest use at every age ; but if they are not 
 acipiired in youth, they are very seldom attained. They are 
 certainly the foundation of all future excellence ; for how can 
 any per.son advance in his professional studies, or transact busi- 
 ness with correctness and despatch, unless he be accustomed to 
 a})plication l Never did any one gain pre-eminence without 
 exertion. The memorable example of Demosthenes lias become 
 trite, because so frequently adduced ; but read the private history 
 of any of those men who have risen above their fellows, and 
 you will find tliat th(.>y commonly obtained this distinction by 
 vigorous apjilication. 
 
 '' Be careful, my young friends, in the prosecution of your 
 professional studies, to imju'ove the advantages wliich you have 
 here acquired. Be jiatient, diligent, and methodical, and you 
 will make ra])id and profitable progress. It is to the want of a 
 systematic education, to a confused method of thinking, early 
 acquired but never thoroughly removed, that we must attrit)ute 
 those numerous inconsistencies and that confusion of ideas, which 
 we find so general amongst those we converse with. The opinions 
 of persons of credit are frecpiently taken up by men without 
 examination, or deduced from principles in themselves erroneous, 
 because they have never given themselves the trouble of sifting 
 them to the bottom. How contemptible ra.sh oi«nions, unsup 
 ported by solid reasons, must ai)pear to an accurate thinker, 
 though delivered with fluency or even elegance of language, it is 
 easy to imagiiie. By encouraging you to think accurately, and 
 to exercise industry and application, we have endeavored to
 
 28 
 
 pi'otect you from tliis I'ock, aiid to i^'ivc solidity to all your fiiturr 
 Mcqiiisitioiis. It is only the man who is not atVaid to decide for 
 himself, that can discharge any office lie may hold, witii [u-ohity 
 and honor. 
 
 "While yon ai-e qualifying yourselves to discharge with dignity 
 the duties of your profession, you must not forget that some- 
 thing more is necessary to render business pleasant. In order to 
 do this, you must behave in a kind and affectionate mann(n- to all 
 who have intercourse with you ; a mildness of treatment, a con- 
 descension to inferiors, a ready obedience to the just commands 
 of superiors, contribute, in a remarkable degree, to make a man 
 content and useful in society. It will be obvious to you all that 
 I do not recommend that artificial politeness which decorates the 
 countenance with a smile, while the heart is rankling with 
 malice ; and which will descend to flatter the wicked and th(,' 
 ])roud, Avhen interest approves. No ; the civility of niannens 
 which I would recommend, flows from the heart, and is inti- 
 mately connected with all the finer affections that can adorn 
 luiman nature. 
 
 " At the same time that you are animated with the laudable 
 ambition of excelling in your profession, and rendering your- 
 Kclves agreeable by your amiable manners, do not neglect to 
 improve those correct princi[)les of religion and virtue, which 
 )nust ever constitute your most solid merit. Impress u[)on your 
 minds the sublime and affecting truth that there is a God above, 
 our Friend, our Benefactor, the Creator of all things ; and that 
 it is oidy by imitating His moral })eifections, as bi'ought liome 
 to our hearts and affections by our blessed Redeemer, that we 
 (;an render ourselves worthy of the rank we hold in tlie scale of 
 beings, and enjoy solid ])leasure in this life, and in tliat wliicli is 
 to come. 
 
 " Buffer me, however, to remind you that he who wisiies to be 
 a good man, and rise in moral excellence, must begin with being 
 a dutiful child. Obedience to parents, an anxious solicitude to 
 plea.se them and to increase their innocent enjoyments, are indi- 
 cations of an amiable and generous soul. It is the foundation- 
 stone, the test of virtue ; and unless it be so founded, it has no 
 value. I shall boldly afhrm that the man who does not look
 
 29 
 
 back with delight at cveiy pleasure he has given his parents ; 
 who feels not a most agreeable emotion at the recollection of his 
 exertions to render them happy ; and who experiences no com- 
 punction for acts of disobedience or neglect, can never feel much 
 satisfaction in this world. Cherish, then, this tender filial alfcc- 
 tion ; it will protect you from vice, when far away from your 
 ftmiilies and homes. When you are assaulted by temptation : 
 when the wicked and profligate are attempting to draw you into 
 their snares, and to corrupt the pure and amiable principles you 
 have imbibed ; when your resolution staggers and begins to give 
 way, the tender recollection of your parents will rush upon your 
 minds and arrest your attention. It will dispel the allurements 
 of vice, and enable you to escape its toils 
 
 " Before I conclude, let me recommend the cultivation of 
 friendship. The connexions formed at school frequently continue 
 through life. This union, if founded on virtue, and nourished 
 by similarity of disposition and congenial souls, will be the 
 delight of your future lives. With what fondness do we recol- 
 lect the companions of our early years ! With what emotion do 
 we look back to tliosc mutual endearments which bound us to 
 one another, — to the noble resolutions we had formed, — and to 
 our determination to continue the friends of virtue and truth ! 
 These are feelings which give us the liveliest pleasure, when 
 most of the enjoyments of this transient scene have ceased 
 to delight. 
 
 " Cultivate, then, my young friends, all those virtues wliicli 
 dignify the human character, and mark in your behaviour the 
 respect you entertain for everything venerable and holy. It is 
 tliis conduct and these sentiments that will raise you above the 
 rivalship, the intrigues, tnd slanders by which you will be 
 surrounded. They will exalt you above this little spot of earth, 
 so full of malice, contention and disorder; and extend your 
 views, with joy and »>\-peotation, to tlmt better conntry which is 
 beyond the grave."
 
 30 
 
 CHAPTER I v. 
 
 Domestic mid ]>arocliial life at Cornwall. — Tlis luavriage. — 
 A]))iointnient to York. 
 
 (^jC^^E must turn for a little Iron) the moi-e public to 
 the domestic life of the late Bishop at Cornwall. 
 We have many anecdotes of the discomforts and 
 privations he experienced during- the early days of his 
 bachelor house-keeping; when it was difficult to procui^e 
 competent servants, and when a straitened income did 
 not allow of a satisfactory choice. But all this was 
 remedied by his marriage in 1807 to the lady with whom, 
 for more than half a century, he lived in the fullest 
 harmony and happiness. This was the second daughter 
 of the late Dr. Wood, a respectable physician of Cornwall; 
 but who had become the youthful widow, with a hand- 
 some annuity, of the late Mr. Andrew McGill, of Montreal. 
 As the event proved, no choice could have been more 
 ibrtunate. She was a devoted wife and mother, had great 
 personal attractions, was of gentle and amiable manners, 
 and unsurpassed as a house-keeper. A large family blessed 
 this union ; but out of four sons and four daughters, only 
 one survives, — a son, the eldest born; the sole inheritor, 
 out of that numerous family, of the name of Strachan.* 
 
 At Cornwall, in connexion with his large and flourishing 
 school, he paid due attention to his clerical duties. Ser- 
 vice was performed with great regularity each Sunday 
 morning in the parish church; and the sermons, composed 
 evidently with great care, were listened to with eager 
 attention, and often elicited the admiration of the boys as 
 well as of the ordinary parishoners. "I have heard," said 
 
 * He— Capt. James McGill Strachan,— died on the 22iid January, 1S70.
 
 31 
 
 one of his j»npils Avho spent n few years in England, "many 
 attractive sermons here, -vvitli much k'arning and elegant 
 composition; hut I rarely came away with the glow we 
 felt at the conclusion of many of our friend the Doctor's 
 animated and ])ractical addresses at Cornwall." In refer- 
 ence to this, we may offer an extract from a letter of the 
 Reverend Dr. Stuart, dated November 2, 1803, and 
 alluding evidently to a visitation of the Clergy. " In 
 regard to Mr. P — 's opinion of your performance in the 
 pulpit, it was much in your favour. The sermon, he says. 
 was an elegant composition, that would have done you 
 credit in the public hall of a college." 
 
 We have to the same purport a characteristic letter of 
 the late Reverend John Langhorn, the good but eccentric 
 Missionary of the Bay of Quinte ; for all that skii-ts that 
 Vjeautiful sheet of water -was embraced in his sphere of 
 duty. To this day many of the old inhabitants speak 
 of his travels on foot ; his i)lain admonitions in public 
 and private ; his catechising the children at the kitchen 
 lire-side, or under a shady tree in sunnner. One of these, 
 when grown to manhood, mentioned to me liis l)eing 
 Kuddently surprised by Mr. Langhorn in one of his 
 rambles; put through his catechism carefully; and sharply 
 rebuked becau.se he omitted to kneel down on the dusty 
 road on coming to the Lord's Prayer. The following is 
 the letter he addressed to Mr. Strachan, written in a clear 
 large hand and with colons and periods almost as large as 
 pepper-corns : — 
 
 "I i-eceived yours of August 28, 18U7, togctlior with yuur 
 [>riiited perfornuince. In j)oint of style I imagine you must 
 corae the nearest to our Lord Bishop, (wlio is a lovely writer) of 
 any of tlie clergy in this I'roviuci-. The jniutiug of your 
 pamphlet is considerably well lioiie, and I remarked a few erratii ; 
 but however proper the language of it may be for your ])ujnls, 
 to whom it is addressed, I hope you do not use such learned style
 
 32 
 
 in your common preaching. I Lope you do not tell your vulgar 
 hearers of * misantliropic seclusion, insulated occurrences,' <fec.; 
 and you may believe me, 1 am right well pleased that we 
 have in our little number a man of your abilities, If T an\ 
 good for some nses, I do nut look Ujion it T am proper for 
 every purpose. 
 
 "I wonder where 3'ou light on all tlieso iJeists. I cannot 
 Ray I ever found out but one here. It is a long time since, and 
 T cannot now ])erfectly remember the conversation we had ; 
 but it was somehow thus. He told me he was a Deist ; I 
 asked him what his rule of religion was. He answered, reason ; 
 then I asked him what would reason teach you, if you should 
 light on a man who shewed you that he had all Nature at 
 his command 1 To this, I think, he made no answer, and 
 so the conference ended. I afterwards put Leslie in his hands ; 
 but he turned out a young fellow not of the best of characters, 
 and I do not know what became of him. 
 
 '' At page 7, you do not talk about ridicule quite to my satis- 
 faction. One might imagine you condemned all ridicule, which 
 is not reconcilable with Scripture. For we find the figure of 
 Irony used with uncommon force by Elijah to the jtriests of Baal. 
 A parcel of injudicious Americans would have said that Elijah 
 made a mock of religion ; but such a great and extraordinary 
 man knew very well how to conduct himself. I should have 
 been better content if you had said, ' with young and uncultivated 
 minds, unjustifiable ridicule has frequently more weight than the 
 strongest arguments,' 
 
 " There is another passage in your pamphlet I would ask 
 you about. At i)age 20, you say, ' if the Jews, although the 
 keepers of a law written by wisdom itself, Avere unable to reach 
 those pure and sublime virtues which sprang from the mission 
 of Chi'ist,' &c. Hei'e T would ask, what great matters have 
 Chi'istians done for these many hundred years that the Jews do 
 not equal them in 1 Here I presume you would have obliged the 
 world, if you would have let them see . particularly that the 
 raox'als of Christians were wonderfully superior to those of the 
 Jews. Here is a lame ))lace in your reasoning, 1 fear. You may 
 consider it."
 
 Tlie confuienieiit ;ui<l intellectual toil of a school are very 
 trying to the physical energies; and after a day of hard 
 hihour in this vocation, there is usually a prostration of 
 the system which unfits for much other duty. But the 
 subject of this memoir, as all liis friends rememher, was 
 not one to be thus affected : his robust and vigorous frame 
 was proof against such influence; and frequently has he 
 been seen, after these tr3'ing labours were closed for tin; 
 day, mounting his horse and galloping off to visit some 
 sick parishioner. His intercourse with the ])eoplo was well 
 maintained ; and if Ids visits were not very freqvient, they 
 jjiodnced a great impression, and were always remendjered 
 and spoken of as a high i)rivilege. There was always a 
 pleasant word lor fatlun- an<l mother, and uniformly a 
 marked kindness to the children of the houseludd. Even 
 those who looked ujjon him with awe in the school, shewed 
 a little creeping fannliarity when they met him in their 
 parents' abode. 
 
 In LSI 1, the Degree t»f Doctor in l)i\ Iinty was conferred 
 upon him by the University of Aberdeen, in referem-e to 
 which liis friend Dr. Stun it writes, — " I congratulate you 
 upon the honour conferred on y(JU by your Alma Mater, 
 which 1 do sincerely; and according to Mr. Cartvvright's 
 account tlie manner of bestowing the academic distinction 
 has been as flattering as the ruafler itself, being unsolicited 
 by yourself or friends, and conveyed to you through the 
 hands of a i)erson who had been actually your tutor. 
 May you live long to convince the world, that your friends 
 know how to discovei- and r(>ward modest merit !" 
 
 In the same letter is a iclcrence to the serious illness ot 
 their eccentric friend Uv. Langhoin, and the expression of 
 a desire from him to be relieve(l iVom tlie actual dischaig.' 
 of his ndnisterial duties. It will surprise many of our 
 readers to hear Dr. Stuart say, '• In the event of the 
 success of his application for leave ol" absence, I recom- 
 mended Mr. Osgood (provided he would return and accejjt
 
 34 
 
 the situation) as Mr. Langliorn's Curate, and contingent 
 successor. The Bishop has consented to this arrangement." 
 This Avas Mr. Thaddeus Osgood, so well known subse- 
 (|uently in the religious history of Canada ; a quiet 
 iiioftensive man; of earnest piety, and much devoted to 
 the s})iritual welfare of the young. Although a Presby- 
 terian in some American connexion, he never in his after 
 life, shewed any violent contradiction to what seemed to 
 have been his early partialities. 
 
 The long intercourse and affectionate friendship that 
 subsisted between Dr. Stuart and Dr. Strachan, was now 
 about to be brought to a close. This excellent man and 
 zealous clergyman died in August/ 1811, in the TOtli year 
 of his aofe; of whom his friend has g-iven this brief 
 memoir in the "Christian Recorder," of March, 181!) : — 
 
 " The Rev'erend Dr. John Stuart was born of" very respectable 
 parents in tlie .State of Virginia, in 1741. Of liis early life, 
 little wortliy of notice is known, except that he soon discovered 
 a sti ong attachment to serious studies ; a bias which aj)peared 
 tlie more remarkable as he was naturally of a lively disj)o.<ition. 
 In ac(piiring tjie knowledge which was necessary to cpialify him 
 for the arduous and imjiortant office of a minister of Christ, he 
 met with many ditliculties. which a mind less vigorous and ])er- 
 severing would never have been able to surmount. His father 
 was a rigid PresbyteriiUi, and though sufficiently indulgent to his 
 (•liildrcii in every thing (^Ise, lie looked for their im])licit o])edience 
 in adopting his I'eligious system. The doctor incurred his fathers 
 displeasure Ity thinking differently in this matter. Ho was 
 startled at a very early period of" lils life, at the dogmatical tone 
 of the Shorter Catechism, Avhich was correctly repeated by himself 
 and his brothers every Sabbatli evening. After much inquiry 
 and reflection, he attached himself to the Cy'hurch of Kiigland, 
 l)eing thoroughly convinced of the excellence of her docti'ine, and 
 ]>rinn'tive ])urity of lier Avorship and discipline. But though he 
 was fully prepared for tin; ministry, and had attained the legal age, 
 he deferred taking orders, that lie might not wound the feelings 
 of an aged and beloved j>arent.
 
 85 
 
 " This inagnaiiiiUDUs forbearance he continued to exercise for 
 several years, till Iiis fatlier, stmck will) the greatness of tlie 
 sacritiee, aiul the iinciiuivocal proof ^\■lIi(•ll it allnrdril lA' llii> 
 piirily of liis niotivt-'S, Ijesoiight liim to follow his own iurliiiatiun, 
 giving him his bk'ssing, and praying sincerely for liis fiiturt; 
 usi'ftdiicss. After this anuable contention between lilial love 
 antl parental all'ection, Dr. Stuart went to England, and was 
 ordained by the Piishop of London. 
 
 ''Beinf now a minister of Christ, he left the more attractive 
 path to eminence which his talents might have opened, and 
 devoted himself to the Indians on the Mohawk lliver. lie 
 laboured with unwearied ;issiduity, to inspire thorn with living 
 Christianity, and lie was blessed with a degree of success propor- 
 tioned to his active iind rational zeal. During the .s(;ven years 
 that lie s])ent among the Five Nations, his leisure hours were 
 employed in translating a ])art of the New Testament into their 
 language, the credit of wliicli, however, was given to another. 
 
 "The llevoliitionary War in America followed, butnotliiug 
 could iixlucp him to renounce liis allegiance to his 8t)Vereign. 
 Leaving his native land, he was ajipointeil Clia[)lain to a pinviu- 
 cial regiment, and regarded by otKcers and men with esteem and 
 veneration. When i)eace was established he settled himself 
 amongst his fellow-loyalists in Canada. 
 
 *> The last twenty-six years of his valuable life were spent at 
 Kingston, in.structing a congregation that was continually increas- 
 ing, and Avhieh loved liim the mure, the better he was known, 
 for his life was a living example of wliat he preacheil. lie may 
 be truly named the fatlier of the Episcopal Church in this 
 I'rovince, and a most worthy fither lu; was; ever ready to 
 instruct his younger brethren how to surmount the many 
 dilllculties which are ajtt to discourage them on their lirst 
 entrance upon their ministry. 
 
 "He resigned his s[)irit into the hands of Cod who gave it, in 
 August, 1811; but he still lives in the hearts of his friend.s, 
 and shall be had in everlasting ri'iuembrance." 
 
 The tleuth of Dr. Stuart iioeessavily involved some 
 chanires in tlie ecclesiastical arraiiL^tMnents of Uitper Canada,
 
 36 
 
 slender as the staff of its clergy Avas at that time; and its 
 effects ujtoii the interests of Dr. Strachan were 'of a very 
 marked and important character. They involved nothing 
 less than his removal from Cornwall, and the commence- 
 ment of a ministerial career in the capital of that Province, 
 which was (mly terminated by his death fifty-five years 
 afterwards, Yet, on the lamented demise of Dr. Stuart, 
 very different arrangements had been contemplated. It 
 was the anxious desire of the Hon. Richard (Jartwi'ight, 
 concurred in by a lai'ge number of other influential friends, 
 that Dr. Strachan sIkmLI succeed to Kingston; and this 
 was a wish he eagerly cherished himself But Mrs. Stuart 
 had intimated to several friends of her departed husltand, 
 her earnest desire that her son, Mr. George O'Kill Stuart, 
 should take his father's place, and bo removed there from 
 York, his present charge. " I instantly relieved my excel- 
 lent friend Mr. Cartwright," says Dr. Strachan in a letter 
 to the Bishop of Quebec, "from his difficulty, though not 
 from his regret, by declaring it to be my firm resolution 
 never to oppose the son of my venerable friend, but to 
 forward with all my power, whatever his respected widow 
 ■might conceive conducive to lu-r conifort. Tliis was a 
 sacrifice not easily made, but I owed it to J^r. Stuart, and 
 I found strength to make it." He went further, and urged 
 Mr. Cummings, the Churchwarden, to call a meeting, which 
 should invite Mr. George Stuart to become their minister, 
 subject to the apj)rol)ation of the Bishop, and of the 
 Lieutenant Governor of the Province. 
 
 Immediately following this ari-angement, Avas the offer 
 to Dr. Strachan of the parish of York, — an offer voluntarily 
 made by Mr. Gore, the Lieutenant Governor, who enter- 
 tained for him the highest regard and esteem, and which 
 was unhesitatingly sanctioned by the Bishoj) of Quebec. 
 This offer led to long and anxious consideration. Corn- 
 wall, with its flourishing scIkjoI, fiiiiiished an oxcollent 
 income, and had besides a comfortable ])arsonage-house on
 
 37 
 
 wliic'li the iiicniiiljeiit liml .s|»fiit a considerable .smiu i'nnn 
 liis privatf' means. Jn York, tln^ clerical income was not 
 mud), if at all, larger; there Mas no j)ar.sonage; and the 
 chances of a school on a remunerating scale -were vei-y 
 douhtful. Moreover, the expenses of living, at the seat of 
 Government, would be much increased ; and the cost of 
 moving, when the means of transjiort Averc so few and 
 inferior, would be very serious. 
 
 All these considerations decided him on declinini' the 
 otier ; but Governor Gore, his unvarying friend, intimated 
 till- willingness of the Bisho}) of Quebec to give him the 
 appointment of Official in Ui)per Canada, — an office of 
 dignity and rcs[)onsibility, and to whicli a suitable income 
 was attached. The assurance of this determined his 
 acceptance; of York ; l)ut it apjicars that Mr. Gore had 
 been too sanguine, for the Bishop of Quebec felt it his 
 duty to confer the ap])ointment U])on the Rev. Georrry 
 Stuart, the son of him who had so worthily filled it for 
 many years. The reason assigned was, " the high esti- 
 mation in which the late Dr. Stuart w\as held, and the 
 laudable motives wdiich induced the son to move to 
 Kingston, at a diminution of his income." What the 
 Bishoj) had said, and how he interpreted the whole matter, 
 is best given in his own words : — " It aj)j)ears to me projier 
 to .say, that in confessing to Mr. Gore (by way of account- 
 ing for delay) that I had considerable hesitation in makin"- 
 up my mind ui)on the appointment of an Official for Upper 
 Canada, in disclosing some of the reasons for that hesita- 
 tion, and in adding that upon the whole I inelined to Dr. 
 Straehan,but .shouM give the matter further consideration; 
 I <lid not, in any maimer, hint that my final determination 
 in the least degree depended upon any opinion that Mr. 
 Gore might be likely to exjiress ui)ou the subject, or that 
 I looked to, or -wished for, any such oi)inion from him ; 
 but, on the contrary, took some ])ains to guard against an\- 
 probability of such a misinterpretation."
 
 38 
 
 This was satisfactory, as the world outside might inter- 
 pret the matter ; but the disappointment to Dr. Strachan 
 can easily be conceived. In his mind, it completely 
 dissipated those hopes of advancement in which he had 
 been led to indulge ; and perhaps there was never, in after 
 years, that cordiality between him and his Diocesan which 
 had previously existed. He felt himself wronged ; and 
 witliout the intention on any side of inflicting a wrong, or 
 conmiitting an injustice, we cannot wonder that he should 
 have so reo-arded it, and that he was unable to control the 
 apprehension that he did not enjoy the full confidence of 
 his Bishop. Many indications exist that it weighed heavily 
 on his mind, and that it was likely to give an entirely 
 new direction to his plans of life. In a letter from his 
 friend and constant correspondent. Professor Brown, of St. 
 Andrews, dated January i), 1812, there is a reference to 
 an expressed desire on the part of Dr. Strachan for a transfer 
 to some University post in Scotland,— growing, no doubt, 
 out of the disappointment to which he had been subjected 
 in Canada : 
 
 "This country," the Professor says, "is still niore infested than 
 yours, with miserable factious and illiberal politics both in Church 
 and State; so much so, that tlie best man cannot hold any 
 prominent office without having his happiness embittered by these 
 causes. Although it is just what I expect in ninety-nine out of 
 a hundred instances, I cannot help feeling for you under the 
 fallacy to which you have lately been exi)osed, both in a moral 
 and physical view of human affairs. Judging from what I know 
 of your ardent and honourable mind, 1 suspect you have been too 
 sanguine ; and your superioi-'s conduct has been clearly unguarded, 
 I believe no man of my acquaintance is more honest, or more 
 conscientious, than you are ; but from the language of some of 
 your excellent pamphlets which you have been good enough to 
 send me, I am afraid that you have at times been intemi)erate : 
 1 know that, in the present state of society, there is no surer way 
 of giving offence than a fearless discharge of duty at all times, and
 
 39 
 
 in all circumstances It is very possible that the situation 
 
 to whicli you were so well entitled, might, on trial, not have 
 yielded all the comfort you expected. For the reasons 3'ou urge, 
 you were quite right, I think, in declining the other situation ; 
 but comparing the two letters exchanged, you may fairly venture 
 to change places with your su{)erior. There is an old Scotch 
 saying I have lately heard, 'Better ane sit, than ane flit;.' If you 
 cannot previously be translated to an eligible oflSce in this country, 
 which 1 most anxiously wish, I do not despair of seeing you in 
 the first ecclesiastical stations in Canada." 
 
 There were, however, subsequent negotiations. The 
 inhabitants of York, headed by Chief Justice Scott, urged 
 on Dr. Strachan his acceptance of that parish ; and as this 
 was warmly seconded by Major-General Sir Isaac Brock, at 
 that time administerincr the government of the Province, — 
 accompanying it with the offer of the Chaplaincy to tlie 
 Troops, which would add £150 per annum to tlie income 
 of the parish, — he at once consented. General Brock, in a 
 letter to the Chief Justice, dated February 24-, 1812, tlius 
 writes : " I rejoice that Dr. Strachan hns consented to come 
 to the capital. I write to the Bishop by this day's post, 
 and request you to assure the Doctor that every possible 
 indulgence will be extended to enable him to repair to 
 York in the most convenient manner." 
 
 This, then, was a settled arrangement ; and preparations 
 for the removal, frauglit with so many inqxjrtant future 
 consequences, were vigorously entered uj)()n.
 
 40 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 llt'inoval to York.— The War wiUi tlie United .States. 
 
 JOURNEY of 300 miles,— the distance from Corn- 
 wall to York, — was in those clays a tedious and 
 expensive undertaking. The only mode of convey- 
 ance from Cornwall to Kingston, with a family an<l heavy 
 lugguagc, was by the French Latteau, — an open boat of 
 inconsiderable size, with a flat bottom for the pui-i)Ose of 
 ascending rapids; in the centre of which, a canvas awning- 
 was iisually erected for the shelter of passengers Irom the 
 sun and rain. Between Cornwall and Prescott the beau- 
 tiful St. Lawrence presents a series of rapids, including 
 the grand Long Sault ; and as, in many cases, the boats 
 had to be shoved along with j)oles, the use of oars being 
 impossible, and sometimes towed by hand, — two or three 
 boats' crews uniting to drag uj> one, — their movements 
 were very slow. Erom Prescott to Kingston it was smooth 
 water, and they could row or sail as the wind allowed ; 
 yet to accomplish the whole distance, I'ully a week was 
 reijuired. At Kingston, passengers and luggage had to be 
 transferred to a schooner; and if calms and head winds 
 were encountered, another week was not umisually s])ent 
 in reaching York. 
 
 This journey was the more jjrecarious ju«t now, as iu 
 the midst of it, took place the Declaration of War by the 
 United States against Great Britain. Without attempting 
 to enter minutely into the causes of this war, it may be 
 enough to remark that, when great nations are engaged in 
 conflict, the less-powerful states often innocently suffer. 
 Those, for instance, who desired to remain neutral during
 
 41 
 
 the treuuMidous contest between Great Britain and France, 
 were expoNcd to serious inconveniences and losses. Tlie 
 people of the United States, in particular, who enjoyed an 
 extensive coimnei'ce as cai-i'iers t)f the produce of Franct,' 
 and other countries, felt the ill effects of the clashing 
 decrees of the belligerent powers. This would lead, on 
 some occasion.s, to annoying and exasperating acts. The 
 United States ves.sels would sometimes be intrusive ; and 
 those of Great Britain, in self-defence, harsh and exacting. 
 We shall not deny that there were, at times, grounds for 
 complaint on the i)art of the United States; but the apolo- 
 jries and concessions of Great Britain were not received 
 with the consideration and respect they would have com- 
 manded, had not the latter been engaged in a conflict, 
 almost f(jr existence, with Napoleon Buonaparte. All 
 remonstrances pro\ed unavailing, and war was declared 
 by the United States against Great Britain on the 18th 
 of June, 1812. 
 
 On the arrival of \h\ Strachau at York, the war and its 
 probable conse(iuences was the one absorbing topic ; and 
 on Sunday, August 2nd, he took occasion to express his 
 opinions upon the grave event, in a sermon preached in the 
 parish church before the Legislature of the Province. 
 From this, which was ]»ublislH<l at tlifir request, a few 
 extracts will be interesting : 
 
 " Irritati(H..s liad l)oeu iiulu.stviously raised between the United 
 States aiul Great Britain, yet we flattered oui-selves that friendly 
 relations wduUI be maintained. We were indeed astonished at 
 the measures taken by tlie United States to embarass and de.stroy 
 tlie illustrious nation of wliicli we form a part, — that nation 
 wliicli alone prevents universal despotism ; but we still cherished 
 the hope, that reason would at length prevail ; that the geneial 
 interests of humanity would teach them to prefer the good of the 
 world to their private advantage. We expected that a nation 
 ti<i-htinf for her own existence, resisting the most formidable 
 tyrant that ever lived, and triumphantly arresting his progress, 
 G
 
 42 
 
 would :it length obtain their favour ; and that if they had not 
 the magnanimity to assist in the contest, they would, at all 
 events, abstain from weakening her means of victory and defence. 
 We looked for peace^ we ])ersuaded ourselves that the similarity 
 of manners, habits, and opinions, the warm connexions that still 
 subsist between the two nations, the tender recollection that they 
 once stood in the relation of parent and child, would have tauglit 
 the States moderation, and induced them to excuse any little 
 faults on the part of the British, till a time of tranquillity should 
 arrive, when they might be satisfactorily arranged. But no good 
 came ; the darkness increased. 
 
 " The great consolation which will support us during the 
 present nnhap))y times, is the conviction that, on our jjart, the 
 war is just. All defensive wars are just. We were at peace, 
 and war has been declared against us ; we have been invaded 
 and attacked, we are consequently acting on the defensive, that 
 is, we arc re})elling injury. Now the justice of our cause is of 
 the greatest advantage to us : it is, indeed, half the victory. 
 
 " The very precept, ' Love your enemies,' ])resupposes the 
 existence of enemies, and consequently of wars. Yet this })re- 
 cept has been deemed totally irreconcileable with such a state, 
 lur it has Ijeen trium])hantly asked. How can you love those whose 
 destruction you desire, and against whom you are fighting 1 To 
 this the Christian may answer, that he seeks not the destruction 
 of his enemy, l)ut his I'eturii to justice and huniaiiity. The end 
 proposed by all wai's is jjeace ; and as soon as this can be obtained 
 on equitable terms by the friend of the G'os]»e], he wars no 
 longer. Tlie same measure of love is iKtt i\\\r to botli, nrjthci' is 
 it required ; but no conduct on the j)art of enemies can free us 
 from the obligation of doing them all the good we can, after the}' 
 have lost the jiower of doing us evil. 'J'he |iunisliing our enemy 
 till he ]je disposed to agree to an e(piital)]e jicace, can be done 
 without harboui'ing hatred or revenge. 
 
 '' The Christian soldier loves his country. Were patriotism a 
 determination to support our countiy when in tlie wrong, were 
 it an inclination to do evil to promote her advantage, then might 
 we admit it to be a narrow and illiberal prejudice ; but the 
 patriotism for which we plead, is an anfent and fixed disposition
 
 43 
 
 to j)roniote our ceniutry's good \)\ all tin' lawful means in our 
 power; to sacritico life, fortune, uinl cvfry tliiii*^ that we liold 
 most dear, for its security and defence ; not to seek its iiggraii- 
 di/.ement by the depression of other nations, or by doing any tiling 
 inconsistent with justice, piety, and virtue. It is that waini 
 affection which a good man feels for the happiness of his kindred 
 and friends, extended to the socieiy of which he is a meml)er. 
 
 '• Jn a free countiy like this, where dilFerences of opinion con- 
 cerning ])ublic atiairs may be sincerely maintained, great danger 
 arises lest a few designing men should take advantage of any 
 party sj)irit that may exist, to promote their machinations, and 
 induce by specious pretences the adoption of the most pernicious 
 measures, \inder the cloak of securing their lil»erties, and main- 
 taining their iudependeiice. In order to avoid any thing like 
 this, let ns carefully avoid all those questions on which we are 
 known to difler ; let ns make a joint sacrifice of all the heats 
 and animosities which those differences may have engendered ; 
 and since ■we are all anxious to defend our country against the 
 common enemy, by word and deed, let our only contention be, 
 who shall outstrip the other in this race of glory. 
 
 '• Jf we fix our attention habitually npon God, and put on the 
 graces of the Christian soldier, we have nothing to fear. Ifard- 
 shii>s and calamities we shall have to encounter ; but our heavenly 
 Father will enable ns to endure them, and we shall experience in 
 the heat of battle, His invigorating spirit strengthening our souls 
 and bodies, and teaching us never to foi'get the duties of 
 humanity even in the lioni- of a ietory, Init to rais*- the fallen 
 foe and to treat him with kiiiiliie>s and respei-t. It is thus that 
 the Christian soldier softens the horrors of war : he delights not. 
 in the anguish of individuals, and approves of no acts of hostility 
 but what are necessary and conducive to the end and object 
 of the war : in tine, he forgets not that he i.s a Christian amidst 
 the slaughter'of the field." 
 
 The tidings of a iloniostic sorrow reaeluHl liini very soon 
 after his settlement at York. Tliis Mas tlie death of liis 
 aged mother, of whose last liour.s liis brother, at Aberdeen, 
 thus writes, on tlie 1st of Novejid'er, 1S1:2: "()ur onod
 
 44 
 
 and affectionate mother is no more. In my last I told you 
 .she was poorly, and for the most part confined to lier bed ; 
 for fourteen weeks previous to her death, she was never 
 out of bed above an hour a day. She was very sensible 
 until within a few days of her death. About ten days 
 before her death, she called me to her bedside, and inquired 
 if any letter had come from you. I said there was, with 
 twenty-five pounds. She said, he was always mindful of 
 me, and I have been a great burden to him ; but I will not 
 be so much longer, for I feel my end ap})roaching. Say to 
 him, when you write, that next to my Redeemer he is ever 
 on my mind ; tell him, I pray God to bless him and his. 
 Likewise tell my good daughter that she has my prayers 
 for her long kindness to me; I trust God will reward all 
 the family. Tell my son that I am well looked to." — She 
 was described by a friend on the spot, as a woman of 
 extraordinary energy and great force of character. At the 
 commencement of this Memoir we gave some specimens, 
 in her own words, of a strength and cultivation of mind 
 which, with so few opportunities in early life, were remark- 
 able. We subjoin an extract from the last letter she wrote 
 her son in Canada, bearing date April 3, 1811 : "My dear 
 son and daughter, — I am this day 74 years of age. I can- 
 not look for perfect health; I ought to bo thankful that I 
 am so well, mid so well supported in my old age. I have 
 to regret that I liavc bo(ni so long a burden to you ; but 
 you do not begrudge mo any thing, I know. And now, 
 my son, I hope, although you hav(! got a bit of lionour 
 conferred upon you, you will not be proud; foi- I have 
 always discovered pride to end with dishonour, but 
 humility is an advantage to religion. Now, my son and 
 daughter, may the blessing of God attend you and your 
 family. Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with 
 thy God. I am afraid this will be the last time that I 
 write you with mine own hand, for I am very frail." 
 
 York, at this time, was a little town of a few hundred
 
 4.-) 
 
 iiihaliitaiits ; tlif Ikuiscs all i>\' \\(i(m], iiiid nf ^ ci y iiiijiic- 
 tending diinensions. Seven years later, when first seen ])y 
 the writer of tliis Menioii-, its population liardly exceeded 
 1,000; and there were hut three hrick houses in the wlioli; 
 place. In 1812, it might be regarded as a ([uiet little 
 parish ; aftbrding sufficient, but not severe labour to the 
 incumbent, and quite within the compass of one man's 
 pastoral ministrations. 
 
 But now it was shaken and disturbed by the din ami 
 turmoil of war; it was the residence of the Connnandi r 
 of the Forces, and the centre consequently of all military 
 arrangements. No sooner was war proclaimed, than there 
 followed the active preparations and energetic movements 
 of Sir Isaac Brock ; and before many months, we had the 
 bloodless tiiumph at Detroit, and the sanguinary, yet not 
 less glorious contest, at Queenston Heights, — having, how- 
 ever, one most calamitous result, the death of the gallant 
 Brock himself After this, as th(' wintry season drew on, 
 there was comparative ([uiet ; but far and near Avere the 
 notes of preparation on either side, and the thickcmng 
 anxieties for the coming spring. In such a stirring time, 
 it was not in the nature of Dr. Strachan to be idle : lunn- 
 ing with love of his country, and full of indignation at 
 this unrighteous aggression, he was active and judicions in 
 his counsels; and if he could not take the lead in the field, 
 he was foremost in devising means to ameliorate the 
 calamities which tlic war was inducing. He was tlie 
 chief agent in starting and conducting an Institution, 
 appropriately termed 'The Lo3'al ami Patriotic Society of 
 ITppL'r Canada," which had branches all through the Pro- 
 vince, ami was most generously supj)orte<l. In tlie winter 
 of 1814, its funds exceeded £10,000; and an appeal for 
 aid to the Briti-sh nation was Avarndy and liberally met. 
 The object of this Association was to afford relief t<^ the 
 wounded of the Militia and \dlunteers; to aiil in the 
 sup})ort of the widows and or[thans of the slain ; and to
 
 46 
 
 assist the families of those who were called out on inilitaiy 
 duty. Of this benevolent institution it has Ijeen correctly 
 stated, that it contributed more towards the defence of the 
 Province than half-a-dozen regiments, from the confidence 
 and good-will it inspired amongst the population at large, 
 and the encouragement it gave to the young men of the 
 country to leave their homes, and take their share in its 
 defence. 
 
 The anxious winter of 1 Si 2-13 passed away, and in 
 the early spring the forebodings of the Canadians were 
 fully realized. A systematic and combined attack upon 
 the Province at different points, had been arranged, and 
 at the opening of the navigation was vigorously com- 
 menced. The town of York was amongst the places to l)e 
 assailed; and on the evening of the 2Gth of Ai)ril, 1813, 
 an express arrived, stating that the enemy's flotilla was 
 standing towards the harbour. Soon after day-light on 
 the following morning, the vessels — fourteen in number, 
 and tlieir decks crowded with men — anchored about two 
 miles south-Vv^est of the garrison, and landed their troops 
 under cover of their guns. They had no other opposition 
 at first, than that offered, in a gallant manner, by Major 
 Givins, at the head of forty Indians and a few inhabitants 
 of the town not enrolled for military duty ; all wondering 
 at the unaccountable delay in sending forward the regular 
 troops to resist the landing. At length about 400 men 
 of the 8th Newfoundland, and Glengary regiments, were 
 brour^ht up, supported by 500 undisciplined militia-men, 
 to resist fully 2,000 Americans, covered by the fire of their 
 ships. The contest was a most unecpial on«;, and the 
 retreat of the British was inevitable. The several bat- 
 teries fell into the enemy's hands ; and at the command 
 of General Sheaffe the magazine was blown up, causing 
 a severe loss to the Americans, and the death of their 
 General Pyke. General Sheaffe, at the head of the regulai- 
 troops, retreated towards Kingston, leaving the Militia
 
 47 
 
 Officers to make tlic best conditions tlicy euuld lor the 
 town. His conduct in this whole affair was severely 
 criticised. No plan of defence seemed to have been organ- 
 ized, and his tardiness wlien the enemy were landing was 
 inexplicable. The batteries were ill-arranged, and the 
 soldiers disadvantageously placed. No advantage was 
 taken of the panic caused l)y the explosion of the maga- 
 zine ; and the retreat was made towards Kingston, instead 
 of being directed to Niagara. Here he could have rein- 
 forced the troops assembling to resist the intended attack 
 upon Fort George. In the other direction, the services 
 of the troops were entirely lost. 
 
 ThefollowinfT, from Dr. Strachan to a friend in Sc(jt- 
 land, touching these events, is graphic and interesting: 
 
 "On hciiriiig the treinciulous explosion of the magazine, liur- 
 ried lionie :uul fonnd Mrs. Strachan greatly terrified, and oil' 
 with the children to a neighbor's house. Sent her to a friend's, a 
 little (Hit of town. Co up towards the garrison, which we had 
 by this time abandoned ; lind the Gentn-al and his troops in a 
 ravine, the militia scatti'ring. The General (Sheafle) determines 
 to retreat to Kingston with the regulars, and leaves the command 
 with Colonel Chewitt and INFajor Allan, two militia officers; and 
 desires them to make tiie best conditions they can with the enemy 
 for the protection of th(^ town. Offer my sei-vices to assist them. 
 Go to Mr. Crookshank's house, and meet iNr;ijor King and Col- 
 onel Mitchell, on the part of the enemy. Our Attorney General, 
 Mr. Robinson, also went with us, and a.s.sisted us to discuss the 
 points of eiqiitulation. A difficulty aro.se from a ship and naval 
 ston^ liaving been set on fire during our negotiation ; this con- 
 sidered very di.shonoiirable. At length a capitidation is agreed 
 upon, subject to the rat ifuat ii'U of the Commanding Officer. 
 Soon broken through : Major Allan, though under the pn)tection 
 of" a flag of truce, is nnnle jaisoner ami deprived of his swonl. 
 I accompany hirn to town in the midst of tin' enemy's colunni. 
 The militia on our side ground their ;irins. The enemy return 
 to the garrison, with the excei»tion of the ritle-corps, which is 
 left under pretence of protecting the town.
 
 48 
 
 " Wednesday, April 28, met Major King at the Hon. ISIr. 
 Selby's ; complain of the indignity offered Major Allan, and that 
 the capitulation had not been ratified, nor a coj)y so ratified, 
 i-eturned in a few minutes according to promise ; and declared 
 that tlie whole appeared a deception. Major King was sorry ; 
 would do every tiling that lay in his power, and desired us to go 
 to the garrison, antl every thing should be amicably adjusted. 
 VV^ent to the garrison, but the commanding-officer, Colonel Pierce, 
 can do nothing. The militia had been detained in the block- 
 house without victvuils, and the wounded without nourishment 
 or medicine. Complain to Colonel Piei'ce, who ordered rations 
 for the ])i-isoners. ISIeet a deputation from General Dearborn, to 
 discuss the articles of capitulation ; find that they cannot parole 
 tlie militia officers and men. 
 
 " Demand an officer to take me on board the principal ship, 
 where Deai-born was. Meet him coming on shore, and jjrescnt 
 him with the articles of cajiitulation. He read them without 
 deigning an a;iswer. Re(piest to know whether he will parole 
 the officers and men, and demand leave to take away our sick and 
 wounded. He treats me with great harshness ; tells rae that we 
 had given a false I'eturn of officers ; told me to keep off, and not 
 to follow hiin, as he had business of much more importance 
 1() attend to. Comjjlained of this treatment to Commodore 
 (Jhauncey, the commander of flotilla, declare that, if the capitu- 
 lation was not immediately signed, we should not i-eceive it ; and 
 affirn)ed that the delay was a deception, calculated to give the 
 rifle-men time to plunder, and after the town had been robbed 
 tliey would then }>erhaps sign the capitulation, and tell us they 
 )-espccted private property. But we were det((rmined that this 
 should not be the case, and that they should not have it in their 
 ))Ower to say that they respected private pi-0[)erty, after it liad 
 been robbed. Upon saying this, I bi-oke away. Soon after 
 General Dearborn came to the room where his deputation were 
 sitting ; and having been told what I had said, settled the matter 
 aniicaljly. The officers and men were released on their parole, 
 and W(; began to remove the sick and wounded. 
 
 " Spent the whole of Thursday the 29th, in retnovirjg the sick 
 and wounded, and getting comforts for them. On the following
 
 49 
 
 day, the Govoniim'iit building on fire, contrary to tlie articles ol" 
 cai>itulation, and the church rubbed. Call a meeting of the judges 
 and magistrates ; draw up a short note stating our grievances, and 
 wait i\[>on General Dearborn with it. He is greatly embarassed, 
 and [>roniises every thing." 
 
 Our readers will judge from this extract what was the 
 activity and fearless courage of Dr. Strachan at this trying 
 time ; and how nuicli it was owing to his energy and 
 intrepidity that York suffered comparatively so little from 
 an undisciplined soldiery, commanded by a General hardly 
 more refined than tliemselves. In the amenities and 
 ciiurtcsies of life, his suhordinate officers Avere much his 
 superiors. On a ,subse(pient day. Dr. Strachan, while endea- 
 vouring to rescue some plundered propert}' of a friend 
 from two American soldiers, nearly lost his life. In thf 
 heat of the altercation, one aimed liis musket at his breast ; 
 and his threat of firing would no doubt have been exe- 
 cuted, had not an American officer chanced to come up, 
 and interpose, and order the surrender of the booty. 
 
 All, during the residue of the summer, was confusion 
 and anxiety, — sieges, battles, alternate victories and defeats, 
 hopes and disappointments. But the year 1813 closed 
 without a solitary advantage to the Americans; without 
 a foot-hoM gained by tlicm in any portion of either Pro- 
 vince. The Canadians, therefore, so far fn tm being dis- 
 couraged were full of confidence ; and oh the winter of 
 1814 ailvancedj cheering news, mail after mail, came in 
 from the older world. The great enemy of England and 
 the scourge of Europe, — the heartless despot whom, in 
 their infatuation, the Govenmient of the United States 
 sympathized Avith and aided, — having been compelled to 
 make an inglorious retreat from Russia, his army of more 
 than half a million destroyed or disi)ersed, was now bat- 
 tling faintly for very life; pursued to the gates of Paris; 
 and forced soon to abdicate, and clioose the island of Elba 
 as his prison. 
 7
 
 The cessation of the war iu Europe gave Engiand the 
 opportunity to send several more regiments to Canada ; 
 and the war, on our part, was made to assume an aggi'es- 
 sive cliaracter, which, if not well planned, nor eminently 
 successful, had the effect of diminishing the strength and 
 frequency of the attacks on these Provinces. The summer 
 of 1814 was signalized by the hard-fought and sanguinar}' 
 battle of Lundy's Lane, — a victory to the British dearly 
 purchased, but an effectual chock to the further advance' 
 of the Americans; and it closed with the ill-planned, 
 abortive, and disgraceful campaign against Plattsburg. 
 But we soon ceased to have war, or even its rumours ; 
 for early in the winter of 1815, peace was concluded 
 between Great Britain and the United States.
 
 51 
 
 CHAPTER YI. 
 
 Death of the Hon. Hiohanl Cuitwright.— Appointment to the 
 Executive Council.— McCill College, Montreal .—Loss of 
 his house hy fire. 
 
 lUR.INC! the tiiiiii-'il ;ni<l niixictirs of til.' war, there 
 wore occiirrt'iice.s of a private nature tlirvt^ deeply 
 afibcted tlie subject of thi.s Memoir. 
 During the summer of 1813, the health of his old and 
 attached friend, the H(jn. Richard Cartm-iglit, of Kingston, 
 was visibly failing, and little hope was entertained of his 
 recovery. He was himself sensible that his end was 
 approaching; and on tlie 1 :3th of November of that 
 year, he addressed to Di-. Strachan the ff)llowing touching 
 letter :— 
 
 " My intiruiities arc increasing so fast upon nu', tli;it it would 
 be infatuation in vne to expect to live long, and 1 may very 
 probably he called away in a few days. 'J'o me this is no other- 
 wise an object of anxiety, than as it may atiect my family. 
 I had once flattered myself that in the event now contemijlated 
 r should have left them under the guardianship of my .son 
 James, whose allectionate heart and honourable principles would 
 have well supplied my i)lace ; but it has i)leased God to order 
 otherwi.se ; and I must devolve this Trust on you, as the kindest 
 and warmest of my friends. I am particularly anxious that the 
 Boys should have such an education as will (pialify them for 
 being useful to their friends and their country, and by a taste 
 for Literature ensure them an unfailing source of pei-soual enjoy- 
 ment. Mrs. Cartwright, 1 am sure, will readily actpiiesce in 
 any scheme you may ja-opo.se fortius jmrpose ; and Mr. Robin- 
 son, whom 1 have joined with you a.s my Executor, will, T doubt 
 not, lend you his coidial aid. ■"• ''' '"
 
 52 
 
 "Adieu, my dear friend. Before this reaches you, 1 shall 
 have finished my earthly career, which lias been shortened by the 
 afflicting events which have in the last three years prostrated 
 my fairest hopes. I shall without dismay resign my soul into 
 the hands of its Creator, trusting to the merits of our Saviour 
 for all the blessing which Christianity offers to its votaries. 
 
 " I will thank you to look over the letters which I have 
 received from different friends, and especially from my children ; 
 and, after selecting those which you think may be useful to the 
 survivors in inspiring them with virtuous and honourable senti- 
 ments, you will preserve them for their use and destroy the rest. 
 — Of my papers which relate to the public concerns of the Pro- 
 vince, you are at liberty to make what use you please. — May 
 every Ijlessing attend you and yours." 
 
 Mr. Cartwright was a gcntleiuaii of (Miltivalcd mind and 
 superior abilities, with sterling integrity of character and 
 decided piety. His death was a serious loss to the Pro- 
 vince, and not less so the Churcli of which Tie was a 
 devoted member. Of those he left behind him, two at 
 least are not likely to be forgotten in Canada, — his twin- 
 sons, John and Robert. Botli were most estimable men ; 
 the former an honest and able member of the Bar of Upper 
 Canada, and tlie latter one of its most exemplary and 
 zealous clergymen. There was something ])eculiarly win- 
 ning in the character of l)ot]i tliese men ; guileless as 
 children, full of innocent })lay and vivacity, with a fund 
 of information and anecdote which gave always an interest 
 and charm to their conversation. To botli tluj best ol 
 opportunities for acquiring a finished education had been 
 atibrded; for the former completed his legal studies at 
 Lincoln's Inn, in London ; and the latter went through the 
 full curriculum at Oxford, obtaining there his Degree 
 with second class in Classics, and iirst in Mathematics. 
 Both died comparatively young, — Robert, in the spring 
 of 1843, and John, in January, 184.5. The attachment 
 between these brothers was sometliing unusually strong ;
 
 53 
 
 each being, as it were, a part of the other's soir In life 
 they were rarely separated ; ninl in death they were not 
 long divided. 
 
 .Soon after tlic death of Ids old njid valued iVicnd Mr. 
 Cartwright, Di-. Strachan w as appointed a member of the 
 Executive Council of Upper Canada. I'his a])pointment 
 was made upon the strrtng recommendation of Mr. Gore, 
 the Lieutenant Governor, who urged it mainly on the 
 ground of his zealous and \aluablc services during the 
 late war; and so highl}^ were these ajipreciated by the 
 Ministry in England, that they sanctioned it Avith the 
 greatest promptitude and cheerfuhiess. 
 
 Tn ivference to this appointment, 1 gladly tpiote the 
 M'ords of another ljiogra})her of the late Bishop, the Rev. 
 Dr. Sca<ldiiig : 
 
 '•The ;i|)|)uintmt'iil of ;i iitTsoii in JbiJy Urdcrs uinlcr the 
 Episcopal rank, to .such a positiuii, woidd .scarcely have happened, 
 had there not been a scarcity o( men in tlie country qualified to 
 till such a station. The discernment and decision of mind 
 evinced by Dr. Strachan in regard to secular as well as ecclesi- 
 astical matters, stamped him as one that might be thus distin 
 guished by the Crown. In England, to this day, we sec men in 
 Holy Orders sitting on the Magistrate's Bench. It is a relic 
 of the policy of bygone ages, when ecclesiastics were chosen to be 
 keepers of the Great Seal ; because they, beyond the generality 
 of their contemporaries, were fitted for the office. The jKilicy 
 of the ])resent day, although it has not yet wholly discarded the 
 usage of the past in this respect, is in its tendency oi)poscd to, 
 and will \dtimately exclude .such appointments ; the reason 
 arising from the paucity of qualified men outside the ecclesi- 
 astical ranks, having long since been cancelled liy facts." 
 
 U])on this subject it will be eiKiugh to add, that the 
 appointment was not of his own .seeking, and at first 
 accompanied with no emolument whatever. It was 
 accepted, as he stated in a Icttei- to a fiiend. because
 
 54 
 
 "it gave him more influence and greater opportunities 
 of promoting plans for the mora] and religious instruction 
 of the people." 
 
 In the autunni of JNlo, Mrs. Strachan being in delicate 
 health, consequent npon the frights and anxieties of the 
 preceding spring, when York was in the hands oi' the 
 enemy, — he sent her and the children to Cornwall., whei-e, 
 ])eino- surrounded by friends and relatives, she would have 
 every care and attention. But the seclusion of ( ornwall 
 proved no safeguard against the alarms of war. The 
 1 tattle of Chr3sler's Farm, so honourable to the British 
 arms, was fought on the Uth of November of this year; 
 and it ha})pene»l that an advanced detachment of the 
 United States' army encamped within two miles of Corn- 
 wall. Before the result of this battle was known, two 
 companies of American soldiers marched into Cornwall; 
 and though they Avere generally very civil to the inhabi- 
 tants, — none but women and children and a few aged men 
 beino- left in the town, — they committed some depre- 
 dations, and ])hnidered two or three stores of goods which 
 there had not been time to remove. This so alarmed 
 Mrs. »Strachan that she subsequently became seriously ill ; 
 and a special messenger (the present Dean of Montreal) 
 was desi)atched in all haste to York to bring Dr. Strachan 
 down. In those days the comnuinication by post was 
 about once a fortnight : He came as speedily as possible ; 
 and Mrs. Strachan was much cheered and improved by his 
 arrival. He felt it necessary, however, to remain several 
 weeks; but took the opportunity, before returning to 
 York, to visit Montreal in view of a subject of great 
 moment to the country, and in which he felt a dee]) 
 personal interest. 
 
 The Hon. James McGill had bequeathetl the muniticent 
 sum of £1(),0()(), and the valuable property of Burnside, 
 containing several acres, with a spacious and substantial 
 dwelling-house, for the ].ur|)Ose of establishing a Univer-
 
 sity in which the Kii^L;lish youth of thut city im«l the 
 Province generally might have tlic advantage of a liberal 
 ('(lucation. As there were to be no restrictions on religious 
 ^--rounds, it was hoped that French, as well as Eughsli 
 youth, would avail themselves of its advantages; and, 
 should this prove to be the case, a greater cordiality and 
 harmony w'ould grow uj) between the two nations in 
 Lower Canada. It was believed, too, that through this 
 meaus the Euglish language would gradually gain the 
 ascendenc}^ ; and from this would follow the gradual 
 abrogation of those many feudal laws and customs to 
 which, notwithstanding their practical inconveniences, the 
 French ])eople clung with so much tenacity. Nor was 
 there much, in the existing institutions of learning belong- 
 ing to the French Canadians, that was calculated to 
 enlarge the mind, and tit them to- a})preciatc and gras] > 
 the improvements in laws and arts that prevailed in other 
 nations, and were the result of a more advanced culture 
 and inquiry. In their three Colleges, then existing, they 
 aimed at little more than preparing young men for the 
 priesthood of their Church ; and in their system of general 
 education they were, at least, a century behind the age. 
 
 Of this numificent be(piest Dr. Strachan was named a 
 Trustee by the testator, with an intimation of his desire 
 that he shouhl l)e the first Principal of the College when 
 established. It was long before the intentions of the 
 founder could be realised: long before " McGill College" 
 could assume a shaj)e and name. The money so generously 
 bequeathed was refused by his heirs, and held back till 
 the law extorted it from them ; and, after this obstacle was 
 removed, many Aveary years elapsed, — either from dila- 
 toriness or the want of business capacity in those entrusted 
 with its management, — l.iefore it could be got into practical 
 operation. It is almost needless to say that when the 
 College could be opened, the position of Dr. Strachan was 
 such a;i to render it impossible for him to consent to
 
 56 
 
 become its Principal, aiul so incct the wislie.s oi" his 
 •loparted friend. 
 
 The junriiey to Montreal we have reference to, was the 
 l)('^•inning of his active thoni;-hts upon the estaT)lishnient 
 uf this College; for although his aims and projects foi" the 
 advancement of education were naturally directed with 
 more earnestness to Ui)per Canada, he never lost sight of 
 the large advantages to the youth of the Lower Province, 
 which were promised by the beneficence of his friend Mr. 
 McCill. On his return to York from Montreal, he addressed 
 a letter to his friend Professor Brown, of St. Andrew's, 
 asking him for some suggestions u})on the subject, so that 
 lie might l:>c enabled, as soon as retjuired, to draw up a 
 rational and useful plan of conducting a literary establish- 
 ment of this character; what rules of discipline would be 
 advisal)le, when the students might be composed of Roman 
 Catholics and Protestants; and, assuming that at first it 
 might be necessary to start on a limited and partial scale, 
 what branches of education should at the outset be pre- 
 ferred. He went on to request the draft of a scheme for a 
 University in its entireity ; expressing a belief that, whilst 
 its tendency would l>e to harmonize the antagonistic 
 elements of the Canadian population, it would l)e so supe- 
 rior to any institution of the kind in the United States, 
 that our youth need not be exposed to the contagion of 
 the loose politics and unsound religion that Avere believed 
 to be inculcated in most of the Colleges of that country. 
 
 During the winter of 1815, the house which Dr. Stra- 
 chan occupied at Yoj-k w^as unfortunately consumed by fire, 
 [n reference to this, he writes thus to a friend : 
 
 " I happened to ho out, visiting the Hospitals, and beiore 1 
 got home the roof was in a blaze. Almost all my papers and 
 )nanusciii>ts are gone ; and this I consider my greatest loss, as 
 the other things that wei-e broken or stolen, though amounting 
 to a large sum, may in time be replaced. I bore the calamity 
 with my usual firmness, and we are again comfortable. Mrs.
 
 ->/ 
 
 Htrachau stood it wuiuleiriilly well ; and, tliuugh exposed for a 
 time to many privations to which wc liad not been accustomed, 
 wo all had excellent health."' 
 
 This, and a sul (sequent misfortune of tlie same cliaractei-, 
 induced him to eml)aik in tlie large expense of jjroviding 
 a house of his own ; and there was completed in the sum- 
 Miri- of 1818, the larcje and comfortahle residence in which 
 he lived during the remainder of his life. This had become 
 so ftimiliar and endeared a spot to the Churchmen of the 
 Diocese, that, in contcniplating a suitable memorial to 
 mark their a])preeiation of his worth and services, the 
 purcha^'^e of this as the Ei)iscopal residence in all time to 
 come, was seriously entertained. There were obstacles, 
 however, to the consunnnation of this purpose wdiich it 
 wa,s found im})Ossible at })resent to surmount; but it was a 
 satisfiiction to feel that the present, though only temj)o- 
 lary, appropriation of the home of our late Bishop, is one 
 that meets in some degree the intention of a Memorial. 
 At piesent there is conducted there the Seminary for the 
 instruction and religious training of the daughters of 
 Churchmen in this Province, which, with his own consent, 
 bears the name of" The Bishoji-Strachan School"; a .school 
 which, fiom the efficiency of its management and the 
 patronage already extended to it, promises to realize to 
 the full, the ol»jeet of its establi.shment. 
 
 To liis fi-iend Professor Brown, of St. Andrew's, with 
 whom he maintained a steady eorres])ondence as long as 
 he lived, he expressed himself with the freedom of inti- 
 macy on various domestic matters; giving an account of 
 his children, their progress at .school, ami for what yn-ofes- 
 sions or othei' em)d<\vnients he designed them. Sometimes, 
 too, he was ecpially free in otiering his advice to his friend 
 on these ])rivate concerns, — in relation to which we shall 
 venture ujion a short extract from one oi" his letters : 
 
 " I have for these two years past looked with anxiety, iu the 
 literal^ and pliilosophicul columns of iutelligcnce, for your name,
 
 58 
 
 but ill vain : iiu work is yet annouiiceil of yours. But you must 
 recollect that your ties are iiosv much stronger than ever, and 
 that it becomes uecc^ssiny to })repare against all possible contin- 
 gencies. What provision is tliere for Mrs. B. and the young- 
 child, in case anything liappened t() you? The small annuity 
 vou ])Ossess dies with you. Wiiy not ])ublis]i some of your pro 
 jected works? Youi- discoveries in iMathematics would, in all 
 j)robability, sell well. A few vohuncs oj' your Sermons would 
 have an uncommon sale, and might alone constitute a fund 
 sufficient for your ]iurpose. You will have the goodness to 
 excuse my freedom ; but your talents are so great, and the means 
 of assisting your circum.stances are so much in your powei', that 
 I know not how you can reconcile it to yourself to remain in 
 obscurity. Are you determined to continue in retirement, or to 
 break through the cloud, and assume your proper station on the 
 theatre of life ? " 
 
 Dr. Stracliau also eorrespoudod j)retty regularly with 
 Professor Duncan, and Dr. Chalmers. From a letter of the 
 latter, written ahont the date of the present .stage of this 
 narrative, the following extiuct cannot fail to he interesting 
 to onr readers : 
 
 "There is almost nothing occurring here at ])reseut that is 
 worthy of being mentioned. We expect, in time, a jii'etty large 
 accession of new Churches, which, it tilled liy effective men, will 
 turn out a great Idessing to our jjopulatloii. J*''. very thing, how- 
 ever, will dejiend on the patronage, and the pure and right 
 exercise of it ; for unless they get ministers who will attract and 
 influence the great mass of the people, the dliject of these 
 Churches will be altogether frustrated. 
 
 "There is a po]>ularity that is \'aiu and -transitory, and alto 
 gether contemptible as an aini. I'ut have you uovov thought, 
 that if Christianity in its tv\w lorm b(! accommodiitcd to the 
 real wants and inwardly felt necessities of our nature, then a true 
 statement of it may stand distinguished from an erroneous one, 
 by the homage of a responding movement which it draws from 
 human beings. ' This man has told me all I ever did,' says the 
 woman of Samaria. 'These men,' said the converts of old
 
 .5!) 
 
 'know all that is in our hearts.' And in liko manner, he who 
 iiow-a days truly ex])Ounds the religion that was framed by Him 
 who knew what was in man, may obtain the testimony that — 
 ' Here is a man speaking to me. There is something within 
 wliich he has got hold of, and by whicli lie has a hold of my 
 attention and conviction, and linally of my entire conversion to 
 the power of the truth.' 
 
 " r need no collateral evidence for the doctrine; of Atonenieiil, 
 and utter depravity of man by nature, and his alienation from 
 (Jod, and his need of regeneration by the .Si)irit, because they 
 dash directly upon me from the authentic result of our faith. 
 F'.ut «th(Mi 1 further si'c that these are the doctrines Avhich the 
 lunimon peo|)k! heard gladly ; and niidcr the inlluence of tlieni 
 they are turned to newn(>ss of life. 1 cannot I)U< look upon this 
 as a coincidence that was to be looked for ; as a proof of the 
 wisdom of Him who has adapted the remedy to the disease, the 
 operation to tin; subject. "
 
 GO 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Effects of the War — .Emigration to Canada. — Controversy with 
 the Earl of Selkirk. — Mr. Robert Gourlay- 
 
 CJ^lCji'VAIl is a great calamity, and it produci's injuries to 
 U \y\ individuals, and iVeqiiently to connnnni ties, which 
 no after thrift or industry can coiupensate ; yet 
 war, especially to a new country, has its indirect lienelits. 
 The brave soldiers and sailors who fought in our defence, 
 and who, on their i-eturn home, discovei'ed that their active 
 services were no longer required, gladly accepted grants of 
 land in (Janada ; and diffusing, as they did, a knowledge of 
 the country, — the healthfulness of its climate, the fertility 
 of its soil, its mineral wealth, and boundless ca})abilities 
 for manufacturing enterprise, — amongst their friends at 
 home, who were realizing there but n scant subsistence, 
 many were induced to emigrate and try their fortunes 
 here. 
 
 A lai'ge im})ortation of stunly settlers, chietly from 
 Scotland, very soon transformed a wilderness of forest into 
 fruitful fields and thriving villages, in the country compris- 
 ing what was recently the Bathurst District. This was 
 the Vjeginuing of the emigration enter})rise ; since then, it 
 has come in with a continuous flow, — latterly, it is true, in 
 streams more scant ; so that our ])opulation, mimbered 
 then by a few tens of thousands, has, in the course of half 
 a century, swelled to millions. 
 
 It seems that there were other portions of this continent 
 under British rule, besides Canada, to invite the settler ; 
 at all events means were taken to entice them in a differ- 
 ent dire(;tion. The Earl of Selkirk, a Scottish nobleman,
 
 61 
 
 had conceived the project of forming a settlement on the 
 Red River in the Hudson's Bay Ten'itory. Various opin- 
 ions were formed at the time, as to liis Lordship's inten- 
 tions in undertaking this settlement. Some believed that 
 his motives were i)ure and i>hilanthroi»hic, prompted sini))! y 
 Vjy the desire to better the condition of some of his poorer 
 countrymen; but tlie iiiijtri'ssion amongst leading men in 
 Canada i)revailed very strongly, that one object of his 
 emigration ])lans was aggression ujion, and the tijial suj)- 
 planting of the North West Fur ( "onipany, in tavoni- cither 
 of the Hudson's Bay C*om})any, or of some soltish jirojeet 
 of his own. This movement was naturally viewed by the 
 North West Company with great suspicion and jealousy ; 
 and in the effort to counteract it, contentions arose of a 
 very grave charactei". 
 
 The writer of this chanced to lie at IMontreal, enjoying 
 one of his school vacations, in the summer of 181G, when 
 fhe news arrived of the capture of Fort William by Lord 
 Selkirk, and tlic arrest and imprisonment of some leadin-^- 
 nicmbers of the Company. Montreal Mas deeply agitated, 
 though somewhat di\ided in opinion, u})on this (luaricl. 
 The North West Company, having their head-quarters o)' 
 liusiness in that city, had naturally a large nundn'r of siiji- 
 porters there; while not a few, from disajipointnicnt or 
 jealous}', — for the "North- westers" were the leaders of 
 society in Montreal, — had their partialities on the- other 
 side. The excitement was inteu.se when the news arrived 
 of Lortl Selkirk's high-handed proceedings; and tluMc 
 eduld hardly have been more anxiety and di.stress, if iiews 
 li.id arrived of some terrible reverse in war. 
 
 Dr. Strachan was not one to stand neutral in a case af- 
 fecting so vitally the interests of the colony; and s(» h»^ 
 threw himself with characteri.stic energy into the contest. 
 With his innate keen perce]»tion of acts and motives, he at 
 once arrayed him.sclf with the opjtonents of Lord Selkiik. 
 and wrote a very jiowerf'ul and able pamphlet, exjiosing
 
 62 
 
 his unfair acts and schemes, and maintaining the right and 
 justice of the position assumed by the North West Com- 
 pany. 
 
 The (.•ullisiun between tlic liigh cuiitendin*^- parties, — in- 
 vdlvinff some lamentable acts of violence and bloodshed, — 
 M-as at last to be settled l)y the ]^caceful arl:)itrament ol 
 law. In successive courts of justice, the case was ably 
 argued on both sides ; and once, in his enthusiasm, a leading- 
 member of the Company, exclaimed in reference to one of 
 their advocates, — "The Attorney-General (Robinson) is an 
 ornament to the world." At this stage of its history, J)r. 
 Sti-aehan wrote as follows to an old and dear friend in 
 Seotland, on the 1st December, ISlS :— 
 
 '• It was not altogether procia.stinat'Hni tliat prevented me tVuni 
 tiMMWcriug your most welcome favour dated Janxiary last ; I was 
 anxious to await the issue of some trials between the Earl of Sel- 
 kirk and his tipiKjnents,— the issue of wlneli, and the evidence ad- 
 'hiced, would establisli the guilt or innocence of the contending 
 jiarties. 
 
 " Tlie arts mad<! use of by liis Lordsliip to contaminate or ob- 
 struct the course of justice, and to turn the proceedings of the 
 law into engines of oppression, have exliibited wonderful talent 
 and great resource, which, in a better cause, might have been 
 productive of much good. Ikit, as you are on friendly terms with 
 his Lordshii)'s relatives, I shall be extremely brief on this subject. 
 " First, then, all the miseries tliat have happened in the inte- 
 rior of this continent, the death of Mr. Semple and his followers, 
 &c., were proved most clearly to have originated with Iho Earl 
 of Selkirk ; that his instructions were (iven more violent than his 
 sei'\'ants durst put in execution. 
 
 " His Lordshi}) at length finding all his acts discovered, and 
 that he was soon to be called to give an account of his conduct, 
 when no subterfuge would avail him, has fled hastily to England. 
 " I must likewise remark that my controversy with his Lord- 
 ship respected his colony only, and the deceptions he was practis- 
 ing on the poor people in Scotland, to induce them to emigi-ate.
 
 03 
 
 "My motive wa.s eiitiiely disiutercstotl, :aiil luid nutliiiiji; to do 
 with the Earl's rival.slii|) witli tlio Novtli "West Company, or the 
 jtroprioty of tho Fur Trade. On this content I "vvas a neutral 
 s|»eftator, takinjj; no stej) on either side ; thongli 1 knew tlien, as 
 well as I do now, that his Ijordship was tlio aggressor. 
 
 " My pamphlet was sent to my brother in Aberdeen to lie 
 transmitted to you for ])erusal, ami any alterations in style you 
 pleased to make : hut it has been printed without this l)enetit. 
 The facts, however, can be incontestably proAed, and miu-h more 
 than I thought it necessary to advance : my object was to give 
 an opportunity to my poor countrynu'n of judging for themsehes, 
 by seeing both sides of the question. In tliis point of view it ha.s 
 done some good ; and this consoles me for his Lordship's implaca- 
 ble hatred, and inee.ssant calumnies, which T value not a straw. 
 " The letter to his Lordship was published before I became a 
 public character, otherwise I should not have thought it prudent 
 to meddle in the l»usiness ; for I knew that the disputes already 
 connnenoed were daily assuming a more serious aspect, and must 
 sooner or later arrest the attention of Government. 
 
 '' I could say much on this subject, and feel confident that, if 
 the matter were fully explained, you would be with me in ever\ 
 particular ; l)ut 1 liave no desire to disturb your tran([uillity. 
 
 " The narrati\-es and documents which were sent you, I haA e 
 likewi.se seen. They are i"ull of the grossest misrepresentation.s, 
 and every fact sujipressed that made against the writer. More 
 over, f'reat care was taken to distribute them before the trials of 
 the per.sons particularly implicated, and amongst the people that 
 chiefly compose the juries ; nevertheless, when tin' 1 rials wen- 
 had, the facts came oiit entirely difterent. 
 
 '• 1 can assure you that his Lordshii* was not abandoned by 
 tlie (Government, till he himself abandoned justice ar.d humanity. 
 1 am willing to believe that, when his Lordship commenced this 
 undertaking, he had no intention of doing many tilings which he 
 has since done ; but from the first I believe it was a tleej* laid 
 scheme to ruin the trade of the North We.st Compan}',— an en 
 terprise miworthy of a British peer. But enough, and more than 
 enough, of this. Let it not, 1 beseech you, disturb y»'ur peace. 
 I have no personal enmity to Lord Selkirk, though 1 dislike his
 
 64 
 
 jilaus. Lt't Mr. Haskett and I, tliougli difl't'iiiig ii|>ou lliis suK- 
 joct, ivmaiu y(tur dear friends as before.'' 
 
 \j\) to the present })eriocl, sucli ;i thiuy as })olitical con- 
 tention was utterly unknown in Upper Canada. There 
 was l»ut one simple public policy ; and all seemed in co- 
 alesce in ui:)holding it. If anything was ev^er ol)trude(l 
 that savoured of opposition to public opinion, it was re- 
 garded with amazement if not with alarm ; and the abettor 
 of it viewed as an eccentric or perverse being, who shovdd 
 be ridiculed or avoided accf)rding to the character of his 
 pretensions. 
 
 People are often advised that this is an unhealthy and 
 pernicious state of things, and that a ruffle now and then 
 of the public tranquillity is wholesome and beneficial. The 
 effort therefore is made, and it is frequently succesfid, t(- 
 make people believe that the political system they have 
 been quietly living under so long, is unsound and despotic, 
 at the same time that they have felt themselves free, con- 
 tented, and prosperous. They are persuaded that they 
 have been all along under an unha])|)y delusion, and that 
 he is to be hailed as a friend and benefactor who comes 
 forth to waken them out of it. 
 
 Early in the year 1818, there arrived in Canada a Mr. 
 Robert Gourlay, — a Scotch radical of the most decided 
 stamp, and fresh from the tuition im})arted by tlie political 
 riots in several towns of his native country during the 
 preceding year. He came brimful of specifics for the cure 
 of every political malady; and if he did not discover any 
 thing in Up])er Canada that i-equired the application of 
 his skill, he was not slow in conjuring up imaginary dis- 
 eases, ;m<l dictating a suitable remedy. 
 
 He sent ].)i-oadcast through the ])rovince, various docu- 
 ments designed to throw light upon our political state, 
 and retrieve us from the political wretchedness into which 
 he assured us we had fallen. He was a fluent and taking
 
 05 
 
 wi-itor, tliougli a lieavy and ungainly spuakor ; and the 
 printed sheets lie circulated far and wide very much a.stoii- 
 ished many of OU1- ipiiet-going ])opuhiti()n. As, liowever, 
 theri' was on the surface of these documents an a])parent 
 .uixiety to develope the natural resources of the country, 
 and gi\f a spur to our arts and conunerce, many intelli- 
 "•ent and educated men viewed them at first with favour, 
 and appeared dispose<l to give him a fair sup})ort in carry- 
 ing out his views. 
 
 H\it it was not so easy to impose ui)on l)r. Straehan. 
 He had not lost all recollection of what Scottish radicalism 
 was, and there was still some memory of the si)ecious way 
 in which advances are made by ])olitical charlatans to gain 
 over partisans. So he felt it his duty to denounce Mr. 
 (lourlay as a fire-brand and a demagogue ; and he warned 
 his fricmls in various parts of the Province against giving 
 him any countenance. In writing to a friend in Scotland, 
 aliout the close of the year 1818, he says: — 
 
 " Tliere Ikis hwu iKit- i'or uVxHit a year past, a Mr. Go>u-lay, 
 IVoiii Fit'rsliiro, trying to get us Ijy the ears. He lias done a good 
 dfid of mischief in tlie province hy his soditiou.s publication.s, ex- 
 citing discontent amongst the people. I sivw through him at 
 once, and opposed him with my usual vigour ; upon which, the 
 press gi'oancd with his abuse of me. By tliis lie destroyed much 
 of his influence. All my pupils, now leading charactcr.s in many 
 parts of the rrovince, opposed him sternly. A character like Mr. 
 (ilourlay, in a quiet colony like this, where there lia.s been little 
 or no spirit of inquiry, and very little knowledge, can do much 
 harm ; and notwith.standing the check he has received, he htvi 
 already (U)ne great mischief. I tried to infuse more onerg)'- into 
 tlu^ administration of the Government ; but it was too feeble 
 until Sir Peregime Maitland arrived, ^[attei-s are now falling 
 back to their old ]ieaceful state ; and, as we liave in truth no 
 grievances, the ]»eople are regaining their sen.ses." 
 
 In a subsecpient letter, after speaking of Lord Selkirk, 
 whose death had recently taken place, in the following 
 9
 
 00 
 
 terms, ho adds M'liat is (|iiutL'd iu reference to Mr. 
 Gourlay : 
 
 " 111 regard to the personal interest which you have discovered 
 in Lord Selkirk, I consider it laudable. My predilections were 
 once in the same channel ; but his conduct placed his chai'acter 
 and views in a new light, and I became his opponent. I feel, 
 however, that I was oidy op[)osed to him in ])riuciple ; and 
 while I disajjproved of his plans, and lamented that a person of 
 his brilliant attainments should have stooped so low, I enter- 
 tained no dislike for the man. That I was right, events have 
 shewn ; since his death, the Hudson's Bay Company have com- 
 jjromised matters, and united with tlie North West, — allowing, 
 in the arrangement, more tlian half the interest to the latter. In 
 a mox'al point of view this union is to be aj)})lauded, as it will 
 put a stop to all the feuds ^nd crimes that were continually hap- 
 |)ening in the interior of this continent. It will likewise ]n-ove 
 favo\u-able to the Indian nations. The rival Companies were in 
 the habit of su])])lying them with great quantities of ardent 
 spirits, ill order to maintain their inlluence ; but now acting as 
 one, they will find it their interest to carry very little of this 
 })oison to their savage friends. 
 
 " lint if I am disposed to draw a veil over Lord Selkirk and 
 his transactions, now that he is gone, I feel very diffei'ently 
 towards Mr. Courlay. This man I must always consider as a 
 wicked and malignant ])erson ; wlio jiaid no regard to the truth, 
 and composed and published the most venomous and unfeeling 
 slander. It was not his i>olitics that I regarded, but his venom- 
 ous attacks on tlic characters of all who dared to differ from liiin 
 in opinion. In tliis res])ect he was a ])erfect despot; Ibr he 
 allowed no man the liberty of thinking l>ut himself, and the 
 moment that any of Lis friends differed from him, this unworthy 
 apostle of freedom denounced him. 1 had no personal commu- 
 nication with the man, nor did I know for a long time that 1 
 was offensive to liim. This I discovered by seeing long i)ara- 
 graphs in the newspapers, in which my character was traduced 
 in the most infamous manner, and my name coupled with every 
 thine; that was base and mean. But the general indignation
 
 rose against liiiii ; ;iiiil as 1 liad waiin fVionds amongst the most 
 respectable i-auks in every part of tlie I'rovinre, his attacks on 
 me nltiniately led to his Itatiisliment." 
 
 From tlio tlays of RoLrrt (Jourlay jiojiticiaiis in ( 'anada 
 took sides, and av(! liad, tliouL!li on ;i small scale, an orfan- 
 izod opj)ositioii in our Legislature. And udiere tliis is 
 composed of lionest and disinterested men, it is not to lir 
 lamented. Differences of o[>inion are inseparable fi-(»m 
 the constitution of human nature ; and ^\•hil(^ tlie party in 
 power are thus ki'pt in check, and made to ])roceed more 
 warily as well as with more zeal for the i»ul»lic interests, 
 these collisions of opinion, with tlie discussions they pro- 
 voke amongst intelligent men, stimulate inquiry and lead 
 to the acquisition of information that may he turnc<l to 
 the account of the o-cneral jjood. 
 
 Though born and educated a Tory, tlie writer of these 
 pages has learned to respect a wholesome opposition in 
 Government. There is a danger to the political, as well 
 as physical and moral healtli, in an unlnoken monotony, — 
 a <leail level of feeling and sentiment. There M'ould follow 
 too surely a stagnation of thought, a ])rostration of eiierfy. 
 This, too, contracts tlie intellectual vision, and bounds its 
 grasj) and conceptions within a nanow range. Pei"sons, 
 for exam[)le, wedded by association and habit to a particu- 
 hir set of political opinions, are led to appreliend that the 
 adoption of a policy essentially opposed to what they have 
 been always instructed to maintain, must end in revolu- 
 tion, — a disorganization of the social structur(\ th(> prostra- 
 tion and overthrow of the public interests. 
 
 How det'ply and wiilely Avas this a]>prelicnsion felt in 
 regard to the influence of the Reform Bill in England in 
 lNol-2! But though this may have been followed lis- 
 some social ills, it has not shaken in the least the stfibility 
 of the Throne, the influence of the Peera<?e, or the moral 
 l)o\ver of the ( 'hurch. ( )n the contrary, energies have been
 
 68 
 
 evoked which have given to all tlircc a weight and influ- 
 ence they never possessed so legitimately before ; and 
 since the aljolition of the Corn Laws, the effects of which 
 were viewed with so imicli alarm, there has been a pros- 
 perity and content in tlic Km])ire to wliich, foi- centuries, 
 there has been no parallel. 
 
 So we in Canada, who weie educattMl with a different 
 bias, dreaded much the effects of E,esponsibl(> Government, 
 as unsuited to a colony ; but this, though it has been at- 
 tended with some practical evils, and engendered a large 
 amount of corruption in the administration of the Govern- 
 ment, has, without a doubt, shaken us out of a state of 
 pohtical boyhood, into one of manly energ}'^ and enterprise. 
 It has taught us, as it were, to walk without support, — to 
 swim without bladders. 
 
 In regard to Mr. Gourlay, he was uncpiestionably a man 
 of coarse feelings and violent temper ; but time has shewn 
 that there was some mental aberration ])rovoking this un- 
 seemly acrimony. A relative of his mentioned to me in 
 Scotland in 1831, that in a freak of annoyance and sjjite 
 he once left his home and liire(l liimself to bivak stones 
 upon the highway. In the autunui of 1888, when time 
 had mellowed his feelings, and Ids native asperity seemed 
 all but gone, he called upon me, and spoke in a manner, 
 though calm and gentle, yet so wild and incoherent, that 
 we saw at once the intellectual wreck he had now become. 
 
 Poor Mr. Gourlay ! The time had come about when he 
 found himself alone and a stranger in Canada. After all 
 the bitterness and commotion he liad excited, he had be- 
 come an object of i)ity to those whom, in bygone years, he 
 had forced to be his enemies, but who wei-e now willing to 
 soothe him in his niisfortunes, and befriend him in his 
 jiecessities.
 
 69 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Services as Executive Couucillur. — Sir Peregrine Maitland and 
 his Adruinistratiou. — The Chunh in Yoi'k.^ — Appointment 
 to tlie Lofijislative Council. 
 
 CHK subject of Einigrutioii <iigag<'(l, at tliis |)eriocl, 
 a good deal of the })ul»lic attention in Upper 
 Canada; and the (piestion which jnst now most 
 perplexed the Government was the granting of hinds t') 
 in-coming settlers. Amongst the latter was a considerable 
 number of half-pay officers, both of the Army and Navy ; 
 many of whom, — especially of the latter, — became excel- 
 lent settlers, and turned their lands to profitable account. 
 The wiser portion of these purchaseil cleared farms in the 
 i'vont townships, which they were able to obtain at a 
 moderate cost; and there they lived conifortably amidst a 
 respectable pojtnlation, and without any serious loss of 
 their old social advantages. The transition from the com- 
 Ibrts and refinements of their mother-land was thus le.ss 
 sensibly felt : they became better contented with their 
 new lot; and generally a church and school were accessible. 
 They drew, of course, the lands to which they were enti- 
 tK'd, and performed what was called the "settlement 
 duties." This meant, the clearing, in a very slovenly way, 
 of a certain pro})ortion of the lands granted, and the 
 opening of their slian' of the I'oads contiguous to their 
 farms. Great com])laints were niatle that this was money 
 thrown away; for this partial ilearing,— little UKjre than 
 the slashing down of trees, — was attended with no i>re>ent 
 l)enefit either to the })ublic or to the })roprietor. Still, it 
 was neces.sary to enforce actual settlement, as far as pos-
 
 70 
 
 sible ; and it was dirticult for the Executive to devise 
 means by wliich this conhl he effected with advantage to 
 the country, and justice at the same time to those who 
 received these grants of lands. 
 
 It seems, too, that the (question of afhnitting settlers 
 from tlio United States was just now veiy (^nrncstly dis- 
 cussed ; and here the clear judgment and ])ractical know- 
 ledge of Dr. Strachan proved to he of great value What 
 his views upon this subject were, arc l)est ex])]-essed in his 
 own language, in a letter t(j Colonel, a.fter wards Sir John 
 Harvey, bearing date Juno 22nd, 1818 : — 
 
 " Allow me to give you a brief notice of the true state of the 
 controversy concerning the admission of settlers from the United 
 States; wliich I do in confidence, depending upon your discre- 
 tion to bear it in mind, should you tliink it necessary hereafter 
 to write ujton the subject. 
 
 " General 8inicoe, being veiy extensively acquainted in the 
 States, and knowing that great numbers of the inhabitants were 
 still loyalists, and desirous of coming into the countiy, encou- 
 raged them to remove into the Province, and procured for all that 
 appeared in Upper Canada before June, 1798, and who could 
 jirove their adherence to Great Britain, valuable privileges. 
 Many of these persons had formed connexions in the United 
 States, and were anxious to bring them in likewise. General 
 SimcoC; though very hostile to the Americans in general, admit- 
 ted this, — at fu'st sparingly, afterwards more generally. This 
 relaxation was gradually extended ; and during the time of his 
 .successor, President Russell, people were received promiscuously 
 from the States, without let or hindrance. This became a sub- 
 ject of great com})laint throughout the Province. 
 
 "General Hunter endeavoured to check this indiscriminate 
 introduction of Americans, and to bring matters back to tlie rule 
 on which General Simcoe acted. The same j)olicy was continued 
 by Governor Gore previous to the late war, notwithstanding the 
 reception of several memorials from different Districts, exhibiting 
 its impolicy.
 
 " During the Nvar, the daiigoi- of the proiniscuous introduction 
 of settlers from the States, was most severely felt. In several 
 Districts, where thoy were the majority, or supposed themselves 
 to he so, rebellion was organized. This was particularly tlie 
 ease in the London District, and would have been still more 
 so in the Home District, but for the ]»rompt energy of a few. 
 In the Newcastle District, the disposition to rebel was great; 
 but finding themselves too near Kingston and York, they were 
 afraid to attempt an ojien outbreak, luit deserted in great 
 niunbers. In the County of Leeds, nearly three hundred militia- 
 men deserted to the enemy. 
 
 "These defections, and the danger to which they exposed the 
 loyal inhabitants, were fresli in our minds when peace was 
 restored ; and so it was deemed wise to check emigration from 
 tlie United States for a time, until the pa.ssions on both sides 
 were a little cooled, and until a sort of foundation, or nucleus, 
 could be formed of emigrants from the mother country in tlie 
 new settlements ; by which they might acquire a British tone 
 and character. After this, to slide gradually, and quietly, into 
 the system- pursued Ijefore the late war. 
 
 " This judicious ])lan did not correspond with the .selfish views 
 of some great land speculators, who wished the immediate and 
 promiscuous admission of Americans, that they might have a 
 market for their land. Tliese foolish jiersons conjured up the 
 13th of George 11. to tlieir aid, — a law which respects foreign 
 l»rotestants only, and has no reference to Americans ; and if it 
 had, no American would comply with the conditions it recpiires. 
 The modification of this law by the llOtli (Jeorgc III. may be 
 construed to extend its provisions to the Americans ; but not 
 one of them has ever conqtlied with these provisions. The truth 
 is, thev have been iiennitted to lioM lands by an indulgence 
 whieh cannot be defended by law ; and as they have never con- 
 formed them.'selves to the cimditions required, nothing could be 
 more foolish, iiHpolitir, and dangerous than calling the matter 
 up. It would bring uji several delicate cpu'stions ahout the Oath 
 t)f Allegiance, and who are, or are not, subjects; questions 
 wliich had better sleep. At the same time, no person from the 
 States would consider his title secure, or be able to bring a writ
 
 72 
 
 uf ejectment against another who luul got jiossession of liis 
 proiierty. In short, the avoiding of a great number of legal 
 difficulties appears to have been the object of Government, and T 
 am well assured they had no other feeling, nor could have had 
 any otlier on tlic subject." 
 
 Con8er|ueiit upon tlie war, several changes had taken 
 place in the administration of the Provincial Government. 
 When the war broke out in 1812, Mr. Francis Gore, who 
 had been for some years tlie Lieutenant Governor, felt it 
 his duty to surrender the administration of the Govern- 
 ment into the hands of one who could combine with it the 
 command of the military forces; and consequently both 
 the civil and military government of the Province were 
 assigned to Major General Sir Isaac Brock. Soon after the 
 close of the war, Mr. Gore returned to Upper Canada, and 
 resumed the administration of the Government. This 
 gentleman was held in high estimation at the capital, for 
 his social as well as official qualities ; and with Dr. Strachan 
 he was always on the most friendly and intimate terms. 
 Upon his departure from the Province, about two yeai-s 
 after, the administration of public affairs devolved upon 
 the senior member of the Executive Council, the Hon. 
 Samuel Smith ; and perhaps no one was more ready than 
 Mr. Smith himself to acknowledge that the delegation of 
 siich a responsibility by the rule of seniority, is not the 
 liajjpiest arrangement that could have been devised. It 
 was regarded as a cause of general congratulation, when 
 it was announced that the appointment of Lieutenant 
 Governor of Upper Canada was conferred upon Major 
 General Sir Peregrine Maitland. In a letter to Mr. Gore, 
 dated December -Sth, 1S18, Dr. Strachan writes of him 
 as follows : — 
 
 " Sir Peregime is a most amiable and })ious man, and comes 
 out most anxious to do all the good he can. He arrived here
 
 with some ideas respecting the Executive Goveriiiiient not founded 
 on sufficient evidence ; but ho now sees things more clearly. He 
 is a man of great talent, and much simplicity of manner and 
 habit ; at the same time h(> is firm and resolute. Tliosf who 
 presumed ui)on his l;i\our liecause tlicy had taken umljra<'e at 
 you, found themselves totally mistaken. On that ground he 
 was very high indeed. He is thoroughly the gentleman, and 
 speaks of you, when occasion introduces your name, with great 
 respect. We are at no i)ains U» conceal our attachment.s, and he 
 has too much good sense to be ofiended : on the contrary, he 
 prizes us the more. This gentlemaidy trait of character endears 
 him to us all. 
 
 "Accustomed to tin- promptues.s of military command, he has 
 been sometimes a little too hasty in taking steps which had been 
 usually the result of consultation ; but this has been entirely 
 from inadvertence, and not from any desire to assume extraor- 
 dinary power. He is yet new in civil mattei-s, but his diligence is 
 incessant, and in a short time he will be comjiletely ma.ster of 
 them. 
 
 " His great anxiety to look into every thing, injures hi.s 
 health, which is extremely delicate. He keeps much to himself ; 
 has no particidar advi.ser : and inquires, and thinks, and decides 
 for himsi'lf 
 
 " He has been so very short a period here, that it is as yet 
 in>[)ossible to draw exact conclusions ; but as far as I can judge 
 from many conversitions with him, he will grow upon acquain- 
 tance, and beget stronger and stronger attachment In all this I 
 may l)e mistak«'n, more especially as 1 cannot jiretend to anv 
 particular intimacy ; but hope that 1 judge correctly. 
 
 "The truth is, that his remark upon are pix'sentation, in which 
 your name was coui)led with something improper, W(Ui my heart. 
 (,)n hearing this, I had .said, ' The thing is utterly false. Governor 
 (rore had been too good to the writer and to the friend wh(jm he 
 lecommended.' He turned mildly, and said, 'that remark is the 
 very thing which would have induced me to refuse the ]>raver.' " 
 
 The following letter, addressed to Colonel Nichol, "svill be 
 vo;\(\ witli interest, ^fany in the Province will recollect 
 
 1(1
 
 74 
 
 the Colonel as an active and talented man, but who 
 uniformly took up the opposition side in politics, and 
 was rather fond of antagonism to the ruling powers. He ' 
 was a well-read man, and a pleasant companion ; and 
 although he was a warm politician and very outspoken in 
 his opinions, he seemed to have had no personal enemies. 
 His tragical death, from being [jrecipitated on a dark 
 night, with horse and light waggon, over the heights above 
 Queenston, awoke universal synii)athy and regret. The 
 letter that follows, is dated February 28rd, 1819 : — 
 
 " I have aa ojn^ortunity of franking your brother's nianuscii[)t. 
 The subject is handlpd witli ability, and does him gix-at credit. 
 I hope that he will find it his; interest to remain in this country ; 
 it is a great benefit to have a man of talent among us. Owing, 1 
 believe, to the writing, it was not read by the Governor ; but it 
 was most favourably reported to him, as indeed it richly deserved. 
 
 " It has been whispered, since your departure, that you ai'e to 
 commence your parliamentary career, 1. with moving a vote of 
 censure on Governor Gore ; 2. that the right of granting lands 
 belongs to the Assembly, or Parliament, and not to the King or 
 his Eepre.sentative in Council. 
 
 " I suspect that these are fabrications of your enemies, and I 
 have said so : but as they were repeated, I beg to know whether 
 1 am right. 
 
 " At present you stand well in this (piarter, and your abilities 
 enable you to do much good to the Province, as well as to youi-- 
 self. I .should, therefore, be sorry to .see them wasteil upon 
 matters that are sure to raise contention, and that cannot fail of 
 being most injurious, without producing any good. 
 
 " As to the first, it would come very ill from you on many ac- 
 counts. If it be for proroguing the House, even sup])Osing him 
 wrong (which I for one am not prepared to do), it was only an 
 error of judgment : his right to do it, wlien he thought proper, 
 is undeniable. 
 
 "I could say much on the inexpediency, as well as injustice 
 of such a resolution, independently of the nnpleasant feelings it
 
 must excite; but I am afraid of missiiig tlio post, and there-fore 
 jjass to the second, — the aUsurdity <>f wliich excites my 
 astonislinient. 
 
 " Thirty yeai-s ago tliis Province was a wilderness. The King 
 gives small jmrtions of it to the refugees, to disbanded soldiers, 
 to a few immigrants, and some aliens; and now these persons, still 
 living on his Majesty's bounty, turn round and tell him that he 
 had no power to give them what they now ]iossess, for the land 
 is entirely their own. 
 
 " My conclusion is, that the whole is a fabrication to lessen 
 your weight with your friends, and to induce a belief that your 
 influence in Parliament will be exerted in raising disturbances, 
 and not in bringing forward and digesting excellent measures, so 
 necessary for our peace and prosperity. 
 
 " Being one of those who have always ])eeu anxious for your 
 success in life, and ready at all times to do justice to your 
 talents, T should regret extremely to be obliged to differ from 
 you on political grounds ; more especially as we commonly 
 agreed till the resolutions were brought forwai'd. 1 shall only 
 add, that, in 'every thing else, I have been more zealously your 
 supporter than most of those whom you su))[)0sed warmer 
 friends. 
 
 "When I dirter in opinion from any of my friends, i tell 
 them so candidly, that we miy perfectly understand each other ; 
 and this must be my ajjology for this letter, unless you are 
 pleased to add my anxiety to ajipear more effectually in your 
 defence " 
 
 Mention has already been made of tlic " Loyal ami 
 Patriotic Society," designed fr)r the relief of sufferers by 
 the war. The funds contributed for this object were very 
 considerable ; Large subscriptions were obtained in the 
 Province ; and some aid was st'iit by genei-ous individuals 
 in the mother country. A vast amount of good was 
 effected by means of this Society; and now, in ISIJ), it 
 was found that tlrere was a surplus at its disposal of 
 £4,000. Colonel Nichol, disappointed in cerUiin views
 
 70 
 
 ot" Ills own iv^urding tlu; a])]ir<»]»riati<)U of this fund, con- 
 tended for its distribution amongst such individuals as 
 should shew tliat they had been sufterers l:)y the war. 
 Dr. Strachan very Avisely opposed this proposition ; and as 
 his remarks have a useful, practical l^earing, and may be 
 .serviceable at all times, wo (juote th<' fil lowing from a 
 letter to a friend in England : — 
 
 " To guard against misconception and evince oiu* adherence to 
 the ])rinciple upon which the Society was originally constituted, 
 we have made some little altei-ation in the resolutions first 
 adopted, in regard to the ajiplication of our surplus. They now 
 stand as follows : 
 
 ''Resolved 1. That of the remaining lands of the Loyal and 
 Patriotic Society, .£2000 be appro])riated to the erection of an 
 Hospital at Yoi-k, in the Home District ; and two several sums 
 of <£100 each, to such other two or more Districts of this Pro- 
 vince as shall, within a year, raise the largest sum in aid of such 
 a]ipropriation for the erection of two other Hospitals. . 
 
 "Resolved 2. That the Directors of the Hosi)itals thus 
 erected, shall at all times be prepai'ed to answer the ordei-s of 
 the Treasurer of the Loyal and Patriotic Society to the amount 
 of the interest, annually, of the sums thus^ given them. 
 
 '' You will perceive that these resolutions, in fact, fund the 
 money and insure the intei'est of it, — to be expended in )-elieving 
 actual distress of sufferers by the late war, or finding them an 
 asylum within the Hospitals. And, in order to make the bene- 
 fit general as well as permanent, other two Hospitals are contem- 
 plated; one, we presume, at Niagai-a, and the other at Kingston. 
 We did not designate the places in our resolutions to avoid 
 giving offence to the other Districts. 
 
 At those two places, as well as here", tin; {.lieutenant 
 Governor intends giving great assistance ; but, Avithout this 
 money, the buildings could not be erected for many years. I 
 am persuaded that the subscriber.s, if the matter were explained 
 to them, would highly approve the plan adopted by the 
 Directors, as it gives a permanency to their benevolence, infi-
 
 iiitely move useful tliau to expend it u[)ou i)roiuiscuou.s claimants, 
 by whom \vc slioulil in many cases be deceived. During the 
 War it wius easy to ascertain jjroper objects; but after ilve years 
 t)f ,))eace, this is impossible, except in the case of those who havf 
 been severely wounded. For sucli the Ilo.spitals afford an asy- 
 lum ; or if they have families, a small ))onsif)n could l»e given 
 them out of the interest." 
 
 F(;\v in Toronto are probably aware of the nianner in 
 which the General Hospital in this City was started ; 
 an institution wliich, notwithstanding some mishaps, is 
 destined, we trust, to extend to future generations, llif 
 blessings it lias conferred upon the past. 
 
 Political and other secular matters necessarily engaged 
 some portion of the time and energies of Dr. Strachan, 
 but the interests of the Church occupied the largest shar.' 
 of both; and to the forwarding t)f these, whether local or 
 general, his characteristic vigour ami activity we)-e faitli- 
 fully ap}»lied. In a letter to the >Secretary of the Society 
 for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, dated 
 January 5th, 1820, Ave have an evidence of this; and tin- 
 contents will be interesting, as eliciting pleasant com- 
 parisons between the one humble wooden Church of those 
 days, and the numerous, suljstantial and capacious ones 
 that exist now : — * 
 
 " T mentioned, in my last, that our Church had beconu^ much 
 too small for our increasing congregation, and that it was being 
 enlarged. The repairs and additions cost .£1700, a sum which, 
 large as it is, was subscribed for with great alacrity by the jiar- 
 ishioners, on condition of their being repaid froni the sale of the 
 pews. This .sale took place hist January ; and such was the 
 competition that they sold for more than covers the debt. The 
 Church is sixty-six feet by sixty, with a neat altar and a steeple. 
 
 "The Hon. George Crookshank, the Receiver-General, pre- 
 sented rich silk damask coverings for the pulpit, reading, and 
 clerk's desks, and the altar table.
 
 78 
 
 '•' The coramunicauts have increased from thirty-five to sixty- 
 tour. There is a flourishing Suntlay School consisting of upwards 
 i»f thirty girls and fifty boys. Tlio girls are t.iught by three 
 young ladies, — grand-daughters of the Hon. The Chief Justice. 
 Tliere is likewise a Sunday School attached to the Chapel in the 
 country, where I pi'each once a niontli. Once every quartei- 
 the.se Schools are brought together and examined, jjresents of 
 books given them by His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor 
 and Lady Sarali Maitland, who interest themselves exceedingly 
 in )iromf)tiiig the advancement of true religicm." 
 
 'J'o wards the end of tlie yeai' 1820, his appoiutineiit as 
 Legislative Councillor took pLace. The manner in which 
 it was made, is probably not much known ; so we subjoin 
 his account of it in a letter to the Bishop of Quebec : — 
 
 " The great addition made to the Representation of this Pro- 
 vince in the House of A.ssembly, by the law passed last wintei-, 
 has induced His Excellency Sir Peregrine Maitland to recom- 
 mend Some new members for seats in the Legislative Council, 
 His Excellency placed me among the number, without any pre- 
 vious consultation ; as it was necessary for him to have a confi- 
 dential ])erson in the Council through whom to make communi- 
 cations,- — a service which the Chief Justice is frequently j)revented 
 rendering on account of his ])Osition as Speaker." 
 
 The acceptance of tliis honour was attended with sonio 
 jjecuniary sacrifice, as it rendered necessaiy his resignation 
 of the office of Chaplain to the Legislative Council. To 
 this situation a salary of £50 per annum was originally 
 attached ; but for the past four years it had been raised 
 to £100 per annum. The Chaplaincy thus relinquished, 
 was confeiTcd upon the Rev. William Macaulay, then 
 Incumbent of Cobourg, and was J)old by liini for several 
 years.
 
 70 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 RecoUectious of York in 18l'U. — State of tlie Ohiurli in Upper 
 Canada. — Episcopal Yisitatiun at York in 182(1. 
 
 (^S I'KRSON whose meiiioiies of ^Jaiuida can bear liiin 
 /A back to the war of 1812, and who has had oi)por- 
 (^ tunities of marking the course of events in sub- 
 sequent years, will have many pleasant reminiscences ; 
 and the record of them will be profitable, as well as inte- 
 resting, to a hxter generation. 
 
 The writer of this Memoir came lirsb to York in the 
 aiituinn of 1819, to place himself under the care and direc- 
 tion of Dr. Strachan, as a Student of Divinity, and to 
 connect with this pursuit, such assistance in the Grammar 
 School as a youth of nineteen could be expected to rendei-. 
 His journey was from Montreal, and, wliat with the inter- 
 clianges of stage and steamer, 0})cn boat and himber waggon, 
 and lialts on the way for needful repose and the greeting 
 of friends, it occupied fully a fortnight. 
 
 The first drive was from Montreal to Coteau du Lac in m 
 heavy lumbering stage; the progress of which, from tin" 
 rough condition of the roads, the delivery of mails as wo 
 jiassed along, watering the horses ever}' three or four miles, 
 and other inexplicable stops, was very slow indeed , so that 
 it was quite dark when we entered an (»pen boat at tlie 
 Coteau, to be rowed up to the head of Lake St. Francis. 
 Those who came unprovided with warm wrappings, found 
 this exposure for a whole night, in the month of Sei)tem- 
 ber, very trying; for it was sunrise on a cold frosty 
 morning when we reached McDougall's, the appointed 
 stopping-place.
 
 80 
 
 There we entered another stage, and drove on, over a 
 very rough road, to Cornwall ; where, at one o'clock, we 
 breakfasted. This done, we ]-enewed oiu- stage travelKng, 
 — on a better road, and the St. Lawrence and its successive 
 rapids close on our left, — and got to Prescott between two 
 and three the following morning. From Prescott to Kings- 
 ton, and thence up the Bay of Quinto to the ('arrying-place, 
 there was a small but comfortable steamer, which made 
 about six miles an hour; (juite as nmcli as was effected by 
 the more pretentious " Frontenac," on Lake Ontario. From 
 the Garrying-place, we had to get on westwards by ]))-ivate 
 conveyances as well as we could. 
 
 To rest for a few days at what is now called (Jobourg, — 
 then a small, straggling village, and without a name, — was 
 a })leasant change; for even then, including the well- 
 informed and hosi)itable Rector, there were in the neigh- 
 bourhood several intelliofent and aOTceable families. From 
 ( "olxmrg to York, with a few exceptional bits, the road was 
 |)crha])s the Avorst in the Province, and nothing but a 
 strong lum])er-waggou could have borne you through. It 
 was very indifferent through the nine-mile woods, east of 
 Newcastle; quite as bad from the present site of Bowmaii- 
 ville to where Oshawa now stands; and, what with cor- 
 duroys, and stones, and mudholes, it was indescribably bad 
 from the western extremity of Whitby, till, crossing the 
 Highland creek, wo reached the heights of Scarborough. 
 The road leading across the ravine of the Rouge, and 
 especially its eastern hill,^AVOuld have startled and per- 
 [dexed even our Abyssinian heroes. Through the townshij) 
 of York it ran upon a dry sandy soil, with tall pines on 
 either side almost to the river Don; and although these 
 ancient pines inconveniently obtruded their roots in many 
 places, this part of the road was, on the whole, a pretty 
 good one. ^Ve had glimpses, too, of the broad Lake, as we 
 drove along; and from the Scarborough heights could dis- 
 tinctly see the blue line of land on the southern side, 
 ti-ending from Niagara westwards.
 
 81 
 
 * We crossed the Don over a .stronf]^ "vvoodon Viridge ; and, 
 after half a mile's drive, alighted at Mr. I). Forest's Inn, 
 the best in the jtlace, — thougli .Jordan's, nearly opposite, 
 notwithstanding its hnv shalihy exterior, was the more 
 poj)nlai- our. T then made my way to the hoarding-housp 
 where I Avas to reside, — on the north side of King Street, 
 a little east of Nelson Street ; and, although a mean looking 
 habitation, it was pretty comfortable, and the company, — 
 law-clerks and clerks in Govermncnt offices, — was intelli- 
 gent and agreeable. There were a few scattered honses on 
 Kins:; Street, as far iii) as the residence of the Lieutenant 
 Governor ; and <»n Fi-ont Street, at long intervals, they 
 reached nearly to Hh- olil garrison. Tliei'e were also a few 
 on Duke, Yonge, ami Queen Streets. There Avere but 
 three brick edifices in the town, and, exclusive of the 
 military, the })o])ulatiiin A\as about 1,200. 
 
 Thouijh inferior in size and condition to many of our 
 present villages, York took a high rank as to social position. 
 From its being the Scat of Govei'unicnt, the society Avas 
 excellent ; having not less than twenty fanulies of the 
 highest i'es})cctability, — persons of refinement, and many 
 of hiofli intellectual culture. To these were added a small 
 sprinkling of military. For the ^ize of the place there 
 Avas a large amount of hospitality exercised, and oji a 
 handsome and bountiful scale. 
 
 The (Jovernment-house was the precise building used 
 as such until its destruction by lire a fcAV years ago ; and 
 the arrangement and planting of the grounds Avas all done 
 under the direction and supervision of Sir Peregrine Mail- 
 land himself He and lady Sarah took the lead, of course, 
 in the hospitalities of the place. Tiny had their regular 
 .linncr parties dui-ing the Parliamentary Sessions, ami unct> 
 or twice a year there Avas a grand evening ])arty Avith 
 dancing, Avhich gathered in all the respectability of the 
 connnunity in a mass. Sir Peregi'ine Avas reserA^ed, but 
 coui'teous ami agreeable ; had not a .shade of sui>erciliou-<- 
 11
 
 82 
 
 ness ; and would at times be very animated in conversation. 
 He was particularly so, if the conversation turned on the 
 work of the Church and the spread of religion ; for he was 
 a sincere and devout Christian, and thoroughly loyal to 
 the princi})les of the Church. Lady 8ai-ah was of a more 
 lively temperament, Init remarkably gentle and amiable. 
 She upheld her position as became a Duke's daughter ; 
 but, like a genuine member of England's nobility, had no 
 pride, and maintained an intercourse on very kindly and 
 familiar terras with the ladies of the place. 
 
 The unpretending, old-fashioned wooden house of Chief 
 .Justice Powell, with its two-storied A^erandah facing the 
 Bay, was a great attraction to residents and visitors; 
 because it contained a lively, amiable and hospitable 
 family. And the residence of the ' Rector of the parish, — 
 then the best in the place, and afterwards by courtesy the 
 palace, was renowned for its frequent and elegant hospi- 
 talities. So, too, the abode of Attorney General Robinson, 
 then of small dimensions; but whose inmates possessed, 
 what they ever after maintained, the esteem and love of 
 all that knew them. 
 
 But there must not be too nice and exact a recapitulation 
 of all who, fifty years ago, were pleasant and exemplary in 
 York ; yet, if they are not named in these pages, there is 
 no dimness whatever in the memory of their kindness and 
 their worth. 
 
 The public buildings were not out of keeping with the 
 modest pretensions of the town in general ; they presented 
 no envy-provoking contrast with the abodes of individuals. 
 The (Jourt-housc was a small uu]jainted wooden building, 
 a little to the north of King and cast of Yongx; Street, — 
 the site, and sun-burnt aspect of which, some of our old 
 inhabitants may remember; and the Gaol was a homely 
 and rickety structure on tlie south side of King Street^ 
 where now some of our proudest shops are exhibiting their 
 attractive wares. The Parliament-house was a cottage-
 
 .s:J 
 
 lookiiiu; oditice, nt-ai- the iiiterscctiuii (if York and \Vclliii;^f- 
 t»n» Streets; afterwards traiisfurnied into imlilic utfiecs. 
 and sub.seciucntly into a ]trivate residence, Mitli neat and 
 tjistefnl j^rounds al)out it. 
 
 Tlie District School-bouse was a capacious wooden huild- 
 ini;-, standing on an open common a Httle in rear of St. 
 James's Churchyard. On entering it i'ov the first time, 
 with tlie reverend Principal, on ti bright September 
 morning, fresh school-boy feelings were wakened up at 
 the sight of forty or fifty happy young faces, from seven- 
 teen down to five }'ears of age. There was a class of onl}- 
 two in Greek, who took up Horace and Livy in Latin ; 
 and thrie were three Latin forms below them, — the most 
 numerous and most sinightly reading Cornelius Nepos. 
 None were much advanced in INFathematics; and, with the 
 exception of the senior two, had not passed the fourtb 
 book of Eucli<l. Every thing was taught on the same 
 plan as at Cornwall ; but at York the pupils were much 
 less advanced, and the» Head-master rarely took any share 
 in the actual work of instruction. 1 had had the oppor- 
 tunity of seeing both Schools; and though the glory of 
 the former was never approached by the latter, still there 
 are reminiscences connected with the school at York more 
 fresh and lively than could be awakened by the more 
 celebrated one at Cornwall. \Vith the sehool-boys of the 
 former, — now in the sere of life, and (twiiing children and 
 grand-children, I can exchange daily greetings; but few 
 are left who were my associates in tlie latter : one by ouu 
 they are dropping fast away. 
 
 The Church has already been referred to, with the 
 impro^'ements eftected at a considerable cost during the 
 preceding year. It stood on the site of the present Cathe- 
 dral of St. James; and, as has been stated, was of wood, 
 painted with a blueish leaden colour. As you entered, 
 you found yourself in a building almost square. The aisle 
 leadinji from the front door was bounded northwards by
 
 84 
 
 the Govenior's large S(|Uiii'c pew ; and inidway it was 
 intersected by one running east and west. Bounding this 
 on the east was tlio ehancel ; and in front of it the pulpit, 
 reading-desk, and clerk's })ew. All around, except on the 
 chancel side, were wide, homely-looking galleries. There 
 was no Yestry, and the clei-gyrnan r(A)ed and unrobed at 
 the foot of the pulpit stairs in sight of the congregation. 
 
 At morning service there was usually a large congrega- 
 tion, and a very devout and orderly one it was. The elder 
 members were most of them audible in the responses ; but 
 very few of the younger ones followed their example, or 
 knelt during the prayers. There was no organ, and the 
 singing was very indifferent. In the afternoon, the con- 
 gregation was very thin ; and once a month omitted, that 
 the Rector miofht eive his services at an out-station on 
 Yongc Street, — not far from the spot where the Church of 
 york Mills now stands. On the intervening Sundays, in 
 the morning, this country church was served by Students 
 of Divinity from town ; they reading the service and a 
 printed sermon. The attendance even on these lay minis- 
 trations was very good ; and that the people appreciated 
 them is evident from the fact of their sending in a horse 
 on Sunday mornings, for the conveyance thither and l)ack 
 of the Student who was to officiate. He was also usually 
 invited to dinner after service by some one or other tif tlie 
 farmers near by ; and amongst these was a person of con- 
 siderable reading, and somewdiat democratic ideas, avIkj 
 bore in the neighbourliood the designation of "gentleman 
 Wilson." 
 
 There was, at tliat time, tln-oiigliout Upper ( "an ada but 
 a mere sprinkling of clergymen ; though the memljers of 
 the Church bore a large proportion to the general }>opula- 
 tion, and every where its ministrations were very cordially 
 accepted. There were, in those days, but few Presbyterian 
 places of worship, — not one either in York or Kingston ; 
 and the ministers of that body were correspondently few.
 
 Si") 
 
 Where tliey wwv without tin ii- owji juinisfratioiis, tlicy 
 almost universally attended tlir services of the Church of 
 Eiii^laiid ; and very many never afterwards forsook tliem. 
 The Methodists were a more numerous hody, and had at 
 that time a large elia])e] in York, wliieli was })retty well 
 filled on Sunday evenings. About the close of LS2(), a 
 minister of the British connexion, Mr. Pope, commenced 
 his services in an ujjper room where the St. Lawrence 
 market now stands. One of their preachers was a Mr. 
 Fenton, a man of ready utterance, who afterwards forsook 
 the body, and became the clerk of St. James's Church. 
 Til is person occasionally indulged himself in wi'iting short 
 i'riti(|ues, in pencil, on the sermons delivered just above his 
 head ; and as these morsels of criticism Avere usuall}' lell 
 in his i)ew, and were oftentimes not very flattering to the 
 preacher, they created a good deal of amusement. The 
 Roman Catholics, at this time, had no regular i)lace of 
 worship; but soon after, their brick church near the Don 
 was erected. 
 
 To extend our view as regards the position of the Church 
 of England in Upper Canada, it will surprise many to hear 
 that, in 1820, the first clergyman you came to, west of 
 Toronto, was at Ancaster. On the Niagara peninsula there 
 were three, — at Niagara, Chippawa, and Grimsby. Going 
 westw\ard from Ancaster, you found none until you reachcil 
 AndierstV)urg and Sandwich. All that vast interval, — now 
 comprehending a large Diocese with nearly ninety clergy- 
 iii(.]^ — was, as regards the ministrations of tlie Clnireh, a 
 blank. 
 
 Going eastwards from York, the tii-st eleigymaii w.- 
 came to was at Cobourg ; and north of this, in Cavaii, 
 another was settled. Then a blank, until we reached 
 Belleville ; then Bath and Kingston. A blank again until 
 we came to Brockville ; and in rear, there was one at 
 Perth. The next was at Williamsburg, and the last at 
 Cornwall ; sixteen in all. There were besides, a chaplain
 
 80 
 
 to the Ibrcc's stationed at Niagara ; a cha]>lain to the navy 
 at Kino-ston ; an<l a clovgyinan at tlic latter ]»la('e in charo-e 
 of the Grammar School. 
 
 There was a memorable gatliering of the Clergy of 
 Upper Canada at York in the summer of 1820, at a visita- 
 tion of the first Bishop of Quebec, Dr. Jacol) Mountain. 
 Sixteen were present, including the chaplain to the forces 
 from Niagara ; and they were addressed in an admirable 
 charge, which riveted the attention of every hearer, l)y his 
 Lordship the Bishop. During this visit, a confirmation 
 was also held; and a very considerable number of both 
 sexes were admitted to that rite. An address was presented 
 to the Bishop, congratulating him upon so large an assem- 
 l)lage of the Clergy, — for it was the largest that had ever 
 been gathered in Canada,— and the first steps were then 
 taken for organizing the Corporation for managing the 
 Clero-y Reserves. They had but a small revenue to deal 
 ^vith, — merely the rents from the leased lots ; but it was 
 considered the hopeful beginning of good days for the 
 extension and strengtli of the riuirch.
 
 87 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 The Clergy Reserves Question. 
 
 CHE Cleigy Reserves Controversy is a prominent 
 subject in Canadian Listory ; and, from its bearing 
 upon tlie moral condition and general "welfare of the 
 Province, it cannot fail to have a connnanding interest, in 
 thoughtful and religious minds, f(»r many generations to 
 come. The subject of this memoir took a leading and 
 active share in this ct>ntrovcrsy : his positi<jn naturally 
 threw him into the forefront of the contest; and a para- 
 mount sense of duty, whicli the din of surrounding warfare 
 could not weaken, constrained him to adhere to his post 
 until nothing Avas left to contend for. 
 
 Reflections of a gra\'e character are forced upon us in 
 contemplation of the issues of that contest. We look back 
 with sensations of deep disa])pointment and regret; and 
 we look forward witli saddening a})prehensions for the 
 future of our rising country, as to its moral a n<i religious 
 condition. 
 
 Many, from personal obser\ation, arc familiar with flie 
 moral and religious landscape of England. Those who 
 have traversed its beautiful .scenes, — hill and Nalley, shady 
 groves and green meadows, the nf)ble mansion and the 
 trim cottage, the smooth roads ami the bounding hedge 
 rows, its perfection of cultivation, its exhibition of magnifi- 
 cence and wealth, — could not fail to notice, as a featuri' of 
 singular attraction amidst the exrpiisite scenery that is on 
 all hands presented, the C(mstant occurrence of the church 
 s[)ire or tower surmounting the sacred edifice of hund,>le or
 
 capacious dimensions, with the neat vicarage or rectory 
 beside it. If these tower up as guardians of the land, as 
 monuments at k'ast of its religious civilization, further 
 t>bservation and inquiry will attest that the universal 
 pastoral care which is thus provided, has })roved a protec- 
 tion and safeguard of the country l)ettei- than In-istling 
 fortresses and legions of soldiers. 
 
 Almost beyond memory or record, England has enjoyed 
 this advantage ; and we can now judge fairly whether the 
 grand results have been realized which its i)arochial system 
 was designed to confer. There have been alternation.!, 
 doubtless, in the extent of the blessings im])avted by the 
 Church of England. Every institution, even the most 
 sacred, will have its period of lassitude and languor ; there 
 will, perhaps, be an internal degeneracy, as \vell as hurtful 
 outward influences; but if the system be a sound one, — its 
 origin holy, its purpose j)hilanthropic, its tendency sanctify- 
 ing and ennobling,- — it will soon recover the vantage- 
 ground it may have temporarily lost. Men, in such ranks 
 and in such a cause, will not all be degenerate ; the cr))i- 
 scientious renovator, the honest reformer, will from time to 
 time start uj), ami waken the })owers of revival that are 
 inherent in the body. Long wars abroad, jjrotracted civil 
 commotions within the kingdom, enfeebled necessarily the 
 work and influence of the Church ; but peace has uniformly 
 bi'ought it all back. 
 
 No one of impartial judgment will deny that the pre- 
 eminence of England amongst the nations of the world, in 
 material power as well as in moral influence, is largely 
 owiniT to the diffusion of that sober moral tone and health- 
 ful spirit of subordination, which a wide-spread religious 
 teaching, ])rovided by her established Church, has steadily 
 maintained. In a country which possesses so nuich civil 
 lil)ei'ty as England, and where education is so thorough 
 and so diffused, there ^\'ill alwa}'s ho an effectual check to 
 anything like a propensity to s])iritual despotism ; to any
 
 attempt at fettering the conscicnco. The national sanction 
 of" the teaching of tlic Chiu'cli lias never eoiiipcll^-d any 
 man to surrender his individual judgment; has never hin- 
 dered him from adopting any other mode of religious 
 njinistrations which his tastes or convictions might prefer. 
 But the Church thus established and sustained has ensured 
 a general and continuous religious instruction to the inhab- 
 itants ; an instruction which, with all its collatciral influ- 
 ences for good, they could not universally and steadily 
 have enjoyed without a public provision for its mainte- 
 nance. "Without this, there would be a supply only where 
 tho, appetite and tlie demand existed, and where ])cople, 
 having this desire, possessed the means of gratifying it. A 
 world-wide cx})crience shews that such desire after leli- 
 gious instruction does not universally pervade a people. 
 Many are op])Osed to tho restraints it inculcates; and, in 
 the mass of connnunities, if it cannot be obtained without 
 individual cost to themselves, it will not be sought after 
 or secured. The nation, then, is bound to [jrovide what 
 individuals will not, or cannot, do for themselves. 
 
 It is worth our wliile, and will not be out of i)lace, to 
 trace up this national duty to its origin. Without referring 
 to the vast extent of inferential proofs, we may confine 
 ourselves to evidences that arc direct and positive. When 
 the land of Canaan was so far conquered by the Isi-aelites 
 as to admit of the })artition of the country amongst its 
 conquerors, there was, by the Divine direction, an equit- 
 able division made ; but the exclusion of one tribe from 
 the possession of any jiroperty in land, was remarkable. 
 No allotment was made to the tribe of Levi ; but, in lieu 
 of this, the other eleven tribes were required to give a 
 tenth of the produce of their lands for the sustenance of 
 that portionless tribe, so as to emible them to devote them- 
 selves exclusively to the service of the Lord. 
 
 It. would, therefore, in all coming time be felt and recol- 
 lected, that it was no spontaneous gift on the i>art of the
 
 90 
 
 eleven tribes, when they paid to Levi the tenth of all they 
 earned. Each of those tribes obtained a share of what, in 
 fairness and equity, belonged to Levi ; what was taken 
 from Levi added just so much to their own possessions. 
 So, in rendering a support to the priestly tribe on the 
 terms which God exacted, they were making no gratuity ; 
 they were giving back, in another shape, what had been 
 annexed, over and above their legitimate share, to their 
 own possessions. 
 
 This was a Divine arrangement as equitable as it was 
 wise ; and, with a pious reverence on the side of Israel, 
 and an undoubting faith on the part of Levi, it came iyto 
 force without a murmur of discontent. By this wise ordi- 
 nance, sealed thus, as we may say, with the seal of heaven, 
 the temple-gates w^ere always open ; the fires on the altar 
 were never quenched. Sacrifices were never wanting,- - 
 the daily recurring types of that great offering in which 
 they were at last to merge. Through these symbolic 
 duties, their sins day by day were atoned for, in view of 
 Him who was to make the offering perfect ; and never, as 
 ages passed, would there be wanting a man to stand thus 
 before the Lord, — a present mediator between the living 
 and the dead. 
 
 But was the provision thus ordained, to have its applica- 
 tion to Jews only ; or was the obligatioil to have no weight 
 with the followers of Christ ? No where, in the New 
 Testament, do we find a prohibition of this duty ; no 
 where do we discover another rule substituted for that 
 which, in all preceding times, had jirevailed for the sus- 
 tentation of the Church of God. In days Avhen Christians 
 were nearer to the fountain of their privileges, they 
 thought and acted by that rule. They religiously made 
 these appropriations ; believing that they were bound 
 by the obligation, and that the practical reason for them 
 still existed. Under the Saviour's dispensation, there is 
 an altar to be served, and a jiriesthood to maintain ; and
 
 91 
 
 there could Ijc no bettor mode of sustaining tliese, tlian 
 the ordmance which God has left us for the purpose. 
 
 We arc not to fancy that the provision made for the 
 maintenance of this great blessing in our father-land, — 
 namely, the parochial system, a church and pastor every 
 where, — was originally a compuhory one, that it had its 
 origin in state enactments, or in the arbitrary mandates of 
 kings. This is l)y no means the truth ; but the appropria- 
 tion of <a tenth for the suitj^ort of the Church, as existing 
 in our mother country, was the voluntary act of her pious 
 sons and daughters centuries ago. They, from a constrain- 
 ing sense of Christian duty, fixed this charge upon their 
 own possessions; and they transmitted them to their 
 posterity Avith this condition affixed to them for ever. The 
 law of the land so far interposes, as to guard rightful pos- 
 session where any venture to infringe upon it. It suft'ei's 
 not any selfish holder of the soil to appropriate wholly to 
 himself what, by a solemn stipulation entailed upon him, 
 he is bound to give a ])art of to the maintenance of reli- 
 gion. 
 
 This, then, is a pvinciple,^tliis an action, divinely 
 • Icriv^d. The wisdom of the Almighty devised it; EQs 
 goodness prompted Him to bring it into exercise. Its 
 object was, the present welfare and everlasting happiness 
 of men. And we cannot wonder that it should have hail 
 its weight with the King and Parliament of England, iu 
 providing for the welfare of their subjects in the Colonies. 
 
 Canada was conquered by Great Britain from the 
 French ; and the territory thus acquired was at the 
 disposal of the Crown and Parliament of the Empire. 
 
 Just respect was shewn to jtublic and ])ri\;vte property 
 in Lower Canada ; and this extended even to their reli- 
 ofious institutions. There was no disturbance of, no 
 infringement upon, their ecclesiastical possessions. But 
 Upper Canada was, com})aratively, a wilderness ; and in 
 disposing of its unappropriated and uncultivated lands at
 
 02 
 
 the absolute will of the Government, no private rights or 
 privileges could by possibility be affected. The- Govern- 
 ment, without injury to any one, could make any disposal, 
 any reservation, of these lands they chose, for ])olitical 
 jMirposes or religious objects. 
 
 Tlic princi])le of an established provision for the support 
 of religion, so long settled and so long acted upon in our 
 mother country, and productive of such wide-spread and 
 ])riceless benefits, naturally awoke a sense of the obligation 
 to make the same provision, wherever it was practicable, 
 in the Colonies. Accordingly, as early as the fourteentli 
 year of the reign of George III., there was, in the Imperial 
 Act, Cap. 83, a reference to this obligation, in these words, 
 • — " It shall be lawful for His Majesty, his heirs and suc- 
 cessors, to make such provision for the encouragement of 
 the Protestant Religion, and for the maintenance and sup- 
 ])ort of a Protestant Clergy, as he or they shall from time 
 to time think it necessary and expedient." — And seventeen 
 years later, in the thirty-first of the reign of that king, 
 when it was determined to form Upper Canada into a 
 separate Province, and sup))ly to its inhabitants an exact 
 transcript of the British Constitution in Church and State, 
 it was expressly provided that one-seventh of all the lands 
 of the Province should be reserved for the siqiport and 
 maintenance of a Protestant Clergy. 
 
 There is a vagueness in the expression " Protestant 
 Clergy," as the term is now understood ; Init there Avas no' 
 nnsunderstandinff, here or elsewhere, when the Act con- 
 taining those words was passed. In no Imperial Statute 
 was the word "Clergy" ever ap})lied to any other than 
 ministers of the established Cliurch of England ; and that 
 such was the understanding of the term in this Province, 
 is evident from the following statement irr the preamble to 
 an Act of the Legislative Assembly in the year 1821, — 
 "That whereas His Majesty has lj(jen graciously pleased to 
 reserve for the support of the Protestant Clergy in this
 
 9;i 
 
 Province, one-seventli of all lands granted therein, doubts 
 have been suggested that the tithe of the produce of the 
 land might still be legally demaiKled by the iiicmnbeut 
 duly instituted, or Rector of any parish, wliich doubt it is 
 iiiiportaTit to the well-doing of the Colony to remove." — It 
 is obvious that the terms here employed have an exclusive 
 reference to the Church of England, and that the jjrovision 
 vvliich is here deemed a substitute for tithes, was consi- 
 <lered to belong to that Church alone. 
 
 Such was the universal and uncontradicted impression 
 until the year 1822. Then it was, for the first time, 
 affirmed that, whereas the Church of Scotland is estab- 
 lished in a i)ortion of the Empire, the term " Protestant 
 Clergy " should be considered to comprehend the ministers 
 of that comnumion. This was zealously asserted, and just 
 as zealously opp(Jsed. Numerous pamphlets were written 
 on both sides; and amongst the defenders of the claims of 
 the Church of England, was a minister of the British We.s- 
 leyan connexi(;n at Kingston. Earl Bathurst, Secretary of 
 State for the Colonies, announced in July, ] 825, that His 
 Majesty's Government could not depart from the natural 
 and constitutional construction of the Act of 1791 ; and in 
 this Despatch, the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada 
 was directed, with the advice of the Executive Council, to 
 constitute such Rectories as were re(|uired, and to appro- 
 priate such })ortions of the Clergy Reserve Lands as were 
 needeil for the sup[iort of the same. We make some 
 extracts from a ri!j)ort of Council, dated November 21, 
 1825 :— 
 
 " They ai-e cenviiiCLHl of tli(> jiropi-iety of diviiling tlie l^roviiice 
 into ]>arislics witli as little delay as j)ossil)]e, not only because it 
 a|i|ioars iiocessaiy bcfbi'c the now system ot" laiul-graiitiiig goes 
 into operation, which implies such division to liave previously 
 taken place, l)ut as giving a religious character to the countiy. 
 
 " On rel'eronce to the Surveyor General it is tbund that a 
 numerous class of towubhips are those of nine miles by twelve,
 
 94 
 
 containing about G9,000 acres : — one-seventh of which, or about 
 9,800 acres, is tbo approjn-iation set apart for the maintenance 
 of a Protestant Clergy. 
 
 Assuming only two parishes for each of these townships, it is 
 humbly submit'ted that the appropriation be divided into thi-ee 
 parts ; and, after forming any such township into two parishes 
 by a division as convenient as circumstances will admit, that 
 three thousand and three hundred acres, or one-third of the 
 appropriation be attached as an endowment to the Parsonage of 
 each, from the Reserves appertaining or belonging to such parish, 
 and a similar jiroportion be observed in townshi])S of other 
 dimensions. 
 
 "That the remaining one-third, consisting of about 3200 acres 
 be reserved in the possession of the Corporation for genei^al pur- 
 poses ; the same to be sold when it shall be deemed for the 
 interest of the Church, the proceeds of such sale to be funded in 
 the British Stocks, and the interest only to be applied to the 
 support of a Protestant Clergy. 
 
 " That a general fund, gradually accumulating as sales of tliis 
 one-third take place, will be found exceedingly convenient for 
 the support of clergymen in jjarishes until their respective endow- 
 ments become available, and likewise to supply salaries to the 
 clei'gymen established in such towns and villages as may, fi-om 
 time to time, grow up in difterent parts of the Province, and for 
 which there is no particular provision. 
 
 " Such general disposable fund becomes further necessary from 
 this circumstance, that many townships were settled befoi-c 1791, 
 and therefore contain no Reserves ; others in which the Reserves 
 form a block in the middle, and cannot therefore be productive 
 for a long time, — consequently the clergyman of such must, in 
 the intei'val, be supported out of tlie General Fund." 
 
 Such was tlic Rc]jO]-t presentod to the Lieutenant- 
 Governor, Sir Peregrine Maitland, about the close of the year 
 1825, by his constitutional advisers ; but His Excellency 
 did not feel tliat he could just then, take upon himself the 
 responsibility of acting upon it. Delay, as the sequel 
 shewed, rendered such action more difficult ; and when
 
 f)5 
 
 the question came under local parliamentary legislation, it 
 became impracticable. 
 
 There Avere thoiisaiuls (uitsiili- the jiiilc nrtlic ( 'hiiirji of 
 England who bdirvcd tluMi, A\hat they Avill cniididl^' cnn- 
 A'ss now, thnt the neglect to act practically upon thatrecuni- 
 mendatiou was a public niisi'urtune. Tlie}^ will honestly 
 admit, we arc persuaded, that the iixed and pornianent 
 establishment in every township ot the Province, of one or 
 more clergymen of the Church of England,— -of men who 
 would combine with i)iety and zeal a liberal education and 
 some social refinement, and who, bound by the wholesome 
 restraint of Scrii)tural articles of faith and a Scriptural 
 form of worshii*, would ])resent an unvarying front of 
 opposition to ei-roneous doctrines and the capriciinis 
 desire of change, — would have proved a largo an<l lastin^ 
 blessing to the land. Such was the pei"sua.sion of him 
 wliose eventful life is recorded in these pages. He looked 
 forward with hope to the day when here as in our mother 
 country, Ave shouM see the Church-spire mingled every 
 where with the fair and fertile scenery of the land; the 
 Church on hill and valley ; the Church in every hamlet. 
 And with the Church, the settled pastor, pursuing from 
 week to week his round of pious ministration, — the young 
 his anxiety, the poor his care, — every duty urged and 
 practised to draw men to the love of God and the love of 
 one another. What an exchange would this be for the 
 sjiiritual barrenness which lies so wiilel_\' roinul us, — for 
 tlie stretch of fertile lamls on every side, almost without a 
 token that God is worshijipcd there, or even recognized I
 
 96 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Visit to England and liis native land. — Resistance to the pro- 
 posed sale of the Clergy Reserves to the Canada Company. 
 — Political strife in Upper Canada. 
 
 CHE citation of tho document in tlio last cliapter, in 
 reference to the appropriation of the Clergy Re- 
 serves, — though not unseasonably introduced, — was 
 a little in advance of the regular order of events in the Life 
 hefore us. Early in the year 1824, Dr. Strachan was ena- 
 1 lied to gratify a wish, long cherished, of visiting his native 
 hmd, and greeting once more those friends of his youth who 
 were ever held in affectionate remembrance, and with 
 wlxim ho maintained a steady correspondence. Often, in 
 Ids letters, had he reverted to this wish ; but obstacles t(j 
 its accomplishment were constantly occurring. There 
 was the difficulty of procuring a substitute during his 
 al^sence, for so important a parish as his must be adequately 
 supplied ; and there was the serious difficulty of meeting 
 the heavy expense. Repeated losses by fire, the building 
 of a new house, and the accumulating cost of an increasing 
 family, had created latterly an unusual pecuniary pressure* 
 The first obstacle was removed by the opportune arrival 
 at York of a son of an old and distinguished Scottish 
 friend, Dr. Brown, of Aberdeen, who had taken orders, and 
 enjoyed a small benefice, in the Church of England. He 
 was a gentleman of fair attainments and prepossessing 
 address ; and while, in giving him this temporary employ- 
 ment, reasonable justice would be done to the pari.sh, a 
 kind service would be rendered to the son of an old and
 
 07 
 
 valued friend. The painful issues of this aiTangement, 
 and all the complications that followctl, we need not dwell 
 upon. Suffice it tf) say that the cn^^ageinent with ^fr. 
 Brown was hrought to an aljrupt teimination in the month 
 of A[)ril following; and the ecclesiastical authorities at 
 Quebec made the necessary arrangements for the supi)ly of 
 the duty at^York until Dr. Strachan's return. 
 
 The second difficulty was relieved, if nctt t-ntirely 
 removed, by the desire of the Lieutenant Governor and 
 liis advisers that Dr. Strachan, while in England, should 
 atlbi'd to the Imperial Government information and advice 
 on various matters of great interest to the Province, which 
 could only be done effectually by j)ersonal representation 
 and di.scussioii. For the I'endering of these services there 
 was the promise of compensation, in part at least, (jf the 
 vcry';heavy jiecuniary outla}' attendant in those days upon 
 such a journey. 
 
 A journey in winter to New York entirely by stage, 
 and a voyage across the Atlantic in a sailing vessel, — for 
 there were no i-ailways nor ocean steamers then, — occupied 
 so much time, that it was the end of March 1>efore he 
 arrived in London. A letter to a friend in Scotland, dated 
 May 80, explains briefly a portion of the public duties 
 which now engaged him :— 
 
 "The little iteisuiuil bu,sluc.s.s 1 luid cut out fur myself, was in 
 luv own mind (|uito of n secondary nature ; and not even so 
 arranged until after I had clctcrniined to vissit you and my reLi- 
 tious. But our Lieutenant Governor, Sir Peregrine Maitland, 
 wished mc to deliver certain despatches, and to give an account 
 of the state of the Colony. This produced communications with 
 the Colonial Office, and there is no end to tlie references which 
 they have from day to day mad.'. 1 thought that 1 had answered 
 all their incpiirie.s, when intelligence wa.s received of the absurd 
 ]iroceedings of the Legislature of Lower Canada, ujwn which, 
 Govennnent have revived the project of uniting the two Pro- 
 vinces. In vi<'W of this, tijey have called upon me to meet the 
 1,".
 
 98 
 
 Attorney General of Lower Cannda, wlio hapiiens to be here ; 
 and to prepare between iis the draft of u Bill which we considered 
 best adapted to the purpose, and most likely to reuder the mea- 
 sure effectual, while it gave as little cause of noise as possible. 
 
 " This was a business of difficult ])erformauce ; for though the 
 Attorney General and I are old friends, yet we did not agree on 
 many of the points. After many meetings and much delay, wi; 
 came to a conclusion only yesterday, and gave in the draft of the 
 Bill, marking the clauses on which there was a difference of 
 opinion. I am now preparing, as quickly as possible, my reasons 
 for f-.ujtporting certain clauses, and rejecting others ; which will 
 occupy me three or four days." 
 
 His long and anxious yearnings were at last gratified ; 
 and we are happily furnished with a brief sketch of his 
 visit to some of the scenes of his early attachment, in a 
 letter to his friend Professor Brown, bearing date, August 
 28, 1824, — closing with some of those shrewd remarks, 
 indicating great knowledge of human nature, which cannot 
 fail to be useful as well as interesting : — 
 
 "I stopped at Kettle, and found Mr. Barclay from home, but 
 expected early in the evening ; and Miss Barclay, his eldest 
 daughter, a most amiable and interesting girl, begged me earnestly 
 to wait for the return of her father, which 1 at length consented 
 to do. In order to amuse me. Miss Barclay proposed a walk to 
 the village, to see my old friends if any still remained. Most 
 of my old friends are dead. I find several acquaintances, but 
 not one with whom I was in any degree intimate. Those who 
 recollected me were very much j)leased, and all hoped I would 
 preach for them on Sunday, — ' never mind, though you're nae 
 just as we are.' Mr. Bai-clay received me with great cordiality ; 
 and, as was natural, had many questions to ask about his son in 
 Canada. I remained all the Sunday : the family doing every 
 thing in their power to make it pleasant. After breakfast on 
 Monday, I proceeded to St. Andrews, where I arrived before 
 dinner, and took up my residence with Mr. Duncan. His 
 brothers were a,U in town ; which made it very pleasant, as they
 
 99 
 
 Miul 1 were uInvuvs \c\y IVieiuUy. It was a matter of astonislinient 
 to me to see so little change upon tliem. In tlie evening we 
 called on Dr. Chalmers, from whom I received a cordial welcome. 
 We talked of St. Andrews, of its present inhabitants, and of yon ; 
 and I must protest that I never heard any person mentioned in 
 more aft'ectionato terms than you were. They said that in your 
 removal to I'Mirilnngh, one of the principal charms had departed ; 
 that you were tiie s«nil of conversation ; and each deplored in 
 tlie strongest manner, and in a way most convincing to my mind 
 of its sincerity, his individual loss in your departure. * * * 
 
 '' Not being troubled witli any suspicions myself, I take people 
 a.s I lind them ; and cttnseciuently, get on very eiisily with 
 society. Perhaps, by adopting the same method in future, you 
 may find it advantageous. Froni considering the whole matter, 
 as far as I am able, 1 have come to the conclusion that you will 
 be hap])ier at St. Andrews than in Edinburgh ; tiiat past diffi- 
 culties have arisen chiefly froni your too refined expectations. 
 Your extraordinary talents and great sensibility place you so far 
 above the people around you, that what appears reasonable to 
 you, — and is so when duly considered, — seems to them extrava- 
 gant, or is })erhaps above their comprehension. You must there- 
 fore, in order to sail calmly and pleasantly down the stream, 
 condescend a little to people of less feeling and less information, 
 and cease to expect those delicate attentions from pei-sons who 
 are incapable of feeling them, and you must conform to those 
 established customs in society which are in daily operation. It 
 is true many of these might be dispensed with, were you still a 
 bachelor, — for no man can visit you without wishing to visit you 
 again, — but where ladies are concerned, there is never any abate- 
 ment. Therefore you must sacrifice something of time and i)er- 
 sonal trouble to give dear Mrs B. that place in society which she 
 so richly deserves, and could so well adorn, and which a little 
 exertion on yoin- part cau easily assure."' 
 
 The parting witli tliis old and lovcij IVicikI is tlius re- 
 ferred to in a suliset|uent letter: — 
 
 " I ielt (piite a vacancy in my heart,— -a sort of desolation 
 much greater than I had experienced ou leaving Aberdeen, — •
 
 00 
 
 when I parted from you and ]\[r.s. Brown on the pier at Kew- 
 liaven. I had indeed not slept so well as usual, and did not feel 
 (juite well. Perhaps we were to jiart for ever; there was little 
 chance of my return ; the pleasure of our short renewal of per- 
 sonal intercourse had passed away as a dream. I waived my hat 
 occa.sionally as long as you were in sight ; and when you dis- 
 appeared, I tried to read Millar's hook. I got ac(]uainted with 
 no pei-son on board, being silent and dull the whole way. The 
 weather during our voyage was not boisterous, but rainy and 
 consequently disagreeable ; so we were obliged to pass our time 
 principally in the cabin. TIk- j)assengers appeared rather a 
 sulky crew ; but as I set them tlie exam|>lo, T could not com- 
 plain." 
 
 During lii.s stay in London, L>r. Stmclian had many con- 
 ferences witli Earl Bathnrst, the Secretary of State for the 
 Colonies, and with Mr. Wilniot Horton, the earnest and 
 intelligent Under-Secretary, on the religious and political 
 prospects of Canada. Both were deeply alive to the impor- 
 tance of the provision made, in the Clergy Reserves, for the 
 future maintenanc(; of tlie Clnirch in this Province, and 
 protested in the strongest terms, against any interference 
 witli the exclusive and undeniable claims of the Church of 
 England to that endowment. They also acquiesced in the 
 opinion that a division of the Diocese of Quebec, — then 
 comprehending all Canada, — at as early a period as possiljle, 
 was im]>eratively called foi- ; so that each Province should 
 have its own Bishop. But the present difliculty w^as the 
 want of funds to provide an income for a second Bishop. 
 The Imperial Government could make no further grant for 
 such a pur])ose; and local resources were not at present 
 available. Tlic idea, at first, was favourably entertained 
 that, upon the demise of the then Bishop of Quebec, — 
 which, from his age and increasing infiimities, was con- 
 sidered to be not far distant, — the Episcopal income, £3000 
 sterling, per annum, should be divided; allotting £2000 
 per annum to the next Bishop of Quebec, and £1000
 
 101 
 
 to the Bishop of Upper CaTia<la. Why this very rea.s<«ii- 
 able proposition, — which would liave been so elieerfully 
 acquiesced in by the excellent Dr. Stewart, — was not 
 ultimately carried oiit, it would be difficult to explain. It 
 was felt by Dr. Strachan, when the time so soon arrived 
 for putting it into practical operation, that strange iuHu- 
 ences were at work to extinguish all hope of liis own 
 elevation to the proposed new See, — his claims to which 
 the united voice of Churchmen in Upper Canada would 
 affirm to l>e paramount. With this opinion there is every 
 reason to believe that the Colonial INfinister concurred ; 
 liut how it came to be counteracted, an<l th(^ necessary 
 division of the Diocese sus])ended. it is l)ettei- not to 
 attempt to account for. 
 
 That the Churcli in Upper Canada might o])tain some 
 innnediate benefit from the Clergy Reserves, Dr. Strachan, 
 while in England, proposed that the Clergy Corporation 
 should be empowered to sell one-half of the lands thus 
 appropriated ; to fund the money derived from their sale ; 
 and to apply the interest towards the support of the 
 Clergy. To this proposition the Home Government lent 
 a friendly ear ; liut while it was under consideration, the 
 Canada Land Com[»any was started, and they offere<l to 
 purchase at once the half of the Clergy Reserves. But the 
 price they offered was s<i low, that Dr. Strachan felt it his 
 duty to oppose the sale ; upon whicli it was determined 
 to send out five commi.ssionei"s to value the land, — two to 
 be appointed by Government, and two l>y the C-ompan\ : 
 a fifth to be chosen by the whole. 
 
 Tlu' commissioners came to Canada in the .sprino- of 
 1!S2.> ; and when their valuation of the Clergy Reserves 
 was made known, it was sti-ongly protested against bv Di-. 
 Strachan, as inueh too low. At his instance, the Cleiny 
 generally united in the remonstrance ; aufl the Govern- 
 ment, in the face of such an opposition, declined to carry 
 out the sale. Subsequently the arrangement of the diffi-
 
 102 
 
 eulty Avas left to the late Mr. Gait and Dr. Strachaii ; and 
 after a lono; and tedious necjotiation, it was determined 
 that the Clergy lands sliould not be sold, — the Huron 
 Tract, as it was termed, l)cing purchased by the Gompan}' 
 in tlieir stead. 
 
 Fully £l/)0,()0() were saved to the Church by this inter- 
 position, or rather to the Province ; for all know how 
 little the Church has benefited by this energy and deter- 
 nunation on the part of her able and untiring champion. 
 
 Tlic })resent was a critical period in the political history 
 of Upper Canada ; at all events, the general election in the 
 summer of 1824 had very muc;h changed the complexion of 
 our local Parliament. Party spirit exhibited itself strongly 
 in many (puirters : the Attorney General Robinson nai'- 
 rowly escaped defeat in York by a very inferior opponent ; 
 and from the constituencies westward, a large radical 
 element was infused into the House of Assembly. On 
 the 18th April, 1825, Dr. Strachan writes thus, in a letter 
 to a friend : — 
 
 " We have just clo.sed a long and tediou.s Session of tlie Pro- 
 vincial Parliament. Thei-e has been much debate ; not a little 
 dissention ; and after all, little or no good done. Our House, the 
 Legislative Council, had a serious diffei-ence with the House of 
 Assembly on a question of privilege, which was at length settled 
 after a good deal of trouble. As a lai'ge share of the business of 
 the Ujiper House falls upon my shoulders, there is of course not 
 a little responsibility with it ; and for tlie exercise of this I am 
 praised or blamed according to the caprice of the editors of the 
 newspapers. — 1 sometimes tliink of your nerves, when dema- 
 gogues and radicals are railing against me ; but their calumnies 
 never deprive nie of my appetite, nor of my slee[). In all my 
 affairs I liave one simple principle to guide me ; which is an 
 hone.st desire to do as well as I can. I liave, therefore, no com- 
 punctions of conscience, no qualms to settle : their calumnies 
 pass me like the idle wind, Jind T turn i'nv tliem neither to the 
 right hand nor to the left."
 
 103 
 
 This, too, Av;is but tlu- Ijcgiiiiiiii^f of tlie storm — tho 
 gentle jijittcriii!;- of tin- rain-drops before the roar and 
 fierceness of tlie tempest. With civil strife came tlio 
 acrimony of tlieological contention, — the eager onslauglit 
 ni)on what the Church deemed her rightful inheritance, 
 and the bold and unflinching defence of one all but 
 unaided champion against a host of foes. 
 
 But before the outbreak there ^vas a partial lull. l)r 
 Strachan had again to proceed to England on public busi- 
 ness, and sailed from New York in March, 1820. Such 
 was the important character of the work entrusted to him, 
 that his absence was protract(?d until late in the sunniier 
 of 1827.
 
 104 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 The Educational Question. — Prospect of tlie early EstaV)lisliaient 
 of a University. — Second Visit to England. 
 
 CHE war that had just Ijeuii kindled, uu the right to, 
 and the disposal of, the Clergy Reserves, and all the 
 anxieties and labour it entailed, did not l»y any 
 njeans exclude from the thoughts and energies of Dr. 
 Strnchan, the great question which had led to his emigra- 
 tion to Canada,- and wliich had ever since unremittingly 
 fiioao-ed his interest and attention. This was the (luestion 
 of Education, — to supply tlic means of diffusing sound 
 and useful knowledge through all classes of the com- 
 nninity ; to impart it to the liumblest, as well as to the 
 highest, of the population ; to ada])t it to tht; various 
 jn-ades and conditions of the people ; to classify the insti- 
 tutions of learning so as to meet the wants and aspirations 
 of all. 
 
 The establishment of a University, in which a com- 
 pleteness and finish could be given to education, was 
 alwavs in the foreground of these plans and contem- 
 plations. Put the antecedent steps to this culminating 
 point it would have been unwisi; to have neglected. There 
 nmst be the elementary and preparatoiy knowledge 
 supplied in its fitting grades, Ijcfore the benefits of the 
 hifdiest seat of learning could be availabk' 'or jjractieable. 
 And these prelinunary necessities were never overlooked. 
 The first movement in this direction had been made 1)}- 
 Ceneral Simcoe, in 1792, when he expressed to Mr. Dundas, 
 the Secretary of State for th(! Colonics, the expediency of
 
 105 
 
 immetliately adopting j)i-iicticiil inoasiux's foi- the estab- 
 lislniu'iit of a University in Upper Canada. The same 
 thing was urged in a letter to the Bishop of Quebec in 
 1705, in whieli lie states that the people who have the 
 means ofgovniiing tlieniselves, "must become sufficiently 
 ca])able and enligl)tened to understand their relative situa- 
 tion, and manage their own i)()wer to the })ublic interest. 
 To tills end a liberal education is indispensably necessary." 
 General Siiiicoe was recalled from the ({overnment oi' 
 this Province in 1797; but its Legislatun,' did not lose 
 sight of the object he liad so mudi at Iwart. Not long 
 after his de[)arture, they addres.sed tlie King witli a petition 
 that a portion of the waste lands of the Province .should 
 be appropriated to the support of Grammar Schools and a 
 University ; and very soon, authority was given to appro- 
 ]>riate 500,000 acres for this purpose, — one-half for Grammar 
 Schools, and the residue for the endowment of a Uni- 
 versity. 
 
 It was impossible, at that time, to obtain a price for 
 tlie.se lands wliicli would have sufficed for the endowment 
 of even two Grammar Scliools ; Imt in 1807, mainly 
 througli tlie exertions of Dr. Strachan, an Act was passed 
 for tlie establishment of a CJrammar School in each 
 District of the Province; and very soon, three supeiinr 
 Schools, — at Cornwall, Kingston and Niagara, — were in 
 successful operation. In process of time, similar Schools 
 were established in the ca})ital towns of the other Districts 
 of Upper Canada. 
 
 The means for the education of those who were not in a 
 condition to avail themselves of the instruction afl'orded in 
 the Grammar Schools, were at the time very meagre and 
 unsatisfactory. This class of the youth of the country had 
 to get, as they eouhl, a very simple and indiH'erent educa- 
 tion. In our towns and villages, and here and then' in 
 the eountry, there w(ye schools of a very humble order, — 
 the teachers sometimes men of respectability, but often- 
 It
 
 lOG 
 
 times the reverse both as to acquirements and habits of 
 Hf e. The scholars were of both sexes, from lisping children 
 to grown-up young men and women ; and the majority of 
 these attended onl}- in the winter months. The remu- 
 neration to the masters was small and fluctuating, and 
 derived entirely from the })\ipils ; no government aid 
 wliatever was contributed to this class of schools. 
 
 The duty of ameliorating this condition of things forced 
 itself early upon Dr. Strachan ; and, very much through 
 his influence and exertions, a Law was passed in January, 
 1824, makins: a certain grant to each District for Common 
 School education, and appointing a Board in each District 
 to examine and admit teachei's, and to make an equitable 
 distribution within their bounds, of the funds allotted 
 thereto. A somewhat better class of school-masters was 
 by this means obtained, and a larger nundjer of s(;hools 
 were opened; but there was this defect in the organization 
 of the system, that no ade([uate provision was made for 
 the superintendence of these schools, — no arrangement for 
 a periodical visit to them, so as to ensure tlie proper atten- 
 tion of their conductors, and to examine into and remedy 
 complaints where they were })rcferi('d. The organization 
 was then much too bare, if it has since become, ;ts many 
 think, too complex and expensive. 
 
 The existing arrangements for a pre})aratory education 
 were, however, on tlie whole working well ; they were 
 fairly paving the way for tlie establishment of tin; long 
 contemi)lated University. No doubt this, when fully in 
 operation, would havt- aii^important influence ujion the 
 inferior institutions of leaining. The standard of educa- 
 tion would be elevated; and both in the C'onnnon an<l in 
 the Grammar Schools, there woid<l Ite an edbrt to meet 
 the more advanced acquirements which tlie University 
 would exact. 
 
 A person conversant with the woi'king and influence of 
 the Universities in tlie motlier countiy, would feel strongly.
 
 107 
 
 and Avork zealously, for tlio ostablishmont of a similar 
 institution Jiero. Tiien^ is no ealnilating the moral and 
 social i)owcr Avhicli Oxford and ( 'aml»rid<r(\ for instanop 
 have cxertf'il. It is sonictliing to secui-o, l»y tln-ir means, 
 a (*lass of men compi'tcnt from their acquirements to fill 
 the several k-arned professions, — to hring the light and tin' 
 refinements ol" science to the i)ractical duties Avhirh th*- 
 lawyer, the physician, and the clergyman has each in his 
 vocation, to dischaigv ; hut a host of nicn are l)cnefiterl 
 outside those professions. The nobility and gentr}^ who 
 enter into no profession, arc educated there; they acquire 
 there the knowledge and the disciplinary training that 
 qualify them to he magistrates and legislators. The asso- 
 ciations of those carl}^ days serve much to identify them 
 with others, not of their owU order, throughout the land, 
 —with the membei's of the several ])rofcssions, and with 
 those of less social standing, l)ut of equal literary 
 acquirements. The Universities have thus produced a 
 wonderful blending of classes ; they have served in a largp 
 degree to break down those barriers which, keeping men 
 distinct, would have excluded them from working in com- 
 idnation for their country's g(.)od. With what an eager 
 hope, with what an untiring energy, would one, alive to 
 all these advantages and with the op])ortunity apparently 
 at connuand, strive to have them imparted and perpetuated 
 in this new country ! 
 
 Abont the close of the year 1825, it was tletermined that 
 steps should be ado])ted Avhicli would ensure the early 
 accomplishment of this great boon to Upper Canada. The 
 Lieutenant Governor, Sir Peregrine Maitland, was induced 
 to address a Despatch to Earl Bathurst, soliciting the 
 sanction of the Imi)erial Goverimient to an exchange of 
 the wild and remote lands allotted for the su})port of edu- 
 <-ation, for such other lands in the possession of the Crown, 
 as would conmiand an earlier and more advantageous sale. 
 It was stated that the lamls thus set apart, "though they
 
 lOcS 
 
 possess the ailvaiitage of being in large bloeks, lie in tracts 
 at ])resent remote from settlements, and a considerable 
 portion of them is not of the first qnaJity." -It was then 
 suggested tliat if the Imperial Government "should see fit 
 to allow that an eipial (piantity of the best of these lands 
 should be exchanged for that portion of the Crown Reserves 
 which remains to the Government as being under lease, 
 the latter could almost immediately be disposed of, at an 
 average price of not less than ten shillings per acre, and, a 
 sum thus be produced that would admit of the immediate 
 establishment of a University on a scale that would render 
 it effective." 
 
 As matters in regard to the establishment of a Univer- 
 sity had now come to so critical a point, it was thought 
 advisable that no opportunity or means of ensuring its^ 
 success should be lost. Des])atches often remain long 
 unanswered ; and after all, however important the sul)- 
 jects may be to which they refer, they are often iinsatis- 
 factory. 80 it was determined to send home a special 
 emissary to bring this great question to a favourable issue; 
 and as none other so suitable could be found, Dr. Strachan 
 was called upon to proceed to England, and have, if pos- 
 sible, every obstacle removed to the immediate accom- 
 plishment of tliis great Provincial undertaking. 
 
 He left York on this important errand about the middle 
 of March (182G), — spending a night on the way in tlie 
 ])arsonage at Grimsby, and leaving there his second son, 
 George, in charge of the writer of this narrative, then the 
 Incumbent of that parish. The winter roads were then 
 ])reaking up ; so it was a long and weary journey to New 
 York. But the passages homewards were usually short ; 
 and he afrived in London about the 2.5th of April. 
 
 He entered without delay upon the duty he was com- 
 missioned to discharge, and he pursued it with accustomed 
 vigour. On the 31st of March, 1827, the following 
 Despatch from Earl Bathui-st was tTa.nsmitted to Sir Pere- 
 grine Maitland : —
 
 lOJ) 
 
 " 1 liavf tlic lnniDiir to iiiforiu you tli it. His .Majesty liii.s Ik'CM 
 jjlea.setl to grant a Koyal C'liarter by Letters Patent, under tlio 
 Great Seal, for establisliing at or near the town of York, in tin; 
 Province of U])itor Canada, one College, with tlie styli! ami [.rixi- 
 leges of a Uuivei'sity, for the education and instruction of youth 
 in Arts and Faculties, to contintie for ever, to be called King's 
 College. 
 
 *' I am further to acquaint you that His Majesty has been 
 ] (leased to grant £1000 per annum as a fund for erecting the 
 buildings necessary for the College, to be paid out of the moneys 
 furnished by the Canada Comi)any, and to continue during the 
 term of that agri'ement. 
 
 " I have to authorize you, on tli(> receipt of this Desp;itch, to 
 exchange such Crown Reserves as have not been made over to 
 the Canada Com])any, for an equal portion of the lands set a[)art 
 lor the pui'j)0se of education and I'oundation of a Universitv as 
 suggested in your L)esi)atch of Deceniber 19, IS2~), and more 
 fully detailed in Dr. 8trachan's Report of March 10, 1S2G, and 
 you -will proceed to endow King's College with the said Crown 
 Reserves with as little delay as possible." 
 
 Complete success, then, liad ciowiumI tlie efforts dfDr. 
 Straclian ; ami the day-dream of liis youth and of liis 
 matiue manhood was at lengtli realized. Upper (Canada 
 was to liave a University: it was adequately endowed; 
 and a Royal Cliarter was obtained for it. Tills C'liaiter, 
 it was affirmed at tlie time, was the most open and libeial 
 that liad ever been granted; inasmuch Ks it was protidiMl 
 tliat no religions test should be applied to any jiersons 
 admitted as students or as graduates in tlie said College, 
 excepting only to graduates in Divinit}^ who were to be 
 subject to the conditions enjoined for degrees in that faculty 
 at Oxford. Established and time-lionoured principles could 
 not be altogether abandoned; in any such . Institution 
 sanctioned by the Crown, its religious features must be 
 maintained : that grand safeguard to its wliolesome work- 
 ing could never be relinquished. And if this influence
 
 110 
 
 must be made to pervade it, it would be simply dutiful on 
 the part of His Majesty's Goverument, to concede the 
 administration and control of the Institution to the estab- 
 lished Chnrrh of the Empire. It was, therefore, provider! 
 that the seven Professors in the Arts and Faculties should 
 l)e members of the Church of England, and should sub- 
 scribe the Thirty-nine Articles ; that the Bisliop for thp 
 time being of the Diocese in which the University was 
 situate, should be the Visitor ; the Governor, or Lieutenant 
 Governor for the time being to be Chancellor ; the Presi- 
 dent to be a clergyman in holy orders of the United (Jhurch 
 rif E.nfdand and Ireland ; and that the Archdeacon of York 
 in this Province, for the time l)eing, should, by virtue of 
 such his office, be at all times President of the said 
 College. 
 
 There was, no doubt, an unwise and JK-edless stringency 
 in some of these provisions ; and to the writer of these 
 pages Dr. Strachan himself affirmed, on his return from 
 England, that ho had expressed to Lord Bathurst his 
 oljjection to the provision last cited, — that the Archdeacon 
 of York should, ex-offido, be President of the University ; 
 ami ho stated also his doubts whether it was judicious to 
 ivquirc from the mendjers oX the College Council subscrip- 
 tion to the Thirty-nine Articles, These, however, were 
 anano-ements that could be modified, without doing 
 violence to the religious influence by which it was intended 
 that the University should be controlled; and without 
 excluding the Church of England from that general go- 
 vernment and supervision to which all felt that she was 
 entitled.
 
 Ill 
 
 CIIAPTKll XI 1 1. 
 
 Death of the liisliop of <^)ucl)c'(;. — Tfis Successor, Dr. SteWiirt. — 
 UitiH'i- Canada ilivided into two Archdeaconries. — Dr. 
 Strachan appointed Areluleacon of York.— Correspondence 
 in Enghuid in 182G-7.— Keturn to Canada. 
 
 *fr|URINU tlie summer of 182."), an event occurrod which 
 Tri had been for some time expected, — tlie death of 
 CZJ Dr. :M<mntain, first Bishop of Quebec. Though he 
 had not attaincil to extreme old age, — being, when \w 
 died, in his 7-')t]i year, — his constitution had been for many 
 years much l>rokeii ; and at no time, thougli robust in 
 frame, was he e<[ual to tlie labour and the })rivations which 
 visitations of his vast Diocese, extending from C}asp(i to 
 Sandwich, demanded. We may repeat now what was so 
 justly said of this distinguished prelate, in a brief sketch of 
 his iife ])ublished in the "Church" newspaper in June, 
 1838: — "He was eminently a scholar, a gentleman, a com- 
 panion, a <h)mestic guide and comforter; and united, in a 
 most remarkable manner, (pialities which enmnianded 
 respect and reverence, with a cheerful atiability, and often 
 a playfulness, whicli threw a charm about his .society, and 
 made him, as it were, the centre of a system, to the whole 
 of which he imparted light and warmth. In his performance 
 of the functions ])roper to the Episcopal ofHce, tlie com- 
 manding dignity of his j)erson, the impressive solenmlty of 
 his manner, and the felicitous ])ropriety of his utterance, 
 gave the utmost effect and (Un-elopment to the beautiful 
 services of the Church. In the puli)it, it is perhaps not too 
 much to sav, that the advantage of his tiue and venerable
 
 112 
 
 aspect, — the grace, the force, tlie solemn fervour of his 
 delivery, — the power and happy regulation of his tones, — 
 the chaste expressiveness and natural significance of his 
 action, combined "vvith the strength and clearness of his 
 reasoning, — the unstudied mau-nificence of his lano^uage, — 
 and that piety and rooted faith in his Redeemer, which 
 was, and shewed itself to be, ])regnant with the importance 
 of its subject, and intent upon conveying the same feeling 
 to others, — made him altogether a preacher who has never, 
 in modern times, been surpassed." 
 
 He was succeeded by the Hon. and Rev. Charles James 
 Stewart, D.D.; whose coming to Canada is described as 
 follows in the narrative from which we have just quoted : 
 — "In the year 180G, the Bishop of Quebec, then in England, 
 was visited by the Hon. and Rev. Charles Stewart, brother 
 of the Earl of Galloway. He expressed his desire of being 
 employed in the Canadas ; and his offers of service having 
 been accepted, he entered upon the arduous duty of a mis- 
 sionary in a remote station upon the borders of Lake 
 Champlain." Here for many yeai's he pursued his simple 
 duties, patiently and laboriously; and long will they, 
 amongst whom his first missionary years were spent, 
 remember the warmth of unaffected piety, the devoted 
 earnestness, and the boundless benevolence of heart, by 
 which his faithful declaration of the Gospel message was 
 uniformly accompanied. About the year 1820 he resigned 
 the special charge to which he had so long devoted him- 
 self, and at the instance of the Bishop, became Visiting 
 Missionary of the Diocese, — going from one end of it to 
 another on horseback, accompanied by his servant, and 
 informing himself of the condition and wants of the several 
 jiarishes as he j)assed along. In 182-5, the Ai'chdeacon of 
 Quebec, was commissioned, while in England, to procure a 
 division of the Diocese, — Dr. Mountain having proposed to 
 assign to Dr. Stewart the episcopal charge of Upper 
 Canada, together with oiK^-third of his income. This pro*
 
 })i)sjil was I'ully iigrood to hy His Majesty's (Jdvciiiiuciit, 
 and tlic airangcment was about to l)o carricil into effect, 
 when it was interrupted by tlie Bishop's deatli, and Dr. 
 Stewart succeeded to tlie whole charge of tlie Diocese. A 
 division under some other arrangement, was, it ai)pears, 
 for the present al)andoned. On the strangeness of this, wr 
 have already briefly commented. 
 
 Durino; the summer of 1824, when Dr. Strachan first 
 visited England, an arrangement had been agreed to for 
 the division of Upper Canada into two Archdeaconries, — 
 one, the Archdeaconry of Kingston, to comprehend all that 
 portion of the country lying between the western extremity 
 of the Newcastle District and the eastern extremity of 
 of the Province; the other, the Archdeaconry of York, to 
 comprise all the territory frc^m the commencement of the 
 Home District eastwards to the western extremity of tlu' 
 Province. The latter Archdeaconry was promised to Dr. 
 Strachan; the former being assigned to Ai-chdeacon Stewart. 
 But it was not until the 28th June, 1827, that the Bishop 
 of Quebec was advised by the Colonial Secretary, that the 
 Letters Patent, authorizing this division, were issued ; and 
 that Dr. Stuart was to be instituted into the Archdeaconry 
 of Kingston, and Dr.Strachan into the Archdeaconry of York. 
 
 During a residence of eighteen months in England and 
 Scotland, there were many per.sonal incidents and i)ub]ic 
 events which Dr. Strachan wouhl naturally refer fo in his 
 correspondence. Tlir readers oi' tliis narrative will, we 
 feel assured, iwrusi' with interest such reflertions ami 
 observations as we can extract from letters \\i ittm during 
 that interval. 
 
 On the IDtli June, lS2(i, lie writes to a friend as follows, 
 on a scene familiar doubtless to many of our readers, Imt 
 by the gi'eater nund)er never witnessed : — 
 
 "SuKc I wrote, I have been to Oxford to see the Couimeniora- 
 tion ; but luifortunately .soino of my i>rinci]);d frienils were absent. 
 15
 
 114 
 
 I did not, liowever, lose my journey ; as I liad an oppoi'tunity of 
 making some interesting inquiries, and of seeing how public 
 ceremonies are conducted in so eminent a seat of learning. The 
 Commemoration was held in the theatre, which can ^hold about 
 three thousand persons. It was nearly full, about one-third 
 of ladies, elegantly dressed ; the students in the upper galleries. 
 This public exhibition is considered a Saturnalia. The young 
 gentlemen hiss, or applaud, all the professors and officers of the 
 Uni\ ersity as they enter and retire. The Vice Chancellor for the 
 year seemed very much disliked, for the moment he appeared, 
 there was such a hissing and groaning as was indeed quite tre- 
 mendous. Then came in a popular professor, and he was loudly 
 applauded. Similar conduct was manifested to others. After 
 quiet was restored, the University Orator ])ronounced a Latin 
 oration *n praise of benefactors ; but as he had lost all his upper 
 teeth, and is very old, it was difficult to understand a word he 
 said. Next, a young man rei^eated a prize Latin poem ; and as he 
 articulated admirably, we could follow him very tolerably. Some 
 of the verses were excellent ; Ijut it was rather long for a public 
 recitation. Then wo had an English essay on fiction ; very good, 
 and exhibiting no inconsiderable acuteness. After this, there 
 was a .shoi't ])oem of about fifty lines in English, — very ])oor 
 indeed. The Degree of Doctor of Laws was conferred upon Sir 
 Robert Inglis ; and others followed of inferior note. The 
 moment the business of the day was eoncluded, tlie hissing and 
 applauding recommenced, and I made my esca])c." 
 
 The following refer to visits to various friends in Scot- 
 land ; and are extracted from letters bearing date October 
 9, and October 18, 1820 :— 
 
 " On Monday last I set out in the coach for Xcwhavcn ; ^fr. 
 Hamilton, my wai-d, saw me on board the steamer ; and at two 
 o'clock, 1 was in the manse of Kettle. Here I was received with 
 great kindnes.s, and could not get away before Wednesday morning. 
 I reached St. Andrews before dinner, and found Professor Duncan 
 ex[)ecting me, and ready to greet me with all the warmth of 
 former friendship, Dr. Chalmers soon after came in, and was
 
 1 1.-, 
 
 rejoiced at my :iiii\;il. ilc iiitriidrd to li.ive .s|i('iit tlie cvciiini^ 
 with us; Imt Mrs. Chuliiiers, who h;id hei-u aljoiit :ill thiy, took 
 ill, and soon presented him with a daughter. He came over lor 
 a mr)ment to inform ns of tliis hippy event. 
 
 " On Thursday, I\[r. Duncan invited the liunters and Dr. 
 Chahners to dinner; and these gentlemen met very courteously, 
 and the party was highly agreeable. Being seated ne.xt Dr. 
 Chalmers, T had much conver.sation with him, but chiefly in 
 reference to the situation of his brotlu-r Charles. 
 
 " I dined on Friday -with ])i\ James Hunter; Mrs. Hunter I 
 had not seen since her marriage. On Saturday 1 dinod with Dr. 
 Chalmers and Professor Duncan, at old Dr. Hunter's, wliei-e we 
 had a good deal of plea.sant conver.sation. On Sunday J preaehcd 
 i)efore Dr. Chalmers, &c., in the chapel, and on the whole jilea.sed 
 tli(!ni. To-day I set out for Dundee, and e.vpect to reach 
 Aberdeen on Thursday evening. T have been much gratified by 
 the kindness 1 have experienced here. 
 
 " I left St. Andrews on Tuesday, th(' KUh, — Dr. Chalmers 
 and J*rofe.s.sor Duncan acconi[)anying me to the pier. On 
 Wednesday, at Dundee, I went with Mr. Kerr, a writer, to 
 .Meigle, to see William Scott, brother of our late Chief Justice, 
 wliose mind is enieebled. I cho.se to (fo without ijiviujj notice, 
 that I Juight se(! how he w\is treated. I carried with me his 
 fathers and bri)tlier's watches, some rings, and other little mat- 
 ters. T found him pom-ly in liealth, but had reason to be satisfied 
 with his treatment. I, however, made arrangements lor still 
 further increa.sing his comforts ; and as he was getting old and 
 frail, I raised tb.e sum ]>aid to the jjcrsons who board and lodge 
 him nearly one-half He was delighted with the thin^.s I brought 
 him ; and the j)eople were not less delighted at the augumentation 
 (»f their allowance, one quarter of which was j)aid in advance. 
 Mr. Kerr of Dundee, who is dur man of business and of good 
 repute, has the general ch.irge and attends to the ])ayment of 
 expen.ses. We have left plenty of nu)ney in his hands ; and all 
 lh(! instruction I gave him as to its application, was simply this, 
 to treat William Scott, as he would treat his own brother in the 
 same situation. 
 
 "We returned in the chaise to dine in Dundee; but the 
 arrangements ncces.sarv, and the settling of accounts, prevented
 
 116 
 
 my getting to AberJeeu until Frulay eveiihig, the loth. 1 found 
 liere a letter froiu the Colonial Otlieo, wisliing my speedy i-eturn ; 
 I tlierefore expect to be in Edinburgh on S;tturday evening, and 
 in Loudon on Tuesday." 
 
 He arrived in London on Tuesday, the 24th, at hall-past 
 ten in the evening, and, writing to Professor Brown, Nov. 
 7, he says : — 
 
 " I found myself .sitting snugly by the tire in uiy own lodgings 
 about eleven. My landlord brought uie up a large parcel of 
 letters from Canada, all of which [ read before going to bed. 
 The contents wore ])leasant, exce])t of one mentioning the death 
 of our adopted daughter;"' which, though long expected, is yet 
 a orreat affliction. She was so kind, so gentle, so atTectionate. 
 Neither I nor Mr;s. Strachan had any difiercnce, even in feeling, 
 between her and our own childreu. In many respects Mrs. 
 Brown resembles her ; not unlike in looks ; the same winning 
 modesty, the same retiring character, the same kindness of dispo.si- 
 tion. But this subject is painfuh 8he was good, and hns gone 
 to a better world, leaving a disconsolate husband, and one child 
 quite an infant. 
 
 ♦' The Under-Secretary for the (Jolonies being at Brighton, I 
 Avent down to converse with him on many points which I had in 
 charf'e from the Colonial Covernment. I had an agreeable inter- 
 view of three Ikhu-s with him ; and as we lodged at the .same 
 hotel, there was no escaping me." 
 
 The extraets tliat follow are from a letter to the same 
 gentleman, dated January 21) th, 1827 : — 
 
 "There appear to be a great variety of oi)inions regarding the 
 war. Some think that it will come to nothing ; others believing 
 that Spain will commit aggressions, and that France is ready to 
 assist. I am rather inclined to the former ; because the Ki]ig of 
 France must feel that it is his interest to remain at peace, and 
 jiot af'aiu risk the prospect of a second exile. He is now too old 
 thus to be^in the world. Was there ever so imprudent a speech 
 as that of Mr. Canning ? It indeed carried the Jlouse and 
 
 ♦ The late Mrs. Guy Wood, of Cornwall.
 
 country witli liim ; Lut oloiiueuce is not reason, and now most 
 ]K'oi)lc contlt-nin it in toto. It was (.■alciil;it(Ml to iiiit.itc France, 
 without any bcnetit whatever ; and in the published edition, it 
 V)ecomcs I'atber a new speech than the one ]>rouounci'd in thi- 
 House of Commons. * * •" "' * 
 
 " I have; not been idle since my return : having; written a 
 ])ami)hlet on Emigration of nearly 100 pages, and an appeal of 
 2\ pages in favour of our College. I have also very nearlv 
 linished an abridgement of the Emigration Keport of the House 
 of Commons Committee, which I undertook at the request of the 
 Under-Secretary for the Colonies, Mr. Wilmot Horton ; and for 
 this service I am to get an A.ct of Parliament ])assed re-pectiii"' 
 tlie Colonies, which I have much at heart, and should rejoice 
 :ibove all things to be able to carry out with the Charter of the 
 Uuivei-sity. That Keport I reduce to less than one-seventh of 
 its original bulk, retaining everything useful. It contains n<.arlv 
 4tK) folio pages : my work will be about l."50 octavo. 
 
 " 1 dined at Mr. William Horton's, a few days ago, with Mr. 
 Maltlms, the famous writer on population, and a .Mr. Tocke, 
 celebrated in the literary world. Lockhart, the Editor of the 
 < Quarterly, was also there. We had mueh conversation, and on 
 a variety of subjects ; j)articularly emigration, and the rapidity 
 of the increase of po[)ulation. I did not find so much acuteness, 
 or originality of remark, as 1 cxjiected. Mr. Maltluis is rather 
 an ugly man, and speaks vei-y thick and through his nose. I 
 Ibund no ditliculty in taking a reasonable share in the conver- 
 sation ; and was enabled to make some remarks, from being so 
 long abroad in a growing country, that ser\t>d to tliiow light on 
 the subjects discussed. "' * * 
 
 '• 1 frequently see Mr. Campbell, the ]ioet. He goes down to 
 (Jlasgow, sometime in Ai)ril, to be inst;illed Rector. It aj)peais 
 that a good deal of opposition was made to him on the part of 
 the Professors ; which I think foolish, as he is a Ghisgow man. 
 }3ut everybody does foolish things now and then, as well as the 
 Professors at Gla.sgow. ' 
 
 On the ^Ist of April, 18:^7, lio writes as folluw.s; just 
 after the break-up of Lord Liverpool'.s administration : —
 
 118 
 
 " I am liapiiy to tell you, that I liad tlir good fortune to 
 aceomi)li^h the iimst uiaterhd parts of my mission, l)efor(> the 
 crash amongst the ministry took place. My University Charter 
 issued on the 22nd of March, and I have had a few copies 
 ])rinted. 
 
 "1 should now be on my way to Canada, but 1 got a J5ill 
 introduced, in February, into Parliament, to enable the Crown to 
 sell a portion of the Clergy Reserves ; as they nvo at present 
 totally improductive, and a cause of clamour as being a barrier to 
 improvement. I was anxious to avoid the great question tliat 
 ha.s been agitated in the Colony about the meaning of the word.'^ 
 "Protestant Clergy," and confined myself simply to the power of 
 .sale. But Mr. Stanley (the late Earl of Derby) came forwai'd 
 with a motion to investigate the whole matter, and of const;- 
 ([ucnce the second reading of my Bill is put off to the first of 
 Mav. In the meantime, the old Ministry has fallen to pieces ; 
 :ind whether the new Ministry will attend to my business, or 
 not, remains to be seen. 
 
 " There is no conversation here but about the Ministry ; the 
 ex-Ministers say that they have been very ill-used. The King, 
 tiiey affirm, never asked them to form a Ministry, nor made any 
 communication that it was his Royal ]>leasure to apj)oint Can- 
 ning Premier. 'J'lie first intimation of this step was from that 
 gentleman himself, in a note addressed to each, not, it is said, 
 couched in particularly warm terms. This raised their indigna- 
 tion ; and they, 1 apprehend without much consideration, 
 resigned. Lord Melville, I have reason to know, had not made 
 up his miml an hour before he sent in his resignation. Mr. 
 Canning finds much difficulty in arranging his administration, 
 and Parliament will find itself in a strange position when it 
 meets. It is confidently sidd that Mr. Camiing camiot stand any 
 tiiiu;. I have no great opinion of his judgment, but I am rather 
 disposed to think that he will maintain his ground ; beca\ise 
 Lord Eldon is too old to take an active part much longer in 
 politics. Lord Bathurst, though a man of talents, is shy and 
 also of feeble health. The Duke of Wellington and I;ord Mel- 
 ville are no speakers, and Mr. Peel is su])posed to be wavering 
 between the two parties.
 
 119 
 
 " 1 gut J.i'iil JJatliUist to givo directions conccniing the 
 ciKldWiiiciit of our University, a few days before he lesigned ; 
 ami one of tlie very last ])esj)atelies tliat liis Lordship signed was 
 one settHng our Courts of Law upon a basis whicli T liad drawn 
 up ; for, you see, we Cohjiiists are obliged to turn our attention 
 to L'very thing. 
 
 " I have also been aetively eniploy^'d in elainiing assistance 
 from the great C'liureh Societies towards forming a Library for 
 our University 'Sly ap|)lication to the Society for the Propaga- 
 tidu of the (iospel in F(jreign Parts, has been successful; but 
 the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge lias demurred. 
 Here 1 was opposed by the Bishoj) of Chester (Blonifield) ; but 
 not being of a disposition to give u[), I brought the matter for- 
 war<l three times. On the two first attempts I saw matters 
 going against me, and had the address to prevent the questitm 
 going to a vote. The third time I mustered all my strength, and 
 carried a vote of reference to the Committee to consider M:y 
 proposition fairly. This body will report to the Society on the 
 1st of May, and I hope to beat the Bishop."' 
 
 " In niy a})[)lication for Books to the University of Oxford, 1 
 have failed : they are afraid of a precedent. The Church IVIis- 
 sionary Society have behaved very well, liaving resolved to give 
 us £200 per annum, — £100 to a Professor of Indian languages, 
 and .£100 for two scholarships of £50 each, to educate two 
 voung men as Indian JMissionaries. I went down to Cambridge, 
 to try what conld be done there ; but I am not very sanguine. 
 The Vice Chancellor was very polite ; but nothing can be done 
 till after Term connuences in May." , 
 
 Finding several aeciiiaintances returning to (^uiada by 
 one of tlic London and New York line of Paeket-sliips, he 
 (leteimined to adopt that route; Jind accordingly sailed IVoni 
 Purtsnioutli, — Avliere tho.so vessels always touched, — on tlie 
 the oth July, 1827. Tn n few weeks from tliat date he 
 reached his haii]»y iiouu'; and iln' tramiuilHty there was all 
 the more grateful, iVom the storm oj" \\ai- wliieh speeilily 
 assailed him i'rom without. 
 
 *Tl\e Society at a subsoqiieiit meeting voted £6(J0 fur llu.s ol)jeet.
 
 120 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Tlie Clergy Reserves Controversy. — Speech in tlie Legislative 
 Council in defence of liis conduct upon this Question. 
 
 /vAN occasion of the death of the Bishop of Quebec, 
 i\ ry related in tlie last chapter, Dr. Strachan, as would 
 have been expected, preached a funeral sermon. 
 In this was a very pleasing portrait of the departed 
 ]>relate, and an allusion to other members of his family 
 which we cannot refrain from repeating : — 
 
 " Tlie Cliurchcs, thinly scattered over this va.st country, bear 
 a striking resemblance to the small congregations of i)rimitive 
 Christians in £hc days of the Apostles ; but it is to be hoj^ed 
 that, through the blessing of God, the intervening space will soon 
 he adorned with new Congregations, till the whole population 
 shall become nnited in one holy communion. And when thi.s 
 happy period shall arrive, how many pleasing associations will be 
 coupled in their minds with the recollections of the first Bishop 
 of the Diocese, who gave life and order to that religious establish- 
 ment which guides them to salvation ; impres.sing,,as he did in his 
 different charges, on the attention of his Clergy, — the duty of 
 Ijreaching redemption, the doctrine of the atonement, the satis- 
 faction made for sinners ])y the blood of Christ; the corruption 
 of human nature, the insufficiency of man unassisted by Divine 
 grace ; the efficacy of the prayer of faith ; and the purifying, 
 directing, sustaining, and sanctifying influence of tlie Holy Spirit. 
 Now tliat he hath departed, let us liave the.se things in remem- 
 brance. 
 
 "As a preacher o( the Gospt-l, our late ven. Table Bishop must 
 have been heard, to form an adequate conception of hi.s superior
 
 I-JI 
 
 excellence and coimiiandiiig eloquence. The dignity of his appear- 
 ance, tiie chaste jn-ojiiiety of liis action, the clearness of his voice 
 and rich melodies of his tones, the earnestness of his manner, 
 added to the sublimity of the truths he delivered in the most 
 pure and perspicuous language, were never to be forgotten, and 
 never failed to make a deep impression on hLs audience. In 
 England, he Avas considered one of tlie most impressive and 
 clofpient ])reachers that the Church could boast ; and was 
 earnestly solicited, when last in London, by the managers of 
 charitable institutions, notwithstanding his advanced age, to 
 preach their anniversary sermons. With the requests of some he 
 complied ; and he has published a discourse, delivered before the 
 Society for Recovering Drowned Persons, which may be justly 
 pronounced one of the most beautiful and interesting sermons in 
 the English language, 
 
 " In his social and domestic intercourse, the Bishoj/s mannei's 
 were particularly pleasing ; uniting with great affability and 
 cheei'fulness of disposition, those qualities which command respect 
 and secure esteem. All found themselves at ease in his presence ; 
 for so far was he from being a restraint ou the young and livel}', 
 that his occasional playfulness encouraged their openness and 
 gaiety, while the dignity of his general dejiortmeut prevented the 
 innocent delights of the social circle from degenerating into 
 levity. 
 
 "His Lordshi]> was singularly happy in his domestic relations. 
 Mrs. iMountaiu, in eveiy respect worthy of such a husband, is in 
 her manners amiable and engaging ; in her religion sincere, active, 
 and cheerful ; in chai'ity unbound(>d, without regard to sect or 
 nation ; exhibiting in her whole conduct Christian love ;us it 
 were embodied. ^Yho, that has lived in Quebec for the last 
 thirty years, can hesitate in bearing testimony to the unwearied 
 goodness of her heart, and the sweetness of her temper ; and who 
 that approached her, did not feel the influence of her Christian 
 purity and incessant benevolence, stealing upon the heart, and 
 inspiring him with similar sentinients and dispositions ? Every 
 day was an encomium on her character, as it never passed 
 without acts of charity and parental atlection. It was her piety, 
 uniform and cheerful, — her meekness of disposition and anxiety 
 IG
 
 122 
 
 to do good, — which I'udcarcd her to all her Iriciuls, and gaw liev 
 Jiujsbaiid and her chiUlreii so many years of tlio most refined 
 domestic felicity. 
 
 "Nor was the late Bishop less blessed in his children, consist- 
 ing of four sons and two daughters. Of the former, three haxo 
 IbUowed their father's profession ; the fourth, who has chosen a 
 military life, * resembles the late P.isho}) more than any of the 
 rest, not only in exterior form, but in the qualities of the heart 
 and miderstanding. The writer of this was so forcibly struck 
 with, his noble bearing at a very early age, as to entertain the 
 most promising hopes of his future eminence, — hopes, that he 
 will not fail to be greatly distinguished, should op]ioi-tunities for 
 the exertion of his talents ever be presented." 
 
 In this Sermon is given a Lrief sketch of his Lordshi])'s 
 labours in his vast Diocese, with a statement of the satis- 
 factory progress of the Church, notwithstanding tlio great 
 difficulties and discouragements which any Bishop, in those 
 days, would be compelled to encounter. The Clergy were 
 few in number, and scattered over a range of 1200 miles ; 
 and getting from place to place was difficult and })re- 
 carious, — the conveyance by land being in heavy open 
 waggons, and by water generally in birch canoes. The 
 population, too, was scant and scattered ; and few had the 
 moans of contributing anything to the support of a clergy- 
 man. The Reserves were wholly unproductive, and the 
 Societies at home were comjoaratively feeble in resources. 
 All these were obstacles to tlic energy and effect of a 
 Bishop's duties, which can hardly be understood in tlu? 
 present days of the countiy's great advancement. 
 
 Connected with this succinct account of the e])is(;o})al 
 work of the first Bishop of Quebec, a Table or Chart was 
 published, exhibiting the number of the Clergy of the 
 Church of England, — with a statement of their increase 
 from the date of the Bishop's arrival in Canada to the time 
 
 * The late Colonel Annine .Muuntain.
 
 123 
 
 of liis (Icalli ; an<l tlie iianx's of tlic T'li-riry of the Kirk of 
 Scotland niiiiistofing in tliis Pn.viiicc Tin- siilistaiK-c <.f this 
 chart was rci)nhlishr(l in Kn-laii'l, as a i,nii<lc to the actual 
 reli«;-ious coiulition of the coiinti-v, now that jJuMic attt-n- 
 ti(»n was so energetically in\-oke(l to tlic sul»je<-t there; aid 
 when nienibcrs of the House of Couniions werc^ demanding 
 that iiKiuiry into the subject, in view of the Clergy Reserves 
 ])ro|H'rty, should be rigorously made. 
 
 ( beat exception was taken to this Ecclesiastical Chart, and 
 its facts were most unceremoniously impugned, not only in 
 Canada but in England. Dr. Lee, the Moderator of the 
 General Assembly of the Kiik of Scotland, was amongst 
 the most violent of its iis.sailants in the mother countiy, 
 and he went so far as to pronounce it a tissue of misrepre- 
 sentations. That the grounds of his statements Avere most 
 unsatisfactory, and the sources of his information most 
 un-trustworthy, may be inferred from his as.sertion, in a 
 Memorial to the Colonial Secretary, that all the communi- 
 cants of the several congregations of the Church of England 
 in lT])per Canada, amounted to only 118; in answer to which 
 Archdeacon Strachan aftirmed that at his last celebration 
 of the holy conununioii in York alone, their number was 
 108 ! This was followed uj) by a declaration of Mr. Hume, 
 that out of forty-four members of the House of Assembly 
 in Up})er Canada, only two belonged to the Church of 
 England ; whereas eighteen at the least professed to l)eloiig 
 to that Church. 
 
 But the attacks UJ ion the Chart, and its author, Mithiu 
 the two Provinces, were nuich more numerous and far 
 more violent. We do not by any means atlirm that these 
 were entirely unjirovoked. Principles and feelings, based 
 ujion trutli and prompted by honesty, are often expressed 
 with a freedom and }>lainne.ss which cannot lail to be 
 otiensive to those to whom, or of wdiom, they are spoken. 
 Xor is it always possible to avoid some exaggeration when, 
 in ])h'ading /.i-alously a good cause, facts and incidents are
 
 124 
 
 adduced to strengthen argument and niaintuin a position. 
 The Ecclesiastical Chart, its author himself admitted, 
 shewed some inaccuracies ; and while the best was made 
 of the case of the Church of England, in representing her 
 condition in Canada, there was, it can harrlly be denied, 
 some lowering and disparagcincnt of thn status ot other 
 bodies of Christians. 
 
 One of the first who pul)licly assailed the Sermon and 
 the Chart within the Province, was a gentleman who sub- 
 scribed himself a "Methodist Preacher." His Review of 
 those ])ublications was marked by ]io inconsiderable 
 ability ; yet characterized by a warmth and irreverence of 
 expression which a maturer experience would doubtless 
 have corrected. This was replied to by a young clergyman 
 who signed himself a "Member of the Church of England;" 
 and in the Kingston newspapers, — in the Chronicle on the 
 one side, and the Herald on the other, — the warfare 
 betwixt those two chami)ions of opposite causes Avas, for 
 long months, vigorously carried on. It was from no lack 
 of zeal and industry on their i)art, if the Church on the 
 one side did not come out trium})hant, or anti-j)relacy on 
 the other. They ap})lied themselves earnestly and intelli- 
 gently to their work; they were necessarily stimulated, 
 on each side, to much research ; authorities and arguments 
 multiplied as they advanced; and if, in their communi- 
 cations, there was a large sprinkling of not inapt Latin 
 quotations, the public mind Avas accustomed to this in the 
 parliamentary speeches of a Canning, a Brougham, and a 
 Peel! 
 
 This particular controver.sy, — bearing chiefly u])on the 
 questions of E]jiscopacy and Church Establishments, — had 
 pretty well spent its force before the return of Archdeacon 
 Strachan to Canada; but his arrival was the signal for 
 more direct and personal attacks. These tlii^kened and 
 increased in vehemence as time advanced ; and now, in the 
 fury of the 'onslaught, the lead was taken by members of 
 
 I 
 
 I
 
 125 
 
 the Kirk of Sciitlainl. Tlic stoini was one of unprecedented 
 fierceness; but its charaeter, ami the way in which it was 
 l)orne, will he hest descrihod in Archdeacon Strachan's own 
 words, in a letter to a friend in Scotland dated I2th April, 
 1S28:— 
 
 " Jlavuig gotten iiiti> an intci minalilc jiapT war, I have 
 abstained for sonic time fixmi corresponding, in the hope of its 
 lieing brought to a close. This war was chiefly jtroduced hy a 
 nurcel of (piestious sent out by Dr. Lee to this country, to ]>(> 
 answeivd. Some of these were jiroposed by the Connnission 
 of the General Assembly, and some by Dr. Lee himself. Among 
 the latter was one iu which my name was mentioned, and which 
 appeared to im[»ly doubt as to the correctness of the statement I 
 had made to the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. This 
 roiiscd the fury of the whole Presbyterian body, — wIk), in an 
 evil liour for themselves, commenced the conti"oversy about the 
 ( 'lergy Keserves, — and they were joined by all denominations. 
 The position I occupy in the Colony, and my unconipromising 
 spirit, naturally ])ointed me out as the chief object of attack. 
 For many years I have excited the jealousy of the Ojipouents of 
 the (Government, and not a little of their hatred. These i)assioiis 
 were not diminished by the successful issue of my last journey to 
 England, — having obtained all the objects for which I had gone 
 home. The flood-gates of a most licentious press were opened 
 \ipon me ; new.spapers in both Provinces, day after day and week 
 after week, poured out the most rancorous calunniies and abuse 
 against me. Having very good nerves, I i»ermitted them to rail 
 on ; and, conscious of my integrity, I maintained an invariable 
 silence. I am, indeed, so situated, that I cannot, with ])ropriety, 
 enter into a newspaper controversy ; nor can I descend to tlie 
 language made use of in such pubhcatious I was likewise dis- 
 posed to give my enemies time, that I might see how far their 
 ])assions would carry them ; and I looked for a reaction in mv 
 favour from the efforts of my numerous friends in diflerent jtarts 
 of the Province. For a tinie, however, the clamour and false- 
 hoods and abuse were i.ssued with so much violence, that I verily 
 believe my friends and well-wishers were frightened, and dreaded
 
 , 126 
 
 to enter the lists, or make any attcui})t to resist the torrent. 
 Meanwhile T continued silent ; no clamour, no falsehood could 
 alter my ])lan. Persons, who had been under the greatest obli- 
 gations to me, wrote violently against me, — exposing private 
 letters and communications ; but 1 remained silent. At length 
 some papers appeared on my side ; their number increased ; and 
 having the better of" the argument, they gradually drove our 
 enemies from the liehl. 
 
 '• But although I considered that I could not, with dignity, 
 enter into a newspaper Avar, yet so numy thhigs had l)een said 
 against me that I felt it dutiful at last to Ijreak my silence, by 
 giving, in my place in the Legislative Council, a full reply t(^ all 
 that had been asserted against me. The Speech Avhich I deliv- 
 ered u[)on that occasion, is considered a most ti-iuni|iliiuit refuta- 
 tion of the calumnies of my enemies." 
 
 Thr S]ieeeh liiTe referred to was delivered on (Jtli of 
 March, 1828. It coniprelieiids u general defence of the 
 statements contained in the Ecclesiastical Chart, with tlie 
 admission of a few inaccuracies. It exhibits, in calm 
 language, wliat he had endeavoured conscientiously to 
 etfect in England for tlie }jermanent welfare of the Church, 
 and the establishment of a University on principles as 
 liberal as the British Government felt tliemselves justified 
 in sanctioning. 
 
 In the course of the Speech is adduced the opinion (jf an 
 al)le and rising lawyer in England, — who afterwards be- 
 came a Judge, — on the Clergy Reserves Question ; and this, 
 as a singularly able justification of the views of those who 
 maintained the exclusive right of the Church to that 
 ])roperty, our readers will not regret our adducing : — 
 
 " 1 am of opinion tliat the provisions of 31 (jI-co. III. are ap[»li- 
 cable only to the Clei'gy of the Church of England. Whatever 
 might have been the original meaning of the ex[jression, 'J 
 Protestant Cleryij^ in 14 Geo. III., it appears to me that the 
 subsequent instructions and message of His Majesty, recited in
 
 127 
 
 :)\ (Jeo, III., t(»;,'ctlifr with tlic provisions of tliat Act, (and 
 especially that which s}»eaks of institution and of the sjtiritiial 
 j\irisdiction of tlie Bisliop) i)lainly point out that the expression 
 is to he understood as referring to the Clergy of the Ciiurch of 
 Kngland onlv. 'A I'rolentant Cleryy ' evidently means on.- 
 single and entire body of jiersons : now, the Clergy of the 
 (;hurch of England, and those of the Kirk of Scotland can never 
 lonii one body. If, therefore, the Clei-gy of the Kirk of Scotland 
 he let in, there is no rea.son why any other denomination of Dis- 
 senters should not also be admitted ; and the words 'A Protes- 
 taid Clei'iiy ' must then be taken to mean Protestant ministei-s, 
 or teachers, — which ai)pears to me to be absurd. The expre.ssion 
 was used in contradistinction to the Romish Clergy ; and 
 although I am not prepared to say that an establishment, similar 
 to the Kirk of Scotland, might not have satisfied the words of II 
 CJeo. III., yet I am quite convinced that it would not hav.' 
 satisfied those of the 31 Geo. III. Being of opinion, therefore, 
 that the Acts contemplate one single body of Protestant Clergy, 
 I have no doulit that the Clergy of the Church of England are 
 that body ; and the erecting the Provinces into a Bislio]>rie, and 
 everything done since, plainly shews that such is the right inter- 
 [iretiition. 1 am also of opinion, that the Governors of the 
 Provinces, acting under His Majesty's direction, cannot legally 
 make any api»ropriation to the ministers of other Churches. 1 
 think that nothing short of an Act of the Legislature, confirmed 
 in England, can authorize them to do so. The Charter of April, 
 I SI!), would create a ditficulty in tlie passing of any such Act ; 
 and without a new Act, that Charter alone would almost decide 
 the ijuestioii." — (Signed) .John Patteson. Temple, ]\Iay I'O, 1824. 
 
 There is a touching reforeiiee in the Spcecli t«> tlu' 
 aci-inionious personalities in Avhich many writers indiilgeil, 
 and the severance of old friendships to wliicli tliis nnliappy 
 fontrovcrsy gave rise. The impression it made, both npon 
 the House and throughout tlie country, "svas very favouiable. 
 Public opinion underwent a decided improvement; and, in 
 the Legislative Council, a Resolution Avas passed, without 
 a dissentient voice, declaring that, " in relation to a cci'taiii
 
 128 
 
 Letter and Ecclesiastical Chart, said to have been addressed 
 by Archdeacon Strachan to the Under Secretary of State 
 for the Colonies, and in his agency in procuring the Charter 
 for the University of King's College, he hath explained his 
 conduct, in relation to the same, to the satisfaction of this 
 House."
 
 129 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Dt'|),irturf of Sii- r<'ft'griiie ]\[iiitl;iii<l. — His successor Sir .loliii 
 Colboriie. — CJontiniied Agitation on the Clergy Reserves and 
 Univei"sity Questions. — lievolutions iu Europe, and Political 
 Changes iu England. — Breaking out of tlie Cholera in LS.32. 
 
 0./N the .suiniiR'r (if 1.S2M, tlicru was a new Klcctioii in 
 ^1 Upper Canada ; and the hustings cry w;is the Clergy 
 C^y Reserves and the University. The position niaiii- 
 taincMl by the Church of England, headed by Archdeacon 
 Straclian, was declared to be dangerous to the civil and 
 religious liberties of the i^iovincc ; and tlie University, as 
 constituted by its Charter, was considered as throwing the 
 benefits of a su[)erior education exclusively into the hands 
 of the nien)bers of the Church of England. 
 
 The fallacy of these assertions it is not necessary for us 
 now to controvert; nor is it incumbent upon us, at this 
 distant jieriod, to shew the unreasonableness of disputing 
 the right of the Crown and Parliament of Great Britain 
 t(» dispose of their own property, — acquired by conquest, 
 when there was scarcely a settler in the Province, — in 
 such manner as, in their wisdom, would be now anil 
 hei-eafter most advantageous. 
 
 But unreasonal)le and untenable, or not, such was the 
 cry rung fnjui end to cml of the Province, by aspirants for 
 seats in the Legislative Assembly. The jjassions and preju- 
 dices, as well as the selfish feelings of the people, were vehe- 
 mently ajjpealed to ; and even their fears were worke<l 
 upon by ])ourtraying the civil and religious despotism 
 which a "Dominant Church '' would be sure to establish. 
 17
 
 180 
 
 All those iirts, in short, wevo sedulously and dexterously 
 employed, \\]\u-\\ ])ers()ns conversant with electioneering 
 tactics, can so well understand. They had a marked 
 success in the present instance, and a sweeping majority 
 were returned a<lverse to the views of diurchrnen, and (;t 
 Conservatives generally, on those two questions. 
 
 The Lieutenant Governor of the Province, Sir Peregrine 
 Maitland, was. spared the discomfort of meeting this 
 formidable opposition; for about the close of the year 
 1828, he was transferred to the Government of Nova 
 Scotia; and, as the latter was an older colony, it was 
 regarded as a promotion. We need l)ut l>rieHy advert 
 ao-ain to Sir Peregrine Maitland. He was personally an 
 excellent man, and had very good abilities and much 
 acquired knowledge; but he was of too cpiiet a spii'it for 
 the turbuhince of the time that had anived ; and it needed 
 more energy of charactei-, and a more free and i)0pular 
 manner than nature had endued him with, to guide through 
 the troubled waters the little vessel of state entrusted to 
 him. 
 
 He was suci-eeded by one with more vigour, )>ut less 
 ability ; of more |)0pu]ar manners, though with a less clear 
 or discriminating judgment, — Major General Sir John 
 Colborne. He was every inch a soldier ; an<l events 
 proved that he was rarely at fault, when called upon to 
 discharge the duties of the profession to which he had 
 given his best years. He was a man, too, of pure and 
 honourable mind; with decided religious impressions ; and 
 most anxious for the welfare and advancement of the 
 Church of England to which he beloiige<l. 
 
 He came to the country with some opinions and pre- 
 judices, which the course of events very speedily induced 
 him to change. He was not long in discovering that the 
 alleged giievances of the political ])arty now in the ascen- 
 dant, existed mainly in their own inuiginations ; and that 
 the selfish exactions and domineering arrogance of the
 
 "Family Cunipjict," as tliev were tcniif'<l, wcic iiion.- a 
 fancy tlian a reality. 
 
 His favoiirito idea, in re;j;anl to the (^■staMisIiiiniit of" tla* 
 Clmicli, ^vas lo uiaik (Uit parishes where there was a 
 suJHeifiit |io|)\ilati(iii, and a[)pr(ipriate to each a suitabhr 
 endowment in land ; assigning to their respective incum- 
 bents, besides, a small stii)end in money, <lerived fmin thf 
 general ])rocecds of the Reserves. In regard to the residue 
 of this property, he was disposeil for any com])romise that 
 would Itring peace to the j)ublic mind, without too great a 
 sacrifice of what might be deemed vested interests. 
 
 (^n thf subject of the University, he did not di.s.scnt 
 from thi' justice and expediency of ap].ropriating tlie 
 endowment liv which it was to be maintained ; nor did he 
 appear to desire that the Charter should be more open than 
 it was. But he ditiered from many,— and from Archdeacon 
 Straehan amongst the number, — as to the expediency of 
 pressing the innnediate estaV)lishment of this highest seat 
 of learning; when, as h(> contended, the means provided 
 for an essential preliminary education, were so very unsatis- 
 factory. None of our Grammar Sehools, at the time, 
 enjoyed a veiy high re])utation ; and he eonsidered that 
 .steps shttuld at once be adojited for elevating the staiulanl 
 of education, and so ensure (|ualified [)U[)ils for the curricu- 
 lum of a University. This led to the establishment of 
 Upper Canada College, — at first, more pointedly to ilesig- 
 nate its object, named Minor College ; and this Institution 
 he got into operation in a marvellously short j)erio<l aftei' 
 its first ince})tiou. In one year, indeed, after his arrival in 
 Canada, all the arrangements for its practical working were 
 made, and the staff of Masteis on the sjxtt. 
 
 .\t fh-st, it was thought he desired the aliolition of the 
 Graniniar Schools, and that tliis collegiate institution slionld 
 be made to supersetle them all, — ne\v t'ol leges of tiie same 
 character to be elsewhere established, as circumstances might 
 require. But this idea was streuuousl}' controverted, as
 
 132 
 
 likely most seriously to limit the opportunities of obtaining a 
 liberal educatic^n in a country of such vast extent as Canada. 
 Moreover, whatever soundness there might be in the argu- 
 ments of Sir John Colborne upon this point, — and we admit 
 that they were not Avithout force, — it would have been 
 cruel to the people of Upper Canada, suddenly t(j liave 
 abolished the District Grammar Schools. 
 
 The carrying out of his favourite project In^ establishing 
 Upper Canada College, necessarily retarded the inaugura- 
 tion of the University ; and all that was done for many 
 subsequent years, was to quarrel over the details of its 
 Charter, and have it modified, if possible, into such a 
 shape as would meet the popular demands. 
 
 The year following, 1830, proved a year of revolutions 
 in the older woi'ld. The King of France was dethroned, 
 and the dynasty of the Orleans succeeded to that of the 
 Bourbons. The latter was too feeble and anticpiated to 
 meet the spirit of the times ; and the former liad hardly 
 the enjoyment of even one generation of royalty. But the 
 revolutionary spirit did not stop with France ; it speedily 
 penetrated across its north-easteiii borders into the Low 
 Countries ; and, in a few months, these were divided into 
 the two kingdoms of Holland and Belmum. There were 
 shakings of other nations, and threatenings of other crowns; 
 but the ferment passed gradually away, and events relapsed 
 into their old courses. 
 
 England did not altogether escape the genei-al connno- 
 tion. There was a new Parliament consequent on the death 
 of (Jeoitre IV. and the accession of the new Kini>", William 
 the Fourth ; the ancient Tory domination was overthrown, 
 and the Whigs succeeded to office. There was a promised 
 Reform of Parliament; and the country, — wiser than their 
 continental neighbors, — was content to await the consti- 
 tutional means of redressing its grievances. In the exhi- 
 Vjition of these the ChuiT-h did not escape ; there were 
 undefined complaints of exoi-bitant and une(|ually dis-
 
 133 
 
 tributed wcaltli ; aiwl there was the affirmation, — not 
 alto<,a'ther i^ioundless at tlio time, — tliat the Chureh Avas 
 not faitlifiil to her trust, and afforded not that evidence 
 (•r xcal and pi^'ty in her Clergy, without vvliich the grand 
 end ni' lier estaljlislnuent was not answered. 
 
 The apprehension was felt that this disquiet in England, 
 and the murmurings especially against the Established 
 ( 'hutch, w I )\dd seriously damage its position here ; and give 
 strcngtli, and perhaps success, to the opposition it was 
 encountering. It is true that this was just now in somc^ 
 degree abated. On the demise of George IV. a new Parlia- 
 ment nuist be elected in Canada; and the new House, as 
 respected Conservative tone an<l friendliness to the Chureli 
 of England, was a decided improvement upon the last. 
 
 Ki-om the force of these apj)rehensions, the Bishoj) of the 
 lJi(Kese, Dr. Stewart, was strongly urged Ijy Archdeacon 
 Strachan and others to proceed to England; as, from family 
 connexion, he had influence with several of the Ministry, 
 and it would be desirable in discussions that might arise 
 upon Colonial Cluirch matters, — heated and out of tone as 
 the ])ublic mind was, — to have some inthifutial pci'son ujiou 
 the sj)ot to i'urnisli information, and afford ex})lanations 
 wliere tliere might l»e doubt or difHculty. It was arranged 
 that the writer of this Memoir should accompany the 
 Bishop to England, having given to those topics of contro- 
 versy much attention and study. They saik'd from TVew 
 ^'ork on tlie 24th March, 1831, but did not arrive in Lomlon 
 until the 3()th April. 
 
 No measure, adverse to the ChuiVh in ( 'anada, was 
 initiateil ly the new Government; and, from the political 
 hill in the Colony, n(! sueli nieasun- Wiis forceil upon tlu'ir 
 attention. L)rd (Jodericli, at that time Colonial Secretary, 
 was jiersonally most friendly ; and was desirous of l)eing 
 fMiiiislied \\ idi a srhenie, 1 ly which a suitable support conld 
 be assured to the Church in U])per Canada out of the 
 Clergy Reserves property, so as to leave the Crown in
 
 184 
 
 possession of a reasonable jiortiuii to bo applied to other 
 religious interests. This was made out with much care, 
 aiid very wi'll received. JMueh consultation was had, too, 
 with Lord (Ji^dei'ich in regard to the University, on the 
 cxchisiveness of wliose chaiier lie had been so much 
 assailed ; and his Lordship made a proposition which I 
 strongly advised the Bishop to accept. This was, to divide 
 the University endowment; giving one-half to the Church 
 of England, with her present Charter unchanged ; and the 
 other half to the Province for the establishment of a Uni- 
 versity entirely satisfactory to the Colonial mind. Others 
 of more weight and experience offered difierent advice ; 
 and much to the disappointment of Lord Goderich, the 
 Bishop felt himself obliged to decline the proposal. Invents 
 have shewn that it would have been wise to have accepted 
 the otfer of Lord Goderich. 
 
 This plan having failed, his Lordshi}) on the 2nd of No- 
 vember of that year, transmitted a Despatch to Sir John 
 Colborne, suggesting certain modifications of the Charter. 
 These were discussed from time to time, and were at 
 length substantially adopted. It was now provided that 
 "the Judges of His Majesty's Court of King's Bench should 
 1)0 Visitors of the College, in the place and stead of the 
 Lord, Bishop of the Diocese; that the President of tho 
 University, on any future vacancy, should be appointed by 
 His Majesty, without requiring that he should l)e an 
 incumbent of any ecclesiastical office; that it should ]iot 
 be necessary that any member of the College Council, or 
 any Professor, should be a mend^er of the Church of Eng- 
 land, or subscribe any articles of religion, other than "a 
 declaration that they believe in the authenticity and 
 Divine inspiration of the Old and New Testaments, and 
 in the Doctrine of the Trinity ; and that no religious test 
 or qn.alification 1)0 ]-c(]uired of any person admitted or 
 matriculated as scholars within the College, or of persons 
 admitted to any degree or faculty therein."
 
 135 
 
 About tliis |icrin(l, tlit- Arc1i<lfaci'ii IikIiiIlcoU liimsclC in a 
 little it's|iit(' fiKiii tlic IwiriassiiiL;- ami inaiiifnld toils aii«l 
 anxieties of his otlice, l>y making a tiip in Halifax. This 
 he hi-ieth Jeseriltes in a letter to a IVieixl in Scotlaml :- 
 
 "I liavc just rctuniciltVom a long jomiiev ; having gone asfai- 
 OS HaHfax, the capital of Nova Seotia, distant from York llOO 
 miles, — not indeed so nuich as tiiis, in a direct lini-, Imt in the 
 way 1 found it necessary to go. 1 took witli nie my eldest 
 daughter, Eli/.aheth, to shew her a little of the world. First, we 
 went to New York, (500 miles ; thence to Boston, 200 ; thence by 
 sea to Halifax, foiu- or five hundred rniles. At sea we were all 
 sick, and the ship was like a hospital. At Halifax wc remained 
 eight days, chiefly with Sir Peregrine Maitland, who was for- 
 merly our Governor, and h.us been transferred to Nova Scotia. 
 This Province has a strong rescuddance, in its rocky coa.st aufl 
 vast heaths, to old Caledonia. 
 
 " As I was nearly as sick as my daugiiter in conung fmm 
 Boston to Halifax, 1 deternn"ned to try the other route, for there 
 is but one other. Accordingly, 1 proceeded acro.ss the countiy 
 to Annapolis on the Bay of Fundy. On my way, 1 stoppetl two 
 d;iys with the Bishop of Nova Scotia ; who is a good 'i'ory, as nil 
 sensible mm arc. He has a tine family, and is quite the gentle- 
 man and nt) fanatic. Having linislied our visit, we came to 
 Annapolis Royal, — once the capital of the country, wIumi the 
 French were in po.ssession. It lies at the head of a most beautiful 
 and extensive basin, connniniicating Vty a narrow throat with the 
 F?av of Fundy, and capable of containing all the ileets of the 
 world. It is, nevertheless, falling into decay ; as it has Halifax 
 on the east, and St. John's on the west, to contend with ; and 
 lioth these possess greater advantage as depots for the suirounding 
 country. 
 
 ''We crossed the Bay of Fundy, ."IG mili-s. in a most nnserable 
 steam-boat, and icaclicd St. John's late in the evening. Iferc- 
 we were detained two days, and on reaching Eastport, the first 
 town in the Ignited States we come to, we found that the 
 packet had .sailed to Boston. Not easily balHed, I found a shi]t 
 for Portland, 1 1*^ miles from Boston ; and as the land road was
 
 13G 
 
 wretched, I was induced to commit myself again to the waves. 
 We had bad weather, were detained hy wind and storms five 
 days in a wretelifd vessel, and at list got to Portland in a tem})est 
 of wind and rain. Finding the road good from this place to 
 Boston, and (piite sick of the sea, we went by laud to that city. 
 This is one of the tinest I have yet seen in the United States, 
 and the .society is more English. I remained there a few days, 
 and was very much ])leased, receiving great hospitality. From 
 this the way home is direct and without difficulty." 
 
 Notliiiig oeeurrecl, .specially afiectiiig tlic interest:-! of 
 Chiu'di ami State in Canada, for some time ; l>ut in the 
 summer of 1(S32, the Province was visited by a scourge 
 unknown in all its previous history, and the cause of dis- 
 tress and sorrow far and wide. This was the Asiatic 
 (,*holera, Avhich bi'oke out in Quebec in the month of June, 
 conveyed in one of the emigrant slii^js ; and there, and in 
 Montreal, it was attended with an unprecedented mortality. 
 It soon reached Kingst(;n and York, and it careered west- 
 wards to the extremity of Upper Canada. Its I'avages, and 
 the [)ainc it created, are thus graphically described by the 
 Archdeacon, in a letter to a friend abroad, dated the 22nd 
 September, 1832 : — 
 
 " We are just beginning to breathe from the Cholera. Next 
 to Quebec and Montreal, this ])lace suffered most ; some indeed 
 say that it lias been more fatal here, than in any other place on 
 the continent. The stream of emigration has been very great 
 this sea.son ; upwards of .50,000- have already landed at Quebec ; 
 and four-iifths of tliis number direct their cour.se to Upper 
 Canada, — the majority of them reaching this place. The journey 
 from Quebec (GOO miles) is so long and tedious, that it exhausts 
 the little i)ittance they had on landing ; so that a great portion 
 of them arrive here penniless. The terrible disease attacked 
 them a.s they journeyed hither ; many died on the way ; oth(;rs 
 were landed in various stages of the disease ; and many were 
 seized after they came anioug us. In short, York became one 
 general hospital. We had a large building fitted uj) comfortably
 
 137 
 
 for thv rcct'|)ti(iii of the Cliolcia juitielits ; hut tlic cases were so 
 iiiinicrous that many could not l)c coiiveyod to it, ami remained 
 ilt their own houses, or hxlgings. It is compiited tliat one in 
 four of the aiUilts of this town were attacked, and that one-twelftli 
 of tlio whoh' population died. Our duty, as you will understand, 
 throws u.s, Clergymen, into the very midst of such calamities ; as 
 at no time, more than during such contagious sickness, do people 
 rerpiire tli(^ consolations of religion. Unfortunately, my assistant 
 in the parish was attacked a day or two after the disease appeared 
 among us, and became so nervous that I could not send him to 
 the Cholera hospital. Tlie whole fell, therefore, upon me ; and 
 often have T been in the malignant ward with siK or eight expi- 
 ring around mo. The foulness of the air, too, was at times 
 overpowering ; but I have always, by the blessing of God, found 
 my nerves equal to the occasion, and it seems as if this summer 
 I was stronger than us lal, and fully equal to the increase of 
 labour thrown ufi »n mi». Tlu^ disease has jiow almost entirely 
 ceased ; but it has left many blanks in our society, and, what is 
 still more painful, about one hundred widows and four hundred 
 children, — all strangiu-s in a strange land, and dependent upon 
 the charity of those amongst Avhom the Providence of God has 
 thrown them. "' 
 
 ''We are building a magnificeut Cluirch, 14'J feet Ijy 8U ; 
 which, on a pinch, will accommodate tlu-ee thousand people. The 
 foundation stone was laid liy His Excellency, the Lieutenant 
 Governor, on the 7th June last, and now the roof is being put on. 
 
 "The University remains in ^tadi quo; it is so easy to do 
 evil, and so dilVicult often to do good. T shall .soon get too old 
 to care anything regarding it ; however, T hnve done my duty 
 by it and by the ('hurch." 
 
 York \\a.s i'uU of the pi'aiscs of ArclnU'acou Strachan for 
 his ■\von<l(Mt'nl eiuM-uy und kiiulno.ss (liiriiit:,^ the iiielnuclioiy 
 period tit" the ('Imlcra xisitatioii ; and so stroiio- was tlic 
 feelino- ot'iidnii ration for liis exertions, that at a nieetin'j; of 
 several of the inhabitants, it was resolved to jtre.sent him 
 with a ]^ieee of ])late as a memorial of their respect and 
 gratitude. 'I'his was a liandsdiiie silver vasi' of the value 
 lb
 
 of £100; and, graven on the tripod, it is recorded that it was 
 presented as a " Memorial of their respect and gratitude, 
 for his fearless and liumane devotions to his pastoral duties 
 durinir seasons of great danger and tlistress from the 
 visitation of an apalling pestilence." A suitable address 
 accompanied this presentation ; and the following extract 
 fi'om the Archdeacon's reply deserves a lasting record : — 
 
 " The great exertions wliicli I was enahled, througli the Divine 
 blessing, to make during the raging of the pestilence, and which 
 have called forth this spontaneous expression of your friendly 
 attachment, were, 1 believe, far easier to me than they would 
 have been to many of su])erior luerit, but of weakei- nerves and 
 less physical energy. 
 
 " Not that I was insensible to the danger to which I was 
 exposed, in my frequent communication with the sick and dying ; 
 but being in the discharge of a most important duty, — a duty 
 which, in my opinion, admits neither of choice nor deliberation, 
 of which our holy Church requires the immediatt; performance, 1 
 committed myself to God, and jiroceeded inidismayed by any 
 apprehension as to personal consequences. 
 
 " The ways of God are often dark and mysterious; but an 
 abiding confidence in His moral government, through Chi'ist, will 
 teach us that all things work together for good to them that love 
 God. And reflecting persons must feel, that such awful visitations 
 as we have experienced, by di'awing out the lively exercise of the 
 Christian virtues, unite; the truly religions more closel}^ even in 
 this world, and produce in their minds a gi'owiiig incliiiation 
 towards the lift; to come." 
 
 Towards the close of the summer of 183i^, the Bishoj) of 
 Quebec, (Dr. Stewart,) held a visitation of the Clergy of the 
 Diocese both at Kingston and York. There was a good 
 attendance at each place; and Ids Lordship delivered a 
 charge, dwelling chiefly upon the acts and results of his 
 recent visit to England. The visitation sermon at York 
 was preached by the Archdeacon ; and the lull in contro- 
 versial strife gave him the opportunity of expressing some 
 kind sentiments in regard to the various other religious 
 bodies of the Province.
 
 l.Sf) 
 
 CHAPTETl XVT. 
 
 Letter to Dr. Chalmers on llic Lite and Oliaractor of Bisshop 
 Hobart. — Presentatii)n of a piece of Plate by his Cornwall 
 
 riipiis. 
 
 r^ SIIOIIT tiiur before the breaking out of the Cholera 
 r\ in Ui)per Canada, Archdeacon Strachan published a 
 O^ Letter to his fiiend Dr. Chalmers, in Scotland, on 
 the Life and Character ()f Bishop Hobai-t of New York. 
 This highly distinguislicd prelate died at Auburn, a village 
 in his Dioce.se, in the sununer of LSoO, — having been seized 
 with a severe, and as it pro%(Ml fatal, illness while engaged 
 in his e})iscopal duties. It happened, providentially, that 
 at this sad time he had the nursing, care and affectionate 
 attention of JJr. and Mrs. Rudd, two of his oldest and most 
 attached fiiends. 
 
 This publication was lemarbably Mtll received, and was 
 pronounced at the time the most interesting and attractive 
 that had ever come from his pen. Bi.shop Hobart had long 
 been a warm friend of the Archdeacon's; and the leading 
 points of his active and useful life gave oi)portunity for 
 dilating u})on topics which excited nmch interest at the 
 time, an<l on which the Church was at variance with the 
 general tone of religious thought in America. 
 
 Bishop Hobart was rai.sed to the Episcopate at a time 
 when the Church in the I'nited States was comj>aratively 
 feeble, and when little etfort had Immmi made to present her 
 claims before the world. Her enemies took advantage of 
 this supineness, and i)\nsued their attacks with unusual 
 violence. At this juncture Bishop Hobart came to the 
 rescue.
 
 140 
 
 "A defender had arisen," says the Archdeacon, ''whom they 
 knew not of. Dr. Hobart, unfurling the banner of evangelical 
 truth and apostolic order, inarched with fearless intrepidity to 
 the front of the battle, and put the enemy to flight. Thousands 
 were astonished to find that the claims of the ' Pi'otestant Epis- 
 copal Church/ both in ])urity and government, could be so firmly 
 established, and that she was so strongly entitled to the character 
 of primitive and apostolic. A more general and correct know- 
 ledge now exists among the people of our coiunnniioii in the 
 United States, respecting the government of the Church, the 
 beauty and excellence of her forms, tlie })urity of her principles, 
 and the spirituality of her devotions, than even in England ; 
 and all this chiefly owing to Dr. Hoi )iirt's judicious and powerful 
 labours. Instead of reposing any longer on loose opinions, taken 
 up without examination in these matters, people were roused to 
 their consideration by his cogent reasons, apt illustrations, and 
 powerful appeals to ecclesiastical history, which proved, beyond 
 controversy, that the government of the Church, the orders of 
 the ministry, and th<^ir regular succession fi'om the Apostles, 
 were not questions of slight moment, or to V)e treated safely 
 either with silence or contempt. 
 
 " Truth is never sown without fruit ; and the claims of the 
 Church to a near affinity with that of the Apostles, soon b^gan 
 to be acknowledged by numbers who had hithci'to been her 
 enemies. Many admitted, with true Christian candour, their 
 total ignorance of sucli matters till thus forcibly brought before 
 them. The Americans are an acute and inquiring peo])le ; and 
 the discussions on Cliurch Govei'ument and Forms of Prayer 
 have awakened, in the minds of many, recollections of what their 
 fathers had been. On others, wlio had their denomination to 
 choose, the information drawn out by these dcljates came as a 
 stream of benignant light, and a feeling in favour of the good old 
 ways was widely engendered. This being the case, it only 
 required an active superintendence and a commanding mind to 
 reap the most abundant harvest. Tiiis requisition Dr. Hobart 
 most amply satisfied. When he was ordained in 1798, New 
 York State contained but twenty Episcopal clergymen ; and in 
 1811, when he was raised tQ the mitre, only twenty-three; giving
 
 141 
 
 ill thirteen years a miserable increase of three ; while, during the 
 following,' nineteen years of his Eiiiscojiate, the increase was one 
 huiKhrd and eleven ! "' 
 
 From a sense of duty, Bishop Holiart (It'cliiH'il tliat 
 union with otlier rcliL,aous hodics which is so often urged 
 on the plea that the Christian cause, for its more extended 
 influence, demands the united effort of all its professors. 
 He repudiated, in short, that sort of " Evangelical Alliance," 
 wliich, under many aspects, meets with \vell-mcaning suji- 
 portoi's ; hut which, while it obviously rests n[)on an 
 unsound basis, has never exhibited any very encouraging 
 jtractical results. 
 
 ■' Bishop Hobart," says tlie Archdeacon, '• highly disapproved 
 of different denominations uniting for religious ])urposes. He 
 ])laced himself, from the lirst, in mild but firm op[)Ositiou to the 
 T>il)le Society. He considered such an institution, so far as his 
 eommunion was concerned, totally unnecessary, because every 
 good which it proposed might Vic much better and more con- 
 veniently accomplished by the orthodox Society already belonging 
 to the Church ; and should this Society deem it expedient to 
 circulate a larger proportion of Bibles than had been hitherto 
 done, it was fully in their pcnver to increase their subscription 
 for this jiurpose. lie deemed the Bible Society further objec- 
 tionable, because, having the same object as the Bible and 
 Prayer Book Society, it became, from the first, a sort of rival, 
 — absorbing funds, inasmuch as our ])eople assisted, which in 
 justice belonged to the latter." 
 
 " Our distinctive principles, and the form of our Chureli 
 Governnient, preclude its members, in my o]iinion, from joining 
 promiscuously with other denominations for religious purjioses ; 
 although many do so, whose purity of intention I have iio reason 
 to (piestion, whatever I may think of their judgment and con- 
 sistency. With her ministers this duty is stronger, or rather to 
 join such is altogether incompatible with their s;icred qllice. 
 Bishop Hobart did not merely admit, but insisted on the impor- 
 tance of dissemiuatinfr such religious tracts as exhibited views of
 
 142 
 
 Divine truth in accordance \vitli tlie sentiments of our Church, 
 and explained her institutions ; hut in regard to Tract Societies, 
 he most judiciously ohscrvcd, 'that a union here with our 
 Christian brethren who differ frona us, must inevitably, to say 
 the least, endanger our religious system, either by circulating 
 sentiments in dissonance with our distinctive princii)lcs ; or, by 
 keeping them out of view, in a general association of commanding 
 influence, lead to the belief that they are of little iiiiiioiianfo.' 
 
 Bishop Hobart's strength of body was not equal to the 
 energies of his mind, and it began to give way under his 
 various, extensive and incessant laboius. Thorough repose, 
 ajid cliange of air and scene Avere recommended ; and at 
 the instance (^f liis friends lie sailed for England in Sep- 
 tember, 182:3. During his absence, which continued for 
 about two years, he made the tour of England, Scotland, 
 and Ireland, and visited France, Switzerland, and Italy; 
 and returned, thoroughly renovated in health and s|)irits. 
 
 ''Soon after his arrival," says the Archdeacon, "ho gave free 
 vent to his fcehugs of love and aft'ection for his friends, his 
 jjarishioners, and his native land, in a discourse from the pulpit ; 
 which, being afterwards published, attracted no small degree of 
 notice in England as well as in the United States." [This sermon 
 expressed strong objections to the union of Church and State, 
 and dilat'ed with some severity on the social condition of England, 
 especially as regarded the lower orders.] " I honour most cor- 
 dially that devotedneas to his own native land, which makes a 
 man cherish and love it above all other lands. But the Bi.shop, 
 as his best friends confessed, went too far. Not satisfied with a 
 genei'al expression of his preference, he entered into detail ; and 
 here he failed. His opportunities of observation in England 
 were not sufficient to enable him, acute as he was, to get to the 
 bottom of all points upon which he speaks and decides with the 
 utmost confidence ; and he seemed to have forgotten that his 
 Church could not have flourished and increased as it has done, 
 but through the aid derived from the support given to it by our 
 monarchs, while it was part of the establishment of the empire.
 
 un 
 
 " f diuetl alone witli Bishop Hobart on my way to England, 
 in ^Nlarch, 182(5, and the conversation turned on the sermon, 
 which had not been long published. I expressed my i-egret that 
 ir li;i(l ever seen the light, lor it was the only one of all his works 
 I could not api)rove of. T told Ir'm I wasprejiared to admit that 
 it was extremely ditlicult i<>r a person, born and brouglit up in 
 the United States, to appreciate the vast benefits of an Estab- 
 lished Clnircl;, with its parochial ministers distributed through 
 tlu! whole country in settled residences, and with a given space 
 ill which to labour for the temj)oral and eternal happiness of the 
 popu.lation. By this means all the people have access to religious" 
 instruction. A reverence is thus kept up in their minds foi- 
 what is pure ami holy ; and their numbci- being small, and living 
 as it were together, the Clergyman .soon becomes accpiainted with 
 everv individual, both old and young, and is able to visit them 
 fretpu-ntly at their own houses. He becomes their friend and 
 a<l\iser, the compo.ser of differences, the promoter of peace and 
 eontentment, the catechizer of the children, the encourager of 
 industry, sobriety, and all the virtues that make man ])rf)s])erous 
 and hajtpy here .and hereafter. 
 
 " As the comj)arison is between England and the United 
 States, 1 shall confine niyself, I said, to these two countries. The 
 (Miurch of England is commensurate with the natural boundaries 
 of the eountry. This consists of about 5.7,000 square mile.s, 
 rontaining 14,000, ()()(» of inhabitants, and is divided into about 
 11,000 parishes. The number of Clergymen actually employed 
 in parochial duties are not fewer than IG.OOO. This gives an 
 average of about 900 souls, or about 200 families t<.^ each Clergy- 
 man. It is evident that the moral effect of such a body of men 
 daily mixing with their people must be very great, more 
 especially as they are quite independent of them for subsistence. 
 " r.et us now look at the Episcopal Church of the United 
 States, and see what moral eflect it can have on the jjopidation, 
 as a source of Christian instruction. To give you every advan- 
 tage in this mattei', 1 shall confine myself to the State of New 
 York, where the E[)iscoi)al Clergymen are more numerous, in 
 proportion to the popidation, than in any other State, and super- 
 intended undoubtedly by the most active Bishoi>. In this large
 
 144 
 
 State, the Clergy of the Episcopal Cliurch are in immber 13G ; 
 the population 2,000,000, or upwards of 14,000 soul^ to each ; 
 the square miles about 46,000. Hence the jjarishes, if we may 
 so denominate them, contain 338 square miles each, and are 
 rather equal to an English county than an English parish. The 
 influence of the two Churches, as confined to England and New 
 York, is as one to seventy ; and if the comparison be taken with 
 all the States, it becomes much more favourable to England. 
 Such influence on the manners and habits of the people is next 
 to nothing, and yet you extol your Church above that of Eng- 
 land, and exclaim against establisliments ! 
 
 '• Add to this, the dependence of your Clergy upon the people 
 for support, — a state of things which is attended with most per- 
 nicious consequences. The congregations frequently take ofteuce 
 at their pastors without a good reason, and in such cases tlie 
 latter derive no protection from the Bishops, who are equally 
 li('ll)less with themselves. The result is, that they too frequently 
 sink below the rank which they ought to hold in society ; and what- 
 ever be their personal merit, they fail to command that respect 
 from a vain, and thoughtless, and undiscerning people, which is 
 necessary to secure attention to their instructions. It is not 
 unusual to hire Clergymen by the year or even half-year ; and 
 such things excite no particular attention. It may be that, 
 accustomed from their childhood to temporary engagement--, the 
 Clergy partake of that restless disposition and desire of change so 
 common in new countries, and think little of going with theii- 
 families from State to State, in search of a new settlement. It 
 cannot be supposed that Clergymen so situated, will at all times 
 sjicak with that fearless disregai'd of consequences which the pro- 
 ]K!r discharge of their duties may often require. The difference, 
 llicn, of the two Churches is tliis, that, while in England the 
 country is partitioned into parishes, over which a spiritual head 
 is appointed, to be the moral and religious instructor of its 
 population, and to add new converts to the faith by familiar and 
 daily ministrations from house to house ; the Church in the 
 United States jjrescnts only a few verdant spots bearing marks 
 of recent cultivation, distinguished chiefly by their contrast with 
 the barrenness of the surrounding waste.
 
 1 4.', 
 
 " I admit tliat tlic progress of tho Episcopal Clnirdi in tlic 
 United States has been wonderful ; — and T should have rejoiced 
 in concurring entirely in the animated praises you j)ronounce 
 upfdi lier, had you not condemned ecclesiastical Establishments, 
 and placed her in her infancy above the Mother Church. In 
 this you greatly err ; and when you picture to your fancy 
 England studded with Parish Churches, regularly served in all 
 the beauty of holiness ; and turn to this country with a Church 
 at vast intervals, and a Clergy not sufhcient to supply the wants 
 of one-twentieth of iho population, you must feel the advantages 
 of an ecclesiastical Establishment. In England you behold the 
 genius of true religion entering into every family ; but here, 
 unless in some favoured s[)ots, you behold the spirit of false- 
 religion, infidelity, error, and superstition travei-sing the length 
 and breadth of the land, and withering, with its pestilential breath, 
 j>ublic as well as domestic and personal happiness and virtue. 
 
 " 'Come,' said the Bi.shop, 'you are becoming too severe.' On 
 this the door opened, and a man from the Catskill mountains 
 was introduced, who told the Bi.shop that their Missiouaiy's time 
 had almo.st expired, and that, being few in number, they could 
 not engage him for .six months longer, unless some aid could be 
 granted them from the Missionary fund ! The good Bishop pro- 
 mised the necessary assistance ; and, on his departure, .said with 
 a smile, ' liow unlucky that my country friend should come, in tlic 
 midst of this discu.ssion, to .shew the nakedness of the land !' He 
 confessed that I had placed ecclesiastical Establishments in a 
 point of view which Wixs in some mea-sure new to him ; V)ut, 
 made up as the United States are of all possible denominations, 
 there was not the smallest probability that any one would ever 
 be recognized by the Government ; and he was pleased to con- 
 elude the conversation witii observing, that he could not fall into 
 niore friendly hands, (alluding to a threatened review of his 
 sermon,) and that whatever his opinion might be on ecclesias- 
 tical Establishments, he loved with all his soul the Church of 
 England." 
 
 We must venture (»n one further extract fri>ni this 
 interesting and valuable paniplilet : — 
 19
 
 146 
 
 " I dare not tUvell on tlie la.st illness, and liapjiy '^"t^ edifying' 
 death of Bishop Hobavt, for they have been described witli an 
 affectionate eloquence wliicli few can hope to equal. The narra- 
 tive of his closing days and the sermons preached on his death, 
 which have been collected and published, are well deserving of 
 [terusal. Honourable as they are to the hearts and heads of the 
 writers, the talents they display reflect the greatest credit or \hr. 
 Clergy of the American Episcopal Church, and shew that the 
 lamented prelate's mantle rests on many of his brethren. The 
 grief and sympathy excited by his death through all parts of the 
 Union, were only exceeded by that manifested on the death of 
 Washington. He appeared rather the property of the nation 
 than the head of a single denomination of Christians. Never 
 was there such a funeral in New York :* the magistrates, the 
 Clergy of all denominations in the city, and many from othei- 
 Dioceses and remote parts of the country, rich and poor, young 
 and old, hastened to follow to the grave the remains of this dis- 
 tinsruished and beloved servant of God. It was as the funeral of 
 Jacob." 
 
 ]t would have been deemed strange, if the life of Dr. 
 Strachan had passed away without some marked token 
 from his Cornwall pupils of the esteem and afi'ection in 
 which he was held by them. They, one and all, acknow- 
 ledged the benefits they had received at liis admirable 
 school; they were many in number throughout the two 
 Provinces, though some were in fni- distant lands ; and 
 several occupied very high and influential ])ositions. But 
 the debt of gratitude was not forgotten ; and in the 
 summer of 1833, it was expressed in a substantial and 
 most gratifying mannei-. Two years previously, a few of 
 his pupils, — including the kite Chief Justice Robinson, — 
 lia])i)ened to meet at Cornwall ; and they took advantage 
 of the occurrence by repairing to the old District School- 
 house, iind, after some conference, passing Resolutions, 
 determining that "A Piece of Plate should be presented to 
 
 *Hisi remains had becu coiivcvcd Uiitlier from Auljuni.
 
 147 
 
 Archdeacon Strachan by those gentleman who were undor 
 his tuitiDM at Cornwall, as a trihnto ui' r(;spect for liis 
 character, and a. memorial of tlicir oi-ateful recollection of 
 ills anxious and unwearied efforts to iiupi-ovc tlnir luinds, 
 and to impress ujMjn them sound moral and irliM-idus 
 l)rinciples, and of the sineei-e and steady friendship wliidi 
 he has manifested for li is pu[iils in tlieir pro,L;'ress throUL^-li 
 life;" and making the necessary arrangements foi- (tarrying 
 out this purpose. It took some time to conmmnicate witli 
 all the parties interested, widely scattered as they were ; 
 bnt on the 2nd of July, 1833, they were prepared to 
 present to their honoured tutor this token of their 
 reverence and affection. This was a massive silver Epergne, 
 value 230 guineas ; the l>ase of wliidi, particularly chaste 
 and elegant in its proportions and design, sui)ports four 
 classical figures, rei)resenting Religion, History, Poetry, 
 and Geo'^'rapliy ; and surrounding a colunni, around Avhich 
 twine the ivy and acanthus, the whole surmounted with a 
 wreath. Within the square of the pedestal, not exposed 
 to view, are engraven the names and place of residence of 
 the gentlemen who ]iresented this tribute.* 
 
 *It will 1)0 iiilfrcstiiig- to our leatlei-s lo have Uieso in full : — 
 
 .John B. Robinsox, York, Chief Justice of Uppci Canada. 
 
 .John Betuu.ve, Montreal, Rector of Montreal. 
 
 K. G. Anderso.v, York, Teller, Bank of tapper Canada. 
 
 George RiDouT, Y'ork. Judge of District Court ofMagara. 
 
 .1. G. Chewett, Y'ork, Senior Draftsman, Surveyor General's Dcpartmm*. 
 
 Samuel P. Jakvis, Y'ork, Deputy Secrelari/ and Registrar, U. C. 
 
 .1. B. Macai'l.w, York. Judge of King's Bench, U. C. 
 
 Thos. G. RiDOUT, York, Cashier, Bank of U. C. 
 
 Robert Stanton. York, King's Printer. 
 
 G. S. BoULTOS, Cobourg, Barrister, M. P. 
 
 \V. B. RoBisso!*, Newmarket, M. P. 
 
 .loNAS Jones, BrockviUe, Judge, District Court, Johimtown Diatriet. 
 
 .louN Rade-nhurst, Y'ork, Surveger General's Department. 
 
 VV. Macau lay, Pieton, Rector of Picton. 
 
 X. N. Betuune, Cobourg, Rector of Cohourg. 
 
 Henry Ahekne, Vaiulricul. 
 
 John Crawforh, Enc;land. 
 
 James G Bethi'se, Cobourg, Cashier, Broifl), Hank I'. C. 
 
 Jami:s Di'NCAN GiBU, Montreal. 
 
 Georoe Gregory, Montreal.
 
 148 
 
 Of these, fourteen were present on the interesting occa- 
 sic»n ; and answers were recnved from several others 
 expressing their regret at not being able to attenrl. The 
 following is the Address accompanying the presentation, 
 read by Chief Justice Roliinson : — 
 
 " Deak and Venkrablk SlK, 
 
 " In presenting you witli a PifHx; of Plate as a nieniorial uf 
 their respect and esteem, your pupils, wliom you euueated at 
 Cornwall, are ]K'rforming an act most agreeable to their feelings. 
 It is now long since our relation as Tutor and Scholars has been 
 dissolved, but amidst the vicissitudes which the lapse of more 
 than twenty years has presented, we have never ceased to reflect 
 with gratitude \i[)on your iTn wearied efforts to cultivate our 
 minds and strengthen oui- understandings, and above all to im- 
 'j)lant in our hearts those principles which alone can make us 
 good Christians, faithful subjects to our King, and independent 
 and u])right members of society. . 
 
 "Our young minds received then an impression, wliich has 
 scarcely become fainter from time, of the deep and sincere 
 interest which you took, not only in our advancement in learn - 
 
 Fred. Griffin, Montreal. 
 
 A. B. C. GuGY, Quebec, Barrister, M. P. 
 
 A. Jones, Prescott. 
 
 John Macaulav, Kingston. 
 
 J. .McLean, Kingston, Sherijj, Midi. Dist. 
 
 Arch. McLean, Cornwall, Speaker of House of Assembly. 
 
 J. McDoNELL, Montreal. 
 
 Duncan McDonell, Cornwall. 
 
 Donald McDonell. Cornwall. 
 
 Alex. McLean, Cornwall. 
 
 J. S. Macaulay, Woolwich, Capt. R. E. 
 
 a. H. Makkland, Yorit, Inspector Ge)icral, U. C. 
 
 G. Mitchell, Penetanguishine. 
 
 Thos. R1CHAKD.SON, India. 
 
 \Vm. Stanton, Africa, D. A. Com. Gen'. 
 
 P. VanKoughnet, Cornwall, M. P. 
 
 I. Weathekhead, Brockville. 
 
 O. C Wood, Cornwall. 
 
 A. W1LKIS.S0N, Cornwall, Barrixtur. 
 
 D. J. S.M1TH, Kingston. 
 
 .f AMES Macaclav, Cornwall, J/. D. 
 
 T. PvKE, Halifa.x.
 
 149 
 
 iiig and science, Imt in all that eoneerneil our liai»]iine.ss, or couM 
 allect oiu" future prospects in life. 
 
 •' Tliuse who have since had tlie pleasure of fre(pient intercourse 
 witli you, have found you always the same %varni, sincere, and 
 constant friend, ever ready to rejoice in their prosjierity, aixl to 
 extend your advice and assistance amidst the doubts ai;d difli- 
 culties which have occasionally crossed their path. Those whom 
 the various i)ursuits of life have separated from you during this 
 long interval, have never felt less a.ssured of a place in your 
 esteem ; and we all unite with the most cordial satisfaction in 
 thus acknowledging the gratiticatiou we receive from our early 
 recollections. 
 
 " At the period when most of us wen; withdrawn from your 
 eare, we receiveil your parting benediction, and your paternal , 
 counsels for our guidance in life, expres.sed in terms which made 
 a lasting impression. Now that so many years have intervened, 
 and years so full of eventful changes, it must, we are persuaded, 
 be a source of much pleasure to a person of your benevoleut and 
 friendly disposition, to lind that l*rovidcuce has s|)ared so many 
 of those whose character you hdjoured to form, and has l)les.sed 
 I hem very generally with health and prosperity. 
 
 " On our parts, we beg to assure you that we can scarcely call 
 to mind an occasion, in all the years that have passed, which has 
 given rise to stronger feelings of satisfaction tlian we experience 
 at this moment in delivering into your hands a memorial of our 
 long cherished aifection and res[»ect." 
 
 The Arcli«h.';u-nn, (l(X'|ily niovcil, ivpiiod as fdlhiws : 
 
 "My Deak Fkikxds : — That my heait should be full on this 
 interesting occasion is natural. 
 
 " Such a memorial of j'our alioction and respect brings back 
 in a stream of joy the days of your education at Cornwall ; 
 a period, doubtless, of great anxiety, but, from the hirge jiromise 
 which you then exhibited, of far greater .satisfaction. 
 
 "The feelings of ardent friendshi^t wliich you manifcsteil i"or 
 one another when about to se[)arate, and wliich produced a .solenni 
 pledge of your determinatitni to apply the knowledge and high
 
 150 
 
 principles you had acrpiirod in pi'onioting the good of society, 
 come forcibly to my mind at this haj)py moment, when, I can 
 most truly athrm, the pledge so nobly given Jias been more than 
 redeemed. 
 
 "As you never ceased, during the long })eriod that has elapsed 
 since our relation of Teacher and Scholar was dissolved — })reguant 
 as it has been with so many vicissitudes — to reflect with gratitude 
 on my humble endeavours to cultivate your minds, strengthen 
 your understandings, and implant in your hearts those principles 
 which alone can make us good Christians, faithful subjects, and 
 upright members of society, I may, with honest ])ride, declare 
 that, during the same ])eriod, my ha])piness has been greatly 
 increased by witnessing from year to year the pleasing and en- 
 couraging results which attended your progress in the busy workl, 
 
 " Have I not beheld you rising to eminence in your several 
 professions, gaining the confidence of all ar<jund yon, looked up 
 to in the societies in which you move, and (juoted as examph.-s 
 to the rising generation ? In this Province, you are filling the 
 highest situations with nn advantage to the community which is 
 univei-sally acknowledged ; in Lower Canada, in England, and 
 wherever you liave gone, you have won the highest favour and 
 distinction. 
 
 " Surely I have great cause to bless that kind Providence 
 which, notwithstanding my numerous deficiencies, has graciously 
 made me the instrument of jjJanting those sentiments and virtues 
 in your bosoms, wdiich, fostered by your diligent care, ai'c now 
 yielding fruits so precious and abundant. 
 
 " That 1 should cherish a deep and unwearied interest, not 
 only in your advancement in hiarning and science, but in all that 
 concerned your happiness, and could affect your future prospects 
 in life, was certainly to be expected ; for I was strongly impressed 
 from the first with my responsibility as your teacher, and I felt 
 that, to become really useful, I must become your friend. It has 
 ever been my conviction, that our scholars should be for the time 
 our children ; and that, as parents, we should study their charac- 
 ters, and pay respect to their peculiar dispositions, if we really 
 wish to imi)rove them ; for if we feel not something of the tender 
 relation of parents towards them, we cannot expect to be suc- 
 cessful in their education.
 
 151 
 
 " It was on this i)i-iiici]ile tliat I eiuleavouvod to ].i-oo('Oil, — 
 strict justice tempered witli iiaifiital kindness, — and the present 
 ji.yfnl meeting evinces its triumph. It treats the sentiments and 
 feelings ofschohn-s with proper consideration ; and while it gives 
 the lieart and affections full freedom to shew themselves, in filial 
 gratitude on the one side, and fatherly affection on the other, it 
 proves that unsparing labour, accompanied with continual anxiety 
 ior the learner's progress, never fails to insure success ; to beget 
 esteem, and to produce a friendship between master and scholar, 
 which time can never dissolve. 
 
 " To behold so many gentlemen, educated in the same place, 
 assembling after so long a period of sei)aration to honour theii- 
 teacher, is an e.vent of rare occurrence ; l)ut it will 1)e clothed 
 with a public as well as with a private interest, should it encourage 
 fnithful teachers, and cheer them in their arduous employment by 
 ninltii)lying meetings similar to these, and introducing a more 
 affectionate intercourse through life between tliem and tlidr 
 |>upils. 
 
 " Til my occasional communications with you since your 
 .■ntrance into active life, 1 should have deprived myself of a most 
 productive source of <lelight, had I not rejoiced in your increasing 
 prosperity, and voluntccrrd my best advice and assistance to any 
 who chanceil to lie in doubt or difficulty. Every increase ot 
 your happiness I felt to l)e an increase to my owii, and to forward 
 v.mr honourable objects has ever been to me a fjtvourite employ- 
 ment. Nor can I claim for this the slightest praise, for in i)ro- 
 nioting your interest T was promoting my own ; nor should 1 
 have been less ready to forward the laudable views of those who 
 have been far removed from the sphere of my influence, had 
 opportunities olfered. 
 
 " Towards those who have suri)as.sed me in station and ability, 
 1 call most sincerely avow that my feelings have l>eon those of a 
 Idiid parent rejoicing at the elevation of his children. 
 
 " The deep impression made on all our hearts at the hour of 
 y<Mir departure from Cornwall, this meeting refreshes and renew,-, 
 Vou plighted mutual friendshi]), and promised the reign of virtue 
 and religion in your hearts ; and amidst blessings and prayers lor 
 your future happiness, I undertook to become the centre of your
 
 152 
 
 coiunumicatlons ; and what more happy result could the most 
 sanguine have anticipated, than to find so many spared in health 
 and prosperity by oui- merciful Creator, to meet together on this 
 happy occasion. 
 
 " Acce])t, my dear friends, the warm acknowledgement of a 
 heart totally unable to give utterance to the emotions with wliich 
 it is agitated. Deep and lasting as my existence, will this proof 
 of your sincere friendship be retained. It tells me, by sweet 
 experience, that there are moments of virtuous enjoyment which 
 would be chea])ly purchased by the longest life of honourable and 
 laborious exertion, — moraents which are granted to very few in 
 this transitory world, and for one of the most exquisite of which 
 I am this day indebted to your abiding affection." 
 
 A few days before the occiu-rence of this really happy 
 event, the following letter was addressed to tlio Archdeacon 
 by Chief Justice Robinson : — 
 
 "Ft is our wi.sh, if it be agreeable to you, that immediately 
 after presenting to you the ]»ece of plate, we should unite in a 
 short prayer, offering uji our liearty thanks to the great Giver of 
 all good for liis merciful ])rotectioii of us, and for the measure 
 of health and prosperity bestowed upon ns since we left Cornwall, 
 and entered upon tlie various duties of life; beseeching pardon 
 for whatever we have, in that time, done or thought coutrai'y to 
 the Divine commandment ; and ])ra)'ing that we may be assisted 
 and enabled to maintain such a course throtigli this life, that, at 
 the close of oni- earthly career, we niay meet in a hapj-y iinmor- 
 tahty." 
 
 This suggestion, emanating from one who never failed to 
 i-ecognize and acknowledge the loving-kindness of our God, 
 was gladly acted npon ; and very pleasant, as well as very 
 solemn, was the sight of so many humbly kneeling in }jra3'er 
 amidst the joy and ctjngratulations of that ha|)})y houi-. 
 
 Of this beautiful memento of the gratitude of the Corn- 
 wall ]jupils, A\'e shall only further say, that it was most 
 appropriately bequeathed by the owner to Trinity College,
 
 Toronto, — an institutioii wliitli In- \\:\t to lie tin- culiiiina- 
 tion of" liis life-long efiorts on liflialf of cduciition, ami 
 which fairly claimed to be the i)lace Avhere, from generation 
 to ireneration, should he exhiljited this Avell-earned triljutc 
 to the righteousness and success of those en<leavours. 
 
 20
 
 154 
 
 CHAPTER XVIT. 
 
 Tlio Clergy Reserves Question ; establishment of tlie Rectories. — 
 ^Meeting of Clergy under the two Archdeacons in 183G. — 
 Deputation to the Mother Country detcrniincd u]ion. — Re- 
 solution to establish a Church Newspaper. 
 
 (^I'VP to the commencement of 183G, nothing, suhsequent 
 UnL ^^ what has been detailed, occurred in the life of 
 Archdeacon Strachan, outside the quiet progress 
 of his ordinary duties, that demands any special record 
 or notice. The Clergy Reserves Question was still open ; 
 nor was there, so far, any expressed declaration of the 
 I(x;al House of Assembly adverse to the vote passed some 
 years Ijefore, that these lands should Ik; withdrawn from 
 the su})port of religion and a])])ropriated to "jnirpose.s of 
 ordinary (iducation and genei'al improvement." 
 
 By desire of Sir John Colborne, the Executive Council of 
 U])per Canada were required to take into consideration, 
 and report upon, the following portion of a despatch from 
 Lofd Coderich, dated April oth, 1882 : — 
 
 "I am happy to find that your practical views, founded upon 
 personal knowledge and experience, ai'e so coincident with those 
 which, upon a more speculative view, I have been led to enter- 
 tain. I (piite concur with you in thinking that the greatest 
 benefit to the Church of England would b(! dejivcd fioiii applying 
 a portion at least of the funds under tlu! control of tlio local 
 government, in the building of Rectories and (Jliurches, and, 1 
 would add, in preparing, as far aw may be, for profitable occupa- 
 tion that moderate portion of land which you ])ropose to assign 
 in each townshij) or pai-ish for eij.suring tlie future comfort, if not
 
 15.') 
 
 tlic corin>l('t<' iiiuiiitoimiico, <>f tlic Rectors. With this view, it 
 appears to iiu; that it woiiM Ix' most dcsiralilp to make a 
 hcfriiiiiiiiLj ill this salutary work."' 
 
 'I'll!' liicuteiiaiit Governor, Sir .loliii ( 'olltniiic, was now 
 .'iltoiit to leave the Province ; and lu^ felt it liis dnty, 
 liet'ore resio-nint; the <^uvernnient, to take action in tlie 
 course recommended l»y the (V)lonial Secretary. The 
 following Minute of C'otmcil was ado[)ted on the l")th Jan- 
 uary, 18'i(j : — ■ 
 
 " Pursuant to the views ut" Lord CJotluricli, shewji by his des- 
 patch of April o, 1832, in which he concurs with your Excel- 
 lency, and expresses Lis desire that a modei'ate portion of land 
 should be assigned in each town.ship or parish for ensuring the 
 future comfort, if not the complete maintenance of the Kectors, 
 the Council caused the necessary steps to be taken for the i)ur- 
 pose of setting apart lots in each township thi-oughout the 
 Province. 
 
 " ■Much delay has been caused by their anxiety to avoid inter- 
 fering with persons who might have acknowledged claims to any 
 of the Reserves to be selected, citlicr for lease or purchase. 
 
 " A dilHculty in completing what his Lordship most ap[)ro- 
 
 priately calls ' this .salutary work,' was also caused by the Crown _ 
 
 Officers not concurring in the form to be used in the instriuuent 
 
 by which the endowment is to be confirmed ; which left the 
 
 • Council to decide as to the mode to be adopted for that purpose. 
 
 " These obstacles have now been surmounted, and it is respect- 
 fully reconnneuded that no time be lost in authorizing the 
 Attorney General to prepare the necessary instrument to secure 
 to the incundjcnts named in the annexed schedules, and their 
 successors, the lots of land there enumerated, as having l»een 
 respectively set apart for Glebes. " 
 
 The aIl:)cation here recommended was nuide, aiul about 
 400 acres were assigned to each of the parishes throughout 
 the Province; thus constituting, what subsequently excited 
 so much clamour, tlie " Fifty-seven Rectories." It hap-
 
 156 
 
 pened, however, that the' endowment of Ibrty-tbiir oidy 
 was completed ; so that thirteen were excluded from the 
 intended benefit. 
 
 The estal)K.shment of these Reet(jries was used for some 
 time, amongst other alleged grievances, as an election-cry; 
 and at last the legal validity of the act was tested. The 
 (juestion was subnutted to the several Courts of Law; and 
 able judgments were given by each, estal>lishing the vali- 
 dity of the Kectories. There have been threats subse- 
 ([uently of Legislative interference ; but the Act recently 
 passed, authorizing their sale, will no doubt be so far acted 
 upon within the ten years to which the privilege is limi- 
 ted, as to shut out from sight this ancient grievance. With 
 perhaps half-a-dozen exceptions, they are of little compar- 
 ative value ; and only in these instances, do they aflbrd 
 by themselves a sufficient maintenance to the Clergyman. 
 
 Sir John Colborne, in terms most virulent, has been 
 Ijlamed for this act ; l)ut he has been blessed for it, too, by 
 thousands. He has thiis contributed one of the little 
 lielps which, through a protecting Providence, have been 
 furnished for the stability of the Church in this Province; 
 and the act which assures this happy result, it is certain 
 that he never regretted He relinquished his Government 
 durincf the winter of 1836 ; and it has been well said that 
 " Upper Canada never beheld a more beautiful or touching 
 moral spectacle, than the trium])hant departure of Sir 
 John Colborne through the snows of an inclement winter^ 
 followed by the affectionate reverence and esteem of the 
 thousands who thronged his patli to greet him with a 
 respectful farewell."* 
 
 In the month of Oct(jber of this year, 1886, a meeting 
 of the Cler-gy of the two Archdeaconries oi' Upper Canada, 
 suggested by Dr. Strachan, was held at Toronto. The 
 health of the Bishop of Quebec, Dr. Stewart, had become 
 
 * Church Newspaper, .January, 1838.
 
 157 
 
 so enfeebled that lie was a<lvis(:Ml to ictuni td lOui^daiid. 
 with little h(i|)(^ that he sluuiM cxcr lie alilc to resuiiic his 
 duties ill ( aiiada. Under these eii'euiiistauees, it was lelt 
 desiral)h' that the Clergy in a hody should deliberate ii[)<tii, 
 and ado]»t-, thr Itest means of protecting those interests of 
 the Chimdi whieh, at this moment, were ,so seriously 
 im})erilled. The meeting was a large; one, and in many 
 respects proved to be an ini])ortant one. Jt was deter- 
 mined to send a Deputation of two prominent Canadian 
 Clergymen to England and Ireland ; and the Reverend 
 Messrs. C'ronyn and Bettridge were selected for the pur- 
 j)ose. Both were men of sufWeient Colonial experience to 
 make known our wants; and both were gifted with readi- 
 ness and eloquence of speech. It was important to en- 
 lighten the minils of Churehnien at home upon the great 
 (piestion at issue, — our tenure of the Clei-gy Reserves pr(^- 
 perty, and the efforts in so many quarters to destroy' it. 
 It was important, too, to make known the extent of our 
 si)iritual destitution, — the churches required, and the 
 Clergymen to be su])plied ; ami pending our chances from 
 the Reserves, to ol)tain a present aid for the relief of those 
 necessities. All this was set forth by the Deputation with 
 great energy ;ind ability; and, if present substantial results 
 did not etpial our expectations, there can be no doubt that 
 the information so carefully and widely diffused on the 
 condition and prospects of the Church in Canada, served 
 in a large degree to awaken the sym])athy and generosity 
 ot" our fellow Churehmeu in England and Ireland, and 
 gained to the Society for the Propagation of Gospel, — the 
 chief stay of the Church in the Colonies, — a large increase 
 of suj>port. 
 
 There was some discussion, during this meeting, on the 
 introduction of Synodical action in this country, and the 
 general feeling of the Clergy Avas fa\-ourabk' to it. It 
 was, however, much too soon to adopt anything like decisive 
 action in the matter. Before the separation of the meet-
 
 158 '\ 
 
 ■\ 
 
 ing, it was (lotcrmiiicd to attempt the establishment of a 
 weekly newsjiaper in support of the interests of the Chureh 
 iu Canada; and a Committee was appointed, with Arch- 
 deacon Strachan at its head, for making the necessary 
 arrangements. After some consideration, the Editorial 
 management of the proposed journal was offered to tli(i 
 writer of this Memoir; and after some hesitation, and no 
 little ;iit})rehension and misgiving, he resolved to under- 
 take it. Any reluctance to assume such a responsibility 
 was not unnatural, after the failure of so many attempts 
 in the same direction. The "Christian Sentinel,"— a 
 monthly publication, conducted at Montreal, — was the first 
 Church periodical undertaken in Canada. It was a v<;ry 
 creditable journal of the kind, — for the first year under 
 the Editorial management of the Rev. B. B. Stevens, 
 ChajJain to the Forces ; but a monthly ])eriodical, neces- 
 sarily containing long, and, as many would deem them, 
 heavy articles, woidd not maintain tlie interest of the 
 reading community, and so in about two 3'ears it droi)ped 
 ibr want of support. There was a subsequent attempt at 
 a M'eekly, under the same designation, edited by the late 
 Rev. A. H. Burwell, at Three Rivers ; but this, too, awoke 
 little or no interest, and it hardly survived a twelve- 
 month. 
 
 To start a new periodical, after such discouragements, 
 Avas felt to be somewhat of a bold undertaking ; but the 
 j.rudent course was adopted of issuing a " specimen iium- 
 bei-," in May, 1837, to be followed up if a sufficient numljcr 
 (tf paying subscribers could be secured. The result ex- 
 ceeded all expectation; for on the 24th June following, the 
 second number of " The Church " was issued with a list 
 of G30 subscribers,— and many agents and Clergymen still 
 unheard from. In about three months the subscribers in- 
 creased to 1000. 
 
 The tone of this journal was decided, as regarded the 
 assertion of the principles of the Church ; but it was
 
 159 
 
 coutluctc'd M'itli ;i studied moderation, and Mas therefore 
 treated witli respect on all sides. Party spirit in the 
 Church M'as then hardly known ; there was, therefore, 
 nuitual confidence;, and tlie support of the Clergy was 
 unanimous. The paper, at first rather a diminutive .sheet, 
 was enhirged on the issue of Volume II., and again at the 
 eonnnencement of Volume III., — the suUscribcrs steadily 
 inci'easing. Many aide contrihutor.s, in ju'ose and verse 
 were secured ; amongst them, men now of leading position 
 in Churcli and State. 
 
 Frt)m]iS4'l to LS4.S, the editorial management of '"'riie 
 ('liureh" was assumed by Mr. John Kent, who had 1)een a 
 valuable contributor to its pages irom the eonnnencement. 
 'J'he excitement, however, amidst the clash and din of 
 [)arty strife, was too much for him; and the paper came 
 back to the first editor, who lield it again, nnder many 
 difficulties and discouragements, for nearly four years. 
 With repeated changes in the editorial management, — 
 sometimes without any management at all, — it gradually 
 lost ground, and died out about tlie year I80G. 
 
 "^riiere can be no doubt of the great value of sut-li a 
 liai)er to the cause of the Chureh, if conducte<l with 
 moderation, judgment, and a reasonable share of ability. 
 The infiuence of "The Cluirch" newspaper was most salu- 
 taiy during its earlier years. It dift'used throughout our 
 local population a large amount of much needed informa- 
 tion; and, being extensively circulated in England, it 
 caused our Colonial Church questions to be better under- 
 stood by influential men in the mother country. This 
 Ijecame quite discernible in the debates upon the Reserves 
 • [uestion in the Imperial Parliament; and we were assured 
 from various quarters that to this was owing, in no small 
 degree, the favourable settlement of this question wliieh 
 was ertected in the summer of 1840. To tliis more special 
 reference will ly and by be made. 
 
 The effect of a religious journal, temi)erately eondueted
 
 160 
 
 and Avith a Avideiiing circulation, upon the secular press of 
 the day, was also appai-ent. There was a more courteous 
 tone ; there was an abatement of personalities ; and more 
 caution and taste in selection. The " Church," too, set 
 the example of taking in English newspapers and period- 
 icals, from which to cull for ourselves, and not adopt 
 extracts second-hand at the taste or caprice of others. On 
 the whole, we look back with refreshment, and even an 
 excusable pride, upon what, wdth all its drawbacks and 
 defects, was really a useful and influential journal ; one 
 that provoked our own members to zeal and unanimity in 
 the promotion of Church enterprises, and wliich caused those 
 outside us to understand better our motives and principles, 
 and gain for them consideration and respect. 
 
 We have made this rather long digression, because it 
 fairly pertains to the life of the late Bishop of Toronto. 
 He was prominent amongst its projectors: he appreciated 
 the value and importance of such a journal, and he always 
 gave it a warm and generous support.
 
 161 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Ailnuiiistiatiun '>f ,Sif Franci.s JIoiul. — CoiTe.si)Oucleace regarding 
 Seat in the Legislative Council. — Death of Bishop Stewart. — 
 Previous Appointment of Archdeacon Mountain as his 
 Assi.stant. — The Rehelliou in 1837-S. — Decision to form 
 Upper Canada into a separate Diocese. — Destruction of St. 
 James's Churcli, Toronto. 
 
 IR John Culbornc was succeeded iu the Government 
 of Upper Canada by Sir Franci.s Bond Head, who 
 arrived in Canada early in the winter of 1830. If 
 we have had as Lieutenant Governors men of more prac- 
 tical i)urpose and action, we never had any of more spirit 
 and activity ; hardly any, perhaps, more (puck-sighted and 
 far-seeing. He came to C'anada with the conception that 
 real grievances existed, growing out of the mal-adminis- 
 tration of the Government ; for that so much com[)laint, 
 so violently expressed and apparently so wide-spread, 
 should be without adequate cause, was hardly to be 
 l)elieved. He ai)plied himself diligently to the investi- 
 gation t)f these grievances, inviting the free expression of 
 the ojunions of both i)arties ; and the conclusion at which 
 lie arri\'ed \\'as, that these existed more in name than in 
 reality ; and that, if something was withheld b}' the party 
 in power that might reasonably- be conceded, more was 
 exacted by their opponents than could constitutionally be 
 granted. On various j)oints, he and the House of Assembly 
 soon came into collision ; and as a coercive step on their 
 part, the usual supplies for carrying on the Government 
 were refused. This was an imprecedented ste|), and was a 
 21
 
 162 
 
 rrreat shock t(j the loval feolino- of the country. Petitions 
 were poured in, conveyed by vespectahle deputations, from 
 every pai-t of the Province, sohciting His Excellency to 
 dissoh'e the House of Assembly, and allow a fresh appeal to 
 the people. This, in obedience to the popular demand, was 
 o-ranted ; and in the House newly elected, a large majority 
 were supporters of the administration of Sir Francis Head. 
 Not long after his arrival in Canada, a correspondence 
 took place with the Colonial Secretary in reference to the 
 seat held Ijy Archdeacon Strachan in the Legislative Coun- 
 cil. Lord Hipon, in a Despatch to Sir John Colborne, of 
 (Sth November, 1832, — refei'ring to remonstrances from the 
 House of Assembly, — advises that " the Bishop (of Regi- 
 opolis) and the Archdeacon should altogether abstain from 
 interference in any secular matters that may be agitated 
 in the Legislative Council," and adds, 
 
 "Whether, even under this restriction, tlieir holding such 
 seats is really desirable, is a cpiestion upon which I ani 
 fully prepared to listen with the utmost attention to any 
 advice which I may receive from yourself, from the House 
 of Assembly, or from any other competent authority. I 
 have no solicitude for retaining either the Bishop or Arch- 
 deacon on the list of Councillors, but am, on the contrary, 
 rather predisposed to the opinion that, by resigning their 
 seats, they would best consult their own personal comfort, 
 and the success of their designs for the spiritual good of 
 the people. But any such resignation must be voluntary, 
 since the office is held f(n- life ; and, were it otherwise, no 
 consideration would induce me to advise His Majesty to 
 degrade the Bishop or the Archdeacon from the stations they 
 occupy, except on the most conclusive proof of misconduct." 
 
 In an address of the House of Assembly to Sir Francis 
 Head, dated oth Februai-y, 1830, it is declared, 
 
 "Wc have had the mortification to see the Bishop of 
 Kegiopolis and the Archdeacon of York, neglecting theii"
 
 103 
 
 liiy,-h ami .s[)iriLual i'liiictious ami ciwv ol" .suuls, ami clln<'-iiii;" 
 to their seats* in tlie Legislative Council, and devoting their 
 time and talents to political strifi; and secular measures, in 
 direct opposition, and contrary to the express desire and 
 pleasure of His IVIajosty, as set forth in the said Despatch 
 of Earl Ripon, and at the sanif time periiiittcd to hold and 
 enjoy offices of emolument and profit. We, therefore, 
 trust that your Ivxi-clli'iicy \vill take immediate stej)s in 
 fulfilment of the gracious wishes of the King, t(^ carry into 
 effect his benevolent intentions, an<l as desired ]>\ the 
 great body of the j)eople of this Colony, Ly calling upon 
 the said Bishoj) and Archdeacon, either to withdraw from 
 the Legislative Council altogether, or resign their other 
 offices, and forever quit all claim to any other salary, pen- 
 sion, or other enn)lument they now hold oi- enjoy during 
 the pleasure of the Ciovcrument." 
 
 From the chaiacteristic re[)ly of the Archdeacon, dated 
 22nd Fchruary, IS.'JlJ, we make the following extracts : — 
 
 "The situatiuns of Executive and J^egislative Councillor were 
 eonferred upon nie witliout solicitation, as marks of lloyal appro- 
 bation for services openly rendered iluriiii,' a ])eriod of diflieultv 
 and danger, and which were thought at the time important. 
 1 have held the first for more than twenty years, and the second 
 sixteen years ; and am not aware that, in discharging the duties 
 which they imposed npon me, I have done any thing deserving of 
 eensure. On the contrary, I feel that T liave been useful to the 
 (^)lony. 
 
 " On ils being conumuiicated to me last summer that Lord 
 (.xlenelg had expressed his surprise at my occasional attendance 
 at the Executive Council, I did not hesitate a moment in sending 
 in my resignation ; for although Jiis Lordship's desire was rather 
 implied than expressed, I felt that, as there was a certain emol- 
 ument attached to the situation, I could retire froni it with 
 honour. I did not do this, however, because I found my.self, 
 after more than twenty years' service, less able to perform my 
 duty, or because I acijuieseed iu the «ipinion that there was any
 
 1G4 
 
 reasonable groiuid lor my exclusion, but because an Executive 
 Councillor could not hope to be useful, and could not serve with 
 satisfaction, unless he could feel the assurance that he possessed 
 the confidence of the existing administration. My resignation 
 was made without condition or stipulation, remonstrance, ftr 
 complaint. 
 
 " In regard to the Legislative Council, I was a])pointed to a 
 seat in it in 1820, — not the first instance of an ecclesiastic being- 
 nominated ; since the late Bishop of Quebec had, from an eai'ly 
 period, been a member of the Legislative Council of that part of 
 the Diocese in which he resided. 
 
 " For some years, while the number of Legislative Councillors 
 was very limited, my attendance was more of the ordinary cha- 
 racter, though of course by no means .so constant as that of many 
 other members. But, for some years before the despatch of 
 Lord E,ipon was written, and since that period, my attendance 
 and my conduct in the Legislative Council have been such as 
 comported wuth the sentiments exj)ressed by his Lordship."' •'■ * 
 
 " I think his Excellency must perceive, and I trust his Majes- 
 ty's Government will not fail to admit, that tlie violent and 
 thi-eatening nature of the Address of the House of Assembly^ 
 of which an extract has been sent to me, renders it not very easy 
 for me to pei'severe in the line of conduct which I had previously 
 jiresciibed to myself. 
 
 "It is due to the independence of the body of which I am a 
 member, and to my own individual character, that T should not 
 suffer myself to be driven by violence and menace from the seat 
 to which my Sovereign has aj^pointed me, and in which it cannot 
 be .shewn that I have acted in any manner injuriously to his 
 .service, or to the best interests of the country. And as respects 
 the language which, I regret to .see, the Assembly lias thought 
 proper to apply to me, it leaves me no honourable alternative but 
 to abide with firmness and constancy by the decision whidi his 
 Majesty's Government may think consistent with justice and the 
 principles of the Constitution. 
 
 "I appeal also to every honourable mind, whether my resig- 
 nation, if I were inclined to present it, could, under existing 
 circumstances, be deemed voluntary, or otherwise than degrading.
 
 " Hu\v(!\cr |i,iinf'iil it is to iiif to act in oj>i)0.sitioii to the 
 imi)lit'(l tlcsiro of liis ^Majosty's late Principal Secretary of State 
 for the (Colonics, I cannot .submit ta be thus thrust out with 
 in(lii,Miity and \ iolence from a situation conferred upon me by the 
 Kini,^ as a mark of honour, and which it is my unrpiestionabh- 
 h'ffal right to retain for lite In the situation in which I am 
 placed, I can perceive no honourable alt('rnati\c l)ut respfct fully 
 and firmly to maintain my ])ost." 
 
 Lord (iJL'iiel;^-, ill his reply, ICtli April, 183G, adinitttHl 
 that tlic AichdcacDii had " urged some weighty reasons in 
 sujjport 1)1" liis rrfusal, and that much had occurr(M| to 
 lender it donhtfiil whether a (hie regard for liis own liDnoui- 
 did not forbid the resignation of his seat in tlie Legislative 
 ( 'ouiicil." 
 
 Prior to the return of the Bishop of Quebec, Dr. Stewart, 
 to Enoland, arrano-ements had been concluded for the 
 appointment of Archdeacon Mountain as his assistant ; and 
 lie was consecrated to that ofiice, with the title of Bishop 
 of Montreal, on the 14th February, 1836. He did not, 
 however, reach Qucljcc until the month of August following. 
 As Bishop of iMontreal he had no separate jurisdiction, nor 
 was any See constituted under tliat title; but all his 
 episcopal acts were l)y i;ommission from the Bishoj) of 
 Quebec. 'riie understanding had been that the lattei' 
 sliould confine himself to the charge of Upper Canada; 
 while the labours of the Bishop of Montreal were to be 
 limited to Lower Canada: it having been further ])rovid<'il 
 that, on the occurrence of a vacancy, he was to assume the 
 charge of the whole Diocese. 
 
 'J'he Bi.shop of Quebec was taken to his rest, after a 
 |.aiuful and lingering illness, on the 19th July, 1837, at the 
 agi' of si.xty-three. In him the Church in Canada hjst a 
 |)ure-minded and zealous overseer, ami the Clergy an 
 atlectionate father and generous friend. Li the exerci.se of 
 the episcopacy he maintained the simplicity of life which 
 had characterized him as a humble missionary in a secluded
 
 1 GO 
 
 portion of the Diocese. He ever shewed, whether in situa- 
 tions humble or exalted,- that he had no will but His who 
 bade his disciples " follow him ; " that he was actuated by 
 no ambition but that of being the honoured instrument in 
 the hand of his Lord and Sa\'iour, of bringing many to the 
 "knowledge of the truth." The charge of the whole 
 Diocese now devolved upon the Bishop of Montreal, who 
 immediately entered upon its extensive and laborious 
 duties with all the assiduit}% zeal, and aT)ility which had 
 marked his ])ast career in subordinate but very influential 
 positions. 
 
 But if all was serene and prosperous in the condition of 
 the Church, it was not long so in our social and political 
 state. The new House of Assembly, elected in the summer 
 of 183G, at the command of Sir Francis Head, was in its 
 character so conservative that it seemed utterly to crush 
 the liopcs of tliat discontented portion of the community 
 who were styled Eeformers. Without fully enlightening 
 the world as to their grievances or their desires, they were 
 loud in expressions of dissatisfiiction with the powers that 
 be; and the alienation of feeling was even stronger in 
 the Lower than in the Upper Province. Unable to attain 
 their objects by those constitutional means which ai'e 
 accessible to every British subject, and which, if pushed 
 with a patient assiduity, are generally in the end successful, 
 they had recourse to violence, and attempted to gain theii- 
 end by force of arms. The movement appeared, through 
 concert, to be simultaneous in both Pi'ovinces ; but their 
 means of getting up a rebellion in the face even of the 
 very few trooj)S that Canada contained, and in opposition 
 to tlic loyal and determined feeling of a large majority of 
 the population, were miserably insufficient, and the attempt 
 soon proved abortive. Slight, in its comparative propor- 
 tions, as the outbreak was, it was attended, nevertheless, 
 with some calamitous circumstances. Several vahiable 
 lives were lost; and acts of mischief and atrocity were
 
 167 
 
 perpetrated, Avliich 011I3' niunifost themselves in a disorga- 
 nized condition of tilings. A few. weeks sufficed to quell 
 all armed resistance in Lower Canatia; and less than ;i 
 montli elapsed from the first firing of a rebel gun on ^lont- 
 gomery's Hill to the dislodgment of the mingled rabble of 
 rebels and sympathizers from Navy Island. But the 
 trouble Avas partially renewed the following autumn, by 
 the landing of a few hundred sympathizers from the United 
 States led by a refugee Pole, and their seizing a windmill 
 a little below Prescott ; but after a short bom])ar(hnent, 
 thi'vall surrenck'red at discretion. There was an outbreak, 
 too, of French Ca.nadians at St. Eustache, which a few 
 troops and half a battery of artillery speedily- quelled. 
 Several regiments of troops were sent meanwhile to 
 Canada, and the preparation was complete against every 
 attempt to disturb the pcfice. Now and then there were; 
 instances of outrage and malignity which were very ex- 
 asperating; but by the close of 1839, everything settled 
 down into perfect tranquillity. 
 
 'J^o investigate our political ills and proiiuse a remed>- 
 for them, the Earl of Durham was sent as a sort (»fL<ird 
 High (Vnnmissioner to this country; and his views were 
 embodied in a " Ilc[)ort," too generally remembered, and 
 too nuieli criticized, to render it necessary or de^iiablr 
 here to oiler any o})inion u})on its merits. 
 
 The intlucncc of this rebellion U])ou the interests of the 
 Church in Canada, was rather reniark;;ble. The tact was 
 elicited that, amongst those who took up arms against the 
 (Government, there was scarcely a single member of the 
 Ciiurch of England ; st) that, in the mother country, the 
 inqjression was most gratifying as t<) the efiect of the 
 j)rinciples and teaching of the national Church. The 
 intluenee upon the public mind in England was verv 
 strong in consequence; and the Propagation Society, whose 
 missionaries the Church of Emdand Clero-y in Canada 
 almost exclusively were, experienced a wonderful resu.sci-
 
 168 
 
 tation. Contributions were freely given to a Society, of 
 the value of whose Avork there had been so practical and 
 •^"•ratifying an evidence; and their increased resources 
 enabled them to add considerably to our staff of Clergy 
 during a few following years. It also affected materially 
 the views of the Clergy Reserves question amongst leading 
 people in England ; and prepared the public mind for that 
 settlement of it which the Imperial Government under- 
 took in 1840. 
 
 Our local Parliament, in the spring of 18:3i), attempted a 
 solution of this long- vexed question, by re- investing the 
 Clergy Reserves in the Crown ; so that tlie dis|)osal of 
 them might come from the Sovereign dc novo, and be 
 absolute and unquestionable. But the mere majority by 
 which this issue was obtained in the House of Assembly, 
 was not likely to influence the Home Government to the 
 acceptance of the surrendered trust; yet it no doubt led 
 them to the grave consideration of other means for the 
 final arrangement of the question. 
 
 The death of Dr. Stewart, Bishop of Quebec, and the 
 succession of Dr. Mountain to the charge of the whole 
 Diocese, revived tlie project so long entertained, of effect- 
 ing its division by constituting each Province into a sepa- 
 rate Diocese. Sir Francis Head entered warmly into the 
 subject, and addressed Lord Glenelg on the expediency of 
 carrying out the arrangement. This was favourably i-e- 
 ceived, and the consent of the Archbishop of Canterbury was 
 readily given. But it was distinctly stated from the com- 
 mencement, that it would not be in the power of the Home 
 Government to provide for the new Bishopric any pecuniary 
 emolument or other endowment. The Bishop of Quebec, 
 Dr. Stewart, had, during his life-time, voluntarily appro- 
 i)riated a consid(?rable ])ortion of his income to the su[)port 
 of his co-adjutoi-; l)ut, after his death, this income dropped 
 of course, and it therefore became necessary for the Bishop 
 of Montreal to retain the sti{)end attached to the Arcli-
 
 (Icjiconrv and Rectoiy of Quohec, — })rovi(liiig out ot" tliesc 
 a salary for liis Curate in the parisli. Through the exer- 
 tions of Sir John Pakington £1000 per annum was voted 
 by the Imperial Parliament to the Bishop of Montreal, S(i 
 that he might V)e in a condition fairly to meet the expenses 
 of his position. No such gratuity, however could lie 
 extended to Upper Canada; but Archdeacon Strachan, 
 infiuenced by the example of Dr. Mountain, stated to 
 the ('oloiiial Secretary that "the matter of salar}- need 
 Ibi'ia no inpediment to the immediate appointment of a 
 Bishop for Upper Canada, as he should be content to 
 remain in that respect exactly as he now was, till the i)er- 
 [)lexing (juestion of the Clergy Reserves should be settled, 
 when it wouM })e in the power of Her Majesty's Govern- 
 ment to make another and more satisfactory arrange- 
 ment." In addressing the Lieutenant Governor, Sir 
 George Arthur, upon this subject, the Archdeacon says, 
 CFeb. 'loth, 1S3!)) :— 
 
 " ill iiiakiiig this proposal, I can with trutli as.sare you that 1 
 am by no means insensible to tlie ])ro|)riety as well as necessity 
 vt' <,'rantin<^ adequate provi.sion for the decent support of the 
 Episcopal otiice in this ri.sing Colony. But, persuaded that the 
 interests of the Church are suffering from the want of Epi.scopal 
 superintendence, which has for some time been eai-ncstly desired 
 l)y many of her members, and unanimously by the Clergy, I 
 thought my proposition might accelerate the removal of that want 
 liy a few years, and thus promote, in no small degree, the salutary 
 influence of Christian principle throughout the Province. Cntil 
 it be in the power of Her Majesty's Government to make a more 
 satisfactory arrangement for the support of the Episcopal office 
 in this Province than the (iiic now pi'oposed, it is my duty to rest 
 content." 
 
 When it is known that the income upon which th<- 
 
 Archdeacon was thus content to rely for }>erhaps many vi'ars, 
 
 did not exceed £1000 currenc}^ per annum, and that out 
 
 of this a liberal allowance was to be made to his assistant 
 
 22
 
 170 
 
 in the i)arish, it will be seen that the present provision for 
 maintaining the cost and dignity of the See of Toronto was 
 a very slender and very inadequate one. But he assumed 
 it in hope of a more satisfactory arrangement, and in the 
 issue ho was not disappointed. 
 
 It was now a settled thing that Upper Canada was to 
 form a separate Diocese, with Toronto as the residence of 
 the Bishop. But in the prospect of the early accomplish- 
 ment of all that was required to make the boon complete, 
 there was a calamity to deplore, affecting churchmen of 
 the province at large, and those of the City of Toronto in 
 particular. This was the destruction by fire of the Church 
 of St. James, the future Cathedral, on the morning of the 
 7tli January, 1889 ; a chur-ch that had been completed only 
 six years before, and at a cost and strain from which the 
 parishoners had not yet been able to relieve themselves. 
 This was a great grief to the Archdeacon; as judged from 
 his first letters depicting the calamity, almost an ovei"- 
 powering one, — the sudden wreck of a noble structure 
 which it had cost him so much toil and anxiety to raise. 
 But the first shock over, he bounded to the remedy with 
 wonted liopefulness i^nd zeal. Two days after the destruc- 
 tion of the church, a public meeting of the congregation 
 was held in the City Hall ; and a luminous report was 
 presented by the Archdeacon, embodying a plan for the 
 restoration of that sacred edifice to its former connuodious- 
 ness and beauty. This was submitted to a committee, 
 appointed by the meeting, of which the Solicitor General, 
 the Hon. W. H. Draper, was Chairman. Their report was 
 submitted at a subsequent meeting of the parishoners; and 
 it was determined to rebuild the church without delay, on 
 the same site and with the same internal ari-angements, at 
 a cost not excecling £7000.
 
 171 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Consecration as Bi.shoj) of Toronto. — Union of the Provinces. 
 — Settlement of the Clergy Reserves Question in Enghind. 
 
 /|^ARLY ill the summer of 1839, Archdeacon Strachau 
 \f\j proceeded to England, and in August following was 
 consecrated Bishop of Toronto, — a Diocese com- 
 prising the whole of Upper Canada. At the same time tlie 
 Hon. and Rev. Dr. Spencer was consecrated Bishop of 
 Newfoundland, — the islands of the Bermudas beingr asso- 
 ciated with tliat episcopal charge. The sermon on the 
 occasion was preached by the Rev. Edward Scobell, and 
 was published by desire of the Archbishop of Canterbury. 
 From this we make the followinof interestinij extracts: — 
 
 *' We see with joy the increasing exertions which the Cliurch 
 is now making, both in its ministry and laity, — for the Church is 
 of the two, — to the glory of God. The root of Jesse seems 
 more manifest as au ensign among the i)eople. The sound is 
 going out more into all lands ; and going out more loudly, 
 clearly, and efficiently. The Church seems moving again in her 
 native strength. She sends out her boughs to the sea, and lier 
 branches to the river. And this appears in no way more grati- 
 fying than in the appointment of Bishops to the Cliurches of our 
 Colonies in foreign lands. Without a Bishop, a Church's arm, 
 if Church it can be called, is cramped and shortened. Without 
 a Bishop, a Church has no power, present and at hand, of ordi- 
 nation ; in most, if not in all ca.ses, a vital requisite. It has no 
 controlling itower, no adjusting, concentrating, untiring energy. 
 It is virtually divided and individualized ; a body without it« 
 guiding eye ; a pillar truly, but a pillar of cloud, and not of tire, 
 — not a burning and shining light, as it should be.
 
 172 
 
 "Go forth, Right Reverend Fathers, in the Divine, the evan- 
 f^elical, the invincible resolution of the great Apostle of the 
 Centiles, to the Churches to which you are ai)pointecl. Go 
 forth ; and let that spirit be in you which was in Christ Jesus, — 
 meek, patient, charitable, bold, persevering ; full of Christian 
 love, full of holy consolation ; and then, like him, ye shall 
 assuredly go forth, conquei'ing and to conquer. 
 
 "And although a vast and trackless ocean shall roll between 
 us, yet the Cliurch in Christ is never divided in si»irit. The 
 Church here shall have saintly communion witli the Cliurches of 
 your distant dominion. The mother in her mansion will not 
 forget her daughter in the wilderness. Prayer shall be made 
 unceasingly in the Churcli for you. And if we never meet again 
 in this world ; if that be the counsel which God will bring to 
 pass ; may we assen)ble at last around the great white throne, 
 and our names be found written in the Lamb's book of life. ' 
 
 The BislKJp of Toronto reached his Ikjuic on the !3tli 
 November, 1839, and his return was welcomed with great 
 joy and affection. Two days earlier, on his way to Toronto, 
 he made a short stop at Kingston, and received there a 
 warm Address from the Clergy of the town and neighhour- 
 hood, headed by Archdeacon Stuart. They congratulated 
 his Lordship upon his selection to till the high and respon- 
 sible office to which he had been called ; recognizing in 
 this the valuable services he had rendered the Province by 
 his zeal in the cause of general education, and the benefits 
 he had conferred upon the Church in the training and 
 instruction of so many who are now serving her with zeal, 
 ability, and success. "With suc;h ])ledges given through 
 a period of neai'ly forty years," it was well said, " W(^ 
 cannot fail to augur well for the futui-e pr<jspects of the 
 Church under your Lordshijj's oversight." 
 
 In the address which was presented to him at Toronto, a 
 few days after his arrival, there was all the warmth and 
 cordiality which would naturally result from the BishojVs 
 pastoral connexion witli the [)hice for tive-and-twcnty
 
 173 
 
 years ; from a review of tin- many public services and acts 
 of privat<' kindness wliidi, in lliat lunu;- interval, lie had 
 performed. The Bisho]), in reply, adveited to the ixjble 
 efforts exerted by his congregation in restoring tlie church 
 so recently destroyed ; and expressed his admiration of the 
 zeal and lil)erality which, in little more than six months 
 from starting actually u])ou tli(! woik, had brought it 
 ahiiost to (•onn)letion. In the warmth of his feelings he 
 declared that, with every acknowledgment of devotion 
 and energy elsewhere, he repeated now what he had been 
 ])roud to afhi-m when far av»ay, — that there v»ere 'iio peojde 
 like his })eoj)le ! " He was, indeed, excusable in the utter- 
 ance of such })raise ; for, on the '2'lnd Dccendjcr, he was 
 installed in tlio new cliurch, now tlu' Cathedral of St. 
 James, erected upon the ruins of the tine and substantial 
 structure which was destroyed by lire on the 7th Januar\', 
 hardly twelve months before. In the course of his sermon 
 upon the occasion, his Lordshij) said : — 
 
 " I c:umut let pa.ss this o[i[)ortuuily of noticing tlic prcs^-nt 
 appearance of the interior of the church ; and which I con.sidcr 
 t'> be wonderfully impi'ovcd. There is more light, aud a better 
 distribution of sound, tliau in the old eluu-ch ; and the substi- 
 tution of a gracile style of pillar, has contributed to relieve the 
 ob.scurity so much felt before. The rest of the interior is lite- 
 rally restored ; so uuicli so, that each person's pew, as it originally 
 existed, was readily found. And when the short time that has 
 clai sed since the conllagration occurred is considered, it must 
 Inivibly strike every one that great praise is due both to the 
 architect and the builder, for the successful residt, by whicli, 
 under Divine providence, the congregation of St. James is again 
 eiiabh'd to assemble luuler one rqof, and with one heart and voice 
 to return thanks to the Almighty for his manifold mercies, aud 
 I) implore his blessing for the time to come." 
 
 In the pari.sh of the Bishop of Toronto, all was jo} ous 
 anil hopeful ; but his home was the house of mourning.
 
 174 
 
 About three weeks l)efore his return, his youngest daughter, 
 Agnes, — for many years very delicate, — died at the age of 
 seventeen. When he left for England, it was with great 
 anxiety on her account; but not without hope that the 
 remedies suggested on the submission of her case to a 
 distinguished medical man in London, would, with the 
 natural elasticity of youth, trinm])li over the disease. 
 But it was otherwise ordered; and the loss of this child 
 clouded much the joy of the Bishop's return. In a letter 
 written to me immediately on his arrival, after speaking 
 of tlie comfort and satisfaction he felt at the welcome he 
 received, and the bright ]jrospects of a useful administra- 
 tion of the charge committed to him, he anys, "But dear 
 Agnes haunts me at every step : the image of this blessed 
 child is before me, wherever I go." And we wonder not 
 at these vivid and painful memories ; for she was one of 
 the sweetest, gentlest little creatures living; guileless as 
 an infant, and always patient and cheerful under the 
 lingering sufferings she had to endure. 
 
 The political atmosphere, too, was lurid and stormy. 
 Mr. Pcjulctt Thomson (afterwards Lord Sydenham) had 
 been sent out to effect the union of the Provinces, — the 
 grand panacea, it was believed at home, for our political 
 ills; that which would bring discordant materials into 
 harmony; and, by producing community of interests, bind 
 in union antagonistic races. In view of the opposition it 
 was sure to provoke in both Provinces, it was necessary 
 that a master-mind, backed by enormous influence, should 
 work the measure through its intricacies and liring it to a 
 triumphant issue. 
 
 When this })roject was advanced so long ago as the year 
 1822, it met with so much opposition that it was at once 
 abandoned ; and amongst those who, at that time, argued 
 strongly and ably against it, was Lr. Strachan. As tlie 
 ])o})ulation of either Province then stood respectively to 
 the other, — Lower Canada possessing the largely numerical
 
 175 
 
 majority, and an iiniiK'Use piv[)<)n(k'rancc ot" tlio rtomaii 
 Catholic persuasion, — tlio apprcliension was not unnaturally 
 ontertaincfl, tliat there couLl not, l)y amalgamation, he any 
 real union. The laws of each Province were ditiereut, and 
 their respective creeds were essentially at variance ; aixl it 
 was thought that by attempting to bring them into a 
 closer j)olitical affinity, there w^ould follow an exasperation 
 of nuitual jealousies, and a real widening of the breach 
 between them. Dr. Strachau contended for a general 
 union of tlie Provinces, such as has now been effected ; 
 and 111' ]iuMislicd ;i pami)hlct upon the subject, strongly 
 urging this eonfederacy of all the Colonics of British North 
 Amei'ica. He argued that combination on a scale so limite<l 
 as the mere union of Upper aud Lower Canada, — wherc^ 
 the elements to be consolidated were in such direct an- 
 tagonism, — could have no good j)ractical effect; whereas, 
 if it was felt necessary tliat the isolation now existing 
 should be remedied, let there be such a coalition as would 
 bear down all party, sectional, or naticmal prejudices. 
 
 The present project, backed by Imperial authority, was 
 introduced to the House of Assembly by message on the 
 7th December, 1839. The question was ably debated in 
 both Houses; and, in opposition to the earnest protests of 
 some of our leading men, was cairied in each by large 
 majorities. 
 
 On the Gth January, LS-iO, a message was sent down l)y 
 the Governor (loneral on the subject of the Clergy Reserves, 
 l)roposing a plan for the iinal settlement of that long 
 vexed question. The bill for the reinvestment of this 
 property in th :> Crown, passed ]>\ our local Legislature 
 tlu^ previous smnmer, was not i'avourably received by tin- 
 Imperial Government, who contended that no settlement 
 of the (piestion permanently sati.sfactory to the Colon}- 
 could be made, except within the Colony itself The 
 present proposition was, that the Reserves should be sold, 
 and the proceeds, — including those of all past sales, —
 
 176 
 
 vested in the Executive Government, and out of the 
 annual interest should be paid all stipends heretofore 
 assigned to the Clergy of tlic Churches of England and 
 Scotland; or to any other religious bodies or denominations 
 of Christians in the Province. It was further proposed 
 that out of any income in excess of such payments, one- 
 half should annually be paid to the Clergy of the Cliurchos 
 of Enc^land and Scotland in the Province; and that tlic 
 residue of such annual fund should be divided among the 
 other religious bodies or denominations of Christians then 
 recocniized by the laws of the Province. 
 
 Tlie Bishop of Toronto juiblished, on the 15th of tlu- 
 same month, a strong protest against the pro])Osed Act, in 
 ^the form of a Pastoral addressed to the Clergy and Laity 
 of tlie Diocese ; as being calculated to deprive the Churcli 
 of Eno-land in Canada of nearly three-foui-ths of her lawful 
 property, — to render tlie Clergy stipendiaries and depend- 
 ents on the Colonial Government, — and to foster and 
 perpetuate endless division and discord. He advised the 
 general adoption of petitions against this measure to the 
 Imperial Government, and he assured them that the same 
 course would be pursued to a large extent by the friends 
 of the Colonial Church in the mother country. He felt a 
 (•onviction that these united remonstrances would have 
 their influence, and ensure to the Church a much more 
 favourable settlement than was now proposed. 
 
 After a spirited debate in the House of Asseml^ly, in 
 which all the leading members took part, tlic Ijill was 
 carried by a majority of 28 to 20. In the Legislative 
 C'Vjimcil, the question was also very ably debated. The 
 Hon. R. B. Sullivan spoke eloquently and forcibly in 
 favour of the measure ; and was replied to by the Bishop 
 of Toronto and the Hon. P. B. DeBlaquiere. After a long 
 and animated discussion, it was ])assed in the CV)vincil by a 
 majority of 13 to .5. 
 
 This was regarded by the Governor General as a settle-
 
 177 
 
 ment of tliis linrasslnfr question ; an<l, in liis speech at the 
 Proro!;'atinii, Ik- said : — 
 
 "By the Bill wliiili y<m h;ive piisseil for the disposal of the 
 Clergy Reserves, you h.iM', so far a« your constitutional ]»o\v'ers 
 admit, set at rest a question which, for years past, has convulsed 
 society in this Province. In framing that measure, you have 
 consulted alike the best interests of religion, and the future peace 
 and welfare of the people, for whose service you are called iqjon 
 to legislate ; and I rely on your efforts proving successful, not- 
 withstanding any attempt which may be made to renew excite- 
 ment, or to raise opposition to your deliberate and recorded 
 judgment." 
 
 The sanguine expectations of his Excellency were not, 
 however, realized ; and the result sliewed that the opposi- 
 tion which the Bisliop and other members of the Chnrch 
 felt it tlicir duty to offer to this spoliatory measure, was 
 neither unjustitialjle nor fruitless. 
 
 The subject was taken wyt by the Imperial J'arliament 
 the ensuing spring, and the House of Lords pi-oposoil thf 
 following questions to tlie Judges : — 
 
 " 1. Whether the words, 'a Protestant Clergy,' in the ol Geo. 
 111., cli. ol, includes any other than the Clergy of the Church 
 of England ; and if any other, what other I 
 
 " 2. Whether the^ etiect of .section 41 of above be not entirely 
 prospective, giving jjower to the Legislative Council and Assembly 
 of either Province, as to future allotments and appropriations ; 
 or whether it can be extended to affect lands which have l>een 
 ulready allotted and ai)propriated under former grants ? 
 
 " 3. Whether the Legislative Council and Assembly of Ujiiier 
 (janada, having enacted that it shall be lawful for the Governur, 
 by and with the advice of the E.xecutive Council, to sell, alienate, 
 and convey in fee simple, all or any of the Clergy Reserves ; and 
 having further enacted in the same Act, that the proceeds of all 
 i)ast sales of such Reserves shall be subject to such orders and 
 directions as the Governor in Council shall make and establish for 
 investing in any securities within the Province the amount now
 
 178 
 
 funded in England, together Avith the proceeds hereafter to be 
 received from the sale of all or any of the said Eeserves, or any 
 part thereof, did, in making such enactments, or either of them, 
 exceed their lawful authority ?" 
 
 On the 4th May, 1840, the Judges delivered their reply 
 in the House of Lords, — all the Judges except Lord 
 Denham and Lord Abinger having met to consider the 
 (.questions proposed to them by the House. To the lirst 
 question they answered, — "We are all of opinion that the 
 words 'a Protestant Clergy' in the 31 Geo. HL, ch. 31, are 
 large enough to include, and do include, other Clergy than 
 the Clergy of the Church of England"; and when their 
 Lordships asked, "If any other, what other"? the Judges 
 answered, " The Clergy of the Church of Scotland." 
 
 To the second question the Judges said, "We are all of 
 opinion that the effect of the 41st section of the statute 
 is yrospective only; and that the power thereby given to 
 the Legislative Council and Assembly of either Province 
 cannot be extended to affect lands which have been alreadj/ 
 allotted and appropriated u'nder former grants." 
 
 In answer to the last fpiestion, the Judges said, — "We 
 all ao-ree in opinion that the Legislative Council and 
 Assembly of Upper Canada have exceeded their authority 
 in passing an Act to ' provide for the sale of the Clergy 
 Reserves, and for the distribution of the proceeds thereof,' 
 in respect of both the enactments s])ecified in your Lord- 
 ships' question; and that the sales which have been, or 
 may be, effected in consequence, are contrary to the 
 provisions of tlie Statute of Geo. Ill, and therefore void." 
 
 In their answer to the second ({uestion, the Judges 
 sustained the view ufhnued by leading Churchmen in 
 Canada many years l)ef(.re ; and in the month of March, 
 1838, the writer of this memoir, as editor of the "Church" 
 newspaper, recorded it as his persuasion "that if this 
 special point were submitted to the Judges of England, 
 such would be their unqualified award." The delegation
 
 I7!> 
 
 to the l*i()\iiicial J^ai liaiiirnt dl" tlic ji()\Vfr t(i"\'ary nr 
 repeal," clearly excluded tliein from any legislation upon a])- 
 propriations of Clergy Reserves alveachj made. They might 
 hencefoi'ward "vary" the proportion of reservation ; or they 
 might stop all further allottment of land for sucli object. 
 
 Adopting tlie opinion of the Judges as the l)asis of 
 iegishition, the Bishops of the United Kingdom, supportc<i 
 by leading members of the House of Lords and Commons, 
 were determined to bring this vexed question to a settle- 
 ment ; and accordingly on the 7th August, 1840, an Act 
 was passed to "provide f(n- the sale of Clergy Reserves in 
 the Province of Canada, and for the distribution of the 
 })roceeds thereof." The decision, in substance, was that 
 the moneys invested in England from the sale of one-fourth 
 of the Reserves authorized by Act of Parliament in 1827, 
 should be divided between the Churches of England and 
 Scotland in the proportion of two-thirds to the former and 
 one-third to tlie latter; and tliat tlie whole of the una])- 
 propriated lands, — amounting to alxnit 1,800,000 acres, — 
 should be sold, and tlio })roeeeds divided into two equal 
 parts; one-half to 1)C given to tlie Church of England and 
 Scotland in the proportion above mentioned; and the 
 remaining half to be appli('(l by the Governor and Execu- 
 tive Council for the purposes of public worship and religious 
 instruction in Canada. 
 
 The following declaration in the '■Church" newspaper of 
 ord October, IS-iO, expres.sed no doubt the sentiments of 
 Clergy and Laity generally through the Province, — "Now 
 that a settlement of the question has been definitiveh 
 made, we shall feel it a duty to inculcate ol»edienci' to il 
 as the law of tin/ land, ami to lender it as bcncticial as 
 possible for the object intended. It is with all well-dis- 
 posed persons a subject for congratulation tliat a topic of 
 grievance has thus been removed, and most heartily do we 
 hope and pray, that it will not soon be folluvrcd by 
 another equally groundless and disquieting."
 
 180 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Fii-st ('oiifirinatioii T<nu\ — l^riinarv A^isitation at Toronto. 
 
 CHE Bishop of Toronto, ailer due notice of his arrange- 
 ments, commenced his first Confirmation Tour on 
 the 24th May, 1840. His first vis't was to tlie 
 Niagara District, — comprehending the ])resent Counties of 
 Lincoln, Welland, and Haklimand, — where the parislies of 
 eight Clergj^men were visited, and 139 persons confirmed. 
 At, Niagara, where he officiated on Sunday, the SOth, to 
 crowded and attentive congregations, he received a warm 
 address, to wliich lie replied in corresponding terms. 
 
 He retui-ned to Toronto early in June, and after a few 
 <lays' interval, proceeded on his journey through the por- 
 tion of the Diocese north of Toronto. The parishes of 
 eight Clergymen were visited, and 152 confirmed. He also 
 consecrated two churches and one burial-ground. 
 
 On the 8t]i July, after a rest of five days at Toronto, the 
 Bishop commenced his confirmation journeys eastward, and 
 visited forty j^arishes and stations, served hy thirty-two 
 Clergymen. The most remote was distant about 300 miles 
 from Toronto; but from the necessity of diverging in 
 many cases from the main road in order to leach the 
 several congregations, the amount of travelling was very 
 much increased. This journey occupied nearly two months, 
 and 800 persons were confirmeil. At Picton a very grati- 
 fying address was [(resented to his Lordship ; and the 
 interest of the occasion was increased by a deputation of 
 ladies placing in his hands a subscription list, guaranteeing 
 £50 per annum towards the support of a travelling mis-
 
 181 
 
 sioiiaiy ill tlic J)istri(_'t of Prince K<hv;U(l. At ( 'oruwall. 
 ho was ill tlie sceiio ot'liis first iniiiistr.itioiis in the Chureli; 
 and in liis repl}^ to the afi'ectionate address presented to 
 him l»y the itarisliionors, lie used these touching words: — 
 
 " It is now twonty-eiglit years since iny separation from yoii 
 took place ; l)iit it is still as IVcsh on tlie tablet of vny memory 
 as at the hour of departure, and attended with many ])leasing as 
 well as melanclu'ly associations. 
 
 "This church I assisted to Ijuild ; in this desk and pidpil, 
 and at this altar, I ministered to your spiritual wants. Some of 
 my ancient friends are still before nie ; and many of my children 
 in the Lord, who.sc laces I first beheld at the baptismal font, now 
 promising nunnbers of the congregation, are seeking my remem- 
 lii-ance These form a delightful spectacle, for which I ouglit to 
 be thankful; and yet, even at such a moment of enjoyment, 
 melancholy reflections will come forwaixl. 
 
 " [ look around, and see many seats now vacant, or occupi.-d 
 Ity strangers, which were once filled by those who smiled on my 
 early il«ys, and amidst my cares and troubles never f;dl<Ml U> 
 extend the friendly hand, and offer the fatherly counsel, and 
 greet me with the kind word and tiie look of encouragement and 
 up])robation. 
 
 "Although no jierson can be more sensible of his many intir- 
 ndties and deficiencies than I am, yet I am greatly strengthened 
 and encouraged by the warm vecei)tion which you have given nn', 
 and which is accompanie(l with so many endearing and delitrhtfnl 
 recollections." 
 
 (Jn the 7tli September, the Bi.shop re.sumed his travels, 
 — going westwards from Toronto; commencing at Wel- 
 lington Square, and extending to Sandwich. The pnri.slu^s 
 t)l" thirty-l'our Clergymen were visited, and nearly 700 
 persons confirmed. Subseciuently, confirmations were lield 
 in 'J'oronto, and its imniediat'.' neiglibonrhood, — making 
 the whole number admitted to that rite dnriiig th(']>resent 
 year, fully 2000. 
 
 These were not eomi)k'ted until tlie middle of October ;
 
 182 
 
 but the remarkable result was tlie visitation in one season, 
 with a very few exceptions, of the entire Diocese, — then 
 extending from Sandwich to the Ottawa. Few men could 
 have undergone this continuous and scarcely interrupted 
 labour of five months, wdth health unimi)airpd, and spirits 
 and energy unbroken. For it was a labour of no ordinary 
 cliaracter. The amount of travelling was enormous ; and 
 all performed in an open vehicle. The roads in many 
 <^ases were extremely rough; stony or swampy, with now 
 and then miles of log bridges without any covering of 
 earth, over which the carriage jolted violently and moved 
 at a snail's pace. It embraced, too, the hottest period oi' 
 the year ; and oftentimes the fare by day and the accom- 
 modation at night were of the coarsest, rudest character. 
 
 These were trials of the bodily frame ; l)ut they were to 
 a most serious extent increased by the discharge of the 
 duties which gave occasion to these journeys. Scarcely a 
 day passed without one Confirmation service ; and ver}- 
 frequently there were two. The Bishop invariably preached 
 on these occasions ; and after the Confii'mation service, 
 addressed the candidates at considerable length. Tliese 
 addresses were always very impressive ones ; they were 
 simple and practical, and touched closely the sympathies 
 and feelings of the yoiuig. In urging all to the Savioin-, 
 as the only hope of the sinner, he was careful to set before 
 them those every-day duties, of personal holiness of eon- 
 duct and the subjection of wicked and hurtful passionsv 
 which are the ordy ])i-actical test of a genuine Christian 
 faith. To bring these as closely home as possible, and to 
 enlist both parents and children in one common aim, and 
 turn this renewal of the l)a|)tismal vows into a household 
 blessing, he uniforndy pressed upon the confirmed the 
 duty of being liereforward more loving and obedient to 
 their parents, and more affectionate to their brothers and 
 sistei's. Thei'e was always, too, an inculcation of that out- 
 side sympathy and work which serves to prove that Chi-is-
 
 183 
 
 tians nro i\ lnDtliciliood ; tliat lliey nnish not selfishly lock 
 u[) their vdw ;iii<l kiiHliiess within the home circle, or 
 limit them in the tt(»nimnnitv in wliidi tlioy lia|)]~)cn t<> 
 
 livr. 
 
 In the (•((urst' ot* this extensive tour, iiiaii\' interestiiio- 
 nnd jileasimj;- incidents occniTcd. Amongst tlie (aiididates 
 for confirmation at Ancastei', tlien under tlie cliai'gc of tlu- 
 Rev. Dr. McMurray, was a gentleman far advanee<l in lifi'. 
 Mr. Job Lodor, wdio liad but recently become a. memlx-r of 
 tlie C^hurch, and had generously advanced the sum re(|iiisitc 
 to buy ort" all claimants upon St. John's Cliiirch at that 
 place, so that it might be exclusively the property of the 
 < 'hiirch of England. Originally it had been built as a. free 
 ( 'hureh ; to Avhich all denominations were to have access, 
 and which appears to have been used in turn l»y religion- 
 ists of almost every name. The Bishoj) in his address t<» 
 the eonti]-med, spoke [jarticularly to th(>se of maturer 
 years, and a})})arently near llie clost' of their career ; and 
 he expressed himself so tenderly and kindly to such as 
 thus late in Jifc made an open profession of their faith. 
 that Mr. Lodoi- was melted to tears. 
 
 At Gait, ])revious t<> tlie ( 'untirmation, two persons of 
 middle age, — one of them a \ery influential individual in 
 the neighbourhood, — received the lu»ly Sacrament of Bap- 
 tism undei" circumstances which manifested very cheerfnllv 
 the growth of sound Church jtrinciplcs. It appears that 
 the individual alluded to, had, in early life, received liap- 
 tism from the hands of some minister not epi.sco]mlly 
 ordained ; but having, after careful reading and enquiry, 
 arrived at the conviction that none but a person thus 
 ordained has a \alid conimission to administer the Sacra- 
 ments of the Christian Church, they felt a distrust of tlie 
 efficacy of the ordinance as thus conferred, antl expressed a 
 strong desire for its ri'gular and authorized connnunication. 
 
 Antecedent to the Divine service on this occasion, 
 another pleasing incident occurred. An aged member of
 
 184 
 
 the Church, n >Scottish Episcopalian, on his first introduc- 
 tion to the Bishop, knelt down before liim and solicited 
 his blessing. Tliere was something in this pleasing 
 occurrence which impressively called to mind the days of 
 patriarchal simplicity, and which im[)Iifd a dutiful recog- 
 nition of the high and sacied character of an overseer of 
 the Church of God. 
 
 In the old Mohawk Cliurch at Brantford, aft<'r the ( 'oii- 
 firmation service, the chiefs of the tribe came forward and 
 addressed the Bishop. This address, spoken in their own 
 lan^uafe, was translated, sentence by sentence, into Englisli 
 by an interpreter. They expressed their congi-atulations 
 u])on the visit of a father of the Church, i\)V which they 
 said they felt a strong attachment. They declared their 
 thankfulness for all that had been, and v>'as still doing, for 
 themselves and their childi'en ; and concluded with a well- 
 merited commendation of the valuable and faithful services 
 of their Missionary. His Lordship made them a short, 
 Itut touching re})]y. He alluded to the gallantry of theii- 
 nation, and rc\joiced that they had exchanged the weapons 
 of war, and the roving habits of hunters, for the implements 
 of husbandry, and the peaceful pursuit of the arts of a 
 ci\ilized and Christian life. He exhorted them to a faith- 
 ful use of their religious privileges; and, commending 
 lliem to the blessing of God, took each severally by the 
 hand and bade them farewell. 
 
 In the congregation at Tuscarora, on th<' following day, 
 together with the Indians confirmed, were sevei-al negroes, 
 who were connected with, and lived on terms of great 
 amity with their red brethren. Amongst the nund^n- con- 
 firmed, meekly kneeling by the side of Africans and Indians, 
 was the wife of the Missionary. In the course of the after- 
 noon, there was occasion for the performance of the funeral 
 service, and nothing could exceed the solemnity with 
 whigh it was conducted. The ritual of the Church, oi' 
 cour.se, was used ; but we were struck with the peculiar
 
 1 s:. 
 
 iiiipressivriiL'ss of tlit-ir custiini ol" siiiL;iiig a t'uiicral liyinii 
 (liuiii«^^ tlic progress IVoni tlic flnncli to the gi-ave. Ever\- 
 voice seemed to imito in it ; and its plaintifl" melodies 
 were borne away far over the hills and through the forest. 
 
 On tlu- 12th April, shortly before setting out on this loug 
 tour, the Bishop held his first Ordination in the Cathedral 
 Church of St. James, at Toronto ; when four were ordained 
 Deacons, and four were admitted to the Priesthood. On 
 the 25th October, soon after that la1)orious summer's work 
 was ended, a second Ordination was held ; when two were 
 added to the number of Deacons, and one to that (jI" 
 Priests. 
 
 The Bishop of Toronto held his primary' visitation of 
 the Clergy of his Diocese, in the Cathedral Church of St. 
 Jame.s, on Thursday i)th September, 1841. Sixty-one 
 Clergymen were present, and twenty-five absent, — making 
 the whole number 80. Nino of these had been admitted 
 to Holy Orders by the Bishop himself; so that the whole 
 number of Clergy, at the time he assumed the charge of th<; 
 Diocese, was 77. Tlie Charge of his Lordship to the Clergy 
 on this occasion, nuist have occupied about an hour and 
 a half, and its contents were varied and interesting. " It 
 adverted," says the "Church" newspaper, "to every promi- 
 nent topic affecting the Church, — to its rise and growth in 
 this Province, — its position with reference to sectarians, — 
 its temporalities, — its wants, and the best means of supply- 
 ing them,— -the duties of the Clergy in administering tin- 
 .sac)-aments, and catechizing and educating youth, — in line, 
 his Lordshi]> scarcely h'ft a .subject of any importance 
 unt<niehod. At the conuiienc-ement of the charge, the 
 venerable Prelate ajipeari.'d to labour under powerful emo- 
 tion, as if bowed down l)y a sense of the very great 
 responsibility resting upon him, and his voice somewhat 
 faltered ; but he quickly regained his entire self-i)ossession, 
 and delivered himself to the end, with an energ}- expressive 
 of the strongest sincerity and zeal." 
 '2i
 
 180 
 
 From this valuable docvinient, a icvr exti'acts cannot fail 
 to he intorestino- to onv roadei's :— 
 
 " The liistoiy of the Church in this Diocese, tliough doubtless 
 reseriibling that of many other Colonies, is not without peculiar 
 interest. For many years after its first settlement, as the favourite 
 usyluni of suffering lo3^alty, there was but one Clergyman of tlie 
 Cliurch of England within its extensive limits. Tliis wns the 
 Rev. Dr. Stuart ; who may be truly ])ronounced the iatlier of 
 the Church in Upper Canada, and fondly do I hold him in affec- 
 tionate remembrance. 
 
 " In 1792, two clergymen arrived from England ; but so little 
 was then kno^n of the country, and the little that was published 
 was so incorrect and so luifivourable, from exaggerated accounts 
 of the climate and the terrible pi-ivations to which its inhabitants 
 wei-e said to be exposed, that no Missionai'ies could be induced to 
 come out. Even at the commencement of 1803, the Diocese 
 contained only four Clei'gymen, for it was in the s))ring of thnt 
 year that I made the fifth. 
 
 "In 1819, the Clergy of this Province had increased to ten. 
 In 182o, they had risen to twenty-two ; in 1827, to thirty ; in 
 1833, to forty -six ; and our number is now about ninety. Still 
 our sj)iritual wants are many. More than forty Missionaries 
 could at this moment be most usefully employed ; and earnest 
 applications are daily being made to me, from various villages 
 and townshij)s, for resident Clergymen. My primary visitation 
 tin-ough the Diocese occupied fi-om the latter end of May to the 
 middle of October of la.st year. In my progress, I was able 
 to go to every parish at which a Clergyman resided, with the 
 excejjtion of one or two which it was impossible for me to reacli, 
 on account of their jx'culiar situation and difficulty of access, 
 without a greater sacrifice of time than [ could "then spare. 
 
 "In pa.ssing through the Diocese, I beheld the Clergy every 
 where active and laborious, living in good feeling and har- 
 mony among themselves and with their flocks ; seeking out our 
 peo])le in the wilderness, forming them into congr-egations and 
 parishes, and extending on every side the foundations of.our 
 beloved Zion. Is it not a blessing of inestimable value, that
 
 187 
 
 already move than three huiidivd places of wor.sliip arc opened 
 every week in Western Canada in wliich the Clergy discharge 
 their high and holy functions, — in oftering mi prayers, reading 
 the Sci-iptnres, preaching the Gospel, administering the Sacra- 
 ments, and catechizing tlic children I Riicli ministrations aic 
 beyond all price.'" 
 
 " During the last y(;ar tin; p;M-[(lt'.\iiig ipu'stiun of tlic Clergy 
 Ilcserves has been finally settled. Whether the best course was, 
 or was not, taken in that settlement, it would be of little import- 
 ance now to enquire. It was, beyond doubt, most desirable that 
 an end should be put to the unhappy controversy which 
 had arisen on the subject. Those who have desired to .see tlie 
 interests of the Church protected and her elliciency increased, 
 have at least the satisfaction of reflecting that, before the decision 
 was come to, every consideration, which it was just and necessary 
 to keep in view, was zealously and anxiously brought under tiie 
 notice of Governnieut and of rarliament. it only remains for 
 ns to urge, in a just and CJhvistian s[)irit, whate^er may seein 
 best for turning to the greatest advantage, in support of what wn 
 believe to be the true religion, such jiriAileges and ])ro\ isions a-. 
 are still left." 
 
 .MliT (Icsc-riMiio- the peculiar position (jf tlic ( 'hiirch of 
 ICiiOfliUid at tluit time ; liow she stood then, as in foniier 
 times, the acknowledged bulwark of the Protestant faith, 
 against Pa})al despotism and superstition, and the safe- 
 guard of Gos])el trntli ami order against the heretical and 
 disorganizing jirinciples of numy modern dissenters, he says 
 with much warmth and elo([uence, — 
 
 " She seems like a city on a hiU, ct)ns[)icuous to tlie whoii- 
 world, assailed by millions of encmifs unable to [uvvail, exhibit- 
 ing a spotless model of the primitive Church, and holding the 
 faith which was once delivered to the saints. She will never 
 grow old, but will stand alone in the world, — immutable amidst 
 every vicissitude, inunovable amidst every fluctuation, — one con- 
 stant star in this universe of growth and decay, mifading and the 
 .-auie, — one august, incorruptible, and glorious verity, shining 
 with eelestj.d liyht ovvv the ocenui of uncertaintv and change.
 
 188 
 
 This model of the jn-imitive Church, so beautiful and perfect, 
 cannot fail to suggest that a departure from Apostolic usages and 
 piiuciples is the pi-olific cause of all the heresies and divisions 
 which deform and disgrace the Christian world. 
 
 " It is necessary, then, for all of us to have our minds deeply 
 and affectionately imbued with the distinctive principles of our 
 Church, and to be armed witli her creeds and articles, that we may 
 be prepared against her foes, and through the channel of her 
 beautiful ministi'ations, to bring home with effect the truths of 
 the Gospel to the hearts of our jieople. Thus understood, and 
 brought forward, the Church of England will in time become the 
 centre of unity of all that is good and wise, i)ure and holy, — the 
 city of habitation, not oidy to those who make their escape from 
 the Roman Babylon, and the thousand sects who are wandering 
 in the wilderness, ])ut to all the nations yet immersed in Pagan 
 idolatry. 
 
 "Your whole energies must be employed, so far as the influ- 
 ence of jjrecept and example can effect, to gather within the pale 
 of the Ciuirch the population of your parish or district ; to make 
 the sons and daughters of the Lord the sons and daughters of the 
 Church, members and children of the same religious family ; and 
 to carry the living spirit of the Gospel into every cottage, hamlet, 
 and town within your missionary bounds, that the whole Pro- 
 vince may be imbued with the spirit of Christ. Till this is in a 
 great measure done, the people will, in u religious view, continue 
 wretched and feeble ; for the laws are negative iu their effects, — 
 it is religion alone that instils positive good, and breaks the 
 sceptre of selfishness. It is only the practical influence and 
 operation of faith and piety that can soften the heart, and intro- 
 duce those sacred charities and protecting virtues which are ever 
 ble.ssint; and ever blessed." 
 
 His Lordshi]) i)roceedo<l to givo S(jiiic iisolul iustructiuns 
 on preaching, and tlie duty especially of cultivating- tlif 
 talent of preaching extempore; as occasions would ai'ise in 
 vvdiich the use of a wiitten sei-mon would be impossible. 
 He urged, too, a faithful attention to the rubrical direc- 
 tions of the C'hurcli, particularly as regards Baptism and
 
 IS!) 
 
 the Churching of "Women . Tic prossctl a careful regard to 
 the instruction of tlie young, and the great vahic of public 
 cateclii/ing, — stiongly rcconmiending also tlie zealous 
 u|iholtling of Sunday Seho(»ls. And even thus early, there 
 was a reference to the inij)Oi'tanee of Diocesan Synods; 
 but a free acknowledgment that, as yet, his information 
 upon the s\ibject M'as not sutKcient to enable him to. suggest 
 any plan for bringing them into practical ojjeration here. 
 The following were the concluding words of this long nu'l 
 able r'harge : — 
 
 "Now, uiy revuiciul bretlnou, 1 trnai that you will bt-av in 
 mind the iraportaiit matters which I have brought before j'ou, 
 and that tliey will be the fre<iuent svd)ject of your meditations 
 aud prayers. If the holy Ai)ostles, with all their gifts and 
 graces, needed the prayers of their fellow Christians, how much 
 itiore have we need to i)ray Ibr one another, that the word of God 
 may have free course, and our ministry be l)lessed to his glory I 
 In this Dioce.se, coiitaiiiing nearly hall' a million of iuliabitauts, 
 there are many denominations more or less active in their opera- 
 tions ; often o])iJOsed to, and rarely moving in hai'inony with the 
 Church, or with one another. In dealing with them, we require 
 to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves ; tirmly, but without 
 offence, maintaining our distiuctive principles, anil clothing our- 
 selves with all those Christian graces which belong to faith. 
 piety, order, and jtcace. So ])icpareil for doing the work of 
 Evangelists, wc may, with holy boldness, look forward to the 
 time when tln^ whole ProviiKH? will become the garden of the 
 Lord."
 
 190 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Estiiblisliuieut of the Diocesau Theological College at Cobourg. 
 —Laying the Corner-stone of King's College a I Toronto. 
 — Formation of the Chnrcli Society. — Confirmation in 184l'. 
 
 CHE ()j>})o«itiou to tlic Cliarter ol" King's (V)lk'ge Uni- 
 versity was faint, tlioiigli i)er,scvering, since the 
 period Ave last noticed the agitation regarding it. 
 In lcS32 it was proposed by Lord Goderich, as the best 
 njeans of quieting the public discontent, that the Corpora- 
 tion should surrender their Royal Charter, together with 
 the endowment ; on tlie assurance fi'om the Imperial 
 Covernment that, in the re-construction of the University, 
 iiu part of that endowment should ever be diverted from 
 the education of youth. This was met by a decided refusal ; 
 and, in the reply of the Council to the Secretar}^ of State 
 for the Colonies, it is easy to trace the nervous style of the 
 sul)ject of this Memoir : — 
 
 " If the objections entertained by the Conncil against the 
 sui-render of the Charter were not insurmountable, no stronger 
 intlucement could be offered than the request which his Lordshij)'s 
 despatch conveys. For the Council cannot fail to be sensible that 
 sucli a request can have been dictated only by a supjjosed necessity 
 for departing from established principles, in order to i)romote the 
 peace and content of the Colony. With the opinions, however, 
 which the Council entertain, and with the opportunity of forming 
 those opinions which their residence in the Colony atibrds them, 
 they could never stand excused to themselves or others if they 
 should surrender the Charter, supposing it to be within their 
 power, so long as there is an utter uncertainty as to the measures 
 that would follow. The moral and religious state of more than
 
 11)1 
 
 JOUjUUO l^>riti.sli sul)jccls is at present involved in tlio jivuper 
 «lispo«i\l of these questions ; and before many years will havo elapsed . 
 more than a million will be allected hy them. The Council, 
 therefore, whatever results may he obtained by other means, 
 roiild ni>t justity to tlienisclvrs the assuming the responsibility of 
 l•ndan^■eriIl,i^ the very existence of the Institution. They feel 
 lH>un(l to look beyond tin; movements and discussions of the 
 passinj^ moment ; and could not, even if they concurri'(l in tii.' 
 view of the ))rescnt expediency, consent to pull down the only 
 foundation which at present exists in Up])er Canada for tin- 
 ad\'anci>nient of youtli in rdii^Mou and learning, ujum a .system 
 which has not yet been i-cpudiatcd in any part of ITis ]\raiesty's 
 dominions." 
 
 If llu' (lestructiou of the University was not, sooner or 
 later, inevitable, it was certain that tlie rellgiout^ basi.s 
 upon which it was meant to be framed, could not long be 
 maintained. The distru.st thus awakened, and the appre- 
 hension that it could never po.s.se.s.s the full confidence of 
 the Clmrch, as a })hice of ])reparation for the Ministry, led 
 to the foundation of the Dioccsan Theological C^ollege at 
 ( 'obourg, wliieh was started umler the following circum- 
 stances. 
 
 Fn the month of Ot;tober, 184-1, the following C'lorgymeii, 
 ( 'haplains of the Lord Bishop, — viz., Rev. A. X. Bethune, 
 R."v. H. J. (Jrasett, and the Rev. H. Scadding, — were 
 r('( [nested to draw up, and i-eport to his Lor<lshi]), sonu' 
 plan Ijy which the Students of Divinity in this Diocese 
 might be brought under a systematic course of instruction 
 in Theology, preparatory to their being admitted to H<:>ly 
 Orders, and pending the establishment of a regular ( 'ol- 
 legiate Institution. The report having been submitted, the 
 following annouiicrment was made by the authority of the 
 Lord Bisho)), in tlie " ( 'hnreh " m'wspaper of Xi>\-. ilTtli. 
 1841 :- 
 
 " The Lord Bishop of Toronto has been pleased to appoint 
 the Rev. A. N. Bethune, Rector of Cobouro-, and one of his
 
 192 
 
 Chaplains, to bo Professor of Theology in this Diocese. 
 Candidates for Holy orders will in future be expected to 
 |)lace themselves under the instructions of the Professor, 
 fn- the pur})ose of pnssino- through a prescribed course of 
 Theological study ; but they must previously pass an 
 examination l)efore one of the Bishop's Chaplains, to ascer- 
 tain their competency to enter with advantage on the 
 appointed line of reading. At the end of the course, such 
 students as are approved by the Professor, and can produce 
 the necessary testimonials, will be permitted to present 
 themselves as candidates for Ordination." 
 
 h was accordingly announced that this school for Theo- 
 logical instruction would be opened at Cobourg on the 10th 
 January following. During the first term of the Institu- 
 tion, ending at Easter, seven students were in attendance ; 
 and almost immediately after, four more were added. 
 After the long vacation, there was a further increase, and 
 the number in October following stood at seventeen. During 
 the whole period of the continuance of the Institution, the 
 average attendance of pupils was fifteen. 
 
 At the commencement, Lectures were given only three 
 times a week ; but subsequently, they were delivered daily, 
 Mondays only excepted. These embraced the Greek Tes- 
 tament, both Gospels and Epistles ; the Thirty-nine 
 Articles ; the Evidences of Divine Revelation and of Chris- 
 tianity in particular, comprehending such as arise from 
 undesigned coincidences; the 01<1 Testament History, 
 critically reviewed ; the Liturgy, including dissertations 
 on Forms of Prayer, and on the ancient Liturgies ; Church 
 Government, comprehending the Scriptural, as well as 
 patristic testimonies ; Ecclesiastical History, and select 
 portions of several of the Greek and Latin Fathers. Besides 
 these, sermons M'cre required to be written by each student 
 at stated periods ; which were read by the Students them- 
 selves, and commented upon Ijy the Professor, before the 
 whole body.
 
 19:^ 
 
 The sulijccts tlius iiiarkc(l out wduM i«'(|uirc, it was 
 estimated, tlic attendance of 'JMieolo^dcal Students for full 
 three years ; Avhieh was the period of residence, with few 
 exceptions, exacted from all wlio entered. 
 
 The Students were re(pHred to attend daily ^lorniiii;- 
 Prayer at the place of Lecture, — Sunday's being excepted, 
 when they attended the parish Church. A distinctive 
 dress, of cap and gown, was worn by the Students, under 
 the same regulations as at other Collegiate Institutions. 
 
 Classes in the Sunday Schools were uniformly allotted 
 to the Students, as a becoming and useful exercise prepa- 
 ratory to the ministr}' ; and t(^ several, — making the 
 selection according to age and more particular (pialitication 
 for the <hity, — the performance of Divine Service was 
 assigned in various places which could not be regularly 
 included in the ministrations of the officiating Clei'gyman. 
 The Students were permitted to live in lodgings approved 
 of by the Professor ; and in some few instances, they pro- 
 vided apartments, and the expense of maintenance for 
 themselves. The whole number of members of this Insti- 
 tution admitted to Holy Orders from its opening in 1S42 
 to its close in 1851, was forty -five ; and, with few exceptions, 
 they have proved themselves amongst the most hard- 
 working and most successful of our Clergy. 
 
 The administratit)n of the Government of Canada, by 
 Lord Sydenham, was brought to a. melancholy close by the 
 sudden death of his Lordsliip on the l!)th September, 1841. 
 He was succeeded by Sir ('harles Bagot ; who, In'ing a 
 University man and of highly cultivated literary taste, 
 took a warm interest in the fortunes of King's College, and 
 detennincil upon its bring brought into [iractical operation 
 at as early a period as possil)le. On the 2nd April, 1842, 
 he paid his first visit to Toronto, the seat of Goverimient 
 being then at Kingston ; on the following day, lie 
 held a levee at Government House, which was very numer- 
 ously attended ; and on Saturday, the 23rd, St. George's
 
 194 
 
 Day, the corner-stone of King's College \\'<as laid by His 
 Excellency in jierson. The cei-emony was thus beautifully 
 described in the "Church" newspaper of the folloAving 
 week, at that time edited by Mr. John Kent : — 
 
 " The vast procession, witli His Excellency, the Chancellor, — 
 the Lord Bishop of Toronto, the President, on his right, and the 
 Chief Justice, the senior Visitor, on his left, — proceeded on foot 
 throngh the College Avenue np to the University Grounds. The 
 countless array moved forward, to the sound of military music, 
 in the most perfect order, and in strict accordance with the pre- 
 concerted arrangements. The sun shone out with cloudless 
 meridian splendour upon perhaps the fairest scene that Canada 
 has ever beheld ; one blaze of banners flashed upon the admiring 
 eye. The Governor's rich Lord Lieutenant's dress, the Bishoi)'s 
 seemly vestments, the judicial ermine of the Chief Justice, the 
 splendid convocation robes of Dr. McCaul, the gorgeous uniforms 
 of the suite, the neat accoutrements of the very numerjous fire- 
 men, the national badges worn by the ofiice-bearers of the different 
 Societies, and what, on such a day, must not be omitted, the I'ed 
 cross on the breast of England's congregated sons, the grave 
 habiliments of the clergy and the lawyers, and the glancing 
 lances and waving plumes of the 1st Incorporated Dragoons, — all 
 formed one moving picture of well-ordered civic pomp ; one 
 glorious spectacle, which can never be remembered but with 
 satisfaction by those who had the good fortune to witness it. On 
 marched the long and glittering line thi'ough the 'tiue budding 
 plantations of the Aveime, innumei'able groups studding the side- 
 walks, but not marring the outline of the procession. As it 
 drew nearer to the site, where the stone was to be laid, the 4.3r(l 
 Regiment lined the way, with soldiers bearing arms, and ])laced 
 on either side, at equal intervals. When the site was reached, 
 a new feature was added to the intci'cst of the cei-emony. Close 
 to the spot, — the north-east corner, — where tlie foundation-stont^ 
 was to be deposited, a temporary building liad been erected for 
 the Chancellor, and there, accompanied l)y the officers of the 
 University and his suite, lie took his stand. Fronting this was 
 a kind of amphitheatre of seats, constructed for tlie occasion, tier
 
 10.-, 
 
 rising above tier, doiisely lillcd with ladies, wlio tinis (•(uniiiaiKlcd 
 a view (if the whole ceremony. ]{ot\vecn this amphitheatre and 
 the jtlact! wliere the Chancelli)i' stood, i\u: procession ranged 
 itself." 
 
 All vVddicss to liis Kxcrliciicy tlic (jhaucellof was tlicii 
 read l>y tlu^ ]jis]iu]) of Toronto. Appropriate prayers 
 folIowe<l, IVom the Rev. Dr. MeOaiil and the Rev. H. J. 
 (irasett. Tlie Hon. L. P. Sherwood then pre.sented to the 
 Chancellor the gohl and .silver coins, and the bottle in 
 which they were to be placed; and the Hon. W. Allan, the 
 Charter and papers. The Hon. W. H. Draper, tlie Attor- 
 ney General, read the Latin inscription upon the plate ; 
 followed by the Hon. R. S. Jameson, Vice Chancellor, who 
 read an English translation of it. 
 
 The beautiful silver trowel was handed to his Excel- 
 lency by the Hon. Capt. J. S. Macaulay ; and, the founda- 
 tion-stone, weighing nearly two tons, having been let 
 down into its place, his Excellency completed the usual 
 ceremony. The Artillery fired a salute of nineteen guns, 
 and Noil nobis Domlne was then finely executed by the 
 Rand of the 93rd. The Bishop dismissed the assembly 
 with an appropriate prayer, and the usual blessing; and 
 "Cod Save the Queen" closed the ceremony, — the immense 
 multitude testifying their joy at the consummation of this 
 great event by giving three cheers for Her Majesty, three 
 for Sir Charles Bagot, tbree for the Lord Bishop, find three 
 for the Chief Justice. 
 
 To none was this a more joyous day than to the Bi.sho[» 
 of Toronto. He felt as if that which was his day- 
 dream when, a mere youth, he left his native land, and 
 which, after setting foot u})on the country of his adt)ption^ 
 had been an absorbing thought, an undimmed hoi)e, — was 
 now accomplished. Tlu; University, for which he had 
 toiled so long and endured so much, was in fact com- 
 menced; and he was to see now the culmination of his grand 
 ])lans lor tlie thorough education, — intellectual, moral,
 
 196 
 
 and religious, — of the youth of this rapidl}- growing Pro- 
 vince. 
 
 But tliere was otlicr work before hini, more strictly in 
 connexion with his Episco})al duties. On the 28th April, 
 1842, in less than a week after the imposing ceremony 
 just described, the foundation-stone, as it may be termed, 
 of another institution was laid, — The Church Society of 
 THE Diocese. 
 
 For many years we had in operation witliin the Diocese, 
 District Branches of the Society for Promoting Christian 
 Knowledge ; establishe<l for the purpose of distributing 
 the Holy Scriptures, Prayer Books, and otlier religious 
 publications, at a cheap rate. And as far back as 1829, 
 we had a Society established at Toronto, for the civiliza- 
 tion and conversion of the Indians, and for extending the 
 ministrations of the Church to destitute settlers in the 
 Province through the means of Travelling Missionaries 
 A good work was being accomplished through both these 
 agencies ; but it was thought best to give concentration to 
 the efforts thus em})loyed, and to embody all our Church 
 Avork of that character in one organization. Tliis, too, 
 would admit of the introducti(jn of other |)lans of benevo- 
 lence, which ought not any longer to be delayed ; such as 
 aid to superannuated Missionaries, j)rovision for the 
 widows and orphans of deceased Clergymen, and some 
 pecuniary encouragement to Students in Divinity. 
 
 The meeting for the purpose of forming " The Church 
 Society of the Diocese of Toronto," was held in the City 
 Hall on the day above named. Thirty-five Clergymen, 
 exclusive of the Bishop, were })resent, — many of them 
 having come from a considerable distance. The attend- 
 ance of lay members of the Church was also very large ; 
 comprising the leading gentlemen of the City and neigh- 
 bourhood, and several influential gentlemen from different 
 parts of the Province. The chair was occupied by the 
 Lord Bi.shop, and the first resolution moved by Chief
 
 197 
 
 Justice "Robinson. He was followed Ly lyir. Justice 
 Haj^aM-man, the Kev. R. D. ( *artwri;^'lit, the Rev. A. F. 
 Atkinson, tlic Rev. Dr. McCaul, the Rev. R. S. C. Taylor, 
 Mr. Aldcrnian Dixon, the Rev. A. N, Bethutie, the Rev. B. 
 ( 'ronyn, the Rev. C. Matthews, John Kent, Es(|., the Rev. 
 .1. Short, G. P. Ridout, Esq., Capt. J. S. Macaulay, and tho 
 Rev. S. Givins. The meeting commenced at 3 o'clock, and 
 did Rdt tonniiiatc niilil nearly <S ; Imt, in the language of 
 till' '■ ( 'hurcli " n('ws|)a[)cr : — 
 
 " Long as it w:us, it was marked tlirougliout by an iiitcre.st of 
 the most .solemn and gratifying nature. Several of the speaker.s 
 were exceedingly happy and powerful in tlieir appeals. The Chief 
 Justice who projjosed two Resolutions, was lucid and argumen- 
 tative, and unfolded the details of the ]>lan with his aceustouied 
 pcrspieuity and east^. His sentiuients were warmly coloured with 
 ho]te and lie avowed his determination to devote himself with an 
 earnest zeal to the furtherance of the important object, of which 
 his own provident and eom[)rehensive mind had already seen the 
 necessity, and for carrying out which he had himself pnjposed a 
 scheme of the most permanent and expan.sive charactei'. Various 
 other gentlemen, clerical and lay, expressed themselves in succession 
 with the best effect. It was delightful, indeed, to behold the 
 s[)irit of unanimity which rested upon the jn'oceedings of the day; 
 to trace the same mind, in essentials, running through all ; to 
 mark that, wdiile the Bible was prominently and distinctly jiut 
 forth as 'containing all things necessary to salvation,' — ' the 
 |)rinciple of Divine right,' to use Dr. McCaul's emphatic phrase, 
 ' transmitted by apostolical succession,' wji.s recognized as neces,saiy 
 to tl)e perfect constitution of a Christian Church. No one could 
 fail to [)erccive, from the tone of the whole meeting, that a firm 
 attachment to the principles of the Reformation -was a character- 
 istic of the Canadian Church ; and that amidst tlie conflicting 
 errors of the day, there was a solemn determination in the Clergy 
 and Laity to adhere to the Evangelical truth and Apostolic order, 
 and to continue steadfast in the ' old paths.' 
 
 "The 28th Ajtril, 1842, is^ indeed a d.iy to be rememljcri'd by 
 every Churchman as a signal eitoch in the ainials of the ('hurch.
 
 198 
 
 Henceforward he may look for a greater unity of action,— a 
 greater development and concentration of resources, — and a 
 happy co-operation between the Clergy and the Laity. Here is 
 a field now opened for all the best and holiest energies of every 
 Churchman. Here he can devote himself to the united objects 
 of religion ; or can single out some })articular chainicl into 
 which he may wish all his time and talents should flow. Here 
 ^vill l)e the Clmrchman's 7>/6^e Society; here will be his Trdct 
 Society ; here he will find the wants of his connnunion exhibited 
 in every form ; and his only difficulty will be not to discover, 
 but to select out of many pressing ca.seH, one peculiarly calling 
 for his aid. 
 
 " It was with great rejoicing that we witnessed the laying of 
 the foundation-stone of King's College ; but our gratification was 
 much more vivid and homefelt, when we viewed the Bishop of 
 the Diocese, surrounded by his faithful Clergy, and many of tlie 
 most eminent and virtuous of the Laity, giving shape and organi- 
 zation to a Society, which embraces the s[)iritual welfare of the 
 most numerous religious denomination in the Province. On the 
 first occasion, we felt as members of the State ; on the latter, our 
 warmest emotions as Churchmen wei'e enkindled, and visions con- 
 nected with a future and eternal state thronged thick u[)on the 
 mind. 
 
 " It is devoutedly to be hojjed that the pious excitement of 
 Thursday last, may not be suffered to grow cold and decline ; but 
 that a work commenced under such happy auspices, may be 
 systematically, resolutely, and successfully persevered in ; that it 
 may be aided by ^^the unremitted pei'sonal exertions, ^the large 
 offerings, the prayers and the exemplaiy lives of the Laity ; that 
 it may be enforced and carried forward by the Clergy wherever a 
 single congregation is formed ; that it may prove to them a valu- 
 able auxiliary in spiritual matters, a strong support under every 
 discouragement, and a relief of those temporal wants which press 
 so heavily upon their unrepining heads ; and that thus sustained 
 by the united efforts of the Clergy and Laity, and watered by the 
 dews of God's blessing, it may continue a source of immortal 
 consolations to this and innumerable generations ; an offshoot not 
 \inworthy of its glorious parent stems, the venerable Societies
 
 199 
 
 for l*romotiug Christiau Knowledge :in<l for Propagating the 
 Gospel in Foreign Parts." 
 
 The good work, so auspiciously undertaken, was not 
 permitted to stand still. Large and influential Committees 
 were immediately appointed to canvass the diftcrent wards 
 of the City for subscriptions; and a general meeting of 
 the sup})orters of the Society was held in Toronto on the 
 1st June following to make the necessary arrangements 
 for completing its organization throughout all the Parishes 
 of the Diocese. Without loss of time, the Bi.shop himself 
 appointed, and presided at, meetings in several of the 
 |)rincipal Towns of the Province, and was very successful 
 at Cobourg, Kingston, Brockville, and afterwards at Lon- 
 don, in e.stjxbli.shing District Branches of the Society, and 
 otherwise giving vigour to its operations. A Depository 
 was soon after opened in a commodious house on King- 
 Street, under the charge of the late Mr. Thomas Champion ; 
 and throughout the country at large, a most liberal and 
 cheerful support was given to the Society. 
 
 Scarcely was this important work fairly set on foot, 
 when the Bishop started upon another Confirmation tour. 
 He left Toronto for this purpose on 19th July, 1842 ; and 
 after consecrating the church at Penetanguishine, he ] Pro- 
 ceeded with his party in canoes to Manitoulin Island. 
 There were various interesting adventures in the course of 
 this Journey, as described in the Bi.shop's journal : — 
 
 " On Friday, 2dth. July, our party landed upon one of a group 
 of Island.s called Foxe.s' Islands, the rain pouring down in tor- 
 rent.s. It was found not a little difficult to select places I'or 
 pitching the tents, the rock being .so very high and uneven, and 
 no .soil into which pegs could be driven. In this emergency, tlu' 
 tents were held down by large stones placed upon the rojies, in 
 lieu of peg.s driven into the ground; but with this aiTangemont 
 there was not a little danger, .should the wind increase, of botli 
 tents and iinnates being blown into the lake. The party dined 
 in one of the tents ; and notwithstanding the furiousness of the
 
 200 
 
 storm and the .smallness of the accommodation, tlioy were very 
 comfortable and clieerful. The rain continned with increased 
 A'elicmence during the night, and found its way into the Bishoj)'s 
 tent, but a hollow ])lace in its centime fortunately served for a 
 reservoir, and many imils of water were emptied from it on the 
 following morning. Nevertheless, tlie violence of the wind 
 caused it to beat through the canvass ; and his Lordship, even 
 under this shelter, was obliged to i-esort to the protection of an 
 umbrella, to prevent his being thoroughly wet. Several casual- 
 ties happened dui-ing the night ; three of the tents were blown 
 down, and the inmates had to make the best of their way, in 
 their night clothes, through the darkness, exposed to the wind 
 and rain, to some of the other tents which withstood the tempest. 
 Early in the morning, the whole party assembled round a large 
 fire to dry themselves, and amused themselves in recounting the 
 adventures of the night. The encampment the following evening 
 was not a little picturesque : nine tents were pitched, and as 
 many fires lighted up ; the canoos were all drawn ashore, and 
 commonly turned over with their bottoms upward. Grouj)S were 
 seen round each fire, and, as the dijrkness inci'eased, shadows 
 were flitting from place to place, while some of the men were 
 pi^een rolled up in their blankets and sleeping on the bare rock. 
 Tlie party never dined until they stopped for the night, — some- 
 times as late as nine o'clock. The table cloth was spread on tlu^ 
 smoothest jjart of the rock, and the guests squatted round in 
 eastern fashion, with candles or lanterns, according to the amount 
 of wind, to illuminate the feast ! On the first niglit of encam})- 
 ment, it was discovered that one of the canoes was manned by 
 converted Indians. Before going to rest, they assembled to- 
 gether, and sung a hynni in their own language, and read some 
 2)rayers whicli had been translated for tlieir use. There was 
 something indescribably touching in this service of praise to God 
 upon these inhospitable rocks : the stillness, wildness, and dark- 
 ness, combined with the sweet and plaintive voices, all contri- 
 buted to add to the solemnity and beauty of the scene." 
 
 Alter confinniiig at the Maiiitouawning, tlic Bishop and 
 hi.s party left for Sault Sto. Marie. On the 14th August, the 
 day before their arrival there,
 
 201 
 
 '' Service was held on ;i very beautiful i.shaul, covered with 
 trees and shrubs, juuiper and rose bushes, and many wild flowers. 
 A clean smooth rock, overhanging the lake, was chosen for tlie 
 place of worslii]), which jtossessed, besides, the advantage <jf a 
 freer air, — the day being hot, — and of being distant from a lire, 
 which was rapidly spreading, by means of the dry moss, over the 
 island. The audience luanifested the greatest attention, and all 
 jippciired to be struck with a deep feeling of the solemnity of the 
 scene, and of the wiseness of the j)rovision which called ii[»on 
 them, in this wild and romantic corner of the earth, to pause 
 upon their journey, and to worship their heavenly Father through 
 his son Jesus Christ." 
 
 From tlic Sault Ste. Marie, M'liere lii.s Lordship contirmed 
 fifty ]-iersons on the 21st August, he proceeded to Michilli- 
 inaek iliac. Tlicrc he took the steamer for the villafre of 
 Sutherland on the beautiful river St. Clair : Sandwich, 
 Amhortsljurgh, and Colcliester, were subsequently visited ; 
 then Chatham, and the Indian mission at Muncey Town, 
 under cliarge of the kite Rev. J. Flood. 
 
 " On tile 7th September, the Indians assembled in great num- 
 bers. Jt Avas to be a great day, as the gi'eat Chippewa chief 
 Cunatuny, was to l)e baptized and confirmed. In the two 
 villages, (of JNIunceytown and [Chippawy) there are still several 
 pagan Indians ; and yet, strange to say, they all attend the 
 service of the Church. While they continue pagans, theypaint 
 their faces, and refuse to kneel. The conversion, however, of the 
 great chief is expected to operate favourably ; and from their 
 proverbial love of truth, — stronger, it is said, among the Indians 
 than amongst the Persians of old, — it is anticipated that they will 
 bo readily impressed and permanently retained. When some 
 doubts were expressed as to the coming of the Bishop, the Indians 
 exclaimed, ' What, is he not Chief of the Church 1 lie can never 
 have two words ; he is sure to come ! ' The school-house, though 
 large, could scarcely contain half the number of persons assembled, 
 and they stood in groups about the dooi-s and windows. The 
 chief was baptized, and appeared to be well acquainted with the 
 26
 
 202 
 
 nature aud importance of this Holy Sacrament ; it had, indeed, 
 been for years a matter with him of deep consideration. He 
 was, after his ba])ti6in, confirmed witli four others." 
 
 The Bishop proceeded from liouce to Godcrich, a little 
 town beautifully situated on the banks of Lake Huron, and 
 commanding a most extensive view of that noble inland 
 sea. Confirmations were held here, and subsequently in 
 Adelaide, the township and town of London, and the 
 villao-e of St. Thomas, at that time under the i)astoral 
 charge of the Rev. Mark Burnham. In reference to this 
 parish and the labours of its Minister, the following admi- 
 ral)le remarks occur in the Bisho])'s journal : — 
 
 " The success attendant upon Mr. Burnham's labouis, — latterly 
 so very marked and striking, — he ascribes under the Divine 
 blessing, to a more clear and earnest development on his part of 
 the distinctive principles of the Church ; the bringing her claims 
 more plainly and decidedly before his people, as the depository of 
 divine truth and the channel of heavenly grace. Wliile he per- 
 i'ornied his duty conscientiously, with all calmness and zeal, as a 
 minister of Christ, but without bringing forward })rominently the 
 government, order, and peculiar excellencies of the Church, — the 
 necessity of communion with her by those who expect the privi- 
 leges and blessings of the llcdeemcr's sacrifice, — matters, he said, 
 went on with regularity and smoothness ; his people Mere discreet 
 and decent in their Christian, walk ; but they seoned scarcely 
 conscious of any difference between themselves and the sectaries 
 around them. It was not until he pointed out distinctly and 
 emphatically the nature and privileges of the Church, — her close 
 resemblance to the Apostolic pattern, — the many important and 
 decided differences between her and other ' Protestant denomina- 
 tions,' — that his congregation began to feel they were a distinct 
 and privileged people ; that the points in which they differed 
 from otfiers, were not of small, but of essential moment ; and 
 that they manifested themselv^es no longer lukewarm in her 
 service, but ready to contribute with their substance, as well as 
 by their example, to the advancement of her holy cause.
 
 2m 
 
 " It seems, indeed, (his Lordshiji I'lirtlicr observes,) a matter of 
 })Ositive unfairness and dislionesty to witldiold from the people 
 instruetion upon afl that concerns their spiritual weal. They have 
 a right to be informed not only of what constitutes the soundness 
 of faith, })ut of whatsoever also may serve to promote unity of 
 belief and uniformity of practice, — whatsoever may lielp to kee]> 
 them a united body, and cause them to shun those divisions, upon 
 which every Apostle, and Apostolic man, pronounced so severe a 
 condemnation. That Christian steward can scarcely be said to 
 give every man his poi'tion, — to bring out of his treasures things 
 new and old for the edification and welfare of Christ's heritage, 
 if, while he is faithful in preaching a Crucified Redeemer, he 
 omits all explanation of the foundation, order, government, and 
 discipline of that Church which bears so near a connexion with 
 the Saviour as to be called his s])Ouse, and in relation to which it 
 is said, that they who are grafted into the Church are grafted 
 into Him." 
 
 Fj-oiii St. Thomas, the Bishop proceeded to Diimvich,— 
 visiting lii.s old friend, Col. Talbot, on the way ; and con- 
 linaing there, had a lono- drive of twenty-six miles to 
 Richmond, in the township of Bayham. After this, he 
 confirmed at Woodhonse and Brantford ; and from thence 
 paid his second visit to the Indian missions at Mohawk 
 and Tuscarora. There followed, in course. Confirmations 
 at Paris, Gait, Gueli)h, Dundas, Ancaster, Binbrook, and 
 Hamilton ; and this last accomplished, he arrived in 
 Toronto on the 3rd October. He liad scarcely been at home 
 since the IMh June ; and during the whole course of these 
 arduous journeys and laborious services, had never expe- 
 rienced a day of sickness, or been prevented by an\- accident 
 from discharging his duties or keeping his various appoint- 
 ments. During the summer he consecrated two Churches 
 and one burial ground ; confirmed 75G persons ; and 
 travelled upwards of 2500 miles.
 
 204 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 Opening of King's College, Toronto. — Second Triennial Visita- 
 tion of the Clergy. — Special j\Ieeting of the Churcli Society 
 in reference to Sales of Clergy Reserves. — Legislative action 
 thereupon. 
 
 FTER the laying of the foundation stone of the 
 University of King's College, no time was lost in 
 making preparation for its actual work. Pending 
 the completion of the building of which a commencement, 
 as we have seen, had been made, it was determined, if 
 possible, to procure some temporary place in which the 
 business of the University could bo carried on; and, 
 ha[)pily, the Parliament buildings in Toronto, which were 
 now unoccupied, were allowed to be used for that purpose. 
 Three Professors, — the Rev. Dr. Bcaven, Mr. Potter, and Mr. 
 Croft, — were obtained from England, in order to complete 
 the staff immediately requisite ; and on the 8th of June, 
 1843, the University was publicly opened. 
 
 "The solemnities of the day (we quote from the "Church" 
 newspaper,) commenced with the performance of Divine 
 Service in the College Chapel ; which, with its very appro- 
 priate black walnut fittings, and sober decorations, pre- 
 sented a most seemly appearance;. Addresses were deliv- 
 ered in the Hall by the President, the Lord Bishop of 
 Toronto, — the Vice-President, the Rev. Dr. McCaul, — and 
 the Hon. Chief Justice Robinson, and the Hon. Justice 
 Hagcrrnan, two of the official Visitors of the University. 
 On the following day, inaugural Lectures were read by 
 four Professors, x'va.: the Rev. Dr. McCaul, the Rev. Dr.
 
 205 
 
 Beaven, Professor Potter, and Professor Croft. The ability 
 displayed by tlic speakers and lecturers on l>oth days, is 
 said, liy those who were present, to have been of a very 
 high order in every respect, and to have added fresh lustre 
 to the theoloi^ical, literary, and scientific character of that 
 Itost instructor of Britons, — the Church of the Empire." 
 
 Twenty-seven students matriculated on the occasion, and 
 the business of the University commenced in good earnest. 
 All seemed bright on its horizon ; but the past mutterings 
 of discontent were remembered, and the hopes of its 
 fiituri' were mtt without anxiety and apprehension. There 
 was ail uudisgnised jealousy of its connection Avith the 
 ('hnrch, in the religious instruction interfused with its 
 ordinary work ; and the fear was outspoken at the tinu', 
 tiiat this might too soon revolutionize the whole Institu- 
 tion. "A fear of some such misfortune," said the Chief 
 Justice, in his admirable addres.s, "is my only fear ; 1)ut 1 
 trust that the wisdom of the Goverment and the Legis- 
 lature may guard against the danger. It becomes us at 
 least to entei'tain the hope ; and may God in his goodness 
 avert this and all other evils i'vom the University of Kiug's 
 College." 
 
 The aiHiual nieeting of the Church Societ}', — the first 
 after its formation, — was held during the .same week at 
 Toronto. The Bishoj) pi-csided, and a large number of the 
 ( 'lergy and of the influential Laity of the Diocese were in 
 attendance. The report (jf the year's transactions was 
 very encouraging; for although no Missionary work, under 
 the auspices of the Society, had yet been instituted, the 
 establishment of the Depository with a good su})))ly o\' 
 books was an important achievement. Tiiere had been 
 •sold during the past year 17,233 Books and Tracts ; and 
 the collections and sales during that period amounted to 
 .t:i83G. 
 
 On Thursday, Gth June, 1844, the Bishop of Toronto 
 held his Second Triennial \'isitation of the Clergy of the
 
 206 
 
 Diocese in the Cathedral Church of this city. Seventy- 
 fdur Clergymen were present. The Visitation Sermon, 
 which was a very eloquent one, Avas preached by the Rev. 
 William Macaulay, Rector of Picton ; and after a recess of 
 lialf an hour, following the administration of the Holy 
 Communion, his Lordship, delivered his Charge. From 
 this able address, occupying two hours and a half in the 
 delivery, we shall make such extracts as more ])articuhirly 
 bear upon the work and life of its author. 
 
 We have already given some account of his Confirmation 
 journeys, and their results, in 1842 ; of what lie effected in 
 the following year, he says : — 
 
 " My jounioyiiig.s during the last summer commenced on the 
 lOtli June, find ended on the 21st October. I visited the 
 Niagara and Home Districts, and those of Simcoe, Colborne, New- 
 castle, Victoria, Prince Edward, Midland, Eastern, Bathurst, and 
 Dalhousie. My travels were not quite so extensive as those of 
 the previous year, but there was much more actual duty to be per- 
 formed. The Confirmations at seventy-eight stations wei'e 2923 ; 
 Churches consecrated, five, and burial grounds, two ; sermons and 
 addresses delivered, lo5 ; miles travelled, 2277." 
 
 His Lordshij), since his consecration, had held regularly 
 two Ordinations every year at Toronto. The results of 
 these are thus shewn : — 
 
 "In Octobei-, 1839, when I returned from England to take 
 charge of this Diocese, the number of t!ie Clergy was 71 ; they 
 have since increased to 103. Many changes and casualties have, 
 in the meantime, taken ])lace. Some liave removed, to euiploy 
 themselves in other portions of the Lord's vineyard ; and a few 
 have been called to give an account of their stewardship, and, it 
 is hoped, to receive a blessed reward. ■'' '■'' * * "■ * '"' 
 
 '' While I saw much to call forth o\u- thanksgivings to 
 Almighty God, in passing through the Province, from beholding 
 the vigorous progress of the Church wherever she Ibund an open- 
 ings — the Congregations tliat were forming in all directions, — and
 
 207 
 
 Churclies, of a siiiiiilc. ami clu ap structure, tliat were rising in 
 every District, — there is another aspect which the Diocese 
 presents of a far dilferent character, and in wliich it exhibits, I 
 must in sorrow confess, a melancholy picture. 
 
 "In this view, the map of the Diocese of Toronto, notwith- 
 standing what has been done, ]iresents an appalling degree of 
 s[)iritual destitution. To the District of Ottawa, comprising nine 
 townships, or more tlian a tliousand square miles, I have not yet 
 been able to .send a single resident Clergyman. In the Wellington 
 and Victoria Districts, each containing twelve townships, — in all, 
 nearly three thousand square miles, — we have only two Clergy- 
 men. In other directions large portions of the country remain 
 entirely without (iospel privileges, and have never seen the face 
 of a single Clergyman. .Some again arc visited occasionally by a 
 travelling Missionary, or the nearest resident Clergyman ; but 
 such visits are, from necessity, rare and at long intervals. Nothing 
 hap]»eus for months, nay, for years, in many of our townships, to 
 i-emind the inhabitants of the existence of the Church of Cod." 
 
 lie oxpi-esscd himself in grateful terms of the muiiiti- 
 ceiice on our behalf of the Society for the Pro])agati(in of 
 tlie (ilospel in Foreign Parts, in sustaining even at this 
 moment half of our Missionaries. He also thankfully 
 acknowledged the bounty of the New England Soeiety in 
 supporting two Missionaries amongst the Indians, and in 
 (h'l'raying the expense of a large and promising Sehudl of 
 Industry for Indian bo3\s and girls at the Mohawk Mission 
 near Brantford. And lie dwelt with great energy and 
 liopefulness upon the Missi(.)nary Soeiety just instituted 
 amongst ourselves, and which })romised in a large degree 
 to supplement what it M^as not in the poAver of benevolent 
 associations in the Mother Country to sup})ly. A'alujible 
 lemarks followed upon the organization of the Church, tlu' 
 lieauty of its Liturgy and the spiritual value of its Sacra- 
 ments; and he dwelt largely and forcibly upon the practi- 
 cal duties of the Ministers of that Church. The following 
 are always pertinent, and always instructive : —
 
 208 
 
 " Be not regardless of your dress .md appearance in Church, 
 and especially with respect to your clerical hahiliments. I need 
 scai'cely add, that 1 greatly disapprove of your performing Divine 
 Service, or celebrating any of the offices of the Church, without 
 the surplice. When you are decently robed, remember that the 
 eyes of the congregation are iipon you, and therefore it ).)econies 
 you to take heed that you appear neither affected nor indift'erent. 
 The worship of God should be conducted soberly, grav(;ly, and 
 aft'ectionately ; in a manner suitable to those who])ray, and to the 
 majesty of Him who is addressed in prayer. Many of your 
 peoi)le will form their estimate of the services, as well as of your 
 seiise of their value, by your manner and deportment. Your 
 carriage and behaviour should, therefoi-e, in every respect be such 
 as becomes a man who is about to perform an imjiortant and 
 a saci'ed duty. 
 
 " Kead with distinctness and solemnity; and have respect, as 
 far as you are able, to the character of the several parts of the 
 service, and suit the tone of your voice to the niattei', whether 
 prayer or exhortation, narrative, or authoritative declarations of 
 Scripture. * * * * * 
 
 " Some Clergymen, perhaps unwittingly to themselves, dwell 
 almost entirely upon the doctrines, to the comparative exclusion 
 of j)ractice. Yet faith and practice are never separated in the 
 Scriptures ; which teach us that faith works by love, and to love 
 God is to keep his commandments. Now, we should so preach 
 the doctrines as to make them bear upon practice ; and the 
 practice as intimately connected with, and flowing from, the 
 doctrines. The Gospel constitutes one whole, and is not to be 
 divided into separate and independent parts ; and therefox-e it 
 concerns us frequently to ask, whether we are declaring to our 
 people the whole counsel of God, — neither adding to, nor dimin- 
 ishing therefrom. To dwell almost entirely, in our preaching, 
 upon the doctrines, and sjjaringly on the duties of morality, ought 
 to be scrupulously avoided. Frequent and earnest appeals to the 
 practical precepts of the Gospel must be made ; minute descrii>- 
 tions of temper brought home ; and special expositions of the 
 personal and social duties urged at one time by the most endearing, 
 aiid at another time by the most alarming motives. * * "■
 
 209 
 
 " The preacher .should n<»t too unrf.sorvedly represent the com- 
 luoii affains of life as hostile to our true interests, and declaim, 
 without the recpiisite rpialilications, against the world and the 
 things of the world as among the greatest hindrances and deadliest 
 enemies to our spiritual progress. There is a .sense, undoubtetllv 
 in which the world may be so considered, and in this sense it is 
 largely employed in Scripture ; but there is another sense iu 
 which it is n.sed by the Apostle, when he speaks of those who ns<» 
 this world as not abusing it. 'J'hc word world ha.s, theiefore, in 
 iScri[)ture two significations, wdiich should be carefully distin- 
 guished. In the one, it is })nt for the wicked, who relish merely 
 worldly things, and pursue only worldly objects ; and in the other, 
 it signifies our field of duty, our place of jirobation, where, in 
 humble imitation of our blessed Master, we mnst fulfil the work 
 which has been given ns to do. '■' '" ''' 
 
 " It is not left for us to decide whether visiting our peojjle be 
 a duty ; lor we are bound by our ordination vows to nse both 
 private and public monitions and exhortations as well to the rich 
 as to all within our cure, as need shall require, or occasion shall 
 be given. Such private visitation of our members should be 
 conducted with great discretion, and due respect to the modest 
 privacy of domestic life. Our object being to do good to the 
 souls and bodies of men, care should be taken not to turn our 
 visits into frivolous conversations, nor into public Church-like 
 assemblies ; for this would prevent the salutary etiects we have 
 in view. Public wonship is better conducted in the Church than 
 in a private house, where we seek to win friendly confidence and 
 affection, and to meet face to face as a man talking to his friend. 
 We desire to interest the kindly feelings of the family at their 
 own fire-side. 
 
 " In this way, the Clergyman gains by degrees the hearts of his 
 people ; and when, by his personal attentions and frankness of 
 conversation, he has aLMpiired their good-will ;ind confidence, he 
 will be able, gently and almost imperceptibly, to instil good 
 thoughts and principles into their mind.s. ■"' ■" * * * 
 
 " 1 am aware that such a laborious ta.sk as this, considering 
 the great extent of your charges, is very difficult, and in most of 
 your missions can only be imperfectly accomplished. That 
 27
 
 210 
 
 difBcnlties will intervene, — tbat your visits will not at all times 
 be well taken, and be sometimes offensively repelled, I am well 
 aware ; but believe nie, this Avill seldom happen, and when it 
 does, you must not despond. Disinterested kindness almost 
 invariably bt^-gets kindness ; and it is our duty to be instant in 
 season, and out of season, and to go from house to house, and to 
 take an interest in the affairs, temporal and spiritual, of oui* 
 people, if we are anxious to win them to Christ. It is not easy 
 to set any limit to the influence for good which you may acquire 
 in your general missions from such i)rivate visiting, added to the 
 regular ministrations of the Church "' 
 
 Our readers will recollect that a settlement of the Clergy 
 Reserves question was effected by the Iui})erial Government 
 in the summer of 1840 ; and that, by this arrangement, the 
 proceeds of one-half of the lands then unsold were to be 
 divided between the Churches of England and Scothind, 
 in the proportion of two-thirds to the former and one-third 
 to the latter. The property thus allotted was to be sold 
 under the direction of the local Government, and the interest 
 only of the amount realized paid over to those Churches. 
 —It was discovered that these lauds were being sold, in 
 many cases, at prices much below their value, and that, in 
 various instances, sales were unnecessarily forced ; whereas, 
 by a reasonable delay, good prices could be obtained. 
 Moreover, the charges for management were excessive ; so 
 that, from these two causes, an innnense sacrifice of the pro- 
 perty of the Church was inevitable. The Bishop of Toronto, 
 therefore, felt it his duty to summon a special meeting of 
 the Chui'cli Society, in order that measures might be 
 adopted for arresting this extravagant waste, and of obtain- 
 ing from Government the power of selling and managing 
 these lands ourselves. 
 
 This meeting was hehl at Toronto, on the 21st Septem- 
 l)ei-, 1843, and was attended by a large number of influen- 
 tial gentlemen in town, and by representatives from various 
 District and Parochial Associations thioufdioutthe Diocese.
 
 I'll 
 
 A luiiiiKer of" Resolutions wore passed, aecoinpanied l)\' 
 excellent .speeclies. In the course of his address, the Chief 
 Justice dilated ui)on the ruinous waste caused by the 
 system adopted for the disposal of these lands. " It appears," 
 he said, " that the receipts on account of sales up to the 
 close of the year 1840, amounted to £186,574 ; the expenses 
 attendant upon the collection of which were £19,8.57, or 
 nearly a ninth of the "whole. In the year 1841, the amount 
 collected for Clergy Reserves was £14,504, and the expenses 
 of collection £2,G7f), or about a sixth of the whole. In the 
 year 1842, the sum collected on this account was £18,028; 
 and the expenses £5344, or nearly a third of the whole !" 
 
 A ])etition to the Queen was adopted at this meeting, 
 jiraying that an Act might be passed providing for the 
 assignment to the Church of England of lier share of the 
 Reserved lands, and authorizing the Church Society of the 
 Diocese to propose a system, subject to the approval of Her 
 Majesty's Government, for the disposal and management of 
 these lands. Subsequently, petitions on the same subject 
 to the Canadian Legislature were adopted ; extensively 
 circulated; and signed by about 8000 persons. In the 
 Legislative Council, these petitions were referred to a 
 Select Committee ; which, on the 8th May, 1840, reported 
 in favour of the prayer of the Petitioners. They declared 
 it to be their opinion that this jn-ayer is "reasonable and 
 just, and that the injury which they wish to avoid is one 
 uliich ;ill A\li() ierl a sincere concern for the relio-ious 
 instruction and character of the people, should be equally 
 anxious to prevent. It would (they affirm) be a matter of 
 [)erpetual reproach to this Legislature, if the improvident 
 sacrifice of a provision intended for such objects is alloweil 
 to proceed.". 
 
 The subject was taken uj), and ^\•;u•ndy debated, in the 
 House of Assembly ; and amongst the ablest supporters of 
 the Petition of Churchmen Mas the Hon. W. H. Draper. 
 In a long and eloquent speech, he went over the whole
 
 212 
 
 o-roinul ; dwelt upon the reasonableness and justice of the 
 piuyer of the Petitioners ; and dissipated to the winds the 
 llinisy objections urged against it. The solitary objection 
 of the slightest prominence was that it was dangerous by 
 any legislation, to re-open a question that had finally been 
 set at rest, and renew an agitation that might be perilous 
 to the interests of the Petitioners themselves. On the 
 22nd May, 1846, the motion of the Hon. Henry Sherwood, 
 that the House do concur in the address to Her Majesty 
 respecting the future sale and management of the Clergy 
 Reserves, was lost by a vote of 19 to 81. Amongst the 
 latter Avere fifteen French Canadians. Six years later, the 
 absorption of the whole by the Provincial Legislature, and 
 their application to secular purposes, was moved by the 
 very individual who was most prominent in deprecating 
 the re-opening of a question that had been finally settled !
 
 1^1 :{ 
 
 CHAPTER XX I IT. 
 
 (.'oiilii'iiialioii .loiinievs in 181.">. 
 
 |UR i-onder.s will not expect that "\ve sliould <^\vv in 
 detail, ov even at iniicli length, the accounts of the 
 journeys for tlio holding of Confirmations through- 
 out the Diocese made by the late Bishop of Toronto; 
 although the published journals of these visitations supply 
 many statistical facts of great value in respect to the 
 [)hysical improvement as well as religious progress of the 
 t'ountry. We must, therefore, content ourselves with a frw 
 extracts, which will be instructive as well as interesting. 
 
 On a hot and dusty day in Jvdy, 184."), the Bishop visited 
 Binbrook, and returned to Hamilton in the evening. The 
 conversation turned on the progress of the Church in tlx' 
 Diocese ; and the Bisho]) remarking that this was more 
 rapid, as a general rule, in the new settlements than in the 
 old, and in the towns than in the country, accounted for 
 this fact in the following manner : — 
 
 ** At the first settlement of Upper Canada, the U. E.* T/oyalists, 
 — most of wliom were members of tlie Churcli of England, — 
 constituted the great majority of tlie inhabitants. But, instead 
 of being placed in contiguous neighbourhoods, where schools and 
 ministrations of religion might have been supplied with compara- 
 tive ease, they Avere scattered over many districts, and so jioor 
 and few in number at any one point, that the attainment of these 
 advantages was impossible. And when, after a long intervening 
 sickness of heart from hope deferred, these great blessings came 
 
 *United ICmpire.
 
 214 
 
 to be despaired of, tliey by-and-by ceased witliniauy to be viewed 
 Avith concern or anxiety. This was the more to be deplored, 
 because the Government had manifested much kindness in their 
 case ; but the expense attending the assistance awarded to the 
 ].atriotic scttk'rs at their scattered localities, in conveying i^ro- 
 Aisions, farming utensils, &c., cost more than the supply of thes(,> 
 articles, even with the addition of schools and churches, would 
 have done, had the settlements been judiciously concentrated. 
 There was, for many years, scarcely any commerce in the Pro- 
 vince ; and the little j)roduce which the inhabitants were able to 
 raise by their hard laboui-, — since cattle and horses were for a 
 time out of the question, — commanded very low prices, and 
 forced upon them habits of extreme parsimony, in order to obtain 
 even a small portion of what, before the American Revolution, 
 they had considered necessaries of life. Hence, when their cir- 
 cumstances were somewhat mended, they were unwilling to con- 
 tribute towards the support of schools and the ministrations of 
 reli"-ion, of which they had so long been deprived, and for which 
 many of them had lost both taste and regard. In such a sad 
 state of things, their children grew up without instruction ; and 
 a deadness to Christianity has, in some cases, been perpetuated to 
 the ])resent day.'' 
 
 Many of our readers will have noticed the realization of 
 this statement in the languid and declining condition of 
 the Church in some of our oldest settlements ; in some of 
 our wealthy farming tracts where the old inhabitants, with 
 traditional attachment to the Church, have died out ; and 
 in some of our older villages whence life and vigour seem 
 to have evaporated with the migration of the young and 
 enterprising to fresher scenes. Recalling this fact, we shall 
 feel it to be a mistake to say that pecuniary aid for the 
 support of the Church should be denied to such places, 
 and given only to new and distant settlements. 
 
 The following interesting account is given of a visit to 
 the Tuscarora Mission under the charge of the Rev. Adam 
 Elliott :—
 
 215 
 
 " This mission comprehends three tribes, the Tuscaronxs, 
 Delaware.^, and Cayiigas. TIic greater number of the first have 
 long been converted, but the Delawares M'ero for the n»o.st part 
 pagans until within a few years : now, liowever, through tlu* 
 indefatigable exertions of Mr. Elliott, they arc nearly all con- 
 verted ; and even the Cayugas, who have so long kcjtt aloof and 
 clung to their idolatiy, are beginning to relax from their l)reju- 
 dices, and to discover the Divine origin of Christianity, and the 
 futility of their own religious belief. Many adhere to the idea 
 that their religion came from heaven, and that spirits appeared 
 to them and forbade tliem to change ; yet, with all their charac 
 teristic shrewdness, they confess themselves unable to bring 
 forward proof or argument. As the Missionary is making 
 progress with the young, — for they aie very desii-ous of having 
 their childi-en educated, — the ])arents are gradually reached 
 through them. A great attract'on with them is the Mechanical 
 Institution, where they soon learn to construct the ordinary 
 farniiug utensils and otlier implements of daily use, established 
 at the Mohawk village ; an institution highly creditable to thc^ 
 Xew England Society, at whose exj)ense it is maintained. 
 
 " Thirty-four Indians -were confirmed on this occassion, — 
 several of them very old. One woman in particular must have 
 exceeded eighty ; and amongst the number was a lame warrioi" 
 of the Delaware tribe, a person of great shrewdness, and, till 
 lately, a stern pagan. A great taste for sacred music was dis- 
 cernible in the congregation. A choir has been formed, and 
 they have learned music by note. They had their books l)(.'fore 
 them, and it was pleasing to see theni turn to the tune and sing 
 from the notes. What was still more i-emarkable, one of thcDi 
 had constructed a bass-viol, on which he jjlayed and kept time, 
 "vith great accuracy. The Missionary informed us that many of 
 liis people had a great faculty in learning languages, and In- 
 lu-ought forward a chief who aiHrnied tliat he knew almost all 
 the Indian dialects in North America. lie was naturally 
 elotpient ; and, in a short conversation, made many shrewd 
 remarks upon the jieculiar situation of his countrymen, and their 
 relations with the white population and the Government."
 
 216 
 
 The following pleasing episode occurs in the account of 
 his Confirmation journey westwards : — 
 
 "While we were resting on the little gallery before the door 
 of the iun, there came up a rough waggou half-loaded with boai-(is. 
 The driver drew u]) to water his ' team,' and sat down on the steps 
 near tlie Bishop, lie seemed intelligent, but dissipated and care- 
 worn ; and the Bishop entered into conversation with him, and 
 asked him the way to the Church at Dereham, the i-o.id to which 
 was represented as rather inti'icate, but could obtain no informa- 
 tion from him iipou this point. As is not unusual, the man, finding 
 inmself treated kindly, entered into a sort of history of his life. 
 He said he had come into this Province at an early day, and had 
 by his industry acquired an excellent farm ; had married a wife, 
 to whom he was much attached ; and had had two fine children. 
 He stated further that his wife and children, some years ago, were 
 carried off by the 'lake fever;' and ever since Le had been list- 
 less, perhaps reckless, and could never bear to stay at liome, and 
 attend to the usual business of his farm. He chose rather, he 
 said, to employ himself with his waggon in conveying loads from 
 |)lace to place ; but he was afraid that this loose way of life had 
 introduced him to bad company, and, as a consequence, to intem- 
 perate habits. 'Alas,' said the poor man with some emotion, 
 'what am I to do'? I see my two brothers, with their wives and 
 children, living comfortably on their farms ; and when I visit 
 mine, there is none to welcome me ; wlnle the remembrance of the 
 time rushes on my spirit when I, too, met joyful faces, and had a 
 ha])py fireside : I feel forlorn,' he added, ' and am eager to get away. ' 
 
 " There was evidently a deep well of feeling in this man, who 
 had thus become, as it were, a cast-away. We all got interested, 
 and the Bisho}), with nuich aflection, endeavoured to turn his 
 attention to better tlnngs and better hopes. ' Why, my friend,' he 
 asked liini, ' have you not, under this chastening, had recourse to 
 relifdon, — to prayer, reading your Bible, thoughtful meditation, 
 and attendance on the means of grace? All tliis might, with the 
 Divine blessing, do much for you.' ' I have often gone to meeting,' 
 said the man, 'l^ut found no comfort. The old members were all 
 satisfied with themselves, and looked upon me with contempt.
 
 217 
 
 They callfil tlicuiselvcs " the chosen few"; told me the day, and ^ 
 even the lioiir, wlien tliey were converted, or, as they term it, when 
 they got religion ; and yet, in my dealings with them, I found 
 neither truth nor honesty. I felt none of those things, and I am 
 nnalde to believe that a man can be religious without being good.' 
 The Bishop agreed that such could not be religions ]icople ; and 
 thou remonstrated gently with him on liis present way of life, 
 and exhorted him to keep to his farm. Finding, too, that he had 
 a Bible and Prayer Book which belonged to his wife, he seized 
 upon his tender feelings for the departed, and urged him to us.^ 
 them diligently, evening and morning, and after a little time he 
 would, with God's blessing, derive comfort from such a course, 
 and be enabled, with His helj), to part with those irregular 
 habits into which he had fallen The mdn went away apparently 
 much encouraged; and our waggo\i being ready, we pureued our 
 journey. Were this man in the neighbourhood of one of our 
 Clergy, who could see him occasionally, instruct him in the trutli, 
 and lead him to public worshij), and habits of piety, be might, we 
 may reasonably hope, still be recovered ; but, unhappily, we have 
 no Clergyman within twelve miles of the farm ujion which he 
 occasionally resides." 
 
 Ofliis visit to Westminster, the Bislioj) has oecasiou to 
 .speak in this ])leasant strain : — 
 
 " In this place we have another example of what a willing 
 heart and persevering energy can do. We owe this Church 
 almost entirely to the vigorous and unwearied efforts of ISIrs. 
 Watsun : a lady who came to Canada principally with the view 
 of establishing her nephews on land. On arriving at this settle- 
 ment, where a inirchase had been made on her behalf, slu' found 
 it entirely unprovided with religious ordinances. She accordingly 
 gave ten acres on which to build the Church : she appealed to 
 her friends in Englanil for assistance ; and now she ha.s thq .satis- 
 faction of beholding h(>r efforts crowned with success. Her piety 
 is active and unati'ected ; and the good she has done and is doing, 
 in promoting the cause of religion in her neighbourhood, is beyond 
 price. A. few such persons in every District, and their waste 
 places would soon rejoice and blossom." 
 28
 
 218 
 
 He speaks in the same encouraging manner of the 
 Clnirrh at Morpeth : — 
 
 " We owe this Church, so far as it has proceeded, almost 
 entirely to the liberahty of five zealous farmers, though not more 
 wealthy than many around them, and they deserve to be honour- 
 ably mentioned. First, John and Freeman Green, two brothers. 
 John gave the site for the Church, Parsonage, and Buiial- 
 ground, consisting of six acres in a very eligible situation, and 
 fifty dollai's in money. Freeman gave one hundred dollars ; 
 Walter Patterson and John Degrand gave each one hundred 
 dollars ; and so did David Gesner, although living five miles 
 distant, — because he considered the position central for the 
 settlement. Now, considering the station of the ])arLies, and 
 the low price of ])roduce for some years past, these contributions 
 may be considered very large ; and there is no doubt that they 
 will yet do more, and, by influencing their neighbours, contrive 
 to finish the Church. Home of them are from Dunwich, where 
 they had been accustomed to see a still greater liberality, and 
 certainly the example was not lost ;i])on them. To encourage 
 them, I paid over the liberal do)iation of X2-"» sterling made by 
 Lord Morpeth for the benefit of this Churchy — a very seasonable 
 hel]) towards completing their sacred edifice, and likely to crown 
 with success the exertions of these honest and right-hearted 
 people." 
 
 The followino- remarks and incidents connected with the 
 BishojVs visit to Walpole Island, are very interesting : — 
 
 " Walpole Island seems to l)e a continuation of the shallows or 
 flats of Lake St. Clair, and to have been formed from deposits 
 from the upper lakes. The soil is altogether alluvial, and the 
 surface is so little raised above the river that the greater portion 
 is covered with water, when the lakes and rivers rise. This they 
 seem to do periodically, although the exact cycle has not yet been 
 ascertained. It is a curious fact, the cause of which has not yet 
 been solved, that when the waters of the large rivers and lakes 
 are high, the small lakes and rivulets in the interior which have 
 no communication with them, are likewise high. Thus, for
 
 2U> 
 
 inshanco, Lake Siincoo, the mo.st clovatefl of all tlio lakes, ouiitties 
 itself by th(i Kiver Severn into Lake Huron, with a fall of from 
 seventy to eighty feet ; yet when the waters of Lakes .Siii»erior, 
 Huron, Erie, and Ontario, are high, Lake Siiucoe is high also. 
 This ]ieriodical rise of all the waters <jf this section of the Ameri- 
 can conliiieiit, has never yet been satisfactorily accounted for. Tt 
 is attribuUnl, indeed, to greater falls of snow occasionally hajipening 
 in the North West ; but this might bear upon the great lakes 
 which are directly connected with it, but can have no influence 
 upon the smaller interior lakes where no additional snows and 
 rains ai>))ear to have fallen. 
 
 "We made [after service on the island] a hasty dinner with 
 Ml', and Mrs. Keating; and us it was by this time getting dark 
 and threatening rain, we hurried to get across to the main shore. 
 In our haste we did not perceive, till we cast off from the land 
 and w'ere in the stream, that our canoe was too small for our 
 number and the water within an inch of its edge. Had there 
 been any wind, we should have been in the greatest danger ; 
 Iiut, Idessed be God, by using every precaution, sitting quiet, 
 and maintaining a careful balance, we got over safe. The Indian 
 who i)addled us across, seeing the storui approach, hastened back, 
 and had scarcely reached the island when the rain, and iliuiider 
 and lightning commenced in a terrilic manner. 
 
 " As there was no sort of accommodation whatever at the small 
 tavern where we had left our horses and waggon, we were coni- 
 |ielled to move forward in the hope of reaching an inn a few 
 mik's further up the river St. Clair, By this time it was growing 
 dark, and before we had procei^ded half-a-mile, the rain came 
 down in torrents, and the thunder and lightning became so fre 
 <pient and terrible, that our horses trembled and could scarcely 
 keep their legs. The darkness also became so great that, except 
 from the flashes of lightning, we were unable to see the road. 
 Having crept forwards about a mile and a half, — the storm con- 
 tinuing without intermission, — we descried, from a friendly flash 
 of lightning, a farm-house, and hapi>y were the party when I 
 consented to stop. It was now late, lor we had consumed much 
 time in making this short journey, and the inmates of the house 
 were all sound asleej). After kj)-'>i'king for some time, they at
 
 220 
 
 length opened the door and let us in. We stated our distress and 
 the causes that made us disturb them, — which indeed were suffi- 
 ciently visible from o\ir miserable and drowned ajjpearauce,- — and 
 upon hearing our story, they received us kindly, and did all in 
 their power to make us comfortable." 
 
 But this Avus nothing in c<jin})arisuii with the ditiicaitics 
 encountered on tlie journey from Owen Sound to Guelph. 
 To the former place the Bishop liad gone by steamer from 
 Manitoulin Island. At starting, lie says : — 
 
 " We foiuid the road very rough, and getting worse as we, 
 proceeded. It ran along a stony ridge, which seems to have 
 been chosen in preference to the low grounds Avhich, in many 
 jjlaces, were low and marshy. Be this as it may, what with 
 large stones, deep crevices between them, roots of trees, and deej) 
 holes, the shaking of the waggon became intolerable." After con- 
 firming at two places, the latter thirteen miles from Owen Sound, 
 " we left for Edge's at half-past four ; and, though scarcely nine 
 miles ofl* with little hope of getting there, as the road was 
 becoming more and more impracticable. After bounding from 
 stone to stone, the rain meanwhile falling in torrents, and occa- 
 sionally a dee[) hole by way of variety, we found darkness rajtidly 
 approaching, and were glad to crave shelter for the night from 
 Mr. Smith, who, with his wife and ten sons and one daughter, 
 had taken up land from Government, and was gradually clearing 
 a good farm. We no doubt put the family to much inconvenience, 
 vet they made us heartily welcome, and insisted that we should 
 occupy their beds, such as they were, and doing all in their power 
 to make us comfortable. 
 
 " We rose next morning as soon as we could see, and the rain 
 having abated, we got ready for om- journc^y. A mile onwai'ds 
 there is a very long, deep slough, full of roots and loose stones, 
 througli which the Smiths told us it would be impo.ssible for the 
 hoi'ses to drag the waggon, and they very kindly offered to accom- 
 pany us and assist us in getting past it. We found their account 
 of it by no means exaggerated, for we were obliged to take the 
 horses froni th^ waggon, and even then they plunged so nauch, and
 
 221 
 
 got so deep in tlie mud, that they were iu the greatest danger of 
 sinking over their heads. The poor animals, when they at length 
 readied the firm soil, trembled and looked much frightened. The 
 waggon was dragged through by three of the Smiths, the driver, 
 and two men whom I had hired to attend us on this perilous 
 journey. The Smiths returned home, and we sent forward to 
 Edge's to reipiest that they would meet us with a yoke of oxen 
 at a bridge over the river Saugeen, which was said to be very 
 insecure, and at the further end of which was a slough much 
 worse than the one we had just i)assed. We soon came to the 
 bridge, where we alighted ; and after examining it, and carefully 
 mending some of the holes, by usicg great caution we got the 
 waggon anil horses safely across. But they had no sooner left it, 
 than they sunk so deep into the mire that we thought they should 
 be lost. After some labour, we got their harness off, and separated 
 them from the waggon, and then, on our cheering them, (for they 
 apiHMnMl frightened and ready to give up,) they were roused to 
 fresh exertion, and at length we got them uj)on hard ground. 
 Had it not been for the two men who attended us, and the driver, 
 the poor animals would liave been inevitably smothered. 
 
 "After extricating the horses, we waited patiently for the oxen. 
 — the waggon in the meantime floating on tlie slough, the 
 wheels having sunk below the hubs. At length we heard them 
 comi-jg down the liilL beyond u.s, which was thickly covere<l with 
 trees; and from the noise, one of our attendants, an American, 
 prounounced the driver to bean Irishman, and therefore knowin" 
 nothing about the management of oxen. Of the correctness of 
 this judgment we soon had abundant experience, for the Irishman 
 was unable, without the aid of the American, to 'hitch,' as they 
 call it, the oxen to the waggon, and nothwithstanding pur remon- 
 strances would insist on driving them himself. The consequence 
 was, that he drove them between two large trees, alleging that 
 there was sufficient room for the passage of the waggon, althou'di 
 it was (piite evident that he was mistaken. The oxen struggled 
 through, the one a little ahead of the other; but when the waggon 
 came u[), it was jammed immovably between two trees. ' I guess,' 
 said the American, ' that you have got into a pretty bit of a fix.' 
 The poor Irishman was much mortified ; l)ut comforted himself
 
 222 
 
 with observing that he had never driven oxen hut twice before. 
 The American was desired to take charge, and as there was no 
 altei'native, one of the trees was ordci'ed to be cut down. This 
 Nvas, liowcver, a work of time, for we liad no axe, only a toma- 
 liawk ; and a work of skill too, for there was no little danger of 
 the tree falling on the waggon, or doing other damage. But the 
 American was experienced in such matters : the tree was skilfully 
 felled ; and the oxen having been again attached to the waggon, 
 struggled through the swamp and reached the bottom of the hill. 
 The road uj) the declivity was so wet and slippery, and withal 
 so deep, that the poor oxen were put to the exertion of their 
 utmost strength to reach the top. This was a severe trial to us all, 
 but it was useless to murmur. We had been seven hours getting 
 over nine miles, and it was past ten when we reached Edge's 
 house. At eleven we had service : the Congregation numbering 
 seventeen, and oidy one person was presented for Confirmation. 
 
 " We proceeded on our journey at half-past one, and had not 
 advanced far when we found the road, or path, obstructed by a 
 large tree, which a settler had just cut down and was in the act 
 of dividing into lengths. We found much difficulty in getting 
 round through the wood : we asked very civilly why he had 
 blocked up the road ; but instead of answering, he smiled and 
 seemed to enjoy our difficulty. We thought him rude and inso- 
 lent, but he had no such meaning ; for going a little further on, 
 we stuck fast in a bad mud-hole, and in a moment we saw the 
 chopper running to our assistance. Luckily, two other men came 
 lip who were on their way to fish in the Kiver Saugeen, and who, 
 seeing our distress, very willingly offered to help us. With these 
 additional hands, we managed to relieve the horses, and to drag 
 the waggon along till we reached the hard ground. The two 
 fishermen volunteered to acc(jmi)any us two miles furtlu;r, where 
 there was the worst slough, they said, upon the whole road 
 between Owen Sound and Fergus. There were severed bad spots 
 before we i-eached this, — the king of mud-holes, — which it cost 
 us no little trouble to get over. We now began to di-ead these 
 sloughs, and the jjoor hfjrses trembled when they saw one. A t 
 length we reached the famous mud-hole, pronounced by the set- 
 tlers so formidable. We made a halt to beat up for additional
 
 ivcruits : oxen wore not to be li;ul, nor was it <]iiite clear that 
 even tliey could have got through with the waggon, the swamp 
 was so long, so deep, and so intersected with fallen trees, roots 
 and stones. 1 held the two riding horses, and all the party, in- 
 ehiding the Rev. Mr, IMockridge, the verger, and four .settlers 
 whom v.-e li.id collected, besides tliose who had come with us, wont 
 t(i work, and with strong ai'ms pulled the waggon through. We 
 had taken fourteen hours, including the service, to travel 
 sn'cnteen miles. 
 
 " We did not reacli Mr. Beatty's, our next aj)])ointment, till 
 ueai-ly 7 o'clock, although, in ignorance of the road, I had 
 appointed thi'ce o'clock for the service. The people, however, 
 judging more wisely of the obstructions on the way, did not 
 begin to assemble till after G o'clock, and we overtook many of 
 tliem as we passed along. The service commenced immediately 
 on our arrival ; the house was crowded ; and the congregation 
 were mucli aflected by the prayers, sermon, and address to the 
 candidates for Confirmation, — these la.st being only three in num- 
 In-r. Wliat with the largench^s of the congregation, and tlie 
 attention and feeling which they manifested, I felt myself more 
 than reward(Nl for all the difficulties and toils I had endured." 
 
 The trials of the two following Jays v>"ere not soforiuitl- 
 able, and Elora Avas safely reached on the evening of the 
 29th August. In the course of his journey, tlie Bisho)) 
 frequently lieard complaints from the people in tlie newl}^ 
 o|)ene(l sottlomonts. 
 
 " They would speak bitterly and feelingly of their grievances ; 
 that they had no mill within many miles, and had souietimes to 
 carry on their backs their wheat to be ground, and to earrv it 
 home again in ilour in the same way. Mere trifles, he would 
 reply. I was in the I'rovince when it contained .scarcely a mill 
 in any part of it, and the people had often to travel more than a 
 hundred miles to get their wheat groun<l ; and as this couM only 
 be done in winter, they used to bruise their corn and wheat in 
 the interval between smooth stones, and make rough bread of it 
 in that way. Others would complain of their hard labour ; and
 
 224 
 
 lie would ask tlieni, iu reply, liow long they would have had to 
 labour at home before they obtained, what they now possessed, — 
 a freehold of 100 acres of land ? 
 
 " An Irishman was detailing his many grievances with some 
 eloquence; but it had come out that he had been a hodman, 
 attending masons in Glasgow before he came to Canada. T said 
 nothing until he had expatiated upon all his difficulties, and had 
 come to a full stop. T then took up an axe, and asked him if 
 tills was as heavy as a hod of brick 1 The Irishman apjjeared 
 surprised, and said, (surely not.' ' How many years,' I replied, 
 'must you have carried the hod to the top of the highest building 
 iu Glasgow, before you could get a farm like the one you are now 
 cultivating?' 'You are right,' said the Irishman, with the honest 
 frankness of his countrymen : ' at home there is no prospect of 
 bettei-ing our situation ; sickness and old age, too, are frightful ; 
 but here we have plenty to cat and drink, good hopes for our 
 children, and a comfortable old age for ourselves.' It was easy, 
 after this, to turn the conversation to their religious condition ; 
 urge upon them family worship and Sunday-schools ; learning 
 portions of the Psalms, and rejtcating them as sources of consola- 
 tion ; reading the Scriptures regularly, and remembering to keep 
 holy the Lord's Day." 
 
 This was a most laborious Confirmation tour ; commen- 
 cing on the 14th July, and, after unremitted travelling and 
 services, ending on the 8th September. About 1600 miles 
 ]jy land and water were traversed; and notwithstanding 
 the gi'eat extent of country to be visited, and the number 
 of appointments to be kept, — some of them far distant the 
 one from the other, and others separated by roads or paths 
 all but im})assable, — the Bishop was enabled by Divine 
 favour, to kee}) every one of tliem, and through judicious 
 arrangements and active travelling, was late only two or 
 three times. In these touching words, he says, " I have 
 nuich reason to be thankful : the Church prospers ; and my 
 journeys and fatigues are every where sweetened by cordial 
 welcome and respect. In every house we enter, there is
 
 the kind ]irui<l and liappy look t(t (^rrci us; ami suivly, 
 
 uiidci- such ciivunistances, ]al)oui-s and perils lui'dit Ix' 
 
 c-lieerfully endured, weiv tliry tliivcfold ^M-catcr thaji 
 they arc' 
 
 29
 
 226 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 Resignation of Archdeaconry of York and Rectory of ToVonto. — 
 Triennial Visitation of tlie Clergy in 1847. — Consecration 
 of the Church of tlie Holy Trinity, Toronto. 
 
 (MjST the course of the summer of 184G, a communication 
 ^1 was received by the Bishop of Toronto from the 
 ^^ Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign 
 Parts, that the Society as Trustees of the Church of 
 England's sliare of tlie Clergy Reserves Fund in this 
 Diocese, liad voted to him a salary of £1250 sterling, per 
 annum ; on condition that ho should resign .all other 
 ecclesiastical preferment. By this arrangement, which the 
 Bishop at once accepted, the Archdeaconry of York and the 
 Rectory of Toronto became vacant ; and the Bishop was 
 pleased to appoint the Rev. A. N. Bethune, D. D., to the 
 former, and to recommend to the (lovernor General, at that 
 time the patron, the Rev. H. J. Grasett, M. A., for the 
 Rectory of Toronto. These latter appointments, however, 
 were not officially announced until the month of March 
 following. 
 
 On Thursday, 3rd June, 1847, the Bishop lield his third 
 Ti-jennial Visitation of the Clergy of the Diocese in the 
 Cathedral Church of St. James. Eighty Clergymen were 
 present ; and, to quote from the Church organ of the day, 
 " the Bishop, seated in his Episcopal Chair, and surrounded 
 by the Archdeacons and other Clergy of the Diocese, 
 proceeded to deliver his Charge, which occupied about 
 three hours and a half, and was attended to with tlie most 
 intense interest by both Clergy and Laity. The several
 
 important, t<)[)ic.s wliidi tlio Addre8.s eiiil)iace<l woro cx- 
 plaiiicd and illustrated Avitli a cleani'jss and precision, and, 
 in many cases, with an em|)basis well calculated to make 
 a dee}) impression. The se\'eral interests of the Diocese, — 
 its extent, revenue, number of Clergy, and future propects, 
 — were all lucidly and circumstantially dwelt upon. Tlir 
 present state of religious feeling, both in and out of tin; 
 Church, at home and abroad, was adverted to witli 
 singular prudence, discrimination, and ability ; but, at the 
 same time, we are persuaded that no part of his Lordship's 
 C'hargc was listened to with more deference and respect, 
 than his truly paternal, kind, and affectionate address 
 to the Clergy towards the close." From this long and 
 able document, which is doubtless in the hands of very 
 many members of the Church in Canada, we can make 
 ])ut a few ([uotations. 
 
 His Lordship stated that, in the years, 1M4.") and l.SlO, 
 he had confirmed at 197 stations, and that 4358 candi- 
 dates had been presented for that rite. He says : — 
 
 " It is very pleasing to remark, tliat a very great change lias 
 V>eeu for some years gradually muuilbsting itself in regard to the 
 holy ordinance of Conlirniation. Our- people now almost uni- 
 versally b(!lieve and recognize it to be an Apostolic institution, 
 and, to all who receive it, a most beautiful and impressive eon- 
 siuumation of their baptism. 
 
 "The frequent administration of this interesting cerenmnv 
 has been esjjecially blessed throughout the Diocese, and has hail 
 the most salutary effects upon the minds of many, wliose views 
 of the true foundation and princi[)les of our Church were vei-y 
 eonfmed and unfruitful. Following uj) the holy conceptions and 
 aspii-ations which the frequent witnessing of Confirmation i.s cal- 
 eulated to produce, they have formed more correct opinions of 
 the sacred functions of the Church of God, in her Diviix^ a])p()ii,t- 
 nient to regenerate man and to mould him for heaven. 
 
 "'T was delighted,' said one of the most promising of my 
 younger Clergy, ' to hear many of my congregation observing
 
 228 
 
 that they were much affected at beholding the ordinance of Con- 
 tirmation administered for the first time, — displaying, as it does, 
 the E[)l.scopal authority, which is one of the marks of the Catho- 
 lic Church. In one case, where I had been unable to persuade 
 two young persons in a family to ])ocome candidates for Confirma- 
 tion, they expressed great sorrow, after witnessing the ceremony, 
 that they had not yielded to my advice, and professed their deter- 
 mination to be confirmed, Cod willing, at the next opportunity.' " 
 
 He speaks tlius of two Institutions in the Mother 
 Coimtry, whose inestimable services to all the Colonies of the 
 Empire, and to this one in particular, are never to be 
 forgotten : — 
 
 " The two Societies, the great handmaids of the Church, con- 
 tinue their nursing care to this Diocese with increasing energy ; 
 the Propagation Society in supporting nearly one-half of our 
 Clergy, besides granting many special donations ; the Society for 
 Promoting Christian Knowledge, in bestowing Bibles, Prayer 
 Books, Eeligious Tracts and Books of the most excellent descrip- 
 tion in the most abundant measure, and affording munificeut aid 
 towards the erection of churches. Their exertions seem to keep 
 l)ace with the multiplying demands upon their benevolence. 
 They feel that they are engaged in a holy cause ; and, so feeling, 
 remit not, but redouble their labours. The field of their opera- 
 tions is already immense, and continually enlarging, and so is 
 their responsibility for the judicious application of the means at 
 their disposal. Their success is indeed wonderful, notwithstand- 
 ing the many obstacles which stand in their way, from without 
 and from Avithin, to their freedom of action in carrying the 
 Church of our fathers to every quarter. For one hundred and 
 fifty years have they been employed in this vast field, and during 
 the whole of that period the true Missionary strength has been 
 gaining strength amongst them, while its [)resent activity is a 
 pledge of onward progress, and of still greater things to come." 
 
 He speaks, too, in this well-deserved strain, of another 
 Institution to which this Province is under great obliga- 
 tion : —
 
 220 
 
 " The New England Society, established by Koyal Charter in 
 the r(i<,'ii of Charles the Second, continue to support their 
 niissious among the Six Nation Indians, with unabated care and 
 liberality. Their two jMissionaries arc ever at their posts, and 
 are encouraged by a fair measure of success: the nuiiilK-r of 
 Indians still ]iagan are raj)id]y diminishing, and the School of 
 Industry is attracting more and more the attention of the different 
 triltes, and ap[»ears in a A'ery flourishing condition." 
 
 On flu,' Church as a bulwark a<rainst heicsy and .schism, 
 he ('X})re.sses.himself in this earnest and i)ractical n)anner: 
 
 " Ever since the Reformation, there has been, in matters of 
 religion, a want of veneration for .sacred things. Instead of 
 deferring to the authority of the Church, an absolute independ- 
 ence of her has been too fre(piently assumed. Hence the low 
 appreciation of the past, and tlie readiness with which Dissentei-s 
 east oil all regard for the forms and usages of the Church of the 
 Apostles. 
 
 " The same wild spirit invades .social life. To honour father 
 .uid mother, and to cherish for them the most afiectionate love 
 and respect in tlieir jjcnsons and charactens, are virtues wliich a])pear 
 to l)e rapidly pa.ssing away; and when the domestic affections 
 disaj>i)ear, the tru(> happiness of society vanishes with them. 
 There can be no love and unity in families where the children 
 defer not to their j>arents ; and as society consists of families, the 
 same .spirit will teach disrespect for suj)eriors, and, in time i-eneral 
 insubordination. It is the discipline of home, sanctified by reli- 
 gion, which qualifies tis for the duties of civilized life. Filial 
 affection bears much, because it loves much. Now the Church 
 must live in families before she can be truly efficient ; and it is 
 the neglect of religion in ftunilies, and the consequent deteriora- 
 tion of the domestic virtues, which disturbs the Church and 
 inulti|)lies division. For, as the Church is daily born anew in 
 baptism, so must she ever be renewed in Christian homes ; but 
 the total relaxation of domestic discipline leads to excess of 
 private judgment, to extreme arrogance, and contempt for autlio- 
 ity. Hence we find Protestant denominations without number.
 
 230 
 
 Every one hatli a ]>salm, liaili a (.loctriue, liatli an interpretation ; 
 and in our feai- of forms, we forget that then* can be neither 
 regnlarity nor order without forniH. This reckk>ss spirit of 
 unbridled independence has created much turbulence and disorder ; 
 and tliese again have been increased and extended by the ra[)id 
 growth of the population, for the religious insti'uction of which 
 the. Church has been unable to provide." 
 
 We close our extracts from this valuable charge with the 
 following words of admirable exhortation, which Church- 
 men now would be wise to take to heart and act u|)on : — 
 
 " But dismissing these elements of earth, let us look to our- 
 selves, and remember that we have a great and im])ortant work 
 before us, — the evangelizing of this vast coimtry. Let us not then 
 fall out by the way. We have already too many enemies and 
 opposers to admit of division in our own household. Enemies 
 numerous and powerful exist, whom we can only expect to com- 
 Itat with success, by using the weapons furnished by the Church 
 in the true spirit of unity and concord. We are all servants of 
 the same Master ; let us stand together in faithfulness of purpose 
 and in steadiness of action. Have we not to contend with infi- 
 delity and worldliness on the one hand, and all the Protean forms 
 of dissent on the other ? Is it not, then, our duty to rise above 
 difliculties, and exert ourselves to the utmost in promoting 
 the advancement of the Church of God in this Diocese ; that 
 Church which is not human in her constitution, but heavenly ; 
 and neither takes lier rise from earthly powers, nor dei)ends upon 
 them for her continuance. Empires and kingdoms fail ; the earth 
 itself shall pass aAvay, — but the Church of the living God shall 
 continue forevci'. Her name, her oftices, her services, her powers, 
 her spiritual endowments, are for eternity. How awful tlie 
 responsibility which attaches to us, her ministers ! The worship 
 we offer, is the commencement of the worship of eternity, and 
 our ministrations the beginning of services which are to continue 
 for evermore " 
 
 There was a circumstance of a personal character con- 
 nected with this Visitation, Avhich ought not to be left
 
 •2:i\ 
 
 imrecortlcd. On the evening of tlitit day, there was :i 
 special clioral service in the Chapel of the University (^1" 
 King's College, at which most of the Clergy in town were 
 present ; and in regard to this, we shall be excused for 
 repeating the impressions of an eye-witness. " The service," 
 he sa3's, "was admirably conducted, and the impressions 
 left upon the minds and spirits of those who participated 
 in it, were of the most gratifying and refreshing nature. 
 'I'liere is something in tlio lnn)il)le, i)laintive tone of sacred 
 song, conducted by the rule of the ancient chants, singu- 
 lai'ly in accordance with the natural outpourings of a 
 penitent spirit. The voice of supplication for the manifold 
 good giils of a gracious God, is appropriately expressed in 
 that unambitious strain of devotional melody. The Amex 
 of the choristers and })cople, following the dirge-like 
 petitions of the minister, has a peculiarly impressive effect; 
 wliile the united and full voices of all in the anthems of 
 praise, shadows in the mind, feebly, though cheeringly, the 
 image of that scene in the realms of glory, Avhere ten 
 thousand times ten thousand of the redeemed lift up oni' 
 burst of grateful thanksgiving and homage to the Lord 
 of all." 
 
 After this service, the Clergy rejiaircd to the residence 
 of the Bishop to pai-take of the hospitalities customary at 
 these triennial assemblages. Besides the Clergy, were the 
 Judges, the Heads of Departments, the Corporation, the 
 Vice-Presidents, and Standing Committee of the Church 
 >Society, and many other gentlemen of the city, — forming- 
 altogether a very large, and most intelligent and agreeable 
 party. 
 
 "Soon after the company had assembled, a beautiful and 
 massive Silver Inkstand was presented by the Archdeacons, 
 in the name of the Clergy, to the Lord Bishop, as a sliglit 
 liut heartfelt token of their regard, dutifnlness, and atlec- 
 ti<iu. The ])resentation Mas accompanied with a few 
 appropriate' remarks, very feelingly expressed, from the
 
 232 
 
 Venerable the Archdeacon of Kingston ; and his Lordshij), 
 in rei)ly, was j^leased to express liis warm sense of the 
 kindness which prompted this testimony of the love and 
 esteem of his Clergy; that it was enhanced by the fact of 
 its presentation by his Archdeacons, the senior of whom, 
 the Archdeacon of Kingston, had been his friend for nearly- 
 half a century; and the junior, the Archdeacon of York, 
 one A\diom he had known, and, as it were, brought up, from 
 liis infancy ; that such gifts from a Clergy to their Bishop 
 might not be usual, but that as he felt himself in the cha- 
 racter of a fond father suiTOunded by an attached family, he 
 gladly and thankfully accepted the one now so kindly 
 offered him, that when they were separated to their homes 
 and their duties, he might have before him continually a 
 remembrance of this holyday, — like a gathei'ing togcither 
 <.)f his beloved children in the Lord, whose welfare, comfort, 
 and usefulness Avere at all times amongst the things nearest 
 to his heart, and foremost in his prayers.* 
 
 This handsome and appropriate testimonial was, after the 
 death of its late owner, placed in the hands of tlie present 
 Incumbent of the See by Captain and Mrs. Strachan ; with 
 their request, that it might be regarded as their gift to all 
 succeeding Bishops of Toronto. This act of thoughtful 
 kindness is highly appreciated by the present Bishop, and 
 will, no doubt, he equally valued by all those into whose 
 hands it may hereafter come. 
 
 In the autumn of the present year, an event occurred of 
 deep and pleasing interest, — the Consecration of the Church 
 of the Holy Trinity in this City. This unusual interest 
 was awakened by the peculiar circumstances under which 
 the Church was started and completed. But these are 
 best told in the Bishop's own words : — 
 
 " On my return fi-oin visiting the Missions west of Toronto in 
 September, ]84o, I found u letter from the Lord Bishop of 
 
 ''■Church Newspaper, June 11, 1847.
 
 Ripon, tlie perusal of wliicli <liHsi|)iited in a moment tlie con- 
 tinued fatigue I liad l)pen enduring for several months. His 
 Loj-dship stated, that he had the plcjusure to inform me that some 
 munilicent individual, entirely unknown to him, had df^])0.sited in 
 his hands the sum of ^oOOO sterling, which tlie donor wished to 
 be appropriated to the building of a Cliurch in the Diocese of 
 Toronto, to be called the Church of the Holy Ti-inity, — the scats 
 of which were to be free and unappropriated for ever ; the patron- 
 age to be left entirely to the Bishop of the -Diocese, as well as 
 situation. Sacramental plate, suiplices, and other things needful, 
 were, at tlie same time, promised, and have since been furnished. 
 
 " The only condition imposed is, that a yearly report of the 
 progress and circumstances of the Church is cither to be printed 
 in the Annual Report of the Society for Promoting Christian 
 Knowledge, entitled 'Holy Trinity Church Report,' or to be sent 
 to the Rev. H. Swale, M. A., Little Yorkshire, who will shew it 
 to the benefactor. ' I have not the most remote conjecture,' 
 adds the Bishop, ' who the donor is.' On consulting with 
 sciveral of my Clergy and other friends of the Church, all ol" 
 whom were filled with joy and admiration at this noble manifes- 
 tation of Christian charity, they concurred with one voice that 
 the Free Church should l)o built at Toronto, by far the most 
 populous city in the Diocese, and in a locality most likely to 
 embrace the largest jiortion of the poor. 
 
 " ^Measures were imuiediately taken to find a site (or the 
 Church, eligible for the ]>ur]iose intended, and to proceed without 
 tlelay to its erection. In the selection of a j.roper .site, we met 
 with some difficulty; several were offered, but they were not in 
 the desired locality, and the jirice demanded by the proprietors of 
 such as might have been deemed eligible, was so great as would 
 have trenched on the wished- for endowment. From anxiety on 
 this subject, however, we were soon relieved by the Hon. Jolni 
 Sinicoe Macaulay, retired Lieut. Colonel of the Royal Engineers, 
 who bestowed upon us gratuitously, the \ery spot which we had 
 all believed to be the most a])propriate. at a saerifloe to hiuiscli' 
 of more than £:)00. 
 
 *' In due time, the sacramental plate for the Church, and also 
 for private communion with the sick, with table cloths, napkins
 
 234 
 
 and surplices, itc, all of wliicli are very mvicli admired for their 
 tasteful elegance, reached us in safety. But what created still 
 greater admiration and still deeper feelings «f gratitude, were the 
 magniticeut gifts, and their bcaiitiful appropriation, for rejoicing 
 on the day of the Consecration of the Church, with which these 
 things were accompanied. First, the donor desires that £oO ster-- 
 ling be presented at the Offertory on the day of the Consecration 
 of the Church of the Holy Trinity, should the Holy Communion 
 be then administered ; if not, on the first occasion on which 
 there is a Communion. Second, That the same sum be offered 
 to supply gifts and i-ejoicings for the poor on the day of consecra- 
 tion. Third, That the like sum of £50 Sterling be offered for 
 the beautifying of the Font ; or, should that be completed, for 
 any internal decoration for the more devotional observance 
 of Divine Service. Such a complete act of charity, and so 
 tlioughtful and delicate in all its arrangements, and descending 
 with holy foresight to the most minute things which might in 
 any way tend to the devotional objects of the gift, is scarcely to 
 be found in the history of the Christian Church. Wealth is 
 indeed a blessing, when it is thus devoted to so nol)le a ])urpose 
 as the extension of Christ's kingdom." 
 
 The Church of the Holy Trinity wa« consecrated on 
 Wednesday, 27th October, 1S47. Tlicre was a consi- 
 derable attendance of the laity, and about twenty of the 
 Clergy present. The Bisho}) })reachcd an earnest and 
 :i|»})i-o])riate sermon; and after the offertory, which did not 
 much exceed the large gift of the founder devoted to it, 
 the Holy Communion was administered. 
 
 For several years this Church was served by the 
 Reverends H. Scadding and W. Stennett, Masters in 
 Upper Canada College ; the former receiving a very small 
 remuneration for his services, and the lattci' affording 
 them without any charge. 
 
 But it was soon discovered that tliere were requirements 
 to be met, and duties to be discharged, to ensure the holy 
 ]jur]josf'S for which this Church was erected, that would
 
 claim tlic iiiulivirlcd time and energies of its ministers. For 
 the healthful prosperity of any Congi'egation, assiduous 
 pastoral visiting nuist follow the Sunday ministrations. 
 The classes of the community which wcRiId chiefly dc^sire 
 to avail themselves of the free accommodation of the 
 Cluirch of the Holy Trinity, would be looking for the 
 s>'mpathy, the consolation, the counsel, the instruction, 
 from day to day, which, amidst the many trials and fluctu- 
 ations of the world, all alike require. To hold back these, 
 would bo to weaken, and paralize at last, the influence of 
 this Church, — so nobly projected, so munificently accom- 
 plished. 
 
 With this view, the Rev. W. StcAvart Darling was, in 
 1851, appointed Assistant Minister in this Church ; and so 
 multiplied, and multiplying, were found to be the calls and 
 claims upon his time and energies, that in a few years 
 another had to be associated with him in the work. 
 
 Far and wide, the faithful and diligent attention of ^1 r. 
 Darling to his arduous duties has been recognized and 
 lionoured ; and the result has been that the Congregation 
 of this Church has grown into great strength and influence. 
 It is crowded on the Lord's day ; and on the many occa- 
 sions of week-day ministrations, the attendance is most 
 satisfactory. The communicants, too, are very numerous, 
 and the celebrations of the Lord's Supper are frequent. 
 There is a hearty worship, and zeal and unanimity amongst 
 its members; all realizing, more and more, the great results 
 which the generous founder of the Church anticipated, in 
 laying at the feet of its chief Pastor so munificent a gift 
 for the spiritual benefit of the poor.
 
 236 
 
 CHAPTEK XXV. 
 
 Abolition of the University of King's College.— Establisliment of 
 Trinity College. 
 
 r^E-E Bishop of Toronto was now about to figlit his last 
 i\\ J battle for the University of King's College ; which, 
 ^■^^ after the exertions of almost a life-time, he had seen 
 in full and successful operation. It was not pursuing its 
 course under the letter and direction of the original Charter: 
 we have already explained what sacrifices were agreed to, 
 to remove public prejudice so far that the College might 
 start npon its active work. It was agreed that the influ- 
 ence of the Church of England within the Institution 
 should be abridged, if it was not altogether removed. Those 
 o-reat principles were still upheld, which no Churchman 
 could consent to sacrifice. The Word of God Avas not 
 banished from its halls ; the voice of prayer and praise was 
 permitted to invoke a daily blessing upon the intellectual 
 culture and the moral training ; and the lessons of religion 
 were communicated to such as chose to receive them, only 
 according to the teaching of the Church of England. 
 
 We have given some account of its opening in 1843, and 
 have made some allusion to the character of its religious 
 services. The College, after all, was thoroughly English in 
 tone and style ; the changes effected were, practically, 
 merely sentimental ; they had no bearing or influence upon 
 its work or its spirit. It was becoming highly popular, 
 too ; the education imparted was of a superior order ; and 
 a o-entlemanly tone pervaded the undergraduates, — promi- 
 sin^-- a ha]jpy influence upon the social life of the country..
 
 237 
 
 Exhibiting these advantages, and with nothing to disturb 
 religious liberty or awakeii sectarian prejudice, it was 
 gathering in its alumni from all creeds and denominations ; 
 it was gaining reputation and strength in the minds of all 
 the intelligent people of the country. But it was this very 
 prosperity that hastened its ruin. It roused the jealousy 
 of old and inveterate opponents, who began to fear that, if 
 not soon assailed and undermined, its foundations would 
 be strong enough to bear any shock, and come unharmed 
 from any assault : that, supported by the public opinion it 
 Avas o-aininr' over so fast, it would, with its ample endow- 
 ments, bid defiance to all that the intrigues or tlie force of 
 enemies could em})loy against it. Its political o])|)onents, 
 — for it really had no other, — gave it, therefore, no peace ; 
 session after session in the Legislative Assembly, the 
 attacks upon it were renewed ; and though many of these 
 were feeble and ill-directed, reiterated assaults, backed by 
 the influence naturally exerted by the popular branch of 
 the Legislature, proved too much for an Institution which 
 had only its own merits to rest upon, and few defenders 
 beyond its own walls. 
 
 In the autumn of 1843, a. measure was introduced into 
 the Legislative Assembly, "providing for the separate exer- 
 cise of the Collegiate and L^niversity functions" of King's 
 College, and for "incorporating certain other Colleges and 
 Colleo-iate Institutions with the University; and for the 
 more efficient establishment and satisfactory government 
 of the same." 
 
 This was jn-otested against, in a strong memorial, hy tho 
 Bishop of Toronto. He declared that, — 
 
 " The leading object of the Bill is to place all foruii, of 
 error upon an equality with truth, l)y patronizing equally 
 within the same Institution an unlimited number of sects, 
 whose doctrines are absolutely irreconcilable ; a prhiciple 
 in its nature atheistical, and so monstrous in its conse- 
 (juences, that, if suceessfully carried out, it would utterly
 
 238 
 
 destroy all tlmt is pure niiJ liol}'' in rnoral.s and religion, 
 and lead to greater e()rru|)tion than any thing adopted 
 during the madness of the French Ecvohition, Avhen that 
 unhappy country abjured the Christian faith, and set up 
 in its stead the worship of the goddess of reason. Such 
 a fatal departure from all that is good, is without a })aral- 
 lel in the history of the world ; unless, indeed, some resem- 
 blance to it can be found in Pagan Rome, which, to please 
 the nations she had conquered, condescended to associate 
 their impure idolatries with her own." 
 
 Another leading objection advanced, was the act, which 
 had so disloyal an aspect, of destroying a Eoyal Charter, 
 and perverting the object of an Institution which was 
 guarded by an authority so sacred. He contrasts this con- 
 templated spoliation Avitli the mure honourable course 
 adopted by the Government of the United States, on their 
 separation from the Mother Country. Ho reminds them 
 
 that,— 
 
 " The endowment of King's College, New York, was left 
 untouched by the Revolution, and remains at this day in 
 the sole possession of that Institution: the only change 
 was the name, which, after the peace of 1782, was altered 
 from King's to Columbia College. So far were our neigh- 
 l)ours from breaking dow^n, or even molesting literary 
 institutions, that they have at all times been zealously 
 disposed to support and build them up ; much less have 
 they attem})ted the monstrous novelty of combining all 
 sorts of religious sects in one great institution. On the 
 contrary, they have been liberal in bestowing grants on the 
 Colleges of different persuasions, each sei)arate from the 
 other; and they have been most seru})ulous in all that tliey 
 did to guard and protect the rights of conscience. 1'hey 
 felt that to establish and build up requires wisdom and 
 ability; but to break down what is useful, venerable, and 
 holy, requires, instead of ability and talent, the mere 
 exertion of arbitrary and reckless power."
 
 2:3!) 
 
 Aii-uiii, with ^To;it truth hi- afhrius, — " Tliis measure uii- 
 settles all property, by (.lei)riviu^; the University of King's 
 College of an endowment which is the frift of the Crown, 
 and thus it introduces a precedent, most destructive to the 
 very existence of society. If the patents for land are to 
 be touched, there is an end to the permanency of any 
 Institution, and public and [trivate property is alike ])laced 
 at the mercy of a reckless and changing majority." 
 
 The abettors of this new measure had by no means given 
 the subject very accurate consideration; for, after a slight 
 discussion the Bill was found to l)e so clumsy and im- 
 practicable in its details, and in many respects so puerile 
 an<l absurd, that they were glad to withdraw it from the 
 ridicule and merriment it Avas creating. 
 
 The very weak Conservative Government, — weak bo it 
 understood, in the number of its supporters, not in talent, 
 — which came into power in 1844, and held office for about 
 three years, made some attempts toward re-modelling 
 King's College; but while unwiUing to go to the revolu- 
 tionary lengths of their predecessors, they failed to guard 
 the great principles of the Institution, and, without con- 
 cilating enemies, they alienated many friends. 
 
 F]arly in the year 1848, the Conservatives were displaced 
 from power ; and their opponents, the " Reformer.s," as they 
 wei'e styled, were in possession of the reins of government. 
 They soon addressed themselves to the University question; 
 and in the following session an Act was passed, so com- 
 pletely altering the features of the original Charter, that 
 these could no longer be rcco<]:nized. The name of " Kinir's 
 College" was dropped, and that of "the University of 
 Toronto" adopted in its place; and how essentially the 
 principles of the f(n-mer institution were changed, A\ill be 
 evident from some of the enactments adopted in the new- 
 constitution, which wo shall cite. 
 
 It was ordained tiiat there should be "uo Faculty of 
 Divinity in this University," and that there should Ite
 
 240 
 
 "no professorship, lectureship, or teachership of Divinity" 
 within it. 
 
 It was enacted also that " no person should be qualified 
 to be appointed l»y the Crown to any scat in the Senate, 
 wlio shall be a minister, ecclesiastic, or teacher, under or 
 according to any form or profession of j-eligious faith or 
 Avorshij) whatsoever." 
 
 rt was further ordained that " no rehgious observances, 
 according to the forms of any religious denomination, 
 should be imposed upon the members or officers of the said 
 University, or any of them." And, finally, that " no 
 religious test or qualification whatsoever, from scholar, 
 student, fellow, or otherwise," or from the holder of " any 
 ofnce, professorship, mastership, tutorship, or other place 
 OL- employment whatsoever in the same, shall be recjuired." 
 
 The Act, estal:)lishing the University of Toronto on this 
 basis, — denuding its predecessor, with a Eoyal Charter, of 
 every thing that bore the form, or remotest shew of 
 religion, — came into force on the 1st Januar}^ 1850. 
 
 In this emergency, the members of the Church of Eng- 
 laiid, with their Bishop at tlieir head, had a trying but 
 simple duty to discharge. Viewing this marked slight of, 
 this very trampling upon, the Christianity which was 
 meant to be ingrained into the principles and very essence 
 of their highest hall of science, they could not do other- 
 wise than part comi)any with it forever, and establish ii 
 University of their own, in which the blessed teachings of 
 our Christian faith should b(; prominently interwoven 
 with its secular lessons. They must have a University in 
 which, while their youth were trained for the honourable 
 occupation of the world's offices of trust and usefulness, 
 they should have that accompanying instruction in reli- 
 gious truth, which is the only security for sound principle 
 and upright dealing in the common duties of life. In 
 the words of the late Dr. Arnold, happily adduced by the 
 Bishop himself " science and literature will not do for a
 
 ■2U 
 
 man's iiiaiii l)Usiiioss ; tli(>y inust Ite used in suhni-dination 
 to a clt'arly ixM'ceivcil ( 'liristiaii end, and lix.kiMl iqton as of 
 most sidionliiiatc v.-dm-. In lart tin- li'msr is spiritually 
 (•ni[)ty NO I'MiLj as the pearl ol" i^rcat ]>ric'o is not there, 
 although it uiay ho hung Av'ith all the decorations of 
 earthly knowledge." 
 
 To tlio proposition, that Colleges cstahlishcil hy the 
 several bodies of the Province should "attiliate " with the 
 Toront(* University, and leave all to this, except the 
 religious instruction of their respective inenil)ers, the 
 Bishop Avould give no countenance. The slight aid or 
 relief thus atibrded, would, he considered, form an excuse 
 foi- restrictions and interferences which, when most 
 galling, it might he difficult to shake oft". He i)rotested, 
 too, against this tlu-usting forth of Christianity from the 
 tem])le, that she might take her abode in jxnclies, and 
 corners, and aUeys, Avhere she would be shrouded from 
 view, or buried from sight, as something to be ashamed 
 oi'. He felt that she should assume her proper position, 
 and occu])y the highest room ; that she should form part of 
 the nourisliment and vitality that courses through the 
 heart and trunk, and not merely be linked with a number 
 of feeble and sickly appendages, grafted hither and thither, 
 in unsightly variety upon the lusty and expansive tree. 
 
 These were sentiments which lay at the heart's core of 
 the great mass of the Churchmen of Upper Canada. With 
 all but unanimous voice they demanded the establishment 
 of a University, framed upon the })rinci[)les bequeathed to 
 them from their forefathers, and which have won for their 
 mother-land a world-wide renown. 
 
 In the month of Januar}^ 18.50, tlie ljislu)[) of Toronto 
 addressed a stirring appeal to the Clergy and Laity of his 
 Diocese ; calling upon them to aid by their contributions 
 the establishment of what had now become a necessity, — 
 a Church University, — and heading the subscription- 
 list with a gift of CI 000. 
 
 31
 
 242 
 
 From this Pastoral A])pcal, wo must make a few ex- 
 tracts. They deserve a permanent record, and a wider 
 circnlation; and may re-awaken the energies of old friends, 
 and rouse tlie sympathies of new ones on behalf of the 
 College, the establishment. of which so speedily followed 
 this ap])cal. He says : — 
 
 " It is surely the duty, as well as tins privilege, of every 
 Cliurchuian in the Diocese, to assist, as far as lie is able, in sup- 
 jjlying the want which the Church now feels in the destruction 
 of her University, and which, if not su})plicd, will, in a short 
 time, arrest the happy progress she is making through all parts 
 of the country. Let not, then, the friends and members of the 
 Church look for rest till [»r()[)er means arc found for the religious 
 education of her children. We have fallen, indeed, on evil 
 times, and the storm has overtaken us, aggravated by the painful 
 reflection that wo have contributed largely, by our want of unity 
 and consistency, to bring it on ourselves ; yet we must not be 
 discouraged, for, though the waters threaten to overwhehn us, 
 we are still the children of hope. Never perhaps, in the history 
 of the Church, did a single case more com])letely \)Yove the influ- 
 ence of party spirit in corrupting the heai-t, and warping and 
 entangling the judgment, till it had acquired a moral ol)liquity, 
 incapable of distinguishing right from wrong, truth from false- 
 hood, than the destruction of King's College. 
 
 " What makes this act of unscrupulous injustice the harder to 
 be borne, is the conviction, which I think we must all feel, that 
 if any one of the religious denominations in this Province, dis- 
 senting from the Church of England, had received from their 
 Sovereign a Royal Charter, founding a University in connexion 
 with their faith, and had received at the same time the free gift 
 of an endowment for its support, any attempt l)y the Colonial 
 Legislature to abi^ogate their Charter, and to wrest from them 
 the endowment conferred by their Sovereign, would liave been 
 jjromptly discountenanced by the Ex(;cutive Government, and 
 tirraly resisted, as being unreasonable and unjust. If any had 
 been found to make such an attempt, (which assuredly tlu^ Church 
 of England would not have done,) they would have been told at>
 
 i>43 
 
 once, that wliatevor oiiiuiou.s they luight have lonncd of the 
 j)olicy or impolicy of the nieasuve, the grant could not but be res- 
 pected, and the faith of the Sovereign maintained. And I am 
 .sure, my brethren, that neither you nor I would have regi-etted 
 to see those principles upheld by which alone either nations or 
 individuals can expect long to llourish. We should have 
 remarked, too, in such a case as I have supposed, another mor- 
 tifying difference : the member.? of any other religious denomina 
 tion whose rights had been unjustly attacked, as oai-s were, would 
 not have sought a vain popularity by abandoning them ; they 
 would have been foimd united as <me man in their defence." 
 
 The Ibllowing remarks are <'t" a ]ivaetieal eharacter; and 
 it is not even now too late to act upon tlieni : 
 
 "There arc, it is l>elieved, al)Out four huiulivd organized town- 
 sliips ill the Diocese ; and were only one lot of two hundred 
 acres to be contributed as an average in each township, it would 
 form an endowment of eighty thousand acres ; and this, by good 
 manaf^ement, with iirivate contributions in mouev, and tlie assist- 
 ance of the two venei-able Societies, would become sufficient to 
 enable us in a very short time to begin operations, and gradually, 
 as the proiierty leased, to extend the Uiiivei-sity, :is has been done 
 in like cases in Europe and America. 
 
 "Or, taking it otherwise ; — there are, 1 presume, about 200,- 
 000 adherents of the Church of England in Upper Canada, or 
 40,000 families. Now, were each fiimily to contribute two 
 pounds, or two acres of good land, a very hand.some endowment 
 would be the result. 
 
 "But as there are many poor, and some to whom God has not 
 I'iven generosity of heart, — let us take one-fourth, or only 10,000 
 families, and claim from each, for the love of God, six pounds in 
 money, or ten acres of good land, as may be more convenient, and 
 the University will be established. The difficulty, therefore, in 
 the way of endowing a Church University, is not so great as 
 those, who have not considered the subject, may suppose ; and 
 although we may not obtain the subscriptions in land, or in 
 money, often or even of live thousand at once, yet we shall, with
 
 244 
 
 God's blessing, obtain more in time ; ;iiul as the Iiistitiitiou wo 
 contem])l;ite is not for a short period, but for centuries, we can 
 afford time, and be content to advance to maturity by degrees. 
 Hut why should we not hope that the Church, among her 200,000, 
 will jn-oduce one thousand noble souls, ready to come forward 
 with at least one hundred acres each, and in a moment conii»]ete 
 the endowment f 
 
 Expi'essiiig Ills IjL'lief of aid from tlic grcnt (Jliui'cli 
 Societies of the Mother Country, and that in attempting 
 this University no Utopian scheme is devised, he proceeds 
 to urge the duty of establishing it upon high moral and 
 religious grounds. He says : — 
 
 " The Church ought to do nothing by halves. Her University 
 must comprise an entire system of education, based on religion. 
 Kvery branch of knowledge cherished at Oxford and Cambridge 
 must be carefully and substantially taught. She must also liave 
 her Eton, or Grammar School, to su])ply her with students : the 
 wliole to be placed under the guidance of the Church, that her 
 religious instruction may have no uncertain sound. We desire a 
 University, which, fed by the heavenly stream of pure religion, 
 may communicate fuel to the lamp of genius, and enable it to burn 
 with a brighter and purer flame. Thus the Arts and Sciences, with 
 all that adds real embellishment to life, will be studied with more 
 perseverance and order for moral ends ; and the faculties, under 
 such ti-aining, will become so pure and unclouded, that perce})tion 
 will be infinitely more vivid, and i-ise to fu- greater elevation ; 
 and all will be boimd together by that ])ur(! principle of love, 
 which the Scrii)tures tell us is the beginning and end of all our 
 being. For this reason, we shall have in our University daily 
 habitual woi-ship, that we may possess a conscious feeling of 
 the Divine ])resence ; and this will produce such an ardent 
 aspiration after goodness as will consecrate every movement. 
 Hence the religious i)rinciples thus developed, will pi'ove of 
 themselves a system of education infinitely supei-ior to all others. 
 
 " Having done all in my ))Ower, I shall aecpiiesce submissively 
 in the result, whatever it may be ; and f shall then, and not till 
 then, consider my mission in this l)chalf ended.'
 
 245 
 
 This ajiiical was pi()iiii»tly aii«I generously responded to ; 
 and beloro tliu month of April about £,2'), 000 were sub- 
 scribed in the Diocese of" Toronto alone. 
 
 But the I'csourccs of a. new country could not l»e con- 
 sidered etpial to such a demand ; there was in Canada the 
 s[)irit, but not the j)ower fully to carry out this' [^reat 
 luidertaking. The Bishop, therefore, resolved upon ex- 
 tending the appeal to our fellow Churchmen in England ; 
 believing that there Avould be as much sympathy there 
 with so noble an eftbrt, as there woukl be indignation that 
 v/e were compelled to resort to it. The Imperial Govern- 
 ment had sanctioned the sequestration of the royal gift 
 by which King's College was founded; and the people of 
 England would feel a sort of responsibility to make good 
 the loss. 
 
 On the 10th April, 1S.5(), at the age of 72, the Bishop 
 left for England; followed to the steamer by a large liody 
 of the inhabitants of all classes and conditions, from the 
 C'hief Justice of the Province to the bronzed labourer ; and 
 he set sail amidst the cheers and plaudits of all. He was 
 about to add another trophy to his long-earned fame, and 
 to establish for himself a monument which future genera- 
 tions would contem})late with gratitu^h'. 
 
 The Bishop, on his arrival in England, felt it his duty to 
 ])lace himself in correspondence with Earl Grey, Secretary 
 of State for the Colonies. He asked, first, the di.sallowance 
 by Her Majesty of the Act recently passed in Canada for 
 the al)olition of King's College ; and rerpiested, if this ]>eti- 
 tion coidil not be acceded to, that a Charter mirjlit be 
 granted by Her Majesty for a University in Upper Canada 
 stiietly in connexion with the Church of England. He 
 fmther prayed that a Queen's Letter might be granted, 
 authorizinfr collections on this behalf in the several Parish 
 Churches of the United Kingdom. 
 
 Earl Grey, who was very courteous in his acknowledg- 
 ment of the Bi.sliop's proposals, expressed the impo.ssibility
 
 240 
 
 of entertaining tlic })etition for tlie 'lisallowancc of the 
 Provincial Act complained of, as the confirmation of this 
 Act liad already taken place. He stated, too, liis fear that 
 it -would be impossible to comply with the request for a 
 Queen's Letter, as great difficulty was now experienced in 
 extending this privilege to the Society for the Propagation 
 of the Gospel in Foreign Parts ; but he spoke encourag- 
 ingly of the granting of a (Charter to a new College to be 
 conducted on Church of England jjrinciples, — assuming 
 that the draft of this Charter shovdd, after examiuiition, be 
 regarded as unobjectionable. 
 
 The Bishop, too, felt it desirable to secure the powerful 
 influence of Sir Roljert Peel in carrying out his plans; but 
 his interviews with that lamented statesman are best des- 
 cribed in his own words : — 
 
 '• On Friday, 7th June, I called on the late Sir Robert 
 Peel, with a letter of introduction from Chief Justice 
 Roljinson, of Upper Canada, for I was anxious to interest 
 so great and good a man in the o])ject Avhich had brought 
 me to England. Soon after I sent in my card and letter, 
 the servant came and told me Sir Robert was veiy sorr}' 
 tliat he happened at that moment to be particular!}' 
 enofaofed, l»ut would make nn early aiipoiutnient to see 
 me. 
 
 " On Monday, 10th June, T called at the tinu; api)ointed. 
 Sir Robert was at first distant and reserved, but, n(*\'er- 
 theless, courteous and encouraging. He heard, with the 
 most ])atient attention, n)y statement of the many struggles 
 and final destruction of King's College, and the establish- 
 ment of a CVJlege in its stead, from which religion is 
 virtually excluded. 'It seems a strange aii'd outiageous 
 proceeding, (he said) so far as I understand it ; but I shall 
 require to study the matter, and make myself acquainted 
 with all the details, that I may be fully satisfied in my 
 own nund, before I can ever third-c of interfering. Indeed, 
 I have so little influence that my interference can, I fear,
 
 247 
 
 be of little use. 1 suppose that the new institution of 
 Toronto University is something like tlif London Cohei^o^ 
 or the Irish Colleges.' Pardon me, 1 replied, the London 
 Collegia preys upon no othrr interest, and is sui)})orted 
 IVom private sources : it unhai)})ily dntps rcligicjii, but it 
 dot's not ^o so far as to exclude it by legal enactment, as 
 the Toronto University does. ' That certainly makes a 
 difference.' It differs also from the Irish Colleges in this, 
 — that the Irish Colleges are supported by the Govei-n- 
 ment, and their establishment did not interfere "svith, or 
 injure, anv other Institution. But the College or Univer- 
 sity of Toronto is founded on the ruins of King's 
 Colle'-x- whose Royal Cliarter it has re])ealed under the 
 ])retence of amending it, and whose endowment of £11, <»<)<) 
 per annnni, though secured b}^ a patent from the Cnnvn. 
 antl guaranteed by the pledge of three Kings, it has seized 
 and appropriated to itself. ' Then, if I understand it,' said 
 Sir llol)ert, ' the Government would have made a parallel 
 ease, had they seized upon Trinity College, Dublin, and 
 not only destroyed its religious character, but eudowe<l, 
 with its pro[)erty, all the new Colleges.' Such, I answered, 
 would have been a case exactly i)arallel. 'If so,' continued 
 Sir Uobt'i-t. ' it would seem a case of singular injustice and 
 oppression, aii<l what eo\dd never have taken ])lace in 
 England ; Init 1 must be more fully satisfied on this point.' 
 lb' then re([uired me to send him a copy of the Statute, 
 ami sueli other }iapers as I thought might elucidate the 
 sulijeet, and he })romised to give them a careful perusal. 
 
 " On my return to my lodgings, I sent the documents 
 reipiii-ed, and with the more alacrity, because Sir Robert 
 got evidently interested in -the subject, as our conversation 
 ])roceeded, and became more frank and eordial ; so much so, 
 that I felt that the reserve with which he met me at iirst 
 li.id altogether disappeared." 
 
 About ten days after, the Bisho)) had another interview 
 with Sir Robert Peel, who, on this occasion, received him
 
 248 
 
 with great cordiality, and said that, after perusing care- 
 full}' all the documents with which he had been furnished, 
 he considered the case one of great hardship and injustice. 
 He, however advised the Bishop to abstain from presenting 
 any petitions to Parliament, with the expectation that they 
 would interfere in the matter ; and lie considered that the 
 wisest course would be, to direct all his energies to the 
 obtaining of a Royal Charter for the contemplated new 
 College. The more simply he apphed his efforts to this, 
 the more certain would be his success. Sir Robert pro- 
 mised him all the assistance in his power; but reminded 
 liim that this could not now amount to much. 
 
 On the 0th May following,, the Bishop published an 
 address to tlie members of the Church of England through- 
 out the United Kingdom, Avhich was very extensively 
 circulated, and on the whole met with a very favourable 
 response. A very influential Committee, amongst whom 
 were Lord Seaton and Mr. Gladstone, very heartily 
 co-operated with him, and large donations came in. The 
 Bishop also visited the Universities, that he might engagi; 
 tlieir sympathy; attended several public meetings, and 
 earnestly advocated the cause ; and preached on its behalf 
 in many of the larger Churches of England. Through all 
 these efforts, he succeeded in adding about £15,000 to tlie 
 funds of the intended University, and lie came back to 
 Canada, early in the montli of November following, fully 
 determine<l to start the University, and much encouraged 
 in the belief that, once established, it w(juld soon receive 
 the Royal Charter that had Ijeen i)rayed for.
 
 no 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 Establishment of the Diocesan Synod. — Lxying the Founchition- 
 stonc of Trinity College. — Opening of the College. 
 
 /^^HE year 1851 Avas reniavkablc, in tlio annals of the 
 1 1 . Diocese of Toronto, for the first actual start in tho 
 ^■^ estal)lishrncnt of a Diocesan Synod. It is not, how- 
 ever to be supposed tliat this was a sudden conception on 
 the part of our late Diocesan ; or that it had acquired life 
 and energ}' only just before the attempt at practically 
 carrying it out. 
 
 Early in the }'ear l<So2, soon after the return from Eng- 
 land of tlie writer of this Memoii-, lie received a letter 
 from Dr. Strachan, then Archdeacon of York, containing a 
 draft of a Constitution for a Diocesan Convocation. This 
 (X)ntaincd fourteen rules, Avith an excellent preamble, 
 asserting the reasons for the establishment of such a body. 
 He says in this letter : — 
 
 "In the draft" transmitted to you, i have confined niysell' 
 within as narrow bounds as possible, and simplified the 
 whole as much as I could. To make it long, might deter 
 the Bishop in limine from entertaining it: the great 
 object is to get it fairly established, and then it will be 
 ea.sy to introduce such additional articles as experience 
 may suggest. 
 
 " I am quite convinced," he adds " that we shall never 
 *>-ain much o-round in the Province, or ol>tain that infiueuce 
 on public opinion, or with the Government, or with the 
 Bishop himself, — that we ought to possess, till we have
 
 250 
 
 frequent Convocations, composed of the Clergy and mem- 
 bers from their several congregations. 
 
 " To such assemljlies, the Episcopal Church in the 
 United States owes almost every thing; and from the want 
 of public meetings of the Clergy and Laity, the Church of 
 England is losing weight with the people, and influence 
 with the Government. 
 
 He asked for such remarks iipuii this draft as, after 
 mature consideration, T might think it advisable to offer; 
 and he stated that he had made a similar request to two or 
 three other Clergymen of the Diocese, on whose judgment 
 he set much value. 
 
 In August, 1832, at a Visitation of the Clergy at 
 Kingston, held by the Bishoj) of Queljcc, the subject was 
 discussed,though informally; and api)i'obation of a Diocesan 
 Synod or Convocation was generally expressed. The sub- 
 ject was resumed at Toronto, at a Visitation held there a 
 few weeks later. 
 
 In 1830, at the meeting presided over by the two Arch- 
 deacons, the question Avas very earnestly taken up, and 
 discussed at some length. Some objections were advanced ; 
 Itut the feeling of the meeting was decidedly in favour of 
 Synodical action. There were, even then, indications 
 sufficiently suggestive that the time was not far distant 
 when we should be a self-su])i)oiting, and self-reliant 
 Church ; and tlni impression was a natural one that, in 
 view of such a condition, we should lose no time in ])re- 
 paring ourselves to become a self-governing Church. It 
 was natural also to entertain, and give expression to the 
 opinion, that, inasmuch as for the future maintenance of 
 the Church we should have to depend so much on the 
 good-will and liberality of the lay-members of our Com- 
 munion, it was only fair to assign to them a reasonable 
 share in its government. 
 
 Nothing definite wuis adopted, or suggested, subsequently 
 for some years; but in 18.")1 there were such strong indica-
 
 ■2r,\ 
 
 tious tliat steps woiiM Ik- taken l»y tlie rr(»vincial Parlia- 
 ment for tlic alienation of tlie Clergy Reserves, that the 
 Bishop of Toronto, in issuing to the Clergy of the Dioeese 
 the usual summons to his Triennial Visitation, introfluced 
 the following direct allusion to the importance and the 
 duty of Synodical action : — 
 
 " Tt has been suggested, and even pressed upon me, by 
 many of the most pious and respectable members of our 
 Communion, both lay and clerical, that the Church, now 
 so numerous in Canada West, ought to express her opinion, 
 as a body, on the posture of her secular affairs, when an 
 attempt is' again made by lirr cnt'iiiics to despoil her of the 
 small remainder of her property, which has been set apart 
 and devoted to sacred purposes during sixty years; and 
 that it is not onl}' her duty to i»rotest against such a 
 manifest breach of public faith, but to take such steps ;is 
 may seem just and reasonable to avert the same. 
 
 " Having taken this suggestion into serious consideration, 
 and believing it not only founded on wisdom, but, in the 
 present crisis of the temporalities of the Church, absolutely'' 
 necessary, I hereby request every Clergyman of my Dio- 
 cese to invite the members of his mission or congregation, 
 being regular connnunicants, to select one or two of their 
 number to accom|iany lum to the Visitation." 
 
 In response to this sinnmons, one hundred and twenty- 
 four Clergymen, and one lumdred and twenty-seven Lay- 
 men were present in the Church of the Holy Trinity, at 
 Toronto, on Thursday, May 1, 1851. On this day after the 
 usual religious .services, the Bishoj) delivered a Charge of 
 considerable length. There was then a. short adjournment ; 
 and the Bi.shop, on their re-as.sembling, addres.sed both 
 Clergy and Lait}' collectively on the secular aftairs of the 
 Church. On the following day, after considerable discus- 
 sion several Resolutions were passed, expressing a strong 
 protest against the threatened secularization of the Clergy- 
 Reserves ; the expediency of f^pplying to the Crown for
 
 252 
 
 the establislnneiit of a Diocesan Synod or Convocation, to 
 consist of the Laity as well as the Clergy; and the duty of 
 petitioning the Colonial Legislature to permit the estab- 
 lishment of separate Church Schools. Committees were 
 appointed to carry these rules into effect. Such was the 
 |)ractical commencement of The Synod of the DiO('f:sE 
 OF Toronto. 
 
 The Bishop considered the present a favoural)le oppor- 
 tunity for laying the Foundation-stone of Trinity College 
 for which ceremonial every necessary preparation had been 
 made. Our readers, however, should be informed that, on 
 the return of the Bishop from England in the autumn of 
 1850, a Deputation from the "Upper Canada School of 
 Medicine, — composed of Di's. Hodder, Bovell, Badgley, 
 Hallowell, Bethune, and Melville, — waited upon his Lord- 
 ship, to tender their services as the Medical Faculty of the 
 })rojected University, and offering these services gratui- 
 tously until the revenues of the University should warrant 
 the payment of a suitable remuneration. This offer was 
 cheerfully accepted ; and as the usual i:)eriod for the com- 
 mencement of the winter course of study had arrived, the 
 Bishop sanctioned the naming of a day on which the 
 Faculty should commence their labours. They met accord- 
 ingly at the Hall of the Mechanics' Institute, on the 7th 
 November; and, after Prayers, and an Address from the 
 Bishop, introductory Lectures were delivered by the 
 several Professors. 
 
 On the 13th March, 1851, the tenders were accepted for 
 the erection of Trinity College; on the 17tli of that month, 
 the first sod was turned with solemn and impressive cere- 
 mony ; and on the oOth A]»ri], tlie (*ornei--stone of the 
 huilding wasjaid. 
 
 At one o'clock on that da}', a procession of (jnc hundred 
 Cergymen, with the Medical Faculty and College Council, 
 followed by the Bishop and his Chaplains, proceeded to St. 
 George's Church, where Divine Service was performed^ and
 
 an a})pio})i-iato serinon preached by the Archdeacon of 
 York. Wlien the service was conchided, tlie Bishop, tlie 
 Clergy, and the nnnierous congregation formed in [)roces- 
 sioii at thii western end of the Churcli, ami proceeded 
 thence down John Street and along Queen Street to the 
 site of the College. "On its way from the Church to the 
 groumls, several of the gentry in carriages accompanied 
 the j)rocession, and the footways were crowded with pedes- 
 trians. The scene was gay and animating in the extreme, 
 and every thing evinced the deep interest which the 
 Churchmen of Toronto and the Province generally took in 
 the event." On the arrival of the procession at the ground, 
 the Bishop, from a capacious platform prepared for the 
 occasion, delivered an Address, from whieli wq make n f-w 
 extracts : — 
 
 " To t'ouud a cniniaou .seat of learning is a jn-oud object of am- 
 bition ; but to establish a College devoted to the cause of CJod, 
 and the ditfiision of sound learning and true religion through so 
 vast a region as Upper Canada, is one of those precious distinc- 
 tions which are seldom attained ; and, associated in our imagina- 
 tions, as it must be, with so many gifts and blessings to young 
 and ('Id, it cannot fail to become a source of delightful reflection 
 tlirough life to all of \is who now enjoy the privilege of lieing 
 present on this happy occasion. 
 
 " Feeble we may seem to the world's eye ; but what Seminary 
 in the history of literature can claim an origin .so pure and holy t 
 
 " Trinity College is a burstof Christian benevolence, to remedy 
 an intolerable act of injustice, and to prove that all oppression is 
 .short-sight(Hl, and sure in Cod's own time to be overruli-d for 
 good. 
 
 " It is peculiarly the chihl of the Church ; from her it springs, 
 and under her wing it desires to nestle ; it will breathe as she 
 breathes, and acijuirc life and euergy from the spiritual nourish- 
 ment which she is ordained to dispen.se. 
 
 '• So soon as the buildings arc completed, Trinity College wdl 
 become, iu all her proceedings, as strictly Collegiate in discipline
 
 254 
 
 unci cliai'acter as the circumstances of this new country Avill })er- 
 mit ; and its authorities will ever kcop in view the ghjrious 
 models of the Pai'cnt Stat(>, to wliieli i)ure science and the 
 Christian faitlx are so much indebted. From them she will 
 borrow a spark of that living flame by which tliey have been 
 animated for so many centuries, in order that she may, with 
 God's blessing, kindle similar inspirations in this Colony. 
 
 " And I trust that many around me will be permitted to see 
 I'j inity College taking an honoured place among the more cele- 
 brated schools of learning, and doing for Canada what Oxford 
 and Cambridge have done for England." 
 
 The Bishop, after tliis Address, offered up a Prayer, 
 which it is but right to insert in this record of his life ; 
 and it is one which all, interested in the growth and pros- 
 ])ority of Trinity College, may often dutifully use : 
 
 " O Almighty God, with -whom was wisdom when Thou didst 
 prepare the heavens and set a compass upon the face of the 
 depth, look down with favour, we most humldy beseech Tliee, on 
 the work Avhich we this day begin. 
 
 " Mercifully grant unto all who are engaged therein judgment 
 and understanding ; that the labour of their hands and fruits of 
 their counsels may tend to Thy glory, the good of Thy Church, 
 and the well-being of this whole land. 
 
 " Vouchsafe nnto those who shall sojourn within the walls 
 about to rise from this foundation, minds enlightened by Thy 
 heavenly grace, to proceed in all their doings according to Thy 
 will. 
 
 '•' Teach by Thy Holy Sjjirit from on high those who shall here 
 teach ; and cause their instructions to agree with the truth of 
 Thy word and the testimony of Thy Church : that by the might 
 of Thy ])Ower, working through the frail instrumentality of men, 
 the Faith once delivered to the Saints may be handed on for ever. 
 
 " Grant to those who shall here learn, docility and diligence, 
 that they may be discipjles indeed, willing from their youth to 
 bear the yoke of Christ, and fitted by a discipline of purity and 
 prayer to discharge the duties of those states of life which Thou 
 hast appointed for men to walk in.
 
 2.5.) 
 
 " Grant tliat from these walls may go forth, devoted unto Thee 
 and rightly ef]uipped for their work, messengers of the Gospel of 
 Peace ; who shall aim, under tlie commission of their Saviour, to 
 win souls unto Thee ; to train their brethren by the Word and 
 Sacraments after the pattern of their Lord ; and to bring l^ack 
 those who err and stray into the unity of the faith and th'- 
 oneness of the body of Christ. 
 
 " Grant that from these walls may go forth Physicians skilled 
 to hciil, and enabled, under Thee, to mitigate the woes which sin 
 hath brought u})ou the eaith : who, in their labour for the health 
 of the body, shall have regard also to the health of the soul, from 
 a lively faith in Thee the Father of the Spirits of us all. 
 
 " Grant that from these walls may go forth men, who, while 
 they make the statutes and judgments of their fellow-men their 
 study, and consult how they may establish truth and justice in 
 the State, shall have in their hearts an abiding respect unto 
 Thee, the Lawgiver of the worlds, and to the decrees that sliall 
 hereafter decide the eternal condition of quick and dead. 
 
 " Cirant that frt)in these walls may go forth those who, while 
 they engage in the traffic of the earth, and fulfil Thy will in 
 effecting among men the iiitei'change of tlie wide-spread gifts of 
 Thy bouuteous hand, shall know also what is the merchandize of 
 the true riches ; how to increase the gifts with which tliey have 
 been entrusted to profit withal ; and how to lay up treasures in 
 hejiven. 
 
 " Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, to each and all who shall 
 go forth hence to labour in tlielr various vocations among their 
 IV'llow-men, that, to intellects accomplished in wisdom and know- 
 ledge, they may join souls fdled with a true reverence and love 
 towards Thee ; so that, as polished shafts from Thy hand, they 
 may in all things fulfil Thy good pleasure, to the glory of Thy 
 great name. 
 
 " Grant, O Lord, that this building, about to be devoted to 
 learning and religion, may i)roceed without let or hindrance, 
 and may be to future generations the fountain, under Thee, of 
 abundant blessings. 
 
 " Visit, with Thy grace, we humbly beseech Thee, those bene- 
 factors who have contributed to the furtherance of this good
 
 256 
 
 ■n-ork ; mul stir up other hearts to munificence towards the under- 
 trtkiug on M-hich we now enter. Cause niany among the brethren 
 to vie iu zeal with those who, in the times of okl, have founded 
 and endowed in the kind of our Withers the seats of learning 
 dedicated to Thee and to the service of Thy Church. 
 
 " And grant, O Lord, that we and our descendants to the latest 
 feneration, being preserved evermore from the hands of the 
 spoiler, may enjoy these gifts, and ])ursue our course in eonfi- 
 dence and ])eace. 
 
 " Hear us, O Almighty (iod, we humbly beseech Thee, in 
 these our supplications and prayers, for tlie sake of our only 
 Meditator and Advocate, Jesus Christ ; to whom, with Thee, 
 and the Holy Ghost, the ever adorable Trinity, to whoni we 
 dedicate our work, 1)C all honour and ghny, for ever and ever. 
 Ame7i. 
 
 Upon tlie brass i)late wliich c<j\-e]-c(l tluj usual ctnns and 
 documents Avas a long Latin inscription, which was admi- 
 rably read by Chief Justice Robinson. The stone having 
 been laid by the Bishop, lie was addressed in a brief but 
 excellent speech by Sir Allan MacNab. Then followed a 
 'Tracefully written Latin address from the pupils of the 
 Church Grammar School conducted by the Rev. J. G. I). 
 Mackenzie, and read with great correctness by the head 
 pupil, the late John James Bethune. To this the Bishop 
 made an appropriate reply in Latin. In the Bidding 
 Prayer, read by the Archdeacon of York, was this ])ara- 
 ,,i.j^p]i^_" That there never may be wanting a supply of 
 persons duly qualified to serve God in Church and State, 
 let us pray for a blessing on all Seminaries of sound learn- 
 in^'- and religious education, especially the Universities of 
 our native country; and, as in duty bound, for the religious 
 foundation of Trinity College." 
 
 The very interesting services of thu day were coneluded 
 by an apiH'opriate Prayer, embodying the Gloria in Excelsis, 
 by the Rev. H. J. Grasett, and the Benediction 1a' the 
 Bishop.
 
 •l.)l 
 
 Throu<''h the cxei-tiuiis of friends in Kii'daiid, :i Provost, 
 and Professors of Classics and ^latliematics, were selected, 
 and they arrived in Canada in the autumn of 18.31. 
 
 On Thursday, loth January, 1852, Trinity College was 
 formally opened. Divine Service was held in the tempo- 
 rary Chapel, at which there was a large attendance ; and 
 this concluded, all proceeded to the Dining Hall of the 
 College, very judiciously arranged for the occasion. Tlie 
 n\atriculants were admitteil with tlie usual formalities ; 
 after which the Bishop delivered an Address, giving a brief 
 history of the whole undertaking, and the reasons which 
 so imperatively led to it. We make from the latter portion 
 of this a few extracts : — 
 
 " One of our principal objects iu this ln.stitution, will be to 
 bring back to the hearts and affections of our youth the fresh and 
 imnocent impressions of early infancy. With what deep emotions 
 do we find the greatest and best of men recalling, in after life, 
 the blessed inlluonces which they imbibed under the paternal 
 roof ; the holy truths communicated, and the first faint accents 
 of prayer which a pious and tender mother whispered in their 
 ears, invoking the ])rotection of their God and Saviour before she 
 consigned- them to their night's repose. On such sweet and pure 
 recollections they delight to dwell ; for at home all our best and 
 holiest charities a:id affections begin, and from this centre they 
 extend through an ever widening circle. Our desire, then, is to 
 build upon this holy foundation ; to form ourselves, as far as pos- 
 sible, into a large household ; and keep as near as may be prac- 
 ticable, to the order and economy of a well regulated family. 
 There will be daily and hourly intercourse between the youth 
 and their instructors ; revei-ence for superior age and attaiinn(>nts, 
 and a prompt oljcJience to all their reasonable commands. 
 
 " There will also lie among the young men themselves an 
 affectionate brotherhood, confidential and salutary companionship, 
 noble resolutions, aspiring hopes, useful conversation and friendly 
 intimacy, on terms and with an intensity which nothing but a 
 College life will admit. 
 
 " la regard to discipline, we cannot surely be required, in 
 33
 
 258 
 
 1852, to shew that it is unnece8Siu-y : on the contrary, the expe- 
 rience of all ages and countries points out the advantage of 
 subjecting the passionate and enthusiastic period of youth to 
 salutary control, as well as tlie great difficulty of riMidering it 
 effectual.'" 
 
 The Chief Justice, the Hon. J. B. Robinson, followed ; 
 and from his admirable address we qnote the following- 
 striking pa.ssages : — 
 
 " It is but a few short months since we saw the clo.se of an 
 anxious and painful contest, of which I shall only say that I be- 
 lieve it will some day be acknowledged that it would have been 
 no less for the advantage than the honour of this Province if it 
 had had a different termination. Many wlio, under the .same 
 circumstances, would have felt, not less keenly than your Lord- 
 ship, the disappointment of long cherished hojjcs, would have 
 thought themselves well justified if they had then given way to 
 despondency ; and they would jtrobably have left to another 
 generation the seemingly ho])eless ta.sk of endeavouring to pi-ocure 
 for the members of our Church in Upper Canada the mean.s of 
 receiving a collegiate education, in halls sanctified by the minis- 
 trations of her worshi}), and within wliich her faith should be 
 acknowledged, and her doctrines inculcated. 
 
 " Tt has been long ago said, in a noble spii-it of pliilanthropy, 
 that it ought to be the aim of every man, while pa.ssing through 
 life to leave behind him some enduring proof that he has not 
 lived in vain ; some useful monument of his labours, by winch 
 his name may be favoui-ably known to future generations. We 
 thankfully acknowledge that your Lordshi]), standing under the 
 roof of Trinity College, and in the presence of its duly appointed 
 Professoi's, has fully accpiitted yourself of this debt to posterity, 
 whilr- it is at the same time our peculiar advantage to know that 
 as failures have not deterred, so success will not slacken your 
 services in this good cause. There is no one, we are convinced, 
 who can be so influential as yoiu' Lordship in whatever remains 
 to be done for placing this institution on a secure and adecpiate 
 foundation ; nor is there one of whom all the friends of the
 
 2.V.1 
 
 Church can sav, with "-o much reason, that th»^y arc- sure his 
 utmost oxprtioiis will, to his latent moment, he (jcvolcil to its 
 service. 
 
 " (Jiirs is no new lailli. It is not f'njni the Kei'ornialion that 
 the Church of England dates lier existence. We are not separated 
 from other Christian communities in consecjuence of any recent 
 adoption on our j)ai't of a doubtful interpretation of some text of 
 Scripture, or any modern scruple in regard to forms. Nothing 
 else that we most fondly venerate, — not the glorious flag of 
 England, nor the great Charter of our liberties, has, from its 
 antiquity, so strong a claim to our devotion as the Church. It is 
 the Church which, from age to age, the Sovereign has sworn to 
 support ; centuries have passed since holy martyrs have perished 
 at the stake, rather than deny her doctrines ; and the soil of 
 England is hallowed by the dust of countless worthies who have 
 sunk to their rest professing her creed, and invoking blessings 
 on her labours, after lives illustrated by j)iety and learning, and 
 devoted in the purest spirit to the welfare of mankind. 
 
 " May the honour be conceded to Trinity College, in the pro- 
 gress of time, of having produced men who, by their loarniivif and 
 virtues, may estfiblish ;us strong a claim to the grateful admiration 
 of posterity." 
 
 From the Address of of the Archdeacon of York, who 
 followed the Chief Justice, we (|uote a few extracts: — 
 
 " Apart from the paramount claims of heavenly truths, which 
 of right demands the devout attention of every baptized Christian, 
 we can foresee the highest jiractical benefits to society as tin.- 
 result of training in an Institution like this. The teaching of an 
 authorized ministry will thus, in the leading and most influential 
 classes of society, have a kindly and well-[)repared soil to work 
 upon ; and the claims of our holy Church will be pi-esented to 
 future generations with more than an hcreditiiry pre])osscssion in 
 its favour. Evangelical Truth would thus be proposed to enlight- 
 ened disciples ; and the tenet of Apostolic Order will be embraced 
 from no mere bias of i>arty, but from a rational and settled 
 conviction. 
 
 "And here ] may be permitted to express my own high satis-
 
 260 
 
 faction in being allowed this iLty to resign into the hands of 
 accomplished scholars and divines, a trust which, during a period 
 of ten years, I have, as Diocesan Professor of Theology, laboured 
 to discharge, though with the consciousness of many infirmities, 
 yet with fidelity and zeal. My recent charge have become to-day 
 members of this University ; and heaven, I trust, will prosper 
 both. Our ))rayer will be mnted and earnest, that the pure 
 stream of " sound learning and a religious education " will issue 
 from this University, and water far and wide the waste places of 
 our land. And it will be our prayer that Trinity College will, 
 through all time, attest its Christian character in the successive 
 generations of scholars that shall proceed from its walls ; that the 
 banner of its aluiiini will be in the faith of Christ, and their 
 watchword of duty — ' Holiness to the Lord.' " 
 
 The following excellent remarks were contained in the 
 address of the Rev. Provost Whitaker, who s]wke last : — 
 
 " Every Layman amongst us should surely as a Christian, 
 - understand the evidences of the Christian faith ; and, as a 
 Chuix-hman, the arguments for the peculiarities of doctrine and 
 discijiline which distinguish our Church from other religious 
 bodies, in order that he may Ijo pre[)arud to meet both tlie scoffs 
 of the nifidel and the subtle and more specious objections of the 
 separatist. Many, it is to be feared, have concluded that no 
 apology could be offered for the truths of Christianity, only 
 because they were not themselves cpialitied for being its apolo- 
 gists, or have witnessed with iudiflerence assaults upon the creed 
 or the f'overnmcnt of the Church, only because they have never 
 been taught to feel an intelligent interest either in Evangelical 
 Truth, or in Apostolic Order. It is to be hoped that belter 
 times are in store for us in this respect. We cannot but rejoice 
 in the increased zeal which the laity are discovering for the wel- 
 fare of the Church at home; and, as the foundation of this 
 (Jollege is a signal proof that a like zeal is felt hero, so it is to be 
 hoped that the instruction given in this College may, through 
 God's blessing, be the means of extending among the members of 
 our Church a just appreciation of her claims, and of tlieir duties, 
 in respect of her.
 
 261 
 
 " The foundation of tliis College is a solemn protest against 
 the separation of religion from <Klucation : we have joined 
 together again wliat others luui put asunuer, and what, as -we 
 believe, God joined together from the beginning ; and, in doinj; 
 this, it becomes us to acknowledge the obligation under which 
 we live to be true to our own professions. They, wlio advocato 
 truth and right, — especially if it be truth and riglit divine, — 
 must look to it that they do not this unworthily. We are draw- 
 ing a line of demai'cation between ourselves and others, by incid-_^ 
 eating the doctrines of the Christian faitli, and by oftering t!io 
 prayers of the Cln-istian Church within tliese walls ; we must be 
 careful, then, that this be no mere formal distinction, but tlie 
 basis of an essential difference ; we must look to it that the 
 doctrines, which we acknowledge, influence our jiractice, — thai, 
 our lives be answerable to our prayers. 
 
 " A heathen moralist has said, — 
 
 " Quo seiuel est imbuta, recens scrvabit oflorera 
 Testa <liu." 
 
 A.nd as liis maxim is no doubt true, as it is applied by himself to 
 the character of an individual, so doubtless does it also hold 
 good as api)lied to the character of a community. A society has 
 its youth, and the character then stamped upon it, — the tone then 
 f^iven it, — it will long retain. With us, then, its lirst teachers 
 and scholars, it rests to give to Trinity College its prescriptive 
 character ; to determine what shall be, in greater and in smaller 
 i»articulai's, its recognized standard of morals and of manners ; 
 to give a tone to the society which, if high, it may happily be 
 difficult to lower, but which, if low, it must be doubly difficult 
 to raise. Our duty in this regard can be fulfilled only by spon- 
 taneous action, by effoi-ts of free-will. Every member of oui- 
 .society must bear in mind that with him it rests to contribute to 
 the common welfare such services as no authority can enjoin, nt^ 
 discipline enforce. By unconstrained acts of deference and 
 obedience towards su[)eriors, of courtesy and kindness to equals 
 and inferiors, must we give expression to those ]irinciples whicli 
 should actuate us as Christian gentlemen."'
 
 2G2 
 
 Thus was Trinity C'ollegc fairly launched upon its career: 
 this has been of only seventeen years duration ; but during 
 this short period, it has had a large share of storm an<l 
 vicissitude to contend with. We shall pain no one l»y 
 saying to what these trials arc owing; we shall devoutly 
 hope that the worst have been experienced, and that, after 
 all, Trinity College will })rovc to the Church and to the 
 ^tate all tliat its founder designed.
 
 2G:^ 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 Liist Coiite.st for tlie Clergy Ileserves.— Settlement of the Ques- 
 tion ill 1854-0. — The Commutation Hchomc. — Synod of 
 JS.Tf!, and Episcopal Address. 
 
 /^^HK time AViis now .ipi)Vuacliii)g when the Bishop uf 
 n / Toronto was to fight his last battle for the Clergy 
 lleserves, and Avhen the controversy was to close 
 ni)on a qnestion which had been allowed to disturb the 
 Province for nearly forty years. We have seen the issue 
 of his persevering contest for King's College ; in which, with 
 its original features materially changed, there was never- 
 theless much retained that would remind the world of its 
 being a Christian and a Church Institution. But even this 
 was gone, uprooted wholly ; and a new establishment was 
 raised upon its ruins, with a different name and essentially 
 different principles. We do not (piestiou the benefit to 
 the country at large of the University of Toronto. The 
 building is most creditable to the Province ; and its ample 
 revenues have secured a staff of able and zealous Pro- 
 fessors. It is doing all that could be expected, for the 
 intellectual culture of our youth ; but, divested of its 
 religious character, it can never have the moral weight and 
 influence po.ssessed by the ancient Universities of our 
 Mother Land. This, however, is the misfortune, rather 
 than the fault, of the authorities of the College. In a 
 C'olony, composed of people of all nations and all creeil.s, 
 there will be an endless variety of opinions; and when the 
 choice lies between no creed and all creeds, it would be 
 wiser, perhaps, to select the former than the latter.
 
 264 
 
 The renmant of oiiv Church })roperty, secureil as we 
 thought inalienably hy the settlement of 1840, already 
 fully explained, was again in jeopardy : another and a last 
 battle had to be fought for this slired of a goodly inheri- 
 tance. The Provincial Parliament, elected in 1851, con- 
 tained a strong element of hostility to the Church of 
 England ; and the cry was revived with as much intensity 
 as ever, for the entire alienatiou of the Clergy Reserves, 
 and the appropriation to secular purposes of whatever they 
 could be made- to produce. In the summer of 1852, Mr. 
 Hincks, then m England, addressed a strong letter to tht; 
 Government of Lord Derby then in jiower, and urged the 
 passing of a measure by tlie Imperial Parliament Avhich 
 should authorize the Legislature of Canada to deal unre- 
 strictedly with this property. The writer of this Memoii- 
 happened to be in England tliat summer, and had several 
 conferences with Sir John Pakington, the Colonial Secre- 
 tary, on the subject of the Clergy Reserves ; and in the 
 autumn of that year he published in the Times newspapei- 
 a full statement of the present condition of the question, 
 and the injustice of any interference with property oi- 
 moneys absolutely applied by Act of Parliament to the 
 Churches of England and Scotland. He contended that the 
 settlement of ] 840 was regarded as a final and irrevocable 
 settlement; and that it was affirmed in the Canadian 
 Legislative Asseml^ly to be so, by Mr. Price, the very gentle- 
 man Avho now moved , that such settlement should l.)e 
 reversed. Upon the public mind in England, of Church- 
 men especially, the imjnession })roduced Ijy these statements 
 was highly favourable, and they gained to our cause a 
 large share of the public interest and sympathy. 
 
 Nothing could exceed the anxiety of Lord Derby's Gov- 
 yrnrnent to settle this question on a consistent and equitable 
 basis; and late in the autumn of 1852, Sir John Pakington, 
 in answer to a question from Sir William Molesworth, 
 declared it to be the intention of Her. Majesty's Govern-
 
 20:5 
 
 ment to Itiiiig in a Bill, authorizing the Parliament of 
 Canada to dispose of the Clergy Reserves, but with this 
 restriction, — that the ^proceeds therefrom, in accordance 
 with tlie original intention of the grant, should be aj)plied 
 exclusively to the maintenance of religion in that Province. 
 They were to be bound to this; but left free as to the 
 manner in which the- distribution of the funds should lie 
 made. 
 
 A pro])Osal so reasonable, and so just, could har<lly have 
 failed of acceptance by the Imperial Parliament ; but 
 unhappily, in December, 1852, Lord Derby's administra- 
 tion was overthrown, and the Coalition Government under 
 Lord Aberdeen succeeded. This Government would not 
 adopt the views ennunciated by Sir John Pakington in 
 his reply to Sir William Molesworth ; and, in conferences 
 with the Duke of Newcastle and Mr. Sydney Herbert, the 
 writer of this was assured of their anxious desire to give 
 to the Church in Canada all that she so reasonably claimed ; 
 but that as public men they felt it their duty to yield to 
 the Legislature of Canada the unrestricted, unconditional 
 disposal of the Clergy Reserves, and of any revenue they 
 could be made to yield. 
 
 Consequent upon this avowed purpose of the Imperial 
 Goverment, there was a wide-spread agitation amongst the 
 friends of the Church in England; and, at every meeting of 
 the Pro}>agation Society, and of its branches throughout 
 the Kingdom, this measure of spoliation was most 
 earnestly deprecated. Petitions were got uj) in various 
 quarters against this measure, and entrusted to intluential 
 members of the Lords and Commons. The late Bishop of 
 Quebec was in England iluring tlu' winter and s[)ring of 
 1853, and united very vigorously and heartily in the 
 efforts to secure the rights and claims of the Church in 
 Canada. We had little hope of being successful in the 
 Commons, but had the fullest reliance upon tlie House of 
 Lords. 
 
 34
 
 2GG 
 
 I was present myself at the whole debate on the third 
 reading in the House of Commons, and very much sur- 
 })rised at the weakness of the arguments in support of the 
 Ciovernment measure. They could not toucli the question 
 on any ground of jirinciple, and had to l)e content witli 
 arguments for the expediency of the measure they recom- 
 mended. Mr. Walpole was the best sjieaker on the side 
 of the Church, and Loi'd John Russell about the weakest 
 against it ; but numbers outweighed the moral strength of 
 our position, and a majority of eighty carried the third 
 reading. It was not long before the Lords passed the 
 measure by a considerable majority also; the Bishop of 
 Oxford, to our intense surprise and sorrow, voting for the 
 Government Bill. 
 
 He had spoken in favour of it u\\ the second reading; 
 and this induced me, before it finally came up in the Lords, 
 to address him a letter on the suljject, — the ])ublication of 
 a few extracts from which will iiot, I trust, ])e considered 
 out of place : — 
 
 " Your Lordshi}), I am bold enough to say, fails in addu- 
 cing a single argument to shew that the Canadian Legislature 
 have a shadow of right to demand the control of the Clergy 
 Reserves, or a single word to ])rove that this property 
 is not by law or equity exempt from their jurisdiction by 
 an anterior adjudication and settlement of tlic whole 
 (piestion. The plea of want of finality in all human 
 legislation, has no moral support : it is begotten generally 
 not by the sense of the riglit of things, but Avhat a po[)ular 
 and often dangerous im))ulse may urge: it is one which, if 
 shitted with equal i'acility to other great questions, must 
 endantjer the throne, and threaten destruction to our 
 national faith. The right conceded, in the Constitutional 
 Act of 1791, to the Legislature of Canada to 'vary or 
 repeal ' its provisions, was, by the testimony of the Judges 
 of the land, simply prospective; and the self-government, 
 on the larger scale, which of late years has been enjoyed.
 
 267 
 
 was conceded after the period in wliicli n fiii;ii, and what 
 was intended to he an irrevocalilc .settlement of this Cliurch 
 question, was made. Wliat becomes, tlien, of tlie plea of 
 consistency, so steadily asserted, in throwing this property 
 into their hands :• What of the plea of justice, which 
 appears to he the only plausible ground u))on which the 
 surrender is proposed to be made ? 
 
 " Flat justitla, raat cailarn, is a heathen adage which 
 your Lor<lship adduces in support of the course which, 
 in this Church (juestion, you hav^e been pleased to ])ursue. 
 All we ask is the fair, ami faithful, and courageous ajtpli- 
 cation of that rule. Let justice be done, we say, however 
 terrible the ccjusequences. Let justice be done to the 
 Church and to Protestant Christianity, even if the threat, 
 — wdiich eveiy body knows to be an impracticable threat, — 
 should be carried out, that the Province of Canada will 
 disown the supremacy of this Empire, uidess the control 
 of the Clergy Reserves be vested in its Legislature. Let 
 truth prevail, and faith be kept; let truth be maintained, 
 and guarantees be respected, though the enemy should 
 come in like a flood to destroy them all. 
 
 " Your Lordshi}), with that charitable indulgence which 
 befits your station, expresses the hope that, when once the 
 boon of self-government in the disposal of the Clergy 
 Keserves is conceded, the Canadian Legislature will be fair 
 and liberal in their dealing, and assure to the Cliurch the 
 justice that she so rightfully claims. There is just a possi- 
 bility that it will bo so; but the late dealings of that 
 Legislature with Ecclesiastical questions forbids the hoju*. 
 The Common School Law of Upper Canada, except in 
 the case of Roman Catholics, makes no recognition of 
 religion: only three years ago, a University, after its Royal 
 Charter had been recklessly set at nought, was wholly 
 stripped, of its religious character; and the cry in many 
 (piarters has long been, that this Church proj)erty .should 
 be wholly ap)»lie 1 to the support of ordinary and secular
 
 268 
 
 education. We have little, then, in the past Legislation 
 of the Colony, to encourage tlie belief that there would he 
 much respect paid, in the future allotment of this property 
 to its first great object, — the dissemination of Chris- 
 tianity. 
 
 " The spiritual desolation which looms too distinctly in 
 the future, should this unwise measure be carried out, was 
 experienced in its full bitterness by the Church in the 
 United States aftei- the successful revolt of the Colonies. 
 And if now there is a goodly array of Bishops and Clergy 
 in that vast territory, and many thousands of the Laity 
 who gladly seek their ministrations, let it be recollected 
 that as the consequence of an inadequate stated provision 
 for the support of religion in that country, and the confis- 
 cation of much that had been supplied, the members of the 
 Church in the United States number only one twenty-fifth 
 of the whole population. That the Church there has no 
 nationality, no universally felt influence, or expansive 
 ])0wer, is further evident from the fact that millions of its 
 inliabitants are the prey of most extravagant sects, and 
 even millions profess no religious faith whatsoever. And 
 this is Avhat is destined for Canada., should the ])resent 
 measure of Government become law." 
 
 An elaborate letter upon the whole question of the 
 Clergy Reserves was addressed by the Bishop of Toronto 
 to the Duke of Newcastle. This I had pubhshed in 
 London, and circulated generally among the Peers. A 
 pamphlet had previously been published and circulated by 
 myself, giving a brief statement of the present position of 
 the question. Both these were referred to in the course of 
 the debate in tlie House of Lords ; but as neither con- 
 tained any thing that would be new to the readers of 
 this Memoir, no quotations need be given from them. 
 
 In 1854, there was another election in Canada; and, 
 soon after the meeting of Parliament at Quebec, in the 
 autumn of that year, there was a break up of the existing
 
 200 
 
 administration, of wliicli .Mr. iliiieks was a iL-adiiiij mem- 
 ber, and a new and coalitifjn ^Ministry, — tlie first of the 
 kind attcnipted in Canada, — was formed under tlio presi- 
 dency of Sir Allan MacNab. His principal coadjutor was 
 Mr. Morin; and .so the new administration was commonly 
 termed the MacNab-Morin Ministry. Here the question 
 of the Clei'gy Reserves was very soon taken up; and the 
 Bishop of Toronto felt it his duty to address a st>rf)ng 
 letter to Mr.Morin,de[)recatingthe threatened secularization 
 of that property. In this letter it was strongly urged, tliat 
 sucli dealing with a jjroperty set apart for a Protestant 
 ('hurch as was threatened, might come to be extended, by 
 and by, to the })ossessions of the Romish Church ; and that 
 it would be wise in the members of this communion to 
 allow no such precedent to exist for a s])oliation which too 
 many were anxious to effect. But, like all foregoing 
 api)eals of this character, this letter had little weight with 
 the Ministry or the Legislature. Not that many did not 
 estimate at tlieir right value the honest intentions and 
 weighty arguments of the Bishop ; but })ul)lic ojiinion A\-as 
 more weighty; and, whether right or wrong, public ux'ii 
 must concede to this, or retire from ])ublic lite. 
 
 The Bill for the final secularization of the Clergy 
 Reserves was actively discussed in both Houses of the 
 Legislatiu-e, and it was at length carried by consideraliu^ 
 majorities. There was a guarantee, as specially provided 
 by the Im[)erial Act, that the stipends of all Clergymen, 
 and Clergymen's widows, hitherto charged upon the Re- 
 serves Fund, should be paid during their respective lives ; 
 and a sum was set apart to meet any other personal claims 
 that could ftxirly be substantiated. 
 
 A large array of amiuitants was thus ])resented ; and a 
 {pu'.^tion arose whether these might not be provided for in 
 a manner less troublesome to the Government, and at tln^ 
 same time }uore advantageous to the Church. The ex- 
 pedient of a Coranmtation of life-interest for a sum in
 
 270 
 
 l)ulk, — estimating the value of eaeli life according to 
 recognized and a})proved rules, — was ]ia[)pi]y hit upon; 
 and the Government, which had shewn a friendly aii<l 
 liberal spirit throughout, readily, acceded to the plan. 
 Instead, then, of the Clergy becoming stipendiaries of the 
 Government as long as they lived, with all the chances of 
 change and loss which in the course of years might occui', 
 H gross sum of £188,342 sterling was received. This 
 amount, however, was not put into the pockets of the 
 Clergy; but it was handed over to the Church Society of 
 the Piocese, to be held in trust by them for the permanent 
 l)enefit of the Churcli, — the Society giving to each Clergy- 
 man a bond guaranteeing the full amount of his stipend 
 for life. It was also provided in this bond that, when a 
 ( clergyman ^through age, or bodily or mental infirmity, 
 should become incapacitated for duty, his income from 
 this fund should be })aid him without abatement as long 
 as he lived. 
 
 At the outset of this arrangement it was discovered that 
 the income from"^ the Commutation Fund, just as it then 
 stood, would fall short of the stipulated expenditure by 
 nearly 825,000 per annum ; a deficiency which, noth with- 
 standing the gradual falling-in of lives, must have seriously 
 reduced the j)rincipal. The Bishop was on the eve of 
 preparing a Pastoral Address, reconnnending a generous 
 subscription on the part of the Laity to meet this deficiency; 
 Ijut so many favourable circumstances occurred, and. there 
 was so much good management in the investment of the 
 funds, that it became soon apparent that such appeal would 
 1)6 unnecessary. Upwards of £8000, early in 185o, was 
 ])aid over by tlie Government as the Church of England's 
 share of the Clergy Reserves Surplus Fund for the past 
 year. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel voted 
 £7500 sterling in our aid, to be paid by instalments : 
 several of the commuting Clergy, being out of the ])'u>- 
 cese, never drew any stipend from this fund; and within
 
 ■271 
 
 a very short time several lives droppcii in. From these 
 (concurrent circumstances, the income was very soon hrought 
 up to the level of the expenditure. 
 
 The Bishop, in his Address to the Synod in ^May, l.S">(i, 
 expressed himseli'thus on the subject of the Commutation: 
 
 "After the close of the Synod in October, 1851, we were em- 
 ployed in arranging the Commutation, to which the Clergy luul, 
 to their lasting honoui-, given their intelligent and free consent. 
 By this noble and disintere.sted act, they have merited the grati- 
 tude of the Church in Canada for ever, and won for themselves 
 the cordial admiration of true Churchmen throughout the world. 
 
 " It had been no easy matter to arrange the numerous details 
 of this great and important measure, and to reduce them to such 
 a shaiie, for the consideration of the Covernment, that each might 
 appear in its proper jilace, and the grounds on which it rested be 
 justly appreciated. Yet this vast labour, requiring so much skill 
 and ability, was, happily for us, willingly and zealously under- 
 taken by the Hon. John Hillyard Cameron ; and to him tin; 
 Church, on this account as well as on many others, is infinitely 
 indebted. But for his steady perseverance, clear intelligence, 
 and untiring patience in examining every application from indi- 
 viduals, as well as bodies, I feel persuaded that the adjustment 
 ci>\dd not have been so rapidly or so well effected." 
 
 In this Address the Bishop rec;i})itulated a portion of 
 liis work during the past year : — 
 
 "On the 17th May, lSo5," he says, "I coraraenced my \\h\va\ 
 Confirmation visits. In this journey I confined myself to what 
 was formerly called the Home District, including the County of 
 Halton. It lasted twenty- four days, during which I visited 44 
 pai'ishes, and confirmed 9-iG of our youth of both sexe.s, — a result 
 veiy encouraging both in number of parishes and candidates. 
 
 "On the Otji July I began my second journey, which con- 
 tinued sixty-four days. On this occasion I visited all the 
 parishes and stations below Toronto,- in number 04, The 
 results of my summer's labours were : Confirmations held, 141 ; 
 number confirmed, 429'J.
 
 272 
 
 " Many incidents of interest might be selected from my jour- 
 nals, but I will indulge only in one. On my visit to the Peni- 
 tentiary at Kingston on Sunday, 'Hh August, I found that by 
 the laudable exertions of the Rev. Hannibal Mulkins, a great 
 number of prisoners had I^een prepared for baptism and contirma- 
 tion. Accordingly, on Sunday morning at 9 o'clock, I was in 
 attendance at the Penitentiary. It a])peared that one hour only 
 was allowed, and there was no authority to grant more. Yet by 
 shortening the address, and some alterations of an unimportant 
 character in arranging the baptisms and confirmations, eveiy 
 thing was done in decency and in order, and without the aijjx^ir- 
 ance of haste. The number baptized was GO, and the number 
 confirmed 86. 
 
 "The s])ectacle was deeply interesting, and it was hopeful. 
 The numbers speak more impressively than words for the cai-e 
 and assiduity of the Chaplain. Indeed the decent and i-everend 
 manner in which they behaved, and the interest they seemed to 
 take in the solemnities, pi-oved that Mr, Mulkins had impressed 
 u])on their minds, by sound instruction, the infinite importance 
 of the duties they were now called upon to discharge; and I 
 trust that I am justified in believing that something of the grace 
 prayed for was im])arted."
 
 273 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIir. 
 
 Division of the Diocpsc. — Election of the Bisliop of Huron. — 
 Visit of the Prince of Wah'S to Canada. — Election of the 
 Bishop of Ontario. — Synod of 1 S(i 1 . 
 
 f^^HE <li vision of tlic Dioceses liivl become in many of 
 ill J tlie Colonies a necessity. Tlicir innnense extent 
 rendered a watcliful and minute personal superin- 
 tendence impossible ; and for this cause even the ordinary 
 routine of episcopal duties could not without difficulty be 
 performed. The expanse of country to be traversed occu- 
 pied a large amount of time that might be more |)rofitably 
 expended ; and long journeys in all weathers, and over the 
 most primitive of roads, and sometimes across rough waters 
 in frail vessels, ])rematurely wore out the energies of valu- 
 able men. 
 
 Such division, so imperatively called for, had, on this 
 continent, been tii-st eticcted in the Lower or Maritime 
 Provinces. There the ancient Diocese of Nova Scotia had 
 Newfoundland and the Bermudas detached from it on the 
 one side, and New Brunswick on the other; three Sees 
 being thus constituted out of (me. In 1839, a division of 
 the vast Diocese of Quebec, extending from Sandwich to 
 Gaspe, was commenced by setting off Upper Canada into 
 the See of Toronto ; and the subdivision of these began 
 with the establishment, within the former, of the Diocese 
 of Montreal in 1850. During the same year the Bishop of 
 Toronto ])roposed a corresponding divi.sion of his (j\vn 
 Diocese ; and laid before the Archbishop of Canterbury a 
 plan for the formation of a new Diocese east and west of 
 35
 
 ■11^ 
 
 Toronto, and suggesting the erection of a special Bishopric 
 for tlie Tiidiaii coiintry, to ho calle<l the Diocese of St. 
 Mary. 
 
 It had been the desire of the Bishoj) to create first the 
 Diocese on tlie east of Toronto, with Kingston as its 
 centre ; because, in his judgment, it had a prior claim, as 
 comprising tlie older settlements, aTid also because the 
 western division was less distant, and more easy ot access. 
 It was hoped, too, that a grant from the Colonial Bishop- 
 rics Fund, raised in England, would be made to that 
 p]'0]X)sed Diocese, as the subject had been brought before 
 the great Church Societies on several former occasions, and 
 favourably entertained. But no aid, it was discovered 
 could be obtained from that soui-ce ; and the intended new 
 Dioceses must each raise an Endowment for themselves. 
 This was fixed at £10,000 currency, that an income of at 
 least £000 i)er annum might be secured to each of the 
 future Bishops ; and so soon as it could be ascertained that 
 this amount was secured, the Imperial Government would 
 sanction the erection of the new Diocese, and a Royal Man- 
 date be, issued for the consecration of the Bislioj) elected. 
 It was, on all hands, thought not unreasonable that where 
 Dioceses furnished the endowment, they should have the 
 privilege of electing their own Bishops. 
 
 In the mean time, the Bishop of Toronto ])laced his 
 resignation of the east and west portions of his Diocese in 
 the hands of the Archbishop of Canterbury, to be used as 
 soon as the new Bishops shoidd ])e appointed to relieve 
 him. In 1857, the Synod of Toronto established a canon 
 providing for the election (jf Bisho})S, which should be 
 applicable to all future appointments. 
 
 The western division, though later in the field, out- 
 stripped the eastern in the raising of an endowment ; and, 
 in the spring of 1857, it was announced that the required 
 sum of 40,000 dollars was there secured, and that they 
 were prepared for the appointment of a Bishop. The elec-
 
 tion of tho Rrv. Dr. Cronyu to tliis office in July of that 
 year is su liappily described hy tlie Bisliop of Toronto 
 that we prefer giving tlu; narrative in liis own words, 
 as addressed to tlic Synod of liis Diocese in l-S-nS : — 
 
 " Houii ut'lur the adjournuunit of the Synod htst year, it bei-aino 
 my duty to call together tlie Clergy and Delegates of the now 
 Diocese of Huron for, the purpose of electing their Bishop. Such 
 an assendjly, and for such a purpose, will niaik a new era in our 
 ecclesi;\«tical history. It indeed presented a scene of dceii 
 interest, and one which stands without a ]»arallel since the first 
 ages of the Church. P'or, although, in the prinutive times, to 
 elect the Bishop was the rule, corruption had crept in and Jiad 
 grown so general and inveterate, that the manner of choice 
 became not only obsolete but almost forgotten. Its resuscitation 
 therefore, excited wonder and iustonishment, and offended nianv 
 as if it had been a new and unauthorized thing. To behold an 
 aged Bishop, in this remote corner of the woidd, gathering 
 around him his ciders, his clergy, and his lay brethi-en, for the 
 purpose of choosing a man well qualified to fill the high and holy 
 office of Bishop, according to Apostolic usage, by the willing tes- 
 timony of the Clergy and suffrages of the people, was surelv a 
 spectacle which could not fail, in its noble simplicity and beauty, 
 to m:ike abiding impressions, which exterior pomp and magnifi- 
 cence could never equal. 
 
 "The proceedings were conducted with becoming solemnity ; 
 and, though of the most exciting character, the choice was made 
 in a manner worthy of the occasion, and lionourable to all con 
 cerned. No sooner was the name of the successful candidate 
 announced by the presiding Bishop, than all rival feelings 
 vanished away, and a unanimous vote conHrmed the choice of tho 
 Clergy and Lay Delegates. It was refreshing to witness the 
 triumph of Christian unity and love, which threw to the winds 
 all the arguments against the free and honest choice of Bishops, 
 which the narrow selfishness of many centuries had mustered 
 up. 
 
 "The Bishop-elect jjroceeded to England, wliere he was 
 received with much kindness and consideration; and having been
 
 276 
 
 consecrated at Lambeth by liis CJrace the Archbishop of Canter- 
 bmy, has lately returned to enter upon tlic important duties of 
 his Apostolic otHce. If separated from him in body we are 
 still more united in soul : he is a son of full age gone to preside 
 over his own household, and to cultivate his allotted portion of 
 the Lord's vineyard, — not to become a stranger, but still to 
 remain our friend and brother, provoking us to good works, and 
 looking back occasionally, with a yearning spirit, to his fonuer 
 associates." 
 
 The usual Confirmation tours were regularly made by 
 the Bisho]) of Toronto, as in former years ; but as the 
 most noticeable incidents in the ])rogress of these journeys 
 have already been adduced, it would not be desired by the 
 readers of this work that there should be any further 
 record of events and circumstances connected with such 
 tours, not essentially differing from those already laid 
 before them. 
 
 The separation of the Diocese of Huron from tliat of 
 Toronto necessitated a division of the ecclesiastical funds, 
 which had hitherto been common to both, on a fair and 
 equitable basis. That a distribution might be eflccted in 
 which both parties would have confidence, the late Chief 
 Justice Sir James B. Macaulay, consented to act with the 
 Bishops of Toronto and Huron in settling the terms and 
 details of such distribution. Sir James Macaulay had 
 been one of the pupils of the late Bishop, at Cornwall, and 
 soon after the completion of his education entered tlu; 
 Army. On the restoration of ])eace, he retired from the 
 military profession, and a])plied himself with great assiduity 
 to the study of the Law. Without brilliancy of talent, 
 he had great application and soon rose to distinction in his 
 new profession. His honouralJe mind and unbending 
 intefrity won the respect and confidence of all who knew 
 liim ; and it was felt that a hap})y choice had been made 
 when he consented to unite in the "Award" between the 
 Dioceses which has since borne his name.
 
 This A^A^'^^(l, [noviding for a corresponding distribution 
 of funds with tlio Eastern Diocese so soon as tliis should ha 
 lurnied, avms formally subscril)0<.l by the parties conconied, 
 on tlio '2i)i][ S('[)tt'ndjer, I80D, and assented to, and adopted 
 by, the ('hurch Societies of the existing Dioceses, and it 
 became a law of the Church in Western Canada. By the 
 arrangement thus concluded, it wa-j provided that the 
 commutation of the Bishop, and the Archdeacons of Kinir- 
 ston and York, should, when it lapsed by their respective 
 deaths to the general fund, be made available to tlie 
 augmentation of the Ej)isco])al income in each of the 
 three Dioceses, and I'or proviiliiig a moderate stipend to an 
 Archdeacon in each. This was originally the suggestion 
 of Sir James Macaulay; and its adoption gives £400 per 
 ainium to each of the three Bishops, in addition to the 
 income derived from the Endowment fund, and £100 ])cr 
 annum to an Archdeacon in each Diocese. Where it was 
 thought advisable to appoint two Archdeacons in a Dio- 
 cese, it has been amicably arranged that this amount 
 .sliould be divided equally between them. 
 
 The most nRMnorable event in tluj year bSfjO was the 
 visit of the Prince of Wales to Canada; whose arrival 
 in Toronto took place early in September of that year. 
 A special Synod was assembled to present an Address to 
 his Royal Highness; and the members of Synod headed 
 by the Bishop, and accompanied by several Clergymen 
 from the United States, attended the levee. It was pleas- 
 ing to witness the delight they manifested at being per- 
 mitted to })ay this respect to the heir of the British throne, 
 and the son of a Queen who is revered and admired all 
 the world over. The Address adopted by the Synod was 
 read by the Bishop ; and his Royal Highness in clear and 
 unembarrassed tones replied as follows: —
 
 27.S 
 
 '■' T nni grateful for the assarancos of ^'our loyalty to the 
 Queen, and for the welcome to myself conve3'erl in yovir 
 address. 
 
 "I am a member of the Church of England, and a,s such 
 I rejoice to meet in this distant land, and in so important 
 a Diocese, the representatives of that venerable body in 
 whose creed I have been nurture(l, and have lived. 
 
 "T trust that Almighty Cod wall guide yoin- eflbi'ts to 
 maintain the efficiency of the Chnrch under the guidance 
 of the venerable Prelate who has so long watched over yon 
 in this Diocese." 
 
 The reception of His Royal Highness was everywhere 
 most enthusiastic ; the citizens of the United States vicing 
 witli British subjects in paying honour to this heir of 
 royalty. The gentle and unassuming manners of the 
 youthful Prince added much to the warmth and affection 
 of the reception he experienced. He attended Divine 
 service at Toronto in the Cathedral of St. James, on Sun- 
 day, the 9th September, and was met in the porch of the 
 Church on entering by the Bishop and Clergy, drawn up 
 in two lines. On ])assing through, the Prince turned aside 
 to shake hands with the Bishop, <and on entering, he was 
 followed by the procession of Bishoj) and Clergy. Tlie 
 Church was densely crowded, but evevy thing was con- 
 ducted wnth great order and decoi'um ; anything like a 
 tumultuous and disorderly rushing in having been guarded 
 ao-ainst by the issue of tickets of admission to such as were 
 )iot pewholders. The Bishoj) preached from this striking 
 and appropriate text, (Psalm Ixii. 1.) " Give the king thy 
 judgments, God, and thy righteousness unto the king's 
 son." The treatment of the subject was general, and there 
 w^as a careful abstinence from any ])ersonal allusion to the 
 Prince.
 
 The following year, 18C1, was chiefly remarkable for tht- 
 separation of the Eastern ]iortion of tlie Province from 
 the Diocese of Toronto, and its constitution into a new 
 See, designated the Bishopric of Ontario. His Lordshiji 
 alluded to this happy consummation in his address to tln' 
 Synod of Toronto, which met alxnit a f<n'tniglit after : — 
 
 " I liiivc liow the pleasure to Munoiuice to you the tinal separa- 
 tion of the eastern portion of this Diocese by the election of its 
 Bishop, and that it now forms the Diocese of Ontario. 
 
 " This completes the plan which I submitted to the Imperial 
 (jiovernment in 18-"iO, and establishes three compact and equal 
 Sees out of the former Diocese of Toronto ; nor will they be too 
 extensive for the superintendence and goverinnent of an active 
 Bishop for many years to come. 
 
 '* The final accomplishment of so great a woik has not been 
 brought about without much watchfulness, labour, and anxiety, 
 and the continued effort of eleven years ; but all has been amply 
 recompensed by the successful result. And have we not cause, 
 my brethren, to rejoice in beholding three active Prelates, instead 
 of one, cultivating the same vineyard, and in gratefully antici- 
 pating the accelerating progress of Christ's kingdom in this 
 favovu'ed laud. It is true, the plan of creating three Dioceses 
 out of one was at tirst lightly thought of by the many, as other 
 plans of mine have .sometimes been ; but I was encouraged by 
 the few. "We had faith, and felt that the greatest works and 
 mcst useful designs are in general effected by patient persever- 
 ance, — a perseverance going steadily forward in hope, and evei- 
 keeping the desired object in view ; and, instead of quailing at 
 opposition and disappointments, breasting them with increasing- 
 vigour, and never cherishing a doubt of a prosperous result. To 
 succeed in all valuable and important imdertakings requires 
 constant efforts, watching events, and never permitting a favour- 
 able opportunity to ))ass nnim])roved." 
 
 During this Synod there was much discussion, and warm 
 expressions of feeling, in regard to Trinity College, witli 
 the teaching oi' which the Bishop of Huron had, in very
 
 280 
 
 strong terms, expressed his dissatisfaction. We do nut 
 desire to repeat what may be a source of irritation, and 
 effect no possible good. Suffice it to say that tlie Synod 
 affirmed by a very large majority their confidence in the 
 teaching of Trinity College, and their desire that it should 
 meet with general support. The controversy, however, 
 did not cease tlien : it was often revived, and assumed at 
 times large and unhappy proportions. Yet as there has 
 now Ijcen for some years a lull in the storm, and strong 
 and angry feelings appear to be dying out, we are correct, 
 we trust, in believing that, after all, there will be no 
 renewal of the strife, and that this child of the old age of 
 the late revered Bishop, as it has not inaptly Ijeen termed, 
 will be suffered to pursue its course in peace, and gain the 
 hold upon the Churoh and the country to which, we think, 
 it is entitled.
 
 •jyi 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 Fmther efforts in Eiiglaiul on behalf of Trinity Cullcgo. — Death 
 of Chief Justice Robinson. — Movement in Synod for a 
 Coadjutor Bishop, and passing of a Canon for his appoint- 
 ment. — Deatii of Mr.s. Strachan. 
 
 CRINITY COLLEGE, in ad<litioii to the trials aii.l 
 iliscouragements already referred to, bad occasioually 
 its financial difficulties. The site was procured, and 
 the buildings erected, through private benefactions ; and for 
 its support from year to year, it had to depend mainly upon 
 the fees of the Students who attended it. It had, however, 
 an income irrespective of these, of £1200 currency per 
 annum, which sum had been allotted to it, with the sanc- 
 tion of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, from 
 the Clergy Reserves Fund. This annual amount Avas 
 secured to it at the time the Commutation with the 
 Clergy was eftected. 
 
 For a few years, up to 1868 inclusive, it received from 
 the Provincial Legislature, as other collegiate institutions 
 did, a grant of $5000 per annum, — a grant which, we think, 
 has been very unjustly withheld from the educationa 
 institutions of the Province. All the money derived from 
 the sale of the Clergy Reserves, after existing claims and 
 charges Avere met, ought to have been applied to the 
 ditiusion of education, and to purposes of charity; not a 
 penny of it should have been diverted to such secular uses 
 as the improvement of roads and the construction of 
 bridges. It should have been sacredly set apart for the 
 3G
 
 282 
 
 moral and intellectual training of our youth, and for the 
 relief of that physical distress in every shape, from which 
 no countiy is exempt. With all the unrighteousness 
 attending the spoliation of the Irish Church, there is this 
 redeeming feature, — that every shilling of available funds 
 derived from that sequestered property is to be applied to 
 alleviating the miseries, and relieving the wants, of the 
 afflicted and poor. 
 
 It is not too much, then, to demand the exercise of the 
 same reasonable justice here ; let grants to educational 
 institutions be chargeable upon the fund originally designed 
 for sacred uses ; and let posterity, in this shape, feel the 
 benefit of a gift which was never designed to be absorbed 
 V>y the present generation, but to be a boon and a blessing 
 to the Province for all time to come. If a Church has been 
 disendowed, let there be a recognition of a benefit from the 
 spoils, in all future generations. 
 
 But as the exercise of a just dealing like this was not to 
 be relied upon, an effort had to be made for improving the 
 finances of Trinity College, and another appeal to the gene- 
 rosity of our friends in the Mother Coimtry was therefore 
 determined upon. 
 
 These repeated appeals to our Mother Country for aid in 
 our Church work,— and a Church College must be reckoned 
 part of tliis work, — are not so unreasonable as at first sight 
 they may a})peai'. Our Church population is largely com- 
 posed of emigrants fVom England and Ireland, a very con- 
 sideral)]e nuniljcr of whom have not the means of ])roviding 
 religious instruction and religious ministrations for them- 
 selves. If, therefore, tlie Imperial Government did not feel 
 themselves justifiecl in continuing the small amount of aid 
 for this purpose, which they had formerly supplied to the 
 North American Colonies through the Society for the 
 Propagation of the Gospel, it ought not to be regarded as 
 unfair that we should apply to individuals in the Mother 
 Country for the aid which the Government refused, in
 
 283 
 
 maiiitaiuing amongst such emigrants tlie faitli and worsliip 
 of their fathers. 
 
 Again, tlirongh tlic i)i(nis forcsiglit of a religious King, a 
 provi^iion had been made in this Province for the peri)etual 
 support of that faith and worship which is established in 
 the Mother Countiy. It was the Parliament of the Mother 
 Country which gave to our Legislature the i)Ower to alien- 
 ate that property from its original intent, an<l i\-\)\>\y it to 
 the lowest and commonest of secular uses. Being thus in 
 a manner responsible for the heavy loss the Church in this 
 Province has sustained, the wealthier inhabitants of the 
 Mother Country ought not, — and, we believe, they do not, 
 — grudge to this Colony, any aid for religious objects 
 which it is in their power to bestow. 
 
 In a conversation had with the late Lord Herbert, when 
 this measure of spoliation was about to be introduced by 
 the Imperial Government and he felt himself constrained 
 to avow that he must, as a statesman, su})port the 
 unrighteous measure, he, of his own accord, declared with 
 energy and feeling, — " you will now have a strong ground 
 for appealing to the people of this country for aid in your 
 religious enterprises, and, I am persuaded, they will meet 
 your applications with all the liberality you can so faii'ly 
 and justly claim." 
 
 From such considerations, we could waive our natural 
 feelings of delicacy in sending another delegation to Eng- 
 land for the augmentation of the finances of Trinity 
 College. A happier choice lor this mission couM nut ha\<' 
 been made than the Kev. Dr. MacMurra}-, the worthy 
 Rector of Niagara ; who, from the unatiected zeal with 
 which he pursued his work, combined with a frankness 
 and geniality of manner which amounts to a charm, Avon 
 the regard, and, we may say, love, of the highest and low- 
 est in the United Kingdom. His mission was attended 
 with very satisfactory results, though these might not 
 cori-espon<l Avith the cordiality and warmth with Avhich he
 
 284 
 
 was so universally received ; and Lad he been permitted 
 to remain long enough to liave completed the circuit of 
 England, ])robably half as much more would have been 
 added to the £4-000 he had succeeded in obtaining. Dr. 
 MacMurray lias left such an impression upon the minds 
 and affections of all classes in England, that we must hope 
 he will not hesitate to render such services again, if, for 
 .some great Diocesan object, it should be felt desirable and 
 perhaps necessary to solicit them. 
 
 The year 1863 was, at its opening, a very gloomy one to 
 our late venerated Bishop ; for, in the first month of that 
 year, he was deprived by death of one whom, we may say, 
 he had brought up, whose bright and unsullied career he 
 liad watched with a parent's interest, and for whom to the 
 last he felt a parent's affection, — we mean, the late Sir 
 John Beverley Robinson, Chief Justice of Upper Canada. 
 The sterling and brilliant qualities of this estimable man. 
 it is not necessar}^ to dwell upon here ; especially as we 
 have reason to believe that friends are engaged in prepa- 
 rino- a Memoir of his life. We shall venture, however, to 
 repeat in these pages what it was my privilege to say of 
 him in addressing the Students of Trinity College soon 
 after his decease : — 
 
 " On this occasion, it is impossible to withhold some 
 allusion to an event of recent occurrence, — the cause of 
 i)rofound sorrow throughout the Province at large, and an 
 irrepai^able loss to this College ; I mean its late excellent 
 ami distinguished Chancellor. An acquaintance of more 
 than foi-ty years with this invaluable man, has been all 
 along attended with the one unchanged feeling of respect 
 and admiration : nothing, in that long interval, ever arose 
 to check or alter this sentiment. The eloquent Barrister 
 in youth, he was the dignified and upright Judge in 
 mature age. The steady adherent to the principles and 
 duties of the Church in early life, he upheld and main- 
 tained them, with unabated devotion, in advanced age. A
 
 285 
 
 stcdfast friend in tliose ilnys when the feelings ■\vcve 
 warmest and tlie spirits most Imoyant, he shewed himself 
 the same consistent friend when the energies were dulled 
 i»y the gathering cares of life, and the romance of its 
 passions and hopes had died away. 
 
 "Born with high natural gifts, — a })leasing jierson, win- 
 ning address, quick apprehension, and an cx'cn cheerfulness, 
 — he cultivated them all from a deep and conscientious 
 sense of the duties he owed to his fellow-men, and to his 
 (Jod. To the last he toiled M'ith, and manifested the full 
 iVuit of, the many talents with which the Almighty had 
 endued him. 
 
 "We have lost iu him a most valuable public man, and 
 an ornament and charm of the social circle ; an accom- 
 jilished gentleman and a devout Christian. His, too, was a 
 career singularly void of ostentation. If he had ambition, 
 — and none within proper limits should be without it, — 
 it was never prominently developed. If there was the not 
 unnatural desire of the commendation of the world, and of 
 its just ai)preciation of worth, it was a feeling hardlv 
 perceptible, — never ostentatiously displayed. 
 
 "His is an irreparable loss in times much more artificial 
 than when his character was moulded ; in times when 
 public men of prominence and mark are exposed to shifts 
 and artifices, which were not usual or necessary when his . 
 princijjles and habits of life were formed. He was amongst 
 the last links with an age and generation, when there was 
 more of the genuine simplicity of thought and action than 
 the s})irit of the present times seems to allow. 
 
 "But in mourning over our bereavement, let us be stim- 
 idated by his example. It is a valuable one to those whf) 
 are still in youth, with the world's hopes aad trials all 
 l)eforethem; for in early life he had to surmount many 
 difliculties to gain the eminence of honour and usefulness 
 he afterwards reached. And it is valual)le to those who 
 see in him one who, through patient industry and unflinch-
 
 286 
 
 ing integrity, has lived blessing, and blessed, by the genera- 
 tions through which he passed. 
 
 "His was a bright morning ; and, after the inevitable 
 storms and troubles of the after day, a serene and unclouded 
 evening, — harbinger, let us believe, of that peace which, in 
 the kingdom of glory, shall be perpetual and unbroken." 
 
 During the Synod of 18G3, the question of the appoint- 
 ment of a Coadjutor to the Bishop of Toronto, now in his 
 eighty-sixth year, was, for the first time, publicly referred 
 to. His Lordship expressed his willingness to accede to 
 such an appointment, so soon as it could with pro|)riety be 
 made ; desiring that, if it were possible, a selection should 
 be made agreeable to his personal feelings and wishes; but 
 not unwilling to acquiesce in any arrangement that might 
 be deemed beneficial to the Church. 
 
 Early in 18G4-, he referred, in his private letters, to his 
 deafness and failing sight, and his apprehension that he 
 should soon be totally useless. " This apprehension," he 
 said, " alarms me not a little, and is a trouble I did not 
 anticipate. Indeed I was beginning to consider the possi- 
 bility of Confirmation visitations next sunnner; not that I 
 have given them up, nor will I to the very last." 
 
 Towards the close of that year, he writes, " My own 
 position will soon demand my serious attention. So long 
 as the episcopal endowment remains incomplete, and that I 
 can discharge the duties, matters may proceed as .they do; 
 but I begin to dread the Confirmation journeys. * * * 
 The subject is painful, and, at present, I shall s;iy no 
 more." 
 
 An opening was thus given Ibr the free and friendly dis- 
 cussion of the subject at various opportunities; and he 
 readily consented to the adoption of a Canon at the Synod 
 of 1865, providing for the election of a Coadjutor Bishop. 
 
 In the autumn of 1805, the Bishop experienced the 
 heaviest domestic affliction which, amidst his many trials 
 and bereavements, it was the will of Providence he should
 
 287 
 
 endure. He was deprived of his excellent wile, his com- 
 panion in joy and sorrow through a period of fifty-eight 
 years. Mrs. Strachan, who had also reached a good old 
 age, had been for several years in failing health ; hut, at 
 the last, worn out with many ailments, died peacefully 
 and without pain, in her eighty-first year. 
 
 She was an admirable wife, and a most tender and 
 indulgent mother; a warm friend, Avith strong sympathies 
 for the afflicted, and very generous to the poor. Amongst 
 the educated and refined there will not unfrequently be 
 instances of ])ecuniary straitness and distress ; and there 
 was no one who alleviated these peculiar and trying cases 
 with more delicacy and tenderness than the good and 
 gentle Mrs. Strachan. 
 
 Under the feelings which this bereavement awakened, 
 he wrote, during the followinor Christmas week, a letter 
 which we may venture to publish, — developing, as it does, 
 the chastened sjurit under the softening, mellowing in- 
 fluence of age: — 
 
 " Your afl'octionate letter lias done me niuch good, as indeed 
 all your letters do. I still feel sadly unhinged by my afflicting 
 bereavement. 
 
 *' You do well to I'emiiul me of the glorious privilege which 
 we all enjoy at thi.s sea.son, and trustfully ought we to congratii- 
 late one another on its animal return. Nor ought I to forget the 
 special blessings which God has vouchsafed me, — a long life of 
 almost uninterrupted strong health and vigour, and a general 
 absence from infirmity of body or of mind. These are all 
 }trecious gifts, for which I can never be sufficiently thankful • 
 and I must try to be so. I have employed them, I trust, not 
 ungratefully : my disposition has always been to look at the bright 
 aspect of what has bel^illen me, and to fight against murmuring 
 and discontent. 
 
 " Doubtless, the world is, in one sense, a wicked world, na ihe 
 Bible tell us. But the beauty in which it was created, has 
 not been altogether defaced : it has still its fair aspects ; and,
 
 288 
 
 were there not, on tlie whole iiioro, good than evil, it could not 
 have continued. 
 
 " I hope and trust that the state of the Church is improving-. 
 It is, indeed, all but as good as we can expect, considering the 
 poverty it has to struggle with, and the many difficulties it has 
 to contend against. It is satisfactory, however, to feel that we 
 are labouring hard to find remedies for the obstructions that are 
 in our way, although we may never be able to surmount them 
 all ; nor perhaps is it intended. The life of the Church of God 
 has ever been a life of labour and struggle ; and it must always 
 continue so, for her rest is not here. Yet we can, by our own 
 exertions, with God's blessing, moderate the pressure of many 
 annoyances ; and we could introduce many improvements, as, 1 
 trust, we have for some time past, been successfully doing." 
 
 He expressed himself, in the same letter, as much affect- 
 ed by a remark of Dr. Pusey at a meeting of a Chnrch 
 Congress, that " we should begin to collect and consider all 
 the points about Avhich we agree, instead of all the time 
 contending about those on v/hich we differ, and endeavour, 
 if possible, to form a basis on the points on which we are 
 all at one, and examine carefully whether such basis might 
 not be gradually extended. * * * I believe, (he adds,) 
 that all who impartially study their own hearts would 
 soon perceive that there was no true ground for division 
 and animosity, but much for unity and love ; and, follow- 
 in <->• up our inquiries in this spirit, all serious difficulties 
 would gradually disappear, and all oui- waywardness give 
 place to candour and good will."
 
 289 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 Synods of 18G0, uiicl Electiou of Coadjutor Bishoii. — Synod of 
 18G7. — Sickness and Death of the Bisliop. 
 
 (^|(^'yE tlotailecl, in its place, the vigour, activity, and 
 coui'agc displayed by the late Bishop of Toronto, 
 \vhen, durinir the War with the United States 
 in 1812 and following years, the town of York, now 
 Toronto, was cai)tured. The following remarks on the 
 Fenian Raid in 18GG, contained in his Address to the 
 Synod of that year, are characteristic : — 
 
 " From the general exciteuicnt wliicli pervaded the whole Pro- 
 vince, as the iisual time of the meeting of Synod approached, it 
 was snggested to me to postpone its assembling for a short period 
 till the commotion liad in some degree subsided, because many of 
 the Lay Delegates woultl bo otherwise engaged. This a))peared 
 so reasonable that I willingly ac(juiesced ; and the more readily, 
 because I felt assured, from past exi)erience, that the C'anadas 
 were able not only to protect themselves, but to jiunisji every 
 hostile invader. And, accordingly, the whole strength of the two 
 Provinces flew to arms, as one man, at the first call of the Gov- 
 ernment, and the enthusiasm of former times re-appeared in all 
 its ancient lustre. It was a glorious spectacle, ever to be remem- 
 bered and imitated, should occasion arise. 
 
 " This is indeed a most painful subject ; for bad as the world 
 mav be, I verily believe that history can scarcely furnish any- 
 similar example of men pretending to civilization attacking a 
 quiet, inoffensive people, Avho had never injured them in the 
 slightest degree, in a nianner so brutal and atrocious ; and 
 37
 
 290 
 
 although it is our duty to rejoice for our d(>li\erance, yet we have 
 deeply to dejilore that our siicccss has been purchased at an 
 inestimable price, even the blood of many of our noblest de- 
 fenders, every one of whom was far more jjrecious than ten 
 thousand Fenian murderers and marauders." 
 
 On the suUject of the ap|joiiitiiieiit of a Coadjutor, the 
 Bishop, at the conclusion of liis Address, expressed himself 
 as follows : — 
 
 "I have been considering with much anxitjty, and not, I trust, 
 without the invocation of the Divine guidance, how soon I ought 
 to avail myself of the provisions of the Canon passed, at the last 
 meeting of Synod, for the election of a Coadjutor or Suffragan 
 Bishop ; which Cfinon is to receive eonfirmatioii at our present 
 session." 
 
 " Mingled feelings and anxieties, — the deei)est and strongest 
 having refei'ence to the welfare of our beloved Chui'ch, — have 
 affected me, in contemplating the step that should be taken, in 
 view of the intent and puri)ort of that Canon. In regarding, 
 then, what I deem the best interests of the Diocese and the 
 Church at large, I feel constrained to avail myself of its pro- 
 visions, as soon as it is confirmed, and to request that the election 
 of a Coadjutor Bishop be proceeded with, as soon as the consti- 
 tution and rules of the Synod will permit. The weight of years, 
 and the infirmities they bring, move me to announce this deci- 
 sion • for although equal to some duties, still there are others of 
 paramount importance which I am warned not again to attempt. 
 
 " Before we close the session, we shall probably be empowered 
 to fix the period at which that solemn duty is to be entered upon. 
 Entreating, my brethren of the Clergy and Laity, your thoughtful 
 and prayerful consideration of the duties that will then have to 
 be discharged, and that you would, in your quiet deliberation.s, 
 regard the interests of God's Church in this land as paramount to 
 every other influence, I have only to request that you will now 
 enter upon the duties immediately before you with that candour, 
 zeal, and concord, which has in all past tiuies characterized the 
 proceedings of this Synod.''
 
 291 
 
 The Canon above referred to was, after some discussion, 
 confirmed, and consequently became law; and licfore the 
 Synod closed, the 19th September following Mas ajijxjinted 
 as the day upon which a s])ocial Synod was to l>e held foi- 
 the election of a Coadjutor. On their meeting on the da^' 
 appointed, the Bishop thus addiessod them : — 
 
 " I meefc you to-dnv upon an occasion of great interest and 
 solemnity ; and we all approacli it, I trust, with befitting feel- 
 ings. In delegating to other hands, as I am about to do, a large 
 .share of the important duties which, during rather more than 
 twenty-seven years, I have been endeavouring to the best of my 
 ability to discharge, I cannot but feel, — as I am sure you feel 
 yourselves, — the graA'e responsibility which is thrown upon you, 
 in providing one who .shall undertake this high and arduous 
 office. There will be, in such a case, personal feelings and pi'edi- 
 lections, and prejudices, too, which it may not be altogether 
 possible to suppress ; but all must yield to one absoi'bing obliga- 
 tion, — duty to God's Church. From Christian ministers and 
 Christian men, nothing individual, notliing sclfisli, must be 
 allowed to interfere witli this. 
 
 " I pray you then, my brethren, to come to the exerci.se of 
 this responsibility and .solemn trust witli singleness of purpose, with 
 unbiassed minds, with calm and thouglitful feelings. Ask earnestly 
 for heavenly direction before you enter upon this sacred duty : 
 regai'd as a first obligation the welfare of God's Chnrch, and act 
 as you thiidv will best promote its growth, and purity, and expan- 
 sion in this land. " 
 
 The subsequent proceedings, — the jjrogress and result.s 
 of this election, — arc so fully detailed in the Journal of the 
 ]iroceeding.s of that session, and are so well remembered, 
 that any special account of them is unnecessary hero. 
 The number of Clergy and Laity present being unusually 
 large, — 109 Clergymen having been in attendance on the 
 first day, and 97 parishes, each represented by two or 
 three delegates, having voted, — the election itself was con- 
 ducted in the Cathedral Church of St. James. Nothincr
 
 292 
 
 could exceed the order and solemnity of the whole pro- 
 ceedings ; nothing in the whole course of them occurred, 
 inconsistent with the sacredness of the place, and the 
 graven ess of the duty. There was the development, of 
 course, of strong and steady partialities ; but no semblance 
 of acrimony or unseemly strife. The result was not 
 reached until 10 o'clock on the night of Friday, the 21st ; 
 and when this result was thus proclaimed by the Bishop, 
 it was witli the very generous acquiescence of the Clergy 
 and Laity present, and their veiy general and kind con- 
 gratulations to him on whom the choice had fallen :— 
 
 " My reverend brethren, and gentlemen of the Laity, I am 
 greatly gratified to hear that the selection of a Coadjutor Bishojj 
 has been made. 1 congratulate the whole Diocese as well as the 
 Church on the way in which the business has been conducted 
 in this holy edifice, and witli great gladness of heart, I now 
 declare, in all your liearing, that the Venerable Archdeacon 
 Alexander Neil Bethune lias been elected Coadjutor Bishop of tlie 
 Diocese of Toronto ; and I liope that his future life will be Avhat 
 his past has been, — just, and holy, and upriglit, and, in every 
 respect, worthy of the high station to wliich Ik; has been called.'' 
 
 The ap})lication for the Queen's Mandate; for Consecra- 
 tion, according to custom, was made by tlie Metropolitan 
 of the Province, then in England; l)ut, after some delibera- 
 tion, it was stated by the Ear] of ( -arnarvon, Secretary of 
 State for the Colonies, that such Mandate could not be 
 granted by Her Majesty. His Lordship said, " as the 
 intervention of the Crown is not legally required, either to 
 give to the Archdeacon of Toronto the intended jui'isdic- 
 tion, or to authorize his consecration to the office of 
 Bishop, it would not appear that the proposed Mandate 
 could have any legal effect; and, under such circum- 
 stances, it would hardly be consistent with the dignity 
 of the Crown, that Her Majesty should be advised to 
 issue such Mandate. It will thus rest with yourself and
 
 293 
 
 tlie other Bishops of Canada, and will be in your power, 
 under the Canadian Acts of 10 and 20 A'ictoria, cap. 
 141, and 22 Victoria, cap. 139, to detcrniine, without 
 hindrance or as istance from the lloyal Prerogative, in 
 what manner the Consecration of tlio Bislio)> of Niagara 
 shall he efi'ected. 
 
 The Metropolitan, tlierefore, transmitted t(j the liislio}* 
 of Toronto, as senior Bishop of the Province, a commission 
 authorizing liim to proceetl to the Consecration of the 
 Bishop-elect, who, as Coadjutor, was to possess the title of 
 Bishop of Niagara. The Consecration took place on 
 Fi'i<lay, 2oth January, 18G7, being the Feast of the Conver- 
 sion of St. Paul ; the presiding Bishop, and Consecrator, 
 being assisted by the Bishops of Hui'on and Ontario, and 
 by Bishops McCoskry and Coxe of the United States. 
 The Catlie(h-al was filled to its utmost capacity, and the 
 whole service was most impressive. The preacher selected 
 for the occasion was the Venerable Archdeacon Patton, an 
 old and intimate friend of the Bishop-elect. 
 
 There was a niarked sense of relief in the mind of the 
 aged Bishop, when this solemn ceremonial was hap])ily 
 over; he felt and expressed much comfort that he could 
 now delegate to another the onerous and im|)ortant duties, 
 which he confessed he could no longer discharge with 
 satisfaction to himself He attended the Synod at their 
 meeting in June, 1807, but delegated all his duties, 
 including the opening address, to his Coadjutor; and 
 by the latter an Ordination was held eai'ly in thr spring, 
 and anotlu-r in tlie summer of that year. Extensive 
 Confirmation touis were also made, occupying about ten 
 weeks, and residting in the admi.ssion of 2230 persons 
 to that rite. 
 
 The memorable Pan-Anglieal Conference of BLshops was 
 held at Lambeth Palace, on the 24th September of this 
 year ; and this the Bi.shop of Toronto Avas, of course, 
 invited by the Archljishop of Canterl)ury to attend.
 
 294 
 
 In replying to this invitation, he addressed the Archbislid]* 
 as follows : — 
 
 " I have the honour to acknowledge your (trace's letter of the 
 •22iu\ February, inviting mo to unite with the other Prelates of 
 our Anglican communion in a Conference to he hohlen at Lam 
 hcth Palace, on tlie 24-th September next. 
 
 "Never probably since the era of the General Councils of 
 the Primitive Church, would a more interesting and important 
 assemblage of the Prelates of the Christian communion havt- 
 been held than the meeting which is now proposed. There nevci- 
 was a time when the hierarchy of the Church exhibited a larger 
 array of piety, talent, and zeal in its members ; and it must lie 
 felt by all that the deliberations of such a body will be fraught 
 with the happiest consequences to the Christian Church at lai-ge, 
 and to our branch of it in particular. 
 
 " With these convictions, it grieves me much to say that to 
 myself,— just entering upon the ninetieth year of my age, — the 
 gratification of joining in this most interesting meeting will be 
 impossible. Your Grace, therefore, will kindly hold me excused, 
 on this ground, from attending : none other than this would 
 allow me to be absent. 
 
 " But if not present in person, 1 sliall, — if spared so long, — 
 be with you in s[)irit ; and my assiduous prayer shall be, that the 
 Almi'^hty and all-wise God may vouchsah; an aljundant blessing 
 upon yonr deliberations." 
 
 The writer of tliis left for England to attend this Con- 
 ference the last week in Angust ; and on ))arting with the 
 Bishop discerned nothing, in the state of his health, to 
 awaken the apprehension that he should never meet him 
 in life again. It is true there had been some alarming signs 
 of failing strength ; and in the previous month he had had 
 an attack which prostrated him very much, and the re- 
 currence of which, it was thought, must prove ilitah 
 He was cheery and hopeful, however, at the time of that 
 parting ; and urged in a playful way, that the absence of
 
 295 
 
 his Coailjutui" must nut exceed two mouths. ' Miud," he 
 sniiliugly said, "I only allow you to be away two months." 
 
 Sunday, 19tli October, was the last occasion on Avhich 
 he attended at the Cathedral. He was slightly ill duriu'-' 
 the service, but rallied before its close; and, as if there was 
 on his mind a presentiment that he was never to be there 
 again, he bade good-bye to all theattendantsof the Church, 
 specially requesting that none might be overlooked. One 
 Ijy one he shook hands with them all, and prayed that God 
 would bless them. 
 
 He was restless and disconcerted the folhjwing days, au<l 
 on Thursday was taken so seriously ill, that much alarm 
 was felt ; and although he subsequently rallied a little, 
 the opinion of the medical men in attendance was that ho 
 could not long survive. The strength of his robust consti- 
 tution was evidently worn out; and there were signs, not to 
 be mistaken, that its dissolution was not far distant. There 
 were returns of vigour and spirit, after intervals of weak- 
 ness and prostration, but these were the fitful struggles of 
 declining nature, — the rise and sinking of the flickering 
 lam[) of life. The mind, too, Avas aftected by the weakness 
 of the body : there were wanderings of thought, and words 
 without coherence. There would bo a flitting from the 
 past to the present, — from the incidents of years lono- gone 
 to events of recent occurrence ; and the impressions those 
 memories awakened expressed in hurried words, and rapid 
 transition from one subject to another. There was, too, 
 the frequent recitation of fragments of psalms and hymns ; 
 the broken utterances of prayer; and at times, in firm voice, 
 the repetition of portions of the Creed. 
 
 On the evening of Thursday, the olst Oetobei-, the Holv 
 Connnuiiidu was administered to him by his friend and 
 Chaplain, the Rector of the Parish ; and then, as all through 
 his illness, every aflectionate, soothing, watchful atterition 
 was exerted to give ease and comfort to his last hours. 
 The pulsation became gradually weaker, and. at three
 
 29G 
 
 o'clock in tlii» morning of November 1st, All Saint's Day, 
 he breathed liis last, -lijs spirit floAvn to the company of 
 those who liad toiled through life for the same adoral)le 
 Master, — another in the throng of that great "cloud of 
 Avitnesses," who are waiting their reward on the Judgment 
 Day.
 
 297 
 
 CHAPTER XXXT. 
 
 Tlie Fuiici;il. — Cliaiacteristics and Recollections.- — Conclusion. 
 
 /^!^HK writer of this endcjivuiued to fulfil liis pruinisc to 
 i\\ J reach Toronto in two months from the day of liis 
 sailing from Quebec ; and he left Liverpool in time 
 to effect this. But a slow-sailing steamer was, for that 
 trip, made to take the place of the one of greater speed 
 which should have sailed, but unfortunately had been 
 crippled on her homeward voyage and was laid up for 
 re})airs. On this account, and witli constant and heavy 
 head winds, the passage was a few^ days longer than the 
 ordinary ones; and he missed reaching Toronto in time to 
 take a last leave of his venerated friend. He had tho 
 melancholy gratification, however, of witnessing his calm 
 features in the repose of death, — not a line or expression of 
 the well-known face apparently altered ; but like one who 
 had yieldetl up his last breath in cheerful contentment 
 that his M'ork wa.s done, and that he was called upon to 
 face a Master whom he had tried faithfully to serve, l)\it 
 on whose mercy and merits alone he after all relied. 
 
 The funeral was fixed for Tuesday, the 5th November ; 
 and, by universal desire, it was made a public one. Pro- 
 fessional men of all orders, — the Judges and leading nu-u of 
 the Bar ; the Physicians of the town ; a large gathering of 
 the Clergy from all quarters of the Diocese, including very 
 many of other religious communions ; of the Military, 
 Hussars and foot-soldiers ; the members of the City Cor- 
 poration; the officers and members of the various Societies
 
 298 
 
 of the town ; and others, of all conditions and persuasions, 
 — formed the vast procession from his late residence to the 
 Cathedral of St. James. The Church was darkened, and 
 dimly lit with gas; and, as the great mass wound slowly 
 in, the organ pouring forth soft and mournful strains, the 
 scene was indescribal)ly solemn. In keeping with the 
 deep gloom of the building, was the drapery of m(jurning 
 all around ; and, in the vast throng within, there was not, 
 we beheve, one heart untouched by the imposing, impres- 
 sive burial-service, read with a calm distinctness by the 
 Dean. His remains were interred in a vault, expressly 
 constructed for the purpose, beneath the chancel, and as 
 near' as possible to the spot where he was wont to sit 
 within the rails in the discharge of Episcopal duties. 
 
 His successor in the See, — hardly ten months his Coad- 
 jutor, — preached his funeral sermon on the following 
 Sunday ; the Cathedral draped and darkened just as it 
 was on the funeral day. A very large congregation was 
 present ; and, in the evening, the .same sad subject was 
 eloquently dwelt upon by the Rector of the Parish and 
 Dean of the Cathedral. 
 
 Several meetings were subset^uently held to decide upon 
 a fitting memorial to one who had filled so large a space 
 in the civil as well as the religious history of the Province; 
 but differences of opinion as to the character and suitable- 
 ness of such a testimonial, have so far retarded the adop- 
 tion of any. Yet, after all, it is hoped that something 
 may be decided upon to ]nark, fii'st, the zeal and success 
 of the late Bishop in the cause of Education, — his efforts 
 in this direction culminating in the establishment of 
 Trinity College ; and something, secondly, to be exhibited 
 as a memorial of his energy and ability in the discharge of 
 his duties as a Bishop of God's Church. What would 
 testify the first, has, we think, been happily suggested in 
 the erection of a Convocation Hall for Trinity College; the 
 supply of which would be a great practical benefit to the
 
 290 
 
 Institution itself, as well as ii)»holJ the memory of its 
 founder. To transmit to posterity some visible memento 
 of his pastoral work, a Synod Hall, to bear the name of 
 " Strachan," has been fitly suggested; and all, we think, 
 must af-ree that this, while a useful, would be a most 
 appropriate memorial. 
 
 But we must not omit to mention that, if here we are 
 passive and undecided though not slumbering, there has 
 been commenced in another Diocese a most fitting memo- 
 rial, in the erecti(jn of a handsome and substantial Church 
 at the very spot where his hrst ministrations in the service 
 of his Divine Master were given. At Cornwall, tlie scene 
 of his first labours as a Minister of Christ, through the 
 untiring zeal and energy of Archdeacon Patton, this 
 Church is now in vigorous progress, and will probably be 
 completed before anything in our own Diocese has actu- 
 ally been commenced. The Churchmen of the Diocese of 
 Toronto will, we trust, take this fjict to heart. 
 
 Tlie character of the late Bishop of Toronto, in its 
 marked outlines, so fully develo})es itself in his varied and 
 acti\e life which we have endeavoured to jwurtray, that 
 reference to its minuter ])oints is hardly necessary. Thci-i' 
 are, nevertheless, traits and characteristics of his thoughts 
 and habits, — phases of his retired and inner life, — which 
 the wt)rld at large, from an observation of his outer walk 
 and work, world hardly recognize. A few recollections of 
 such, we shall try to call up and set before our readers. 
 
 And if we regard, first, his domestic life, — his relations 
 as a husband and a ftither, — we shall see in him a remark- 
 able example of indulgent tenderness and self-sacrificing 
 love. Never was there a brighter or more cheerful home ; 
 never one of nioi'C unrestrained and playful intercourse 
 between old and young. And while every thing was done 
 to secure the a])pliances of comfort and elegance, assiduous 
 care was taken to ujihoM the associations and habits tliat 
 serve to refine tlic character and adapt fur the best })Osi-
 
 ■ 300 
 
 tions to which they might be raised in after life. And 
 never was there any sacrifice too great for him to make, 
 that he might secure the advancement of liis children, 
 whether they adopted a profession or cliosc a mercantile 
 life. He was willing, as indeed he did, to hazard a fortune, 
 if that good object could be attained. 
 
 His hospitalities were great, and always on an elegant 
 scale. He early took a lead in this respect, and never 
 relinquished it till the declining health of Mrs. Strachan 
 rendered the continuance of it impossible. He shewed a 
 wonderful adaptedness to the positions in society which he 
 was called upon" successively to fill. Nothing, in advancing 
 exaltations, came new or strange to him ; as has been so 
 well said by another, he " sustained, with a graceful and 
 unassuming dignity, all the augmentations that naturally 
 accumulated round them, as the community, of which he 
 was so vital a part, grew and widened, and rose to a higher 
 and higher level, on the swelling tide of the general 
 civilization of the continent." * 
 
 Cheerfulness, as at his fireside, reigned at his board ; and 
 no one relished more a humorous story or a harmless joke. 
 This he encouraged in his youthful guests especially; and 
 no one laughed more heartily than he at a fair sally of wit, 
 or a pleasant anecdote. In travelling, he would recount 
 stores of amusing incidents that had occurred during his 
 earlier acquaintance with the country ; and his memory 
 was keen and mirthful of excursions by sailing boat up 
 the Bay of Quintd from Kingston, with companions of 
 social notoriety in their day. 
 
 There was a large benevolence in the character of the 
 late Bishop; and to the distressed and ])Oor he gave with 
 a liljcral hand. If he had been favoured with worldly 
 means Ijeyond his hopes, he l)estowed a fitting share of 
 them in relieving individual want, and in aiding Insti- 
 
 * Rev. H. Suaddiiig, D.D.
 
 301 
 
 tntions of piety and cliaiity. He would never hoard fnr 
 tlie pr()l)al)ilities or the contingencies of an after da}', "vvlien 
 he coukl, by the expenditure of what he liad, smooth the 
 present path, and jn-omote the ]»resent good, of tliose arouml 
 him. And for tliis cause it was, that, altliouo-li f(»r noarlv 
 half a century In- jiossessed a handsome income, ami lia<l ac- 
 (juiivd a consideral)k> private ])roperty, he died a i)oor man. 
 
 He was, too, a ])liibinthri>pist in anotlier form. He 
 s})arod no jiains, and gru(lge<l no trouble, to promote the 
 settlement and atlvance the interests of those who came 
 introduced to him from the Mother Country. He would 
 jtitcli upon a faiiu or locality for them which he thought 
 would suit; and forthwith he would write their friends to 
 send the means of purchasing it. Once an intelligent, 
 honest farmer, by marriage well connected, came intro- 
 duced to him from Scotland, and engaged his hearty 
 interest. He knew well his wife's friends, and made a 
 great venture in purchasing a farm for him in the township 
 of Dumfries, at double the cost he was authorized to pay. 
 •'I told them," he said, " what I had done, and had done 
 for the best, and inform e<l them that I had drawn for the 
 money. They stormed a little about my extravagance and 
 rashness, but they ])aid the draft; and tlie result soon 
 shewed them that I had acted wisely." 
 
 To one and all of his numerous Cornwall pupils, he was 
 invariably kind. In trouble they never appealed to him 
 in vain ; his counsels were always Avisely given, and given 
 with the si)irit and affection of a father. He was free, too, 
 in i-ousing and ri'biiking, wliere he discerned anv tliino- 
 like lassitude or want of energy; in plain terms he would 
 say they must bestir themselves, and make ventures abroad 
 if they could not succeed at home. One of his (^•ll•lv 
 jiupils, an eminent barrister in Lower Canada, and who as 
 a Member of Parliament had bravely fought the battle oi' 
 the Constitution there in the troublous times anterior to 
 the Union, once com})lained to him ol" the ingratitude and
 
 802 
 
 injustice lie was experiencing from the existing govern- 
 ment, and the impossibility of his obtaining redress. " Get 
 into Parliament, man," was his prompt reply ; " and make 
 yourself heard there. Meet your opponents where you 
 can best confront them." 
 
 Tliere Avas something very cheery and inspiriting in his 
 manner of dealing with difficulties, and making those who 
 ])ro])osed them gather up confidence and vigour. He had 
 the happy faculty of divesting trouble of its harsher lines 
 and aspects, and giving to the darkest prospects the colour- 
 ing of hope. An excellent Clergyman, in the neighbour- 
 hood of Toronto, somewhat advanced in life, often called 
 upon him for counsel in difficulties, and consolation and 
 direction and in those little trials which the man of refine- 
 ment and sensibility is often made to feel so acutely. For 
 such spirits as these the jostling of the world about them is 
 too rude; they shrink from it, or they pine under it. With a 
 fatherly tenderness, he would explain away the grounds of 
 these trouljles, and shew that in most cases the causes for 
 such suftering were imaginary. This good man was wont 
 to say at ])arting, — " I never, my dear Lord, call to tell 
 you of my little troubles, but I go away refreshed and 
 brightened. I get a supply of strength and cheer to sup- 
 port me for many an after day." 
 
 The late Bishop was a man without prejudice, and 
 wholly free from party spirit. This was evinced in the 
 distribution of the patronage at his command ; for the best 
 he had to give was often bestowed upon those who dif- 
 fered from him in religious opinions. He would not, per- 
 haps, studiously seek out such to befriend them; but, if 
 their services had been long, and zealous, and successful, 
 and their claims to advancement were unquestionable, any 
 thing like the tie of party was out of consideration, and 
 the favour he had to confer Avas cordially bestowed. " We 
 want earnest, working men," he was often heard to say, 
 " and no matter from what section of the Church they
 
 303 
 
 come, r shall Wfleomo them, if they are t'aithtiil ami loyal 
 to her. " The strong doctrinal opinions, however of a por- 
 tion, at least, of the "Evangelical Clergy," were very 
 distasteful to him ; and he often said that Calvinism must 
 lead, in many instances, to infidelity. Of one of these Clergy, 
 whom he very highly esteemed, he used to say " I wish he 
 would preach upon the Ten Commandments, as well as 
 upon election, faith, and grace. People should he taught 
 how to live, as well as what they are to believe." 
 
 The Bishop had, in many quarters, the character of 
 being short, and stern, and uncourteous sometimes in his 
 remarks. This was rarely the case; and seldom mani- 
 fested, unless he discerned any tiling like duplicity oi- 
 insincerity in those who were brought into contact with 
 him. He had also a great dislike to any thing like 
 pretension or forwardness ; and could not brook that any 
 one, recently come into the Diocese, should be too free in 
 his counsels or criticisms. Such a one he would put down 
 very peremptorily. But if he ever felt that he had found 
 fault wrongfully, or done any man an injustice by his 
 remarks, none was more ready than he, at the fitting time, 
 to make amends. A Clergyman, now no more, somewhat 
 im])ulsive and eccentric in his manner, though most u[)- 
 light and ingenuous, expressed himself once in Synod on 
 the duty of making provision for a vacancy in the See, in 
 a manner which the Bishop considered abrupt and indeli- 
 cate. He accordingly reprimanded him with some sevei-- 
 ity. The following year, however, — having in the interval 
 disco veied that he had misapprehended that Clergyman's 
 meaning, — he said in reference to the action he had 
 proposed : " This suggestion I discouraged at the time, 
 with greater warmth than was perhaps necessary, * * * 
 Satisfied that nothing offensive was intended by the 
 reverend gentleman who mentioned the matter, and that I 
 had expressed nn'self somewhat ha-;tily, T now tender liim 
 my apology."
 
 304 
 
 The clearness uf intellect and quick perception of things 
 and men for which the late Bishop was remarkable, shewed 
 their natural development in firmness of character and 
 decisiveness of action. Yet he was by no means a man 
 of rigid inflexibility, or obstinate adherence to his own 
 opinions. Where, after mature and careful deliberation he 
 had made up his mind upon any subject, it was needless to 
 attempt inducing him to change it ; he Avould be as uncom- 
 promising with the highest in the land, as with the hum- 
 Idlest individual who ventured to offer his counsel. But 
 if there was an admitted opening for further consideration, 
 he listened very kindly to what others had to suggest, and 
 very often adopted the opinions of friends in whom he had 
 confidence, in preference to his own. He sometimes, — 
 though rarely, — made appointments to vacant parishes 
 without reference to his usual advisers ; but in other cases 
 wliere he asked their counsel, he received their suggestions 
 with great respect and kindness, and often adopted them 
 without furtlier discussion of the subject. This was the 
 case not only in his declining years, but at his first 
 entrance upon the duties of the Episcopate. 
 
 About five-and-twenty years before his decease, on the 
 death of one of his Chaplains, I suggested, unasked, the 
 name of a Clergyman to take his place, who deserved the 
 compliment and whose appointment would gratify the 
 much respected friends of the deceased. Without objec- 
 tion or expostulation, he smilingly said, " Make out his 
 commission, and send it to me for signature, and I shall 
 forward it with a few pleasant words." 
 
 He was always prompt and kind in giving his advice to 
 young Clei-gymen when they solicited it. The following- 
 letter is worthy of record, as shewing his readiness, as 
 well as judgment, in offering counsel : — 
 
 "It is not my desire to fiiul fault with you on this occasion, 
 because your proceedings, thougli unwise, are not, after all,
 
 305 
 
 unnatural in a ymiiiLC nian cntfiiiic; life; l)Ut, as your .spiritual 
 fathor, to ailvisti you not to ])c hasty in r(>j)lying to commu- 
 nications which you may deem offensive. K(!ep them a few 
 days; then consider wlictlici it l)e necessary to i-eply to them at 
 all. If" you must answer, confine yf>urself strictly to facts, and 
 avoid acrimonious lan,c,'naf;e and disagreeable insinuations. Then 
 ))ut liy the answer a day or two, and read it as one who must 
 give an account, and jx'rhaps you will not send it at all, or you 
 will so smooth and niodity it as to give no just cause of offence. 
 
 "Some such process has heon my practice; and experience 
 has often taught me its great value. Every one in such ca.ses 
 slioukl inquire of the Lord in the spirit of prayer, and more 
 especially the ordained ininistei-s of the Gospel ; and it is most 
 wonderfid how soon an earnest i*eference to the Saviour's example 
 calms all passionate and undue excitement, and o))en.s to us the 
 clear ])atli of duty." 
 
 It was, no »li)ulit, tlio truthfnhu'ss and gnilelessness of 
 the Bishop's own nature which drew him so strongly to 
 "little {■hildren." As lie jouvneyed on his visitations, he 
 was always attracted to them; and they, from his ]>layfu]- 
 ness and powers of amusing, were always drawn to him. 
 On one occasion, having been invited to the house of a 
 retired army officer to partake of some refreslnnent after 
 a morning Confirmation, this gentleman became rather free 
 and caustic in his remarks upon his Clergyman. This the 
 Bishop felt to be in bad taste, and so he changed the sub- 
 ject as s})eedily as possible. To preclude its recurrence, he 
 took the two youngest children of the house, one on either 
 knee, and chatted with them and drew them out, amused 
 them and was amused, until the repast was ready. He 
 laughed mucli at this harmless manoeuvre afterwards, as 
 we journ(\yed homewards. 
 
 The Bi.shop had a great objection to any thing like a 
 
 studied show or })retence of religion. He di.sliked "cant"; 
 
 and, from his repugnance to any thing like an aft'ectation 
 
 of sanctity, he might, by some very good and conscientious 
 
 39
 
 306 
 
 men, be tliouglit deficient in personal piety, and without 
 strong religious feelings. Nothing could be more erroneous 
 than such a conclusion. What he did, and expressed, in 
 this respect, was certainly without ostentation, and perhaps 
 wdth reserve; but there was an undercurrent always of 
 simple, genuine piety. This was exemplified ])articularly 
 at the bed-side of the sick, or in soothing counsels to ihe 
 sorrowful. He exhibited at such times what were the 
 convictions and workings of his own mind ; what was his 
 own deep faith, his own bright hopes. He might not 
 clothe them in impassioned wT)rds ; but there was a solid, 
 sterling honesty in all he uttered, that made its way far. 
 more effectually to the understanding and the heart. 
 Often, too, he would speak with an unfeigned humility of 
 his own short comings ; of his confidence in the Saviour ; 
 of the need of God's fatherly indulgence to the very best. 
 He spoke fearlessly of death ; and often, when as yet 
 unshaken in strength or activity by the advance of years, 
 he would speak of his probable decease at no distant 
 time, and express his anxious desire to have every thing 
 so established and settled as to ensure peace and pros- 
 perity in the Diocese after his departure. He was unques- 
 tionably a man of prayer ; and in this he would indulge 
 (piictly by the way-side and at any hour, as well as more 
 formally in his secret chamber. 
 
 He was, as all know, a fast friend ; in whose regard and 
 interest neither prosperity nor adversity made any change. 
 He was consistent alike in his treatment of poor and rich. 
 There were sometimes tem])orary breaks with his old 
 friends, sometimes even with his old pupils; but in no 
 case was not every wound healed, every hard feeling 
 obliterated, long before he died. There was not one, we 
 believe, of his wide-spi'ead acquaintance with whom, at 
 the close of life, he was at variance. 
 
 But we must not be too discursive in these citations of 
 characteristics ; we must not, by prolixity, risk the weari-
 
 307 
 
 ness of our readers. We liave done, then : we have exe- 
 cuted a task undertaken M'itli ehcerfuliK'ss and ](iir.sned 
 with ])k'asure, but, we fear, very inadequately aeconi- 
 plished. It is the career of really a great man wliich wo 
 have attempted to describe ; and greater })owers, we feel, 
 should have been enlisted to do it the justice it deserves. 
 We have done our best, amidst many toils, and cares, 
 and interruptions ; and we shall be satisfied if, after over- 
 looking its defects in material or composition, it shall b(» 
 felt to l)e a faithful portrait of one fresh in the thoughts, 
 and dear to the hearts, of every Canadian Churchman. 
 We repeat here what Avas said on another occasion : — 
 " Though we have had his vacant j)lace filled up, we 
 cannot hope to have his loss su[)plied : in the thoughts and 
 hearts of, at least, the present generation, there will be a 
 recurrence always to the surpassing gifts and work of 
 The first Bishop of Toronto." 
 
 THE EX I).
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 (\'/T will, Nve arc persuaded, be cunsidorcil liy fniv readers 
 ^1 a iitting sequel to the eventful liii- of the late 
 ^ — Bishop of Toronto, which we have attempted in 
 the foregoing pages to pointray, to record a few of the 
 tributes which, soon after his decease, were j);ud to his 
 nienior}'. While these bear pleasing testimony to his 
 character and labours, they furnish some few j)articulars 
 that illustrate both, which were not known to, or which 
 may have escaped, the writer of the Memoir. 
 
 I. 
 
 Thk CurjaH Society of the Diocese <>f Tokomo, 
 at their first Quarterly Meeting held after his decease, 
 on November loth, 1867, adopted unanimously the fol- 
 lowing Resolutions : 
 
 " Whereas it has pleased, Almighty God to take unto 
 himself the soul of our late beloved and venerated Father 
 in (lod, the Hon. and Kight Reverend John Strachan, 
 D. D., LL. D., 
 
 "Be it resolved, 
 
 " That recognizing, as we are bound to do, our solemn 
 obligation to bow in all submission to the wisdom and 
 goodness of Almighty God in his dispensations, we would 
 still desire to express with deep sorrow our sense of the 
 irreparable loss which the Church in Canada, and especially 
 in this Diocese, has sustained b}^ the removal of our Chief 
 Pastor.
 
 310 
 
 "That we gratefully confess how abundant were his 
 labours, and how able, just, and impartial was his admin- 
 istration of liis extensive Diocese; we thankfully recall 
 the wisdom and prudence with which his far-sighted and 
 comprehensi\e plans were formed, and tlie vigour and 
 promptitude with which they were put in execution. 
 
 " That we bear our respectful testimony to hi« firnniess 
 ill tlie assertion of every great principle affecting either 
 tlic doctrine or the order of the Church ; to the blameless 
 purity of his life and conversation, and to the kindness 
 and courtesy which marked his demeanour towards the 
 Clergy and Laity connnitted to his charge. 
 
 " That we liave reason to be deeply grateful to Divine 
 Providence that on the severance of the Diocese of Toronto 
 from the ancient Diocese of Quebec, we were privileged to 
 have set over, to mould and form all its institutions, and 
 to guide it for eight-and-twenty years, a Prelate thus 
 unusually qualified for the discharge of the arduous duties 
 of the office to which he was called. 
 
 " That we Avould also recognize with devout gratitude to 
 tlie Giver of all good gifts, the following more signal 
 instances of our late Bishop's provident appreciation of 
 the Church's wants, and of his undaunted energy in the 
 effort to supply them : — First. His estal)lishment of the 
 CJinrcJi Society of this Diocese in A. D. 1842, by the 
 o])eration of which the injury which would otherwise have 
 resulted to the Church from the alienation of her State 
 endowments, fifteen years later, was without doubt most 
 materially diminished. Secondly. His founding Trinity 
 College, as a place of education for both the Clergy and 
 Fiaity of our communion, at a time when the Church had 
 l)een debarred from availing herself any further of the 
 large revenues provided for the purpose of education 
 within this Province, by the beneficence and i)iety of the 
 British Crown ; and, Lastly, his initiation of our system 
 of Diocesan and Provincial t^ynods, the introduction of
 
 311 
 
 whicli lias foiHicil an eijoeli iii tin; history of tlie Cliuicli, 
 and has ])lat'('(l ourselves and (nir fillow (y'liurchinen in 
 other Colonies, where the same organization has heen 
 adopted, in a jiosition, under God's good providence, to 
 maintain within our own borders both sound doctrine and 
 (lodly discipline. 
 
 "That a copy <»f" these resolutions he j»resented as an 
 expression of our lioartfelt sympathy and condolence to 
 the afflicted family of the deceased Prelate, arnd to oin- 
 present Diocesan, and l>e furnished to TIp ('Inivcli 
 Clironic/c for publication. 
 
 "ARTHUR PALMER, 
 
 " Cli airman." 
 
 At the regular monthly meeting of the Corporation of 
 Trinity CoLLE(iK, held this day in the Libraiy of the 
 College, the Right Reverend The Lord Bishop in the chair, 
 the following resolutions Avere submitted : — 
 
 "Moved by the Rev. the Provost, seconded by Mr. 
 Harman, and 
 
 "Resolved — "That the Corpoiation of Trinity College, 
 on the occasion of their first meeting after the lamented 
 decease of the late Ixdoved and venerated Bishop of this 
 Diocese — the virtual founder of this College — for sixteen 
 years the President of their body — and the solicitous guar- 
 dian of the welfare of the society whose interests are 
 entrusted to their care, — cannot but give expression to 
 their deep sense of the loss they have sustained, and to 
 the affectionate veneration with which they must ever 
 cherish the memory of one who so fully identified himself 
 with the fortunes of the College, whether in its more ]>ros- 
 perous or more troublous times. 
 
 " Constant in his attendance upon every occasion when 
 his counsel was sought or the weight of his authority 
 required, the late Bisltop was no less read}' to discover his
 
 312 
 
 fatherly regard fur this foundation by gracing it with his 
 presence at every piibhc solemnity and every festive 
 assemblage, even when extreme age might well have been 
 pleaded as rendering his absence inevitable. 
 
 " A benefoctor to the College to no small extent during 
 his life, he has, by his testamentary provisions, given proof 
 of his enduring interest in its welfare, and has strongly 
 indicated how deeply cherished was his desire that the 
 College may long continue to accomplish with increasing- 
 efficiency the important purposes for which he laboured to 
 establish it. 
 
 "Resolved — "That the above resolution be connnuni- 
 catcd to the members of the family of the late Bishop, 
 with the res})ectful assurance of the deep sympathy ol" 
 the Corporation with them under the loss they have 
 sustained. 
 
 " Resolved — " That as a further mark of respect to the 
 memory of the deceased Prelate, the meeting of the CV)r- 
 poration do now adjourn." 
 
 " The resolutions were unanimously carried, and the 
 Council adjourned. 
 
 "CHARLES MAGRATH, 
 
 "Bursar and Secretarij. 
 
 "Trinity College, 12th Nov., 1867." 
 
 A few days after, a Deputation of Clergymen waited 
 upon the present Bishop of Toronto, with the following 
 address : — 
 
 " To the Rif/Jd Rev. Alexander Neil Bethune, D. D. k 
 D.C.L., by Divine permission, Lord Bisliop of Toronto, 
 
 "Right Reverend Father in God, — 
 
 " We, the Clergy of the Diocese of Toronto, desire 
 respectfully to approach your Lordship on your assuming 
 the full charge of this Diocese, in consequence of the
 
 313 
 
 demise of om- late revered Bislio]), Mitli an expression of 
 dutiful submission ; i»f sincere regard f<;r your pcrsun and 
 office; and of our })urp(>se, by (itjd's help, to do all \vc can 
 to render your Ejjiscopate a blessing to yourself and to the 
 Diocese. 
 
 "We fully enter into your Lordship's feelings in regard 
 to the heavy and momentous responsibilities, which, in the 
 providence of God, have now devolved upon you ; and we 
 earnestly pray God to gi-ant you gi-ace find strength suffi- 
 cient for the duties of so high and difficult a position. 
 
 " It must, however, be a source of great comfort and 
 encouragement to your Lord.ship to know, that you so 
 Ion*'' enjoyed a very large share of our late revered 
 Diocesan's confidence ; that you had a deep hold on liis 
 warmest affections, and that >ou have the benefit of a 
 thoroufdi knowledge of his views on all matters of imjior- 
 tance in connection with the Diocese. 
 
 "We congratulate your Lordship on luuing had the 
 honour of taking jiart in the late Conference of Bishojjs at 
 Lambeth, from which we anticipate the best results, an<l 
 in which our late revered Bishop took a deep interest ; 
 and we cordially welcome your Lordship on your safe 
 return to your native land, and to the discharge of your 
 highly imi)ortant duties. 
 
 "And, in conclusion, we ])ray that the mantle of our 
 late revered Bishop, your long and tried fi-iend, may rest 
 
 upon you. 
 
 "ARTHUR PALMER, 
 
 " Chairman. '^ 
 
 llKl'LY 
 
 •Mv De.vu Brethren, — 
 
 " I l'^"''^y 30^^ ^^ accept my best thanks for the kind 
 
 manner in which you have addressed n\e ; assuring me of 
 
 3-uur fraternal regard, and of your desire to aid me with 
 
 vour hearty co-operation in fulfilling the duties to which. 
 
 40
 
 314 
 
 in the ordering of Divine Providence, T have been called. 
 From this assurance T shall, under the weight of the 
 responsibility that has now devolved u])on me, feel a 
 strong support and encouragement. 
 
 "We can never fail to bear in gi-ateful memory the 
 manner in which this large and important Diocese was 
 administered by our departed Bishop ; with how much 
 wal and self-denial his labours were pursued ; how in the 
 ruler we always discerned the fothcr ; with what patience 
 and gentleness he met the difficulties and trials that 
 occurred; with what impartiality and tenderness he de- 
 meaned himself to all. 
 
 " With a full persuasion that gifts and graces are not 
 bestowed on men alike, and that few can hope to reach 
 the example our departed Bishop has bequeathed to us, it 
 shall be my effort, as it shall be my constant prayer, to 
 carry out, in the spirit that actuated him, the plans and 
 purposes for the welfare of this Diocese and of the Church 
 at large, which he devoted his best energies to promote. 
 
 " It was my privilege to attend the recent Conference at 
 Lambeth Palace, and to share in its deliberations ; a 
 Conference, I believe, which will mark an era in the 
 Anglican communion, and from which will accrue large 
 benefits and blessings to our Mother Land, and all its 
 wide-spread dependencies and allies. 
 
 " I thank you for the cordial welcome with which I am 
 met on my return ; and very much would it cheer and 
 encourao-e me if I could hope that the manthj which has 
 dropped fron) our departed father may be seen to have 
 
 rested on me. 
 
 "A. N. TORONTO." 
 
 "Toronto, November 15th, 18()7."
 
 sir, 
 
 The (JiiLJicii Society of iiii; I^io<"ksk of HritoN, 
 passed the followinf^ Resolution at n incotiiii;- liold on 
 tlio 4tli of" Dcfcnibor, ]8(i7: 
 
 "Moved by Ven. Archdoaeoii Biioruir, seconded by 
 liov. Canon Bettridoe, 
 
 "Resolved, — That tlie Mcnibcrs of the ('liurch Society 
 of the Diocese of Huron, availing thenisejvcs of this theii- 
 first meeting since the decease of the late lamented Bislio}* 
 of Toronto, desire to express to their l)rethren of tin- 
 sister Diocese their deep and heartfelt sympathy under a 
 dispensation, -which, though special to Toronto, is felt, we 
 feel assured, with no small emotion, by every Diocese 
 throughout this Dominion. 
 
 " The event which claims our condolence, though, in the 
 course of nature, not altogether unexpected, yet upon its 
 occurrence filled every heart with grief and called forth 
 from all orders of society and from every religious denomi- 
 nation a manifestation of respect truly impressive, but 
 grateful especially to those who at the period of his death 
 or through times past, enjoyed the Episcopal oversight 
 of so valued and devoted a Prelate. 
 
 " In every expression of esteem and every evidence of 
 respect shewn to the memory of the late Bishop of 
 Toronto, the members of the Diocese of Huron desire 
 to assure their brethren that they most truly and heartily 
 participate."
 
 :U() 
 
 II. 
 
 We have the followiiio- tril)utes from CLERGYMEN of 
 the Diocese : — 
 
 The V^eii. Archdeacon Fuller, in a Sermon ])reached 
 on the Sunday following his interment, gave a very com- 
 plete but l)rief account of his life ; from tliis we make 
 a few extracts : 
 
 " At Cornwall the late Bisho]j spent nine years of his 
 fventful life. Here, on one occasion, he told me he 
 laboured sixteen hours; every day ; that, having the charge 
 of the parish of Cornwall, lie liad to visit a good deal, 
 both among the sick and well; then he had to prepare 
 sermons for Sunday ; and, he remarked, he had to study 
 every night (j^uite as hard as tlie l)oys ; for, said he, I was 
 not much in advance of the highest chiss in school. These 
 duties demanded sixteen hours every day ; and yet, he 
 said, these nine years were the happiest years of my life." 
 
 The following amusing incident is stated to have 
 occurred, on his passage from Cornwall to York soon 
 after the Declaration of War b}' the United States, in 
 1812: 
 
 "On his way up the St. Lawrence in a small vessel, 
 which contained his ftimily and all his worldly goods, 
 the courage of the late Bishop was })ut to the test. A 
 vessel hove in sight, which the Captain supposed to be 
 an Anierican armed schooner; and, it being dui'ing the war 
 vs'ith the United States, he became alarmed, and came 
 down to Dr. Strachan into the little cabin, and consulted 
 with him about surrendering his craft to the enemy. The 
 Doctor enquired of him if he had any means of defence ;
 
 and, ascertaining^' tliat lie had a tVnii-poiindcr uii board, and 
 a few muskets, lie insisted on tlie Captain defending Ids 
 vessel, — but to no })ur})Ose, as lie was entirely overcome by 
 fear. The Doctor, finding that he could not induce the 
 Captjiin to defend his vessel, told him to entrust the 
 defence of it in him, and to stay with his family in the 
 cabin. This jjroposition was gladly acceded to by the 
 Ca[»tain ; and the future Bishop mounted the companion- 
 wa}', fully determined to defend the little craft to the 
 utmost of his power ; but, (as he remarked when detail- 
 ing this incident to me some years ago) fortunately for 
 me, the schooner bearing down upon us proved to be a 
 Canadian schooner, not an American; for the four-pounder 
 was fastened to the deck, and it pointed to the starboard, 
 whereas the schooner came to us on the Inrbonnl l)ow'.'" 
 
 In Cha}>ter \'. of the foregoing woik, there ar«.' 
 several references to the courageous and energetic con- 
 duct of the late Bishop during the occupation of York 
 l)y the Americans in 1813; but the following, introduced 
 in the Archdeacon's Sermon, was not recorded : — 
 
 " His L^-eat tirmness of character saved the town ui' 
 York, in 1813, from sharing the same fate as the town of 
 Niao-ara met with some months afterwards. The American 
 General, Pike, having attacked and routed the .small force 
 ilefending York, was shortly after killed by theblowing-u]) 
 of the magazine in the Garrison. The Connnander-in-Chief, 
 being enraged by the incident, though it was not attribu- 
 table to any of the inhabitants of the town, determined to 
 have vengeance on them, and to Imrn down the town. 
 This determination coming to the knowledge of the author- 
 ities, they deputed Dr. Strachan to remonstrate with tin- 
 American Commander, General Dearborn, against this 
 intended act of barbaritv. He met him in the Old Fort ;
 
 318 
 
 and I have been told by men who witnessed the interview 
 between these parties, that words ran higli between them ; 
 the American General declaring that he wonld certainly 
 burn the town, and the future Bishop declaring that if he 
 persisted in this atrocious act of barbarity, vengeance 
 would be taken on the Americans for such an unheard-of 
 outrage ; and that Buftalo, Lewiston, Sacket's Harl)our, 
 and Oswego would in course of time, — as soon as troops 
 could l»e l)rought from England, — share its fate. The ear- 
 nestness and determination of Dr. Strachan moved the 
 ( Jeneral from his barbarous purpose, and York was saved 
 from the flames." 
 
 The following remarks touching on his educational 
 career, are from the same : — 
 
 "The Bishop had a great faculty of not only attaching his 
 scholars to him, but also of inducing them to apply them- 
 selves assiduously to their studies. He told me that he 
 made it a rule, during the time he kept school, to watch 
 closely every new boy, and at the end of a fortnight to 
 note down in a book his estimate of his character, abilities, 
 and any thing else about him that was noteworthy ; and 
 that he had very seldom been deceived in his estimate of 
 the boys who had passed through his hands. 
 
 "He had a remarkable talent for interesting boys in 
 their work ; and by taking a deep interest in it himseli; 
 he led them to do the same." 
 
 The following, in reference to his parochial ministra- 
 tions, are very interesting : — 
 
 " In cases of dangerous sickness, the late Bishop was 
 indefatigable, faithful, anfl successful. Many of those 
 warm friendships, which were life-long, and have descended 
 to a second generation, were cemented in the sick room 
 or in the house of mourning.
 
 319 
 
 " His conduct, tliiring tlie seasons of Asiatic Cholera, in 
 1832 and J 834, will never be forgotten by those who wit- 
 nessed it. He not only dischai'ged the functions of thf 
 Christian minister; but those also of nurse and undertakei'. 
 For when no persons, except the medical men, could lio 
 induced by love or mone}'' to enter the miserable abodes 
 where this mighty messenger of death was slaying victim 
 after victim, this faithful minister of Christ boldly entered 
 them, accompanied by one of his sons (long since dead\ 
 and not onl}' ministered to their spiritual wants, but ad- 
 ministered the medicines left by the physicians; and, in 
 more cases than mu', when the life had left the body, and 
 there was no one to help his son to put that <lead bod}' in 
 the coffin, (which that son had brought,) this aged minister 
 performed himself this sad office for the dead ; and, having 
 helped to lift the coffin into the cart, he followed the life- 
 less remains to the grave, and there performed for them 
 the last rites." 
 
 " We learn from the public prints, that, whilst a mis- 
 sionary at Cornwall, he took his recreation by visiting, as a 
 missionary, different settlements along the St. Lawrence, 
 forty or fifty miles from his liome. In the same way, he 
 extended his ministrations in different directions -around 
 this city, for many 3-ears after he came to it. He told me 
 that, on one Sunday afternoon, he had gont^ to York ^lills, 
 (then Hogg's Hollow,) through a heavy rain ; and, though 
 he found only one person present, he read the whole even- 
 ing service, and preached his sermon, just as if there had 
 been an overflowing congregation. And he remarked that 
 the people, finding so much zeal in the minister, never left 
 him to preach to a solitaiy parishioner again." 
 
 "The late Bisho[) was a safe and wise counsellor. 
 Many persons, who have succeeded in this country, can 
 look back with thankfulness to the valuable advice they 
 received from him in early life ; and many who, on falling 
 into difficulties, considtctl him, can wrll n'mt-mber the
 
 820 
 
 way in which he unravelled those difficulties, and shewed 
 them how they could get out of them. 
 
 " He A\-as always ready to devote time to giving advice 
 < )f this kind to persons who sought it at his hands; and 
 many lloman Catholics, as well as others, availed them- 
 selves of this privilege. 
 
 " HisXlergy always found him glad to advise them in 
 any difficulties ; and they never repented having followed 
 his advice. A remarkable instance of listening to his 
 sound advice, came to my knowledge since his death. 
 One of the American Bishops had been persecuted by 
 some of his brethren, and was soon to be put upon his 
 trial. He was advised by a clerical friend of mine, — a 
 presbyter of this Diocese, — to lay his matter before our 
 Bishop, and to take his advice as to how to proceed. He 
 did so. They were closeted together six hours; and, at 
 the close of the conference, the accused Bishop thanked 
 my friend most heartily for advising him to confer with 
 such a Nestor, and told him that he should act upon the 
 advice of the wise old Bishop of Toronto. He did so, and 
 was honourably acquitted." 
 
 The following are the concluding Avords of the Arch- 
 deacon's discourse : — 
 
 " Tlie late Bishop never spared himself in the discharge 
 of his duties; and it was but recentl}^ that he consented to 
 acccj^t the assistance of a, Coadjutor. And this, not 
 because he desired rd'wf; but because the Diocese required 
 more work from him than he was able to give it at the 
 advanced age of eight-eight years. He took a deep 
 interest in the concerns of every Clergyman, and pro- 
 moted his interes'ts, and those of his parisli, to the utmost 
 ( »f his power. 
 
 " His addres.'^os to the coniirmed were ])articularly prac- 
 tical, simple, and impressive. I remember on one occasion,
 
 321 
 
 when ;ni iiiiiisually larL!,t' iiiiinlici- nC a'^fil jicrsons wcro 
 0(HiHniif(l, he was inucli aircctcd, and sjiokf b> tliciii m 
 sucli a inauiicr tliat tlicn; was not a dry eyo in tlio mIioIc 
 couo-refation. As lio liad been an efficient sclioolmaster, a 
 wise counsellor, and a most fiiithful parish Clergyman as 
 far as circinnstances permitted, so ho made a most ofticiont 
 Bishop. 
 
 "As the presiding officer in our Synods, lie was dig- 
 nihed, kind, and conciliatory ; yet capable, on occasion, of 
 maintaining his position, and putting down any troul)l('- 
 somo mendjer. For years we never had a division in our 
 Svnods, so thoroughly did he direct our consultations. 
 Though naturally autocratic, he adopted the Synod system 
 as suitable for our Church in this country, and zealously 
 promoted it. 
 
 " Lastly, he was a sincere Christian. During the latter 
 vears of his life, some of the austerer features in his cha- 
 racter became mucli iiifllnwcd tlnnugh Divine grace, ami I 
 trust that lie died in pcae<^ with (iod, and in charity with 
 all men." 
 
 TiiK iblloAving is an extract fronr a Sermon preached by 
 THK 11k\ KIlfLND THE PrOVOST OF TllINITY COLLEGE, in the 
 Chajtel of that College on the morning of Sunday, No- 
 vember ]()th, ISGT, — behig the next Sunday after the 
 funeral of the Bisho]) of Toronto : — 
 
 "It is well-known, doubtless, to almost, the youngest 
 amojigst y(ni, that the long-cherished plans of the Bisho]) 
 for securing to this Province a system of public education 
 of the highest order, under the control of the Churcli, and 
 iiiibiuMl with her spirit, were defeated by the alienation of 
 a vast i)roperty from the })ur])0ses to which the l)iety of 
 the British Crown had devoted it. Then it was that the 
 Bishop, in his seventy-second year, resolved to begin anew 
 this m-eat labour of liis life, and to exert his utmost ener- 
 II
 
 322 
 
 o-ies to secure again, for the members of his own com- 
 munion, a i)hice of sound learning and rehgious education. 
 And here we may fitly pay the tribute of our homage to 
 that resolute conviction of duty and that indomitable 
 courage, which recognized, in disaster and defeat, causes 
 only for fresh hope, for renewed and redoubled exertion. 
 We ma}^ best learn from the Bishop's own language what 
 were his feelings and resolves at this crisis. Here, then, 
 are the closing words of 4^he Pastoral Letter, which his 
 Lordship addressed to the Clergy and Laity of the Diocese 
 in the spring of 1850. 'I shall not rest satisfied till I have 
 laboured to the utmost to restore the College (King's Col- 
 lege) under a holier and more perfect form. The result is 
 with a higher power, and I may still be doomed to disap- 
 pointment; but it is God's work, and I feel confident that 
 it will Vje restored, although I may not be the ]iai)]>y 
 instrument, or live to behold it. Having done all in my 
 power, I shall acquiesce submissively in the residt, what 
 ever it may be; and I shall then, and not till then, consider 
 my mission in this behalf ended.' 
 
 " Nor can those who have been cognizant of the subse- 
 quent history of the College abstain from acknowledging, 
 with all respect and gratitude, the unwearied interest which 
 the Bishop discovered, from day to day, in every thing 
 which, in any wise, affected its prosperity. Nothing kept 
 him from his' post, when, as a member of the governing 
 body, his counsel had been invoked : I can bear witness 
 also that, at the cost of great personal inconvenience, he 
 ever cheerfully gave us the advantage of his revered and 
 genial presence at our more public gatherings ; and, from 
 our first annual festive meeting until the last year, he was 
 never absent but on one occasion, when official engage- 
 ments, in a distant part of the Diocese, had rendered his 
 presence an impossibility.
 
 323 
 
 "Many will renienibcr how kindly lie Itcut himself, at 
 such times, to the temper of the hour ; and how generously 
 he recorrnized the endcavoui's of any wdK^ had l)een 
 attempting to give efiect to the great objects wliicli ho had 
 in view in founding the College. 
 
 "And this was only a small part of the service which he 
 rendered us. He invited, from tlie very first, a constant 
 reference to himself in every difficulty, and cvi-r listene<l, 
 with the greatest kindness and patience, to petty details, 
 respecting which it was the desire of the officers of the 
 College to have the benefit of his counsel or the sanction 
 of his authority. The College, too, has had its serious 
 difficulties and troubles, painful and wearisome enough 
 to those who were principall}^ concerned in them, and 
 whose action had furnished the immediate occasion of 
 them ; but doubly wearisome to others, who were less 
 nearly concerned, and who were called upon to defend 
 conduct, which they had not directly advised — to cover 
 positions, which hail been occupied without their distinct 
 knowledge or expressed approval. It is a rare virtue to 
 yield, in such cases, a generous and cordial support : the 
 very fact that trouble and difficulty liave arisen often 
 enfeebles the hands, and chills the sympathies, of lookers- 
 on, irrespective!)^ of the real merits of the case : but the 
 Bishop was not a man of this mould ; committed to gen- 
 eral jjrinciples, he was not one to quibble respecting 
 tletails ; he threw the whole weight (^f his cordial support 
 into the scale in which, as lie conceived, the right, was 
 poised against the Avrong. To /lis warm heart, and to the 
 calm judgment and unswerving rectitude of one, no less 
 lionoured than himself, the College owes a debt of grati- 
 tude, which some of us, at least, it is to be ho],t'd, will 
 never forget. 
 
 " But there is anotliLT i)oint, of very great importance, 
 which must not be over-looked by any who wmild truly 
 and faithfully cherish the memory of our departed Bishop.
 
 324 
 
 What Avere his objects in the foundation of this College ? 
 These, again, we may best learn fix)in the Bishop's own 
 words. In" the |)ast()ral letter l)eforo mentioned he thus 
 wi'ites : ' Deprived of her University, what is the Church 
 to do ? She has now no seminary at which to give a 
 liberal education to her youth. What is enjoyed by all 
 the other large denominations in the Province is denied to 
 her. Is she to sit down contented with her Theological 
 School at Cobourg, and leave her children to i)erish foi' 
 lack of spiritual knowledge ? Or is she to extend its i)ro- 
 \isions and form it into a University capable of imparting 
 a full course of liberal instruction, carefully founded on a 
 relio-ious basis, as has been the case in all seminaries of 
 learning among Christian nations since the ascension ol 
 our Lord V These words distinctly testify to the object of 
 the Bishop in establishing this College. It was to incor- 
 porate tlie Theological School, already existing, witli a 
 C^olleo-e or University for general instruction in literature 
 and science. 
 
 " I know well, by personal communication with the late 
 Bishop, the great importilnce which he attached to the 
 purpose which he designed the College to subserve as a 
 place of training for the sacred Ministry. In the last con- 
 versation of any length which I held with him, ho intro- 
 (hiced the sul)ject of the Theological Class, inquiring with 
 anxiety as to its probable numbers during the ensuing 
 Academical year, and forcibly expressing his oi)ini()n of its 
 indispensable necessity to the welfare <jf the Diocese. Let 
 not those, then, who really love and cherish his UK'niory, 
 be content to 'build his sepulchre,' by mere Avoi-ds of vain 
 regret or of empty adulation ; but, much rather, let them 
 rear and enlarge for him a noble and lasting monument, 
 by aiding in carrying out the provisions which, with wise 
 fore-thought, he designed to make for the professional 
 education of the Clergy of this Province. Indispensable 
 as moral and religious rpialifications undoubtedly are for
 
 325 
 
 the due exL'icisL- ol" tlic .sacred office of the Ministry, they 
 sire yet to be regarded simply as afuiindatioii. "Without 
 isueh foundation, indeed, no superstructure of learning and 
 otlicial aptitude; can be secure ; but they do not constitute 
 that sunerstructure itself, they do not spcc'iallij qualily 
 their possessor for the duties of a Minister of God's Holy 
 Word and Sacraments. Can it be that, in other ])rofes- 
 sions, exercised for the physical or social Avell-being of 
 mankind, a long course of preparatory instruction is required 
 by law, before a man is authorized 'to take charge of the 
 health or of the material interests of his neighbour, and 
 yet that the Church of God may safely and wisely dis- 
 pense witli a law, requiring those who are to become 
 Pastors of Christ's flock to prepare themselves, by at least 
 two shoi-t years of study, for their life-long service ? I 
 have ventured thus to dwell on wliat I know to have been 
 the late Bishop's purpose, ^y'l'^^y;, very near his heart, in 
 respect of the Theological Department in this College, 
 because I wish to i)ay a real, rather than a verbal, trilnite 
 to his memory ; and, because I trust that he, being dead, 
 may yet speak, in this regard ; and that reverence for his 
 sound judgment, and respect for his well-known desires, 
 may ensure the conscientious execution of his designs for 
 the usefulness of this College, and for the l)enefit of the 
 Dioceses of Upper Canada. 
 
 "I cannot now permit myself to enlarge on my j^ersonal 
 obligations to him who has been taken from us, or on my 
 personal appreciation of those noble and lovely features of 
 his character whicli lias been known and admired by mul- 
 titudes. I may, however, say, with simple truth, that, in 
 making, sixteen years ago, the great change involved in a 
 removal from England to this country — a change whieli 
 compelled the abrupt and painful severance of many of the 
 most cherished associations of my earlier life — I felt that 1 
 had found, in the BLshop of Toronto, a second father ; such 
 was his thdughtfid and kindly regard for my personal
 
 820 
 
 comfort and ^^-ell-beillg : wliilo, in respect of my official 
 duties, the burden of a new and difficult i)osition was very 
 materially lightened by his indulgent construction of my 
 conduct ; and, under many a vexation and discouragement, 
 I was reassured by his friendly voice, which proved that, 
 in the expressive language of Holy Writ, 'he knew the 
 heart of a stranger,' and was ever ready to revive that 
 lu^art, by words of generous confidence and of unaffi^cted 
 syni])athy." 
 
 The Reverend Canon Eamsay, M. A., delivered a 
 Funeral Sermon in St. Paul's Church, Ne^vmarket, on 
 the Sunday succeeding the interment of the late Bishop. 
 His text was from Psalm cxxxix. 23, 24, — "Search me, 
 O God, and know my heart ; try me, and know my 
 thoughts ; and see if there be any wicked way in me, 
 and lead mc in the way everlasting." The following 
 are amongst the concluding portions of this sermon : — 
 
 "At the approach of death, such a text is most a])i)0- 
 sitc ; and this leads me to speak of the loss this Diocese 
 has so recently sustained. 
 
 " The late Bishop of Toronto was the most aged Prelate 
 ill the. Church of England, and one of the oldest inhabi- 
 tants of this Colony. At the commencement of his 
 ministry there were only some two or three Clergymen in 
 Upper Canada ; and, at that period, there being not a 
 single classical school in the Province, he opened such an 
 establishment, and most of the persons of note in Upper 
 Canada were educated by him. The great majority of his 
 pupils have gone before him. 
 
 " The Bishop was greatly respected by all classes ; and 
 being possessed of considerable ability, he was selected to 
 fill the office of Archdeacon of the western portion of 
 Upper Canada. For many years he might have been
 
 327 
 
 looked upon as tlio sole arlininistrator of tlio affairs of the 
 Cluncli ill this Province. It Avas, whilst ho. was Arch- 
 deacon that I became acquainted w itli him ; and for many- 
 years *he communications between the late Bishop und 
 the venerable Society passed through my hands as tln-ir 
 Secretary. 
 
 " On his coming to England on his being appointed tlie 
 iirst Bishop of Toronto. I stood near to him at his conse- 
 cration ; and subseqently had the privilege of introducing 
 him at my house to the members of our Connuittee, 
 consisting of noblemen and other.s, eminent for their piety, 
 and also distinguished in various walks of life. This took 
 place nearly twenty-nine years ago. For ten years after 
 his consecration, almost every mail brought a communica- 
 tion from Canada ; consequently I was in close corres- 
 pondence with his Lordship; and, with the exception of his 
 successor, of the Very Reverend the Dean, and of such as 
 M'ere more immediately around him, few perhaps had 
 better opportunities than myself of forming a correct esti- 
 mate of the departed Prelate. 
 
 " As Bishop, he ever obtained the respect both of the 
 Clergy and Laity ; he had had many opponents, but no 
 enemies. This Avas, to a certain extent, apparent at the 
 funeral. Among the chief mournei's were the Rev. Dr. 
 Richardson, of tlie Episco[)al Methodists, the Rev. Lachlan 
 Taylor, representing the Wesleyans, the Vicar-General, in 
 the absence of the Roman Catholic Bishoj) who was 
 detained at home by sickness, and several other leading 
 members of various Christian denominations ; and, thouirh 
 last, not least, the St. Patrick's Society attended as a 
 body, consisting almost exclusively of Roman Catholics, 
 
 " For the twenty years I have known the late Bisho]) in 
 this country, I had very frequent communications with 
 him ; and, during the whole of that period, experienced 
 the same uniform kindness ; the same judicious, parental 
 counsel and advice; and one of the last important acts of
 
 328 
 
 his Episcopate, Mliieh took ])1ace only a few months since, 
 related to a distinction conferred upon myself and others ; 
 heing a marked testimony of liis Lordship's approval in 
 the selection made. « 
 
 "The late Bishop was possessed of very considerable 
 talents, and was held in high estimation b}^ many of the 
 diistinguished men in his day, — among whom I may men- 
 tion Archbishop Whateley and Dr. Chalmers. He told me 
 only a few weeks back, that himself and Dr. Chalmers had 
 kept up their friendship from boyhood ; and that his old 
 school-fellow and brother Collegian invariably sent him a 
 copy of each of his literary productions, as they were 
 issued from the press. 
 
 "In the administration of his Diocese, he was energetic 
 and untiring; and, although not without some strong pre- 
 judices, he ever manifested a hind consideration towards 
 tlKjso from whom he diifered ; and I look upon it as a fine 
 trait in his character, that, Avith reference to such of his 
 ( 'l<,'rgy as entertained somewhat different views from 
 bimself, it never made the least difference in his bearing 
 towards them ; he was ever strictly im])artial as an Over- 
 seer of the Church. The Bishop lived in trying times, 
 when ]:)arty-spirit ran high ; and yet, although he evei- 
 took a decided and prominent part in public aftairs, per- 
 haps there is not one of the magnates of the land whose 
 memory wdll be more generally, and more highly, esteemed, 
 or held in greater respect, than his. 
 
 "It would afford much comfort and consolation to tlio 
 •lying Bishop to know and feel, tliat one great desire near 
 liis heart liad been accom[)lis]ied ere he departed hence to 
 be no more seen ; and this Avas, that his dear frifsnd and 
 brother, the object of his warmest affection, had been 
 selected to fill his place, and would tread in his steps. It 
 was to myself an affecting reflection, as I stood by his 
 mortal remains, that the last time I was within those Altar 
 rails, the late Bishop was in health and strength, officiating
 
 329 
 
 thoio. 'J'Ik' next time of" my ln-in;; witliiii those sacrod 
 jtrecincts, I stood hy the saiiii'. Jiishop, iKjt alivr, l)ut (lead. 
 He has gone to his rest, and his w(jrks <U) follow him ; and 
 wc shall all, sooner or later, tind a similar resting-place ; 
 and may we, as I trust and believe is the case with our dc- 
 })artcd Bishop, sleep in Jesus, to awake to a joyful resur- 
 rection." 
 
 We give the following extracts from a sermon preached 
 by Th?: Reveuend Walter Stennp:tt, M.A., in St. Peter's 
 Church, Cobourg, on Sundfty, November 10, 18G7 : — 
 
 " With the early history of every country there are 
 associated names which are destined to be perpetuated so 
 long as that history shall endure. In fact, so intimately 
 are the events to be recorded blended and interlaced witli 
 the lives of tlie individuals, that it is impossible to write 
 or speak of one without the other. Such, my bi-ethren, 
 has been the life of that venerable Prelate whom the hand 
 of death has so lately removed from among us. Coming 
 to Canada at the very early period when the original forest 
 L'rew Avhere now Hourishin^ towns and cities stand, it lias 
 been his good fortune to have had sucli opportunities of 
 exercising those practical talents Avhich h(} so largely 
 jxissessed, as can never again fall to the lot of any one in 
 this Dominion. 
 
 " Connected with the moral and social, as well as with the 
 religious progress of our country ; an earnest advocate for 
 secular and religious education ; and an early partieijiant 
 in plans of foresight, "which have largely contributed to 
 the material i)ros})erity and development of Canada, it 
 is nut one city or neighbourhood, it is not one county or 
 district, that feels the blank which his death has created ; 
 but over the len<j:th and breadth of the land, it is felt 
 and acknowledged that a great nian and a good has fallen 
 in our midst. 
 42
 
 330 
 
 " But it is not as a legislator that wc desire, now and in 
 this pHce, to commemorate his striking merits. His public 
 services stand written in the archives of the Province ; 
 and the very noble tribute to his memory which has 
 within the last few days been paid, in the public funeral 
 accorded to him by the unanimous voice of his fellow 
 citizens, attests the general appreciation'of them. 
 
 " We, as Churchmen, have closer, holier relations to 
 the beloved old man than anything which mere worldly 
 interests could call into existence. We wish especially to 
 remember him as one of the earliest missionaries of the 
 Church, — as the earnest and hard-working Clergyman, — as 
 the bold and vigorous champion of the truth, — as the 
 energetic promoter of every thing tluit would foster true 
 religion, as taught by the Church of his convictions, — as 
 the indomitable defender of her rights, — and as the watch- 
 ful and kindly Chief Pastor over our_ portion of the fold 
 of Christ. 
 
 " As the later and better-remembered ministerial life of 
 the venerable departed connects him with the Church at 
 large in this country, so docs his consecration as Bishop 
 connect him with the Church at home, and more closely 
 still with every congregation of our communion in the 
 land. For more than a quarter of a century has that 
 great and good man ruled with consummate prudence, and 
 conscientious uprightness, the Church in the chief part of 
 Western Canada. He has lived to see Ids one great 
 Diocese divided into three ; and the Clergy, of whom by 
 far the greater part have been ordained Ity him, largely 
 increased in numbers ; and to almost every congregation 
 in the whole three Dioceses his memory is closely and 
 affectionately linked by the recollection of his venerable 
 hands placed upon the heads of many of them in con- 
 firmation. Among those who worship here, few there are 
 who will not now be able to recall his very form and tone 
 of speech, as with emphatic earnestness he impressed upon
 
 331 
 
 tlie iK'wly c«iiiliriiR'(l the solemn luiture of the vows they 
 had taken u})on themselves ; and none there are (I feel 
 assured) hut will join in the words of the text, as they 
 tliink of that active brain and eloquent tongne, now still 
 and silent in the tomb, — ' Know ye not that there is a 
 ]>rince and a great man fallen this day in Israel ?' 
 
 " But on those who had the privilege of a more intimate 
 acquaintance with him, — who were cheered by his fatherly 
 counsels, encouraged by his kindly sympathy, and sustained 
 in trial l»y the example of his fortitude and energy,^ — the 
 sense of their loss weighs heaviest. In him the country 
 missionary, toiling in obscurity amid many discourage- 
 ments, found a ready and congenial comforter; for he 
 could tell of his own privations, of the oppositions which 
 he had had to encounter, of seemingly little fruit from 
 years of faithful sowing ; and give such advice and conso- 
 lation as only personal experience could enable one to give. 
 
 " There is still another way in which, as Churchmen, we 
 may view his life, and -which it would be great injustice to 
 Ids memory to omit; and that is in its connection with 
 education in its best and highest sense — education founded 
 on religion. M(^re than half a century ago, before those 
 who are now the leading men in Canada were born, the 
 subject of a grand public provision for higher education 
 tilled his mind ; and to his perseverance was mainly owing 
 the settinrr ai)art of the larofc landed endowment which 
 has raise<l the National University to its })resent eminence ; 
 and when, through unfair legislation, the Church was 
 excluded from that noble foundation, our indomitable 
 Bisho]) began tliat series of glorious efibrts in behalf of 
 reUgious education, which has created Trinity College, 
 and placed it on so proud and so enduring a basis — a gift, 
 let us hope, for all time to the Canadian Church — the 
 nurser}' of our Clergy, the fosterer and directrix of talent, 
 to be devoted in every required way to the better service 
 of God and our country to the end of time. In admiration
 
 332 
 
 at the ways of Providence, which have thus made one man 
 instrumental in founding two noble seats of learning, and 
 at liis sagacity in availing himself of favorable crises, and 
 liis wondrous energy and perseverance in overcoming diffi- 
 culties and in scorning discouragements, we must say 
 again, ' Assuredly we know this day that a prince and a 
 great man has fallen in our Israel.' 
 
 "And as there was so much that is memorable in his 
 life, so also is the year, as well as the day of his death, 
 remarkable and suggestive. Usage has given to the years 
 of the life of man marked by the multiple of 7 and 9, 
 the name of ' the grand climacteric ;' and old superstition 
 attached to this combination of the mystical numbers a 
 certain mysterious signification, pointing to some great 
 supposed change in the state of the individual. It is at 
 least interesting to note that the period of our venerable 
 Bishop's life in the ministry of Christ's Church is pre- 
 cisely represented by these figures, to wliich there has 
 been attached, from the days of Pythagoras, the i<loa of 
 coriipletenesn. AVell might he, on attaining the grand 
 climacteric of his ministry, exclaim, witli all the fervour 
 and sincerity of St. Paul the aged, ' I have fought a good 
 tight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith ; 
 henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of glory, which 
 the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day.' 
 Looking back, witli undinnned faculties, down the vista of 
 sixty-three years, — years of active duty, years of watching 
 ill tlie cause of Chiist his Lord, years of successful labour, 
 too, — and seeing how many liad gone before him to tlieir 
 rest, well may we suppose the time-worn veteran awaiting 
 in calmness the summons of his Lord, and saying, in 
 expectant faith, untinctured with impatience, 'Lord, now 
 lettest Thou Thy servant depart in jieace, according to 
 Thy word.' 
 
 "Again, when we remember the day on which his spirit 
 departed to its rest, may we not reverently believe that.
 
 333 
 
 dimming every worldly retrospect, there arose bright before 
 his mental gaze a vision of the saints in glory. On the 
 morning of the 1st of November, that day t(j which the 
 Church has given the name of the ' Festival of All Saints,', 
 and which she has for so many hundred years set apart f«»r 
 the solemn contemplation of the bliss of souls in Paradise, 
 wh(j ' have gone to sleep in Jesus,' our aged Bishop lay on 
 the bed of death, ready to depart to join their holy comi)any. 
 Who shall say what thoughts passed through his mind, — 
 conscious, unclouded to the last,— as the first gi'ey streaks of 
 morning light ushered in thus one of those solemn Church 
 festivals, whose celebration in his own Cathedral he was 
 never known to miss. ' For many a year gone by,' he 
 might reflect, ' have I on this day preached on the com- 
 munion of saints, and meditated on that grand chapter 
 from the Revelation of St. John, appointed for the Epistle 
 of the day, Avhere he speaks of the number of the sealed, 
 and sees ' a great multitude, which no man could number, 
 standing before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed 
 with white robes, and palms in their hands.' O, may that 
 vision soon be mine ! Surely I come quickly ; Amen. 
 Even so ; come. Lord Jesus.' 
 
 " Devoutly and reasonably may we hope that the end of 
 his lonf and active life was ciieered Avith sweet visions of 
 rest and peace ; that his listening ear may have caught 
 tlie echoes of the loud voices of the redeemed, crying, 
 ' Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, 
 and unto the Lamb !' and his eyes have seen in ftiith the 
 glorious company of angels ftilling down before the throne 
 and saying, ' Blessing, and glory, and wi-sdom, and thanks- 
 giving, and honour, and ]iower, and might, be unto our 
 God for ever and ever.' 
 
 " Tf the hymns and praises of the Church on earth tind 
 entrance to the courts of Heaven above, being purilieil and 
 presented before the throne of the Eternal by the blessed 
 Mediator between (lod and man, in what a glorious cloud
 
 334 
 
 of incense of praise must the spirit of the dying Bishop 
 have ascended to God who gave it ; for on the very morn- 
 ing of his death, from many a Parish Clmrch and many a 
 Cntliedral in the Fatherland, must tliese very words liave 
 heen ascending too 1 
 
 " And is tliere not in' all such thoughts, my Ijrethren, a 
 hallowing and a strengthening influence to help on us who 
 remain, in the race which is set before us ? Among the 
 ' cloud of witnesses ' who now look down upon us as we 
 run, there stands (let us reverently hope), our aged Bishoj), 
 too. Mayhap he sees some amongst ourselves of those 
 who in 3^ears past received from him the Apostolic rite of 
 ' laying on of hands,' and who promised before God and 
 the assembled congregation to keep their solemn vows, — 
 and seek grace to lead a more holy, a more Christian life, — 
 now forgetful of those promises, forgetful that they bound 
 themselves to serve their Saviour truly, and to seek His 
 strength, especially in the Holy Communion, to enable 
 them so to do. O, rememljer our Lord's warning to the 
 unrepentant Jews, ' The Queen of the South shall rise up in 
 the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it ;' 
 and think that the Bishop of Christ's Church, who received 
 your solemn promise, shall rise up in the judgment with 
 yourselves, and may condemn you for slighting means of 
 grace, and weakening wilfully your hope of glory. 
 
 " May God grant that all we, who have had in our 
 venerated Bishop so lively an exemplar of what a v/orking 
 Christian's life should bo, may have grace to turn it to 
 practical account in an enlarged benevolence, a more 
 tjnlightened view of duty, a greater earnestness in per- 
 forming it, and increased perseverance in well-doing, 
 knowing; that our 'labour is not in vain in the Lord.' ' 
 
 A Sermon was preached on the same occasion, by the 
 Reverend Canon Dixon, M.A., Rector of Port Dalhousie. 
 His text was from 2 Sam. iii. 38.: "Know ye not that
 
 335 
 
 there is <a {irince and a great man fallen this day in Israel." 
 From this discoure we make the following extracts : — 
 
 "At three o'clock on Friday morning, being All Saints 
 Day, the Bisho[) of Toronto departed this life in the nine- 
 tieth year of his age. For the week previous, his strength 
 had hecn gradually failing ; but to the very last his 
 intelloct remained unclouded, and he Avas contined to his 
 bed only one whole day. In his death the Church has 
 lost a gi'cat man ; great in his indomitable resolution and 
 energy : great in his knowledge of human nature and dis- 
 crimination of character; great in his patriotic love of his 
 adopted country ; and especially great in his earnest 
 devotion and self-denying affection to the Church, to 
 whose advancement and prosperity all the best faculties of 
 his mind and body were consecrated. Through the pos- 
 session of these noble qualities, and from the times and 
 circumstances in which his lot was cast, he exercised a most 
 extraordinary influence over both the civil and ecclesiasti- 
 r;\ I aflairs of Canada." 
 
 After a review of his early life, botli in Scotland and 
 Canada, and after detailing his struggles in the cause of 
 education, the preacher thus referred to his exertions for 
 the physical advancement of the Province : — 
 
 "At the time the AVelland Canal was under discussion, 
 the Hon. William Hamilton Merritt, Avhose labours have 
 so vastly benefited Canada, and more especially this por- 
 tion of it, declared in my hearing that he had been griev- 
 ously discouraged at the little interest the public seemed 
 to take in his grand work, until a series of letters on its 
 -vast importance appeared in one of the leading papei^s ; 
 letters that exhausted the Avdiole subject. These commu- 
 nications, written in a terse and vigorous style, were copied 
 into other papers, and jnodueed a marked effect upon the
 
 336 
 
 ])ublic mind ; and to them Mr. Merritt ascribed in a great 
 degree the brilliant success that crowned his labours. It 
 was not for several months that he discovered that the late 
 Bishop was the author. 
 
 "Through the terrible visitations of the Cholera, and also 
 wheu the ship-fever cut off so many valuable lives, he never 
 forsook his post; but was unwearied in his visits to the 
 pest-houses or sheds erected for the sufferers. 
 
 "In his Confirmation tours, he was a most welcome as 
 Avell as honoured guest wherever he went. His love for 
 the children of the family, his sympathy with the feelings 
 of the parents, and his anxiety to avoid giving trouble, 
 rendered him a universal favourite. His position with 
 respect to his Clergy was that of an affectionate father 
 Avith his children. He took the warmest interest in their 
 laljours, and sympathized with them in their trials. Tlie 
 instances are numerous where, in the most delicate and 
 unostentatious manner, he had given relief out of his own 
 moderate means, to those who he feared were in straitened 
 circumstances. 
 
 "There was a singular appropriateness in the concluding 
 words of the Sermon he preached in his Cathedral a few 
 weeks before his death. He ended with these solemn 
 words of St. Paul : 'For I am persuaded that neither 
 death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, 
 nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor 
 de}jth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us 
 from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' 
 These words he uttered in as powerful and thrilling a tone 
 as if he had cast off the burden of half-a-ccntury, and the 
 whole congregation seemed as if startled by an electric 
 shock. 
 
 "His funeral, — the most solemn and impressive ever 
 witnessed in Western Canada, — shewed the esteem in 
 which he was held by the whole community. From mid- 
 night the muffled bells of the Cathedral tolled forth over
 
 the city a inournlul peal. Ail busiue.ss \va.s su.spended at 
 the time of the funeral. The streets were lined with the 
 regular and volunteer troops, and all the different public 
 bodies turned out to do honour to the remains of the 
 venerated Bishojj. 
 
 "0: brethren, in the words of the text, — -vCGrds used by 
 our late venerated fjither in God, as a text when he preached 
 the funeral sermon of a gallant soldier and true Christian 
 gentleman, — General Sir Isaac Brock, — ' a great man is 
 fallen this day in Israel.' The glorious strains of faith, 
 and ho])e, and consolation, fell like the dew of Hermon 
 on the crowd of' mourners, proclaiming 'from henceforth, 
 blessed ai'C the dead which die in the Lord ; even so saith 
 the Spirit, for they rest Irom their labours.' He, our fanhei-, 
 our friend, our beloved counsellor, rests from his labours. 
 He loved the Church as the pillar and ground of the 
 truth : the golden candlestick on which are placed the 
 word, the ministry and sacraments, to diffuse light, and 
 joy, and comfort to all within the circle of its influence, 
 and a beacon to those without ; and he laboured to render 
 the light brilliant and glowing. Earnestly he sought her 
 welfare, fearlessly he defended her claims, vigilantly he 
 shielded her fi'om assaults ; a faithfiil watchman ever on 
 the alert, tellino; the towers of Zion, markin^j well her bul- 
 warks,' watching and praying Avith undying energy that 
 she might be presented to the Lord in 'clothing of wrought 
 gold," resplendent in purity, holiness, and love. He rests 
 from his labours. The aged warrior has laid aside the 
 shield and the bow, the sword and the spear. He has 
 fought the good fight, henceforth there is laid up for him 
 the glorious reward, — the crown of life. We have laid 
 liiiii in the .silent tomb,— dust to dust, — but the spirit, thf 
 iiumortal spirit has returned to Go<l who gave it, and the 
 day is coming, the great and terrible day of the Lord, 
 when soul and body, reunited, .shall attain the perfect con- 
 summation of bliss in God's eternal and everlasting glory. 
 43
 
 ooo 
 
 The trumpet lias sounded : eartli is rent with wild convul- 
 sions : multitudes, luimberless as the grains of sand on the 
 sea shore are pressing forward towards tlie great white 
 throne. Earth and sea, the two vast se})ulehres of the 
 human race, have given up their dead. Then shall the 
 aged soldier of the cross hear the thrilling words (^f Him 
 for whose cause he laboured and prayed all the days of 
 his appointed time : 'Well done, good and faithful servant, 
 enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.' In the words of an 
 eminent Bishop of the sister Church of the United States, 
 who has gone before, and over whose remains they might 
 also be truthfully written : 'He leaves on earth a record of 
 distinction, which the purest ambition might rejoice to 
 have inscribed npon his tomb : — 
 
 His office, a Bishopric. 
 His character. Fidelity. 
 I His reward, a Crown of Life.'"
 
 339 
 
 III. 
 
 TifK following he.art}'^ tribute to the meiiKny and \vf»rth 
 of the late Bisho}), is contained in the Journal of Kdvai- 
 tioii, for November, 18G7 ; — a publication issued monthly 
 by the Rev. Dr. Ryerson, Chief Su})erintendent of E<luca- 
 tion for the Province of Ontario : — 
 
 "Among several remai-kalilc iiu'u wlio \va\v, full of years 
 and honours, passed from us during the last decade, none 
 had distiny-uished himself more than the Honourable and 
 Right Reverend John Strachan, D.D., LL.D., late Bishop 
 of Toronto : a man remarkable for energy, courage, con- 
 centration of purpose, tact, and perseverance in whatever 
 he undertook, — a man remarkable for his success in life, 
 for the faithfulness and ability with which he fulfilled the 
 duties of every otiico to which he was successively called^ 
 whether as Parish School Master in Scotland, Grammar 
 School Master in Canada, Parish Clergyman, Member of 
 an Executive and a Legislative Council, President of a 
 College, or Bishop of the largest Diocese in British North 
 America — a man as thoroughly Canadian as any native of 
 the country, remarkable for the genial qualities of private 
 friendship, for acute discernment, disinterested and sound 
 judgment as a Counsellor, for self-sacrifice, devotion and 
 tenderness <as a visitor of the sick and afllicted — a man 
 without brilliancy of talents or attractions of oratoiy, but 
 on all occasions occupying the first ])osition in the sponta- 
 neous liomage of those around him, by liis strong sense, 
 his vigorous understanding, his downright honesty, his 
 resolute firnuiess, his uufia<ri,n"nfr inilustry — a man unre- 
 laxing in lils laliours niid unfailing in his faculties during 
 a ministry of sixty-four years and down to the ninetieth 
 year of his age — a man who had long outlived the jealousy
 
 840 
 
 of distinctions and the enmity of jjartics, and who ceased 
 'at once to work and live,' ;unid the respect and regrets of 
 all classes of the population." 
 
 We extract the following from a smnll work which 
 appeared soon after the decease of the late Bishop, en- 
 titled " The First Bishop) of Toronto : a Review and a 
 Study," b}^ Henry Scadding, D.D. Cantah : — 
 
 " To the Bisho]) of Toronto the honour thus belongs of 
 being the first practically to solve the difficulty which in 
 theory besets the admission of lay members into Anglican 
 Synods. His example has been widely followed in differ- 
 ent quarters of the Empire ; and it is probable that the 
 custom thus inaugurated in a Colony will one day prevail 
 within the Dioceses of the Mother Church. Of course, 
 there, great prejudices have to be surmounted. We 
 happen ourselves to have been present in the Jerusalem 
 (^hamber at Westminster, when such an innovation was 
 mooted : to us, knowing as we did, what a reasonable 
 thing in practice the custom seemed, it was curious to 
 hear the consequences which imagination conjured up as 
 objections to its adoption in England. The modern 
 Church-congresses of England have also grown out of 
 the successful Colonial experiment and are pointing the 
 same way, namely, to lay representation in the Councils of 
 the Anglican Church. 
 
 "And who can doubt but that a Convocation reformed 
 and made real, and Diocesan Synods reformed and made 
 real, with the lay element judiciously but frankly ad- 
 mitted, would bring back a fresh youth to the ancient 
 mother at home ? What is the secret of the anai'chy of 
 late years in the ancient historic Anglican Church, iu 
 respect to doctrine and practice ? Is it not the absence 
 of constitutional government ? It is obvious to the 
 casual visitor, there is no system observed in the work-
 
 ing of tliat liody as a Avliolc, hiiiding its parts together. 
 Each liciiclircd jdvsljytcr may (k) as lie Avills. He feels 
 himself amenable to no eentral delegation representing 
 the body of Avhieh he is a local functionary. In everv 
 denomination Imt that which takes its name from an 
 e]>iseopate, there is a i-eal episcopacy, an episcopacy 
 without mystery. We mean that every Non-conformist 
 body exercises over its members, official and non-official, 
 a superintendence that may be felt. Whilst in the ancient 
 Anglican Comnuinion, there is at present virtually no 
 government. What, again, has led to the alienation r,i' 
 large masses of the peo])le from the historic Church, not- 
 withstanding its powerful prescriptive claims ? Has it 
 not been the absence, now for a long series of years, 
 of a r('i)resentative assembly, sympathizing with the 
 peoi)le, and having the })ower and wnll to deal from 
 time to time, frankly and considerately, with grievances 
 as they have arisen ? Without a Parliament really legis- 
 lating ibr the ])eople generation after genei-atiou, ration- 
 ally and justly, in what condition would be the civil 
 affairs of the parent state ? With the AngHcan Com- 
 nuniion in Canada and the other dependencies of England, 
 it rests, to aid or hinder, as the years roll on, the renova- 
 tion of the parent-communion at home ; to aid, if hy a 
 steady and careful acquisition of intelligence on the part 
 of Clergy jmd Laity, Synods, general and particular, he 
 rendered fair representative l)odies : to hinder, if bv the 
 repression of intelligence and the inculcation of theories 
 that are impracticaljlo, they become in their ])roceedings 
 visibly one-sided." 
 
 "It has often l)ceii affinncd that every worthy human 
 life is a drama — a poem ; and that ' ever}' man truly lives 
 so long as he acts his nature, and some way makes good the 
 faculties of himself We have been reviewing a career of 
 the kind here described ; a life unusually complete, with 
 strongly marked beginning, middle, and close, earnestly
 
 342 
 
 occupied throughout with the most important human 
 affairs. We have seen an early unfolding of special 
 powers and aptitudes, and a grand ambition awakened 
 by the consciousness of their possession ; aspirations, .as 
 they proved themselves to be in the event, based on tlie 
 nature of things. AVe have seen a disci})! iiic undcj-gone ; 
 a discipline of long delays, of disappointment upon disap- 
 pointment ; each issuing in a clearer demonstration of the 
 virtue of the man ; of the genuineness of his faith, his hope, 
 his self-control, his fortitude. Finally, we have seen the 
 experience gained in the school of adversity practically 
 applied in the period of prosperity, and every successive 
 elevation in position, and every additional honour attained, 
 used, not for the furtherance of petty or personal ends, 
 Init as a new vantage-ground for securing good to men on 
 the widest scale and for the longest possible period. 
 
 " We have not touched upon private sorrows, all along- 
 mingling plentifully with the stream of outward, visible 
 history ;. bereavements severing at last almost every 
 earthly tie, and leaving their subject, in respect to blood- 
 relationship, all but alone ; although, in other, respects 
 surrounded by 
 
 ' that which should accompany old age, 
 
 As honour, love, obedience, ti-oops of friends.' 
 
 " Hear, however, the noble Bishop himself speak : ' My 
 life,' he says, in 18G0, ' has doubtless been laborious, and, 
 I believe, interspread by a larger number of vicissitudes 
 than usually happen to individuals : but it has, on the 
 whole, been happy. And now, when near the close, I can 
 look back without any startling convictions, and forward 
 with increasing hope.' — Charge, 18G0, p. 4. 
 
 " To the student of humanity, and of Divinity too, how 
 beautiful and how consolatory is such a declaration ! To 
 the prime blessing of an organization of the best quality, 
 was added uninterrupted health, and a constitutional
 
 343 
 
 iiii})t'ituibability. His was one of those strongly-braced 
 intellects that can rise superior to troubles which crush 
 the hearts of ordinary men. As often as tlie emergency 
 presented itself, he could summon to his aid tho re- 
 flection — 
 
 • 'Tis but the fate of place, and the rough brake 
 That virtue must go through. We must not stint 
 Our necessary actions, in the fear 
 To cope malicious ceneurers, whicli ever, 
 As ravenous fishes, do a vessel follow 
 That is new-trimm'd, but benefit no farther 
 Than vainly longing.' 
 
 He had tlic ])ower to pass at will from one train of 
 thought to another, and so divest himself of a mental 
 burden. What a sense was there of cerebral cobwebs 
 shaken off, for others as well as himself, in the sound 
 of his brief, explosive, hearty laugh, suddenly heard 
 above the murmur of conversation in intervals of business 
 at synodal or society meetings, after dreary discussions, 
 threatening at times t(^ be interminable. It Avas this 
 superiority to the trials common to men that made him 
 the stay he was found to be by many, when involved in 
 serious })erplexity and distress. Courageous himself, he 
 inspired courage in others. Of the gi'iefs laid before him, 
 he discovered some view that was hopeful. He often saw 
 something in relation to them, Avhich the immediate 
 sufferer did not. He thus often sent away from him 
 with a lightened heart, those that had come to him des- 
 ponding. The burden that had bowed them seemed half 
 removed by being disclosed to him. 
 
 "From his Cliarges to the Clergy could be gathered a 
 code of Anglican Divinity, and a manual of canonical life. 
 But while his statements of dogma and rules for clerical 
 practice are definite and preci.se, he makes them with 
 consideration, as knowing that the persons addresse<l were 
 accustomed to great liberty of thought and action. So iar 
 as related to himself, the theological convictions formed at
 
 344 
 
 the student period of his life, having been hap]:)ily arrived 
 at under a ^vise direction, received only more and more 
 confirmation as years rolled on. He was, in this manner, 
 enabled, as he himself testified, towards the close of his 
 career, to speak at all times Avith boldness on the special 
 topics connected with his office, and ' w^ith an inward 
 satisfaction and firmness of purpose which, under the 
 Divine blessing, has never changed.' ' I have always 
 been aware,' he tells his Clergy in I860, ' that the best 
 endeavour I could make to promote unity in the Church, 
 was to seek after inward unity and peace in my own 
 breast ; because it is only by cherishing such gi'aces that I 
 can give consistency to my religious character, and cause 
 its influence to pervade and penetrate the Diocese, and 
 shed abroad in it the power of faith and charity.' A 
 profound remark, reminding us of Lord Bacon's words : 
 No pleasure is comparable to the standing upon the 
 vantage-ground of Truth, a hill not to be commanded, and 
 where the air is always clear and serene ; and to see the 
 errors, and Avanderings, and mists, and tempests in the 
 vale below ; so also that this prospect be with pity, and 
 not with sAvelling or pride. Certainly it is heaven upon 
 earth to have a man's mind move in charity, rest in 
 Providence, and turn upon the poles of Truth.' 
 
 " There Avas a peculiar freshness and naturalness about 
 liis published Journals of Visitation. In them, Avithout 
 losing anything of dignity, he enlivens details wliicli 
 might be deemed merely technical and professional, by 
 notices of matters connected Avith the physical aspect and 
 progress of the country. His Journal of the year 184:i 
 Avas published in London, by the Society for Propagating 
 the Gospel in Foreign Pal'ts, and has passed through 
 several editions. The same features characterized his 
 narratives of the acts of the year delivered in Spiod. In 
 the account of his A'03^age to England in 1850, giA^en in a 
 Pastoral, the touching story of ' Poor Thomas ' Avill be
 
 345 
 
 remembered : a sailor on board the shi[», who liad been 
 dejirived of both his legs by frost-bite. After describing 
 wiili iiiiinilriR'ss the ease, ' His fine spirit endeared him,' 
 tlie Bishop sa}s, ' to all the passengers, and, when made 
 acquainted with his simidc i)lans, a subscription of fifty 
 ])ounds was raised inr his benefit; and t\v(j gentlemen 
 l»elonging to Liverpool, with true Christian charity, en- 
 gaged to see it appropriated in such a manner as to ensure 
 the completion of his wishes, and, if necessary, to supply 
 what might be wanting. The matter being thus satis- 
 factorily arranged, Thomas w^as made quite happy.' This 
 combination of a genial concern in homely, human mat- 
 ters, and a readiness and aptitude for high and complicated 
 (X-cui^ations, made him equally at his ease, whether con- 
 versing with Chinquaconse in an Indian hut at Garden 
 River, crooning to himself some old Scottish air in the 
 V);ick seat of an uncouth stage-coach on the Penetan- 
 guishine road, or exchanging courtesies with Alljert 
 Edward, Prince of Wales, and the gentlemen of his suite, 
 in the saloons of Government House at Toronto. And 
 herein he exemplified in himself what his well-known 
 views were, in regard to the kind of men fitted to be 
 ' spiritual pastors and masters ' among the people of 
 Western Canada. ' It should make no difference whether 
 it is a log or a sofa that you sit on,' we once heard him 
 say, referring to emergencies that constantly occur where 
 things are in the rough. ' I know how to content myself 
 with earthen vessels, as my father did,' said an old Bisho]) 
 of Chichester, in 124-5, when Henry III. was withholding 
 the revenues of his See : ' let everything l>e sold, even to 
 iny horse, if there be need.' This was the spirit of the 
 first Bishop of Toronto. It was this singleness of view in 
 regard to duty under all circumstances, that made him 
 intrepid in the midst of peril. The times of contagious 
 sickness, in 1832 and 1847, found him unflinching in his 
 ministrations. In tlic keeping of appointments, too, the 
 •U
 
 34G 
 
 same fearlessness was sure to "be soon. We ourselves well 
 remember an instance of this, when night and rough 
 Aveather rendering a long pull in an open boat on the 
 river at the Sault Ste. Marie by no means a trifling 
 matter, the stand taken in respect to a distant engagement 
 was in almost the identical terms used b}^ the Roman 
 general of old : ' It is not necessary for me to live, but it is 
 necessary for me to go.' 
 
 " Such a man as the great Bishop whose career we have 
 been studying, is no shadow. Neither are the things 
 which such men pursue, shadows. The results of the life 
 of the first Bishop of Toronto are tangible realities. They 
 may be sensibly i)articipated in by all of the Canadian 
 people that choose, or in the future shall choose, to avail 
 themselves of them. And he hin-iself is a rcahty. His 
 example, his written and spoken words, his works and 
 deeds, will together constitute a standard and type to 
 which, in the fluctuations of the future, there will be a 
 recurrence. His name will be one of the things which the 
 (■•enerations following will not Avillingly let die. His 
 spirit will be still palpably marching on. 
 
 " He built the principal Church-edifice appertaining to 
 his own communion four times in succession ; twice as a 
 Cathedral-church for his Diocese ; and, on each successive 
 occasion, with increased grandeur and costliness. ' Twins 
 of Learning' witness for him : he founded two Universities 
 in succession, both invested with the character borne by 
 such institutions as originally instituted, by Royal Char- 
 ter, — procured in both instances by his own personal 
 travail; the latter of the two by an individual and solitary 
 effort, to which it is not easy to find a parallel. He saw 
 them both in operation, investigating, conserving, and 
 propagating truth, on somewhat different lines indeed, but 
 probably with co-ordinate utility, as things are. The 
 very Park, with its widely-renowned Avenue, the Champs 
 Elys^es of Toronto, in which the bourgeoisie of the place
 
 34-7 
 
 love to take their pastime, are a provision of his, that 
 ])roperty liaving been specially selected by him as Presi- 
 dent of King's College, with the same judiciousness and 
 the same careful prescience of the need of amplitude for 
 such purposes which guided him also in choosing the fine 
 site and grounds of Trinity College. 
 
 "The Anglican residue rescued by his })r()wess in the 
 iinal disposition of the endowments for Public Worship, he 
 so WLsel)'' husbanded by a scheme of commutation, that 
 funds, which, in due course, were intended to be extin- 
 guished, were transformed into a permanence, applicable 
 in all time to the aid and maintenance of Anglicaii 
 Interests. 
 
 " The chancel-apse that shelters the grave of the first 
 Bishop of Toronto has acquired a double sacredness. St. 
 James's, Toronto, will be enquired for and visited here- 
 after by one and another from different parts of this 
 Continent and the Mother Country, somewhat as certain 
 venerable piles are enquired for and visited at St. Albans 
 and Winchester, at Rheims and Mayence, for the sake of 
 historic dust therein enshrined. 
 
 "But even without accessories of any kind, without the 
 mystic prefi.K with which the ages of credulity would have 
 marked his name ; without the symbolism, .sensuous and 
 florid as of an unintelligent period, or spiritual and delicate 
 as of an intelligent one, the mortal resting-place of the 
 first Bishop of Toronto will have power to fjiscinate the 
 imagination. As thoui^-h there burned Avithin it an 
 undying lamp, a steady beam of light will be seen to issue 
 from that sepulchral vault, streaming down the future of 
 the Anglican Church in Canada, drawing and reclaiming, 
 cheering and directing, many faltering steps."
 
 348 
 
 The following arc selected from a short biography of 
 the late Bishop, in the " Portraiifi of BvlMi Americans" 
 by Fennings Taylor, Esq. : — 
 
 "Dr. Strachan may have Ijeeu well excused if he regarded 
 himself as the especial champion and representative of the 
 Church in the State, since the peculiar duties which were 
 associated with his appointment were such as he might 
 neither omit nor evade. How thoroughly the Church of 
 his choice had become the Church of his affections is writ- 
 ten in almost every page of his published works. How 
 ardently he desired ' to lengthen her cords and strengthen 
 her stakes,' is seen in every effort of his active life. He 
 neither questioned nor doubted the human blessedness of 
 her office. He believed that the union between the Church 
 and the State which existed in the old country, ought not 
 to be put asunder in Canada, for, with the Earl of Eldon, he 
 was of opinion ' that the establishment is formed, not for 
 the purpose of making the Church ]:)oliti(',al, but for the 
 purpose of making the State religious.' 
 
 "The desire lay near his heai't to make Canada resemble 
 England, resemble her in religion, in manners, in character, 
 in institutions, and in laws. To this end he sought to 
 establish rectories in stated places, to cover the Province 
 with a net work of parishes, and to establish in eacli pai'- 
 ish a centre of religious and educational influence, as well 
 as of social and intellectual refinement. The picture of 
 the future, which his fancy sketched, may have resembled 
 the actual picture which Cobbett saw from one of the 
 glorious iiplands of his native country, and which he has 
 vividly descriljcd in his nervous writings. In imagination, 
 Dr. Strachan beheld a noble Province, divided into paral- 
 Ifsllograms and apportioned into parishes, each parish the 
 centre of an accredited representative of that genial, well- 
 mannered Christianity which is the popular characteristic 
 of the Clergy of the national Church ; the settled abode of
 
 \ 
 
 34!) 
 
 one whose cliaiacter wouM lie respected and whose influ- 
 ence would be seen in the everyday intercourse of common 
 life. His desire was that religion and learning, re-acting 
 on one another, should sanctify taste, elevate morals, purify 
 manners, and blend with the hard and roughening influ- 
 ences of the backwoods, many of the social refinements and 
 home attractions which grow around the old grey Cliurch 
 towers and within the tiiin parsonages of England. The 
 machinery of Church work through the whole of its edu- 
 cational course, from the cradle to the grave, formed in his 
 mind a vision of present loveliness and future peace. 
 
 " It is true, indeed, that the existence of the University 
 of Toronto, as well as Upper Canada College, are indirectl}' 
 due to his exertions ; for in procuring a Charter for the 
 predecessor of the first-named institution he laid the foun- 
 dation of the present University. But though he is fairly 
 I'eferred to in the language of compliment as its founder, 
 nevertheless the honour, so far as we are informed, was 
 neither claimed nor coveted by him. On the contrary, he 
 made little eftbrt to conceal his feelings with respect to it, 
 for he complained bitterly not only as one w^ho had been 
 despoiled of his posessions, but as one who had been robbed 
 of his own fair child, and had been oftered in its stead the 
 lean and ill-conditioned offspring of another, alien in form, 
 unlike in feature, and different in name, whom he could 
 neither press to his heart nor recognize as his own. The 
 University of Toronto was not King's College. In those halls 
 for education which lie had striven to raise he dreamt not 
 of a perishable home. The discipline of study, which he 
 had hoped to see carried on there, like the discipline of 
 teaching, which was to be continued elsewhere, was pre- 
 paratory onl}-. The matriculants in his esteem were can- 
 didates for immortal honoui-s, for degrees in 'the house not 
 made with hands.' The School, the College, the University, 
 represented the approaches to the Church, and the Cluuvh 
 was the vestibule of Heaven. They were essential parts of
 
 350 
 
 a prescribed pathway through wliich mortal nuiu miglit 
 pass from 'the city of destruction' to 'tlie mount of God.' 
 
 "It is possible to iniagine, though it is less easy to ])oiir- 
 tray, the bitter trial through which he must have passed, 
 as one idol after another was crushed at his feet, and scat- 
 tered beyond his reach. It is true, indeed, that his mind 
 was severely disciplined to disappointment, for the lamp of 
 success very rarely brightened his vale of years. Yet 
 though we make allowance for the fact that he was fami- 
 liar with failure, it is not easy to analyze the emotions 
 which must have visited him as he took note of the 
 gradual growth of the University of Toronto. Even a 
 stranger is struck with the external beauty of that visible 
 expression of applied science. Like a gem of mediieval 
 art, fittingly set in a frame-work of verdure, it silently 
 commands the admiration it receives. But it is not diffi- 
 cult to suppose that to the eye of the Bishop such unques- 
 tionable charms rather aggravated than diminished the 
 anofuish of his heart. It was hard for him to see sucli 
 perfection of beauty separated, if not estranged from, the 
 Supreme Author and Source of beauty. It was hard for 
 him to see tliose brave old trees jubilant with joy, waving 
 their glad arms around those curious carvings and dainty 
 fretworks, and not to feel within his nature a root of bit- 
 terness M'ith which they, at least, had no sympathy. It 
 was hard to see such 'a fabric huge, rise like an exhala- 
 tion,' on the very ground, near to the very spot which had 
 been prepared and set apart Ijy him for a purpose so simi- 
 lar, and yet so unlike ; oh ! it was hard to see and not to 
 feel, in the overthrow of hope, how exquisitely painful is 
 the irony of joy. Moreover, it was impossible for his clear 
 mind to be insensible to the fact, that the noble structure 
 which adorned these College grounds, like a jewelled cas- 
 ket, was correspondingly ricli in its furniture of thought. 
 There was the requisite machinery, including many of the 
 pleasant and most of the necessary appliances for work,
 
 351 
 
 and there, too, were tlic human parts, the professors anrj 
 masters singularly well chosen, to control and direct all. 
 Beauty and culture were there, but the uutravelled hcari> 
 of the venerable Bishop yearned for its Christian cloister, 
 for the voice of prayer and the song of praise, for the law 
 and discipline Ijy which learning had been hallowed in the 
 aires of the inist . He missed what he deemed to be the 
 pivot of the system, lur he saw nut the central glory from 
 which all education, in his judgment, shoidd proceed. Ho 
 mourned less for the success of his adversaries than for the 
 slight to his Church, less for their triun)[)li over him than 
 for the missing Shekinah, the absent altar, the unofiered 
 morning and evening service, and for what he regarded as 
 the virtual eclipse of faith within those walls. Men may 
 make light of creeds, catechisms, and confessions of faith, 
 they may sneer at prejudices, discredit motives, and 
 ridicule dogma. Nevertheless, the picture of a good 
 man's sorrow is no unworthy subject of contemplation. 
 It is always touching for its sadness, and sometimes 
 eloquent for its sublimity. Such sorrow sobers the sense, 
 quiikens the pulse, and touches the soul, for it appeals to 
 our better nature, and reminds us of the goodness from 
 wliich we have fallen. Thus, thought becomes cleansed 
 and purified by contact with heavenly things. It is in- 
 Hamed with the brightness of the better land and acknow- 
 ledges the excellence of goodness in this. It throbs with 
 virtue, and thrills with immortality. Its yearnings reach 
 from the visible to the everlasting, from 'the life which 
 now is, to that which is to come.' 
 
 "The Bishop's opinions, like his character, were nut 
 fashioned in a flexible mould, for they were not made of 
 maleable, but of cast-iron. He w\as unbending in person 
 and unyielding in action. His opinions were not senti- 
 ments, but convictions ; moral properties of which he 
 deemed himself to be the trustee, and from which he would 
 not abate one jot or relincpiish one tittle. Compromise
 
 352 
 
 was foreign to his experience, and concession was nnsuited 
 to his tenij^cr. Hence he had little respect for their re- " 
 searches, and none for their conclusions, who teach that 
 the history of the Church of England, like the history of 
 the Realm of England, is in fact a history of compromise. 
 " But disappointment did not result in despair. There 
 was dignity, as well as grace, in the way in which he ac- 
 cepted defeat. Indeed, his character never shone to greater 
 advantage than when he snatched a triumph from an over- 
 throw. His resources were as manifold as they were 
 inexhaustible. At the age of seventy -two he ceased from 
 strife, and bowing obediently to a painlul law, ho began 
 with renewed industry to build afresh what we regard as 
 the fairest, and what we believe will prove to be the most 
 enduring monument of his fome. Sweet to him had been 
 the uses of adversity, for though his contest with the civil 
 power had been obstinate and exhausting, and though he 
 had been worsted in that contest, nevertheless, his ascent 
 from the 'valley of humiliation' was luminous, if not with 
 victory, at least with hope. In the strength of acquii'ed 
 Avnsdom and inherent faith, he appealed to new agencies, 
 and called into use new instruments of work. He took a 
 closer survey of the moral landscape, and examined afresh 
 the most a2:)proved codes of Christian warfare; and he soon 
 learned how to move and combine forces with which, until 
 then, he was presumed to be unfamiliar, and in which he 
 had placed but little trust. Thus was it, that by means of 
 what we may truly call 'the weak things of the world, he 
 confounded the things that were mighty.' Turning from 
 Princes in whom he ceased to place his trust, and from 
 laws, which, like reeds, had broken beneath his weight, lie 
 appealed to sentiment and religion, to faith and duty, to 
 individual sympathy, and to individual sacrifice. In the 
 sacred names of truth and justice, he invoked the aid of 
 that voluntary jtrinciple wlyich he had formerly dis- 
 credited, and sought in the freewill offerings of the many,
 
 3.13 
 
 what lio liad IiojxmI to liml in tlic miiiiiticciico (it'(»iir. He 
 appealed to lionoui- and self-interest, to the recojiection of 
 wrongs, and the conviction of right, and his stirring "vvords 
 called into life the hitent enthusiasm of gifted souls. His 
 heart was inflamed with tlie fire he liarl kindled. 11^ 
 would scarcely give sleep to his eyes, or slumber to his 
 eyelids, until he had erected a College wherein the Divine 
 law should fill the chief place in the circle of the sciences. 
 Thus he turned from the creature to the Creator, from 
 human ])olicy to the Divine Government, from man to God. 
 He shut the statutes that the sunlight might shine .upon 
 the Gospel. He endeavoured to 'forget the things that 
 were behind,' that he might, with an untrammelled mind, 
 'reach forward to those that were before,' and Iteiny: im- 
 pelled by memory and allured by hope, he moderated his 
 appeal to the intellect that he might intensify his address 
 to the heart. It was a brave sight to behold the heroic 
 Bi.shop playing the roll of a voluntar}-. It was a Itiave 
 sight to see one who had passed the period of life allotted 
 by the Psalmist, stooping afresh to take up its burden, and 
 submitting once more to the toils and sacrifices, the trials 
 and disappointments which he had some right to lay aside. 
 It was a brave sight to see one who could be indifferent to 
 jjersonal case and conventional prudence, to tlie suggestions 
 of comfort and the seductions of policy, setting himself to 
 the duty of building in Canada a monument such as Wil- 
 liam of Wykeham erected at Oxford, not only where the 
 work of education might be begun in the faith of Christ, 
 but where, in the strength of the adorable Trinity, it 
 might be continued and ended to the glory of God. 
 
 "Though there was a sting in his style, there was nt) 
 spite in his nature. He might throw his antagonist 
 roughly, but he would pick him uj) again kindly. Or 
 should the issue of the conflict be reversed, he would ac- 
 cept his defeat wdth the grace of one who could respect his 
 victor. Being a courageous, ho "vyas also a magnanimous 
 43
 
 8.54. 
 
 man. His vieAvs Avere large views, and when tliey could 
 be indulged without violence to his religious logic, they 
 were generous views. Thus in his dealings with his 
 Clergy, he recognized great latitude of opinion, for practi- 
 cally he had a just appreciation of the religious liberty 
 which is consistent witli the spirit and genius of the 
 Anglican Church. His own principles were clear and well 
 defined; nevertheless, he had a scholar's respect for the 
 learning as well as for the princi})les of other people, and 
 hence he neither required an Islington password nor a 
 Liturgical shibboleth from Clergymen who desired to work 
 in his Diocese. In common with the great body of Angli- 
 cans he may have preferred the principles of Arminius to 
 those of Calvin, but he did not on that account brand with 
 an anathema, or blemish with a prejudice, those weaker 
 Christians who could not receive the full measure of the 
 Catholic faith. 
 
 " The benevolence of the Bishop was practised with sys- 
 tematic and discriminating gracefulness. Misfortune rarely 
 appealed to him in vain, and ])Overty seldom left his house 
 unrelieved ; for compassion and charity were as conspic- 
 uous in his character as fidelity and endurance. With 
 respect to projects connected with religion his liberality 
 was a proverb. There were few Churches or Parsonages 
 in the Province in regard to which the striking imagery of 
 the prophet Habakkuk could not have been applied, for 
 'the stone might have cried out of the wall,' and 'the beam 
 rnig-ht have answered it,' and each have told the other that 
 its presence there was due to the silver or the gold which 
 were his gifts. Money with him was apparently regarded 
 as nothing more than a talent to be used, as a trust to be 
 administered. He loved it not for its own sake ; and no 
 surprise was expressed that he saved little and died poor. 
 To Trinity College, the dearly-loved 'child of his old age,' 
 he had given his ungrudging help and his frec^uent 
 prayers, and though at his death he had little besides
 
 355 
 
 his l)le.ssing to bestow, yet of that littli; he bequeathed 
 ' liis dv:\v College' his 'joy of grief,' as a mark of liis 
 afil'ction, tlie vahiable library wliicli he had aecuniulated, 
 and the costly plate which his Cornwall scholai-s had 
 given to him. 
 
 "In matters of charity and benevolence a,s well as in 
 matters of general philanthropy or local improvement, 
 his were the sagacious counsels and the strengthening 
 words, the guiding hand and the generous heart, the ad- 
 vice and co-operation that went for towards crowning 
 exertion with success. Moreover, there was a phase of 
 charity which shewed itself conspicuously in those exact- 
 ing forms of civic courage which "test our metal, and are 
 l)erhaps more trying to personal endurance than any act 
 of physical daiing. 'The pestilence that walketh in dark- 
 ness, and the destruction that wasteth in the noon-day' 
 represent sha])es of evil, before which brave men have 
 ({Hailed, and from wliicli evrn valiant men have fled. ]>ut 
 such terr<jrs wrought no jjcrceptible change in him. His 
 holy faith and his sacred calling nerved him with strength, 
 and both were harmoniously exhibited in his works. In 
 fulfllling the duties which seemed to lie in his path, he 
 was not accustomed to take thought of consequences. He 
 believed that He who 'considered the lilies' would not 
 overlook him. In the fearful Cholera seasons of 1882—4 
 his well-remembered figure seemed to be ever abroad, for 
 the oidy difference he made was to redouble his exertions, 
 and stick closer to his duty. In thus confronting danger 
 with a Christian man's courage, he rejn-oached no one, 
 while his exam})le put many to shame, for he calmly dis- 
 charged services from whicli they, who ought to have per- 
 formed them, shrank with dismay. Having^ visitetl the 
 siek, and prayed with the dying, he was lVe(piently called 
 ui)on to shroud the dead, to place them in hurriedly made 
 coffins, and buiy them in hastily made graves. As a good 
 citizen, as well as a laborious minister, he endeavoured to
 
 practice what he preached. Religion with him was less a 
 sentiment than a duty, and thus the pathway of his long- 
 life was less beautified with the blossoms than strewn with 
 the fruits of benevolence. He did not seem to age in his 
 tastes or his occupations. His memory kept green long 
 after the memories of his contemjioraries became seared 
 and yellow. Youth always attracted him, and his affec- 
 tions turned with especial fondness towards little children, 
 not only because they were the best liuman types of purity 
 and innocence, but because their natures were bright and 
 hopeful like his own. M?.ny will remember with what 
 unalloyed happiness he adapted his conversation to their 
 capacity, as well as the exuberant joy with which his 
 presence was looked forward to and greeted by them. He 
 knew how to combine the offices of a Bishop and a friend, 
 and he set no light value on the influence for good which 
 might be exerted by one who could, in his life and conver- 
 sation, shew the truth of tlie Psalmist's experience, that 
 the ways of religion are 'ways of pleasantness, and that all 
 her paths are peace.' 
 
 "But the period was fast approaching when he was to 
 close his eyes on the scenes of his toil and his fame. The 
 hand of time, it is true, was laid with rare gentleness on 
 him, but he was not insensible to its pressure. The duties 
 which he had heretofore been enabled to perform without 
 difficulty became exacting and oppressive. His consience 
 rebelled against the intermission of any of those duties and 
 lience arose his desire for relief and assistance. The Dio- 
 cesan )Synod appreciated his wish, and interpreted it aright 
 when they elected as his coadjutor in the Episcopate, one 
 wlio had been his pupil and was Ins friend, who had 
 shared his thoughts and sympatliizcd in his plans, and with 
 whom he could confer with confidence, and act with affec- 
 tion. In 18G6, the Venerable A. N. Bethune, D.D., and 
 Archdeacon oi' Toronto, was duly elected to the office, and 
 in virtue of canons, passed b}'" the Synod in the previous
 
 > 
 
 ^57 
 
 year, lie was on the 2.jth January, 18li7, on tlie Festival 
 of St. Paul, consecrated as the Bishoj) of Niagara, with an 
 understanding that he should eventually succeed to the 
 See of Toronto. 
 
 "The year which opened thus suggestively, was destined 
 ere its close to fulfil the purpose for which its solemnities 
 had made provision. The seasons of flowers, fi-uits, and 
 faded leaves had passed away. 'The chaplet of the year' 
 was dead, and the 'angry winds' of winter were ready to 
 issue from their icy caves. The autumn festival of All 
 Saints, the last in the annual cycle of the services of the 
 Church, the 'drear November <lay' arrived, when the 
 ^•enerable Prelate, for whom an assistant had been chosen, 
 was to be separated from the cares of his Bishopric, and 
 when his soul, with 'the souls of the righteous' was to 
 })a.ss to 'the hand of God,' 'where no torment shall touch 
 them,' 
 
 ■ To soar those eliler Saints to meet 
 (iather'd long since at Jesus' feet.' "
 
 358 
 
 To the Testimonies of Individuals we may annex the 
 Tribute of the Public, in the honour which was paid to 
 the remains of the late Bishop of Toronto after his 
 death. AVe cannot control a desire, which we believe 
 A\ill ])G shared in by Churchmen generally who were 
 acquainted with the character and works of the deceased, 
 to i)lace on record a detailed account of his Funeral, 
 as it appeared in the Church Chronicle of the 1st 
 December, 18G7 : — 
 
 "The Funeral of the late Bishop took place on 
 Tuesday, November 5. A general disposition was shewn, 
 both by public bodies and by the citizens at large, to give 
 token of their deep respect for the memory of one whose 
 name had been so long and so honourably associated Avith 
 the history, not only of the City and the Diocese, but of 
 the Province of Upper Canada. The same spirit was 
 discovered by the Volunteer-force ; and the troops forming 
 the Garrison received orders from the Lieutenant Gover- 
 nor to line the streets on the occasion, while he himself 
 acted as one of the pall-bearers, and numerous Staff- 
 Officers appeared in the Procession. In accordance with a 
 ])roclamation issued by the Mayor, business was suspended, 
 and the stores closed. Flags were exhibited at half-mast 
 from many buildings, and the bells of the Cathedral 
 chimed a muffled peal throughout the day, the great 
 bell tolling as the Procession drew near the Church. 
 
 At one o'clock, the first detachment of the Garrison, 
 consisting of the 17th Regiment, arrived on the lino of 
 procession, and took their stand on York Street. Between 
 this body and the late Bishop's residence were stationed 
 the Volunteer Battery, tlie Foot Artillery Com})any, the 
 Grand Tiunk Brigade, the 10th Royals, the Queen's Own,
 
 3r,9 
 
 and tlie Militaiy School Ca(Iot«». Along King Street were 
 rangt'cl two batteries of Royal Ai'tillery disniountcd, the 
 Cavahy Schot)! Cadets, and the lotli Ifussurs, extending 
 froin Yoik Street to the doors of tlie Cathedral. 
 
 ALout l.")() of the Clergy had assembled at ]ialf-past one 
 at the Bishop's residence. Among them were several from 
 the Diocese of Huron, and some from tlie Diocese of 
 Ontario. Other bodies collected at other ])oints in 
 order to prevent the confusion whieli would necessarily 
 have arisen had one place of redezvous been appointed 
 for ;dl; 
 
 The arrangements having been comi)leted, the Hearse, 
 drawn by four black horses, which had housings of black, 
 was In-ought to the door, and the Coffin was placed within 
 it, Ijeing conveyed from the house by six former pupils of 
 the deceased Prelate, viz.. The Yen. the Archdeacon of 
 Niagara, the Rev. William McMurray, D.D., D.C.L., 
 The Hon. Vice Chancellor Spragge, Messrs. William 
 (Jamble, F. H. Heward, and John Ridout. The Coffin 
 which Avas covered with black cloth, Avith mountings of 
 silver, bore on a plate the following inscription : 
 
 The Honourable and Right Reverend 
 JOHN STRACHAN, D.D., LL.D., 
 
 First Bisho]) of Toronto, 
 
 Born 12th April, 177JS. 
 
 Died 1st November, 18G7. 
 
 At a (piarter to two the Procession began to move. The 
 Streets on the route were densely thronged, and every 
 window which connnanded a view at any point was 
 crowded with eager spectators. The following was the 
 order of the Procession : —
 
 860 
 
 Firing party — One troop of th« loth Hussars, mounted. 
 
 Officers of tlie lOtli Royals. 
 
 Officers of tlie Volunteer A rtillery Battery an<l Foot Artillery. 
 
 Officers of tlie Grand Trunk Brigade. 
 
 Officers of the Queen's Own, 
 
 Volunteer Staff Officers. 
 
 Regular Staff Officers. 
 
 St. George's Society. 
 
 St. Andrew's Society. 
 
 St. Patrick's Society. 
 
 The City Police Force : Officers in rear. 
 
 The Members of the City Council. 
 
 The City Officials. 
 
 Upper Canada Law Society. 
 
 Law Students. 
 
 Professors and Students Victoria College. 
 
 Masters and Students Upper Canada College. 
 
 Masters and Pupils Normal School. 
 
 Faculty and Students of Toronto University. 
 
 (Graduates and Undergraduates Trinity College. 
 
 Professors of Trinity College. 
 
 Clergy of this and other Dioceses. 
 
 Revs. S. Givins and Dr. Scadding, Chaplains. 
 
 The Bishop and the Dean of Toronto. 
 
 Pnll Bearers. w Pall Bearers. 
 
 The Ven. the Archdeacon of Toronto, f^ The Ven. the Archdeacon of Niagara. 
 
 The Provost of Trinity College. ^ The President of University College. 
 The Mayor of Toronto. w Hon. II. J. Boulton. 
 
 The Chief JuBtice of Ontariw. t^ The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. 
 
 Verger and Valet. 
 
 Mourners. 
 
 Citizens on foot. 
 
 Carriages. 
 
 K. L. Denison, Es(|., IkkI kindly c(jusente(l to act as 
 Marshall to tlie Procession, which was not less than 
 forty-five minutes in passing any one point; and his
 
 801 
 
 .skilful dispositions, aided by the military authorities 
 stationed at different parts of the line, secured an order 
 and regularity of movement which gi*eatly contributed to 
 the solemnity of the funeral ceremony. As the head of 
 the Procession reached the Cathedral it took open rank, 
 and thus allowed the Hearse to approach the entrance. 
 Here the Coffin was removed by the six gentlemen before 
 mentioned, and conveyed to the door of the Churcli, 
 whence it was borne up the nave, preceded by the Clergy 
 of the Church. The Service for the Burial of the Dead 
 was then proceeded with, the Psalms being read by the 
 Rev. Canon Baldwin, M.A., the Lesson by the Rev. Canon 
 Beaven, D.D., and the remainder of the service by the 
 Very Rev. the Dean of Toronto. 
 
 The musical portion of the service was most impressively 
 rendered by a full and efficient choir, under the direction 
 of Mr. John Carter, the organist of the Cathedral, and 
 consisted of the" following : 
 
 •| -4s the body entered the Church. 
 
 Introductory Sentences. — Chant : Gregorian, 4th Tone, 
 No. 234, Chant f^ and Tunes. 
 
 1AM the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord : he that 
 belicveth in me, though he were dead j-et shall he live 
 — and whosoever liveth and belicveth in me shall never die. 
 I know that my Redeemer liveth ; and that He shall 
 stand at the latter day upon the earth. 
 
 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet 
 in my llesh shall I sec God. 
 
 Whom I shall see for myself: and mine eyes shall behold, 
 and not another. 
 
 We brought nothing into this woild : and it is certain 
 we can carry nothing out. 
 
 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed 
 be the name of the Lord. 
 4G
 
 362 
 Funeral Maech Mendelssohn. 
 
 Gloria Patri cafter Psalms. — Chant, Di\ Blow, 
 No. IG, Chants and Tunes. 
 
 •F After Psalms. 
 Hymn. Tune, Windsor, No. 80, Chants and Tunes. 
 
 lyrOW let our mourning hearts revive, 
 lAl And all our tears be dry ! 
 Why should those eyes be drown'd in grief, 
 Which view a Saviour nigh ? 
 
 Though earthly shepherds dwell in dust, 
 
 The aged and the young. 
 The watchful eye in darkness clos'd 
 
 And mute th' instructive tongue : 
 
 Th' eternal Shepherd still survives, 
 
 New comforts to impart ; 
 His eye still guides us, and his voice 
 
 Still animates our heart. 
 
 " Lo I am with you," saith the Lord, 
 
 " My Church shall safe abide ; 
 For I will ne'er forsake my own. 
 
 Whose souls in me confide." 
 
 Through ev'ry scene of life and death 
 
 This promise is our trust : 
 And this shall be our children's song. 
 
 When we are cold in dust. 
 
 •: While the body was being removed to the Chancel. 
 Funeral March Cliopin.
 
 303 
 
 ^ While the body vxts heinrj lowered. 
 Anthem — "Dead March in Saul," airangofi hy John Ccirter. 
 
 I7ORSAKE me not, Lord my God : lie not Thou far 
 J.. from me. Haste Thee to lielp me : O Lord Ood of 
 my salvation. 
 
 O spare me a little, that 1 may recover n)y strength : 
 before I 2:0 hence, and be no more seen. 
 
 Ps. xxxviii. 21, 32. Ps. xxxix. L5. 
 
 ![ After Committal Prayer. 
 Anthplm J oh n, Carter. 
 
 T HEARD a voice from heaven, .saying unto int.', Write, 
 .1. From henceforth blessed are the dead which die in 
 the Lord : even so saith the Spirit ; for they rest from 
 their labours. 
 
 ^ At close of y:i€rvice. 
 
 Funeral March Bceflwvrii. 
 
 Air — " I know that my Redeemer liveth,"... Handel. 
 
 "The Cathedral had been prepared with great care for 
 the mournful ceremony. The external light had been 
 excluded. The Chancel generally, and the rest of the 
 Church partially, was hung with black, and the dim 
 artificial light allowed added much to the solemnity of 
 the scene. The place of interment had been api)ropriatel}- 
 ])repared immediately in front of the Holy Table — the 
 body lying, as is the custom, east and west ; and it is to 
 be hoped that some fitting Memorial, such as is often seen 
 in the Cathedrals of our Father Land, may at no distant 
 time, mark tlu^ spot, where the late Prelate had so often 
 .stood and served in the office of his ministry — and where 
 his earthly remains were then deposited, fi^llowed by many 
 a 'longing, lingering look' of reverence and affection, as 
 the minds of the spectators reverted to his prolonged and 
 honourable course, and to many a word and act of kind- 
 ness which had marked it even tp its close."
 
 364 
 
 IV. 
 
 We feel that we shall he gratifying many readers by 
 recording here a few specimens of the late Bishop's Cox- 
 FiRMATiox Addresses. 
 
 His rule had invariably been to deliver these Addresses 
 extempore ; thus better adapting them to local circum- 
 stances, and allowing of a more direct, personal, and 
 practical counsel. Sometimes they contained a history 
 of the ordinance itself,— the Divine sanction for it ap- 
 parent in the Holy Scriptures, and the testimony of the 
 whole Church in its favour from the earliest times. 
 Sometimes, too, in these Addresses, there was an asser- . 
 tion and explanation of the fundamental principles of 
 the Church, — its Divine Constitution, its Episcopal suc- 
 cession, its Liturgy, its Creeds, and Sacraments. But 
 these were topics only occasionally touched upon ; the 
 effort almost uniformly was, to draw attention to the 
 every-day Christian duties to which the Confirmed had 
 specially bound themselves, — as self-denial, control of tem- 
 per, affectionate deportment to parents and to brothers 
 and sisters, a pure and religious life, devotion to prayer 
 and public worship, a steady and conscientious attendance 
 at the Lord's Supper. 
 
 It was not until about two years before his death, that^ 
 — as far as we can learn, — any such Addresses were 
 written. At that time, a consciousness of felling powers 
 and weakened memory made him distrustful of exteynpore 
 efforts ; and the apprehension of failure in connection, and 
 of incorrectness in Scripture quotation, induced him to 
 condense in the written form, which we subjoin, a few of
 
 such Addresses. "We feel that old ns avoII as voim"- will 
 be glad of lia\ iiig tliis Tcc<>rd of tli('in, as wakening up 
 pleasant and useful recollections of paternal counsels and 
 kindly exhortations long ago delivered : — 
 
 (I) 
 
 There will be very few occasions, my dear young 
 friends, in tlie course of your lives, so interesting and 
 important as the present one. You have this day devoted 
 yourselves to the Most High God yoxw Redeemer; and 
 lie hath confirmed to you the assurance that you are 
 his adopted children, and heirs of His Kingdom. 
 
 It is to you the day of your entrance upon that gi'eat 
 and glorious estate, of which your parents and sponsors 
 ^^•cre permitted to take possession for j-ou when you were 
 yet in your infancy ; an estate embracing the pardon of 
 your sins, the favour and love of Almighty God, the 
 assistance of His grace and Holy Spirit, and the promise 
 of eternal life ; and therefore very fitly denominated a. 
 " state of salvation." At this entrance upon the possession 
 of it in your own names, the Church rejoices. The angels 
 of heaven have been spectators, and are glad. The 
 blessed Redeemer of our race receives gratification, and 
 takes you by the hand ; and the Almighty Father of all 
 beings condescends to bestow on you His heavenly bene- 
 diction. So great is the import of what has now been 
 done, as you rest u])on it and as we contemplate it, that 
 we should mutually be filled with admiration and grati- 
 tude, with humility and joy ; and may well exclaim. 
 " What hath God wrought V 
 
 This transaction, however, is not a mere ceremony* 
 which is now done with, and is to have no connection 
 with your future conduct. It ought to consecrate your 
 Avhole life, — to give direction to all its steps ; never to be 
 forgotten at any of its stiiges ; nor remembered but with
 
 366 
 
 thankfulness and godly fear. You have taken upon you 
 the vows of God. The relations into which you are 
 brought, are to be perpetual ; you have acknowledged 
 ol^ligations which are to be performed daily. There is a 
 covenant between you and the Almighty, in which you 
 have promised to believe and to be holy. In virtue <:»f 
 this covenant, there is opened to you the prospect of the 
 highest happiness of which your nature is cajjable, — even 
 satisfaction in life, peace in death, and immortality in 
 heaven.- But your attainment of these blessings depends 
 upon the fulfilment, by the covenanting parties in the 
 transactions of this day, of their respective engagements. 
 
 As regards the Almighty, what He hath promised. He 
 ''■ will most surely keep and perform." He hath graciously 
 condescended to renew to you the assurance of the pardon 
 of your sins, of the aid of His Holy S])irit, and of eternal 
 life. Respecting the certainty and inanner of accom- 
 plishing these things, it becomes you not to scruple or to 
 •loubt. In this matter, your business is to believe with a 
 stedfast reliance on His word, that, if you are faithful to 
 perform your vows, " He, who hath begun a good work in 
 you, will perform it unto the end." For " the gifts and 
 calling of God are without repentance ; " " with Him is no 
 variableness, neither shadow of turning." The power of 
 your God is equal to His purposes ; His truth is equal to 
 His power. Hath He said, and shall He not do it ? Hath 
 He spoken, and shall He not make it good ? He hatli 
 commanded to bless, and you are blessed ; and, luiless 
 you abandon the conditions of His blessing, nothing can 
 reverse it. 
 
 It is, therefore, respecting the fulfilment of the engage- 
 ment on your part made, that you are always to be con- 
 cerned so long as you continue in this world. You have 
 promised to the Most High God, your Redeemer, and best 
 Benefactor, to lenounce whatever He has forbidden ; to 
 believe whatever He has taught ; and to do whatever He
 
 367 
 
 has eoinuiaiKled. As you look forward into this patli 
 upon which you have entered, does it seem to you a 
 difficult one ? For man to be good and gain heaven is not 
 a light business. But how great, how encouraging, how 
 animating, are your incitements to fidelity ? If you per- 
 severe, the Holy Ghost will remain with you. You will 
 have in life the favour of God, the knowled^ic of forijive- 
 ness, the consciousness of holiness. He, who died for you, 
 will see with satisfaction the fruit of His love. Your 
 jjarents and friends will be gladdened, and society adorned 
 and refreshed by the beauty and fragrance of your virtue. 
 When death shall approach, — for you must all die, — to 
 convey you, from all you hold dear, to the tribunal of the 
 Almighty, you will have the only hope by which man can 
 be comforted and sustained in that most awful hour of 
 human probation ; and from the tribunal of judgment, you 
 will be taken to heaven ; there to be happy forever A\'ith 
 all the good ; with Jesus, and with God. If, on the other 
 hand, you become weary of this path, and desert it for 
 any of the enticements of the world, the flesh, and the 
 devil, your jjortion will be perplexity and dissatisfaction 
 in life ; cheerlessness, if not horror, in death ; and ever- 
 lasting banishment from heaven into regions of darkness 
 and undiscovered woe. What powerful motives are found 
 in this alternative, to the most careful and constant per- 
 formance of your Christian duties ? What inducements to 
 keep your souls diligently, to pass the time of your 
 sojourning here in fear, to endeavour to lie righteous 
 before God ; walking in all the commandments and ordi- 
 nances of the Lord blameless i 
 
 Study then, my young friends, the Holy Scrijitures. 
 They are given by your Heavenly Father " a light untc* 
 your feet, and a lamp unto your paths." Study some por- 
 tion of them every day, that 3'ou may regulate all the con- 
 duct of your lives l)y them, for they contain for you the 
 only certain instruction In them we have the words of
 
 368 
 
 eternal life ; thoy are they which testify of the Lord. Ac- 
 custom yourselves to ask in daily private prayer, and to 
 seek by a devont attendance on the services of the sanc- 
 tuary, the continuance and increase of God's Holy Spirit. 
 It is promised to you if j-ou will seek it, and use it faith- 
 full}^ ; and without it you can do nothing. 
 
 Remember your obligation to respect j^ourselves, and to 
 abstain from all sin and wickedness, — recollecting that you 
 are the temples of God, and that " the Spirit of God dwel- 
 Icth in you." As soon as you can, with a full trust in God's 
 mercy, and with a quiet conscience, go to the holy table t<j 
 celebrate the Lord's Supper ; and never neglect in the 
 course of your lives to attend, with the suitable prepara- 
 tion and dispositions, this most comfortable ordinance. It is 
 in this Sacrament we must find the food which, from time 
 to time, will refresh and sustain our spiritual life, and 
 prove frequently the medicine which will heal our sickness. 
 To these helps from the mercy of God, fail not to add the 
 exertion of your own reason and faculties, to be faithful 
 and conscientious in all the relations of life, which, in His 
 Providence, he shall require you to cultivate, — especiall}^ 
 that benevolence, and readiness, and desire to do good, which 
 is and ought to be a conspicuous part of Christian virtue, 
 and wliich, we have reason to believe, it is particularly agree- 
 able to our Heavenly Father to behold in His children. 
 Meditate upon the life of Jesus Christ the pattern of all 
 that is perfect in man ; and endeavour, by the assistance 
 of that grace which you have received, to be like unto Him. 
 Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, 
 whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, 
 whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any vir- 
 tue and if there be any praise, as becomes you as Christ's 
 followers, think on these things. 
 
 In this way you will be rendered as i)erfect and as happy 
 as a person in this world of imperfection and sorrow can 
 be. The way that seemed arduous will be found, as you
 
 \ 
 
 309 
 
 advance, to be the way of pleasantness, ami the patli wliich 
 you have chosen the path of peace, while all othei- ways 
 lead down to the gates of Hell ; and it will conduct you at 
 last to the inheritance of Heaven. But if yon at any time 
 quit it, repent innnediately, I heseech you, and return Id 
 it. that S(j ini([uity may not be your ruin. 
 
 \n conclusion, I cannot but be tilled with tin- greatest 
 anxiety; and the same words which the wise Kinir of 
 Israel addressed to his son I now leav(! with you, — "And 
 thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy fathers, 
 and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind. If 
 thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if tlinu i'ur- 
 sake him, he will cast thee off forever," 
 
 And, my young friends, do not fail to remember that 
 Confirmation is the point of union between the two Sacra- 
 ments : Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Born into a new 
 lif(^ Ity the one, we can only be sustained in tliat life by 
 the other. Receiving the breatli (A' life from God's Holy 
 Spirit in the one, we are now maintaine<l in tliat S}>irit by 
 the other, — namely, by eating and drinking, sacramentally, 
 the body and blood of Christ which aiv verily and indeed 
 taken and received by the faithful in the Lord's Supper. 
 
 (II.) 
 
 In speaking to candidates for Confirmation, I have fre- 
 quently mentioned that it is an ordinance replete with 
 blessings to the Church, an<l yielding a rich return to the 
 zealous and faithful pastor. It is the seed time of a harvest 
 which is continually springing up to cheer him on his 
 onward course. His own experience yearly confirms the 
 wisdom of its appointment; and even its occasional neglect 
 cu- abuse serves to quicken his diligence in inq)roving what 
 he has found to be of inestimable value. But apart from 
 its claim to respect and veneratioji, as being of Apostolic 
 institution and primitive usage, the ordinance itself is so 
 47
 
 370 
 
 beautiful aud attractive, that wlieu regularly aduiiiiistered, 
 it gradually removes all preijudice, aud daily advances in 
 favour and estimation. 
 
 Viewed as a solemn call to seriuus reflection, as an ai)[)eai 
 atiectionately addressed to the consciences and hearts of 
 the young, and as a means of promoting the purest rela- 
 tions of l(jve and tenderness amongst all the branches of 
 their respective families, at the most important period of 
 life, it seems to comprise all that is excellent aud holy. 
 Moreover, it secures to them more thorougldy the l)enefits 
 of the prayers of the Church, of which they have Ijecome 
 living and responsible members; and thus, liy joining daily 
 in the invocation of the Holy Spirit, promotes a more 
 lively faith in their hopes of heaven. 
 
 When you add to all this the pure and lasting impres- 
 sions to which it frequently gives birth, and to which so 
 many can appeal in after times, it is not only the season of 
 great and certain improvement, and the dawning of new 
 hopes and firmer resolutions, 1 )ut the commencement of a 
 deepened sjiirituality, and a closer walk with God. Hence 
 it cannot iail to secure the sympathy and approval of every 
 serious mind. 
 
 Remember, my young friends, that personal religion is a 
 constant and progressive work, — a work which you are 
 now expected to enter upon with fresh energy, and thus 
 prove your affection to your Saviour. Remember also that 
 the ratification this day of your baptismal vows, is your 
 enlistment in a warfiire which will never for a moment 
 cease until the hour of your death. 
 
 The Holy Scriptures speak of the Christian liie as a 
 shining light, which shineth brighter and brighter unto 
 the perfect day : as the field of the husbandman in which 
 appears first the blade, after that the -whole corn in the 
 ear ; as the little leaven hid in three measures of meal, by 
 which in process, of time the whole is leavened ; as the 
 grain of mustard-seed, which, though the least of nil seeds,
 
 becomes when it is grown up so great a tree that the birds 
 of the air lodge in its branches. 
 
 By such ilhistrations, wc are tiuight that personal reli- 
 gion is not something attained at once in perfection, and 
 leavino- nothing more to be done; but a thoroughly per- 
 vading princii)le, and one which is to be more and more 
 inthiential, until every member of our bodies, and every 
 faculty of our souls, is l)rought into C()m])lete captivity to 
 Christ. 
 
 Bearing these imi)ortant truths continually in mind, 
 I would further observe that, in order to advance in the 
 Christian life, you must be fjiithful in the discharge of all 
 the public and private duties of religion. By these I 
 mean, the services of the Church and the duties of private 
 prayer, — together with a constant study of God's holy 
 word. Our blessed Saviour alluded to this class of duties 
 when He said, "When thou pray est, enter into thy closet." 
 He was himself an eminent example in this respect. He 
 went up into a mountain apart to pray, and continued 
 whole nights in prayer. The last act of His life w^as an 
 act of prayer ; for He died with its language on His lips. 
 The most eminent saints of all ages have also been men of 
 prayer. Daniel, though burdened with affairs of state, 
 kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and 
 gave thanks to God. It is the great secret of success in 
 arduous toils, and seasons of perplexity. There is nothing 
 like prayer to tranquillize the mind, and nerve it to steadi- 
 ness of action. It fills the heart with an abiding con- 
 fidence in God; and St. Paul knew well its value, when 
 he bade us "pray without ceasing; to continue instant in 
 prayer; to pray always with all prayer and supplication." 
 For your private devotions, choose some hour when you 
 ai-e least liable to be disturbed by worldly thoughts, and 
 see that your appointment witli heaven be religiously 
 kept. Be regular and piinetual in your devotions ; and let 
 nothing but absolute necessity deter you from this duty.
 
 372 
 
 If faticrue, or wanderino' thouo-hts, or disinclination ever 
 tempt you to an omission of this duty, let them not pre- 
 vail. Fight against such opposition, and then you will 
 find your troubled heart acquiring a holy serenity, and the 
 coldness of your devotion warming into love, as you meet 
 with your Maker and Saviour iace to face. And these 
 words remind me that effectual prayer requires something 
 of an effort, — a grasp, as it were, to realize its true work 
 and even its conception. A gradual ascent in reaching 
 the conception of sincere prayer, is demanded of us. Even 
 the body seems to stretch itself to a fuller height, and 
 rises, as it were, from the earth in coining up to God, — in 
 standing so immediately in his presence, in pouring out 
 our hearts in the accents of supplication and mercy. 
 The grandevir of the idea that we are enjoying the privi- 
 lege of consulting in our difficulties the wisest and best 
 man upon earth, or of advising with a departed parent or 
 friend, or even with an angel, can but feebly realize the 
 conception of coming directly to God. It is something 
 that must always transcend our powers; and yet God 
 permits, invites, r.ay, commands our approach to Him. 
 Fj"oni all these inestimable blessings we should be de- 
 barred, were it not for the all-sufficient merits and .media- 
 tion of our Saviour Christ. 
 
 And let private prayer be accompanied by self-exami- 
 nation. Study to learn what are your besetting sins, and 
 learn to guard against them. Look upon your possessions 
 as talents of usefulness, for wliich you must hereafter give 
 an account. Are you })oor ? Then be careful not to 
 murmur or complain at the dealings of God's Providence, 
 and indulge not in envy or discontent. 
 
 In order to advance in the Christian life, attend regu- 
 larly and devoutly upon the ordinances of God's house, 
 and upon the means of grace which you enjoy. And 
 especially let me urge you to seal your vows at the 
 holy altar by the reception of the Holy Sacrament of 
 the Lord's Supper.
 
 373 
 
 For tlii.s advancement in the Christian life, you must 
 also be zealous, as opportunity offers, in extending His 
 blessed fi;ospel throughout the world. The genuine spirit 
 eaught from Christ is expansive, and it continually mani- 
 fests itself in doing good. In the absence of such a spirit, 
 darkness and corruption prevail. We ought, therefore, 
 daily to offer the comprehensive prayer. Thy Kingdom 
 come; and then prove by labours, by alms and offerings, 
 that our prayer goeth not out of feigned lips. Never were 
 so great exertions made to extend our Lord's Kingdom 
 throughout the world as in the present times. The whole 
 of heathendom is awakening, and calling for the bread 
 of life. If therefore, you woiild grow in gi-ace, imbibe 
 the spirit of the early Church, — the spirit of Christ ; and 
 do what you can to ])r()mote His cause and extend His 
 Kingdom. 
 
 Again, tliat you may advance in the Christian life, 
 take ]K-iins to become intelligent and thoughtful in .-ill 
 things that pertain to the history of your holy faitli 
 Read the lives and writings of htjl}' men ; of tlie saints 
 and martyrs, of whom the Avorld was not worthy. The 
 whole histor}^ of the Church is fraught with instruction. 
 Only see and know how she has been, in all ages of the 
 world, the pillar and ground of the truth. Besides, at the 
 present day, when the Church of Christ is so often spoken 
 against ; when her ministry, her sacraments, her worship, 
 her doctrines, are ojiposed and reviled, — it becomes all her 
 children to rise up in licr defence, an<l so arm themselves 
 as to be able to give to every one that askoth a reason fur 
 the hope that is in him. 
 
 Such are a few general directions, my young fiionds, 
 which, if faithfully attended to, cannot fail to increase youi- 
 usefulness and happiness wliile you continue in the Church 
 militant; and which will lie attended with more blissful 
 results Avhen you are made members of the Church tri- 
 umphant in heaven.
 
 374 
 
 And now, my young friends, in returning from tliis 
 solemn dedication of yourselves to your blessed Redeemei-, 
 and to your vnrious duties in the world, repose yourselves 
 in His might, and thus arm yourselves against every danger, 
 temporal and spiritual. Remember tliat we are rapidly 
 a[)proaching another state of existence, in which the regen- 
 erated spirit lives, and that there are higher spectatoi's 
 than men who shall witness and surround our repentant 
 spirits, and receive them with a joyful welcome. Let us 
 feel also the value and importance of our bodily part, which, 
 though united to dust, is yet created to live for ever. And 
 let us, in future, always conduct ourselves not as foolish 
 and ignorant men, but as the children of the God of the 
 universe, as the brethren of the Saviour of the human race, 
 as in the sight of every being who is great before God's 
 throne, and as in the sight of those whom death has for a 
 while separated from us, but who now look down, with all 
 the anxieties of love, upon the course we pursue, and 
 whose aged or infant hands are preparing for us wreaths 
 of glory, and those ^^alms of peace which shadow out in 
 mercy to our feeble and trembling souls not only the 
 wisdom and the knowledge, but the joy, of the everlasting 
 presence of our Saviour in hyaven. 
 
 (Ill) 
 
 My Young Friends, — 
 
 The Church of England exhibits in her Prayer Book a 
 clearness, and deepness of religious feeling, no where to l)e 
 eipialled exce})t in the Bible itself In that admirabh; 
 book are contained, in all their fulness and simplicity, the 
 great doctrines of the corruj)tion of our nature ; justifica- 
 tion by faith in Christ; the necessity of the renewal of the 
 heart and life by the power of the Divine Spirit; and the 
 paramount obligation to that holiness without which no 
 man shall see the Lord.
 
 87.') 
 
 Observe with Avlijit tciulcr solicitiulf tin; (,"liurcli, in licr 
 services ami ( »! (servaiicCs, follows lii-r inrmbcrs tlirough 
 every step of their earthly pilgrimage, and incessantly 
 watelics over their wants, and interests, and dangers. No 
 sooner is a child born into this world of sin and sunow, 
 than she })resents him in holy baptism, with a most tondi- 
 ing and tender service, to tlie care of the great Shepherd of 
 sonls; signing him witli tlie sign of the cross in token that 
 he shall not be asliamcil to confess Christ crucified, and to 
 fight manfidly under his banner against the world, the 
 flesh, and the devil. After a short interval the Church 
 interposes again, and calls him to go u[) to the liouse of the 
 Lord, and there consecrate himself, by a most solemn ordi- 
 nance, to become the soldier and servant of his lieavenly 
 Master. She next invites hini, weary and heavy-laden, to 
 the table of his Saviour, fur refreshment and strength to 
 his soul and fresh assurances of his pardoning grace. 
 
 Nor does she leave him here ; but i"ullows him into nil 
 the scenes of domestic life. She it is who ties the knot of 
 his family joys. She accompanies him to the sick bed, and 
 administers to him, as he lies there, the sweetest consola- 
 tions. She passes with him into the valley of death, chcei-s 
 him with gladdening promises, and displays to hint the 
 glories of the invisible world. And when, at length, his 
 remains are consigned to the cold earth, the Church stands 
 as chief mourner at his grave, and she pronounces over him 
 the song of thankfulness and hope with her sorrow : 
 " Write, from henceforth, blessed are the dead which die in 
 the Lord ; even so, saith the Spirit, for they rest from 
 tlieir labours." 
 
 The great object, my children, of your coming here this 
 day is to confess your faith in Christ crucified, as he has 
 himself expressly connuanded ; because if you do not con- 
 fess him before men, neither will he confess you before his 
 Father in heaven. This ought to be your first and cher- 
 ished motive for coming thus to Christ ; and the more so,
 
 376 
 
 because it secures to you most important personal privi- 
 leges. 
 
 On this great point, jnucli error and misconception 
 prevail among the multitude round us. Thousands first 
 wait to have the evidences and consolations of i-elio-ion, 
 before they will enter upon the performance of its actual 
 duties. They refuse to fight the battles of the cross, till 
 they have had the satisfaction of wearing the crown. They 
 must first, as they suppose, shout the note of victory befoi-e 
 entering in earnest upon the Christian race. 
 
 This erroneous feeling is hanging like a mill-stone 
 around the necks of thousands ; keeping them back from 
 their duty, and in many sad instances it becomes a fruitful 
 source of gloom and despondency. Instead of going for- 
 ward to their duties as Christ has commanded, they are 
 waiting they know not for what, — but in reality for the 
 Lord Jesus Christ to interrupt the harmony of his plans, 
 and the ordering of his Providence, merely to give them 
 evidences which, in the nature of things, they are not now 
 qualified to enjoy, and which, it is certain, they will never 
 in their present state of feeling and action obtain. The 
 >Scriptural rule is, "in thy light shall we see light;" in 
 keeping the commandments there is great reward. This, 
 then, is a great encouragement to confess Christ crucified 
 before the world : it is indeed the Spirit itself bearing wit- 
 ness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. 
 
 Nor are there wanting other examples equally en- 
 couraging. When, for instance, avo unite ourselves to 
 Christ as the branch is united to the vine, not only 
 invisibly by faith, but visibly to His l»ody the Church, 
 we have the assurance of gaining the nourishment and 
 grace to our souls which flows from him. Again, when 
 we openly in God's Church ratify and confirm our bap- 
 tismal vows, we believe that our Lord meets us then 
 and there, and gi^ants us his blessing in the way of 
 his own appointment. And then when we, subsequently.
 
 r}77 
 
 go luiwaid U) receive the Holy Sucnuueiit of His Sui»por, 
 our faith is confirmed, our lov^e increased, ami our spirits 
 sanctified and strengthened through that solemn ordi- 
 nance. So also, tlie duties of prayer, of reading the 
 Word of God, of attendance upon the preaching of the 
 Gospel, have each attached to them tlicir own particuhir 
 blessing. 
 
 Let me, then, beseech you to i)on<ler this motive ^vell ; 
 to weigh carefully tlui ])rivilege of i)erf()rming this duty. 
 And then to remember, that of yourself only shall you 
 have reason to complain, if you fiimish with spiritual 
 hunger; if your spiritual life is languishing and likely 
 to die, and you fall into o})en apostacy with God. This 
 must follow, if you ]>resumptuously despise those gracious 
 hel|)s which Christ has provided. 
 
 Another motive Avhich should induce you to confess 
 Christ before men is, that you then openly identify 
 yourself with the visible i)eople of God, and increase 
 the moral power of the Church. That Jesus Christ has 
 a Church in this world, you will not doubt. And that 
 this Church is destined ere long to overspread and fill 
 the earth, is clearly revealed. And that this final triumph 
 of the Gospel is to be eftected by human instrumentality, 
 is evident from many considerations. These truths com- 
 bined furnish a reason Avhy you should not hesitate to 
 conanence an active warfare under the banner of the 
 Prince of Peace. There is now, and there lias Ijcen 
 since the fall of man, a fierce conflict raging for dominion 
 over the hearts of men. But yet Christ's Kingdom is 
 to come ; and when you openly avow youi-self a disciple 
 of the cross, you join that noble company of the foithful, 
 on whom the duty rests, and to whom the honour M'ill be 
 given, of ushering in the latter-day glory of Zion. 
 
 It is, my young friends, truly a spectacle of the deepest 
 interest to me, an<l of the richest promise to the Church, 
 to behold a company of youth whose hearts are yet un- 
 48
 
 378 
 
 scathed by long continuance in sin, voluntarily renouncing 
 the vanities and follies of this wicked and perishing world, 
 and taking upon themselves the vows of Christ. Viewed 
 in all its relations, it is a scene of great sublimity. It is a 
 scene on which tlic minister of Christ looks with the de- 
 voutest gratitude, and whi'.-h causes every Christian 
 j)arent's heart to thrill with the purest joy ; on which 
 doubtless, the spirits of departed friends gaze with the 
 deepest satisftiction ; and in view of v/hich the angels of 
 God tune their harps to louder notes of praise. And can 
 we doubt that our blessed Redeemer, sitting at God's right 
 hand, shares in the joy of this holy scene ; and, when be- 
 holding such blissful results of the travail of his soul, is 
 satisfied ? 
 
 Suffer, my dear Ijrethren, a very few concluding remarks 
 on the future progress of Christianity ; or, as our Lord 
 proclaims it, the Kingdom of God upon earth. 
 
 It is a cheering and attractive circumstance in the his- 
 tory of the Divine dispensations, that when a prophet was 
 sent into this world to be the proclaimer of the most 
 precious and effective wisdom it was ever to receive, and 
 to be the author of changes which were destined in the 
 course of ages to renovate its entire aspect, he appeared 
 simply as a teacher of such exalted wisdom ; of a wisdom 
 which aims not at gratifying the curiosity of men, but at 
 elevating their moral condition, and giving a new and 
 exalted turn to all their hopes and pursuits. 
 
 And it is no less worthy of remark that the idea which 
 our Saviour adopted as the foundation of all his views, 
 was as simple and beautiful, as the character in which He 
 appeared was free from all pretension and wordly am- 
 bition. He spoke only of a Father in heaven, who looks 
 upon all his creatures with love and compassion, and 
 whom they ought therefore to regard with those senti- 
 ments that befit children in their relation to a kind and 
 benevolent parent.
 
 This being the foundation upon wliieh our Lord's doc- 
 trine was founded, and hy wliich it is AvlioUy pervaded, he 
 sought ))>' means of it, ih-st, to iniproxe tlie religious belief 
 and worship of niankind ; secondly, to purify their moral 
 conceptions ; and lastly, to regulate all their social and 
 domestic afiections. He taught them to loc^k upon God as 
 their heavenly Father. He told them that the homage 
 which was most acceptable to Him, did not consist in vain 
 ceremonies and superstitious practices, Imt in unfeigned 
 reverence, and love, and trust, expressed by simjtle f<jrms 
 and by a conduct suitable to the purer views by which the 
 followers of His doctrine were to be guided; or, in His own 
 expressive words, that thertime was now come wdien man- 
 kind, over all the earth, were to v/orship the Father in 
 spirit and in truth. 
 
 Nor were the changes which our Saviour sought to pro- 
 duce in the moral duties of the people, less important. 
 For he set before them a Father in heaven, whom it was 
 their duty to honour and love. He thus raised even the 
 most common offices of life into the high rank of services 
 paid to God, and as expressions of devout homage from his 
 children. Hence the whole earth, with all its occupations 
 and inhal)itants, assumed the a.spect of a vast living tem- 
 ple, from which incense and a pure offering might at all 
 times ascend, and thus produce a gradual amelioration, by 
 new accessions of purity in all their views and conilitions. 
 
 In the same way, this renovating power and influence 
 was to extend to all the social relations, and public insti- 
 tutions of mankind. And being all the children of the 
 same Father, Christianity would prevail throughout the 
 world. Kindly charities would be fostered in i^rivate life ; 
 and every human lieing, however ])oor or destitute, woidd 
 at once be regarded by every other as the child of the same 
 Father, and an heir with himself of one blessed immortality. 
 Such are the glorious results which our Saviour sought 
 to accomplish, and has accomplished; and such are the
 
 380 
 
 simple means by wliicli he intended to produce tliem. At 
 the same time, he was fiir from saying that they were to 
 he speedily realized. They were the seed scattered througli 
 long ages of history, and during the whole period of the 
 world's existence ; and they were to be consummated in 
 the terms of that form of prayer which the Lord Jesus 
 taught his disciples ; and which, as it has been in all i)ast 
 ages of Christianity, will continue in all future ages to be 
 the favourite expression of the Christian's hopes and de- 
 sires : — " Hallowed be thy name ; thy kingdom come ; thy 
 will be done in eartli as it is iu heaven." A'nien. 
 
 (IV.) 
 
 My Young Friends, — 
 
 In requesting your attention to the few remarks I am 
 about to make on this solenni occasion, I have to remind 
 you of the deep interest which your s})onsors and other 
 Christian friends feel in your spiritual improvement ; and 
 I desire to impress upon j'our minds a lively rememl)rance 
 of the duties and privileges which we shall have to rcA'iew 
 together at the bar of God. You will exjject me, there- 
 fore, to speak with that affectionate earnestness and truth- 
 fulness which the subject itself so strongly demands. 
 
 The authority on which we receive the holy ordinance 
 of Confirmation, or the laying on of hands by the chief 
 ministers of the Church, is drawn from the Holy Scri])- 
 tures. We find from the New Testament that it was 
 practised in the times of the Apostles. For we read in 
 the eighth chapter of the Acts, that Philip, one of the 
 seven Deacons, — being of the lowest order of the ministry, 
 ■ — went doAvn ivoin Jerusalem to Samaria, and there 
 jjreached Vvatli such success that great luimbers of the 
 )Samaritans believed, and were baptized. But, never- 
 theless, though they thus received the gospel and were 
 admitted into the Church by baptism, there was another
 
 381 
 
 ordinance which they had not received, and which Phinj), 
 as being a Deacon only, had no authority to administer. 
 For, ininiodiately after, we learn that when the Apostles 
 at Jerusalem heard of the ccmversion of so many Samari- 
 tans, they sent thither two of their own number, Peter 
 and John, to fulfd a duty which Phill}) was not em[»ow- 
 erecl to discharge, — namely, to lay their hands upon them, 
 and ]>i()cure the communication to them of a larger mea- 
 sure of spiritual blessings. And so, when Peter and John 
 laid their hands upon them, " they received the Holy 
 Ghost." Here we have simply an important fact in 
 Apostolic history, and yet so recorded as to shew what 
 was the custom of the Church in that primitive age. 
 
 But we know further from Holy Scripture that the 
 " laying on of hands " was much more than a mere naked 
 fact, or empty custom. It was a solemn ordinance, — one 
 of the tirst principles of Christianity ; and, as such, neces- 
 sai'ily of }H'rpctual and universal obligation. 
 
 In an Epistle, — the Ei)istlc to the Hebrews, — which 
 enters more at large into the principles of Christianit}- 
 than any of the others, the writer says, (vi. 1, 2,) " Leaving 
 the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on 
 unto perfection ; not laying again the foundation of repen- 
 tance from dead works, and faith towards God, of the 
 doeti-ine of baptisms, and of laying on of Itamh, ami of 
 resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 
 
 Now here are six things cnumerate<l distinct from each 
 other, and yet all denominated liy St. Paul, "principles of 
 the doctrine of Christ." Two of them may be spoken of as 
 internal graces, repentance and faith. Two of them may 
 be regarded as visible ordinances, baptism and the laying 
 on of hands; while two of them are truths or develop- 
 ments yet in future, or in reserve, and yet of awful moment 
 to every individual, — resurrection of the dead, and eteiiial 
 judgment. 
 
 Now each one of these is declared in Clod's Word to be a
 
 382 
 
 " principle," or lirst principle ' of the doctrine of Christ ; " 
 «nnd all, combined, are declared on the same authority to be 
 fundamental and essential thin&s. We are iio more at 
 
 O 
 
 liberty to reject the laying on of hands, or the ordinance 
 of confirmation, than we are to reject repentance, or faith, 
 or baptism, or the doctrine of the resurrection and eternal 
 judgment. They are all alike declared to be first " princi- 
 ples," — the foundation, — of the doctrine of Christ. 
 
 And here I may observe that confirmation, as practised 
 by the Apostles, and as now administered among ourselves, 
 has been preserved in the Church, and has been continually 
 referred to in ecclesiastical history. Moreover, those of the 
 Reformers who rejected episco})acy, either retained con- 
 firmation or left the most decided testimony in its favour. 
 It is also well-known that Luther, the great leader of the 
 Reformation, retained the ritQ of confirmation, and it is 
 still practised by the large body called Lutherans to this 
 day. Even Calvin himself speaks kindly of confirmation, 
 as an ancient custom in the Church. He states that the 
 children of Christians, after they came to years of discre- 
 tion, were presented to the Bishop in order to fulfil that 
 duty which was required of adults who offered themselves 
 for baptism. The authority for the practice of confirma- 
 tion might be strengthened by many additional proofs 
 v/ere it necessary ; but we shall only add to the many 
 given the authority and practice of our own Church. 
 
 In confirmation, as the name implies, you ratify or con- 
 finn the vows of your baptism. When baptized in your 
 infancy, as the Church contemplates, those vows were first 
 assumed by your parents and sponsors on your behalf; 
 who then promised and vc)wed certain things in your 
 name. And they did tliis, because from your tender age 
 you were incapable of assuming those engagements your- 
 selves. And, as your natural guardians, it was their 
 bounden duty, as they would in temporal matters, thus to 
 act in your stead.
 
 383 
 
 But liaving come to ycirs of discretion, and to a proper 
 understanding <^t' wlmt your ]>areut.s and sponsors proniisr'<l 
 on your bclialf, it now becomes your duty pcrstmally to 
 assume those vows ; the obligations heretofore resting on 
 them, you should now undertake yourselves. 
 
 In the case of those who have been baptized in adult 
 years, and ui)on their own responsibility, conilrmation is 
 but a renewing of that obligation on tlic [tart of the candi- 
 date. It is nevertheless a most solenni and scriptural 
 mode of ratifying and confirming those vows ; and, as all 
 must allow, is admirably adapted to their weighty import. 
 For in a matter of such infinite moment as that of God's 
 covenant of grace with a lost world, all surely ought to 
 be grateful for this fresh op})ortunity of sacredly pledging 
 their fidelity to Christ and his Church. 
 
 We learn from the New Testament, that many of the 
 early Christians received, through this imposition of hands, 
 extraordinary and miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost 
 But so soon as the Gos|)el Avas established upon firm 
 foundations, miracles ceased. Such helps were now no 
 longer necessary for establishing the truth of God's 
 revealed will. Still, however, the ordinary i-enewing and 
 sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit was not withdrawn ; 
 it is necessary, and it "svill be vouchsafed, as long as 
 human nature remains in its fallen state. And although 
 the candidates for confirmation are not now to exi)ect in 
 that ordinance miraculous gifts of the S[iirit, yet coming 
 with the preparation of heart which the Church demanils, 
 they may expect to receive through this, as one of the 
 appointed means of grace, the attainment of that hel]> 
 which will enable them to fulfil their vows. 
 
 You, my young friends, have laid to-day a firm founda- 
 tion, by dedicating yourselves solemnly to God and your 
 Saviour; but you must build upon this foundation ; there 
 must l)e the beautiful suj)erstructure of a religious and 
 useful life. And there nmst be no procrastination, no halt-
 
 384 
 
 ino- between two opinions, no wavering between the hires 
 of the world and duty to God. 
 
 We are all, my brethren, born to sorrow, and born in 
 sin. No one can look back upon his life, without feeling 
 how much he has transgressed, and how much he has 
 left undone. The progress of life has been a series of 
 humiliations, and crowded with anxious fears. A just 
 and merciful God has been continually sinned against, and 
 the day of retrbution is a constant source of alamn. 
 
 Now, my dear young friends, it is when the mind is 
 agitated by such thoughts, that it becomes most sensible of 
 the peculiar adaptation of the Gospel to supply the greatest 
 wants and calm the deepest fears of the human heart. For 
 its o-ood tidings are a proclamation from heaven of mercy 
 a forgiveness to those who have offended, and who, in contri- 
 tion for their offences, have laid hold on the hope set before 
 them. 
 
 Through this proclamation the burden of sin upon our 
 souls is lightened; One, mighty to save, has chosen to 
 undertake it ; it is affixed to, and cancelled by. His cross. 
 This must bring encouragement to the most desponding, 
 assurance to the most timid. They can approach God as 
 a reconciled Father ; and at His right hand is the Mediator 
 who died for them. 
 
 I have lately, my young friends, met with a Prayer for 
 Ike Confirmed which pleased me much, and therefore I 
 shall sul)join it to the exhortations I have addressed to 
 you:— 
 
 "Almighty Father who did call us in baptism, and re- 
 ceive us for thine own children by adoption and grace, 
 perfect, we beseech Thee, the good Avork which thou hast 
 begun in us, and dispose us in this holy ordinance toTe- 
 ceh^e Thy heavenly favour, and seal to us Thy mercy by an 
 increase of Thy Holy Spirit, that, with His mighty aid, we 
 may do what of ourselves we caimot; avoid sin, and keep
 
 885 
 
 Thy coiuiimiiilint'uts, that the th(»u<;hts <»< our hearts, junl 
 the words ol" our lips, ;iuil our outwaifl actions, iiiay Ik? 
 ac'-oi)talih> in Thy sight; tliat \vv may he worthy t<i par- 
 take in the conmuinion of tho body and blootl of Thy Son 
 .lesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist; that wt- may walk in 
 Thy fear, and in tho belief and ho[»e <tf Thy mercy all tln^ 
 flays of our lives ; and at length l»e received into niiin* 
 everasting Kingdom; through the same Jesus Christ our 
 Lord, to whom with Thee and the Holy Ghost, be honour 
 an(.l glory, dominion and powei', henceforth an»l for e\ei-. 
 Amen." 
 
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