New York Conference - Canada District, Joseph Jewell, Presiding Elder. Niagara,-John Robinson, Daniel Pickett.... 'Long Point,-Thomas Madden.. Bay Quinte and Home District,-J. Sawyer, Peter Oswegotchie and Ottawha,-S Keeler, S. Crowell, N. 620 531 47 Members, 1502 In The members on the Niagara circuit are nearly doubled. A revival of religion began in the western part, additional preaching places were established, and the new appointments became the Long Point circuit. Nathan Bangs, who was called out into the ministry by the Presiding Elder, was the principal labourer in forming the second western Canadian circuit. the townships of Burford and Oxford especially there was a great work of God commenced under his exertions, which resulted in the conversion of about one hundred souls. At the Conference he was received on trial, with Thomas Madden, who commenced his labours on the new Long Point circuit, while Nathan Bangs is attached to the Bay of Quinte, having the settled parts of the old Home District as the western limit. A very remarkable circuit, for three preachers, from the village of Kingston to the town of York, a distance, now with railroad, of about 260 miles! That the Home District was really attached to the far off bay of Quinte country is proved not only by the Minutes of Conference, but by an incident recorded, showing that the young preacher was at his appointments in the townships of York and Whitby, which were in the Home District. Nathan Bangs says, "In the year 1803, on January 1st, I left Little York, in order to go down the Lake (Ontario) shore, and had about 35 miles, mostly wilderness, to pass through. About sun set, I came to the house of an Indian trader, where were a number of people assembled from a neighbouring settlement, men and women, celebrating the new year. I had then ten miles further to go, in order to reach the settlement, where I had an appointment to preach on Sabbath morning." The distance of 25 miles from York, shows that he had 66 passed through Scarborough, and was now in Pickering. "After riding about two miles, I came to a small creek, partly frozen, and the bridge so broken I could not cross on it; and neither could I, by any means in my power, though I tried for an hour, get my horse over the creek." It was, doubtless, Duffin's creek, in Pickering, giving a title to a circuit in after years. Being in the woods, the weather very cold, and now night, after considerable labour to no purpose, I was under the necessity of returning to the Indian trader's, it being the only place to which I could go. Desiring, if possible, to reach my appointment, I offered them money, if some of them would go and help me over the creek. This, however, they refused, but said, if I would stay with them they would use me well. I had no alternative, but to accept the invitation, or stay in the woods. They were quite merry, singing and dancing." The place he was to preach in the next morning was probably in or near the site of the present village of Oshawa. The party offered the traveller whiskey, which he declined, but gladly accepted supper, having ate nothing since breakfast. Wishing to be useful, in his present situation, he conversed with a woman, who, he found had been a professor of religion. The conversation attracted other hearers, and he spoke freely of the necessity of salvation. So many gathered round the strange preacher, that the dancing was interrupted. A man vexed came up to him, and said, "Friend, if you will be here, you must be civil; you must not preach.' "The preacher replied, that he was not preaching, but only performing what he considered his duty, and hoped he would not blame him for discharging his duty. The man said, "No; but we must dance." He then persuaded and forced off the company to the dance again. At 12 o'clock, the preacher requested liberty of the trader, who had shown him much friendship, to speak to the company. He then spoke of the Sabbath now begun, and the people agreed to have no more dancing that night. The trader then said, that the Indians he traded with, were in an encampment near, and expected to dance. He could not now refuse, as he had promised, otherwise they would be much offended. So he stepped out and gave an Indian whoop. The Indians immediately left the wigwams, and rushed into the house. Immediately they commenced their dance, which D was performed by knocking on an old frying pan with a stick, every one singing, and moving in a circular direction swiftly; making together a hideous noise. After the dance was over, the preacher, by the trader as interpreter, offered to speak with the Indians. They formed a circle around him, while he spoke directly to the chief. He asked if they knew from whom they were descended. The answer was, That the Good Spirit made one man at first, and placed him on a small island, (about an acre of ground,) that this man offended the Good Spirit, and for which offence the man was driven from the island on to this continent-from him they had all descended." The preacher then gave the true account of the creation and the fall of man. They listened with great attention. He asked if they had ever heard of Jesus Christ. The answer was "No." He gave them the account of Christ's birth, life, miracles, sufferings, death, and resurrection; and the end to be accomplished by all these things. While describing the sufferings of Christ, the Indians appeared astonished. The discourse ended, the chief came and threw his arms around the preacher's neck, hugged and kissed him, called him Father, and asked him to go and live with them, and be their instructor. The simplicity and affection showed, kindled a desire in the preacher for the conversion of the poor Indians of Canada to Christianity, and he became in after years, an earnest advocate for the Indian missions. After the Indians had returned to the camp, and the other company had separated and gone to their homes, a quarrel commenced between the trader and one of his associates. The former, now intoxicated, had lost his self-government, and yet demanded more whiskey, which the latter refused. Twice they drew their fists to fight, and twice the preacher went between them. At last the drunken trader declared that unless he could have whiskey he would call the Indians, and murder them all. Said the other, "Go as soon as you please." He went, called, and the Indians in a body came to the house. There were three men in the house, a woman, and the traveller. The men, armed with cudgels, stood at the door, ready to knock down the Indians as they entered. The preacher shuddered. He feared blood would be shed. The trader opened the door, came in, and threatened that unless he could have whiskey, he and the Indians would fall upon them. "Will you?" said the other, raising his fist to strike. The preacher now stepped between them a third time. Tapping the exasperated man on the shoulder, and speaking a few soft words, he persuaded the man to go to bed. The preacher laid down with him, and he soon fell asleep. The shedding of blood was prevented; and the next morning, the traveller went on his journey.* The Ottawha circuit is joined to the Oswegotchie. Between the two circuits was a wilderness of fifty miles, scarcely with a settler. Thirty years after, the road through the Glengarry settlement in this wilderness, was barely passable on horseback, and the accommodation so miserable, that the preachers travelling through, willingly or not, had to keep a fast day. What must have been the state of things thirty years before? Montreal was visited by Joseph Sawyer, to learn if a preacher could be usefully stationed there. He found a few persons who had belonged to the Methodist society in the city of New York before the revolutionary war, who received him cordially, and assisted him to obtain a place for preaching. A small society of seven members was formed, and a foundation laid for the Methodist cause thereafter. LORENZO DOW'S SECOND VISIT. On his arrival in Ireland, he made his way to Dublin. In July, 1800, he saw Dr. Coke, who offered to send him as a missionary to Halifax or Quebec, but he refused the conditions. Dr. Coke replied, "I don't know but your travelling about may do more harm than the conversion of 500 souls may do good." While in Ireland, he had the small pox. He said, "It appeared no more to me to die, than to fall asleep and take a nap." After remaining in Ireland, preaching, for sixteen months, he returned to the United States. He agreed to take a circuit in 1801, but soon wandered off. His name is on the Minutes for the Dutchess circuit, in New York state, and among those remaining on trial. He took a preaching tour through Georgia, and returned to New England in Sept. 1802, and made his way direct to Canada. Says he, "I swam my horse across Black river, and arrived at Kingston, through Methodist Magazine, 1820. a black, deep soiled flat country; and so muddy, that my horse could but just walk; and for miles together seeing nothing but the wild beasts of the desert." This was the country along the south east shore of the lake Ontario, until he came to the crossing part in the lake to Kingston He went westward, preaching in different settlements, on the Bay of Quinte circuit, and when forty miles from Kingston, he turned back. "I had several dollars offered me, which I refused, lest the circuit preacher (who was supposed to be sick, as he had disappointed a number of congregations) should think I hurt his salary, and this be brought against me at a future day." The preacher must have been Sawyer or Vannest. The people were always more favourable to Dow than the preachers. The clergy have from the beginning expected and desired the Lord to work in the train of their rule and order; but the Most High, asserting his prerogative, has often gone aside, and blessed men by men despised by the orderly preachers of the times, but loved by the poor and ignorant, the outcasts and the wretched. Dow from Kingston went eastward to Cornwall. "I went down about 120 miles, holding meetings as I went; and frequently, only on mentioning Calvin Wooster's name, and the blessing he was to me, people who had here felt the slack of his labours were stirred up afresh, and some would even cry out." He re-crossed the river from Cornwall to St. Regis, an Indian village, or settlement, and passed on to Plattsburgh, on lake Champlain. He was in Canada perhaps three or four weeks long enough to make an impression on the people, to give Calvinism a fight, and to have his name remembered. 1803. The two provinces were improving each year in population, trade and commerce, agriculture and education, and morals and religion. An interesting event now occurred in the history of the Lower Province. Slavery, to a limited extent existed, and had existed since the conquest and during the French dominion. About 300 negroes were slaves in the districts of Montreal, Three Rivers, and Quebec. The Chief Justice Osgoode, at Montreal, now decided that slavery was inconsistent with the laws of the country: a decision which at once gave freedom to every negro, made (with the Upper Canada Act of 1793) Canada a free country to every child |