HISTORY

OF

Methodism in Canada.

CHAPTER I.

THE

HE history of the general Church has been written by inspired and uninspired men; and different branches of the Church of Christ have the story of their rise and progress narrated and preserved. The history of Methodism, or the great revival of religion in the British Isles, has attracted and engaged several pens; so has the quick growth and great extension of Methodism in the United States. But the nar

rative of the beginning and spread of that work of God in the country on the north of the St. Lawrence river, and of the great Canadian lakes, has never engaged an author's pen,scarcely an enquirer's research. The materials, however, existed, floating in the memories of the aged, hidden in official and unprinted records, and scattered over scarce books and ephemeral prints. The labour of collecting, arranging, and describing these is now essayed.

The history of the original inhabitants, living on the site of the present Province of Canada, is unrecorded and unknown. The French discovery, leading to the French possession, was in 1534; when Jacques Cartier entered the Gulf of St. Lawrence; and the next year, came up the river to an Indian village called Stadacona, now Quebec, and then proceeded up

to another village called Hochelaga, now Montreal. Friendly relations were first established with the native tribes; next, settlements of French adventurers were formed for trade and defence; and lastly, missionaries of the Roman Catholie Church came to preserve and propagate their faith. Gradually, the French population increased from the Gulf to the Detroit River, until, at the Conquest, they numbered in Lower Canada above 65,000 souls.

The conquest of French Canada by the British, under General Wolfe, was in the year 1759. The treaty of 1763 allowed Great Britain quiet possession of the country, after France had held and nurtured it more than 200 years. So that great tract of country mostly north of the St. Lawrence river and the large inland lakes, called Canada, became and has since continued a province of the British Empire.

The great revival of religion first called Methodism by its enemies, begun in 1739, had, at the Conquest, made notable progress in England and Ireland, and some advance in Scotland and Wales. The Conference of 1763 was the twentieth, the circuits numbered 31, and the members of the Methodist Societies about 20,000. Three years after Canada became a British province, Methodism began in America, in the city of New York. A small number of pious emigrants from Ireland, members of the Methodist Society, came, in 1765, to the city. Among them was a family called Embury, originally from Germany, but now from Ireland. There were four

brothers, viz., John, Peter, Philip, and David. A descendant of the family informed me, that John and Peter were pious men, and used to preach in the German language. They did not live to be very old, and died in the United States. David Embury left his property in the United States, came to Upper Canada and settled in the township of Fredericksburg, on the north side of Hay Bay. He died in 1810, and was buried on his own farm. Philip Embury was a carpenter and local preacher. In 1766 another Methodist family arrived called Heck. The wife of Paul Heck, called Barbara, seeing the Methodists from her own country had far declined in piety, except Embury, deeply lamented their condition. Hearing that they were, on one occasion, engaged even in card playing, she has

tened to the place, reproved them sharply, and seizing the cards, flung them into the fire. She then went to the local preacher, and with great earnestness, even with tears, begged him to preach to the backsliders. "Brother Embury, you must preach to us, or we shall all go to hell, and God will require our blood at your hands." He replied, "How can I preach, for I have neither a house nor a congregation?" Said she, "Preach in your own house, and to your own company first." He consented, and preached in his own room, at first to five hearers only. He continued, the hearers increased, and good fruits soon appeared. Philip Embury was the first Methodist Preacher in America.)

The second was Captain Webb, a barrack master at Albany, (converted three years before in Bristol,) who, hearing of the infant Methodist society, strengthened them in the faith, and in 1769, preached publicly in New York, and on Long Island, in his military uniform. He attracted large congregations, and his word was with power. "The Captain," said Mr. Wesley, "is all life: therefore, although he is not deep or regular, yet many who would not hear a better preacher, flock together to hear him. And many are convinced under his preaching; some justified; a few built up in love."*

(Under the preaching of Philip Embury and Captain Webb, the congregations continued so to increase, that the few Methodists resolved on building a chapel. Accordingly, some lots were purchased on John street, New York, and a house for public worship was erected, 60 feet by 42 feet, and called Wesley Chapel. It was first preached in by Mr. Embury, October 30th, 1768, and his text was Hosea x. 12.

At the Conference in Leeds, 1769, Mr. Wesley mentioned the case of brethren in America:

"For some years past several of our brethren from England and Ireland (and some of them preachers) had settled in North America, and had in various places formed societies, particularly in Philadelphia and New York. The society at New York had lately built a commodious preaching house; and now desired our help, being in great want of money, but much more of preachers. Two of our preachers, Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilmore, willingly offered themselves for the service; by whom we determined to send over fifty pounds, as a token of our brotherly love.

*Wesley's Journals 1773.

Several other of our preachers went over in the following years. As they taught the same doctrines with their brethren here, so they used the same discipline. And the work of God prospered in their hands; so that a little before the rebellion broke out, about twenty-two preachers (most of them Americans) acted in concert with each other, and near three thousand persons were united together in the American societies. These were chiefly in the provinces of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York."*

The two first regular preachers landed near Philadelphia, October 24, 1769, and immediately began the Gospel work. Mr. Boardman took his station at New York, and relieved Mr. Embury of his onerous charge, held now for three years. He found a society, a congregation, and a chapel, ready to his hand. Mr. Pittmore remained in Philadelphia, where he found a society of one hundred persons, gathered and under the charge of Captain Webb, a large congregation, and an intense desire to hear the Gospel. On the first Sunday the new missionary preached in the open air, to above four thousand people.

In 1771, Francis Asbury, afterwards superintendent or bishop of the Methodist connexion in New York and Canada, crossed the ocean, and came to Philadelphia, October 27th. He was born in 1745, near Birmingham; was converted at an early age; a local preacher nearly five years; began to travel on a circuit in 1767; and offered for the American work, at the Bristol Conference in August, sailing from England in September. The first winter he preached in the country, towns, and villages around the city of New York.

The preparatory steps to the American revolution were now taking; and from the shedding of the first blood at Lexington, in 1775, to the formal separation of the colonies from Great Britain, in 1783, confusion and war dwelt in the land. Yet the preachers continued their travels and labours, and did not preach in vain.

On the conquest of Canada, King George IIl. appointed General Murray to be the first Governor of the new Province of Quebec. The French people were promised popular legislative assemblies; but, in the meantime, the laws of England

Short History of Methodists, by Wesley.

were to be in force. With the Governor, a Council of eight was to be associated to aid and advise in the administration of the government. In 1764, a printing press was set up in Quebec, the seat of Government, and the first number of the Quebec Gazette was issued on the 21st June. Scarcely had the English quiet possession of the new country before printl ing was brought in to aid order, intelligence and freedom. As it was found very inconvenient to supplant entirely the French language, laws, and usages, various alleviations were made,much to the satisfaction of the conquered people.

The second Governor was Sir Grey Carleton, who was an officer in connection with the forces in Canada. His appointment was in 1768. The country was peaceable, trade increasing, and the population in 1773 embraced 100,000 French Catholics, and 400 Protestants. The latter class, which comprised the English portion of the population, was composed chiefly of merchants, officers, and disbanded soldiers, and resided mostly at Quebec and Montreal. The Government offered large gratuities of land to the soldiers engaged with Wolfe in the war, viz., to a field officer 5000 acres, a captain 3000, subaltern 2000, sergeant or other non-commissioned officer 200, a private 50 acres,-yet few accepted the offers; for in the rural parishes of Lower Canada there were only 19 Protestants. The soldiers prefered keeping public houses or engaging in mechanical arts to clearing and cultivating the land.

In 1774, the celebrated Quebec Act was passed by the Imperial Parliament. It effected great changes in the mode of governing the Province, and was especially in favour of the conquered race,-allowing French laws for civil cases and settlement of property, and English laws for the use of criminal courts. The Roman Catholic religion was freed from all penal restrictions, and the religious orders were allowed possession of great estates. A governor, with a legislative council of from 17 to 23 persons, appointed by the King, were to form the administration. The English population was very dissatisfied, and complained that they had lost the franchise, the protection of English laws, the Habeas Corpus, and trial by jury in civil cases. They petitioned for the repeal or alteration of the Act; but it remained the foundation of government in Canada for 17 years. This year various persons