Short history of the Presbyterian Church in the Dominion of Canada from the earliest to the present time

Preface

A hundred years ago, there were in the Provinces of British North America, which now constitute the Dominion of Canada, about 20,000 Presbyterians and twenty-two Presbyterian ministers. The Presbyterians of the Dominion now number 755,199 and the number of Presbyterian ministers, including settled pastors, professors, ordained missionaries and retired ministers, is about 1,058. Of these ministers all but twenty-five belong to what is called “ The Presbyterian Church in Canada,” which was constituted by the union, in 1875, of previously separate branches of the Presbyterian Church. Fifty years ago, the Presbyterians of British North America had not undertaken any independent Foreign Mission work. Now, the Presbyterian Church in Canada not only carries 0:1 extensive Home Mission operations in the Provinces and Territories of the Dominion, but has established Foreign Missions of its own in the New Hebrides, in Trinidad, in Demerara, in Central India, and among the Chinese in the island of Formosa and the province of Honan ; it has also undertaken a Mission to the Jews. Until the year 1842, there was in British North America no educational institution for the training of students for the Presbyterian ministry, with the exception of the Pictou Academy, which was opened in 1817. Now there are in the Dominion six Presbyterian colleges, one in Halifax, one in the city of Quebec, one in Montreal, one in Kingston, one in Toronto and one in Winnipeg. There are, moreover, three Foreign Mission Colleges of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, one in Formosa, one in Trinidad and one in Central India.

Considering that it was due to the memory of those who planted the Presbyterian Church in British North America and of those through whose labours it has, by God’s blessing, grown from small beginnings to its present extent, it seemed proper that its history should be recorded. Accordingly, a few years ago the author of the present “ Short History ” published a large volume containing the history of the Presbyterian Churgji in Canada, brought down to the year 1834.

IV.

PREFACE.

He intended to publish one or two similar volumes bringing down the history to a later time. This purpose, however, he will, very probably, not be able to accomplish. Meanwhile, he has thought it would be useful to publish an outline of the leading particulars in the history of the Presbyterian Church in the Dominion from the earliest to the present time. Such an outline he has endeavoured to give in this little volume.

Toronto, August , i8q2 .

Chapter I. The Huguenots. I’AGE

The Huguenots i

Chauvin 2

De Monts 2

The De Oiens 3

The One Hundred Associates 4

PAGE.

The Kirks 4

The De la Tours... 4

Huguenot Merchants 5

Revocation of Edict of Nantes 5

Descendants of Huguenots 5

Chapter II. Eastern Provinces — 1713-1817. Cession of Nova Scotia 7

Deputation of Acadians 7

Protestant Settlers 8

Rev. Messrs. Lyon and Kinloch 8

Rev. James Murdoch 9

Protestant Dissenters’ Church 9

Rev. Mr. Fraser 10

Dutch Reformed Church 11

Presbytery of Truro 12

Presbytery of Pictou 14

Presbyterian Union — Synod of Nova

Scotia 15

Unions in Ireland and Scotland 17

Chapter III. Western Provinces and Red River — 1759-1818. Capture of Quebec 18

Rev. Geo. Henry, Quebec 18

Rev. John Bethune, Montreal 19

Rev. John Young, St. Gabriel Street

Church 19

Separation between Upper and

Lower Canada 20

Rev. Jabez Collver 20

Rev. Robert Dunn 20

Rev. J. L. Broeflie 21

Applications for Ministers 21

Rev. R. McDowall, Dutch Reformed. 22

Rev. Daniel W. Eastman 22

Presbytery of the Canadas 23

Red River Settlement 25

Lord Selkirk 25

North-West Company’s Opposition. 26 Massacre of Governor Temple and

party.. 27

Lord Selkirk’s visit to Red River.... 27 An Elder sent to preach, baptise and marry 28

Chapter IV. Eastern Provinces — 1817-1844

Synod of Nova Scotia. Ways of promoting religion 29

King’s College exclusiveness 30

Dr. Thomas McCulloch 30

Pictou Academy 31

Synod’s Claim to Equal Rights 31

Glasgow C olonial Society 33

Synod of Nova Scotia in connection

with Church of Scotland 33

Union Negotiations 34

Disruption of Church of Scotland... 36

Case of Auchterarder 36

Case of Marnoch 37

Ordination in Marnoch by suspended Ministers 3S

Organisation of Free Church of Scotland 40

S}’nod of Nova Scotia adopts a new

name 40

Fraternises with Free Church and Presbyterian Church of Ireland.... 42

Dissent 42

Synod and Presbytery of New Brunswick in connection with Church of

Secession, organisation of a Synod in svmpathy with Free Chinch.... 43

Rev. Donald McDonald. ; 45

Reformed Presbyterian Church 46

CONTENTS.

Chapter V. Western Provinces— 1818-1844. PAGE

Presbytery of the Canadas 48

Appeal for Help 48

Efforts to train Ministers 49

Synod in connection with Church of

United Presbytery organised as

United Synod 50

Government Grant 51

Union of the two Synods 51

Clergy Reserve Controversy 53

Queen’s College 55

Sympathy with non-intrusion party. 56 Discussions and Resolutions in 1844. 57 Disruption, Dissent and Protest...... 59

Outline of Draft Answer to Protest

and Dissent 60

Proceedings of Synod in Sept., 1844. 64

PAGE.

Synod of (Free) Presbyterian Church

of Canada organised 65

Pastoral Address 65

Negotiations regardingProperty and

Re-union 67

Missionaries from United Secession

Church, Scotland 68

Missionary Presbytery of United Secession Church organised 69

Missionary Presbytery becomes Missionary Synod 70

Divinity Hall of Missionary Synod... 70

Niagara Presbytery 71

Presbytery of Stamford 71

Congregations connected with U.

States 72

Chapter VI. Eastern Provinces — 1845-1875. Synods in Connection with the Church of Scotland. Synod of Nova Scotia and Prince

Edward Island 74

Progress 74

Dalhousie College 75

Foreign Missions J6

Synod of New Brunswick 76

Synods unite as the Synod of the

Maritime Provinces.... 7S

Theological Education 70

Foreign Mission 81

Chapter VII. Eastern Provinces — 1845-1860. Synod of Nova Scotia and Free Church Synod of Nova Scotia. Union.

Synod of Nova Scotia 82

Col portage 83

Training of Students for Ministry.... 83

Foreign Mission 84

Rev. John Geddie, First Missionary. 85

Labours in Aneiteum 86

Rev. Geo. N. Gordon in Erromanga. 87

Rev. Messrs. Matheson and Johnston in Tanna 88

Free Church of Nova Scotia 91

Theological Hall and Academy 91

Home Work ; 92

Foreign Mission in Turkey 92

Union Negotiations 94

Basis of Union 95

Union consummated 96

Chapter VIII. Eastern Provinces — 1861-1875. Synod of Lower Provinces and New Brunswick. Union. Synod of Lower Provinces 99

Training of Students 100

Home Mission and Colportage 100

New Hebrides Mission 101

Dr. Geddie’s visit to N. Scotia 102

Last years of Dr. Geddie 103

Synod of Presbyterian Church of

New Brunswick 104

Home and Foreign Missions 105

Union with Synod of Lower Provinces 105

Synod of Lower Provinces, 1866-

1875 103

Divinity Hall 106

New Hebrides Mission 107

Trinidad Mission 10S

Chapter IX. Western Provinces— 1845-1875. Synod of Canada in connection with the Church of Scotland.

Synod in connection with Church of

Clergy Reserves 113

Temporalities Fund 114

Sustentation Fund 115

Queen’s College 116

Morrin College 119

Mission to Lumbermen 121

French Mission 122

Jewish and Foreign Missions 123

CONTENTS.

Vll.

Chapter IX. — Continued. PAGE

Dr. Alton’s collection for Mission to Jews 124

A Missionary Appointed 124

Dr. Epstein at Salonica and Monas - tir 125

TAG£.

Resignation of Dr. Epstein 126

Co-operation with Parent Church

in Jewish and other Missions 126

Juvenile Mission and Indian Orphanage Scheme 127

Chapter X. Western Provinces. [Free] Presbyterian Church of Canada — 1844-1861. Friendly Deputations to the Free

Church Synod 129

Claim to Share in Clergy Reserves. 130 Share in Reserves offered and declined 131

Experiment of Sustentation Fund... 132

Knox College 132

Buxton Mission 136

French Canadian Missionary Society 138

Red River Mission 139

Foreign Missions. Visit of Dr.

Duff 14 1

Rev. Messrs. Stevenson and Laing

invited to proceed to India 14 1

Mission to Bancoorah commenced

and broken up 143

Mission to British Columbia resolved on 143

Chapter XI. Western Provinces. Synod of United Presbyterian Church — Union with Free Church — 1844-1861.

Position and Action of U. P. Synod

regarding Clergy Reserves 145

Divinity Hall 146

French Canadian Mission 148

Foreign Missions 149

Union Negotiations with Free

Church Synod 150

Preamble and Basis of Union 154

Consummation of Union 156

Chapter XII. Western Provinces, Canada Presbyterian Church — 1861-1875. Knox College 160

Presbyterian College, Monti'eal 162

Buxton Mission 166

French Canadian Mission 167

French Colony, Kankakee. Rev C.

Chiniquy 16S

Deputies sent to Kankakee 170

Kankakee Mission 171

Amalgamation of French Missions. 173

Foreign Missions 173

British Columbia Mission 174

Church of Scotland Mission, British

Columbia 175

Red River Settlement 175

Mission to Indians. Rev. J. Nisbet. 176 Indian Mission. Rev. Messrs. Vincent and McKellar 179

Manitoba College and Mission 179

Mission to China. Rev. G. L. Mc- Kay 181

Mr. McKay in Formosa 182

Dr. J. B. Fraser in Formosa 183

Mission to India. Lady Missionaries 1S5

Statistics of Canada Presbyterian* Church 186

Chapter XIII. General Union, 1875. Seven Unions 188

Dr. Ormiston’s Letter— Union Committees . 189

Proceedings of Committees 1S9

Preamble and Basis of Union 190

Accompanying Resolutions tui

Consummation of Union 193

Dr. Cook Moderator of First Assembly 194

Social Celebration 195

Congratulations „ 197

Dissenters 19S

Vlll.

CONTENTS.

Chapter XIV. The Presbyterian Church in Canada — 1875-1892 PAGE

Halifax College 200

Morrin College 201

Montreal College 202

Queen’s College 202

Knox College 204

Manitoba College 204

Home Mission and Augmentation

Home Mission and Augmentation

North-West 207

Church and Manse Building Fund. 209

Mission to Lumbermen 209

Temporalities Fund 210

French Evangelisation 21 1

Foreign Missions 214

North-West Indian Mission 215

New Hebrides Mission 216

PAGE.

Trinidad Mission 216

Demerara Mission 21S

Formosa Mission 218

Honan Mission 224

Mission to Chinese in British Columbia 229

Mission to Central Indi 1 230

Indian Orphanage and Juvenile Mission 238

Mission to the Jews 238

Woman’s Missionary Societies 239

Relation to Churches in Scotland

and Ireland 240

Aged Ministers’ and Widows* Fund. 241

Progress since Union of 1875 241

Ministers not belonging to General

Assembly 242

General Statistics 242

SHORT BISTORT OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

IN THE DOMINION OF CANADA.

Chapter I. The Huguenots

The Huguenots. — The first Presbyterians who attempted to form colonies in America were French Huguenots.* Cruelly persecuted in their native country they were forced to seek refuge in other lands ; some crossed the Atlantic, hoping to find freedom and safety in the New World. It is said that the famous Admiral Coligny contemplated the establishment of a series of colonies of the Huguenots on the banks of the Mississippi and on the shores of the St. Lawrence for the purpose of providing safe asylums for Protestant exiles, and, at the same time, of placing within the grasp of France the vast territories which now constitute the Dominion of Canada and the United States of America. With his sanction efforts were actually made to establish colonies of Huguenots both in North and South America. These, however, came to a disastrous end, and very sad is the story of the sufferings of the exiles, from famine and sickness, from the treachery of Villegagnon, the leader of the expedition to Brazil, and the still more shocking treachery and cruelty of Menendez, who, with his Spaniards, butchered some hundreds of Huguenots who had been induced to surrender to him under false representations.

* In their confession of faith, prepared by Calvin and De Chandieu, and approved by the Synod of Paris in 1559, the Huguenots recognized the Scriptures as the supreme and sufficient rule of faith, professed adherence to the doctrines of grace, and maintained that ‘‘all true pastors, wherever they may be, have the same authority and equal power under one Head, one only Sovereign and universal bishop, Jesus Christ.”

THE HUGUENOTS.

Chauvin. — When Henry IV., King of Navarre, ascended the throne of France the sufferings ot the Huguenots were abated. By the edict of Nantes (159S) they were secured in the possession of their churches, permitted to celebrate worship where Protestant communities existed, and also made eligible to civil positions from which they had been formerly excluded. In these more favourable circumstances several Huguenots obtained from Henry important positions and privileges in his North American territories, then called New France. One of these was M. Chauvin (or Calvin), who obtained a patent granting to him, along with Pontgrave, a merchant of St. Malo, the exclusive right of trafficking in furs, on condition of transporting to New France five hundred colonists. He accordingly attempted to establish a colony at Tadoussac, on the River St. Lawrence, one hundred and thirty miles below Quebec; but he died in 1601, and the few Calvinists, or Huguenots, left in Tadoussac nearly all perished from disease or famine.

De Monts. — Among those who accompanied Chauvin in one of his voyages was a much more distinguished Huguenot. This was De Monts, gentleman in ordinary of the king’s chamber and Governor of Paris. He was a favourite with Henry IV. and was appointed by him Lieutenant-General of Acadia, which then included all the territories from the latitude of Philadelphia to that of the country some distance north of Montreal. There was given to him also the monopoly of the fur trade ; and to him and other Huguenots was granted the free exercise of their religion, on the condition, however, that the native Indians should be instructed in the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church. In 1604 he set sail from Havre. Associated with him were Pontgrave, who had formerly been associated with Chauvin ; Poutrincourt, a personal friend ; and Samuel Champlain, the celebrated founder of Quebec. Besides these were adventurers of all classes, nobles and plebeians, merchants and mechanics, Roman Catholics with their priests, and Huguenots with their ministers. Between the Romanists and Huguenots were re-enacted, on a small scale, the scenes of controversy and violence which were familiar in France. “ I have seen,” says Champlain, “ the minister and our cure attack each other with

THE HUGUENOTS.

their fists upon the difference of religion. I know not which was the braver, or which gave the heavier blow, but I know that the minister sometimes complained to the Sieur de Monts that he had been beaten, and thus they settled their points of controversy. I leave you to decide if this was decent to behold. The savages were first on one side and then on the other ; and the French took part according to their respective creeds, abusing each other’s religion, although De Monts did all he could to keep the peace. These follies were truly a method of rendering the infidel more hardened in his infidelity.” Having crossed the Atlantic, De Monts set up his vice-regal throne on the island of St. Croix, at the mouth of the river which separates New Brunswick from the State of Maine, but soon afterwards removed it to Port Royal, now called Annapolis, on the south of the Bay of Fundy. Under his rule there was a fair prospect of French Presbyterianism taking root in the land. But his power and privileges were of short duration. In consequence of representations of jealous merchants and traders his patent was revoked and the assassination of King Henry (1610) deprived him of the patronage on which success was dependent. Pie retired, therefore, from the government of New France and his removal was a serious discouragement to the Huguenot colonists.

D© Caens. — There were other Huguenots who held important positions in New France during the early part of the seventeenth century. Among these were the De Caens, uncle and nephew. They were placed (1620) at the head of a trading monopoly. During the temporary absence of Champlain, who had been appointed Lieutenant-Governor, the younger De Caen was left commandant at Quebec, where, as an over zealous Presbyterian, he not only assembled his Huguenot sailors for worship but forced Roman Catholics to join them. When Champlain, who was a zealous Roman Catholic, returned, he was offended with De Caen’s proceedings, and gave orders that neither praying nor psalm-singing should be permitted on the St. Lawrence. This caused a revolt on the part of the Huguenots. But a compromise was made : praying was permitted while psalm-singing was forbidden. “ A bad bargain,” said Champlain, “ but we made the best of it we could.” De Caen was equally dissatisfied and

THE HUGUENOTS.

vented his rage on the Jesuits, who had recently come to the country and whom he cordially hated.

The One Hundred Associates. — In 1627 the charter of the trading company which was managed by the De Caens was revoked, and a new company was established by Cardinal Richelieu, Prime Minister of France under Louis XIII. This, which was called “ The Company of the One Hundred Associates, ” was entrusted with the virtual control of New France in commercial, judicial and military affairs. It engaged to bring out not less than four thousand colonists within fifteen years ; to set apart lands for the maintenance of the Roman Catholic religion ; to provide and support three priests in each settlement, and to endeavour to bring the native tribes under the influence of the Church of Rome. None but Frenchmen and Roman Catholics were to be settled in the country. There was to be but one order of priests, and the Jesuits were preferred to the milder and more tolerant Recollets.

The Kirks. — But, while this company was being organised, war broke out (1627) between Louis XIII. and his brother-in-law, Charles I., King of England. An expedition was despatched by the English to seize the French possessions in North America. At the head of this expedition were placed three French Huguenot refugees, Sir David Kirk and his brothers Louis and Thomas. Among the crews were many expatriated Huguenots. Port Royal was captured; Quebec surrendered. Champlain was carried to England as a prisoner of war. Louis Kirk was left in command of Quebec, which, on the return of peace, was restored to the French, and in the command of which Champlain was reinstated.

The De La Tours. — Along with Champlain, when carried to England, was another prisoner of war, whose name occupies a prominent place in the history of New France. This was Claude (afterwards Sir Claude) De La Tour. He and his son Charles (afterwards Governor) La Tour, were Huguenots. They had obtained grants of land on both sides of the Bay of Fundy, and built forts for their defence at Cape Sable and at the mouth of the River St. John. Very interesting is the story of their fortunes

THE HUGUENOTS.

and reverses ; of the capture of the father by Sir David Kirk, of his being taken to England, of the favour shown to him there, of his marriage to an English lady who was maid of honour to Queen Henrietta, of the transference of his allegiance to England, of the son’s loyalty to France, of the conflicts in which he was involved respecting the boundaries of his province and of the sad fate of his heroic wife ; but details cannot now be given.

Huguenot Merchants. — In later tiroes, Huguenot merchants were permitted to trade and remain in New France, but only by special license. The restrictions to which they were subjected were felt to be a source of annoyance on all sides. It is said that Denonville, who was one of the governors in the reign of Louis XIV., and who was a bigoted Romanist, was anxious to retain in the Colony one of the principal Huguenot merchants, notwithstanding his Presbyterianism. “ It is a pity,” said he, “ that he cannot be converted. As he is a Huguenot, the bishop wants me to order him home this autumn, which I have done ; though he carries on a large business, and a great deal of money remains due to him here.”

Revocation of Edict of Nantes.— In 1685, Louis XIV. revoked the Edict of Nantes, and thus constrained hundreds of thousands of Huguenots, who were the most useful citizens of France, to betake themselves as refugees to other lands. This policy he extended to his North American Colonies, in which, as in Europe, it proved disastrous to France while beneficial to England. “There is nothing improbable,” says Parkman, in his History of the Pioneers of France in the New World, “ in the supposition that, had New France been thrown open to Huguenot emigration, Canada would never have become a British Province, that the field of Anglo-American settlements would have been greatly narrowed, and that large portions of the United States 'would at this day have been occupied by a vigorous and expansive French population.”

Descendants of Huguenots. — Since the termination of French rule the descendants of the Huguenots of France, and of the Huguenots of other countries occasionally reappear in the history of British North America; although, from various influ-

THE HUGUENOTS.

ences, they have not all retained their adherence to the Presbyterian principles and polity for which their fathers suffered. Traces of them are found in Lunenburg and River John, in Nova Scotia. Among the Presbyterian loyalists who came to the old Province of Quebec at the close of the revolutionary war, there was a goodly number of the descendants of Huguenots. Among the founders of the Methodist Church were descendants of Huguenots, who, driven from the Palatinate, settled in the County of Limerick, Ireland, and afterwards emigrated to this country. The first and third bishops of Quebec were descended from the Huguenot Montaignes, who found refuge in England after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The pious and Catholic-minded Des Brisay, minister of the Church of England in Prince Edward Island, was of Huguenot descent. Among the descendants of Huguenots may further be mentioned the names of Colonel Mascarene, who was one of the ablest and best governors of Nova Scotia ; of Colonel Des Barres, who, in the eighty-second year of his age, was appointed Governor of Prince Edward Island, and died at the age of one hundred and one ; and also of Baron Masseres, who was Attorney-General of Quebec, and afterwards Baron of the Exchequer in England.

CHAPTER IT.

Cession of Nova Scotia. — By the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) the Province of Nova Scotia was ceded by Louis XIV. to Queen Anne, and thus came into permanent possession of Great Britain. Within the Province of Nova Scotia was included the present Province of New Brunswick, which was separated from it in 1784. The islands of Prince Edward and Cape Breton remained in possession of the French till 1758, when they were finally taken possession of by the English. These islands were erected into separate provinces, but Cape Breton was made part of the Province of Nova Scotia in 1820.

Disaffection and Deportation of the Acadians. -—For

a long time after the cession of Nova Scotia, and while Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island were held by France, the English found it difficult to maintain their authority in the Province. Its inhabitants, called Acadians, who were of French origin and Roman Catholics, were unwilling to submit to British rule. They refused either to leave the country or take the oath of allegiance, and were frequently found in league with the native Indians in armed resistance to British authority. To counteract the disaffection of the Acadians, the plan was adopted of bringing colonists from England and Protestant settlers from the Continent of Europe. The Hon. Edward Cornwallis, brother of Lord Cornwallis who commanded the British forces in America during the revolutionary war, was entrusted with the task of establishing an English Colony. In 1749 he was appointed Governor of Nova Scotia, and brought with him several thousands of colonists, including disbanded officers, soldiers and sailors. He founded the city of Halifax, where he erected fortifications and reorganised the government of the Province. In response to invitations given there came from Holland, Germany and Switzerland upwards of fifteen hundred Protestants, most of whom were settled in Lunenburg, to the west of Halifax. But

EASTERN PROVINCES.

still the Acadians continued hostile to the English. Instigated by their priests, especially by the Abbe De la Loutre, and encouraged by the French, who still held possession of Cape Breton, they constantly annoyed the new settlers and endeavoured to drive them from the country. They could neither be persuaded nor compelled to become loyal British subjects. Their own expulsion from the Province therefore seemed to become a military and political necessity. They were accordingly, in 1755, forcibly removed to the older English Colonies, in what are now the United States of America.

Protestant Settlers. — From these older English Colonies settlers were invited to come and take possession of the lands which had been left vacant by the deportation of the Acadians. To allay the fear which might well be entertained of prelatic intolerance, they were assured, in a proclamation issued for the purpose, that Protestants dissenting from the Church of England, whether Calvinists, Lutherans, Quakers, or of other denominations, should have liberty of conscience, might build meeting houses for public worship, choose their own ministers and be excused from paying rates or taxes levied for the support of the Established Church of England. On these conditions the invitation was responded to. A tide of emigration began to flow in from Boston, from Rhode Island, from Plymouth and from other parts of the older Colonies. There arrived at the same time a body of Protestant immigrants from the north of Ireland.

The Rev. Messrs. Lyon and Kinloch. — A large number of the new settlers were Presbyterians, who, cherishing attachment to the Church of their fathers, made application to the Presbytery of New Brunswick, New Jersey, for ministers or missionaries to labour among them. Their application was successful ; the Rev. James Lyon was sent (1764). He laboured for several years in Halifax, Onslow, Truro and other places in Nova Scotia. Application was also made for ministers to the Associate or Burgher Synod of Scotland,* and an ordained minister

* In 1747 occurred a disruption of the Secession Synod in Scotland, in consequence of differences of opinion respecting- the oath required to be taken by burghers or citizens of corporate towns. One party understood the oath as simply an abjuration of Romanism, but not a recognition of the Church of Scotland, with all

EASTERN PROVINCES.

and a licentiate were sent. Both went to Philadelphia. The minister does not seem to have visited Nova Scotia. The licentiate, Mr. Kinlocli, came to the Province (1766) and laboured with great acceptance for three years ; he then returned to Scotland, having declined calls from Truro and Philadelphia.

The Rev. James Murdoch. — The first Presbyterian minister who was permanently settled in Nova Scotia was the Rev. James Murdoch. Pie was a native of the same locality in the County of Donegal, Ireland, which was the birthplace of the Rev. Francis Macemie, to whom is usually assigned the honour of laying the foundation of the Presbyterian Church in America in an organised form. Mr. Murdoch was sent by the General Associate or Anti-Burgher Synod. He arrived in Halifax in 1766, preached for a short time in the Protestant Dissenters’ Church and then proceeded to Horton, which he selected as the central point of his missionary labours. These were carried on amidst many discomforts. In 1799 he was drowned in the Musquodoboit River, into which it is supposed he fell while suffering from one of the epileptic fits to which he was subject. He is said to have been an effective and accomplished preacher ; a meek, humble, pious man, and firm in his adherence to Presbyterianism.

The Protestant Dissenters’ Church.— The Protestant dissenting congregation, to which Mr. Murdoch ministered on his arrival in Halifax, had been organised in 1749 and had erected a church building on a lot of ground granted by the Government. Its members were partly Congregationalists and partly Presbyterians, and its ministers belonged sometimes to the one and sometimes to the other denomination. Among its Presbyterian ministers was the Rev. Thomas Russell from the Church of Scotland, who became its pastor in 1783. He remained only three years, his position having been rendered uncomfortable by

its abuses, and therefore lawful. The opposite party regarded the oath as not only an abjuration of Romanism, but as an approval of the Church of Scotland with all its abuses, and as a virtual renunciation of the testimony of the Seceders, and therefore unlawful. Those who considered it lawful to take the oath were known as the Burghers. Those who considered the oath unlawful were known as Anti- Burghers.

EASTERN PROVINCES.

contentions between the New Englanders and Scotch, and between the Presbyterians and Congregationalists. He was succeeded by the Rev. Andrew Brown, another minister from the Church of Scotland, who afterwards became Professor of Rhetoric and Belles-Lettres in the University of Edinburgh ; and (1796) by the Rev. Andrew Gray, who remained pastor of the congregation till his death, which occurred in 1826. Mr. Gray is said to have been an able and accomplished preacher. For some time, while suffering from paralysis, the services in his church were conducted by three clergymen of the Church of England, the Rev. John Inglis, afterwards Bishop of Nova Scotia, and the Rev. Messrs. Temple and Twining. In 1815 the Protestant Dissenting Church began to be called St. Matthew’s Church, which name it still retains.

The Rev. Mr. Fraser. — In the Township of Shelburne, to the west of Halifax, a number of families was settled (1764) by Colonel McNutt, a leader of Irish Presbyterian colonists. Here, soon after the revolutionary war, a church was erected, in which officiated for a short time the Rev. Mr. Fraser, a minister of the Church of Scotland, who had been chaplain of the 71st Regiment during the revolutionary war. The early history of the Shelburne congregation is contained in petitions addressed by them to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and to the Right Honourable William Pitt, Prime Minister of England. In addressing the Assembly the petitioners speak of their loyalty to Presbyterian principles, of their efforts to erect a church by contributions out of the ruins of their fortunes, and the expense still necessary to be incurred, and ask the Assembly to authorise public collections in their behalf. In their petition to Mr. Pitt, they inform him that they had taken an active part in the cause of the British Government, in whose battles they had fought ; that in consequence they had to relinquish their property and seek an asylum in their present home, where they had erected a church, and, from the wreck of their shattered fortunes, had endowed and supported the Rev. Mr. Fraser, who had officiated as chaplain of the 71st Regiment during the whole American war ; and that in their difficulties and distress they stood greatly in need of the consolations of religion which they might be