Thornhill, near York, Upper Canada,
August 18, 1833.
My dear Madam,
WE were much indebted to you for your last most kind and welcome letter:
most joyfully was it received and opened, and with peculiar interest were
its instructive and interesting contents perused. So long and so closely
written a letter, however, must, we fear, have been sadly trying to your
eyes; and we fear this the more, as we learn from Miss E. Ford, that you
have recently been experiencing somewhat of failure in your sight. We
know how peculiarly trying this circumstance must prove to one, whose
enjoyments have been so principally derived from this source; and we
tremble at the least intimation of its probable diminution. But we would
still say in the language of the man of God, “But the Lord is able to
give you much more than this.” And, from what you have experienced under
past seasons of privation and discipline, you may still expect that,
should God be pleased to try you yet further in this most painful
visitation, he will not withhold from you that superabounding grace,
which in its blessed issue of spiritual and eternal good is more than
tantamount to the most valued of our other joys. My endeared mother, as
you well know, has been called to the acuteness of the same trial with
yourself; but, O, how sweetly does she bear it—so cheerfully resigned—so
peacefully yielding all to the wise and loving discipline of her kind and
compassionate Lord, saying, in the language of her favourite hymn:—
“All that I prized below is gone,
Yet, Father, still Thy will be done.”
But to return to your letter. Your decision respecting York (now
Toronto), exactly corresponds with that adopted by ourselves; and,
therefore, we have no intention of going there; nor, indeed, any present
intention of fixing in any other place, though many outward circumstances
are far from being inviting. We are sadly cramped together in a wooden
frame house, consisting of only four rooms, and these, owing to the
badness of their construction, peculiarly hot and oppressive in summer
and more than usually cold in winter. Nearly half of our things too are
unpacked, and our landing and other places crowded and littered by the
boxes and trunks, which contain them; in short an air of untidiness and
discomfort meets our long-trained English eye, wherever we turn it, and,
at times, our heart almost sickens at the sight; and, were it not for the
counteracting influence of better feelings, we should adopt some hasty
measure to accomplish a retreat into some situation, which might
authorize the expectation of somewhat more of outward comfort. On Mrs.
M’s. arrival we were in hopes of being settled in a far more suitable
abode, and had, in fact, engaged to take it; but its distance from the
church and the mass of our population was so great, and so many other
inconveniences attended it, that we decided on remaining for the present
where we now are. They promise, indeed, to build for us a small house
near the church, which is to be ready by spring; but their promises have
hitherto been so fallacious, that I hardly know how to trust to them, and
the plan of the building is so small, that I am not without strong
misgivings, lest we should feel it our duty to decline it. And if so we
must either build for ourselves, (seldom either a wise or lucrative act),
or else, in true Canadian style, must turn out and seek other quarters.
The people, indeed, are kind to us, and the attendance on my ministry is
far from discouraging; but if they so little prize the residence and
settled ministrations of a clergyman among them, as to refuse to
accommodate him with a plain and commodious residence,—while for
themselves many of them have built elegant and spacious mansions,—they
must not be surprised, if their miscalculating selfishness terminate in
his withdrawing from among them.
Our temporal matters are encouraging; for living here is so cheap, that
our income is far more than adequate to our regular demands. I have
purchased two cultivated farms of 100 and 105 acres, with clearances of
forty and sixty acres respectively, and out of my savings have already
paid off the first instalment of £250, and in a few days hence shall pay
£150 more; in all, £400; so that, through God’s blessing, we are already
beginning to reap the benefit of our expensive removal, and, without
being over sanguine, we may perhaps indulge a hope, that still further
mercies are in reserve, if not for ourselves, still for our dear
children. We are very rapidly advancing as a province. God has been
very gracious to us in our Lieutenant-Governor, Sir John Colborne, a
pious, discreet, and sound intentioned man. Capital also is gradually
finding its way among us; so that we are beginning to attract the notice
of our jealous neighbours, who see the rudiments of a vast empire rising
up close beside them. And, hitherto, we have been singularly prospered.
A radical party, however, of considerable strength is, as you will
perceive by the public prints, beginning to trouble us: it is headed by
the discontented worthless —. Without this drawback, we might almost be
tempted to exclaim, “O nimium fortunati.” But I must conclude. Our
kindest and united love attends yourself and all your party, and
Believe me,
Yours, ever gratefully,
GEORGE MORTIMER.
* * * * *
It is not without considerable hesitation that I have determined to
insert the letter which follows in the Memoir of Mr. Mortimer, not only
because he might not himself have fully concurred in the publication of
it, but because there may be a difference of opinion as to the expediency
of it. The subject, however, is, in my mind, one of such importance to
the interests of the church in Canada, that I should not think I had done
my duty were I to exclude it; and I am happy to say that, so far as the
subject itself is concerned, I have the full concurrence of some who,
from their experience in the ecclesiastical affairs of Canada, are fully
competent to give counsel in the case, and who perfectly agree with
myself in thinking that a much larger spirit of liberality is necessary,
not only to the extension, but also to the support and prosperity of the
existing church in that country.
There can be no greater benefit to a community, nothing to contribute
more to its general well-being, than an adequately supported and
efficient church establishment. It is the foundation of everything
really good and great, useful and advantageous, honourable and
praiseworthy. It is the grand means of promoting religion and morality,
peace and good order, charity and good-will, kindness and sympathy
between the different ranks in society, diligence and industry,
subordination and allegiance to the powers that be: in a word, everything
that can make a nation happy and prosperous in itself, and respected by
neighbouring countries. The duty, therefore, of making strenuous efforts
for the accomplishment of so desirable a purpose must be apparent to all
who feel the paramount necessity of religion, and to all such, perhaps,
it may be apparent; but the difficulties of every infant colony are urged
in bar against it. These difficulties are fully admitted, and due
allowance made for them; neither is it the intention of the writer to say
one unkind or unreasonable word on the subject; his design is rather to
encourage for the future than to condemn for the past, feeling, as he
does, very forcibly, the circumstances of trial and privation with which
the settlers of new colonies are for the most part surrounded. Bodily
support—food and raiment—must necessarily be had in the first place; but,
except to this, I should be disposed to say, that to no other could a
provision for religion be second; for not more necessary is food and
raiment to the body than the offices of religion to the soul: indeed, the
supply of these wants is equally necessary, and where they are not
simultaneously provided for, but where the former is over and exclusively
cared for, it is more than likely that the latter will be neglected for
years to come. Under the difficulties, however, in which emigrants to a
newly formed colony find themselves, it seems, in the first place, the
plain duty of every state to provide for the support of religion in their
infant settlements, or, where this is withheld, it clearly becomes the
duty of private Christians, possessed of wealth and competency, either
individually or incorporated into societies, to afford, as far as may be,
the aid required.
Happily for Canada much has been done for it in this way; first by the
state, and now by the contributions of a more private and voluntary kind,
and especially by the venerable Society for the Propagation of the
gospel. But a country ought not to be always looking to and depending
upon such adventitious assistance; she ought _at some time_ to rise above
eleemosynary aid, and make an effort to provide for her own spiritual
wants. The enquiry then naturally arises, Whether Canada is, or is not,
become of sufficient age, or standing, or competency, to take upon
herself the responsibility of supporting for her own use and benefit the
services and ordinances of religion? I should unhesitatingly reply, that
it is more than time that a beginning were made to throw off the state of
childhood and reliance, and to assume that of manhood and independence.
But are there to be found in Canada more than _a very few_ towns, and
those too only of the first class, that have taken upon themselves to
provide altogether for their own church establishments? Wherefore?
Because there are not more that are capable of doing so? I fear this
would not be found to be the real state of the case. Mr. Mortimer’s
statement is much more likely to be the correct and faithful one. I feel
assured that there are many towns or townships which might have done much
more than they have towards this great and honourable work. What! shall
the Presbyterians, the Independents, the Roman Catholics, in towns of a
second-rate class, support entirely their own churches and ministers, and
shall Episcopalians constitute the lagging party, the one most backward
in this most blessed and holy work;—nay, shall the American
Episcopalians, dwelling on the very borders of Canada, and therefore
little differing in their circumstances from those living in the colony,
support their own religious establishments, and shall the English
Episcopalians be found deficient? Surely this does not speak much either
for the liberality or the churchmanship of our Canadian countrymen. If
we claim a pre-eminence for the reformed and catholic Church of England,
all the members of that Church should be pre-eminent in their attachment
to, and zealous in their support of it; they should not be behind any
others in their gifts and graces, waiting for the coming of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
Let every reader, then, of Mr. Mortimer’s Life, ask himself, have I done
what I could? Have I contributed liberally, with a willing mind,
according to my ability, towards the erection, enlargement, or in giving
comfort and convenience, and a suitable appearance to my church? Do I
dwell in my ceiled house, while the house of God lies waste? Am I
anxious to see all things about the house of God and the services of
religion done decently and in order? And do I take my share in the
management of the secular affairs of the church? Am I sufficiently
anxious to promote the comfort and well-being of my pastor? If he have
sown unto me _spiritual things_, is it a great matter that he should reap
my _temporal things_? More than persuaded, confident I am, that if every
member of the church of England in Canada would seriously lay this
subject to heart and urge upon himself the great duties connected with
it, much more would be done there to promote her interests, and to make
her independent of all extraneous aid. All might contribute more than
they do; some in money, some in lands, and they who could give neither,
might give of the produce of their lands, or the fruits of their labour,
or occasionally their labours to assist in tilling their pastor’s
grounds, or in planting and cultivating their gardens. Depend upon it,
that he who feels adequately the real benefits and blessings of being
taught in the word, _will minister unto him that teacheth in all good
things_. Pastors should not be unreasonable, and, if they be
right-minded, they will have no wish to lay unnecessary burdens upon
their people: but their people, if their minds be duly influenced by
religion, will be as desirous to provide for them, free of all charitable
support, as to maintain their own families in perfect independence.
Besides, the good Churchmen of Canada should really consider the many and
great calls now made upon that source from whence their church receives
its chief support; I mean, the Society for Propagating the Gospel. It
has only been by renewed efforts and extraordinary exertions that the
society has been able to maintain so great an expenditure in Canada;
perhaps, too, at the expense of withholding very important help from
other needy parts of our extensive colonial possessions; and it is not
reasonable, nor generous, nor just, to require assistance one moment
beyond what is absolutely necessary. Every township, therefore, in the
colony should begin, with as little delay as possible, to make its own
provision for the public worship of God.
Verily, earnestly do I pray that the foregoing remarks, together with the
letter of my late dear friend, which has elicited them, may be kindly
received, deeply felt, and earnestly followed, not only by good
resolutions, but by personal and immediate exertions for the gradual
accomplishment of a work so truly honourable to those who promote it, so
fraught with blessings to generations yet unborn, and so full of glory to
God.