_FURTHER TEACHINGS AND HOW THEY ARE ESTIMATED._
After his ordination the new preacher took his place in the pulpit once
every Sunday, and being now a close student of theology as well as of
other subjects, he soon became an eloquent and powerful speaker, and
the entire congregation was delighted with him. The last Sunday of the
national year, Mr. Melvin announced a sermon on "The Ideal Relationship
of Capital and Labor," prompted by the recent trouble at the foundry
between employers and their hands. The preacher of the day said:
"Beware of so-called socialism, for it trenches very closely on the
borderland of anarchism, and after having listened to lectures and
sermons an hour long and read many books upon that much-abused topic, I
am constrained to turn to the teaching of the Man of Nazareth, and find
in that teaching something more rational and common-sense than
elsewhere. In the first place our Saviour recognized property rights
when he said, 'Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto
God the things which are God's.' This doctrine is for the workingman
as well as for his employer, and enables both to procure homes for
themselves and hold them in their own right.
"We cannot fail to recognize the fatherhood of God, and if so then we
must recognize the brotherhood of man, for all men truly should be
such. If you and I have come to that point where we regard every man
as our brother, on the authority of Jesus Christ, the social problem
will be solved, and the capitalist will regard and treat the man who
toils for him as the son of his Father God, and the toiler will regard
the employer as not only his brother, but co-heir with himself to an
incorruptible inheritance. Much depends, brethren, on the exercise of
that charity which translates love. Love one another and you will use
one another aright. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
and there was life as the wounded Israelites looked upon it, so there
is life in a look at the crucified One, and there is more than that,
there is adjustment of relationships between husband and wife, between
pastor and people, between citizens and their chief magistrate, between
capital and labor. I can do no better than lift my hand toward the sky
and utter that little classic, '_Ecce Homo_,' and He is the Man of
Sorrow."
The senior pastor's sermon had a marvellous effect upon the people, and
it was said that the iron workers' difficulty was soon settled on the
Christ principle. The next Sunday being July 1st, the anniversary of
Confederation, the Rev. Mr. Devoau preached a sermon in keeping with
the day, and said "that the Iroquois term 'Kannatha,' which was very
restricted in its meaning, and only signified a collection of wigwams
or huts--a village, we might say--had become corrupted into Canada, but
now stood for dominion power and nationality. The population had grown
into many millions, and the area was 3,750,000 square miles, or nearly
as great as the entire continent of Europe. The mineral and coal
deposits are almost inexhaustible, and the exports and imports the
astonishment of the nations.
"The growth of our cities is simply wonderful. Winnipeg has doubled
its population in five years; Calgary has nearly trebled the number of
its citizens in the same period, while Montreal has become the New York
of Canada. Truly the words of our text apply specially to us, 'He hath
not dealt so with any nation, and as for his judgments we have not
known them.'"
Continuing, the speaker said: "The God who has so wondrously blessed us
since 1867, when a confederation of our leading provinces took place,
expects us to be rational and sane, and stand for unity and
consolidation of languages and creeds, that Canada may show to the
world what the brotherhood of man means and that the Saviour's teaching
has been put into practice upon our ocean-girt shores. A large number
of our people do not know what the term Canadian means. They will do
well to remember that it takes in not only the people of old Ontario,
but the people of the greater Canada beyond, with its diversity of
speech and polity, and no responsible person would say or do anything
that would not tend to weld together the different doctrines and
tongues. If we are true to God and each other we will one day stand in
the front rank of world powers, and our fleets, not of war, but of
commerce, will ride upon every sea. The battle of the Sea of Japan or
Corea proved that battleships were not worth the coal that steamed
them, but our mercantile marine is of priceless value, for it carries
our wares to every land and our commerce into the marts thereof and
into every clime."
Immediately upon the close of the sermon, Mr. Melvin, who had occupied
a seat upon the platform, arose and said, "This is the best sermon to
which I have ever listened; it is truly the teaching of a man who is
saner and wiser than his fellows." Upon the utterance of these words
the vast audience broke into thunders of applause, evidencing the fact
that it was the sentiment of all.
As the summer advanced, Mr. Devoau invited Mr. Melvin to take a trip to
Ottawa with him, as he was going to visit his parents for a day. The
invitation was accepted, and these two kindred spirits started off on
an early train for Canada's beautiful capital, where they were met by
Mr. Devoau, senior, who heartily welcomed the friend and colleague of
his son. As they walked toward the home of the Devoau family, whom
should they meet but the Right Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Prime Minister
of Canada, who was out for a stroll, and with whom the elder Devoau was
well acquainted. Both preachers were at once introduced to the
Premier, who was very gracious and genial. Mr. Devoau said they were
having a day's recreation after their recent teachings. Sir Wilfrid
said: "I will not ask what those teachings were, as I am sure they were
all right." Mr. Melvin said: "They were not exactly like those of the
Scotchman, who was asked if his health was good, and he said, 'I am no
verry weel the day, for last nicht I was teaching the bairnies doon at
the hall hoo to vote.'" Said he, "We are not exactly teaching people
how to vote, but we are trying to pound sin out of them." The Premier
then made the hit of the day when he said, "Get all the sin out of them
and they will vote right."
After a splendid day, during which they visited the noble pile on
Parliament Hill and had a sail in a steam launch on the majestic river,
the pastors of the tabernacle returned to Carsville, where at the Young
People's meeting the senior minister related their experiences while in
Canada's beauty spot, as the capital city might be called. He told of
meeting the Premier and of his friendliness and geniality. "This
country," said he, "has had gentlemen in that position, and it has had
statesmen for prime ministers, but it never so strikingly combined the
two great qualities as in the person of him whose name will be engraven
with a surpassing lustre upon the bead-roll of the nation, and the name
will be that of the Right Hon. Sir Wilfrid Laurier."
Mr. Melvin, who did not feel quite so strong recently, thought of
seeking a much-needed rest in retirement for a time at least, now that
his colleague was immensely popular, and could now handle the entire
congregation, though it never was so large. However, just as he was
preparing for this move an invitation came to him to enter upon higher
educational work, which he at once accepted, saying that, he would
still preach and teach, and would really have a larger field in which
to do good, and the change of air and scene would be as good as a rest.
The people of Carsville expressed much regret at the departure of one
who was known as an admirable citizen as well as an able and effective
minister. Mr. Melvin, however, always told them that he was leaving
with them a man after his own heart.
Before the day of his leave-taking a farewell banquet was tendered him,
at which were appreciative after-dinner speeches, the chair being
occupied by Rev. Mr. Devoau, informally. Abraham Thompson, Esq.,
senior member of the Board, when called upon, said: "I am grieved at
the departure of one who has been everything that I could
wish--broad-minded, sympathetic, and scholarly--one in whom all could
alike trust, ever finding in him a wise counsellor and a safe guide; a
man of splendid mental balance, of unusual wisdom. To say that I
endorse his teachings is not enough; I heartily endorse all of it, and
pray that the Great Head of the Church will bless and keep our mutual
friend, together with his much appreciated partner, unto their
journey's end."
The next called upon was Thomas Edwards, the leading merchant in the
place. He was shrewd in business and a keen discerner of men. He
said: "Though I am not on the same side of politics as Mr. Melvin, yet
in the main I think his teachings are sound and the product of a sane
mind. Personally, I have learned to respect him. I will, like one who
has preceded me, go farther and say I have learned to love him, and
wish him and his godspeed in a ministry which has been a blessing to my
whole house."
The next official was Edmund Garvin, general manager of the foundry,
and a man of intense perception. Said he: "I have noticed that our
worthy senior pastor, whose removal I deeply regret, always stood for
unification in the home and independence, and not only there, but in
the church and nation, and I may say his sentiment is mine. I, like
him, am no hanger-on--only poltroons are that--and no man in his right
senses would be anything but a brother to all the races and creeds in
our country, and in all his utterances our clerical friend has proven
himself not only wise as a serpent, but also a true Christ man. I wish
him and his amiable wife great happiness and success in future life."
The chairman now saw that as the time was getting late they must close,
and said in a few closing words that his colleague had endeared himself
to him, and had done more for him than he could ever repay. "I, like
yourselves, regret his departure, but feel that he is going into a
field of great usefulness, and he doubted not that he would be happy
and prosperous."
Shortly after Rev. Mr. Melvin's departure old Uncle Reynolds, as he was
called, was struck by a pilot engine at the station, and so seriously
injured that he was taken home in the ambulance. He was the most
saintly man in the tabernacle, and Rev. Mr. Devoau, now in full charge,
was sent for. His practiced eye at once told him that the old man's
hour had almost come. Stooping down he said, "Uncle, how is it with
your soul?" and opening his weary eyes the aged veteran said, "It is
well; it is well." Talking for a moment or two with his pastor he
said: "Our dear Bro. Melvin is gone from us, but, oh, how precious are
his teachings! As the result of them my feet are on the Rock of
Ages--the rock of Christ--and I have long since found out that 'all
other ground,' as the sacred bard says, 'is sinking sand.'"
Coming back late in the evening Mr. Devoau said, "Uncle, is there light
in the valley?" and the dying man raised his feeble hand and blessed
his pastor, and whispered to him that he had already been a blessing to
many and the people loved him. Then he said: "Oh, yes, the valley is
bathed in light; for He has said, 'At evening time it shall be light.'"
With these words trembling upon his lips the old man swept through the
gates of paradise, a ransomed soul.
Finished as was the course of this saintly man, yet the great world, as
in all such cases, moved on, and with it the teaching of the new pastor
of Mount Zion.
Speaking to the young people some time after this, he said: "Let there
be no misunderstanding concerning what I stand for, and what we all
should stand for. I am for liberty of conscience, freedom and
independence, along all lines, both religious and national, even to the
granting of home rule to poor, old, long-suffering Ireland, which, by
all means, it should have, and is justly entitled to in this twentieth
century.
"The question arises, How can we best qualify ourselves for the
salvation of ourselves and fellows, and the working out of our destiny
along general lines? I answer, by consecrating our ransomed powers to
the great Arbiter of Destinies, who stands behind all forms and
systems, but ever watchful of His own."
At the conclusion of the address Mr. Henry, principal of the Public
School, arose and said: "I beg that the Young People's Club will place
upon record, and in letters of gold engrave and place amid the archives
of the church, the admirable and fearless utterances of this evening."
Mr. Henry was followed by one who, in the educational world, stood
higher than he, namely, the head master of the Collegiate Institute in
Carsville, who capped everything by saying, "'Pro bono publico,' and as
well as being for the public good, though I am an independent in
politics, I will say that the Rev. Mr. Devoau has the faculty of always
saying the right thing, and his teachings are an inestimable boon to
all classes in this place."
In a few mouths after this the pastor of Mount Zion was honored with a
degree from world-renowned Harvard, and his influence increased, and
his ministry truly became one of reconciliation and power, until the
ever-circling years at last brought near the Age of Gold.