INDEX. (continued 14)

Pelletier, Hon. Honoré Cyrias, Puisné Judge of the Superior Court of the province of Quebec, with place of residence at Rimouski, was born at Cacouna, in the county of Kamouraska, on the 28th November, 1840, from the marriage of François Pelletier, farmer, and Françoise Caron, who lived in Cacouna, and removed later on to St. Arsène, county of Temiscouata. Justice Pelletier was educated at the Seminary of Quebec, and graduated bachelier-ès-lettres et ès-sciences at Laval University, where he also followed the law course for three years. He then entered the law office of L. G. Baillairgé, in Quebec, and was called to the bar of the province on the 8th of October, 1866. He practised his profession in Quebec, forming partnerships successively with A. Benoit, H. J. J. Duchesnay, and J. E. Bédard. In 1879 he was made a Queen’s counsel; and was elevated to the bench on the 12th of April, 1886, on the death of the late Judge Mousseau. Judge Pelletier was married twice, the first time to Tharsile Gourdeau, a daughter of F. Gourdeau, who was harbor master of Quebec, in 1869; and the second time to Célina Moraud, a daughter of J. B. Moraud, N.P., of Lotbinière, in 1877.

Fizét, Louis Joseph Cyprien.—This well known French Canadian poet was born in Quebec, on the 3rd October, 1825. His mother was Mary Powers, of London, England, daughter of an officer of the Royal navy; and his father the Hon. Louis Fizét,—descended from an old French family which left Dieppe, in Normandy, in 1656, and settled in Canada,—held several important official positions, including that of district judge for the district of Gaspé, and took an active and influential part in the political events that occurred in the district of Quebec anterior to the year 1840. He died in January, 1867. At a meeting of the bar of Lower Canada, held in the city of Quebec, on the 8th of that month, Hon. Charles Alleyn being in the chair, the following resolution, amongst others, was unanimously adopted: “Proposed by the Hon. J. N. Bossé, seconded by Charles J. Holt, Esq., Q.C., and resolved, that this section of the bar believes it to be its duty to render homage publicly to the memory of the deeply lamented Hon. Louis Fizét, to his virtues as a citizen, upright and honorable, who has given universal satisfaction in the fulfilment of the duties of the various public offices which he has filled, and who has deserved from all the highest testimonials of esteem in his public and private life by his constant affability, courtesy, and kindness of heart.” Louis Joseph C. Fizét, the subject of our sketch, received his education at the private school of the celebrated Doctor Wilkie, and subsequently at the Seminary of Quebec, where he had for professors, among others, the Rev. Alexandre Taschereau, who is now his Eminence Cardinal Taschereau; the Rev. Jean Langevin, now his Grace the Bishop of Rimouski; and the Rev. M. Bouchy, a distinguished French professor of rhetoric. At this latter institution he exhibited a more than ordinary aptitude and taste for literature, which evinced at this early period, that he was likely to shine as a literary man of ability later on, and which expectation has since been fully justified. As an instance of his early taste for literature, at the age of twelve years he wrote a story entitled “Vincent, le Naufragé,” the fruit of his young imagination, though distantly connected with Robinson Crusoe. When the manuscript was concluded, he would not be satisfied until he had illustrated it with colored designs, showing his hero in various adventures, and then bound it with his own hands. This early effort, though far from being a masterpiece, showed the bent of his mind at that early age. Mr. Fizét has travelled through Europe, and is well acquainted with all its more important cities, hence his natural talents have had the advantage of development through observation of the habits and customs of peoples of many different nationalities. While in Dieppe, in Normandy, France, he called on the mayor of that city, who courteously gave him an opportunity of consulting its archives. He there found the certificate of birth of the founder of his family in Canada, to whom he had traced his origin by means of certain documents and the registers of births deposited in the archives of Quebec. The certificate of birth of his ancestor, found at Dieppe, is in the following terms: “Le 31 août, 1635, est né dans cette ville Abraham, fils d’Abraham Fizét et de Catherine de la Brecque, nommé par Jacques de la Brecque et Catherine de Caux, lesquels ont signé.” This certificate satisfied him that his family name ought to be spelled thus: “Fizét,” and not Fiset. He studied law under the Hon. Ed. Bacquet, who was later appointed one of the justices of the Superior Court, and the Hon. Charles Alleyn, Q.C., and at one time provincial secretary of the united provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, and was duly admitted to the bar on the 24th of November, 1848. In 1849, like many of the young men of that time, he took an interest in politics, and was an ardent admirer of the late Sir L. H. Lafontaine, then at the head of the Lafontaine-Baldwin administration. On the day following the burning of the parliamentary buildings at Montreal, by an infuriated mob, he took passage for that city, then in the greatest agitation, and with many others, offered his services to the government to assist in the maintenance of order; but Lord Elgin, at that time governor-general of Canada, being averse to the arming of the citizens, his offer was not accepted. On that memorable occasion he wrote the following extemporaneous song which has remained in the possession of one of his then youthful friends, and which indicates the excitement prevailing at that period:

I.

Voyez venir la horde meurtrière . . .

Voyez venir les bourreaux de trente-huit!

Ils ont lancé la torche incendiaire

Contre nos toîts dans l’ombre de la nuit!

Chœur.

Serrons nos rangs, luttons contre l’orage . . .

Soyons unis, vaillants comme autrefois!

Courons, courons arracher à l’outrage

Nos saints autels, notre langue et nos lois!

II.

O Liberté qu’insulte leur audace!

C’est en ton nom qu’on veut nous égorger! . . .

Fille du ciel, protège notre race . . .

Accorde-nous l’honneur de te venger!

Serrons nos rangs, etc., etc.

III.

Vaincre ou mourir! fut le grand cri de guerre

Que nos aïeux ont cent fois répété . . .

Vaincre ou mourir! . . . Au sein de l’Angleterre

Qu’il retentisse! . . . il sera respecté!

Serrons nos rangs, etc., etc.

Later on, when the war feeling was at its height in Canada, and when hostilities were expected to break out between England and the United States on account of the Trent affair, he contributed to form a drill association, for the purpose of raising volunteer regiments, to assist the regulars in defending the country. One of the associations was called “Les Chasseurs de Québec,” and he wrote for them the following song, so far inedited:

Le Chant des Chasseurs.

I.

Entendez-vous ces cris de rage?

L’aigle du nord, vainqueur là-bas,

Vient assouvir sur ce rivage

La mort qui le pousse aux combats!

Marchons! sa haine héréditaire

Nous vaudra de nouveaux lauriers . . .

Pour nos autels, pour nos foyers

Soyons un peuple militaire!

Chœur.

Ce bruit sourd qu’apporte le vent,

C’est la voix du canon qui tonne! . . .

A la baïonnette . . en avant!

Pressons le pas; la charge sonne!

Pour chasser les envahisseurs

Soyons chasseurs! Soyons chasseurs!

II.

Dans la paix vous trouviez des charmes,

O vous, qui révez le bonheur!

Mais, Dieu le veut! l’appel aux armes

Nous guide au sentier de l’honneur . . .

Amis, nous sommes de ces races

Que la peur ne flétrit jamais!

Anglo-Saxons, Normands Français,

De nos aïeux suivons les traces!

Chœur.

Ce bruit sourd, etc., etc.

III.

Gloire à toi, jeunesse intrépide,

A toi le poste du danger;

Déjà ton cœur bat, plus rapide,

Du noble espoir de nous venger!

La paix énervait ton courage . . .

Méprisant un lâche repos,

Tu l’as compris, les vrais héros,

Eclairs, jaillissent de l’orage!

Chœur.

Ce bruit sourd, etc., etc.

IV.

L’Américain ne fera guère

Dans nos hameaux un long séjour;

Nos pères l’ont vaincu naguère

Leurs enfants le battront un jour!

Fils d’Albion, fils de la France,

On veut en vain vous asservir!

Soyons soldats! plutôt mourir

Que de perdre l’indépendance!

Chœur.

Ce bruit sourd, etc., etc.

Some time after, he was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the reserve militia. His intention had been to devote his life to politics, and the practice of his profession, having adhered for some time in politics, to the views of the late Hon. Joseph Cauchon, subsequently lieutenant-governor of Manitoba; but in 1861, he was offered, by the administration of Sir George Cartier, and accepted the office of joint prothonotary of the Superior Court, and still retains the position. Having exhibited such a taste for literature in his early youth, it is not surprising to find him with a strong tendency to poetry, which was developed so far that he is familiarly known as one of the poets of Lower Canada, for he has written some of the most graceful poems and lyrics published in this country. Upon the occasion of the visit of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to Canada in 1860, M. Fizét was invited by Sir Hector Langevin, at that time mayor of Quebec, to compose the ode of welcome for that city to the young prince, which was much admired, and for which he was complimented and received the thanks of our good Queen’s son. Mr. Fizét was jointly with the Hon. M. A. Plamondon, the founder of the Canadian Institute of Quebec (“l’Institut Canadien de Québec”) of which he afterwards became president, and for several terms subsequently held, and still holds, the office of honorary president. In 1856, while holding this office, he offered thirty pounds for the best essay on the subject: “Quels seraient les moyens à adopter pour créer en Canada une littérature nationale.” In 1878, he also put up to competition a prize of twenty-five pounds, to be adjudged by the said institute for the best essay on the following subject: “Eloge de l’agriculture; de l’état de l’agriculture dans la province de Québec; des moyens à prendre pour en activer le progrès.” Hon. Senator Fabre, at present Canadian agent in Paris, France, in a public lecture delivered in Quebec, said, regarding the subject of this sketch, Mr. L. G. C. Fizét, “Imagination charmante, au vol gracieux; poète délicat, au vers élégant.” Most of his published poems have appeared in La Ruche Littéraire, Les Soirées Canadiennes, La Littérature Canadienne, Le Foyer Canadien, Le journal de l’Education, and some of the leading French journals. The following extracts from “L’Histoire de la Littérature Canadienne,” by Lareau, of Montreal, may possibly tend to show the high repute in which M. Fizét is held in that city. In 1867, Mr. Fizét obtained the silver medal, at a poetical competition, opened to all comers, by the Laval University, on the following subject, viz., “The Discovery of Canada.” The competitors were numerous, and the report of the jury, speaking of his poem, read as follows; “A happy variety of rhythm, adapted with great art to the different parts of the subject, a great elevation of style and ideas, life and brilliancy, real lyrical inspiration which sustains itself nearly from one end of the poem to the other. The first two chants have merited a very particular mention for their loftiness of ideas, and the sustained beauty of the versification.” In 1873, M. Fizét was preparing a complete edition of his poems and lyrics, most of which were unpublished when his manuscripts were burnt and lost in the Court house of Quebec, which was destroyed by fire on the 1st of February, of that year. Ever since, his numerous official and other occupations have prevented him from devoting any of his time to the restoration of his lost manuscripts, and the further culture of literature, but with the high commendation he has so deservedly received, emanating from the source it does, it may well be remarked, that Quebec, with honest pride, gratulates itself that she possesses such a poet and scholar in one of her sons, as we find the subject of our sketch, who in various situations, some of them very trying, as we are told, has always shown a kindly disposition, a high sense of honor, a remarkable combination of powers, great sagacity, integrity of motive, energy of character and undaunted will-power as testified by general report. His motto is, “Fais ce que dois, advienne que pourra.”

Kilgour, Robert, Paper Bag Manufacturer, Toronto, was born at Beauharnois, province of Quebec, on the 29th April, 1847. His father, William Kilgour, was a native of Edinburgh; and his mother, Ann Wilson, a native of Loch Winnoch, in Scotland. Both came to Canada while young, and after marrying settled in Beauharnois, where Mr. Kilgour carried on the carpenter and building trade. Robert received his education at the public school of his native town, and when a lad entered the office of Messrs. Molson, of Montreal, where he remained for some time. He then came to Toronto, and became book-keeper for Livingston, Johnson and Co., wholesale clothiers, and here remained until 1870. He then returned to Montreal, and went into the paper bag business in partnership with J. C. Wilson, and on the expiration of this partnership, in 1874, returned to Toronto and established, with his brother, Joseph Kilgour, the business of Kilgour Brothers, paper bag manufacturers, who are now carrying on the largest business of its kind in Canada. Mr. Kilgour is a very active citizen, and takes part in everything tending to elevate the race. For a number of years he has been treasurer for the Young Men’s Christian Association, and is also connected with several other benevolent institutions. In politics he is a Reformer; and in religion a member of the Presbyterian church. On the 15th July, 1886, he was married to Clara, daughter of the late William Govan, manufacturer, who for a number of years was one of Glasgow’s (Scotland) greatly respected magistrates.

Casgrain, Thomas Chase, Q.C., LL.D., M.P.P., Advocate and Professor of Criminal Law at Laval University, Quebec, was born in Detroit, Michigan, on the 28th of July, 1852. He is descendant from one of the oldest French families in Canada. His paternal ancestors belonged to an ancient family at Ervault, in Poitou, France. The first who came to Canada was Jean Baptiste Casgrain, an officer in the French army, who landed about 1750. His son, Pierre, was lord of the Seigniories of Rivière Ouelle and L’Islet. Maternally he is descended from Jacques Babie, an officer of the Regiment of Carignan-Salières, who landed in Quebec in 1665, and whose descendants of that name have occupied high and responsible positions in the country. His grandfather was the late Hon. Charles Eusèbe Casgrain, lieutenant-colonel, unattached, who sat for Cornwallis in the Lower Canada Assembly from 1830 to 1834, was a member of the Special Council of Lower Canada from 1838 to 1840, and at his death held the office of assistant commissioner of Public Works of Canada. His father, the Hon. Charles Eugène Casgrain, C.M., M.D., is one of the senators of the Dominion. He was educated in Quebec, and studied medicine in McGill College, Montreal. He began the practice of his profession in Detroit, U.S., in 1851, but removed to Sandwich in 1856, and now resides at Windsor. He has held various prominent positions in his country; and was created a knight of the order of the Holy Sepulchre in 1884. He was called to the Senate in 1887. His mother is Charlotte Mary Chase, a daughter of the late Thomas Chase, of Detroit, Michigan, and Catherine Caroline Adelaide Bailli de Messein, of Quebec. Thomas, the subject of our sketch, is the eldest son of this union. He was educated in classics at the Quebec Seminary, in Quebec, where he graduated with high honors in 1872, having stood at the head of his class for five years. In mathematics, sciences, moral philosophy, at Laval University, Quebec, and law, also at Laval, where he graduated a master-in-law (licencié en droit), summa cum laude in June, 1877, carrying off the Dufferin medal for that year. He was called to the bar in August, 1877, and settled in Quebec, where he began the practice of law in partnership with Col. Guillaume Amyot, M.P., whom he left in 1881 to join the extensive law firm of Langlois, Larue, Angers & Casgrain. Mr. Langlois having died, and Mr. Larue having been appointed a judge of the Superior Court, Mr. Casgrain, in 1887, on his appointment as a Queen’s counsel, became the senior partner of the firm of Casgrain, Angers & Hamel, which has one of the most extensive practices in the district of Quebec. He was appointed a member of the Law Faculty of Laval University in October, 1878, and its secretary in November of the same year. He was also appointed professor of Criminal Law in the same institution, and granted the degree of Doctor of Civil Law in October, 1883. He represented the Crown in Quebec with the late Judge Alleyn, at two terms of the Court of Queen’s Bench, criminal side, in 1882, and was deprived of the office by Attorney-General Loranger, because his views did not agree with those of the government on the sale of the North Shore Railway to Mr. Sénécal. He was junior counsel for the Crown at the trial of Louis Riel and other rebel leaders, at Regina, in July and August, 1885. Mr. Casgrain was chairman in 1879 and 1880 of the Cartier Club, a political organization; and is now one of the directors of the Conservative Club of Quebec. He was elected a member of the Legislative Assembly of the province of Quebec in October, 1886, by 196 of a majority, after a severe contest in which the Riel cry was worked to its utmost. His opponent was the Hon. Pierre Garneau, the leader of the Parti National. He is a strong Conservative. He was offered the position of stipendiary magistrate for Alberta, when it became necessary to appoint a French magistrate, but he declined the honor. Mr. Casgrain is a nephew of the Abbé H. R. Casgrain, a celebrated French Canadian writer, and of P. B. Casgrain, Q.C., member of the House of Commons for l’Islet. He married, in Quebec, on the 15th May, 1878, Marie Louise, eldest daughter of the late Alex. LeMoine.

McDonald, Alexander Roderick, River du Loup (en bas), province of Quebec, Superintendent of the Quebec and St. Flavie District of the Intercolonial Railway, and President of the Temiscouata Railway Company, River du Loup (en bas), Quebec, was born on the 9th of August, 1846, at Montreal. His parents were James Ronald McDonald, and Adèle Quevillon. He was educated at St. Hyacinthe College, and went through the classical course. Mr. McDonald entered the railway service, April, 1864, as station master on the Grand Trunk Railway, from which position he retired in October, 1871, to enter mercantile business in Kamouraska, Quebec province; but in January, 1880, he again entered the railway service as assistant superintendent of the Intercolonial Railway. In October, 1881, he was promoted to be the district superintendent of the same road, which position he now holds. In January, 1885, he formed a company for the construction of a line from River du Loup, Quebec, to Edmundston, in New Brunswick, under the name of the Temiscouata Railway Company, of which he was elected president, and which office he has held since. This line is now in an advanced state of construction, and will be completed in the fall of 1887. In politics, Mr. McDonald is a Liberal-Conservative, and in religion, a member of the Roman Catholic church. He has been twice married. First on September 14th, 1866, to A. Blondeau, of St. Paschal, who died 10th of February, 1873; and secondly, on May 16th, 1881, to Marie Langevin, of Quebec, sister of Sir Hector L. Langevin, minister of Public Works of Canada, and of his Lordship the bishop of Rimouski.

Clark, Rev. W. B., Quebec.—This worthy divine was born at Biggar, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on January 27th, 1805. His father was William Clark, a respectable country merchant, who died when his son was only two years old. Thus in the providence of God the charge of a family of six devolved on his widow, Janet Brown, who did her best to bring them up in the fear of the Lord, to provide for their wants, and give them a good education. William was educated chiefly at the parish school of Biggar, where he obtained a knowledge of the elements of Greek, with a pretty accurate and extensive knowledge of Latin. But when he was ready to go to college, in consequence of family reverses he could not be sent. He remained some time at home therefore, and got a still more extensive acquaintance with the Latin classics. But he was anxious to do something for his own support, and betook himself to teaching. By the assistance of James Hogg, the “Ettrick Shepherd,” he was enabled to open a small school in the parish of Yarrow. Mr. Hogg kindly provided a school-room, with an apartment and free board for the teacher in the farm house of Mont Benger. This farm was rented by the poet, and was situated about a mile from the cottage of Altrive Luke, where he resided, and the house was occupied only by a servant, who looked after the cattle, etc. At that time Mr. Hogg had no children of his own old enough to be instructed, but he interested himself in this school partly for the accommodation of the neighbors, and partly, perhaps, from kindness to the young teacher, who had been introduced to him the year before by Henry Scott Riddell, who afterwards married his sister—the Eliza of one of his popular songs. During his leisure hours, Mr. Clark wrote a tale, which he showed to the shepherd, who made a large addition to it, and published it in Constable’s Magazine, and generously gave the money paid for it to the young teacher. At the close of April, when some of the young people had to resume field work, the school at Mont Benger had to be broken up; but Mr. Clark found employment at Manor, in Peeblesshire, where two farmers, for their own children’s sake, organised a school, in the house of one of whom—Mr. Murray, of Cademuir—the teacher was kindly and freely boarded. In the beginning of November, 1822, Mr. Clark entered the University of Edinburgh, having saved money enough to pay all personal and college expenses during the session. On going to Edinburgh, Mr. Hogg furnished him with a letter of introduction to Professor Pillans, who treated him very kindly and presented him with a free ticket to his class. In this class he gained two prizes, one on the direct and indirect forms of speech, and another for superiority in private studies. At the close of the session he returned to his old employment at Manor, where he remained till the following November, when he went home to Biggar, where he taught a short time, and then accepted a school at Roberton, in Lanarkshire. About this time his mother died, and shortly afterwards, his own health failing, he returned to Biggar, and spent the summer and fall in teaching a son of Mr. Gillespie, Biggar Park. At the opening of the college session of 1824, he had not saved money enough to support himself and pay the necessary college expenses; but an old lady, a friend of the family, lent what was necessary to make up the deficiency. During this session, he seems to have devoted his energies chiefly to Latin, and gained a prize for an essay on the eighth satire of Juvenal. At the close of this session he received an appointment as tutor in a large boarding school at Eddleston, in Peeblesshire, where he remained for eighteen months. It was here that a favorable change took place in his spiritual condition. He had for a long time had doubts and difficulties on the subject of religion; but at this time, after a careful study of “Chalmers’ Evidences of Christianity,” his doubts were removed, his difficulties solved, and he became a believer in revealed truth, so far as the exercise of the intellectual faculties could make him so. From this time he had a deep conviction that the reading of the heathen classics had deeply injured his moral and spiritual condition. The contempt which an intelligent mind cannot but feel for the heathen mythology, seems to have confirmed his doubts in regard to religion altogether. And it is indeed surprising that Christian people should encourage the study of the heathen classics to the neglect of the ancient Christian classics. In this way we believe that unspeakable mischief is done. And there is no excuse for it; for some of the ancient Christian classics wrote sufficiently pure Greek and Latin. We have often been surprised that the dialogue entitled Octavius, of Minutius Felix, and the letters of Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, should not have been generally introduced into our schools and colleges. Their latinity is beautiful, and their religious and moral teaching such as cannot fail to exercise a beneficial influence on all who read them with attention. The same thing may be said in regard to the writings of Justin Martyr, whose Greek, if not so pure as that of Xenophon or Plato, is sufficiently good for all practical purposes. His first Apology, addressed to the emperor Antoninus Pius, is especially valuable, and ought to be read by all students of divinity. On leaving Eddleston, at the end of October, 1826, he had saved money enough to pay the little debt which he had contracted the year before, and to meet all his expenses during the ensuing session at college. But before returning to Edinburgh, a friend had procured for him abundance of private teaching, so that he had now money enough and to spare. From this time he had private teaching enough, so that he no more required to lose a session at college. But what was of more importance, his faith in the glorious truths of the gospel was now confirmed, and he was growing slowly in grace and Christian experience. In 1828, Mr. Clark entered the Divinity Hall the same year in which Dr. Chalmers came to the University of Edinburgh as professor of divinity. It is needless to say that he profited greatly by the teaching of that devout and extraordinary man, who not only communicated instruction in the most effective and memorable manner, but infused somewhat of the fire of his own soul into the minds of his students. Mr. Clark not only made great progress in the systematic knowledge of divine truth, but imbibed something of the spirit of his master. One of the exercises prescribed to Mr. Clark was an exegesis on the subject, “An Christus sit colendus summo cultu deo patri debito?” that is, “Ought Christ to be worshipped with the supreme worship due to God the Father?” This led him to an investigation, on biblical principles, of the grand fundamental truths of the gospel, which resulted in a firm conviction in his mind of the truth of the grand evangelical principles embodied in the Westminster Confession of Faith. The preparation of this discourse produced a most salutary effect on his mental character; but it did more, it deepened his religious convictions, and called forth in his soul more lively emotions of gratitude and love to the God of salvation. Soon after this, Dr. Chalmers recommended Mr. Clark for one of the government bursaries, and it was conferred upon him. The bursary was one of ten pounds a year; but it had been vacant for a year, so that he got twenty pounds sterling the first year and ten pounds a year for the two succeeding years. With his revenue from private teaching, this placed him in very comfortable circumstances. And as he succeeded about this time to a small property left him by his father, he had now more than sufficient for all his wants. In the summer of 1832, Mr. Clark was licensed to preach the gospel by the presbytery of Biggar, but as there was at that time a superabundance of preachers in connection with the Established Church, no opening appeared for him in that line, so he continued his labors as a private teacher. His work now consisted almost exclusively in assisting in their studies young gentlemen attending the Edinburgh Academy. About this time a society was formed by the preachers of the Establishment in Edinburgh for voluntary missionary labors among the poor in the most destitute parts of the city. Mr. Clark was chosen by the venerable Dr. Inglis to labor in his parish of Old Greyfriars, and the scene of his operations was the Cowgate, with the closes extending from it to the Lawn market and High street. Dr. Inglis soon after this died, and was succeeded by the Rev. John Sym, a young man of fine talents, very popular as a preacher, and of genuine Christian character. Mr. Clark was soon after his appointment introduced to Mr. Sym, when he engaged him at a respectable salary as his assistant, to labor among the poor of the parish. As Old Greyfriars was a collegiate charge, his services were not required in the parish church; but he preached regularly in an old church in the Cowgate, whose spire is still visible from the South Bridge. At that time it had passed out of the hands of the church, and was the property of the Society of Hammermen, who kindly gave the use of it for missionary meetings. It was in this church that the first General Assembly of the Church of Scotland was held, and it has now happily passed into the possession of the Free Church. The scenes of poverty and wretchedness and vice which Mr. Clark had to encounter in his visits among this people were often heartrending. On one occasion, when urging a poor woman to attend the church, he was met by the reply, “Oh, sir, our thoughts are mainly taken up about how we are to get the next meal of meat.” It was not uncommon to find houses in which there was no bed, and only some litters of straw, or even shavings, as a substitute. This was afterwards the scene of Dr. Guthrie’s labors when he became colleague to Mr. Sym, in the parish of Old Greyfriars, and no doubt furnished the materials for his book on the sins and sorrows and sufferings of the great cities of the old world. When Mr. Clark’s health was beginning to fail, he was relieved from the severe and often painful work which he had to perform in the Cowgate and its closes. In 1835 he was recommended by Dr. Chalmers to Lady Maxwell, of Springkell, who had requested him to send a young man to take charge of the parish of Half-Morton. This parish was then in a peculiar condition. It was still a distinct parish quo ad civilia, but was united, quo ad sacra to the parish of Langholm, of which the minister was a Pluralist, having to preach three Sabbaths in the month at Langholm and one at Half-Morton. A suit was afterwards instituted in the Court of Tiends for the separation of the two parishes, which was successful; and in 1839 Mr. Clark was presented by the Crown to the resuscitated parish of Half-Morton. Meanwhile he had been married to a distant relation of his own, Jane Brown, a daughter of James Brown, of Edmonston, but as there was no suitable residence for them in the parish, they had to reside at Longtown, a village of Cumberland, on the English side of the border, till a manse was built at Half-Morton. Here they spent four years in comfort and happiness, till the disruption took place, when they had to leave their pleasant home. They found a temporary residence at Annan, a town ten miles from the church of Half-Morton. This distance from the scene of his labors occasioned great additional labor and hardship to Mr. Clark, more especially as he had often to preach in the adjoining parishes of Canonbie and Langholm, where a strong feeling in behalf of Free Church principles had been excited. During the summer of 1843, the preaching in country places had to be done chiefly in the open air; but at Canonbie a marqué, capable of sheltering several hundred people, was erected in a pasture field near the road-side. Mr. Clark had officiated only two Sabbaths in this place when he was interdicted by the Duke of Buccleugh, who was the sole proprietor of the parish. The duke’s interdict was obeyed, but preaching was immediately begun on the road-side, where increasing numbers attended. A preacher was immediately procured for Canonbie, and when Mr. Clark appeared after a few Sabbaths’ absence, he chose for his text, Philippians i., 12: “I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.” The opposition of the duke only intensified the determination of the people. It is only justice, however, to his grace to add, that some time afterwards he granted a site for a church and manse with a piece of land on easy terms. Towards the close of 1843, Mr. Clark was called to Maxwelltown, a suburb of Dumfries, but the presbytery refused to release him from Half-Morton. In the spring of 1844, however, difficulties having arisen in the congregation of Maxwelltown, the call to him was renewed. This time the presbytery withdrew their opposition to his removal, and he was transferred to Maxwelltown in the spring of 1844. With a good manse and large and beautiful garden which he had planted with the choicest fruit trees, and in the midst of a satisfied and increasing congregation, here Mr. Clark lived with his family in great happiness and comfort till the spring of 1853, when, under the impression that he was called of God, he removed to Canada. This was a great trial to him, more especially as his wife, who was in delicate health, was unwilling to go. She was too good a woman, however, to resist what her husband believed to be a call from God, and, trusting in the Lord, consented to go. In February, 1853, Mr. Clark sailed for New York alone, thinking it better to leave his family to come out the following summer. On reaching New York, he proceeded immediately to Quebec, which he reached on the 1st of March, and immediately entered upon his labors there. He was treated with great kindness by the late James Gibb, of Woodfield, who very handsomely kept him in his house till the arrival of his family in September. Mrs. Clark was very feeble when she arrived at Quebec; the sea voyage appeared to have weakened her, and she did not improve much by the change of air and rest which she now enjoyed. And when the cold weather set in, she began gradually to sink. But she had perfect faith in Jesus, no complaint escaped her lips, and in February, 1854, she died in the full assurance of a blessed resurrection. Instead of enlarging on her beautiful character now, it will answer the purpose better to insert a poem which Mr. Clark wrote on the occasion of her death: —

With a sorrowful heart,

She prepared to depart

From dear old Scotland’s shore;

For well she knew,

That its mountains blue,

Her eyes should behold no more.

But when duty called,

No danger appalled

That heart so devoted and true.

She had left, for the truth,

The sweet manse of her youth,

And now bade her country adieu.

In weakness and pain,

O’er the dark, stormy main,

She came to this old fortress town;

Where, in slow decay,

She wasted away,

My faithful Jeanie Brown.

But severe though her pain,

She did not complain;

For it taught her, she told us, to see

More clearly the woe,

In the regions below,

From which the redeemed are set free.

By St. Lawrence’s side,

As he rolls, in his pride,

To the great Atlantic down,

By a walnut’s shade,

The dear dust we laid

Of my sweet Jeanie Brown.

And now she sleeps,

Where the green wave sweeps

Past the ocean’s river’s shore;

But I’ll meet her again,

In that blessed domain,

Where the weary part no more.

Mr. Clark remained unmarried for sixteen years, when he was united in marriage to Amelia Torrance, widow of Thomas Gibb, of Quebec. She has been to him a wise counsellor, a true and affectionate wife, and while she was able, a help meet for him in his great work. After some time, however, she was seized with rheumatism, which at first gave little inconvenience; but it gradually increased in severity, till at last, in the winter of 1872, it completely prostrated her. Towards the summer of 1873 she recovered a little, and it was thought advisable to try the effect of a sea voyage upon her. Mr. Clark, also feeling his strength giving way, after having labored in Quebec for upwards of twenty years, thought himself justified in resigning that important and laborious charge. Accordingly they sailed for the old country in the autumn of 1873; and Mrs. Clark felt more benefit from the sea voyage than from all the medical treatment which she had received. After visiting Mr. Clark’s sister, the widow of Henry Scott Riddell, at Tiviot Head, they spent the winter partly at a hydropathic establishment, near Melrose; partly in Edinburgh, and partly in Dumfries. They then started for the south, spending a short time in London, a week in Paris, and then started for Aix-les-Bains, in Savoy, famous for its hot sulphur springs. After spending some time there they returned to Scotland, through Switzerland and France, arriving in Edinburgh near the end of May, a little before the closing of the Free Church General Assembly. They spent the remainder of the summer very pleasantly among their friends in the rural parts of the counties of Roxburgh, Peebles, and Dumfries, and in the neighborhood of Glasgow, from which port they sailed, and reached Quebec in safety in September, 1874. Mr. Clark was now too old to think of looking after another ministerial charge, but preached occasionally at Quebec and elsewhere as circumstances required till 1880, when he was called to be professor of Church History in Morin College, Quebec, which situation he still holds. While in Half-Morton he prepared a book for family worship, which was published by T. Nelson & Sons, Edinburgh, and obtained a large circulation. While in Maxwelltown, after the death of his only son, he wrote a little volume entitled, “Asleep in Jesus,” which was also published by the Nelsons, and extensively circulated. This little book was afterwards published in Philadelphia without the author’s knowledge. Mr. Clark produced another little work, entitled “The Promise of the Spirit,” which was published by Robert Kennedy, at Prescott. This book did not attract much attention, and was never republished.

Thompson, Hon. John Sparrow David, Q.C., Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Dominion of Canada, Ottawa, was born at Halifax, on the 10th of November, 1844. He is a son of John Sparrow Thompson, a native of Waterford, Ireland, who, after coming to this country, was for a time Queen’s printer, and afterwards superintendent of the money order system of Nova Scotia. Hon. Mr. Thompson chose law as a profession, and was called to the bar of Nova Scotia, in July, 1865, and appointed a Queen’s counsel in May, 1879. He was for six years alderman of the city of Halifax, and for five years a member of the Board of School Commissioners, being for some time chairman of the board. He was also a member of the Senate of the University of Halifax. He was for the last two years of his residence in Halifax honorary lecturer in the Halifax Law School, on evidence and the construction of statutes. He entered the political arena in 1877, and was elected for Antigonish county a member of the Nova Scotia legislature, by a majority of 517. He was returned by the same constituency at the general election of 1878, and was appointed attorney-general in 1878, and was again elected by acclamation. In 1882, on the retirement of the Hon. Mr. Holmes, he was chosen premier and attorney-general; and at the election that followed that year, he was returned by a majority of over five hundred. In July, 1882, he resigned office, and was appointed one of the judges of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. This office he held until the 25th of September, 1885, when he resigned, and was chosen by Sir John A. Macdonald to fill the important offices of minister of justice and attorney-general for the Dominion of Canada. He sat in the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia from December, 1877, until his elevation to the bench in 1882; and was first elected to the House of Commons, at Ottawa, in October, 1885, and re-elected at the general election of 1887, for Antigonish. Hon. Mr. Thompson in politics is a Liberal-Conservative, and in religion is a member of the Roman Catholic church. In 1870, he was married to Annie E. Affleck, daughter of Captain Affleck, of Halifax, and has a family of five children.

MacLean, Alexander, Parliamentary Printer, Ottawa, was born on the 9th December, 1834, in the township of Dumfries, county of Brant, Ontario. His parents were John MacLean and Isabella McRae, both natives of Inverness, Scotland, from which country they emigrated, and settled in Canada. Alexander received his education in the public and grammar schools, and remained at home, his father being a farmer, taking a share of the farm work, until he was twenty years of age. He subsequently taught school for a while, and also served for some years as a mercantile clerk. He abandoned these pursuits for the newspaper press, to which he had become a casual contributor, and became the publisher, in 1865, of the Cornwall Freeholder, then the home organ of the late Hon. Sandfield Macdonald, and continued its publisher until shortly after that gentleman’s death, in 1872. He then joined the staff of the Toronto Globe, as its Ottawa correspondent, and this position he held for several years, until he became (with Mr. Roger) one of the contractors for the printing of the Senate and House of Commons, and of the government at Ottawa, and such he has been for the last fourteen years. Mr. MacLean is a justice of the peace for the united counties of Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry; a director of the Metropolitan Street Railway Company; of the Canadian Granite Company, both of Ottawa; and of the Cornwall Gas Company. He is also interested in several other public enterprises. He early joined the Masonic order, and is now a past worshipful master. He is a Liberal in politics, and in religion, belongs to the Presbyterian denomination. On November 20th, 1863, he was married to Sarah, daughter of John Smith, St. George, county of Brant.

Perrigo, James, M.A., M.D., M.R.C.S., (Eng.), Montreal, was born in the city of Montreal in 1846. His parents were John Perrigo and Eleanor Reeves. The doctor’s family have always been Conservative in politics, and we find that in the war of 1812 his grandfather served against the Americans; and it was in consequence of his patriotic services on this occasion that he escaped being expelled from the country during the troublesome times of 1837, he having commanded the rebels in the skirmish that took place near Beauharnois in that year. He received his education at McGill University, and afterwards went to England, where he further prosecuted his medical studies, and while there he was elected honorary secretary of the Obstetrical Society of London. Returning to Montreal in 1872, he began the practice of his profession, and now occupies a front rank as a medical practitioner in that city. He is a professor of surgery in Bishop’s College Medical School. In religion Dr. Perrigo is an adherent of the Episcopal form of worship; and in politics is a Liberal-Conservative. In 1885 he was married to Marion G., daughter of the late H. Chandler, who, during his lifetime, was a merchant in Montreal.

Medley, Rev. Charles Steinkopff, B.A., Rector of Sussex, New Brunswick, is of English birth, having been born in Truro, Cornwall, on the 16th September, 1835. He is a son of the Right Rev. John Medley, D.D., bishop of Fredericton, and Christiana Bacon, a granddaughter of the great English sculptor of that name. The Rev. Mr. Medley received his early education in the classics and mathematics at Marlborough College, Wiltshire, England, and came out to New Brunswick in 1855, his father having preceded him. Shortly after his arrival he entered King’s College, Fredericton, where he took the arts course. He studied theology under his father. In June, 1859, he was ordained deacon by his father, and the following year priest. He was first sent to the mission of Douglas, York county, New Brunswick, where he labored fifteen months, serving meanwhile as a school trustee, and doing good religious and literary work. At the end of this period Rev. Mr. Medley returned to Fredericton to assist his father in the Cathedral. After a short residence in Fredericton he removed to St. John’s, Newfoundland, where he was incumbent of St. Mary’s Church for three years, and then returned to New Brunswick in 1867, to become rector of Sussex. Since his settlement here he has done good work for the Master. A neat and tasty church edifice has been erected, with black ash and pine sheathing, one of the finest houses of worship of its kind in the province. The old church whose place it took was one of the earliest built in this part of New Brunswick, Sussex having been settled by U. E. loyalists. It is situated about half a mile from the village, and, like the residence of the rector a few rods from it, has beautiful rural surroundings, and is a most inviting place for man to worship God. Rev. Mr. Medley was appointed canon to the cathedral at Fredericton in 1869; and rural dean in July, 1880. He is an excellent scholar, a polished writer, a sound theologian, and has a pleasant delivery in the pulpit. Canon Medley was married on the 21st April, 1864, to Charlotte, daughter of Robert Bird, of Birdtown, York county, New Brunswick.

Macdonald, Charles De Wolf, B.A., Barrister, Pictou, Nova Scotia, was born on the 23rd October, 1854, at Pictou, N.S. His father was the late Alexander Cameron Macdonald, Q.C., barrister, who, during his lifetime, represented the county of Pictou in the Nova Scotia legislature for eight years, and occupied the position of speaker in the House of Assembly, previous to the confederation of the provinces. His mother, who still survives, Sarah Amelia De Wolf, is a descendant of a well-known loyalist family, of German noble origin. Charles received his primary education at Pictou Academy; matriculated in 1869 at Dalhousie College, Halifax, when fifteen years of age, taking the first provincial scholarship, and, making the highest aggregate each year; graduated in 1873. He took first prizes throughout his course for Latin, Greek, French and German. Since leaving college he has made a special study of modern languages, and is now widely known as a linguist. He adopted law as a profession, and was admitted to the bar of Nova Scotia in 1875, when only twenty-one years of age. For the past twelve years he has practised in Pictou, and is now one of the leading barristers in the county. Mr. Macdonald has always taken a deep interest in military affairs, and is a lieutenant in the 78th Highlanders, Colchester, Hants and Pictou volunteers. He is a Liberal in politics, and is an active politician. From 1882 to 1885, in addition to his usual law practice, he edited the Pictou News, which was the first paper to advocate the repeal of the federal compact, and ranks among the best conducted weeklies in the Maritime provinces. He is a member of the Presbyterian church.

Bethune, John Lemuel, M.D.C.M., M.P.P. for the county of Victoria, Baddeck, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, was born at Loch Lomond, Richmond county, N.S., in 1850. His parents were Roderick Bethune, postmaster, and Mary Bethune, who came from the Highlands of Scotland to Cape Breton about fifty years ago. The Rev. Thomas McLauchlin, F.S.A.S., in his “Celtic Gleanings,” says that the descendants of the Beatons, or Bethunes, or as they styled themselves, McVeaghs (McBeths), in a family tree contained in an old manuscript of theirs still in existence, trace themselves up to Nial of the Nine Hostages, King of Ireland. One Ferchar Bethune came into prominence by being the means of curing King Robert II. of Scotland of a painful and dangerous disease, and there is among the Scottish registers of charters a copy of a charter from that king conveying to Bethune, as an expression of his gratitude, possession of all the islands on the west coast of Scotland from the Point Store in Assynt to that of Armidale in Farr. How long Ferchar’s descendants were physicians is not known, but they can be traced back as such by means of existing documents for three hundred and fifty years from the middle of last century. However, the great progenitor of the race would seem to be a certain Fergus the Fair, probably the Fergus Bethune who lived in the year 1408, and was then physician to McDonald of the Isles of Islay. There are several MSS. belonging to this family in existence. One is a small quarto in vellum, now in possession of David Laing, of the Edinburgh Signet Library. It was written by John Beaton, who flourished in 1530. It is full of comments on the writings of Constantius and other medical continental writers of that period. It also contains a long treatise on astrology, and another on the phenomena of color as an indication of health or disease. This and other writings of theirs indicate an amount of cultivation in the Gaelic to qualify it for being the language of science from which it has sadly declined. Dr. Bethune, the subject of our sketch, was educated at the Normal School in Truro, and in Dalhousie University, where he took the degree of M.D.C.M. in 1875, and then began the practice of his profession. In 1881 he was appointed paymaster, with the honorary rank of captain, in the 94th battalion Argyll Highlanders, and the same year was made census commissioner. He is a justice of the peace, coroner, commissioner of schools, and is a commissioner for taking affidavits, etc., in the Supreme and County courts of Victoria county. He takes an interest in all movements for the good of his fellow men. He is a past master of St. Mark’s lodge of the Masonic brotherhood; and is also a member of the Grand Division of the Sons of Temperance of Nova Scotia. He occupied a seat in the municipal council from 1879 till 1886, when he resigned; and for three years from June, 1880, he was warden of the county. The doctor was for three years secretary of the Liberal-Conservative Association of Victoria county; and at the general election held in 1886 he was selected to represent his adopted county, as an Independent, in the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia. His religious views are in accordance with the teachings of the Presbyterian Church of Canada. He was married January 20th, 1885, to Mary C., only daughter of the late Robert A. Jones, registrar of deeds for Victoria county, who was a descendant of a Jones, a loyalist, who came to Cape Breton at the time of the American rebellion, and to whom was granted large tracts of land at Big Baddeck, Washabuck and other places in Cape Breton.

Hatt, Samuel Staunton, Quebec, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, Legislative Council, province of Quebec, was born at Chambly, Quebec province, on the 18th February, 1844. He is the eldest son of the late Augustus Hatt, and of Charlotte Emelie de Salaberry, of Chambly. He is also a grandson of Colonel de Salaberry, the hero of Chateauguay, and of the Hon. Samuel Hatt, of Chambly. Mr. Hatt received his education at the High School of St. Johns, and at St. Hyacinthe College. He received his civil service certificate when only about sixteen years of age, and in 1861 entered the Militia department. He served on the frontier at St. Albans during the time of the Fenian raids, with the rank of captain and adjutant; and also commanded a detachment, at Huntingdon, of the 3rd Administration battalion, under command of Lieut.-Colonel Taylor. While Captain Hatt was stationed at Laprairie, he and the men under him rendered great service in subduing a fire which endangered the whole town, and were afterwards publicly thanked by the municipal council for the important service rendered on the occasion. Mr. Hatt was appointed under Royal commission Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod for the Province of Quebec, on the 23rd December, 1867, and still holds this office. He was married in 1883, to Mrs. N. F. Hoole, of Philadelphia, United States.

McMaster, Hon. William.—Senator McMaster, who died in Toronto, on the morning of Friday, 23rd September, 1887, was a good representative of that class on whom we bestow the title of merchant princes. He was born in 1811, in the county of Tyrone, Ireland, and his father was the late William McMaster, a linen merchant, who did business for many years in the county where the subject of our sketch was born. His son’s early education was a very careful one, he having attended a private school, the best in the parish, presided over by Mr. Halcro, one of the most eminent teachers in the north of Ireland. In 1833, Mr. McMaster left Ireland, and on the 9th of August of the same year he came to Toronto. Since then the town of seven thousand people, with only two brick houses in it, has become the flourishing metropolis, with a population of over one hundred thousand, and the social and commercial centre of the leading province of a great dominion. In that time the young immigrant, with his capital of only brains, energy, and good habits, had become one of Canada’s most noted citizens, an object of emulation to all young men, and of gratitude to the many who have been benefited by his practical kindness. Landing in New York at the age of twenty-two, he was advised to proceed to Canada to enter into business with a son of the British consul, who had established himself in a trading business west of Toronto. Proceeding by the old-time flying express route along the canal, the young fortune-seeker found himself in Oswego, whence a trip across the lake in a steamer brought him to Toronto. Life in Canada West at that time was not altogether attractive to a young man conscious of his ability to fill a large sphere, and it did not take young McMaster long to decide that in Toronto, if anywhere in the province, he must look for success. He entered the service of Mr. Cathcart, who at that time kept a dry-goods establishment on King street, opposite the old Court-house, now York Chambers. Before two years had passed his assistant had grown so valuable to him, that Mr. Cathcart could not afford to run any risk of losing him, so offered him a partnership. This was accepted, and for ten years the firm went on prospering well. At the end of that time the senior partner retired, leaving the whole business in Mr. McMaster’s hands. The concern up to this time had been doing a wholesale and retail business, but shortly after assuming control, Mr. McMaster resolved to confine his attention solely to wholesale. New premises were opened on Yonge street, below King, and here the success which had attended the young merchant continued and increased. Subsequently a handsome building was erected, adjoining the Montreal Bank, on Yonge street. But other business connections which he had formed demanded his whole attention, and in 1865 he sold out his interest to his two nephews, who had been associated with him. These continued the business until the death of A. R. McMaster and the retirement of W. F. McMaster, when the firm was re-organised with the accession to its ranks of H. W. Darling, under the title of McMaster, Darling & Co. This was about eighteen months ago. The present firm occupy handsome warerooms on Front street near Yonge. The causes which contributed to the great success which Mr. McMaster met with in this business are those which characterize the career of almost every successful business man. Even during those times when there was the greatest temptation to “display” and to bid for a large business, Mr. McMaster steadily refused to allow his business to grow beyond the basis of his own capital. His caution in this respect enabled him to tide over the hard times of 1857 and other bad years, and even during the depth of the hard times to do a profitable trade. Rivals overtaken by the financial storm, with all canvas spread, were wrecked. Yet while pursuing this cautious policy he showed, by the way in which he enlarged his establishment, that there was nothing niggardly about his management. Whenever he deemed the circumstances favorable for the use of his capital he used it freely, and thus added yearly to the magnitude of his returns. He left commercial life in order that he might make the greater success of the financial operations in which he had become interested. He had been for some time director of the Montreal Bank and of the Ontario Bank, and now he purposed throwing himself, with all his customary energy, into the organization of a new concern. The charter was procured and the company organized on a sound basis, and Mr. McMaster was chosen the first president of the new Bank of Commerce, which was the title chosen. That was about twenty years ago, and the position of honor and trust which he then achieved he retained until about a year ago, when advancing years compelled him to relinquish the presidency and simply to give to the bank as a director the benefit of his immense business experience. He was succeeded in the presidency by Henry W. Darling above mentioned. During all the time of Mr. McMaster’s Canadian life, Toronto has been making, year by year, a strange history-record. Four years after Mr. McMaster’s arrival came the rebellion under William Lyon Mackenzie, which, with the tremendous agitation leading up to and following it, naturally interfered very much with the operations of peace-loving merchants. Immense political changes took place, changing the province from a mere crown colony, with practically no such thing as political freedom, to a self-governing country with representative institutions, and manhood suffrage in the near distance. The city itself had to expand north, east, west, and even south, for the Esplanade works redeemed in all a great tract of land from the bay, and made sites for some of the largest buildings in the city to-day. Railway communication, then unknown, had to be made to all parts of the province, and the city had to bear its share of the expense of the facilities thus afforded. Though never afraid to express his opinions in favor of a liberal policy, Mr. McMaster kept out of active political life long after his friends would have had him a representative of the people, had he agreed to put himself up for election. At length, however, the crisis came which brought him out. North York and South Simcoe were at that time united for the purpose of elections to the Legislative Council of the province. There was a vacancy in the constituency, and John D. Gamble became the Conservative candidate. He was a strong man, and although it was known that York would give a majority against him, it was fully believed that unless he was opposed by the very strongest man who could be put up against him, Tory South Simcoe would far more than neutralise this vote. In their dilemma the Liberals applied to Mr. McMaster to act as their standard-bearer. At first he strenuously opposed the idea, but seeing that it was to the interest of what he believed to be true that he should accede to their wishes, he finally did so. Though he prosecuted his canvass with his characteristic energy, the Liberal candidate set an example of moderation and forbearance in conducting the campaign utterly unknown in those days, and (more’s the pity) very little practised since. Though not pretending to any talent of oratory, Mr. McMaster conducted himself while on the platform with such transparent honesty that even the Tory stronghold was captured, and beside a majority of 1,100 in York, he came out with a majority of about 300 in Simcoe, giving him such a sweeping victory that even his friends were astonished and his opponents confounded. The elections for the Council then took place once every eight years, and Mr. McMaster would doubtless have stood for re-election, but that in the meantime confederation took place, and under the new order of things he was called upon to take his seat in the Senate. During the whole of his political life he gave close attention to the duties devolving upon him. He never sought to move the house by eloquence, but in committee, where measures are really elaborated, and where most of the work, except the talking, is done, he was found keenly alive to all that passed, and ever exerting an influence in favor of liberal and progressive measures. But however great his commercial success, Mr. McMaster’s name will be best remembered on account of the many generous acts which have been associated with it. For many years he has been the pillar and mainstay of the Baptist denomination in Toronto. His own congregation—that now worshipping in the beautiful building on the corner of Jarvis and Gerrard streets—owes much to his vigorous initiative and substantial pecuniary aid. Mr. McMaster and his present wife, contributed $50,000 toward the fund for building the church, and in addition to this, Mrs. McMaster paid for the organ, one of the finest instruments in the country; and about four years ago the worthy Senator surprised his co-trustees, at a meeting called for the purpose of considering the best means of providing for the church debt, by pulling out of his pocket a deed, showing that a few hours before the meeting he had discharged all the debt. The Baptist book-room and The Canadian Baptist were purchased mainly with his money, and put in such a form that the enterprises now practically belong to the denomination. To his munificence is due the successful condition of the Superannuated Ministers’ Society of the Baptist Church. Upper Canada Bible Society, a non-sectarian institution, owes much to him. To add to all these instances there could be brought forward a long list of public and private benefactions, but the whole of them are overshadowed by the magnificent gift which he has presented to his fellow-Christians in the Baptist College, now one of the chief ornaments of Toronto. During the last years of his life Mr. McMaster devoted much attention to the development of his plans for the advancement of education. When he founded Toronto Baptist College, at a cost of $100,000 paid to the Toronto University authorities for the ground, and $90,000 for furnishing the building, he only thought of putting up a structure at his own expense, and endowing the presidency, looking to the denomination to provide the means, through annual collections, for the support of two other chairs. But with the development of the college and its increasing prosperity from year to year, he saw the necessity of adding two more professors to the staff, and subsequently two additional professors, making a staff of six besides the president. Seeing that the denomination was sufficiently burdened with its large home and foreign work, he relieved it of all responsibility for the support of the entire staff, whose aggregate salaries amount to $14,500 annually; and by his will it is provided that McMaster University will ultimately receive, subject to the payment to the Home Missionary Society of $2,000, about $800,000, in addition to what the testator gave for the same object during his lifetime. At the beginning of the discussion of the university confederation question, on the recommendation of some of the educational leaders in the Baptist denomination, Mr. McMaster proposed to found an arts college in Toronto, in affiliation with Toronto University, on condition that the denomination would raise the amount of $88,000 for the more thorough endowment and equipment of Woodstock college, which was to continue as a preparatory school. Of this sum he himself proposed to contribute $32,000. After considerable effort had been made to secure the sum proposed, it was found that the denomination was not in hearty sympathy with the scheme, for very little of the necessary amount was ever subscribed. However, in the spring of 1886, at a time when, to all appearances, the confederation scheme had failed through the refusal of several of the more prominent colleges of Ontario to enter confederation, it was proposed to Mr. McMaster that he should transfer to Woodstock college the amount which he had intended for the establishment of an arts college in Toronto. After mature consideration he cheerfully acceded to the proposal, believing that the preservation and enlargement of Woodstock college, with its traditions and associations, were of more importance to the welfare of his people than the establishment of the arts college in Toronto. Within a few weeks of the announcement of Mr. McMaster’s donation, nearly $50,000 was secured by the Rev. Drs. Rand and MacVicar for new buildings and equipment at Woodstock, from members of the denomination. It was then felt by the leaders of the denomination that Woodstock had the prospect of sufficient funds in the near future to warrant the development of its curriculum into a full university course. Accordingly a committee was appointed to obtain the charter, which was granted by the Ontario Legislature at its session in 1887, and in accordance with a universal feeling amongst the Baptists of the country, the name of McMaster University was given to the new institution. This charter embraces both Woodstock and Toronto Baptist colleges. The Hon. Mr. McMaster during his lifetime held several important financial and other offices. As well as being a director of the Bank of Commerce, he was a member of the University Senate, president of the Freehold Permanent Building and Savings Society, vice-president of the Confederation Life Association, director of the Toronto General Trusts Company; of the Wellington, Grey and Bruce Railway Company, etc. His whole estate is valued at $1,200,000. He had been twice married—first, in 1851, to Miss Henderson, of Hew York, who died in 1868; secondly, in 1871, to his present wife, Susan Molton, widow of James Fraser, of Newburgh-on-the-Hudson, N.Y. He had no children.

Rutherford, John, Justice of the Peace for the County of Grey, Owen Sound, Ontario, was born at Toronto, on the 9th February, 1839. His parents were Peter Rutherford and Martha Henderson, who died when he was a mere lad—the mother in 1844 and the father in 1846. The late James Lesslie, who then published the Toronto Examiner, adopted the orphan and educated him in the Toronto Academy. In this benevolent gentleman’s family he remained until 1851. During this year he was bound out as an apprentice to Christie & Corbet to learn the trade of iron moulder at Owen Sound, and at this trade he worked for six years. In 1857, business becoming very depressed throughout the country, especially that in iron, Mr. Rutherford was forced to look for some other means to earn a livelihood. Having fortunately learned during his boyhood, in the Examiner office, the art of setting type, he found temporary employment as a compositor on the old Comet newspaper; and some time afterwards got on the staff of The Times. A few years later on, he, in conjunction with David Creighton, now M.P.P. for North Grey, bought out this paper, which was conducted by them, under the firm name of Rutherford & Creighton, until 1868, when the partnership was dissolved and the plant divided, Mr. Creighton retaining The Times and Mr. Rutherford the job department. Since then his business has steadily grown, bookbinding has been added, and his office is now one of the institutions of the thriving town of Owen Sound. He was a member of the town council in 1875, ’76, ’77 and ’79; High School trustee in 1884, ’85, and ’86, and has been re-appointed to fill the office for another term. He was chosen by acclamation to fill the office of mayor for 1885 and 1886, and faithfully served the people during his term. In August, 1866, he joined the Masonic brotherhood, and is now a past master of St. George’s lodge. He is also second principal of Georgian Chapter, No. 56, R.A.M. He takes a deep interest in the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and is one of its past district deputy masters of the Georgian district. Mr. Rutherford is an adherent of the Methodist church; and in politics is a Liberal-Conservative. He has been twice married, and has had a family of ten children, nine sons and one daughter; two of his sons have died.

Kerr, William, M.A., Q.C., LL.D., Barrister, Cobourg, Ontario, was born in the township of Ameliasburg, in the county of Prince Edward. He is a son of the late Francis Kerr, formerly of Enniskillen, in the county of Fermanagh, Ireland, who for some years taught school in Prince Edward, and afterwards removed to the county of Hastings. After the death of his father and mother, which occurred when he was a child, Mr. Kerr removed with his half-sister and her husband to the township of Clarke, where he worked on their farm and went to school. He prepared for college under Dr. William Ormiston, now of the Collegiate Reformed (Dutch) Church, New York, who at that time was the Presbyterian minister at Newtonville, and kept a private academy. He entered Victoria College at Cobourg as a senior matriculant in 1852, and graduated in the arts department in 1855. The class consisted of four, all now living, viz., Dr. Carman, senior superintendent of the Methodist church; Dr. Moses Aikins, the well-known physician in the county of Peel; Dr. E. B. Ryckman, ex-president of the London Conference; and the subject of this sketch. He studied law in the office of Smith and Armour at Cobourg, and began the practice of his profession in the town of Cobourg, September, 1858. His brother, John W. Kerr, who was appointed county attorney and clerk of the peace in 1877, on the elevation of Mr. Armour to the bench, joined him in 1860. They have the largest practice in the united counties of Northumberland and Durham. He entered the town council in 1862, and served as a councillor for five years. In 1867 he was elected mayor, and was elected five times in succession by acclamation to the same office. On presenting himself for the sixth time he was opposed, but, after a hot contest, in which he was supported by the leaders of both political parties, he was re-elected by 175 majority. Although frequently urged to enter into political life, it was not until 1874, on Mr. Armour’s (now Mr. Justice Armour) refusing the Liberal nomination for the House of Commons, that he consented to do so, when he entered the field about three weeks before the election, and defeated the Hon. James Cockburn, the Speaker of the House of Commons, by 231 majority. He was unseated, however, on petition, but was re-elected over the Hon. Sidney Smith, ex-postmaster-general, by 155 majority. He was an unsuccessful candidate in 1878, 1882, and 1885, being defeated by narrow majorities, owing to the influence of the so-called national policy and the opportune building of government works in his constituency, in the years 1882 and 1885. In politics he is a strong Liberal, and a warm admirer of the Hon. Edward Blake. For many years past he has been one of the most active Liberals in the united counties of Northumberland and Durham, taking part in all election contests in West Northumberland, and lending a helping hand whenever occasion required in the neighboring ridings. He was president of the Liberal Association of West Northumberland from 1878 to 1882, and is vice-chancellor of Victoria University, to which position he has been twice elected by the almost unanimous vote of the graduates. He married Myra, third daughter of the late John Field, a well known and highly respected merchant of Cobourg, and sister of John C. Field, ex-M.P.P., and C. C. Field, M.P.P. Has seven children, four sons and three daughters.

David, Laurent Olivier, Barrister, Montreal, M.P.P. for Montreal East, was born at Sault-au-Récollet, county of Hochelaga, near Montreal, on the 24th of March, 1840. His father was Major Stanislas David, of Sault-au-Récollet. Young David was educated at the Seminary of Ste. Thérèse, in which institution he underwent a thorough course of classical studies. On his leaving college he entered the law office of Mousseau & Labelle, and was admitted to practice at the bar of the province of Quebec, in August, 1864. Like the majority of the French Canadian youths who leave college possessing high class and interesting lore, but totally unfit for the battle of life, Mr. David had to fight his way through the world without help. As he had a natural penchant for writing, and a facile pen, he soon made his way to the press and was an able and welcome contributor to the daily newspapers and periodicals of the time. In 1870, when George E. Desbarats, a son of the Queen’s printer, founded L’Opinion Publique, a twelve-page pictorial weekly, he was chosen as chief editor of the publication, and a better choice could hardly be made. The paper was published until 1884, when it collapsed, owing to various causes, after having reached a subscription list of over fifteen thousand. It may be said that the newspaper failed on account of having received too much encouragement, because in the province of Quebec as elsewhere, a great number seem to think that when they have subscribed for a newspaper, it does not matter much to the publisher and editor whether the subscription is paid or not. Among the collaborateurs to L’Opinion Publique may be more especially mentioned the Hon. J. A. Chapleau, the late Hon. Justice Mousseau, A. C. DeCelles, the present chief librarian of parliament, C. A. Dansereau, the brilliant and gifted editor of La Presse, and many others. In 1874, Mr. David, in conjunction with Mr. Beausoleil, founded Le Bien Public, a daily paper published in the interests of the Liberal party, taking the place of Le Pays, the organ of the advanced liberals of the province of Quebec, which had been founded on the ruins of L’Avenir, the first Liberal paper of note in Canada, published by Messrs. Dorion, and having on its staff at different periods, N. Aubin, L. A. Dessaulles, Joseph Doutre, and a score of other Liberal writers. Le Bien Public was in turn superseded by Le National, founded by the late Hon. M. Laframboise, who lost both his money and his health in the enterprise, and was finally rewarded by his party with an appointment to the bench a few years before his death. La Patrie was the next journalistic Liberal venture, in 1879, and, for a wonder, it proved a financial success under the energetic and able management of Honoré Beaugrand. Le Temps also came out as an exponent of liberal views in 1881, but the shareholders having fallen into the same error as their predecessors, placed a man totally unfit for the position at its head; and as a natural consequence the paper lived only a few months. A fearless exponent of the Liberal programme, La Patrie probably did more to advance the cause of liberalism in the province of Quebec than any other newspaper. Mr. Beaugrand, who is not only an able financier, but also a judge of literary merits, grouped together the young writers of the new school, led by Buies and Fréchette. In their ranks were found Arthur Globensky, the graceful poet; the late T. H. Bienvenu, the profound political writer; Ernest Tremblay (now editor of L’Union, St. Hyacinthe); J. E. Robidoux, M.P.P. for Chateauguay, and a score of others. Mr. David, who is an uncompromising Liberal, and who never faltered in his political principles, was a more or less frequent contributor to most of these newspapers. Besides his contributions to the press he found time to publish a volume entitled “Biographies et Portraits de nos principaux Canadiens-Français,” and another entitled “Patriotes de 1837-38.” The mantle of the greatest and most popular tribune whom French Canada will forever honor and remember, Papineau, who contributed more than any other to preserve intact the rights and privileges guaranteed to the conquered race by the Treaty of Utrecht, may be said to have fallen on the shoulders of Mr. David; no national fête, no popular demonstration is complete without him; and since 1864 he has taken an active part in all the national movements. He is considered in the province of Quebec as the standard-bearer of national ideas; yet he is ever willing and ready to grant to other races the rights he asks for his own race. His pen and voice (he is a fluent and agreeable speaker) have always been employed in the defence of right and to elevate the standard of public opinion among his countrymen, and to convince them that true and effective patriotism, national and religious strength consist more of deeds than of words and noisy affirmations and declarations, and he often said boldly on public platforms that he would not encourage injustice towards other nationalities to please his countrymen, even should the madness of a few irresponsible penny-a-liners, who are paid to carry on their nefarious work, goad them to reprisals. In 1886, Mr. David presented himself to the suffrages of the voters of Montreal East, and carried the day against two formidable opponents, the Hon. L. O. Taillon, premier of the province, probably the most influential man the Conservatives could bring forward, and Adélard Gravel, the nominee of the Labor party, who polled the entire labor vote of the constituency. The Reformers, however, rallied around their standard-bearer, and by presenting a united front, succeeded in electing him by a handsome majority. Mr. David was a partner in the law firm of Longpré and David. Mr. Longpré was appointed September, 1887, prothonotary of the Superior Court for the district of Montreal by the Mercier administration. In religion he is a Roman Catholic of broad views. He married, in 1868, Albina Chenet, a daughter of Pierre Chenet. She died in August, 1887. He is the father of eleven children, one son and ten daughters.

Mountcastle, Clara H. (“Caris Sima”), Clinton, Ontario, is the third surviving daughter, and seventh child of the late Sydney Harman Mountcastle, and Frances Laura, his wife, and was born in Clinton, Ontario, on the 26th of November, 1837. She is descended on her father’s side from James, eldest son of Lord Claude Hamilton, who was created Baron of Mountcastle and Kilpatrick on the 10th July, 1606; and on her mother’s side from an eminent civil engineer, who died in the year 1811, aged 92, and was buried at Preston, East Lothian, Scotland, where the following lines are inscribed on his tombstone:—“To the memory of Andrew Meikle, who steadily pursued the example of his ancestors, and by inventing and bringing to perfection a machine for separating corn from straw, constructed on the principle of velocity, rendered to the agriculturists of Britain and other nations a more beneficial service than any hitherto recorded in the annals of ancient or modern science.” Her maternal grandfather, James Meikle, held a prominent position in his Majesty’s Ordnance Department, with headquarters in the Tower of London, and was frequently consulted by the Duke of Wellington upon the defences of the country during the Peninsular campaign. And we can well imagine, from the massive intellect displayed in a portrait of this gentleman now in possession of Miss Mountcastle, that the “Iron Duke” had no mean adviser. Mr. Mountcastle, father of the subject of our sketch, was born in London, England, on the 12th of January, 1803, and came to Canada in 1832, bringing with him his wife, who still survives, and two children, who died shortly after his arrival. Having a small capital he purchased land on the Huron Road, county of Huron, Ontario, and erected two dwellings, at different periods, on the same. The latest of these is the childhood’s home of “Caris Sima,” a small picture of which, executed in oil, now hangs on the wall of her studio in Clinton, and represents a low hewn log dwelling, with gables to the road, as described in her poem, “Lost,” and literally embowered in trees and flowers. We clip the following from an obituary notice that appeared in a local paper at the time of her father’s death. Alluding to him, the writer says, “He made a good clearing on his land, and erected a comfortable dwelling, which in later years, as his young family grew up, became a seat of refined and cordial hospitality, the remembrance of which will be long retained by the many friends who were privileged to enjoy it.” Miss Mountcastle received the chief portion of her education at home, under the direct supervision of her parents. When a child she was dreamy and reflective, rarely rousing from a state of abstraction unless to defend anyone whom she thought injured or oppressed, or to comfort her pets when in pain or trouble. Her sympathy with the dumb creatures of the universe was intense. If she discovered a caterpillar on her clothes, she would try to think where it came from, and would walk a long distance to restore it to its “afflicted family.” Oftentimes would she carry tiny toads in her little pinafore, and would take them in her hands to warm them, saying “They were so cold, poor things.” And when a trap was set to catch mice, she would listen for the click, then silently release the little prisoner. In winter her chief pleasure seemed to be found in gazing at the glowing embers in the wide, open fireplace, and she seldom joined in the romps of the other children. She did not care for study in these days. At twelve years of age she knew little more than her letters, and was dubbed “the dunce of the family.” This roused in her a desire to excel, and from that time she acquired the rudiments of knowledge with remarkable rapidity. Long ere this she showed a decided talent for drawing, which was carefully fostered by her father and mother, both of whom possessed considerable artistic taste—her mother being a good amateur artist, and her father an excellent judge of a picture. Yet they were not qualified to bring forth the latent powers of their child, else her name had been known long before 1870, when she exhibited at the Provincial Exhibition at Toronto, carrying off five prizes for paintings in water colors. From this time she made art her profession, being utterly unconscious of a still greater talent yet to be developed, and which her devotion to art as a means of livelihood seems for a time to have entirely obscured. Though her father knew her ability, and tried to induce her to write, yet her natural diffidence prevented her, and it was not until 1879 that, through the urgent entreaties of her sister Ellen, she turned her attention to literature. Miss Mountcastle is, in every sense, what is termed “a late ripe.” Not only was she backward in her studies as a child, but she remained a child for an unprecedentedly long period of time. At the age of twenty she was an unformed girl, and continued growing in stature for some years afterwards. As an artist, we would say that her sketches are masterly, and embrace almost every conceivable subject, but she has not yet attained that high finish which only study under the best masters can give. It is in the field of letters where she excels. The power, the pathos, and passion of her writings bespeak for her a high place in the literature of this and the future ages. Her first work, “The Mission of Love,” published by Hunter, Rose and Co., Toronto, is well described by J. E. Collins, in “The Life and Times of Sir John A. Macdonald,” as “a garden in which there are several unseemly weeds growing side by side with a number of delightful flowers.” These weeds were an error in judgment. Many poets have erred in the same way, and afterwards tried to suppress their early work, but the flowers are imperishable. As in art, so also in literature, Miss Mountcastle’s genius is peculiarly versatile. No poet living or dead ever wrote in such varied style. Hear the music in “The Voice of the Waters.” Mark the light debonair tone in “See that he be virtuously brought up,” and yet how full of feeling and reverence; while the airy grace of her lyrics (valentines), combined with rare delicacy of feeling, is inimitable, and shows the writer entertains higher views of love than are likely ever to be realized in this mundane sphere. And what exquisite delicacy of thought is apparent in “Reflections on a Faded Rose,” “At the Falling of the Leaf,” “Day Dreaming,” “Art Thou Thinking of Me?” etc. While what depth of pathos is felt in the wailing of “Hope Deferred.” But it is in her unpublished work, some of which we have seen, that her genius becomes more apparent. Unsurpassed by modern poet is the verse wherein she reproaches the sea for causing the death of Sappho, the celebrated Greek poetess:

Oh, sea, had’st thou no power to save,

Could’st thou not raise that glorious face;

Nor let thy suffocating breath,

That heaven-born life of song erase;

Nor calm that wild heart unto death.

And grand enough for Milton are the concluding lines:

Oh, cold, cold wave, that pressed her cheek,

I hear thy murmuring undertone.

For ages wilt thou sob and moan,

In vain repentance o’er thy deed:

The howling winds shall lash thy breast,

And zephyrs mourn around thy shore,

And murmur all thy rocks along;

And thou, who stilled the voice of song,

Thy deep great heart shall know no rest—

Shall know no peace for evermore.

Of Miss Mountcastle’s prose writing, we would say, that her novelette, “A Mystery,” lately published by Hunter, Rose & Co., Toronto, shows, as a first work, great ability. It is written in a pleasing, vivacious style. We take the following extract from a local paper, which does it no more than justice: “The plot is good, the moral inculcated equally so. The characters are well sustained. There is much wit and dry humor in their development, and the sketches of character and scenes show a close observation of nature; and without being in any way sensational, the interest in the story is well sustained to the end.” We would here remark, that the beautiful lines that appear in this volume, under the title of “Only a Little While,” emanate from the pen of the author’s sister, Ellen, who has written several short poems of much merit. Miss Mountcastle has written three essays on questions of the day, showing great power and originality of thought, and is now engaged on a tale of Canadian life, entitled, “Crow’s Hollow,” which we hope soon to see in print. To sum up the whole, we feel assured that, though now comparatively unknown, “Caris Sima” will ere long be recognized as one of the greatest poets of her time, and likewise rank as one of the most brilliant writers of fiction, on account of the vivid life, and intense human feeling, that is evinced in all her writings, whether in prose or verse. “Carissima,” that well-known Italian term of endearment, from which she derives her nom de plume, was an appellation conferred upon her in early girlhood by her father’s friend, the late Henry William Cole, M.D., a physician of great ability, to whom she was much attached, and is well adapted to the sweet, tender, womanly style of her writings, which show that, though in childhood she dwelt in a wilderness, she was reared in the lap of refinement. As a girl, “Caris Sima” was peculiarly simple and unsophisticated, and these traits of character still cling to her, as she, even now, gives little attention to the conventionalities of life. In stature, she is tall and commanding. Her features, which are irregular, are marked, when in repose, by an expression that might be termed sad, severe or stern; but when she speaks or smiles, her whole face illuminates like the sun breaking through a cloud, and she keeps on illuminating with expressions as versatile as her genius. In conclusion, we may say Miss Mountcastle is one of a family of twelve children, seven of whom died in infancy and early childhood. Of her sisters, Ellen, the eldest surviving, is, as we have already mentioned, a clever writer of fugitive verse. Eliza, the second daughter, is an amateur artist, and we may likewise say an amateur physician, as she studied medicine for six years under the late Dr. Cole, and practises among her own family with great success. The youngest, Alice, is married, and has one child, a bright boy, who seems likely to follow in the footsteps of his mother’s race. While her only surviving brother, Edmund Mountcastle, is a practical engineer of rare abilities, and, as we have seen, a descendant of the Andrew Meikle before mentioned, who was the first inventor of the threshing machine now in use.

Williams, Rev. John Æthuruld, D.D., Toronto, a General Superintendent of the Methodist church.—Dr. Williams is one of the most notable figures in the history of Canadian Methodism. For over forty years he has been intimately identified with its progress, and has deservedly, and with universal acceptance, attained the highest position in the gift of that church. Dr. Williams is a man who would anywhere command attention. He bears his seventy years with wonderful vigor. His fresh complexion, keen bright eyes, and remarkable alertness and energy, both of body and mind, seem to belong to a much younger man. He comes of sturdy Welsh stock, as his name—John Æthuruld Williams—indicates. He was born at Caermarthen, in South Wales, December 19th, 1817. He early lost his father, and was deprived of his only remaining parent at the age of twelve. He was thrown into the world of London, and there learned to develop that independence and energy of character by which he is marked. He received a good education at the Academy of Hoxton, near London. He came to Canada in his seventeenth year, and found a home in the town of Prescott, where the early years of his Canadian life were spent. He united with the Wesleyan Methodist church two years later, and for some time was engaged in secular business. His talents and religious zeal led to his entering the Methodist ministry in the year 1846, and to his ordination in 1850. He soon reached a leading position in the ministry, and in 1859 was elected chairman of the Owen Sound district. Such was the fitness which he evinced for that office that he has generally been elected chairman of the districts in which his pastoral charge has been situated. He has occupied several of the leading pulpits of the Methodist church: in Toronto, London, Port Hope, Brockville, Milton, Simcoe, St. Thomas, Goderich, St. Catharines, etc. When the London conference was organized in 1874, he was appointed its first president, in which office he was continued for a second term. He was a delegate to the general conference of the Methodist Episcopal church of the United States in 1876. In 1878 he received from Victoria University, in recognition of his wide reading, his general culture, and his distinguished ability, the degree of D.D. At the general conference of 1882 he was elected vice-president of that body; and at the united general conference of 1883, at which arrangements for the unification of Canadian Methodism were completed, he was unanimously elected president. The duties of this delicate and difficult position, at an important crisis in the history of the church, he discharged with such ability and impartiality as to command the admiration of the entire body. At the Centennial Conference of American Methodism, which met in Baltimore, in 1884, Rev. Dr. Williams and the Rev. Dr. Gardiner were the Canadian delegates. On that occasion Dr. Williams read an able paper, which commanded much attention, on the rise and progress of Canadian Methodism. On the lamented death of Rev. Dr. Rice, in 1885, it was the Rev. Dr. Williams whom the executive committee of the general conference selected as his successor in the office of general superintendent till the ensuing general conference. So ably did he discharge the important duties of that office that the general conference of 1886, by an almost unanimous vote, re-elected him to that position. In association with his colleague, the Rev. Dr. Carman, he has travelled with indefatigable energy throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion in promotion of the varied interests of the church of which he is a general superintendent.

Ker, Rev. Robert, Rector of Trinity Church, Mitchell, Ontario.—The subject of this brief biographical notice was born in the North of Ireland, some time about the year 1842 or ’43, and is the eldest son of the late Robert Ker, of Newbliss, county Monaghan. Having received an excellent common school education, and being very zealous in Sunday-school and other Christian work in his native place, it was intended that he should enter the ministry of the Church of England; but circumstances for the moment turned his thoughts in another direction. So early as 1857, Mr. Ker organized a Young Men’s Christian Association in his native town, and although quite unaware of the ultimate development of the movement, or of the parties even then working in it, the rules he drew up for the management of the association would be found to be not much dissimilar from the leading features of Young Men’s Christian Association work at the present. At a very early period Mr. Ker evinced a marked taste for newspaper writing, and took an active part in the controversy respecting the more general adoption of the National School system of education by the Protestants of Ireland. He vigorously denounced the system as an unworthy attempt to displace the Bible in the public schools, and succeeded in arousing a good deal of local hostility to the movement. About 1862 Mr. Ker entered the Normal Training College in Dublin, where his abilities as a thoughtful educationist attracted considerable attention, and he was awarded one of the four scholarships at the disposal of the committee, and on graduating from the institution he was one of three placed in the coveted rank of first class. Mr. Ker was promptly appointed to Lord Powerscourt’s chief school, which he taught with distinguished success for several years, and was awarded four honorary certificates from the Incorporated Society for the success of his pupils. Mr. Ker finally resigned the position, and at the invitation of the late Major Knox, proprietor of the Irish Times, Dublin, he became the special correspondent for that journal in Belfast. Those were exciting days on the Irish press, and very often the collecting of news involved a good many personal risks, and the subject of this sketch had his full share of them. Few of the leading public men of those days were unknown to Mr. Ker, and many are the incidents which he relates of the events of that stormy period, culminating, as it did, in the disestablishment of the Irish Church. It was Mr. Ker who reported the famous speech made by the Rev. John Flanagan respecting the kicking of the Queen’s crown into the Boyne, and which aroused the wrath of the London Times, and set the country in a blaze. Mr. Ker has occupied, at one time or another a position on every leading Irish paper. Late in 1872 he came to Canada, and was immediately engaged on the Toronto Leader, then an influential factor in Canadian politics. He remained on the staff of the Leader for some time, and while there edited the Patriot, well known for its sterling defence of Protestant principles. In 1874, circumstances appeared favorable for carrying out the never wholly-abandoned idea of entering the ministry of the church, and after due matriculation Mr. Ker entered Trinity College, Toronto, under Provost Whitaker, and subsequently took charge of St. John’s High School, province of Quebec, as principal, and it was while occupying that position that he was, in 1877, ordained to the diaconate by the Right Rev. Dr. Oxenden, Metropolitan, who forthwith appointed him to the mission of Chelsea, Templeton and Portland. This was a very trying district, entailing long drives over bad roads, but Mr. Ker soon became a prime favorite, and was greatly missed upon leaving. During his incumbency he had the debt paid off the Chelsea church and a new one consecrated at Portland. The following year he was advanced to the priesthood, and appointed to succeed the late Rev. Dr. Clarke, as incumbent of St. Stephen’s Church, Buckingham, province of Quebec. From there he was transferred to St. Paul’s Church, Mansonville, and while there he was called, in 1880, to the rectorship of Trinity Church, Quebec city. Rev. Mr. Ker labored in the ancient capital for nearly seven years. Trinity congregation was by no means wealthy, but he succeeded in gathering around him an earnest body of workers, to whom he became greatly attached, and the congregation returned the feeling very heartily. He purchased the church building from the Sewell family at $8,300, and paid off $4,300 of the amount within the year, leaving the balance as a mortgage upon the building. During the seven years of the Rev. Mr. Ker’s pastorate in Trinity Church, it was a great centre of attraction for the young, and when he decided upon accepting a charge in Ontario, the feeling of regret was wide-spread and profound. For about four years of his residence in Quebec, Rev. Mr. Ker, in addition to his other duties, filled the position of vice-rector in the Boys’ High School. He was also appointed by the Lieutenant-governor-in-Council a member of the Board of Protestant Examiners, and that body subsequently elected him their secretary. Rev. Mr. Ker was also for a time inspector of the schools for the Colonial Church Society in the district of Quebec, and vice-president of the Quebec Teachers’ Association; so that, altogether he has rendered good service to the country of his adoption. As to his theological views, he wishes to be described simply as “a churchman,” irrespective of party distinctions, which he looks upon as injurious and uncalled for. In 1863 he was initiated into the Masonic order; and since then has held a leading position in its ranks, having been elected worshipful master of Albion lodge, and subsequently, in 1885, he was elected to the position of grand chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Quebec, and re-elected again in 1886. The Rev. Mr. Ker has been a constant contributor to leading periodicals, and is an editorial writer of recognized ability; in fact, in every sense he has been one of our hard workers. As a preacher he is held in high esteem, for, while avoiding sensationalism on the one hand and the dry conventionalities of ordinary preaching on the other, he addresses himself in plain and forcible language to the wants of his hearers, and denounces in vigorous terms the prevailing hollowness of religious professors. He participated to some extent in the controversies carried on by churchmen a few years ago, but this he very sincerely regrets, believing as he does that unquestioning loyalty to the Church and Christian forbearance to the brethren are clear and imperative duties. On the 23rd August, 1874, he was married at New Brighton, S. I., to Lizzie, youngest daughter of the late Thomas Wilkin. Their family consists of three sons and two daughters. The Rev. Mr. Ker is at present rector of Trinity church, Mitchell, in the diocese of Huron; and his brother, the Rev. John Ker, is rector of All Saints Church, Dunham, province of Quebec, in the diocese of Montreal, and is esteemed by Bishop Bond as one of the most active and most successful missionaries.