Chapter XII

1834.

Events following the Union.--Division and Strife.

Dr. Ryerson has left nothing in his "Story" to illustrate this period of his personal history, nor the strife and division which followed the consummation of the union of the British and Canadian Conferences. These untoward events are, however, fully described in the "Epochs of Canadian Methodism," pages 247-311: They arose chiefly out of the differences which disturbed the British and Canadian Methodist Societies in Kingston and other places, and the separation in the Societies generally, caused by the establishment of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1834.

I have already given, in chapter xi., page 128, an extract of a letter to Dr. Ryerson, from his brother John, indicating the causes of strife between the British and Canadian Societies. I give the following letter, also from the same gentleman, written from Hallowell early in November, 1833, in which he said:--

Brother William and I called on the Rev. Mr. Hetherington at
Kingston. He said:--That there could be no union; that we were
Radicals; that they would not be united with us; that the District
Meetings of Lower Canada, Halifax, etc., intended to make common
cause with them; especially they intended to remonstrate against
giving up York and Kingston. They also intended to appeal to the
British Conference, and if they were not heard by it they would
appeal to the British people. If the British Conference will allow
its members to throw firebrands, arrows, and death around in this
way, and reciprocate their proceedings after this manner with
impunity, they are very different men from what I have taken them
to be.

_Nov. 20th._--In a subsequent letter to Dr. Ryerson, his brother John says:--

I fear much for the Union from the English Missionary party. Should
they, from any consideration, undertake to retain Kingston and
York, our cause there will be ruined. In case of such an event, I
will retire immediately, and bid farewell to the strife and toil in
which we have been engaged ever since we have been travelling
preachers. Let me know who have thrown up the _Guardian_. You will
have seen the Cobourg _Reformer's_ attacks. It is of much more
importance for you to expose Mr. Radcliffe, the editor, than any
one else, and point out that, in his present enmity to Methodist
principles, this is not the first time he has endeavoured to break
the Methodist ranks, and to sow the seeds of discord among her
friends. I would take good care not to lean a hairsbreadth towards
radicalism. One reason of their making this onslaught is to scare
you, and induce you to say something which will excite the jealousy
of the Government, and the disapprobation of our British brethren,
and thereby destroy us with them as they seek to do with other
parties.

_Nov. 22nd._--What is thus stated by his brother John was corroborated by his brother William, who was stationed at Kingston, and who, in a letter to Dr. Ryerson, said:--

I need not say what my feelings were when I arrived at this place,
and found that arrangements had been made by Mr. Marsden, in
violation of the understanding with the Conference, and in defiance
of the opinions and wishes of every one of our friends in the town
and country, whose feelings have not only been wounded and grieved,
but have rendered the prospects of a union in this place more than
ever entirely hopeless. I have not been considered fit (probably
for want of ability) to act as Superintendent of such an important
station; I have no authority to receive or expel a member, or even
to preside in a meeting of Stewards and Leaders; while my
Superintendent is in Montreal or Quebec; whether or not he will so
stoop as to visit us at all, we cannot say. Besides being shut out
of the British Wesleyan Chapel, every possible means is being used
to prevent a single individual of their Society from attending our
Chapel; and my field of labour is not only greatly circumscribed,
but the prospect of usefulness is nearly destroyed. What my
feelings must be, under such circumstances, you can easily judge. I
can only say that as soon as I can see a way opened, and can do so
consistently, I will not labour as a travelling preacher one day
longer.

_January 8th, 1834._--His brother John, in another letter to Dr. Ryerson from Hallowell, said:--

Whoever may be the agents in making alterations in our economy, I
will not be one. With "improvements," alterations, unions, and
disunions, we have been agitated long enough. I am done with such
business, henceforth and forever. At our last Conference it was
understood, and expressly stated that no alterations would
hereafter be attempted; and so we have assured the people. But
behold, before they receive that assurance, some alterations are
mooted. Do away with the Presiding Elders, lessen the Districts,
etc., and a dozen other things which will necessarily follow. The
reason urged for these changes is worse than the things
themselves--namely: If we don't, the British Missionaries will
write to the Superintendents and raise such a storm in England,
etc., etc. If this is the way we are to be governed, and if this is
the state of the Connexion at home, the Resolutions on Union, on
parchment or paper, are a miserable farce. The more I think on this
subject, the worse I like it.

In a letter from Kingston to Dr. Ryerson on this subject, Rev. Joseph Stinson says:--

I have done my utmost to promote the union of the two Societies in
this town. If things are carried with too high a hand, we shall
lose our Kingston Chapel and congregation altogether; and, should
the Kingston people shut their Chapel against us, it will be
impossible to keep things quiet in Lower Canada. I do not think it
necessary to sacrifice the Union to Kingston, nor is it necessary
to sacrifice Kingston, because a number of disaffected radicals in
the Bay of Quinte like to make the state of things here an excuse
for their anti-methodistical proceedings. If there were no Kingston
in existence, these men would never cordially love the Union.

_April_, 1834.--Dr. Ryerson received a letter from the new President of the Canada Conference (Rev. Edmund Grindrod) dated London, England, in which the latter said:--

One object of my visit will be to allay the hostility of our
Societies in the Lower Province to their union with us.

Mr. Alder (said Mr. Grindrod) was to have accompanied him, but at Mr. Bunting's suggestion this plan was abandoned in the hope that--

The friends in Lower Canada, when they have had time to reflect,
would return to better views and feelings.

_Dec. 3rd._--Writing to Dr. Ryerson from Kingston, at this date, Rev. John C. Davidson[44] says:--

I have been told by the most influential members of the Leaders'
Meeting here that pledges to the following effect have been most
solemnly given to them by Mr. Alder and Mr. Grindrod, viz:--That
the members of the British Society here did not, and were never to
make a part of the Societies governed by the Canada Conference;
that they were to remain as they always were; that their numbers
were to be returned to the home Conference; that our Society was to
be merged in theirs; and Kingston become the head of the Missionary
establishment in Canada,--always to be the residence of the
Superintendent, who was to control and regulate the Kingston
Societies; and that the Presiding Elder was to have nothing to do
with the town; that a large chapel was to be forthwith built,--to
be deeded to the British Conference; and that the minister in
charge of Kingston was always to be an Englishman.

* * * * *

Towards the close of this year, the Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada was organized. Full details of this division are given by Dr. Ryerson in the "Epochs of Canadian Methodism," pages 270-288. Happily this separated branch of the great Methodist family is being re-united to the parent stock in 1883. Further reference to the subject is, therefore, unnecessary in this "Story." Nevertheless it should be remembered that in the discussion and controversy which for years followed this event, Dr. Ryerson occupied a foremost place as the champion on the Wesleyan Methodist side.

* * * * *

FOOTNOTES:

[44] This gentleman entered the Methodist Church in 1827, joined the Church of England in 1854, and was for many years a minister of a congregation in the Province of Quebec. He died in 1881.