TO THE REV. JOHN ARMSTRONG.

Thornhill, Upper Canada,
Feb. 11, 1840.

My dear Armstrong,

I feel much indebted to you for having complied with Mr. Ditcher’s suggestion, as well as to Mr. D. himself, for so kindly and judiciously making it. [226] And I hope that now we shall be able to enjoy a little occasional intercourse, not perhaps to the same extent, or with the same buoyant energetic feelings of our more youthful bygone days, but with the spirit of those who are drawing nearer and nearer to life’s peaceful termination, and who, while grateful for the attached intercourse which has characterised a few of their past years, must still feel that in this world of severings and perturbations we form our several friendships, not so much to enjoy them on earth, as to renew and perfect them in heaven.

What you mention concerning your dear family has greatly interested me. God has been very very gracious to you and them, and I do sincerely praise him on your and their behalf.

I have thought a good deal on the hints you throw out respecting my namesake and endeared godson, and hope the best wishes of your heart will be realised with regard to him. Canada, however, does not strike me as being the place for him, at least in a pecuniary point of view. £150 sterling, with a house, and three or four acres of land, is the utmost he should calculate on. Though a rector, I have no more than £135 sterling, and have no parsonage house, but am dwelling in one erected by myself, at my own cost. The general allowance made by the bishop at present is £100 sterling; and this is paid out of the sum contributed by the different societies in England, principally the Propagation, or by the fund arising from the sale of clergy reserves. In addition, however, to this £100, the bishop expects that the congregation should provide four acres of land, build a parsonage, and pledge themselves to give a salary of £50. But this pledge is too frequently merely nominal, the money being very seldom fully, or at all nearly, paid, and little more is obtained beyond the bishop’s allowance, excepting what may arise from surplice fees and the rental of church pews. Something in addition, however, may be expected when the vexatious matter of the clergy reserves shall be settled; but as these will be uncleared land, no immediate advantage to any extent would of course accrue. Upper Canada, indeed, I consider as one of the most necessitous of all our provinces, and none offer so little in the shape of just and equitable remuneration. Much, therefore, as I should rejoice on many accounts at Mr. George’s coming here, I am afraid he would find it very difficult to procure the means of adequate support. Orders, indeed, if only tolerably qualified, he might with ease and without expense obtain. Important spheres, also, of ministerial engagement are numerously presented. And to one who has no thought of entering on a married life, or is prepared to rough it, or contentedly to sink below the customary grade of his profession—to one so prepared, the missionary field of Canada is the very place. But to those who are otherwise minded, we ought, in Christian charity, and even in common fairness, to present the salutary cave. Sir George Arthur, no doubt, would do all in his power to assist him, should we be permitted to retain him among us; but in Canada his means of this description are exceedingly limited, and I should almost think that he could exert a more beneficial influence on his behalf by endeavouring to obtain, through his English friends, some appointment as chaplain to one of the colonies, or, should this be questionable, some benefice in Australia, or elsewhere, under circumstances of more encouragement than we are authorized to hold out in our poor, neglected, harassed province.

You speak of the possibility of giving us a visit; I need scarcely assure you how greatly it would delight us all; I fear, however, that Sir George will have left us, unless you are somewhat agile in your movements. I have been apprised by him (though quite confidentially) of his kind intentions towards yourself. How astonished should I have been at their realization, and how unspeakably rejoiced. But still all is well; and if time discover not this, faith can tell us of an important day that will.

You lay on me, my endeared friend, a next to impossible injunction; what a string of kind affectionate inquiries relative to my own procedures, personally, parochially, domestically.

My labours, I trust, are not altogether in vain in the Lord; our congregation has been increasing ever since I came here, and this year the church was enlarged to nearly double its former size, and the additional pews were all let in three or four days after they were offered for rental. Some few of my people seem to have been under gracious influence, and have given me much of encouragement and hope. And my people at large show me much kindness, and appear attached to my ministrations.

Socially and domestically we have much of comfort. Good house and premises, good servants, one of whom has been with us twenty-three years—and good neighbourhood—pleasant distance (twelve or thirteen miles) from Toronto—almost every English comfort within our reach, not to say every luxury. The only cause of regret, perhaps, is that in these matters we are going too much a-head.

We are far too gay, as a neighbourhood, for my simple liking. A few evenings since, one gentleman had a party of sixty persons present, many more invited, with a part of the band of the 93rd regiment, from Toronto. And very shortly after, another of my congregation had a still gayer and more extensive assemblage. But you will now begin to sigh over my interminable and undecipherable scrawl; and therefore, in simple pity to your straining eyes, I shall only add, that with most affectionate and Christian regards, in which my whole family unite, to yourself and dear Mrs. A.,

I remain,

Your ever attached, though unworthy friend,
George Mortimer.

I insert the following address, not only because it may be generally useful, but because it may be as applicable now to those for whose use it was originally written, as at the time of its publication: and if a stranger may be allowed to urge their attention afresh to the warm and affectionate remonstrance of their late pastor, he would just remind them, that Divine worship, on the Lord’s day, being a paramount duty, an attendance upon both services is obligatory on all sincere Christians, except duties of mercy or necessity preclude such attendance. All other excuses or reasons admit of no justification, and in the great day will be viewed only in the light of positive neglect of God’s service, arising either from sinful disobedience, or culpable indifference. The partially formal observance of the Lord’s Day, by an attendance on the morning service, spending the rest of the day in pursuits entirely alien from sacred duties, is the Sabbath of the mere nominal Christian, not of the sincere disciple of Christ.

ADDRESS
TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE TOWNSHIP OF THORNHILL

Thornhill, Oct. 1, 1840.

My much-endeared Parishioners,

I persuade myself you will receive with your wonted kindness a few words which I am desirous of pressing on your serious attention.

Our church, I am happy to think, has, through your own liberality and the kind assistance of our English friends, been so far enlarged as to admit of considerable increase in the attendance; and it affords me matter of much satisfaction, that even before its completion, the whole of the extra-sittings were secured. And though occasionally pained at the irregular attendance of some, still I cannot but feel gratified in meeting, on the Sabbath mornings, so encouraging a congregation as that which usually attends.

But here I am sorry to say that much of my satisfaction, as connected with our church attendance, terminates. For when the morning service is concluded, as though the Sabbath itself were also ended, we see no more of the mass of our congregation till we meet them on the following Sunday. A painful inquiry, then, as you will easily conceive, is often presented to our minds, as to the probable manner in which the remaining hours of your Sabbath are employed. Some few of you, I know, are kindly endeavouring to instruct the young in our Sunday-schools; some few also (oh that there were more!) make a point of instructing their own families at home; and some few more attend the evening service in the church. But what, I would affectionately inquire, becomes of our congregation at large, after the morning service? As consistent churchmen, I take for granted that you conscientiously confine yourselves to the ministrations of the church: for, convinced that the principles of dissenters are in direct opposition to—are altogether subversive of—the interests, if not the very existence of the church, you cannot but abstain from everything which may seem in any degree to support them; and as your attendance on their place of worship must be so considered, I may naturally conclude that you refrain from frequenting them. But as you go to no dissenting place of worship, and as only a very small number attend the evening service in the church, in what way must I suppose that the rest of the Sabbath is, for the most part, employed? Oh, think not that I am uncharitable, if I cannot help suspecting that it is too frequently frittered away in idleness, or in unprofitable pursuits; in unhallowed reading; in domestic amusements; in visiting or receiving visits; in Sabbath rambles; or possibly in some other still more decided profanations of this sacred day.

Under this impression, then, you will permit me to urge upon you the bounden duty of increased conscientiousness in regard to Sabbath-employments? Let the golden moments be duly appreciated and diligently improved. Religious reading, family instruction, and personal devotions, should, of course, employ a portion of your time, especially your Sunday afternoons; but as to your Sabbath evenings, I should hope that you will be convinced of the paramount obligation, to devote these to an attendance on the second service, which is now regularly afforded to you in the church: and that you will strive also so to arrange your other matters, as to admit of your being accompanied by as many as possible of your respective households.

I ought not, perhaps, to withhold from you, that much surprise has frequently been expressed by my clerical and other friends, that I should not as yet have succeeded in obtaining a more regular attendance on the second service, which, at so many different times, I had been attempting to establish: and our excellent bishop was much at a loss to account for the painful circumstance. I am hoping, however, that this reproach will ere long, by the Divine blessing, be removed from among us. Public opinion is now so universally in favour of having a second service in our churches, whenever the clergy have it in their power to give one, that I have no need to enter upon this point. But surely if it be admitted that it is the duty of the clergy to provide such a service, is it not equally a duty on the part of the people to attend it when it shall be provided for them?

Suffer me, then, to request your kind and willing co-operation in this matter, calculated, as it so evidently is, to promote the spiritual good of yourselves and of the neighbourhood at large. And will you permit me to tell you how repeatedly my heart has sunk within me, when I have adverted to the little I have hitherto been able to effect in this matter? How grieved have I been to look around our church on the Sabbath evening, and to see so many seats vacated, which in the morning had been so cheeringly filled. Oh how difficult do I then find it to believe that such absentees can feel much of affection either towards myself or my assistant—their church or their Saviour. But I try to check these feelings, and would hope for better things. I well know the kindness of your hearts, for many a proof have I received of your affectionate regards. And I trust you will not only bear with me in this expostulation and appeal, but so co-operate with me, that in my next report to our respected bishop, I may be able to convey the gratifying intelligence, that the attendance on the evening service is little short of that, which, with such pleasure, we so generally meet with on the Sabbath morning.

Believe me,

My much endeared friends and parishioners,

Your truly affectionate Rector,
George Mortimer.