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.
Pelton, Sandford Harrington, Q.C., Barrister, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, was born in New York, on the 28th September, 1845. His father was Milo Sandford Pelton, who was of English descent, and his mother, Louisa Maria Harrington, was a Nova Scotian. Sandford received his early educational training at the public school of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, and studied classics, mathematics, and the higher branches under the Rev. R. F. Brine, Episcopal minister at Arichat, Cape Breton. He studied law with the late Charles F. Harrington Q.C., of Arichat, who for some time represented Richmond county in the Nova Scotia legislature, and also with the Hon. Daniel Macdonald, formerly M.P.P. for Antigonish county, and attorney-general for Nova Scotia. On the 22nd October, 1867, he was admitted to the bar of Nova Scotia as a barrister and attorney, and commenced business in Yarmouth, on the 20th November, 1867, and here he has resided since, and has built up an extensive practice. He was appointed by the Nova Scotia government, on May 27th, 1876, a Queen’s counsel. Mr. Pelton is an active Mason, and occupies a prominent position in the order; is a past district deputy grand master, and a past junior grand warden of the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia. In temperance work, too, he has taken a hand, and is a member of several societies. In politics, he is a Liberal, and worked actively for his party during the last elections. He is an adherent of the Presbyterian church. On the 16th November, 1869, he was married to Mary Georgina Darby, youngest daughter of the late Captain Jos. W. E. Darby (who was for some years employed by the Nova Scotia government in the fishery protection service as commander of the cutter Daring, and died on board that vessel in 1851; he made quite a name for himself by his skill and ability in the discharge of his duties), and granddaughter of the late Superintendent Darby, of Sable Island.