Part 48
=Kay, Rev. John=, Pastor of the First Methodist Church, Hamilton, was born in the town of Napanee, Ontario, on the 20th of May, 1838. His father was Enoch Kay, who was born in the county of Wicklow, Ireland, in 1812. His mother, Elizabeth Coulson, was a native of Stockton, near Hull, England, and was born in 1815. His grandfather, Joshua Kaye (the family name was originally spelled _Kaye_) emigrated with the family from Ireland many years ago, and settled in the eastern part of Ontario, where he followed the same occupation as he had done in his native country, namely, that of wheelwright. He was a man of small stature, but of marked intelligence and great amiability of character, and a leader among the Methodists of his day. The wife of this worthy man was a Fitzhenry, a name of some considerable note in Ireland. She was tall and fine looking, and evidently had her early training in an advanced circle of society. Both died in the village of Newburg, and their bodies rest in the small rural cemetery near the village of Napanee Mills. His maternal grandfather was a miller from his youth up, and for several generations some of the Coulson family have been engaged in this business, and in that of shipbuilding in England. The father and mother were married in 1837, the year of the coronation of Queen Victoria, and took up their residence on a farm a short distance north of Napanee Mills. Here Mr. Kay, sen., farmed, and also carried on the trade of carriage-building and blacksmithing, employing a number of workmen. The farm he afterwards sold, and moved into the village of Newburg, where he engaged in the lumber business. Here young Kay received the rudiments of his education, first in a private school and afterwards in the Newburg Academy. When he had scarcely reached his fourteenth year his father died at the early age of thirty-nine, leaving a widow and three children in poor circumstances, the subject of our sketch being the oldest. This necessitated his giving up school and entering on the battle of life for an existence, his mother with the other children returning to her father’s home until he could provide for them elsewhere. After a hard struggle of several years he succeeded so well as to be able to bring the family again together, and he made a home for them at Cramborne, a small village about five miles north of Cobourg. Here he was led to think more seriously of religious matters, and made up his mind to consecrate himself to the work of the church. He at once set about preparing himself, and acted in the capacity of local preacher for some time. Having been relieved soon afterwards of much business anxiety, he gave himself up to labour and study. After a hard struggle he succeeded, and to his surprise and satisfaction, in the spring of 1862, he was informed by the officials of the Methodist New Connexion Church of Baltimore, Ontario, with which he had connected himself a few months before, that they would gladly recommend him to the work of the ministry, and on his case being brought before the conference he was appointed to assist the late Rev. S. B. Gundy, in the town of St. Mary’s. This was a fortunate circumstance for the young preacher, for the Rev. Mr. Gundy was a man of excellent ability and one of the finest preachers in the denomination. The death of the superintendent some time afterwards was a great loss to Mr. Kay. He then took up the course of study prescribed for his work, which by no means was a light one. His studies were now chiefly directed by the late Rev. William McClure, who was appointed at that time to the chair of theology, philosophy and literature, for the student probationers of the church, and under his able tuition he succeeded in mastering the curriculum appointed by the Board of Education of the conference. Since then he has been successful in gaining some knowledge of Latin and Greek, with a little of German, but still thirsts for more knowledge, as he considers all possible lines of study are needed by the efficient and progressive Christian minister. The Rev. Mr. Kay first began his ministry, as will have been observed, at St. Mary’s, and here he spent one year; next he went to Manvers, where he preached for two years; then he went to Ingersoll, and spent two more years; in Milton he preached for three years; in Waterdown for three years; Tilsonburg, two years; London, two years; then he again spent two years in Ingersoll; and then moved to Waterford, where he spent three years; in Thorold, three years, and for the last three years he has been in Hamilton. In 1872, when the subject of Methodist union was a live topic in the churches, Rev. Mr. Kay was secretary of conference, and contributed by both voice and pen to bring about union, and when this great movement was accomplished he was removed from Tilsonburg to London by the conference of 1875, and during his stay there he helped to build the Wellington Street Church and parsonage, which is now one of the most prosperous churches in the denomination. This reverend gentleman has been several times financial secretary of the districts in which he has been stationed; and in 1886 he was a representative at the General Conference which was held in Toronto. He has found time, also, to attend to the temperance movement. From boyhood he has been a teetotaller, having joined the Cadets of Temperance in Newburg, and subsequently entered the orders of the Sons of Temperance and Good Templars; and later held for two years the office of grand counsellor, and for three years that of chaplain in the Supreme Lodge of the Royal Templars,—which holds its annual sessions in the city of Buffalo, where the order was first organized in 1870. As a natural consequence he is a firm and uncompromising prohibitionist, holding that the only way to elevate the masses and improve the financial condition of the country is the entire abolition of the traffic in intoxicating drinks. Mr. Kay also belongs to the United Order of Workmen, and did for some time belong to the orders of Oddfellows and Foresters, but a few years ago found it necessary to retire from them. As we have seen, the subject of our sketch was brought up in the Methodist fold, and he has seen no reason since to change his belief in the doctrines that were taught him at his mother’s knee; but, nevertheless, he is not opposed to a progressive theology, and can see no reason why a person should be compelled to follow all the old methods of reasoning and forms of expression. The words of modern use are often as expressive as those used aforetime, and some of the old ones are none the worse for being used before. The Augustinian school of theology finds no favour with him. He believes in a free will—without the necessitarian adjuncts of such limitations as affords it only to a few favoured persons—the free and full salvation for all, and the kindest and most gracious invitation to all to come to the fountain and drink. The gospel freely offered is God’s expression of love. He has also devoted some time to literature, and in 1871 published a very interesting “Biography of the Rev. William Gundy,” his father-in-law. This volume was very favourably received, and highly praised by the press. He is a diligent student, and has also on several occasions contributed to the columns of our newspapers and periodicals. On the 20th of October, 1864, he was married to Eliza, second daughter of the Rev. William Gundy, who for more than half a century was a preacher of the gospel, and though now dead for over sixteen years, yet speaketh. Six of a family have been born of the union, four of whom survive, two sons and two daughters.
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=Macdonald, Rev. James Charles=, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, is descended from an old Highland family, who emigrated to Prince Edward Island in the last century. His ancestors formed part of the gallant band brought out by the Laird of Glenaladale, in the _Alexander_ in 1772. His father, John Macdonald, of Allisary, and his mother, Ellen Macdonald, of Garahelia, were natives of Prince Edward Island. Their son was born at Allisary, in the parish of St. Andrew, in that province, on the 15th July, 1840, and was baptised in the old St. Andrew’s Church, built in that mission, by Bishop McEachern, in the early days of Catholicity in Prince Edward Island. After preliminary studies in a district school, Mr. Macdonald entered St. Dunstan’s College in 1866. He remained there for four years, and in 1870, went up to the Grand Seminary, at Montreal. After a three years’ course, he was ordained by the Bishop of Charlottetown, and at once proceeded to St. Dunstan’s College, to fill a vacant professorship in that institution. In 1875, Mr. Macdonald was appointed to the missions of St. James, Georgetown, and All Saints, Cardigan Bridge. In 1876, the mission of St. Theresa, Baldwin’s Road, was added to these; but in 1878, it was placed in the charge of another priest. In 1881, the late Very Rev. Dr. Macdonald was associated with Father Charles Macdonald, in the care of the missions of St. James and All Saints, to which was annexed St. Paul’s, Sturgeon. In September, 1884, to the great regret of his parishioners, Father Macdonald was removed from Georgetown, and installed as rector of St. Dunstan’s College, Charlottetown. During the period in which he has presided over that institution, St. Dunstan’s has prospered exceedingly, and now boasts a staff of eight professors, three clerical and five lay, and a roll of eighty-six students, several of whom give promise of doing great credit to their _alma mater_.
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=Macpherson, Henry=, Braeside, Owen Sound, Ontario, Judge of the County Court of the county of Grey, Local Judge of the High Court of Justice, Surrogate Judge of the Maritime Court, was born 17th August, 1832, at Picton, county of Prince Edward, province of Ontario. He was son of Lowther Pennington Macpherson, late of Picton, barrister-at-law, and of Eliza Isabella Louisa McLean, his wife. Lowther was the son of Lieut.-Colonel Donald Macpherson, of the 10th Royal Veteran Battalion, who commanded at Kingston at the commencement of the war with the United States in 1812; and was afterwards ordered to Quebec, where he remained till the close of the war in 1814, when he returned to his property of Cluny, near Kingston. Colonel Macpherson was the son of Evan Macpherson, chief of the clan Macpherson, who joined the standard of Prince Charles Edward Stuart at the time of the rebellion in Scotland in 1745. Lowther was born on shipboard, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, when his father was coming out to Canada with his regiment, and died at sea near the West India Islands, where he had gone for his health in 1836. Eliza Macpherson was the youngest daughter of Lieut.-Colonel Allan N. McLean, of “The Grove,” Kingston, and who practised law there. In 1812 he closed his office, and was greatly instrumental in raising the Incorporated Militia, which regiment he commanded until he was superseded by an officer of the line. One of his sons was a lieutenant in the Glengarry Fencibles, and was killed at Queenston Heights, and his son-in-law, Captain Walker, commanded a company of the Incorporated Militia, and was killed at Lundy’s Lane. Colonel McLean represented the county of Frontenac in the Provincial parliament for many years, in the early part of the present century, and was for sixteen years Speaker of the House of Assembly. Eliza Macpherson died in 1885 in her eightieth year. Henry Macpherson was educated at the Grammar School, Kingston, and afterwards at Queen’s College, where he graduated as Bachelor of Arts in April, 1851. He studied law in the office of Thomas Kirkpatrick, Q.C., of Kingston, who was afterwards M.P. for the county of Frontenac. He was admitted as an attorney in Easter term in 1854, after which he entered the law office of George A. Phillpotts, of Toronto, afterwards Junior Judge of the county of York, where he remained until called to the bar, in Hilary, term 1855. In March of that year, he commenced the practice of his profession at Owen Sound, in the county of Grey, where he continued until appointed judge of the County Court of that county in January, 1865. Owen Sound was at that time a portion of the township of Sydenham, but in 1856 it was incorporated as a town, having a population of about 2,000. It was the county town of the county of Grey, which, with the adjoining county of Bruce, was then comparatively a new settlement, the population of Grey, according to the census of 1852, being something over 13,000 and that of Bruce being between 2,000 and 3,000. The peninsula north of Owen Sound, between Georgian Bay and Lake Huron, was then a wilderness and not yet surrendered by the Indians. The roads through the counties were in a very bad condition, and until the opening of the Northern Railway to Collingwood in the winter of 1854-5, everything had to be brought to Owen Sound by vessel from Coldwater, or teamed up from Guelph. A few years after this, the county of Grey expended $200,000 in building about 180 miles of gravel roads through the country, on which no toll gate was ever placed, and the county of Bruce a few years after followed the example thus set of building a number of leading gravel roads through the county without placing toll gates on them. The population of the county of Grey at the last census, in 1881, was over 75,000, and that of Bruce over 65,000. A number of railways are now running through the counties, the Canadian Pacific Railway having a lake terminus at Owen Sound, which has a population of about 6,000, a dry dock capable of receiving very large steamers (the first built in Canada above the Welland Canal), an excellent system of waterworks, is lighted by electric lights, and to and from its harbour a large fleet of steamers (including the Canadian Pacific Railway’s steel steamships), and sailing vessels run to all the various ports on the upper lakes. Besides the position of county judge to which Mr. Macpherson was appointed in 1865, he holds the position of local judge of the High Court of Justice, to which he was appointed in March, 1882; of surrogate judge of the Maritime Court of Ontario, to which he was appointed in February, 1879, and of revising officer of the North Riding of Grey, to which he was appointed in October, 1885. Judge Macpherson has long taken a great interest in Freemasonry, into which he was initiated in June, 1857, in the city of Toronto, and in the fall of that year, assisted by other brethren, he opened a lodge in Owen Sound under a dispensation from Sir Allan Napier MacNab, grand master of the Ancient Grand Lodge of Canada, and of which lodge he was the first worshipful master. He is the only survivor of the original members of that lodge. The Ancient Grand Lodge was in July of the following year merged in the Grand Lodge of Canada. He has been a regular attendant at the meetings of the Grand Lodge, and in 1863 was elected grand senior warden. He has been, with the exception of two years, continuously a member of the Board of General Purposes since its formation in 1861, has frequently been and is at present vice-president of that board, and is also chairman of the sub-committee on jurisprudence. He is also the representative of the Grand Orient of Uruguay, and of the Grand Lodge of Maryland, near the Grand Lodge of Canada. He has also taken an active part in Capitular Masonry. He was exalted in February, 1858, and in 1866, assisted in the formation of a chapter in Collingwood, of which, in 1867, he became first principal. In 1873, he assisted in the formation of a chapter in Owen Sound, of which, at the commencement he was first principal. In Grand Chapter, after filling the chairs of 3rd and 2nd principal, he was, in 1883, elected grand first principal, which office he held two years. He is also representative of the Grand Chapter of California, near the Grand Chapter of Canada. He has also been instrumental in the formation or carrying on of many local and other societies. Judge Macpherson was the first secretary and afterwards president of the Mechanics’ Institute. He has been president of the North Riding of Grey Agricultural Society, and has been several times and is now president of the Horticultural Society, and has been vice-president of the Fruit Growers’ Association of Ontario. He was the first captain and several years president of the Cricket Club, was several years president and is now patron of the Curling Club, and has been president of the Ontario branch of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club. He also, in 1874, assisted in the formation of a joint stock company to build a curling and skating rink, of which he was the first president. This was the first company formed for this purpose under the Ontario Act. He has also been president of the First Canada Rifle Club, of the Gun Club, and of the Fish and Game Protection Society, and is now chairman of the managing committee of the Owen Sound Club. In this age of locomotion his travels can hardly be considered important, yet he has travelled through Canada from Manitoba to Newfoundland, and through all the great lakes. He has been through most of the states east of the Mississippi from Minnesota to Florida; and has visited a number of cities of the United States from St. Paul and Minneapolis to New Orleans, and from the Atlantic coast to the Mississippi. He was at the Paris Exhibition of 1867, the Centennial Exhibition held at Philadelphia in 1876, the Colonial Exhibition at London, and the International Exhibition at Liverpool in 1886. He has visited the Bahama Islands, and last winter travelled by sea from New York to New Orleans, up the Mississippi to Memphis, and across home by rail, paying visits to the different cities on the way, and also visiting the mammoth cave of Kentucky, his journey being nearly 5,000 miles. He has also visited most of the important cities and other points of interest in England and Scotland, including the islands of Skye, Staffa, Iona, Man, Wight, etc. During last summer, he also visited Egypt, including the Suez Canal, the Nile, Cairo, the Pyramids, the battle field of Tel-el-Kebir, etc., going by way of the Mediterranean and calling at Gibraltar and Malta, travelling in all nearly 15,000 miles. He is a member of the Church of England. In May, 1875, he married Eliza McGill McLean, second daughter of Allan N. McLean, formerly of Toronto, now of London, England, and grand-daughter of the late John McLean, formerly sheriff at Kingston, who was a brother of the late Hon. Chief Justice McLean, of Toronto; Mrs. Macpherson died in April, 1880, leaving two children, only one of whom still survives.
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=Campbell, Rev. Kenneth A.=, Orillia, Ontario, was born in the township of Thorah, Ontario county, on the 30th of November, 1837. His father, Kenneth Campbell, was born in the county of Glengarry, Ontario, and was one of the earliest settlers in the township of Thorah, and rendered most valuable assistance to the Scottish immigrants, who afterwards settled in that and neighbouring townships. Mr. Campbell was captain of militia. Rev. Mr. Campbell received the rudimentary part of his education in a public school of his native section, and afterwards made a full course, preparatory to ordination, in St. Michael’s College, Toronto, and was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Lynch, in St. Joseph’s Church, Beaverton, on the 21st of September, 1854. He was appointed assistant to the Very Rev. G. R. Northgroves, in the parish of Barrie, and in April, 1856, he was appointed parish priest of Mara and Orillia. In this charge he laboured with zeal for eight years. He built a neat substantial brick church in the village of Brechin; attended to the wants of the settlers of his faith in the district of Muskoka, and discharged efficiently the duties of local superintendent of schools in the townships of Mara and Rama. In June, 1872, he built the Church of the Angels Guardian, in Orillia, a solid structure of fine architectural design, and an ornament to the town. The interest of the congregation of Orillia requiring a resident priest, the village was erected into a separate parish, and Father Campbell was appointed to the charge in 1874. Upon his removal to Orillia, he set to work to erect the handsome presbytery in which he now resides. Subsequently he built a solid, well-planned, well-appointed separate school-house, and a tasteful brick church in the village of Warminster. He not only attends to the elementary instruction of the children under his care, but takes a deep interest in higher education. Four years ago he was appointed by the county council of Simcoe trustee of the High School Board, and on that board he has held the position of chairman for the four years that he has been a member thereof. Father Campbell has left his imprint for good in the various important positions he has held, and we hope he may be long spared to bless mankind.
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