The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-07-28
Letter from Canada.

here "Queen's weather" A good harvest
is the all in all to our Central Provinces,
at least our mainstay is agriculture
This means continuation of the revival
of trade and of "better times" The
churches have suffered less than ordinary
business enterprises from the depression
of the last few years; the number of new
church buildings has been very remarka-
BILE; but at the recent annual gatherings
of the highest courts of the various de-
nominations, it was felt that religious en-
terprises would share in the general i'm
provement.
Home Missions are the chief concern
of all our churches, and will be so for
some time to come for the land is wide
and quiet, and peaceable," and the tide
of immigration from the other countries
continues steady and strong Of the three
with ourselves, take the lead IN Home
Missions, the Episcopalians following at
an easier pace; while, of the smaller or
CARNATIONS, the Baptists are the most ac-
tive
At our recent Assembly, Home Mis-
sions came in for large share of atten-
ton. Last year 800, 600 was contributed
for the work of the Western Section,
which includes Quebec, Ontario, Hamil-
ton, and the Northwest Territories. This
was $11 900 short of the expenditure.
AS the debt had been increasing for some
years, and had then reached to more than
one-third of the contributions, it was felt
that crisis had been reached. The ap-
peal to the Church to meet the crisis was
not in vain. The debt has been paid, the
work extended, and for the first time in
the history of the Church, small balance
on the right side is shewn at the begin
ming of new year. The increase of
$l7 200 in this fund has been attended
by no loss to the other funds, to which,
almost without exception, the .contribu-
tlons have been more liberal than during
any previous year. We go forward in
the hope that the liberality of our people
will meet the requirements of the work
which the great Head of the Church has
assigned us. We need faith, for there
is not on record, In modern times, an in
stance Of so large territory committed
to so small Church, as we find in the
Home Mission field of the Presbyterian
Church In Canada With about $50 min
listers and $50 pastoral charges and 75,-
600 families, the Church, to care for the
people belonging to its own communion,
must needs plant its mission stations and
send out its missionaries from the caves
OF Nova Scotia and Newfoundland to the
pralrles that stretch to the base of the
Rocky Mountains.
Among the contributions to the Home
r
note, VIZ 81 ,OOOfrom the Church Record,
which had $1,000 to the good after all
expenses were met. 1t has not been our
custom to furnish the Record of the Mis-
slons and other work of the Church free
1t has been thought that it is of more real
service when sent only to subscribers.
and there are but few like the elder who
recently walked three miles to tell his
minister that he could not continue his
Record at % cents year. The Record
is found in most of our families.
l am intending to write you about our
French Evangelzation and FOREIGN Mis-
sion work, and our Colleges. l take time
now only to say how greatly the address
es OF Rev. DR.. Steel, deputy from Aus
tralia, Rev. Professor Bruce, from the
Free Church of Scotland, and that "prince
OF orators, Principal Cairns, of the United
Presbyterian Church in Scotland. added
to the interest of the Assembly. Here
are one or two extracts from DR.. Steel's
address, which are of worldwide interest.
" 1t was onl y some fifty-seven years since
the first Presbyterian minister went to
the Southern hemisphere. Since that
time the Presbyterian ministers there had
increased to four hundred" "Missiona-
ry enterprise in the Southern Seas was
only about fifty years old. During that
time 300 islands had been evangelical
and 100000 people, formerly heatbens
and cannibals, brought within the Chris
tan Church, In FIJI, now British col
ony, which not long ago was peopled bv
as fierce race Of cannibals as existed IN
any part Of the world, there were now
300 churches, 100000 people in regular
attendance on Divine ordinances. and
10000 communicates. There was a VIC
orous native ministry. directed bv t6e
wesleyan Missions. This was but a spe-
cimen And how much money had It
taken to achieve these great results
About as much as the Montreal viaduot
or a mile Of Thames embankment had
cost How cheap was the highest form
OF benehcence, the power of doing good I
To-day there were about OOO ,,;,.s)2o s. -. q