MEMOIR OF THE REV. JOHN STUART, D. D.

319

might confer Holy orders and enforce discipline in the church. 1 A copy of this pamphlet was sentby the author to M r Stuart, who admitted that it opened a new field of thought, and added—“ Not-withstanding I am still clogged with all my old prejudices in regard to the Divine right and unin-terrupted succession of Episcopacy ; yet I must confess that you have said more and with greaterplausibility than the subject, at first view seemed to promise. T admire and reverence that spirit ofmoderation and candour that breathes through the whole performance, and at the same time lamentthe period [is] so unfortunate as to require the exertion of such talents in such a cause. I hope thepresent complexion of the times will free you from having recourse to such an expedient which Iam confident toothing but necessity can have forced you to adopt.” 2 *

The subsequent acknowledgment, by England, of the Independence of this country havingobviated all existing difficulties in the case, Mr. Stuart’s friends entertained the hope of winninghim back to labor among them, and Dr. Griffith, bishop elect of Virginia, invited him to settle in hisdiocese. But notwithstanding the dulcedo natalis solis , Mr. S. declined the proposal. Writingin 1785, he says :—

“ I must allow that if you adhere to your Bill of Rights , and establish churchgovernment on the plan, and according to thespirit of the outlines you have drawn, it will certainly deserve the name of a Reformation. ***** I must hereacknowledge the sense I have of Mr. Griffith’s friendly remembrance of me, altho’ I despair of being able to accept of hiskind proposal. The time has been when the chance of obtaining a settlement in that part of Virginia wou’d have gratifiedmy utmost ambition. But, at my time of life, and with such riveted prejudices in favor of a government totally different fromthat of the United States , I am resolved not to look back , having once put my hand to the plow.” 3

Though Mr. Stuart did visit Philadelphia again in 1786 or 7, he never seems to have repentedhis removal to Canada . Yet the isolation in which he found himself would sometimes naturallycall up memories that could not fail to be painful.

“ I can scarcely refrain from dropping a tear to the memory of my old friends who are almost universally gone into banish-ment and may be considered as dead to their country and their friends ! I am the only refugee clergyman in this Province.Beardsley, the Sayres, and, I believe, Df. Seabury are in Nova Scotia but I have as yet no correspondence with them, thedistance not being less than 400 miles.”

As a relief from such thoughts as these he turned to the active duties of his calling. u I shallnot, (said he) regret the disappointment and chagrin I have hitherto met with, if it pleases God tomake me the instrument of spreading the knowledge of his Gospel amongst the heathen andreclaiming only one lost sheep of the House of Israel.”

In this spirit he set out on the 2 d June 1784 to visit the new settlements on the S l Lawrence,Lake Ontario and Niagara falls where he arrived on the 18 th of the same month. Already 3,500loyalists had left Montreal that season for Upper Canada . He found the lands in general, good ;a range of settlements had been formed from the Canadian boundaries to Oswegatchy. Hisreception by the Mohawks , who were settled about ninety miles from the falls, was very affectionate,liven the windows of the church in which he officiated were crowded with those who were anxiousto behold again their old pastor from whom they had been so long separated. He officiated also atCadaraqui where he found a garrison of three companies, about thirty good houses and some 1500souls who intended to settle higher up the lake. He next proceeded to the bay of Kente, wheresome more Mohawks had settled, who were busy building houses and laying the foundations of theirnew village “named Tyonderoga.” 4

1 Wilson’s Life of Bp. White; also White’s Memoirs of the P. E. Church furnish full information relative to this pamphlet.

2 Letter of 17 March, 1784. 3 Letter of 17th June, 1785.

4 Abstract of 178-5; Letters of Aug. 8, 1784 and June 27,1785.