Church and not in others. Only in one case were the Wesleyans defeated, which decision was reversed by a higher court; they, therefore, held all the Church property, and the Episcopal Methodists went on in their own course, and it must be admitted that, considering all the circumstances in which they have been placed, their success has been marvelous. A better state of feeling now obtains between the two bodies, and they hold fraternal relations with each other. The General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States regards both bodies as its legitimate offspring.

The union between the English and Canadian Conferences so happily consummated in 1833 was dissolved in 1840, but was again effected in 1847. These were years of agitation and uneasiness, arising mainly from the different views held by the Wesleyan Missionary Society in England and the Methodist Church in Canada. The former were generally conservative in their views, and greatly in sympathy with the Established Church of England. This was well known to the HighChurch party in Canada, which was resolved by all means to retain the "Clergy Reserve" lands for religious purposes. Dr. Ryerson, as editor of the "Christian Guardian" during some of those years, resolutely fought against this view, and in so doing he was sustained by a majority of the Methodist ministers and people in Canada.

The Wesleyan Missionary Committee and the Wesleyan Conference resolved that the editor should abstain from discussing questions of a political character, but the editor had fought too long for civil and religious liberty to act otherwise than as he had hitherto done. Happily a delegation went to England in 1847, and, after mutual explanations, the union between the Conferences was renewed, to the delight of the majority on both sides. Dr. Bunting, who for many years was the most influential man in the Wesleyan Conference, acknowledged, at the period of the re-union, that they (the English) had been mistaken respecting their brethren in Canada, who understood their position and duty on public questions better than their English brethren. The union thereafter worked very harmoniously until 1874, when it was dissolved by mutual consent, and the present Methodist Church of Canada was organized by the amalgamation of the Wesleyan ConFOURTH SERIES, VOL. XXXV.—6

ferences in Canada and Eastern British America, and the Methodist New Connection Conference, which were again divided into six Annual Conferences, with one General Conference to meet once in four years. The first president of the General Conference was Dr. Ryerson, who had now become venerable in years, and received this appointment as a mark of approval of the course which he had pursued during the eventful years in which he had so nobly defended the Church of his youth against all assailants.

The history of Methodism throughout the world has always been closely allied with the cause of education. Its founder was one of the best educated men in his day. No wonder, therefore, that the sons of John Wesley should always be the advocates of educational institutions. As early as 1830 the Methodists of Canada took steps to have an institution of their own to be known as Upper Canada Academy, for the higher education of the youth of both sexes. In this noble enterprise Mr. Ryerson was an active agent. The corner-stone was laid in 1832, and the building was completed and the institution. commenced operations in 1835. Mr. Ryerson went to England and secured liberal aid for the academy, and when, in 1841, it was deemed advisable to change the institution into a college with university powers and the name of the Queen of England, as its designation, he was appointed its first principal,

On this occasion the Middletown (Conn.) University conferred upon him the degree of D.D. Thenceforth Dr. Ryerson was known as an educator, and under his wise guidance some who were under his care reached great influence in their various professions. The university, of which he was the head for three years, has sent out about 1,500 graduates, and it is worthy of remark that one of Dr. Ryerson's pupils, the Rev. Dr. Nelles, has for the space of more than a quarter of a century occupied the position which his revered tutor so nobly filled. Another of Dr. Ryerson's pupils, the Rev. Dr. Ormiston, is Presbyterian minister in New York; while a third, Dr. Hodgins, has for many years been Deputy Superintendent of Education in the Province of Ontario. Dr. Ryerson has always taken the deepest interest in Victoria University, and both by his advocacy and pecuniary aid, he has labored to the utmost of his power to promote its welfare. Since his death

it has been resolved to endow a chair of "Mental and Moral Philosophy," to be called "The Ryerson Chair." Efforts are being made to raise the sum of $35,000. Such an object will be a noble monument to the memory of the first principal of the university.

During the years in which there was great agitation in Canada on the subject of university reform, the object of which was to secure a share of the public moneys set apart for the purposes of higher education to be equally distributed among all denominational colleges, in proportion to the work done by each, Dr. Ryerson was again in the field of conflict, and was ever ready to take part in the hottest fight. He assisted at conventions, addressed public meetings, went before Parliamentary Committees, and also published pamphlets in advocacy of the liberal views held by himself and his friends. In 1860, when a committee of the legislature sat on the subject of university reform, the address of Dr. Ryerson was one of the most powerful that was ever delivered on such an occasion, and created such a sensation that all the corridors leading to the committee-room were crowded by members of Parliament. Several who did not agree with the sentiments which he enunciated were, nevertheless, captivated by his eloquence. His speech was partly in reply to statements made by gentlemen connected with another university, which was enjoying a liberal endowment from public funds. Space forbids, or we would make some extracts from this memorable speech.

The Ilon. Senator Ferrier, of Montreal, when referring to this occasion, said: "Dr. Ryerson spoke with more than his usual ability and clearness for two hours and forty minutes the first day, and for one hour and forty-five minutes the second day, producing the deepest conviction on the minds of those who heard him of the correctness of his position. So overwhelming was the influence of his address, that one honorable member of the Upper House of Legislature, a pillar of the Church of England, came to me and said, 'I wish he belonged to our Church.' Another member of the Legislature expressed his feelings by saying, 'My! what a good bishop he would make." 99

Some men who have been elevated to influential positions. have not been slow to use their influence in favor of friends.

The most virulent opponent with whom Dr. Ryerson ever contended could never charge him with acts of this kind. It is not known that he ever sought an office for a relative in his life. Positions of great influence were placed at his disposal, but he always preferred to dwell among his own people. At one time he might have been Vice-Chancellor of Toronto University; at another time a noble lord in England offered him a lucrative situation under the English Government; and when but a young man he was more than once approached with overtures to enter the Anglican Church. He never sought for emoluments; the love of money was not a sin of which he was guilty. To do good, and to labor for the welfare of his country, was the highest ambition of his life.

It is not the design of this paper to place Dr. Ryerson before our readers in any other than his true position. There were acts in his life which occasioned his friends some uneasiness, and no doubt some felt themselves unable to defend his course, but all gave him credit for sincerity in what he did. He was no time-server, but always pursued the even tenor of his way, acting, as he believed he was doing, for the best interests of his country. When he undertook to defend Sir Charles Metcalfe, then Governor-General, for some high-handed measures, he brought upon himself the indignation of many who had been his intimate friends; but as he never courted favor or reward for his public acts, neither did he ever seek to merely do such things as would be pleasing to his friends. Some of his acts might appear very strange when compared with the course he had pursued in former years, but he always argued that posterity would approve his acts, and, whether or not, he had endeavored to do right. There was nothing vindictive in his nature, nor was he ever actuated by fear in his actions; though often a counselor of public men, he was never afraid to attack their policy and plead for those whom he thought to have been injured. The course which he pursued toward some who had been implicated in the M'Kenzie Rebellion of 1837 will illustrate this. The discourse, "Civil Government," named at the head of this article, was preached at this time. He was a farseeing man, and as he was guided by principle in all things, he was often at variance with some with whom he would gladly have labored in harmony.

The monument of Dr. Ryerson is the public-school system of Ontario. From 1844 to 1876 he occupied the position of Chief Superintendent of Education. During those years he was unremitting in his exertions to perfect the school system. For several years his labors were Herculean. He made extensive tours in various countries, that he might become acquainted with the systems of education which prevailed there. The result was, that he drafted a bill which, by various amendments and revisions that were added during the years of his administration, became the school law of the country. Its chief features are "compulsory attendance of children, local assessment, government aid, thorough inspection, complete equipment, graded examinations, and separate schools.”*

This system became so complete under his molding hand that it has been universally admired. Distinguished educationalists have pronounced it the most complete they have ever seen, and not a few Ministers of the Crown in the Colonies of Great Britain, when drafting educational bills, have borrowed largely from the system which owes its existence to Dr. Ryerson. During the years that he sustained the important office of Chief Superintendent he was under the necessity of writing much. Happily he always wielded a ready pen, and one who knew him well told the writer that it was always a marvel to the clerks in the educational establishment how the chief could do such an amount of desk work. Night and day, when he had important matters to engross his attention, he would plod through piles of papers, until more than once his health was in peril. He was the author of about sixty different volumes and pamphlets, the titles of which are given in the "Bibliotheca Canadensis." Some were intended for school books, as the "First Lessons in Agriculture," and "Christian Morals," and others were the annual reports of the public schools.

He was not in favor of "separate schools," but when they were granted by the Legislature, to satisfy the Roman Catholic portion of the community, he was in duty bound to see that

* Since the death of Dr. Ryerson it has been determined to erect a bronze statue in the grounds of the Normal School, to defray the expense of which a subscription has been commenced among the teachers and scholars of the public schools, to which Archbishop Lynch (Roman Catholic) not only gave his approval, but also gave his own personal subscription toward perpetuating the memory of a wortoy man.