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diff --git a/24693-h/24693-h.htm b/24693-h/24693-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3875140 --- /dev/null +++ b/24693-h/24693-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2668 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of William Black, by John Maclean. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .author {text-align: right; margin-right: 5%;} + +span.dropcap { display: none; } /* this goes around the first letter of the first word */ +/* You need a unique span like this for each of your drop cap images */ + +span.dropcaph { float: left; + height: 78px; width: 78px; /* adjust for your image */ + margin: 0 1em 1em 0; + background: url("images/dropcaph.png") no-repeat top left; + } + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of William Black, by John Maclean + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: William Black + The Apostle of Methodism in the Maritime Provinces of Canada + +Author: John Maclean + +Release Date: February 26, 2008 [EBook #24693] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILLIAM BLACK *** + + + + +Produced by Diane Monico and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2"></a></span></p> +<p class="figcenter" style="width: 397px;"> +<img src="images/image001.jpg" width="397" height="580" alt="WILLIAM BLACK" title="WILLIAM BLACK" /> +<span class="caption">WILLIAM BLACK</span> +</p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3"></a></span></p> +<h1>WILLIAM BLACK</h1> +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> +<h3>THE APOSTLE OF METHODISM IN THE<br /> +MARITIME PROVINCES OF CANADA.</h3> +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> +<h4>BY</h4> +<h2>JOHN MACLEAN, <span class="smcap">Ph. D.</span>,</h2> + +<p class="center">Author of "Canadian Savage Folk,"<br /> +"The Indians of Canada,"<br /> +"The Making of a Christian," &c., &c.</p> +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> +<p class="center">HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA:<br /> +THE METHODIST BOOK ROOM,<br /> +1907. +</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4"></a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada,<br /> +in the year one thousand nine hundred and seven,<br /> +by John Maclean, at the Department of Agriculture.</span><br /> +</p> + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5"></a></span></p> +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE.</h2> + + +<p>While there are several sketches of the life and +work of the subject of this book, they are all based +upon the "Memoirs of William Black" by the +Rev. Matthew Richey, D. D., which was published +in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1839. Some additional +information is to be found in Dr. T. Watson +Smith's History of the Methodist Church of +Eastern British America. The former volume +contains the interesting Journal of the famous +missionary, and is therefore of great value. As it +has long been out of print, and it is well-nigh +impossible to secure an old copy, and as there is no +likelihood of it being republished, we have deemed +it commendable to publish the following pages. +We have sought to condense as far as possible, +giving the chief facts in his life, and to produce in +popular form a volume which might be read with +profit, and within the reach of all. As a study of +spiritual forces and an appreciation, it might have +been enlarged to considerable size, and it has been +difficult indeed to keep within the limits which we +had set for the volume, but that would have been +to defeat our object, of writing a small book, in +which the salient features of his life and work were +seen, and at such a price that the poorest in the +land might secure a copy.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6"></a></span></p> + +<p>We dare not forget the work of our fathers, and +we must not permit the memory of William Black +to be lost in oblivion, for he builded better than +he knew, and we are heirs of his work and influence, +and his example is a stimulus to us all. In that +spirit have these pages been written, and we hope +that they will help keep alive the memory of a +great and noble man, a pioneer and patriot, who +gave his life for Christ and his fellow man.</p> + +<p class="author">JOHN MACLEAN.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Wesleyan Office</span>,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Halifax, Nova Scotia.</span><br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7"></a></span></p> +<h2><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS.</h2> + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="toc"> +<tr><td align='right'><i>Chap.</i></td><td align='left'> </td><td align='right'><i>Page.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>I. </td><td align='left'>The Birth of a Movement</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>II. </td><td align='left'>Making the Man</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_17">17</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>III. </td><td align='left'>The Maritime Itinerant</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_24">24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>IV. </td><td align='left'>The Intrepid Pioneer</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>V. </td><td align='left'>Black and Wesley</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_40">40</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VI. </td><td align='left'>Personal Characteristics</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_49">49</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='right'>VII. </td><td align='left'>Last Days and After</td><td align='right'><a href="#Page_57">57</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> +<h1><a name="WILLIAM_BLACK" id="WILLIAM_BLACK"></a><i>WILLIAM BLACK.</i></h1> + +<h2>I.</h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Birth of a Movement.</span></h2> + + +<p><span class="dropcaph"><span class="dropcap">H</span></span>AD Longfellow the poet extended his +studies a few years later than the time +of the event which formed the subject +of Evangeline, he would have come +in contact with another race of men, of different +breed, language and faith, than that of the +Acadians, who were as brave as any of those +who sailed away from the valley of the Gaspereaux. +For almost coincident with the expulsion of these +hardy folk from the fertile fields of the Annapolis +Valley, there came visitors from the New England +colonies, induced by offers of land, but these were +deterred from settlement on account of a fear lest +freedom of religious worship should not be accorded +them.</p> + +<p>Brought up under the influence of the descendants +of the Pilgrim Fathers, they prized too highly their +religious liberty to barter it for lands or gold, +and not until a second proclamation was issued, +granting liberty of conscience and worship to +all Protestants, did settlers come in large numbers. +Five years after the Acadians were expelled emigrants +began to arrive in considerable numbers +from New England and from Great Britain and +Ireland. This was the beginning of a new<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> +era, in which the principles of the Protestant +Reformation were to be tested, upon soil consecrated +by the faith and piety of the Roman +Catholic exiles, and an opportunity was found for +the expression of the new faith in the moulding of +individual character.</p> + +<p>While the province was issuing invitations for +new settlers and wishing to grant concessions to +sturdy and loyal folks, a great awakening was +taking place in England, the influence of which +was destined to become a strong factor in making +a new race on the Western Continent, and to +mould in a great measure the social and religious +life of the people of Nova Scotia. A revival of +spiritual life was in progress under the preaching +of Wesley and Whitefield, which was quickening +the consciences of the people, imparting high ideals +and renovating the social and political life of the +nation.</p> + +<p>Methodism was doing greater things for the +English speaking race than Luther among the +Germans, as it infused a spirit of joy and freedom +from ritual, with greater liberty of thought and +action. It was an era of great names beyond the +pale of the national church. The passion for souls +became so intense in the hearts of many of the +clergy that they gladly espoused the hated name +of "Methodist," while others no less zealous +stood aloof from the special movement because of +its Arminian doctrines.</p> + +<p>Whitefield, the prince of orators, stalked through +the land proclaiming salvation for sinners, and not +content with conquests won in the sea-girt isles, he +needs must cross the ocean to tell the story of +the ages to wondering thousands. John Berridge,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> +the witty yet zealous vicar of Everton, +itinerated through the country and in one year saw +not less that four thousand awakened. William +Grimshaw, the eccentric curate of Haworth, +superintended two Methodist circuits while attending +to his own parish, and Vincent Perronet, vicar +of Shoreham, who was so trusted a counsellor +that Charles Wesley called him the Archbishop of +Methodism, gave two sons to the Methodist ministry, +and besides being the author of the hymn, +"All Hail the power of Jesus Name," Wesley +dedicated to him the "Plain Account of the People +called Methodists."</p> + +<p>The great revival brought into greater prominence +Rowland Hill, the eccentric preacher; +Augustus Toplady, the author of the Hymn "Rock +of Ages;" Howell Harris, the famous Welsh orator, +and the Countess of Huntingdon. These and +many others were brought into closer touch with +the great spiritual movement, at the period when +Nova Scotia was bidding for settlers, by the famous +controversy on Calvinism, which was full of spleen, +and has shown us how good men may retain their +piety, and still say bitter and nasty things, and use +gross epithets in their zeal for religious doctrines.</p> + +<p>But Methodism, though treated as a sect composed +of ignorant and illiterate folks, was not lacking +in men of culture and force. It had discovered +the secret of picking men from the streets and +transforming them into saints and scholars, and it +was successful in its efforts. It found Thomas +Olivers, a drunken Welsh shoemaker, and led him +on, till he became known as a great force in the +pulpit, and the author of that majestic lyric, +"The God of Abraham praise" and of the tune +"Helmsley," sung to the hymn, "Lo, He comes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> +with clouds descending." It laid hands upon +Samuel Bradburn, the shoemaker, and developed +his gifts by the grace of God, until his discourses, +rich in sublimity, and pulsating with great +thoughts, charmed multitudes, and his eloquence +was so irresistible that Adam Clarke, the famous +scholar, declared that he had never heard his equal, +and could give no idea of his powers as an orator. +In its ranks at this period were to be found able scholars +as Joseph Benson, the commentator, Fletcher, +the saintly and acute theologian of the new movement, +and Thomas Walsh, whom Wesley called, +"that blessed man," and of whom he said, that, +he was so thoroughly acquainted with the Bible +that "if he were questioned concerning any Hebrew +word in the Old, or any Greek in the New +Testament, he would tell after a brief pause, not +only how often the one or the other occurred in +the Bible, but what it meant in every place. Such +a master of Biblical knowledge he says he never +saw before, and never expected to see again."</p> + +<p>There were many others possessed of great gifts +and culture, whose hearts were set on fire with a +passion for souls, and the revival started spiritual +forces which were felt far beyond the shores of +Great Britain.</p> + +<p>Wesley was drawing near to seventy years of +age, and while travelling incessantly, and preaching +every day, he was engaged in the publication +of a collected edition of his works, in thirty-two +duodecimo volumes. The Calvinistic controversy +was at its height, the first anniversary of Trevecca +College, the pet scheme of the Countess of +Huntingdon, had just been held, and Fletcher was +writing his famous "Checks to Antinomianism," +yet, the founder of the Methodist movement was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> +looking for other worlds to conquer, by the +preaching of the Cross.</p> + +<p>Wesley's early associations with America as a +missionary to Georgia, naturally gave him an interest +in the affairs of the western continent, and +Whitefield's frequent visits helped to deepen Wesley's +love for the people among whom he had spent +the early years of his ministry. Whitefield had +crossed the ocean and visited America seven times, +and his visits were seasons of great power, when +thousands were converted, and when he suddenly +died at Newburyport, there passed from earth +one of the greatest pulpit orators and evangelists +in the history of the Christian Church. His death +was an invitation to renewed efforts for the evangelization +of America. The Countess of Huntingdon +and her ministers organized a missionary band, +which labored with much success in Savannah and +the surrounding country, especially among the +African population.</p> + +<p>Methodism was neither silent nor powerless in +sharing in the progress of the Gospel, and striving +to evangelize the new world. While the great +revival was stirring the heart of England, a small +band of German "Palatines" which Methodism +had redeemed from demoralization in Ireland, +emigrated to New York, among whom was Philip +Embury, and these were followed by Barbara Heck +and her friends, through whose efforts Methodism +found a secure place in America. The new movement +received an impetus from the preaching of +Captain Webb, and a call for preachers was sent +to Wesley, with the result that Richard Boardman +and Joseph Pilmoor were sent. Later Francis Asbury, +the faithful preacher and administrator, +followed, and Methodism became a church. Meanwhile<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> +Lawrence Coughlan had found his way to +Newfoundland, and laid foundations upon which +others built.</p> + +<p>Bermuda had been visited by Whitefield, and in +the general awakening it could not be expected +that Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and Prince +Edward Island would be forgotten. It was a +period of emigration and revival, and in the great +commotion, the present Maritime Provinces of +Canada shared in the blessings of the new movement.</p> + +<p>During the period of emigration to Nova Scotia, +four different parties came from Yorkshire, England, +the first arriving in 1772. It was natural to +expect, that coming from a district, memorable as +the scene of many visits from the Wesleys, a bit of +land consecrated with the tears and labors of John +Nelson, the stalwart hero, and kept fresh with +the hallowed memories of the saintly Hester Ann +Rogers, there should be among the emigrants +many who were loyal and devoted Methodists. +Yorkshire Methodism was of that strenuous type +which must give expression to its faith in hearty +song, and lively preaching, and these sturdy +settlers were an acquisition to the province, which +the politicians were sufficiently alert to see, could +not fail to supply the elements of stability and +growth.</p> + +<p>The majority of these people settled in the +county of Cumberland, and began life anew, with +intense loyalty to the institutions, and high ideals. +The province had not fully recovered from the +effect of the spirit of disloyalty which culminated +in the expulsion of the Acadians, although there +followed a period of peace, but despite the efforts +of the Government in making roads, and instituting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> +public works, the settlements were sparse, and the +Indian was still in the land. There was only +one minister in the county, the Rev. John Eagleson, +who had been sent out in 1769 by the Society +for the Propagation of the Gospel, while in the +province there were a few Anglican, Congregational, +Presbyterian and one Baptist church, but +places for holding religious worship were few and +far between, and the first Methodists consequently +began prayer meetings in their homes, and +through them souls were led to Christ. Whatever +religious services were held they attended, and +thus kept alive the glowing embers of their faith +and zeal.</p> + +<p>An incipient rebellion, induced by the Revolutionary +war, and maintained by the sympathy of +the colonists who had revolted in New England, +unsettled the minds of the people, and made it +dangerous for them to attend religious worship, +and consequently the cause of religion suffered, +and many forsook the faith of their fathers. A +few still remained true, and amid many discouragements +prayed for the dawn of a new day.</p> + +<p>Without any propagandist effort, Methodism +was spreading. Spontaneously it had gone out +over Great Britain and Ireland, and into what is +now the United States, to the West Indies, and +Nova Scotia, but the time was ripe for complete +organization as a missionary church. The time +had come and with it the man in the person of +Thomas Coke. While Nova Scotia and the American +colonies were suffering from the Revolution, +Wesley and Coke had met for the first time, and +thus began a union which made Methodism a +great missionary organization. The man for America +had not yet come to the fullness of his power,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> +but Francis Asbury was reaching out and getting +ready to become essentially the founder of Methodism +in the United States. The man for Nova +Scotia had not yet arrived, as he was only a stripling +at his father's home in Amherst, and was still +a stranger to the grace of God.</p> + +<p>The introduction of Methodism into Nova Scotia +was not the establishment of a sect or a party +in dogmatic theology, but it was the revival of +spiritual Christianity, exempt from the trammels of +ecclesiasticism and the exclusiveness of dogmatism. +As such it became a strong and elevating factor in +the social life of the people, imparting lofty ideals, +which were wrought out in moral strength, making +loyal citizens and men and women of power and +gentleness.</p> + +<p>There was something lacking to secure unity and +strength in the scattered forces of the new +movement. Prayer meetings and preaching services +were held, and souls were won to the faith, +still there was no organization and there could not +be until a leader should come forth, who would +command by his genius and concentrated effort +unity of administration.</p> + +<p>Though not the original founder of Methodism +in Eastern British America, the man who in the +providence of God was destined to unite the +scattered forces and to give birth to the new +movement, and who, by his intrepid spirit and +enthusiastic and incessant labours as a great +evangelist, was to spread the doctrines which were +so full of power in the revival in England, throughout +that portion of territory now known as the +Maritime Provinces, was William Black, a man +of faith and power, whose memory is revered by +thousands, and whose descendants still abide +with us.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="II" id="II"></a>II.</h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Making the Man.</span></h2> + + +<p>William Black was well born. The time was +auspicious. The date of his birth is 1760, and +with that date as a centre, despite the fact that the +tone of public morality was low, there are names +belonging to the period which suggest genius and +influence. Edward Young had just published his +"Night Thoughts," Thomson, the poet and +author of "The Seasons," and Isaac Watts had +just passed away, Lord Littleton had written "The +Conversion of St. Paul," Gray's "Elegy in a +Country Churchyard" was being eagerly read by the +people, Blackstone's famous "Commentaries on the +Laws of England," had made a profound impression, +Johnson had completed his "Dictionary" and +Oliver Goldsmith was writing his immortal works. +There were others who were in the heat of the +literary battle. This period saw the beginning of +the modern novel in the writings of Richardson, +Fielding and Smollett, then too was published +Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations," Hume's +"History of England," and Gibbon's "Decline and +Fall of the Roman Empire." The two great +literary frauds in our language were then given to +the world in Chatterton's "Poems," and Macpherson's +"Ossian." It was the age of Pitt and Burke, and +Fox, of Horace Walpole and Chesterfield in +English politics, Benjamin Franklin was then a +potent force in America, Butler and Paley and +Warburton, and Jonathan Edwards and Doddridge +with many other equally powerful names were +moulding the theology of the age.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span></p> + +<p>Greater than any of these, however, were the +Wesleys and Whitefield, as they raised both sides +of the Atlantic to new ideals, and stirred the +nation to a larger and deeper life.</p> + +<p>William Black came into the world at a time +when great events were being done, and though +he was still young when he left the land of his +birth, the silent and unseen forces which work +upon men's minds and souls could not be without +their influence upon him.</p> + +<p>He was born at Huddersfield, in the West +Riding of Yorkshire, England, an important +market town, beautifully situated on a slope of a +hill in the valley of the Colne, fifteen miles distant +from Bradford, and a little over sixteen from +Leeds. It was a place of considerable antiquity, +being mentioned in Domesday, but its chief +importance dates from the establishment of +the woolen industry, being now the principal seat +of the fancy woolen trade in England. Kirlees Park, +three miles from the town, is popularly supposed +to be the burial place of the famous Robin Hood.</p> + +<p>When William Black was only five years old +John Wesley preached to a large congregation in +the Rev. Henry Venn's Church in the town. This +man of God was a zealous Methodist Churchman, +who made Huddersfield the headquarters of extensive +labors in all the neighboring region, sympathizing +with the great Methodist revival, accompanying +Whitefield on evangelistic tours, and for +more than thirty years, he co-operated with the +Wesleys and other workers in many parts of England +and Wales. Though still retaining his connection +with the Church of England, he continued +in labors abundant, preaching in private houses, +barns and in the open air, until old age. His son,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> +the Rev. John Venn, became the projector of the +Church Missionary Society. Methodism was +firmly established in Huddersfield, and its influences +were not unknown to the Black family. +In 1767, one fourth of the members of the Methodist +Church in the United Kingdom were in Yorkshire, +and among the first settlers who came to +Nova Scotia were some who were identified with +that church, and had listened to Wesley and his +preachers.</p> + +<p>William Black, the father of the future pioneer +and evangelist, was born in 1727, in Paisley, Scotland, +a large manufacturing town noted for its +shawls, great preachers, and the birthplace of +Tannahill, the poet. He came of an independent +family, as learned from the fact that his father +kept a pack of hounds, and spent his leisure in +the chase. When he attained his majority he became +a traveller for a large industry, which +necessitated some journeys to England, and there +he met his future wife, and made his home in +Huddersfield. The spell of Scottish literature +must have fallen upon the young man, for Robert +Burns, the poet, was then at the height of his +fame, Alexander Wilson, a native of Paisley, had +not yet won his place as a poet, though he too, +emigrated to America, and became the pioneer and +founder of American Ornithology, but there were +other writers whose impress must have been felt +by the Scotch youth.</p> + +<p>In Elizabeth Stocks he found a lady of refinement +and wealth, and the future missionary a +good Christian mother. She had been converted +at sixteen years of age, and her influence upon the +home, and especially upon the lad was elevating, +and destined to leave its mark upon the future.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> +The father, with Scotch shrewdness, made a visit +to Nova Scotia to spy out the land before removing +his family from their English home. The mother +watched tenderly over all the members of the +family, but William, the second oldest, seemed to +call for special care, and her tears and prayers +found full fruition in after years, when she had +passed to her reward. Frequently did she relate +to her son William the story of her conversion, +and with tears besought him to serve God. Alone +she prayed with him, and pressed home upon his +conscience the necessity of being born again. +Surely this child was born well, and his future +was not all of his own making.</p> + +<p>He must have been a precocious child, or else +his religious sensitiveness must have been induced +by his mother's teaching, influenced by the great +doctrines of the Methodist revival. We are not +now accustomed to hear a child of six years of age, +bewailing his lost state in language suggestive +of Bunyan's condition, when he was under deep +conviction of sin. He tells us that when he was +five years old he had some serious impressions, +and God's Spirit began to operate upon his mind, +and when he was six, he often wished that he was +a toad or a serpent, because they had no soul, and +were not in danger of being lost forever. Again +he says, that many times before he was ten years +old, he "would have overturned God's government +and dethroned the gracious Author of my +being." He enumerates his early vices and lashes +his soul in despair. Such religious sentiments in +one so young seem to mark him as one who +had in his soul the elements of a monk, and we +should not have been surprised had he become a +zealous disciple of Saint Francis of Assisi.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p> + +<p>Like John Wesley, whose escape from perishing +in the burning of the Epworth parsonage is noted +as a remarkable providence, William Black had a +narrow escape from drowning in a large trough +when a child, and this circumstance made a lasting +and favorable impression on his mind. In his +mature years he recalled the event with gratitude +to God.</p> + +<p>Several years of his childhood were spent with +his maternal uncle, Mr. Thomas Stocks, at Otley, +where he was placed at school. There he remained +until he was about thirteen years of age, when +the disciplinary rules of the school, and very likely +a severe castigation, so annoyed him, that he left +his uncle's care and returned to his father's home. +His father was at that time making preparations +for his voyage to Nova Scotia, and deemed it prudent +to allow the lad to remain with his mother, +though he had decided objections to his apparent +ingratitude and stubbornness, in leaving the home +of his uncle. Under the influence of his mother's +teaching and prayers, his religious impressions +were deepened, but the jests of his companions at +school made him stifle his convictions, and continue +his career of youthful carelessness and sin.</p> + +<p>In April 1775, the whole family, consisting of +the father and mother, with four sons and one +daughter, sailed from Hull, and after a prosperous +voyage arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, where +they remained a fortnight, proceeding afterward to +Cumberland, which they reached in June. A +serious blow fell upon the family in their new +home, by the death of Mrs. Black, about a year +after they had settled in the province, she having +been seriously injured when boarding the vessel at +Hull. Unfortunately for the lad of sixteen, so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> +sadly bereft of his good mother's care and influence, +he was thrown among gay companions, who in a +new country gave free rein to their passions, in +wild orgies by day and night. His evenings were +spent in dancing and playing cards, yet amidst the +frivolity he was unhappy, and he betook himself +to prayer, that he might be able to break the +chain of evil habits.</p> + +<p>For three years this condition of affairs existed, +and the spirit of unrest increased, with discord in +the family, but the dawn of a better day was +close at hand. There were several in the +neighborhood who enjoy the honor of being the +first Methodists in Canada, among whom were the +families of Dixon, Wells, Trueman, Fawcett, Newton, +Scurr, Chapman, Oxley, Donkin, Dobson and +Weldon, whose descendants, with those of the +Black family, remain with us till the present day.</p> + +<p>Through the zealous labors of these families in +class meetings and prayer meetings, there was a +great revival in the spring of 1779, which stirred +the whole neighborhood. Among those who were +awakened and soundly converted, were all the +members of the Black family. William was then +nineteen years of age, and shortly afterward he +wrote an account of his conversion to John +Wesley, who introduced it in his journal, under +date of April 15th, 1782.</p> + +<p>The story of his spiritual struggles, his prayers +for release from the burden of sin, and the great +joy he experienced when light came to his soul, form +a charming bit of biography. The change in his +own life was thorough, the home was transformed +by the conversion of every member of the family, +and though he subsequently experienced doubts<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> +and temptations, he gradually grew in grace, being +confirmed in the faith, until the Sabbath became a +market-day in his soul.</p> + +<p>Like every new convert he became anxious for +the spiritual welfare of his fellow men, and first of +all he became solicitous for the salvation of those +in his own home. His father having married +again, and all the members of the family being +strangers to the joy of the forgiveness of sins, his +first care was for their salvation. On the Sunday +that he found peace, he spoke to his brothers one +by one, waking them from sleep, and they too, +were led into the light. Then he roused his +father and stepmother, and they besought him to +pray for them, and peace came to their souls. +And the climax was reached, when next day his +sister found the Lord. Thus the whole family +through his exhortations and prayers, became +earnest followers of Christ. Along with the joy of +seeing all at home possessors of the joy of forgiveness, +he set up the family altar, and then became +anxious for the souls of his neighbors. As he +passed them on the road he lifted his heart in +prayer for their conversion, in company, he seized +the opportunity of denouncing sin, much to the +annoyance of some, but ultimately with spiritual +profit. His early efforts at winning souls were so +richly blessed, that he seized every opportunity of +speaking of the good things of Christ.</p> + +<p>In the summer of 1780, at a Quarterly Meeting +held at Mr. Trueman's, he received so great a +blessing that he wept, and the same evening at +Fort Lawrence he made his first attempt at exhortation. +From that hour he exhorted or prayed +at every meeting, and though his knees trembled +with fear, his tongue was loosened, and he spoke<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> +with much liberty. During the following winter +he was invited to Tantramar to hold meetings, and +had great joy in seeing many led to Christ. Assisted +by some of the old class leaders and local +preachers, he travelled over the country, exhorting +as often as his duties on the farm would permit.</p> + +<p>His first attempt at preaching from a text was +in the spring of 1781, when he visited a settlement +on the Petitcodiac River, and the word was with +power. With so many tokens of the divine favor, +it was evident that he was a marked man, and +though not quite twenty-one years of age, and +without any special training, he was being literally +thrust out, and seemed destined to be the man +who should lead the forces, and lay the foundations +of Methodism, far beyond the limits of his +own neighborhood. The man possessed of gifts +and grace, in whom the people had confidence, and +who was singularly blessed in winning souls had +come, and the stripling on the farm was called to +leave the plough and go forth, to proclaim the +great truths of the Gospel of Christ. He was truly +a chosen vessel, and fitted for a great work.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="III" id="III"></a>III.</h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Maritime Itinerant.</span></h2> + + +<p>The population of Nova Scotia in 1781 numbered +twelve thousand, of whom there were about one +hundred Acadian families, and exclusive of Cape +Breton, three hundred warriors of the Micmac, and +one hundred and forty of the Malicete tribes of Indians. +Places of worship were few and widely +scattered over a large extent of country, and so +destitute were the people of religious privileges +that many of them seldom heard a sermon, and as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> +some of these people had been brought up in the +bonds of the faith, they naturally felt very keenly +their condition.</p> + +<p>These facts could not fail to impress very deeply +such a sensitive soul, rejoicing in his first love, +and possessed of a burning passion for the salvation +of men, whose lips had been touched with +holy fire. When his labors had been so richly +blessed in the conversion of many souls, while +preaching in the time spared from his labor on the +farm, his mind was led toward a complete consecration +to the work of a Christian minister, and +when he had arrived at the age of twenty-one +years, he dedicated himself wholly to the cause +of Christ, as the first Methodist missionary in the +Maritime Provinces. Without any college training, +or the help of any minister or church institution, +he left his father's home on November +10th, 1781, and commenced a career of undaunted +energy, and boundless influence, laying foundations +for others, and becoming essentially the founder +of Methodism in Eastern British America.</p> + +<p>During the eight years of his life from 1781 to +1789, he passed from the position of a raw youth, +entering alone amid great difficulties upon the +work of a pioneer evangelist, to that of Superintendent +of the Methodist Church in Nova Scotia, +New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland. +With the zeal of an apostle he entered +upon a career of usefulness, which for courage +and incessant travelling and preaching, place him +side by side with John Wesley and Francis Asbury. +Here and there, all over the province he +went proclaiming the message of salvation, preaching +every day, and sometimes more frequently, as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> +we learn of him preaching eighteen times in eight +days, and upon another journey which occupied +eighteen days, he preached twenty-four times.</p> + +<p>He travelled on snow-shoes in the winter, +and by boat or on horseback in the summer, and +when these failed, he journeyed by log canoe, or +walked over the bad roads. Once he walked forty +five miles that he might spend the Sabbath with +the people in Windsor. Sometimes he was in +dangers by the sea, and glad after a hard day's +work in the winter to have a little straw to lie upon, +and a thin cover to shelter him from the cold. +Like the early preachers he was often compelled +to suffer opposition, rough fellows disturbing the +services by shouting and seeking to break up the +meeting, and some who were possessed of education +demanding his authority for preaching the gospel, +but to them all, he was patient, and some of his +revilers were soundly converted, and learned to +revere him as a man of God.</p> + +<p>As a preacher he was eminently successful in +awakening the people from a state of spiritual torpor, +and winning many souls for Christ. In nearly +every service there were conversions, and deep +manifestations of the presence and power of God. +When he preached at Memramcook, "some were +deeply affected;" at French village, he left the +people in tears, and the truth had a softening power +upon the hearts of the people; and when he was +leaving them, "weeping was upon every hand," +and they pressed him so hard, that he remained +another day, when many were deeply affected, and +he left them in tears. On the same day and the one +following, he was at Hillsborough, when "it was a +moving time, many were in great distress, as appeared<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> +from their heaving breasts and weeping +eyes;" at Tantramar, "many were remarkably +happy," and one little girl of seven or eight years +of age, "got up on a form, and told in a wonderful +manner, what Jesus had done for her soul," +and in this journey of eight days he preached +eighteen times, and excepting two meetings, he +says, "I know not a single occasion in which it +was not evident that many who heard the Word +were melted into tears, if they did not cry aloud +for mercy."</p> + +<p>All through his journal, there are evidences that +he was a preacher of great power, eminent in the +conversion of the people, for the pages abound +with references to the services as "a time of +power," where "many were in sore distress" as they +hung around him, "eager to catch every word," +and "weeping was on every hand," as they +besought him to remain longer with them. When +preaching one evening a young man trembled +exceedingly, and cried out in agony of soul, and +about bed-time, the preacher heard him praying +and crying in the barn. On one of his missionary +tours there were so great manifestations of power, +that at Horton many cried for mercy, and others +rejoiced and shouted aloud; at Cornwallis the +arrows of conviction were felt by some "as they +had never felt them before, and wept aloud most +of the time;" and at Falmouth, "many felt the +power of the word," and rejoiced exceedingly.</p> + +<p>There were many notable conversions under his +preaching. At Petitcodiac a lady whose sons had +been converted looked upon him as a deceiver and +opposed his work. "She wrung her hands in +great distress, and cried 'O that Black! that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> +Black! he has ruined my sons! He has ruined +my sons!'" But she too found peace to her soul, +after some days of deep conviction. At Horton a +lady who had opposed the work of grace, was laid +upon a bed of affliction, and she became so greatly +agitated that for three weeks she could hardly +sleep, but when William Black was praying with +her, she burst forth into transports of joy in finding +Christ precious to her soul, shouting, "the Lord +has delivered me! O I am happy! I am happy!" +All through the pages of his journal there +abound remarkable accounts of striking conversions, +and of people being stricken down by the +power of God.</p> + +<p>Churches were organized at the places he visited, +nearly eighty persons being enrolled during one +visit to Hillsborough and Petitcodiac. There +wore notable revivals at Windsor, Cornwallis, +Granville, Horton, Liverpool and other places. +The most difficult part of his extensive field was at +Halifax, where wickedness abounded, and the +opposition was so great that at one time, when he +was on his way to the city, his friends tried to +persuade him to delay his visit, as they feared the +press gang, but he went boldly forward, and +preached with power.</p> + +<p>During his labours he was not forgetful of the +needs of the coloured people, who flocked to hear +him preach, and many of them were soundly converted. +In 1784, he preached to about two hundred +of them at Birchtown, and during the year +upwards of sixty of them found peace with God. +Of two hundred members at Shelburne and Birchtown, +there were only twenty white people, and +at Birchtown alone, there were fourteen classes in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> +a prosperous condition. At Digby in the following +year, there were sixty-six coloured people +members of our church.</p> + +<p>A study of the topics and texts of his sermons +shows that he preached the old doctrines, from +familiar texts, easy to be grasped by the people, +and he laid special emphasis always upon sin, the +need of regeneration, and repentance and faith, +and as he pressed home these great truths upon +the souls of his hearers, there was seldom a service +at which conversions did not take place. Like +many other faithful ministers, he was often compelled +to mourn on account of the backsliding of +the people. These were seasons of depression, +when he became subject to severe temptation, and +mourned the leanness of his own soul. The +beginning of every year however, was a time of +refreshing, as he regularly and solemnly made the +renewal of his covenant with God.</p> + +<p>Despite the fact that the whole province of Nova +Scotia and part of New Brunswick lay before him +as a wide field of enterprise, he yearned after +larger conquests, and therefore in 1784, at the +earnest and repeated request of Benjamin +Chappel, he paid a visit to Prince Edward Island.</p> + +<p>He spent about a fortnight there, preaching in +Charlottetown and St. Peters, with small tokens of +success, and returned mourning the spiritual condition +of the people.</p> + +<p>After much thought and prayer, he was married +on Feb. 17, 1784, to Miss Mary Gay, of Cumberland, +an estimable woman, who had been led to +Christ about two years previously under his preaching.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> +She was possessed of gifts and grace as her +letters testify, and was eminently qualified for the +high duties of a minister's wife.</p> + +<p>So extensive was the territory and so great the +spiritual needs of the people that the young missionary +of twenty three years of age, with a burning +passion for souls, wrote to John Wesley in +1783, earnestly requesting him to send missionaries +to Nova Scotia, who replied that he had hopes of +sending assistance a few months later when Conference +met. There being no missionaries, however, +sent from Great Britain, he naturally looked +towards the United States for help, and a +few months after his marriage, he started for Baltimore +where the Conference was to be held under +the superintendence of Dr. Coke. He travelled +by way of Boston and preached twice in the city, +when under the first sermon one person was converted, +and at the second service several were +deeply convinced of sin. As he passed through +New York he preached in the Methodist Church, +and after the services visited a dying woman, +whom he found in great distress about her spiritual +condition, and he had the great joy of leading +her to Christ, as she died next day, shouting, +"Glory! Glory be to thy blessed name!" On +his journey he preached at every opportunity and +always with blessed results, and before the Conference +assembled in Baltimore on December 24, +1784, he gave Dr. Coke a detailed account of the +state of the work in Nova Scotia, and the Conference +appointed Freeborn Garretson, and James +O. Cromwell to labor in that field. Both of these +ministers hastened at once to that province, but +William Black spent some time in the United States<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> +preaching here and there, and called for his wife +who was visiting her friends in Massachusetts, she +having been born in Boston, and with the tedious +travel he did not reach Halifax till the end of +May. As he was returning homeward, he and his +wife spent over three months in Boston, where he +had the honor of laying the foundations of Methodism +in that city, "the first Methodist preacher +who appeared in New England after the visit of +Charles Wesley," says Dr. Abel Stevens. He +preached in several of the churches, removing +from one to another, as the edifice became +too small to accommodate the crowds who +flocked to hear the young minister from Canada, +until the largest church was filled to overflowing +with three thousand people. A gracious +revival followed this visit, and as there was no +Methodist organization, the converts united with +other denominations. After a period of thirty +years, he preached again in the city in 1822, and +many hung around the pulpit, glad to listen to the +man who had led them to Christ in 1785. Six +years before Jesse Lee preached under the old elm +on Boston Common, William Black declared the +old doctrines of Methodism, and witnessed many +conversions.</p> + +<p>With the arrival of Freeborn Garretson the work +of organization was begun, as he was a leader, a +man of zeal and piety, "of cordial spirit and +amiable simplicity of manners, but a hero at +heart," says Abel Stevens, the Methodist historian. +He was a gentleman of wealth and character, +who as a preacher in the United States, had been +stoned, imprisoned, and his life imperilled by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> +angry mobs with firearms, but he was dauntless +in his labors for Christ. Under his preaching +there were extensive revivals in the province, +societies were formed and churches built. There +were now five missionaries at work, Freeborn +Garretson who acted as Superintendent, and +made his home at Shelburne, James Oliver +Cromwell at Windsor, William Black at +Halifax, William Grandine, a young man +who had formerly been a Methodist in the +Jersey Islands, and who had just begun to +preach was at Cumberland, and John Mann who +came from the United States, was stationed at +Barrington.</p> + +<p>At the first District Meeting of Nova Scotia, +which was held in Halifax, commencing October +10th, 1786, and lasted four days, William Black +and Freeborn Garretson were appointed to the +Halifax circuit, which embraced Halifax, Annapolis, +Granville, Digby, Horton and Windsor, a +field sufficient to tax the powers of a dozen strong +men, but these were heroes in the brave days of +old. Before the next District Meeting Garretson +and Cromwell had returned to the United States, +and their places were filled by William Jessop and +Hickson. With the departure of Garretson there +was lost to the province a man who was eminently +fitted to lead the forces and unite them, and +William Black mourned greatly that he was bereft +of a friend, and a gentleman of ability and grace.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="IV" id="IV"></a>IV.</h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">The Intrepid Pioneer.</span></h2> + + +<p>The mantle of Garretson fell upon Black and he +was again compelled to lead the forces, and take +the initiative in opening up new places and preaching +at every opportunity. Aroused by the sad +spiritual condition of the people, he spared not +himself in excessive labors, and so successful were +his efforts for the conversion of souls, that John +Wesley became more concerned than ever, in the +affairs in the Maritime Provinces and Newfoundland. +Dr. Coke who constituted in his own person +the Methodist Missionary Society, was commissioned +by Wesley to visit Nova Scotia, and he +embarked on September 24th, 1786, with three +missionaries for Nova Scotia, but a dangerous storm +which cast the vessel on the ocean for nearly two +and a half months, compelled them to land at Antigua, +in the West Indies, and Black was left without +the promised help, as the missionaries remained +there, and a new era of successful missions +was begun. His field was large enough surely, for +Wesley had said in a letter to him dated London, +Oct. 15, 1784, "Your present parish is wide +enough, namely Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. +I do not advise you to go any further." During +the year 1786, there was a great revival in Liverpool +under John Mann, a church had been erected +in Halifax in which William Black preached for +the first time on Easter Sunday, and at Barrington +and Horton, there were several notable conversions,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> +still through lack of missionaries, there could not +be given any assistance to Cumberland, Annapolis, +Digby, and the whole Province of New Brunswick. +He was however greatly encouraged by a visit to +Liverpool where the revival was in progress, and +by good news from River Philip, where his eldest +brother John had settled as a farmer, and who had +begun to exercise his gifts as a local preacher, and +with so great success, that at one meeting, ten +persons rejoiced in having found Christ.</p> + +<p>At the second District meeting held on October +15th, 1787, in Halifax, there were present, William +Black, William Grandine, William Jessop, and the +two brothers, John and James Mann, who had +come from the United States to labor as missionaries +in Nova Scotia. After the third District +Meeting which was held in the May following, +William Black spent about a month visiting Shelburne, +Barrington, Cape Negro, Port La Tour and +Port Medway, and when he returned to Halifax, +he was greatly encouraged by the good work which +had gone on under James Mann's labors during his +absence. Meanwhile, the Rev. James Wray had +been sent out from England with a general charge +to superintend the work, as William Black and the +other missionaries had not been ordained, and +could not therefore dispense the sacraments, but +the relations between Wray and Black became +somewhat strained, and threatened seriously to interfere +with the advance of the Kingdom of God. +With good judgment and much patience William +Black laid the whole matter before John Wesley, +but without his counsel the breach was healed, and +they labored again in harmony. James Wray felt +that the duties of superintending the work in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> +Province were too onerous for him, and he requested +to be relieved of the position, and Dr. Coke appointed +William Black, Superintendent of the +Methodist Church in the Maritime Provinces and +Newfoundland, James Wray removing to the West +Indies, where he died in 1790.</p> + +<p>The growth of Methodism was somewhat retarded +by the fact that William Black had not been +ordained, and consequently could not dispense the +sacraments, and it was felt that his influence would +greatly extend were he to assume all the responsibilities +of a Christian minister. An opportunity +was afforded him of being ordained, by the presence +of Dr. Coke at the Conference held in Philadelphia +in 1789, and accompanied by John and James +Mann, who went for the same purpose, he attended +the Conference, and on May 19th he was ordained +a Deacon, and on the following day, an Elder. +During a month spent in that city, he lost no +opportunity of seeking to do good, and was cheered +by learning of some being blest, among whom was +a lady who had been converted under a sermon +preached there by him, during his previous visit in +1784.</p> + +<p>In a report sent to John Wesley during the year, +there are shown gratifying results of the labors of +the missionaries in Nova Scotia, as the church in +Halifax had grown in numbers and spirituality, +and throughout the Province there were about five +hundred members, and with pardonable pride and +joy, William Black remarks, how greatly he was +comforted, as the church had grown in two years, +"eight times larger, and eight times more serious +and spiritual." The care of the churches pressed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> +so heavily upon his soul, and there was so great +need of additional missionaries to meet the growing +demands of the wide field, that William Black +hastened to Philadelphia to consult Dr. Coke, and +had the pleasure of attending the Conference held +in that city commencing on May 17th, 1791, at +which the venerable Bishop Asbury presided. The +following week, he attended the New York Conference, +when six missionaries were appointed to +labor in Nova Scotia. About three weeks after +his return home, he went on a visit to Newfoundland, +which was marked by a gracious revival, and +the cause of Methodism in the ancient colony was +saved.</p> + +<p>The story of Methodism in Newfoundland, reads +like a bit of romance. The first missionary Lawrence +Coughlan went there in 1765, and remained +seven years, amid great persecutions, being prosecuted +in the highest court, an attempt made to +poison him, yet not only was he able to rejoice in +many conversions, but his enemies were silenced, +as the Governor acquitted him, and made him a +justice of the peace. His health failed, and he was +compelled to return to England. His ministrations +in Newfoundland however led to the founding of +Methodism in the Channel Islands, as Pierre Le +Sueur, a native of Jersey, during a visit to Newfoundland +was deeply convinced of sin under a +sermon which Coughlan preached, and when he +returned to his home, spoke of the knowledge which +he had received, but his friends thought him mad. +When John Fentin, a recent convert, returned +from Newfoundland to Jersey, Le Sueur and his +wife found peace to their souls through Fentin's +instructions and prayers, and a great revival commenced,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> +which swept through the islands, and laid +the foundations of religion, which have continued +till the present time. After Coughlan's departure, +John McGeary was sent to fill the vacancy but all +that was left of the good work were a few women, +and he suffered so many hardships and witnessed +so little fruit of his labors that he became so despondent, +as to entertain serious thoughts of abandoning +the field. William Black arrived in St. John's +on August 10th 1791, and spent one day in the +city, during which he waited upon the Presbyterian +minister, the Rev. Mr. Jones, who was a man of +catholic spirit, and whose spiritual life was deep and +genuine. The next day he went to Carbonear, +where John McGeary was stationed, whom he +found "weeping before the Lord over my lonely +situation and the darkness of the people," and when +he began to preach, a great revival followed, and +Methodism in the colony was saved from disaster.</p> + +<p>The power of God fell upon the people at the +very first service, and many were deeply convinced +of sin at every meeting. At Carbonear the people +cried aloud for mercy, so that he had to stop +preaching, and betook himself to prayer, when the +sound of his voice was nearly drowned by the people +weeping, and he came down from the pulpit +and passed up and down through the church, exhorting +and directing them, as many as three and +four persons being in an agony of spirit in every +pew. Even after the service closed, the cries and +groans of anxious persons could be heard at a considerable +distance up and down the harbour. At +Harbor Grace, Port a Grave, Bay Roberts and +other places, similar scenes were witnessed, of deep +conviction for sin, and many rejoicing in the knowledge<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> +of sins forgiven. At Conception Bay during +a short time spent there, two hundred souls were +converted, but that was not all, for throughout the +colony, William Black marched in triumph, and +saw very many souls won for Christ. It is no +wonder that he considered this visit to Newfoundland, +as "the most useful and interesting portion +of his missionary life." The Rev. Richard +Knight, who spent seventeen years in the colony +says, that he "organized Methodism, settled the +mission property, and secured it to the Connexion, +increased and inspirited the society, and obtained +for them the help they needed." Such a messenger +could not fail to leave a deep and abiding +impression upon the hearts of the people, and his +departure was pathetic, as he stood for nearly an +hour shaking hands with them, and at last as he +tore himself away, he says, that he "left them +weeping as for an only son." He secured fresh +laborers from Wesley to carry on the work, and +Methodism in Newfoundland was established upon +a firm basis, and has continued vigorous till the +present day.</p> + +<p>Upon his arrival in Halifax he found that the +gentleman who owned the church property in the +city, had severed his connection with the society, +and become a bitter opponent, but William Black +though sorely tried, was in no wise daunted, and +immediately he started a subscription list, and +secured prompt and efficient help, so as to proceed +with the building of a new church. One hundred +pounds were raised in one day, and the society +took fresh courage, and grew in numbers and +strength. Having set matters in order in the city +he visited Horton, Granville, Annapolis and Digby<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> +on his way to St. John, New Brunswick, where +Abraham John Bishop was stationed, who arrived +there in September 1791, and a week later organized +the first class meeting in the city. Previous +to that time several Methodist ministers had visited +the then growing town, through the earnest +solicitations of Stephen Humbert, a United Empire +Loyalist, who landed there on May 18th, 1783. +He was a New Jersey Methodist and desirous of +having a society formed there. William Black +arrived in November, 1791, and at once began to +preach, but having seen some shipbuilders +at work on the Sabbath, he denounced their +action in a sermon on the same evening. +A provincial statute existed forbidding anyone +from exercising the functions of the ministry without +a license from the Governor, and this was used +to silence the courageous preacher. Undeterred +by this opposition, and hindered from preaching, +he spent his time visiting from house to house with +blessed results. Three months later he visited +St. John with permission to preach, and found a +gracious revival in progress, then going to Fredericton +he met a class of twenty-two, most of whom +were soldiers, and during the few days spent there +several conversions took place. On his return +journey he visited St. Stephens, where Duncan +McColl was the missionary, and he rejoiced in the +evidences of growth, under the faithful labours of +that devoted man of God, and this notable tour, +closed with a farewell service in May to Abraham +John Bishop. It was a touching scene, the people +being much distressed at losing the young missionary, +and well might they grieve, for after one year +spent in Sheffield, he went to the West Indies to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> +labor among the colored people and died at Grenada +the following year. And thus passed away +one who was esteemed as an eminently holy man, +and William Black was bathed in tears.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="V" id="V"></a>V.</h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Black and Wesley.</span></h2> + + +<p>A memorable year for Methodism and William +Black was 1791, as on the second day of March of +that year John Wesley passed away at City Road, +London, surrounded by preachers and friends. +Eight years before the young minister in Nova +Scotia wrote to the aged man of God entreating +him to send out Missionaries, and also expressing +his desire to spend a year or two at Kingswood +School, and the correspondence then begun was +continued until death. With the familiarity of an +old man toward a youth, William Black poured +out his heart in his letters to his venerable leader, +who in turn gave him counsel in his difficulties, +sent him books, and treated him as a son, closing +his letters with "My Dear Billy." There would +be a place for him in Kingswood School, but he +was not urged to attend, as Wesley laid greater +stress on piety than learning, and Nova Scotia +could not well spare, not even for a year or two, +such a brave and intrepid soul as William Black.</p> + +<p>It was natural that the intercourse should exert +a strong and abiding influence upon the mind and +heart of the missionary, who sent reports of his +work, sought advice amid the difficulties which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> +confronted him, and spoke of his spiritual yearnings +with the familiarity of a little child with its +parent. John Wesley became the model upon +which William Black formed his habits and character, +and he succeeded well, in a country with +greater privations and more difficulties in travelling +than in old England. Like the great itinerant, he +rose early in all seasons, preached every day, as +often as time and distance allowed, kept a journal +in which were recorded the notable events that +happened in his work, or person, and as he rode +over the rough roads, the broad sky became his +study where he read many volumes every year. +These were not done through any servile imitation, +but because of an admiration and unconscious hero +worship which compelled him to follow where he +admired. Wesley was to William Black a saint, +an ecclesiastical statesman, an acute and learned +theologian, a great winner of souls, and above all +a personal friend, and when he died his loss was +greater than he cared to express.</p> + +<p>With the passing of the Founder of Methodism, +there were grave fears of disagreement among the +preachers throughout the Connexion, and William +Black shared in the general feeling, but Dr. Coke +gave him peace, in his account of the harmony of +the Conference following Wesley's death.</p> + +<p>At the Conference held in Baltimore in November +of the following year, several preachers were +secured for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, and +William Black who had gone to the Conference, for +the purpose of meeting Dr. Coke, was induced at +the doctor's request to take charge of the missions +in the West India Islands, in succession to Mr. +Harper, who was elected Presiding Elder of Nova<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> +Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. Leaving +his family behind, William Black accompanied +Dr. Coke to the West Indies, visiting the islands, +where they found wickedness and bigotry so rampant +that one of the Methodist missionaries was in +prison for preaching before he had resided there +twelve months, and in some other places the +society had dwindled on account of terrible +persecution.</p> + +<p>The climate of the West Indies was so severe +upon his nervous system that William Black had +serious doubts as to his duty in remaining in the +tropical clime, however he was induced by Dr. +Coke to become Presiding Elder of the Leeward +Islands and to reside at St. Kitts. After visiting +the sphere of his labors and meeting the ministers +at the Conference at Antigua, of whom there were +thirteen present, he returned to Nova Scotia for +his family. During this visit to the Province he +found that the cause at Liverpool was in such a +prosperous state, that there was great need of a +place of worship, and with his accustomed zeal and +determination, he started a subscription list and in +a few days secured three hundred pounds. His return +to the West Indies with his family was signalized +by strenuous efforts for the salvation of the +people, but his stay was destined to be short, as +Dr. Coke became convinced that owing to changes +in the Islands, and the importance of the work in +Nova Scotia, it was necessary for William Black to +take charge of his old field. Accordingly he was +recalled after spending one year as Presiding Elder +in the West Indies, and singular to relate, upon +the day that Dr. Coke wrote his instructions for +removal, the ministers were assembled in District<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +Meeting at Windsor, and they passed a resolution +asking that William Black be allowed to assume +his position as General Superintendent of the Maritime +Provinces and Newfoundland.</p> + +<p>No sooner did he arrive and was reinstated +among his brethren, than he threw himself with increased +vigor into the work of consolidating and +extending the congregations. Prince Edward Island +was visited, where a cordial reception was +granted him at Charlottetown, large congregations +being present when he preached. At Tryon there +had been a gracious revival two years previous under +the ministry of William Grandine, the results +of which were still apparent, the nucleus of a congregation +had been formed at Charlottetown by a +class led by Joshua Newton, Collector on the Island, +which met at the house of Benjamin Chappel, +and when William Black waited upon the Governor, +Colonel Fanning, to thank him for the use of the +Church, he spent an agreeable hour, conversing +freely on the advantages of religion to individuals, +and society in general, and the Governor closed +the interview by expressing his friendship, with a +promise of assistance in building a Methodist +Church. Methodism had grown in the provinces +during the years since it was established, so that in +1794, there were eleven hundred accredited members, +not including the number of adherents who +had not united with the church.</p> + +<p>The journal in which William Black recorded +his personal experiences, and gave a faithful account, +though brief, of the extraordinary events +which happened in his travels, the notable conversions, +revival services and progress of the kingdom +of God closes with the year 1794. Limited as it is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> +in the range of its subjects, it was characteristic of +the man whose sole aim was the conversion of sinners +and the upbuilding of the saints. He was too +busy to continue the record, and though there were +many things coming under the range of his observation +worthy of preservation, he was too modest +to think of writing his reflections with any view to +publication.</p> + +<p>The year 1800 was spent in England, where he +attended the British Wesleyan Conference which +met in London, and during his visit he made a deep +and lasting impression upon the hearts of many, by +his zeal and modesty. He was welcomed as the +founder of Methodism in British North America, +and had the opportunity of meeting some of the +leaders of British Methodism, especially Jabez +Bunting, with whom he had several interesting and +profitable conversations, and who remained till +death one of his most devoted friends. In one of his +letters to him while he was attending the Conference, +Bunting wrote, "My letter will, at least, be +accepted as an expression of that warmth of Christian +affection and esteem which I shall ever feel toward +you. Unworthy as I am of your friendship, +I trust that a blessed eternity will confirm and perfect +the attachment which my present short acquaintance +with you has inspired and that, however +separated on earth, we shall together spend +an everlasting existence." Two years later in another +letter he says, "I often recollect with pleasure +the agreeable and profitable moments we spent +together at Oldham and Manchester, during your +last visit to England, and am thankful to God that +ever I knew you on earth, because I am persuaded +that through his abundant mercy in Christ Jesus,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> +I shall hereafter know you in heaven, and there be +permitted to resume and perfect that intercourse +and acquaintance, which here were so transient, +and so speedily suspended by separation. In the +General Assembly, and Church of the First-born, I +hope to meet my honoured friend again, and to +mingle with his, and with those of ten thousand +times ten thousand others, my everlasting Hosannas +to the Lamb that was slain. Even so, Lord +Jesus! I was pleased and thankful sometime ago in +a Love-feast at Saddleworth, to hear the testimony +of one, who was awakened under a sermon you +preached at Delph, from 'Behold I stand at the +door, &c.,' on the Sunday you spent there with +me in April 1800. I mention this to show you, +that you have some seals of your ministry in these +parts of the world, and that your labours of love among +us were not in vain in the Lord."</p> + +<p>The kindness shown toward William Black during +his visit to England, and the fact that he was +born there, naturally induced him to entertain the +idea of taking a circuit and spending his remaining +years in the old land, but Dr. Coke was strongly averse +to him leaving Nova Scotia where so great +success had attended his labours, and his influence +was unbounded. Feeling that he could not very +well leave the care of the churches to others, without +some provision being made for superintending +them in the event of his going to live in England, +he drew up a scheme of handing them over to the +Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States, +and wrote to Bishop Asbury on the matter. There +were however political difficulties in the way, and +being unable to make satisfactory provision for +supplying the churches with ministers, and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> +danger of disaffection in the event of a war between +Great Britain and the United States, he decided to +remain in Nova Scotia and continue his active +duties. Possessed of administrative abilities of a +high order, added to the skill and zeal of an +evangelist, he was a man of mark, who could not +be left in charge of a single circuit, but must have +a wider field. Consequently at the Conference +held in Philadelphia in 1804, Dr. Coke requested +him to take a station in Bermuda for three or four +years, and in order to conciliate the members of +the church in Halifax by the temporary removal of +their pastor, the Doctor wrote them a letter, in +which he said, "Mr. Black has been your apostle +for above twenty years, and it is now high time +that he should be an apostle elsewhere. I have no +doubt that he will have a society of six hundred, +or perhaps one thousand members in Bermuda in +four years. He may then, if he please, return to +superintend the work in Nova Scotia and New +Brunswick, but it will depend upon his own choice +whether he return to you, or to England, or remain +at Bermuda." William Black consented to +go, and went to New York, where he engaged his +passage, but was prevented from reaching his destination +by some persons from Bermuda who were opposed +to Methodism, and were going by the same vessel, +and used their influence so that the passage was +cancelled. Two years later the British Wesleyan +Missionary Committee requested him to become +Superintendent of Missions in the West Indies, +and Dr. Coke renewed his request that he assume +charge in Bermuda, but he declined the appointment +to the West Indies on the account of the +severity of the tropical climate, though he was willing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> +to go to Bermuda. The Nova Scotia District +Meeting however intervened, and petitioned the +British Conference that he might be allowed to remain +Superintendent of Missions in the Maritime +Provinces and Newfoundland, and there the matter +ended.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the arduous duties of visiting the +churches and preaching continued with much success, +several new churches being built and numerous +conversions, among whom was Colonel Bayard +who commanded one of the British regiments at +Halifax during the war, and afterwards settled +about 30 miles from Annapolis. He had +been strongly opposed to Methodism, but was +led by William Black to a personal trust in Christ, +and lived such a holy life that he became known as +the John Fletcher of Nova Scotia. In the midst +of a great revival which swept St. John, and +through the District from Barrington to Liverpool, +there came opposition from some preachers from +Scotland, who spurned the idea of conversion, however +success followed the faithful preaching of +William Black and his fellow workers and many +souls were led to Christ. In 1809 he was stationed +in St. John, New Brunswick, where he spent two +years, but his active ministry was drawing to a close.</p> + +<p>The privations and incessant labors began to tell +upon a strong constitution, so that in 1812 he was +compelled to become a supernumerary, though +not desisting altogether from rendering whatever +service his health would permit in extending the +cause that lay so near his heart. Along with the +Rev. William Bennett he was delegated by the +British Conference to attend the Conference in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> +United States, and lay before the members the +question of Canadian Methodism retaining its allegiance +with the British Conference, a task which +was faithfully performed, though of a very delicate +character.</p> + +<p>Increasing infirmities kept him in retirement, +though he managed in the spring of 1820 to pay a +visit to the United States, where he preached before +Congress, and the passion for souls was still +burning in his soul, for the text of the sermon was, +"What is a man profited, if he gain the whole world +and lose his own soul?" Brave and ever resolute, he +maintained his interest in the progress of the +churches which he founded, and it was with a +pathos born of love to his brethren, and the consciousness +that his active work was done, that he +wrote to the ministers at the District Meeting held +in St. John in 1823, that he was unable to attend, +and sent them his blessing.</p> + +<p>This man of daring had a definite religious experience +and all his preaching was with the individual +in view, his sphere of labours was not +large in extent of territory, but he widened it by +incessant travel, without any show of rhetoric he +won his way to men's hearts and that is eloquence, +and he lived to move Eastern British America by +translating his message in words imperishable, and +lay foundations upon which others have built. He +was no common man, but an empire-builder in the +brave days of old.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="VI" id="VI"></a>VI.</h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Personal Characteristics.</span></h2> + + +<p>A man above medium height, stout in body and +well built, clad in the fashion of the Methodist +preachers of the day, with a benign countenance, +his face smoothly shaven, a kindly eye, a mind ever +alert, a genial temperament, and strong force of +character which fitted him well for his aggressive +work in a new and rough country, and you +have a fair likeness of William Black. Without +any college education, and with no pretentions +as a scholar, he was far from being +deficient in education. The preacher with his +saddlebags quickly learned the value of +time, as he travelled incessantly, and preached +every day, and we are not surprised to learn, that +he formed habits of study similar to those of the +circuit riders of old England. With an intensity +which is often bewildering, we read of him moving +with incredible swiftness from place to place, studying +at every opportunity to fit himself as an able +preacher of the everlasting gospel.</p> + +<p>His letters to John Wesley and other correspondents +bear the impress of a cultured mind, in the +grasp of the great doctrines which were under discussion, +and the nervous strength, simplicity, purity +and dignity of the language in which they are +couched. The saddle, the open road, and the +clear sky were his permanent study, and he read +with the keen instinct of a student, whose hours +were limited, as he had other work to do, and he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> +must furbish his brain, and warm his heart by contact +with the masters of literature who came at +his call.</p> + +<p>He was a constant reader of Wesley's Journal +and sermons. When he was travelling to the General +Conference at Baltimore, he spent his time on +the vessel in study, as he writes: "Most of my +time since I came on board has been occupied in +reading, chiefly Flavel's Treatise on the Soul, Littleton's +Roman History and Knox's Essays. Lord +let none of them prove improfitable!" For spiritual +growth he was accustomed to read religious biography, +which is an excellent study, and he found +much comfort and food for serious reflection in +the Lives of John Fletcher and Whitefield. But +he was not forgetful of the benefits of the solid +studies which are needful for the Christian minister, +and he applied himself with splendid energy +to the Latin and Greek languages and works on +theology. Matthew Richey who was well qualified +to speak on the subject, because of his own training, +and his acquaintance with William Black says: +"During the time of our personal acquaintance +with him, he possessed a critical knowledge of the +New Testament in the original, which must have +been the result of many years' application. In +studying the Greek Testament, Parkhurst's Lexicon +was his favorite thesaurus, and he knew well +to discriminate the sound learning and theology +with which that inestimable work abounds, from +the fancies and eccentricities both etymological +and philosophical, with which they are sometimes +associated." It was his custom for many years to +read Thomas à Kempis Imitation of Christ at +family prayer in the Latin tongue, his wife reading<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span> +the translation while he followed her in the +original, and Matthew Richey adds that while he +"carefully studied the Greek Testament, he was +not forgetful of the Latin language, in which his +attainments were very respectable." We have no +record of the books he read or any account of his +studies, but his Journal and letters show, that he +was a student all his life, reading theology, history, +biography and essays in literature with an economy +of time, and an alertness, which put many of +us to shame. With a yearning after wider culture +he longed to go to Kingswood School in England, +and when that became impossible, he devoted himself +with greater enthusiasm to his studies, and +employed John Wesley to send him books.</p> + +<p>Although he was a model itinerant and was +preaching every day, he pursued the method of +training his own mind and instructing his hearers +by courses on systematic theology, which is an +ideal system for any minister. He writes: "In +my last sixteen discourses I have taken a view of +man in his primitive state, and in his fall, the consequences +of his apostacy, to himself and to his +posterity, the interposition of a Mediator, his +offices, incarnation, life, death, resurrection, ascension +into heaven, and session on the right hand +of the Father. O, how wonderful is the process of +redeeming love!" Living in a real world and +deeply impressed with the needs of the people, he +had no time to devote to any literary work, +though he might have rendered some service by +his pen to the cause of Christ, but modesty barred +the way, and he was above everything else a +pioneer evangelist. Only once did he consent to +have one of his sermons published, and that was a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> +discourse preached at Windsor, Nova Scotia, on +Deut. 33:13. "He made him to suck honey out +of the rock." When he preached a sermon on +Bishop Asbury at the General Conference in Baltimore, +and was importuned to have it published by +that august body, he respectfully declined the +honor.</p> + +<p>William Black was a great Christian without any +singularity or ostentation, ever bemoaning his lack +of spirituality and yearning after holiness of heart +and life. As he read the lives of great saints of +other days, he prostrated himself before God, and +craved pre-eminence in the attainment of the +higher virtues of religious experience. Humility +was one of the dominant factors in his life, which +became a habit, through contrasting his actual acquirements +in piety, with the saints held in much +esteem by the Christian Church. He was extremely +sensitive, and this subjected him to periods +of mental depression, when he was severely +tempted and almost given over to despair. +Seasons of melancholy seemed to follow him all +through life, especially at the beginning of the +year, when he passed under review his life and +work. But there were times when he renewed his +covenant with God in writing, and when he was +privileged to listen to some eminent preacher and +mingle with his brethren, that the sky shone with +a beauty which was divine, and bliss serene abode +in his soul.</p> + +<p>In one of his seasons of refreshing, when he dedicated +himself anew, he writes: "O my God, I am +Thine by a thousand ties, necessary, voluntary and +sacred. Sanctuaries, woods, fields and other places, +have been witnesses of the solemn vows and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span>engagements +I am under to Thee, and when I presumptuously +violate them, they will bring in their +evidence against me. O! by thy powerful grace, +preserve me thine, thine forever!" He longed to +be like Christ, and yet he could say: "Some +appear to be alternately in raptures, and ready to +sink in unbelief and despondency: filled with joy, +or overwhelmed with sorrow. In general my walk +(at least outwardly) has been pretty even. +Through the severest exercises I have yet met with, +the Lord has not suffered me to be greatly moved. +I do not remember that anger ever had a place +in my heart for one minute against any one, since +I first knew the Lord. If I felt it rise, I looked to +the Lord, and was delivered. Blessed be his Name +for this! By grace I am saved: and grace shall +have the glory. I am never enraptured with joy, +nor overpowered with sorrow: yet neither am I +without joys and sorrow. At times I feel Jesus +inexpressibly precious: and at such seasons I long +for holiness, for a full conformity to the divine +will."</p> + +<p>He was a man of prayer, rising early to be alone +with God. Never did hunter pursue game with +greater zest than he in his passion for the souls of +men. His sermons had ever in view the conversion +of sinners, and he often employed his pen in +writing to individuals about salvation. Three of +these letters addressed respectively, to Lawyer Hilton +of Cornwallis, Major Crane of Horton, and +James Noble Shannon of Horton, who afterwards +removed to Parrsboro where he died, breathe a +spirit of intense solicitude, and remind one of the +writings of Richard Baxter the noble Puritan. In +the letters he pleads with these gentlemen to seek<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> +salvation, and with such arguments, persuasive +speech and love, that they were effective in leading +them to Christ.</p> + +<p>In conversation he was chaste in language and +always spiritual. In one of his letters to his +father-in-law, he pleads with him to be reconciled +to God, and after pressing home the truth with +fidelity without rudeness, he concludes; "This is +the religion, in the propagation of which I +desire to spend my life. This I recommend +to my father. But I stop, perhaps I offend. +I did not think of saying half so much. But +this is my darling topic, and therefore I +must beg you to bear with me." He was charitable +towards others, though he differed with them +in religious belief, and with commendable liberality, +he held both ministers and people of the Anglican +faith in the highest esteem, and associated with +the Baptists often preaching in their churches, even +going so far, though believing in the validity of +sprinkling as a mode of baptism, as to baptize +by immersion, those who desired that mode +of having the ordinance administered. Whilst +holding tenaciously the doctrines and institutions +of Methodism, he loved those who were united to +him by a common faith.</p> + +<p>During the first years of William Black's evangelistic +labors, when several hundreds were converted +and had joined the church, he was confronted +with Antinomian teaching, through several +visits from Henry Alline, who resided at Falmouth, +Nova Scotia. Being called of God to preach in +1776, Alline itinerated through Nova Scotia, New +Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, preaching +a strange mixture of doctrines, which unsettled the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> +people in the churches, and many withdrew and +formed the denomination of New Lights or Allinites, +a body which had some influence until his +death at Northampton in New Hampshire, United +States, on February 2nd, 1784, when it gradually +declined and was absorbed by other denominations, +especially the Baptists. Alline published his +peculiar views in a volume, entitled "Two mites +on some of the most important and most disputed +points of divinity cast into the treasury for the +poor and needy, and committed to the perusal of +the unprejudiced and impartial reader, by Henry +Alline, servant of the Lord to His churches." A +reply to this book was published in a volume by +the Rev. Jonathan Scott, of Yarmouth, Nova +Scotia, which contains copious extracts from it. +Alline misrepresented all the leading doctrines of +Christianity, assailing predestination and election, +maintaining the freedom of man's will and upholding +the final perseverance of the saints, emphasizing +strongly conversion, and that the soul +is at the same moment completely sanctified, while +sin remains in the body; denying the resurrection +of the body, and though sometimes practising +water baptism, he denied its utility. He was a +man of good address, eloquent of speech and of a +lively disposition, and there was no doubt of his +piety, as he was a good man, and these qualities +made him a successful evangelist. His rank Antinomian +doctrines caused havoc among the Presbyterian, +Congregational and Methodist congregations +in the places visited by him, and +William Black mourned the withdrawal of two +hundred persons in a little over a year from connection +with the Methodist Church. It was very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> +natural that the young evangelist should consult +John Wesley on the matter, but the only help he +received was a package of books, including two +volumes of the writings of William Law, the great +mystic, and instructions not to mention Alline's +name in public, only to go on his way preaching +the gospel. Though much depressed by the +loss of so many members from the church, he had +the satisfaction of seeing some return to the old +fold, and toward Henry Alline himself he entertained +respect. There remained no harshness, +though the blow was heavy by the breach made in +the congregations, as shown by a letter which he +wrote to Alline when he was sick, in which, after +speaking of the souls won for God, and his joy in +Alline's success, he added, "Although we differ in +sentiment, let us manifest our love to each other. +I always admired your gifts and graces, and affectionately +loved your person, although I could never +receive your peculiar opinions. But shall we on +this account destroy the work of God? God forbid! +May the Lord take away all bigotry, and +fill us with pure, genuine, catholic love!" That +was charity indeed, but Henry Alline went on his +way denouncing all who did not follow him.</p> + +<p>William Black had no fine capacity for anger, +for with his soul aflame with a holy passion he +saw men and women as related to eternity, and +he loved them. With an iron will he laughed at +danger, without any austerity he was a great saint, +his ideals were lofty, and cheerfulness sat upon +his lips and shone in his face, a practical mystic +was he without losing his head in the clouds, in +brief, he was a man, a brave soul with a woman's +tenderness, who held his eyes toward the Cross.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="VII" id="VII"></a>VII.</h2> + +<h2><span class="smcap">Last Days and After.</span></h2> + + +<p>The long years of arduous labor began to tell +upon a strong constitution, so that gradually the +physical strength of the pioneer evangelist and +missionary in the Maritime Provinces became so +enfeebled, that during the last fifteen years of his +life he was practically laid aside. For forty years +he travelled, unhasting, unresting, swift of foot, +and with an unquenching passion for souls, and +the hardships of those early times left their abiding +impress upon his body, though he still retained his +natural vigor of mind. A journey now and then +in quest of health brought cheerful patience, but +his work was done, while still sixty years of age. +Like another Whitefield he had worn himself out +in his Master's service, yet he was content that +foundations had been laid, and others might build, +while he shared their joy.</p> + +<p>He lived in stirring times, and belonged to a sect +that moved the world, recreating the national conscience, +without disturbing the religious world with +a new heresy. In 1807 the slave trade in the +British Empire was abolished, and the Methodist +revival introduced a new philanthropy, which +brought a fresh impulse into the nation for the reforming +of the prisons, greater clemency to the +penal laws, with a noble and steady attempt to +better the condition of the profligate and the poor, +and the first impetus toward popular education. +Limited in his range of vision by distance from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> +the great centres of civilization, and absorbed in +his noble task of leading men in their quest after +godliness, he still kept in touch with the larger +questions which affected the nation, so far as the +literature of that day permitted.</p> + +<p>His closing years were spent in the quietness of +his own home, with an occasional service suited to +his failing health. With a sublime simplicity and +faith in the goodness of women, he found a continual +benediction in his wife, who was a lady of good +judgment, possessing a cheerful spirit, and as earnest +as he in her yearning after holiness of heart +and life, and a burning zeal for the salvation of +souls. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, where she +frequently heard Whitefield preach, she came with +her parents to Fort Cumberland, Nova Scotia, and +settled there, when the British troops evacuated +her native city, and in the summer of 1781 she +was converted under the ministry of William Black. +For the long period of forty-three years of married +life, she was the devoted companion and helper of +her husband in every good work. The training of +five children devolved solely upon her, as she was +left alone during the long and frequent absence of +her husband on his missionary tours, yet she complained +not, but counted it an honor to share the +joys and sorrows of a Methodist itinerant. With +the true instinct of a mother she governed her +home in the fear of God. When she chastised her +children, she did not forget their spiritual welfare, +as it was her custom after punishment, to take +them alone to a private room, and there to pray +with the culprit, and seldom were these seasons +unproductive of serious resolves of amendment. +Her letters to her husband bear the impress of a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> +saint, in their spirit of patience, sympathy with +the erring, and quest after a better life. During a +period of severe sickness in the family, when three +of the children were laid low, and faint hopes were +entertained for the recovery of Celia, the eldest, +the faith of the parents was severely tried. While +they were convalescing, the mother was attacked +with a raging fever, and in her weakened condition, +she was strongly tempted to doubt her acceptance +with God. In her distress she mourned: "I have +lived too much at ease. How could I rest without +daily and lively communion with God." But +the clouds burst, and she was enabled to rejoice, +and praise God for all his mercies to herself and +family. She was a saintly woman, active in her +efforts for ameliorating the condition of the poor +in the city of Halifax, during her long residence +there. With her own hands she made garments +for the needy, stimulated others in connection with +the Female Benevolent Society, of which she was +treasurer for several years, and by the sweetness +and beauty of her life, helped many in the paths +of righteousness and peace. During the last year +and a half of her life she gradually declined in +health yet she murmured not, and when the end +came on August 11th, 1827, as she was surrounded +by husband, children, grandchildren and friends, +she bade them an affectionate farewell. The last +to receive her blessing was her faithful and pious +black servant, but her power of speech having +gone, she raised her hands to heaven as an evidence +of her faith and joy, and passed home at the age +of seventy-three years. Thus lived and died one +of the most beautiful spirits to be found on the +pages of religious biography, gentle in manners,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> +firm in action, with a chaste reserve, a noble type +of heroic womanhood.</p> + +<p>With the passing of his beloved companion, +William Black felt keenly the vacancy in his home +where ill-health kept him confined, and to ensure +comfort and relieve the tedium, he was induced to +marry Martha, the widow of Elisha Calkin of Liverpool, +Nova Scotia, in the year 1828. This marriage +was highly congenial, as the lady was possessed +of an amiable disposition, and she ministered to +his needs and together they enjoyed good fellowship, +to his death, after which event, she returned +to Liverpool, where she resided till she died.</p> + +<p>The father of William Black walked through all +the years of a long life in the ways of peace, +and the son rejoiced that he had been honored in +leading him to Christ. For the greater part of his +life he lived on his farm at Dorchester, New +Brunswick, dying there in 1820, at the age of ninety-three +years. He was held in much esteem in +the community being appointed in 1779, Judge of +the Common Pleas, and in his old age he retained +so much of his vigor, that when he was eighty-eight +years old, he rode on horseback a distance of +thirty miles to visit some members of his family +residing at Amherst.</p> + +<p>"The world may not like our Methodists, but +the world cannot deny that they die well," wrote +John Wesley, and this sentence has been transformed +into the well-known maxim, "Our people +die well." William Black knew the art of dying +well, as he always stood on the threshold of +eternity, and there was no need in his closing days +to make special preparation, for with heroic gladness<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +he had fronted the foe, all through the strenuous +years, and was ever ready to cross the bar. +In the autumn of 1834, the cholera was prevalent +in Halifax, and he was deeply concerned for the +people, though he was suffering from dropsy, and +his end was near. The Rev. Richard Knight who +was stationed in Halifax, and had Matthew Richey +as his colleague, was with him in his last hours, +and he gives an account of the closing scene. "'I +trust sir,' said I, 'You now feel that Saviour to +be precious whom you have so long held forth to +others.' He said, 'All is well. All is peace, no +fear, no doubt, let Him do as He will, He knows +what is best.' I referred to his long and useful +life. He said very impressively, 'Leave all that, +say no more. All is well.' We joined in prayer, +and his spirit was evidently very much engaged in +the solemn exercise. On leaving the room I said, +'You will soon be in the glory of which you have +so often spoken in the course of your long ministry.' +'I shall soon be there,' he said, 'where +Christ is gone before me.' After which he sank +very fast, and spoke little, and that with considerable +difficulty. His last words were, 'Give +my farewell blessing to your family, and to the +society,' and 'God bless you. All is well.'"</p> + +<p>Patient in life, he was triumphant in death, and +though there was no exultant notes in his last +testimony, his faith stood the supreme test, as he +drew near the borderland. He died on September +8th, 1834, aged 74 years. The remains of Mary +and William Black rest in the old graveyard at +Grafton Street Methodist Church, Halifax, and near +the vestry door are their tombstones and those of +their children. Within the church there are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> +marble tablets to the memory of these pioneers of +the faith, who laid the foundations of Methodism +in the maritime provinces, and in the Methodist +Church at Amherst, Nova Scotia, there is a memorial +window to the founder of Methodism in +these parts.</p> + +<p>There is a larger and more abiding memorial of +the heroic figure who trudged over the country in +quest of souls, and that lies in the silent influence +of his life, and the permanence of his work. He +was a great revivalist of the enduring kind, whose +exhortations were not platitudes which spent themselves +with the passing hour, but, being based on +the leading doctrines of the Bible, remained as a +spiritual impulse for the individual, and the church. +In his History of the Methodist Church in Eastern +British America, T. Watson Smith quotes a characteristic +sketch of William Black and his wife.</p> + +<p>"The personal appearance of 'Bishop' Black +in his late years, says the Hon. S. L. Shannon, +who remembers him well, was very prepossessing. +He was of medium height, inclining to corpulency. +In the street he always wore the well-known +clerical hat; a black dress coat buttoned over a +double-breasted vest, a white neckerchief, black +small clothes and well polished Hessian boots +completed his attire. When he and his good lady, +who was always dressed in the neatest Quaker costume, +used to take their airing in the summer with +black Thomas, the bishop's well known servant, +for their charioteer, they were absolutely pictures +worth looking at. In the pulpit the bishop's appearance +was truly apostolical. A round, rosy face, +encircled with thin, white hair, a benevolent smile,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> +and a sweet voice were most attractive. Whenever +my mind carries me back to those scenes, the +vision of the apostle John in his old age addressing +the church at Ephesus as his little children, comes +up before me as I think of the good old man, the +real father of Methodism in Halifax."</p> + +<p>When William Black was converted and began +his career as the pioneer Methodist preacher in the +maritime provinces, in 1779, there was only a small +company in Cumberland, Nova Scotia, who +reckoned themselves followers of John Wesley, +but when he died in 1834, there were in these +Provinces and Newfoundland, 3 Districts, 44 circuits, +about 50 ministers and local preachers, with +more than 6000 members of the church. But the +denomination has grown since then, until in the +year 1906, there are 3 Conferences, with 332 ministers, +194 local preachers, nearly 42,000 church +members, 686 Sunday Schools with over 45,000 +scholars, 716 churches, and 219 parsonages valued +at more than two and a half million dollars, and +then add to these statistics, the value of the schools +and colleges belonging to Methodism in the maritime +provinces and Newfoundland, amounting to +567,000 dollars, and we may well say, "What hath +God wrought?"</p> + +<p>Let us remember that when John Wesley died, +there were only 287 Methodist preachers in Great +Britain and Ireland, and 511 in the whole world, +and we may well ponder the significance of the +growth during the last hundred years in the new +country where William Black was the leader and +pioneer. The movement which began with Black +has run through a whole century without rest or failure,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> +the stream of conversions has continued to +flow, and the spiritual impulse has been maintained, +despite many changes in manners and modes of +thought. The old tradition of Methodism being +an aggressive force, embodied in the apt phrase +"Christianity in earnest" is still true, as it emphasizes +the great spiritual forces of religion, as +distinguished from ceremonial and even church +organization, as the essentials of our faith ever +abide within. The message of the apostle of Methodism +in the Maritime Provinces was charged with +great truths based upon doctrine and experience, +and the power which swayed the people under his +preaching, has remained as an abiding spiritual +force. In Black's Journal we have a charming bit +of autobiography, which reveals the inner life of a +man who has become a historic figure, and yet he +had no desire for fame. He was an evangelist +first and last, begetting influences more abiding +than the centuries, and if you would estimate his +worth, and measure the value of his work, look +around. He lived in a religious atmosphere of +his own making with the help of God, he learned +the triumphant secret of religion, and he gave a noble +challenge to the world, in a heroic life for Christ. +The pulse of his life beats still in the twentieth +century in the Maritime Provinces of the Dominion.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h3><a name="Transcribers_Notes" id="Transcribers_Notes"></a>Transcriber's Notes</h3> + +<p>Spelling inconsistencies, such as labor/labour and harbor/harbour have +been retained from the original book. Minor punctuation irregularities +and the following typos have been corrected:</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_18">18</a>: tim changed to time.</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_46">46</a>: Britian changed to Britain.</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_46">46</a>: Williiam changed to William.</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_46">46</a>: desti- changed to destination.</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_49">49</a>: tempereament changed to temperament.</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_49">49</a>: aggresive changed to aggressive.</p> + +<p>Page <a href="#Page_60">60</a>: yeare changed to years.</p> + + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of William Black, by John Maclean + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WILLIAM BLACK *** + +***** This file should be named 24693-h.htm or 24693-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/9/24693/ + +Produced by Diane Monico and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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