Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIII.djvu/842

 818 PRESBYTEBIANISM ized about the year 1790. They built St. Ga- briel street church, which is still used as a Pres- byterian church, and is the oldest Protestant church in Canada. In Upper Canada, now known as the province of Ontario, the pio- neers of Presbyterianism were sent out by the Reformed Dutch church. One of the princi- pal laborers thus sent was the Rev. Robert McDowell, who was appointed by the classis of Albany as their missionary to Canada in 1798. He itinerated throughout the greater part of Upper Canada, forming and fostering congregations in various places. He died at a very advanced age in 1841. The Rev. W. Smart, who was sent out from England in 1811, and who labored long and faithfully in Brockville; the Rev. W. Bell, sent out from Scotland in 1817 ; the Rev. William Jenkins, originally from Scotland, who went to Canada from the United States in 1817; the Rev. Rob- ert Boyd, from the synod of Ulster, ordained in 1821 ; and the Rev. James Harris, also from Ireland, who began his labors in 1820 as pastor of the first Presbyterian church in York (now Toronto), were among the founders of the Presbyterian church in Canada. To Kingston and a few other places ministers were on ap- plication sent out by presbyteries in Scotland, the Rev. John Barclay being the first minister of Kingston. In 1825 the Glasgow colonial society was formed, which sent out many min- isters to Lower and Upper Canada, as well as to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. These ministers were all of the church of Scotland. To Nova Scotia and New Brunswick the first Presbyterian ministers were sent from Scot- land by the Burgher and Anti-Burgher synods. A missionary was also sent in 1768 by the united synods of New York and Philadelphia. About 1769 the real work of building up a Presbyte- rian church in Nova Scotia may be said to have begun, the Rev. David Smith and the Rev. Daniel Cock having been sent out by the Burgher or Associate synod of Scotland. Seventeen years afterward the Rev. James McGregor was sent out by the Anti-Burgher or General Associate synod. From these be- ginnings grew up the presbytery of Truro (Burgher), established in 1786, and the pres- bytery of Picton (Anti-Burgher), in 1795. In 1817 these united, forming the Presbyterian church of Nova Scotia. Ministers from the church of Scotland came at a later date. In 1831 was formed the synod of the Presbyte- rian church of Canada in connection with the church of Scotland. The " United Synod of Upper Canada," consisting chiefly of ministers of the Associate church of Scotland, with some from Ireland, was formed about 1819, but in 1840 was amalgamated with the synod in connection with the church of Scotland. Several ministers from the Secession church of Scotland came to Canada about 1832, and the number was increased from time to time. They were organized as the missionary synod of the United Secession church, and known afterward as the synod of the United Presby- terian church in Canada. In 1844, the year after the disruption of the church of Scot- land, a division took place in the Presbyte- rian church of Canada in connection with the church of Scotland, corresponding divisions taking place in Nova Scotia and the other maritime provinces. In Canada the new body took the name of the Presbyterian church of Canada. In 1861, after several years spent in negotiations, this body and the United Presbyterian church in Canada united under the designation of " The Canada Presbyte- rian Church," the corresponding bodies in the lower provinces uniting under the name of " The Presbyterian Church of the Lower Prov- inces." In September, 1874, there were (omit- ting a few congregations connected with or- ganizations in the United States) four Pres- byterian bodies in the Dominion of Canada, viz. : the Presbyterian church of Canada in connection with the church of Scotland; the Canada Presbyterian church; the church of Scotland in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and adjoining provinces ; and the Presbyterian church of the lower provinces. In the Pres- byterian church of Canada in connection with the church of Scotland there were 11 pres- byteries and 122 ministers ; in the Canada Presbyterian church, 19 presbyteries and 329 ministers ; in the church of Scotland in Nova Scotia, &c., 6 presbyteries and 31 ministers ; and in the Presbyterian church of the lower provinces, 10 presbyteries and 124 ministers. There were theological colleges in Toronto and Montreal belonging to the Canada Presbyterian church ; at Kingston and Quebec, to the Pres- byterian church of Canada in connection with the church of Scotland ; and at Halifax, to the Presbyterian church of the lower provinces. Nearly one half of the ministers in the several provinces have been supplied by the theologi- cal colleges of the country. A plan of union between these bodies was consummated June 15, 1875, only a small minority of the first named of them declining to accede to it. The aggregate of the united church at that date was 634 ministers, 1,119 congregations, 90,658 communicants, and a population under its in- struction of about 650,000. GENEEAL COUN- CIL. A plan for a general council of all the Presbyterian bodies throughout the world was formed at the meeting of the evangelical alli- ance held in New York in 1873. A confer- ence of nearly 100 delegates from such of these bodies as had expressed their approval of the plan met by previous arrangement in London, July 21, 1875. It assumed the name of " Alliance of Reformed Churches through- out the World," and formed a constitution to serve as a basis of union, which is to be vol- untary and cooperative, not organic. Its pro- fessed object is to promote mutual sympathy and help, diffuse information and thus aid in mission work, promote Christian reform in appropriate spheres, and oppose everywhere