ands of the Province
as their heritage.[107] In proof of these facts Dr. Ryerson referred to
the testimony of fifty-two witnesses, given before a select Committee of
the House of Assembly in 1828, and published in full at that time.

I have purposely abstained from making any special reference to
discussions in the clergy reserve question with which Dr. Ryerson had no
connection. An important one, however, took place between Hon. Wm.
Morris and Archdeacon Strachan in 1838-39, chiefly in regard to the
claims of the Church of Scotland. Mr. Morris, however, did good service
in the general discussion.

* * * * *

In November, 1838, Dr. Ryerson received a letter from Thomas Farmer,
Esq., of London, England, in regard to the Centenary Celebration, to
which he replied as follows:--

Our prospects as a country are rather gloomy. We have lately had
the excitement and loss produced by Lord Durham's departure, and
the second rebellion in Lower Canada, followed in a few days by a
brigand invasion of this province to distract and destroy us. You
refer to a Centenary Offering. I cannot say what we shall be able
to do. We have not the slightest provision yet for the education of
preacher's children; nor a contingent fund to aid poor circuits, or
to relieve the distressed preachers' families; and an unpaid for
Book Room, and not an entirely paid for Academy;--all of which
subjects have engaged our most anxious consideration;--but in the
present entirely unsettled state of our public affairs, we scarcely
know what to do in respect to the future. We cannot, therefore, as
yet fix upon the objects of our Centenary Offering.

The Methodist Centenary Year occurred in 1839. The Conference set apart
the 25th October for its celebration,

By holding religious "services in all of our chapels and
congregations, for the purpose of calling to mind the great things
which the Lord has done for us as a people; of solemnly recognizing
our obligations and responsibilities to our Heavenly Father; and of
imploring, on behalf of ourselves and the whole Wesleyan Methodist
family throughout the world, a continuance and increase of
religious happiness, unity and prosperity."

Meetings were held all over the Province during the months of August,
September and October, for the collection of a centenary offering, to be
applie