ip. I took occasion to advert
to what had excited the strongest feelings in my own mind, and in the
minds of our people generally--namely imputations on our loyalty to the
Government and laws of the country. The Bishop, with his characteristic
energy, said that what he had written on the subject he could at any
time prove--that he never represented or supposed that the Methodist
body of people were disaffected; nor had he represented or supposed that
those preachers who had been born and brought up in the country were
disloyal; but he was satisfied that such was the case with the majority
of those who used to come from the United States. I felt that the whole
matter was one of history, and not of practical importance in reference
to present interests; and I was much gratified in my own mind to find
that the real question, as one of history, was the proportion of
preachers who formerly came from the United States, and the character
and tendency of their feelings and influence; for no preachers have come
from the United States to this country these many years, and we have
none but British subjects in the Canada Conference.

After parting with the Bishop at Cobourg, in analyzing the exercises of
my own mind, I found myself deeply impressed with the following facts
and considerations:--

1. That the settlement of the clergy reserve question had annihilated
the principal causes of difference between those individuals and bodies
in this province who had been most hostile to each other.

2. That how much asperity of feeling, and how much bitter controversy
might be prevented, if those most concerned would converse privately
with each other before they entered into the arena of public
disputation.

3. That how much more numerous and powerful are the reasons for
agreement than for hostility in the general affairs of the country, even
among those who differ most widely on points of religious doctrine and
polity.[118]

FOOTNOTES:

[114] I have already on pages 41 and 206 mentioned the overtures which
were made to Dr. Ryerson by the late Bishop Stewart of Quebec to induce
him to enter the ministry of the Church of England. See also page 97.

[115] "From 1841 to 1843 the editorial management of _The Church_ was
assumed by Mr. John Kent, who had been a valuable contributor to its
pages from the commencement. The excitement, however, amid the clash and
din of party strife was too much for him, and the paper came back to its
f