535-03 Page 9 (2)the - way without a command.
"Well," that Methodist horseman
would say with an innocent smile
when he alighted, "Toby knows
every sinner's house on. the road."
However, Bangs reports that his
own rather sober offer gained him
admittance into most of the houses.
But above all, come even fire or
flood, he had to meet his preach-
ing appointments, often given out
weeks in advance, and usually kept
at noon. If he came late on the
'errand the .settlers departed and
thus a great awakening Was de-
layed or lost.
Many a time on his routes he
met sickness and desolationand
not infrequently perils tq himself
and his horse. The Thames River
was often high, and covered the
flats far and wide. Sometimes when
.hecrossed it safely himself, but
with great difficulty on a -.log, his
horse, which he says he loved
neariy as much as himself, was
carried down by the current and
escaped only because the animal
was so strong.
Narrow Escape
"I will relate one example," he
wrote, "of a narrow escape In
crossing the Thames River.
"This happened near Chatham.
_after heavy rains it rises very
rapidly. At the time of these fresh-
' ets my horse was on one side and
"I on the other. I wished very much
to cross, and went to the ferry
for the purpose. The ferryman was
not at home, but his wife said that
her daughter, a girl about 14 years
old, could paddle me over. We ac-
cordingly started, and as the river
was much swollen and very rapid
in the centre, and the flats over-
flowed to a considerable distance,
S requested the girl to take me
above the usual landing -place be
fore she launched out into the cur-
rent. I stood on the stern of the
canoe and she in the middle. We
finally turned into the rapid:,
stream, which was filled with float-
ing logs and fragments of timber.i
We paddled with all our might,..
but in spite of our efforts we
floated some distance below the
landing -place, and finally came into
the top of a tree which stood on
the flat above the lower bank. I
cried to the girl to seize hold of
I a branch and keep her feet steady
on the canoe; I did the. same and
we held fast. This gave us some
time to look around, and see how
we might escape. I soon perceived.
t .:at beyond the tree shorewardI
the water backed and formed aM
eddy, andif we could manageto
get the canoe on the side of the
tree next to the land we should
be safe. I accordingly directed
the girl to pull from branch tat
branch; and doing the same my'
self, we succeeded in moving'
around the tree until we were be,
tween it and the land, when we
sprung to our paddles and behold
wewere safe at the land. We then
went up to the house, the man
of which was a friend of mine,
and I got him to take the gl'rl back,..
after paying her well for her
courageous efforts." J
efor
It has been pointed out be
that the spiritual needs of the very
'early pioneers were met only very
sketchily, that sermons were heard
only when a preacher rode on
horseback through the woods and
stopped where he could get an
audience, Nathan Bangs was the
first of these itinerant preachers
to come into this Western Ontario
region. He came in 1801 from the
New York conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church and
was to work "beyond tho Canada
line."
' crrlgmt. ides pcca�suou nor. omy But the "afi'.erwarTs" c..me much the Itinerant met wild --.Tun sea - Large District
on Sundays but on every dny Of laterSeeing 'little immediate sun.- dalous rumors about the life of
couldil From the statement of a later
the week for which they e
cess on this journey, Nathan Wesley that cast him down, His circuit rider one may get some
make an appointment. Bangs' ser Bangs was thoroughly discouraged. world was one of threatening and idea of the extent of the circuit
mons were given anywhere, in the He resolved to return to Niagara condemnation, that hard world of
taverns of Oxford, on the dancing and give u his license. However, that Bangs was to travel when he
p yesterday in which this tense, gold:
floor of an Indian trader's house when he reached the Grand River Yankee itinerant would brook no
by the lake, in Quaker meeting- and found that a Januarythaw "It embraced all that section of
interference with his calling. He Western Ontario from the Town-
houses, in the settlers' cabins of had set in and that he could not who lived under athreat of public
Gosfield and in the open air any- cross the stream, he returned to (disapproval, frequently threatened ship of Mesa in the County dlesex
where. The service consisted of Captain Mallory's at Burford. On the public in turn, calling down. 'W in the east, Detroit to
songs, prayer and a sermon. Since this visit the captain and others divine wrath upon the scoffer and the west, and all thea settlements
no one but Bangs had a hymn in the settlement came under the along Lake
book he read two lines at a time wing of the new sect and thus en- Erie through Tilbury,
the unbeliever; or any human Romney, Mersea, Gosfield, Col -
stumbling block in the path leading y'
heater and Amherstbuxg, wherever
and sang them while the congrega- couraged, Bangs revisited Oxford to the salvation of souls. It is said C
tion accompanied him with a mu- and won the Ingersoll family t that "he rebuked gainsayers tour- there were settlers."
sical drone. his church. ageously and they often cowered This journey was not eo lonely,
W.O. "Unhallowed" "The good work spread nick] for Bangs had the pleasure of a
q before him." Such encounters with
All were notbelievers, however; throw h the neighborhood," h male riding companion. The two of
River
g g men who were tainted outright
indeed, if Bangs' testimony is cor- says, "sweepin all before it. I them rode up the Grand River
g with free -thinking in religion `ast
reef, the Canadian backwoods was [tits way the revival. prevailed i pear to have been Bangs' most route to Burford and then to Ox-
an unhallowed region. oth these places, so that larg interesting and satisfying adven• ford, meeting old friends of two
"Settlers showed .openly what and flourishing societies wer tuees. years before at each place. "There -
they were by their words and ac- established, and no less than at A frontier fiddler, in the preach- after," he says, "we journeyed about
tions, and either accepted religion preachers were raised up; one o er's vocabulary a "devil's musi- 30 miles to Delaware Town, where
heartily or opposed it violently; whom, by the name of Reynolds, cian" who lured sway young peo- I preached and lodged in the last
the great. majority, though most of became a bishop in the Methodist ple from meeting houses, he ad- house of the settlement. My bed
(them would come to hear in Episcopal Church of Canada, Thus dressed with fiery glanceandrigid was a bundle of straw, my supper,
preach, were determined. opposers." the rock was split, the reformation _ - 'mush and milk.'
There were often scenes of free finger, as he says, "in the language
extended through many settle- "August SOth we arose at break
debate between preachers and -- - ---- of rebuke and warning, I told him of day, took a little food, and
scoffer; some who, were aptly ments, particularly Oxford, where that if he did- not cease alluringstarted for a ride through the
described as "sons of thunder" large numbers were 'turned from the young people .into sinful wilderness, 45 miles long, with no
_leaning upon the door ,posts, sit- darkness to light.,p roads, and only 'blazed' or marked,.
Disciplined amusements I would pray God trees to guide us. There being not
frog upon the to of an unglazed) g
Like all Methodist ministers either to convert him or take him'
window or the low branches of a even a beaten path; we were often
Bangs lived under a severe dis-
tree, questioned or defied the out of the way, and I had no doubt at a loss to know whether we were
preacher who was usinga bench cipline imposed by the watchful -
that God would answer my pray- right or wrong; but we got safely
or chair or barrel for a pulpit at in ss of his fellow -members. For
the end of the room. instance, at the very time that er." Victory in these trials inspired through at last. The flies and
Bangs was traveling this circuit him with confidence and even with) musketoes were so . troublesome
Throughout the fall of 1801, right that our horses could not stand
after he had been given his license, one of his brethren was hailed be- "humble boldness."
oung Nat to eat, though we stopped in a
I g fore a conf an or bar and charred — - ._�—---
Iwith two other sad"—'— -----` --
'ers riding parts t j�j qq q71 ti , .x y ban Bangs, who in-1801 Mra. A. A. Scott, Mrs. R. P. Bates,
Nathan Bangs me Nathan Bangs rode the Niagara circuit, in 1803 and the above mentioned persons.
so-called Niagara i ,,,' visited muddy York and rode the An eight -page leaflet with an
the Mohawk setth �l Bay of Quints circuit, and in the historical sketch and pictures was '.
Grand River. But Sunday rDJl �. summer of 1804 rode from New - distributed at both services.
December of that 77 York city with the blessing and The music at the morning ser
Point part of it N A gust 8th was a great day ordination of Bishop Francis vice was conducted by Mrs. Marion
the young ministe at T amesv e, Ontario. It was Asbury to open up the Thames Sutton, director of music, and the ;
his presiding elde Just 150 years since Rev. Nathan ,y� re",a River circuit. "Every man must choir. Solos were sung by Mrs.
western region alo. Bangs, the 26-year-old saddle -bag %` -a"t; find God and serve him in new Bruce Holtom, lyric soprano from
that there were preacher, rode Into the Sherman forms, as Moses did," said Dr. Harriston. At the afternoon service
Methodist societie farmyard and asked the settler, Arnup. He was introduced to the a combined band from Thames -
field from the Gri "I)e you want the Gospel preached large crowd by Rev. John A. ville and Ridgetown, under the
troit. Both of, the] here?" Walker, President of the London direction of Ragnar Steen, pro -
chiefly of some N The whole community, sparked % Conference. vided the music. At this outdoor
grants; one of U by the United Church, decided At the morning service in the service, greetings were brought by
by an enthusiastic preacher who k to commemorate this origin of ' F newly -decorated Chu r c h, the the reeve of Thamesville, Roy
a -i
together, its social and religious life by a Moderator told the capacity con-
McBrayne, and also by Hugh Me -
Ingersoll, But memorial cairn erected at a new tt gregation that this Nathan Bangs Kenzie, member of parliament for
roadside park on highway 21 just Phao `zondom Free cress" Sunday was a good occasion for Lambton-Kent. It was announced
So, down the soutE of town at the Thames River stock -taking. Our people have set that, at a later date, a plaque
jogged into the fa The Moderator, Rt. Rev. A. A. Scott, their minds on material things, approved by the Historic Sites
Nathan Bangs de bridge. The park will be called D.D., is shown above with the Very and Monuments Board of Canada,
ney up from Nia( the Nathan Bangs Park and kept Rev. Jesse H. Arnup, D.D., at the thus playing into the hands of
"After passing hp by the Department of High- Memorial Cairn to Nathan Bangs, materialistic systems. What we commemorating the use of the
need is to re -assert our Christian first Sherman barn as the first
little settlements ways. The cairn, which is h, unveiled ll special services, Thomas- _ heritage, which proclaims the military hospital in the War of
stopped and Brea granite and stands 3% feet high, ville, Ont., August 8th. 1812 would be placed on the
the Town of Beef supreme value of the individual, reverse side of the Nathan Bangs I has plaque
it a bearing
square bronze and indvidual res gibility, and /
on the Grand Rive plaque bearing this inscription: and religious live has developed p", -
north of the Mob the Yreidom of man, he said:"4'!�Ps, -cairn.lage, Here seems( COMMEMORATING through successive generations. was introduced by Rev. Levi It refreshed
and generous peol THH ARRIVAL IN Erected by the citizens of Hussel, chairman of Kent Pres- y and mind
ceived me with a SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO Thamesville, 1954 byter•• so kind as
spect, and listens ,OF At the unveiling ceremony the D"ring the service the minister tant neigh -
with apparent eal N A T H A N BANGS Moderator, Rt. Rev. A. A. Scott, of tie Church, Rev. R. P. Bates, for us; but
was with them I } introduced to the Con :tie, tea-pot,
merit about 25 mil 1778 - 1862 D.D., said, "No one would be more congregation ire boiled 1t
Town of Oxford SADDLE -BAG PREACHER surprised by your celebrations Mr� Harry S. Johnston of Lind -
where they were today than Nathan Bangs himself." aa, Ont., whose mother was Eliza 'hen poured
the gospel. Accord and the site nearby where on Aug. Earlier in the afternoon outdoor Baton, great grandniece of Mary n, which we i
12, 1804, he preached the first Boton, wife of Nathan Bangs. relish than
pay them a visit. service at the park, the Very Rev..._ me from a
ginning of winte sermon to the white settlers of Jesse H. Arnup, D.D., told ofINV-ter the service the ladies of the it the most
partly frozen, the this vicinity in the log. house of the early saddle -bag preachers of "Ohurch served a buffet luncheon, had ever
the road, if such it LEMUEL SHERMAN. Out of this 0 it t a r t o, and in vivid detail and the .people were welcomed by r horses to
running through gathering of pioneers- the social described the circuit riding .° a reception line which included k, and then
though Z made all the speed I[It3
urbed with thoughts of my ord (nowa Ingersoll),. in 1801, a rode abouE seven muss to a Mora -
could, I traveled only about 14eliness and destitution, for my letter had come to him from a Ger- vian mission, a small Indian vil-
miles that day. I put up at a smalluniary means were about ex- lage on the River Thames. We
man Anabaptist, Measmore, living
log -hut with a family that hadsted; my salary was next to at Louisville, near Chatham, asking dined with one of the missionaries,
been educated as Baptists. I washing; I could see no means for two of whom were stationed here.
treated with hospitality, but theyfuture wants; I lived from the preacher to visit settlements I had considerable conversation
seemed to have little sense of re -se to house, from settlement to farther west on the Thames River,
That unanswered letter lay heavy with him respecting their doctrines
ligion. The next day I reached thelement, and the future seemed on his conscience. After two years and usages, as well as their labors
settlement and lodged with Majorary and forlorn." among the Indians. He was very
Ingersoll, to whom I had a letter such temptations he was per- In the Lake Ontario region, withY sociable, and seemed to possess
of introduction from Captain Mal-ed for awhile but readin a the blessing of his bishop, Francisg Asbury, a fresh horse and $11 con -much of the simpliciky - of the
]ory, of Burford. I was receivedse ii:his hymn book, he rode on Gospel. These good men had much
with cordiality, and treated withh "a sudden glow of joy." tributed by his friends, he beganseat respect. Ipreached' three ahce .more a mission into the west. trouble in their work, from the
gmes here, and under the two lastMet Opposition corrupting influence of the neigh-
e ,found among Universalistsboring white settlers upon the In -
sermons many were awakened to Calvinists opposition to his dians, and it was hoped by them
a sense of their lost condition, ander frantic message, Moreover, that our labors among the former
afterwards converted." t _ would help their mission,