(6)

— ae

doubt that God created and raised him
up specially for the work he is now doing
so well.

The cannery established to furnish em-
ployment for the people of the village he
has to superintend, owing to the sickness
and inefficiency of his manager. The
cannery is a sight worth seeing. Men,
women and children, clad in the cleanest
cotton clothing and aprons, going about
their work in a quiet, business-like way;
no harsh language, no swearing, no con-
fusion or noise; all showing admirable
training and management, and a great
contrast to many other places where a
different class of laborers is employed.
My hope is, that with all these burdens
on his mind and shoulders he may con-
tinue in good health, and I have to ask
you to give him your prayers and sym-
pathy.

Bishop Cridge referred to his first visit
to Metlakahtla fifteen years ago. A great
work had been done. Four years pre-
viously about fifty of the converts had
been removed from Fort Simpson to sep-
arate them from old associations. The
store—an absolute necessity—had already
yielded over $3,000 profit, the whole of
which, together with grants of materials
from Governor Douglas, had been spent
in rebuilding the village and other im-
provements. Two things especially struck
the speaker: Mr. Duncan’s care in spirit-
ual matters, especially in admitting con-
verts to baptism; and his entire self-sac-
rifice. The mission house was open from
early rising to late taking rest; none were
denied access; none cut short in their
business, however trivial it might be. On
revisiting Metlakahtla last month, after
the lapse of fifteen years, Mr. Duncan
was found doing the same work on the
same combined plan of industry and re-
ligion, with the same self-sacrifice and
toil, and with no change but that of
progress along all the lines of his work.
On Saturday, the day of the visitors’ ar-
rival, the elders met to arrange the ser-
vices for the following day, and requested
Bishop Cridge to preach in the morning.
Native preachers in turn occupied the
pulpit once on each of the four Sundays
the visitors were there, and their earnest
scriptural exhortations were listened to
with every sign of devout attention by

their native brethren. Mr. Duncan
preaches twice each Sunday, aud on
Wednesday evenings. Bible classes and
Sunday schools are conducted in part by
Mr. Duncan and in part by native men
and women. The church, built entirely
by native hands, will hold eleven hun-
dred worshipers. Its noble proportions
and majestic simplicity, Mr. Duncan’s
own design, strike the eye on entering;
but when you hear the hymn sung by the
whole congregation with remarkable
sweetness and fervency, and the responses
like low thunder rolling through the
aisles, and reflect what this people once
were, it is impossible not to feel deeply
moved. The service is liturgicai, quiet,
and deeply solemn. . At the request of
the natives and Mr. Duncan Bishop C.
baptized thirty-three adults, after careful
examination and inquiry, and twenty-
three infants. Referring to the troubles
at Metlakabtla, while avoiding acrimony,
it would be necessary to speak plainly.
Tt was common to regard troubles of this
kind as often little more than personal
quarrels. Nothing could be further from
the truth. The battle at Metlakahtla, if
the term could be used of a strife where
one party stood wholly on the defensive,
was one of principles not of men; and,
the names being changed, the incidents
are much the same all through the Chris-
tian world. He would let the natives
speak for themselves rather than use his
own words; and he thought it would ap-
pear that they were capable of judging
their own affairs—in fact took a common-
sense view of the situation unobscured by
theological mystification. He would first
give a brief outline of the crisis through -
which Metlakahtla had recently passed,
and then fill up the picture from the na-
tive speeches. On the news of Mr. Dun-

can’s dismissal (Noy. 28th) flying through | ;

the village, the natives were overwhelmed
with amazement and surprise. They pre-
pared a house for his reception, and |
straightway, without asking his leave,

transferred his effects from the mission- | i

house with wonderful celerity. The elders
next called a meeting of all the people.
Mr. Duncan, having at their request
stated the facts, and having charged the
natives not to consider him, but only

their own welfare, withdrew from the ,