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CHAPTER III

The Romance of the Early Days

Methodists Launch the ‘‘Come-to-Jesus’’ Steam-
boat. Let me now give you the story of the origins
of our Mission, just the “high-lights.”’ To do it
justice I would need ten times these pages. There
are two main roots, Methodist and Presbyterian.

On the Methodist side there are four names
specially honoured, among a score of pioneers, for
their outstanding self-sacrifice, courage, and vision.
These names are, Thomas Crosby, William Oliver,
C. M. Tate, and A. E. Green. In 1862, sixty-five
years ago, the young man Crosby heard the stories
told by Ebenezer Robson, Edward White, Cornelius
Bryant and Ephraim Evans about the unspeakable
conditions existing among the coast Indians. He
immediately volunteered for service among them.
That year he was given charge of the Indian school
at Nanaimo organized some time before by Robson.
Thence his sympathies soon reached out in thoughts
of Indians living in heathenism farther north. In
1870 C. M. Tate became associated with Crosby.
About this time another Indian Mission was started
by the Methodist Church in Victoria in a building on
the corner of Fisguard and Government Streets.
Indians from far up the coast, transients in Victoria,
became converted in this mission and took the news
of the Gospel back to their tribes. They asked for a

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