e Church of Scotland, in Canada, was
then at a very low ebb. Even in Quebec, although there had been a
regularly ordained clergyman of the church officiating since 1759,
there was only, from 1767 to 1807, an apartment assigned to the Scotch
Church for the purpose of divine worship, by the King's representative,
in the Jesuits' College. Nay, in 1807, the Scotch Church was entirely
sent adrift by Colonel Brock, to be afterwards permitted to meet in a
room in the Court House. Until 1810 there was no Scotch Church in
Quebec. What inducement was there for a progressive Scotchman to remain
in connection with such a church? Mr. Strachan clearly perceived that
the road to worldly preferment ran through the Church of England, and,
having a wife, and the expectation of a family, he recognised the
expediency of obtaining orders as a descendant of the apostles. It was
not long before he obtained permission to officiate as a minister of
the Church of England, and he abandoned the birch for the surplice. Mr.
Strachan justified every expectation that may have been formed of him.
He became a most zealous churchman, and a very short time elapsed until
the Scotch schoolmaster was the Hon. and Revd. Dr. Strachan, Rector of
York, now Bishop of Toronto, and he may go to the grave satisfied that
he has done more to build up the Church of England in Canada, by his
zeal, devotion, diplomatic talent, and business energy, than all the
other bishops and priests of that church put together.

Some idea will now have been formed of the state of the Church of
England "establishment," in Canada, about a time, when it was intended
to amalgamate with it the fabrics of Rome. Bishop Mountain had a seat
it in the Legislative Councils of both provinces. He only was the
embodiment of Church and State.

Mr. Secretary Ryland, anxiously active against the Church of Rome, was
very favorably disposed towards the Church of England. His creed with
regard to the "Protestant Church Establishment," in the provinces, was
for it to have as much splendour and as little power as possible. His
chief desire was to make episcopalianism fashionable. He would have
given to the Bishopric of Quebec a Dean, a Chapter, and all the other
ecclesiastical dignitaries necessary for show, and he would have
endowed the See with sufficient lands to support the establishment in
the most liberal manner. But not a grain of civil power beyond their
churches and churchyards was he inclined to