*

cration, or from a biographical notice, by the same hand, published in the Colonial Church Chronicle; from the reports of the different institutions already mentioned; from the address of the Bishop of Montreal to his synod in 1863, or from the charge of the Bishop of Rupert's Land in the following year. Or I might refer to many casual instances of mention of his character, which have accidentally reached me, by persons unknown to myself. But I confine myself to one from the other side of the Atlantic. In the report of the S. P. G. for 1863, it is said,

"The venerable Bishop of Quebec, who for a period of twenty-seven years presided over this diocese, and during the early portions of his episcopate over the whole province of Canada, was called to his rest on the morning of the Epiphany full of years and honours, bearing with him the esteem, the affection and the regret of all members of the community.? Never was there a Bishop of a more saintly life, of a gentler spirit, or of more self-denying habits. Like the first missionary Bishop of the Church, he was in labours more abundant;' and those who know how simply and how cheerfully he exposed himself to privations and perils of every sort, will not consider it an exaggeration to say that he counted not his life dear unto himself, so that he might finish his course with joy, and the ministry which he had received of the Lord Jesus."

It was proposed in the cathedral vestry to call a public meeting of churchmen, to consider what form the memorial, which all desired to raise, should take, and the meeting resolved to fill the large east window of the cathedral with stained glass, which has accordingly been done, and the subscription list left a balance of upwards of two hundred dollars to be added to the Labrador mission fund. This was scarcely six months after the foundation of the jubilee scholarship, and this, again, had followed at no long interval on the subscription for the execution of his bust. The following is the inscription on the

cathedral window :

"To the glory of God and in grateful remembrance of G. J. Mountain, D.D., sometime Bishop of this diocese, whom the grace of Christ enabled

* The feelings of this writer are expressed in an extract already given in this volume.

to fulfil the duties of a long ministry to the advancement of His Church and the lasting benefit of many souls."

6

A similar project is on foot among the congregation and friends of St. Matthew's chapel, as well as one for an enlargement of the chapel of Bishop's College. His children erected, as a memorial of both their parents, a schoolhouse (the designs of which were taken from Instrumenta Ecclesiastica,') near St. Michael's chapel, where a simple brass plate in the chancel records his name. Close by are two graves, at the head of each of which, side by side, stands a plain stone, surmounted by a simple cross.

CHAPTER XXX.

Conclusion.

I HAVE finished the task imposed upon me, and I can have satisfied no one less than myself, in every way, with its execution. Those who have seen the accumulation of materials which I have left untouched will perhaps acknowledge that I could not have made the volume smaller, while not a few will regret the absence of much for which I thought I could not find a place. It has been indeed a most difficult task, for while I wished to "avoid those exaggerations into which the biographers of good men are tempted to fall,” I am conscious that I may appear to have often failed in doing so, at least to those who did not know him: and for this reason I have inserted, in proof that the picture is, as I hope, not overdrawn, more of the testimony of others than might have otherwise been thought necessary. For the same reason I have generally abstained from attempting anything like a description of his character, preferring to let it be judged of by his own words and deeds, and by the impression it made upon others. Yet, before I part with my reader, I cannot forbear from quoting Dean Goodwin's description of Bishop Mackenzie, which struck me, and I doubt not will strike others on reading it, as if it might almost have been written of him:

* I have to crave the indulgence of those whose private letters have been made use of for this purpose without their permission.

"Utter unselfishness and thoughtful kindness in small things, and imperturbable good temper, were perhaps the features which chiefly made it difficult or impossible to know without loving him. Then, too, he was thoroughly humble; he never put himself forward, and, even in giving up his home for foreign service, apologized as it were for his presumption by saying that nobody else would go, and therefore he would. I have said nothing respecting a point which suggests itself in these days very prominently to many minds, viz., the school of religious opinions to which he belonged. Was he High Church or Low Church, or what was his school? I shall be very glad if, after perusing this volume, the reader should declare himself unable thoroughly to answer this question. To say the truth, he could not be identified with any party: his doctrinal views were in loyal and affectionate conformity with the Book of Common Prayer; but I do not remember to have heard him discuss with earnestness any of the controversial questions of the day. The view of religion which commended itself to his mind was the practical application of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to the wants of men; and the best method of doing this was, in his opinion, a simple and faithful adherence to the principles and rules of the prayer-book. I never met with a more sincere Christian or one who had less of the spirit of party. I never met with a man whose religious system seemed to be more completely within the four corners of the Book of Common Prayer. For religious speculation he had little taste--for religious eccentricities he had an utter abhorrence; but if there was any deed to be done, any work of mercy to be performed, either for the bodies or the souls of men, then his whole heart was engaged. To go about doing good was the only employment that he thoroughly and unreservedly loved."

The latter part of this extract is especially applicable. The text, "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth," was constantly in his thoughts, and he seldom transcribed it without writing the whole in capital letters. He made many efforts to establish a Magdalene asylum at Quebec, and almost the last words he ever

* In describing the proceedings of a successful meeting in aid of the objects of the Church Society, the Bishop of Quebec once wrote: "I did not quite like some portion of them; they jarred, at all events, against my taste: but it is not my business to be over-nice, and so to repress a zeal and activity exercised under the regular auspices of the Church, which, by God's blessing, may do good in an unobjectionable way, and set an encouraging example to the diocese."

spoke were expressive of a wish that such an institution might be established. And though he was never able to accomplish it, he defrayed, for upwards of ten years before his death, the cost of maintaining such subjects from Quebec as were found fit for it, in an asylum at Montreal. These, with scarcely an exception, were discovered and provided for through his own ministrations to the prisoners in the jail and house of correction. Preaching the Gospel to the poor was his delight. And he had a reward which he deeply valued, even in this world, in the love and gratitude of those who were the objects of his own love. In a letter written from Grosse Isle, in 1848, he said, in reference to the light nature of the work then to be performed there: "I have been thinking how wrong it would be to regard the hospital duty here as trifling or unimportant, because at present there are only about half a dozen patients. Half a dozen souls which will be saved or lost, and of which the welfare may be promoted,—not to speak of the present comfort given to them,-by the instrumental labours of the clergy."

Five and twenty years ago one of my sisters wrote out for me Southey's description of " the Doctor," ending with these words:

His sweetest mind,

'Twixt mildness tempered and low courtesy,
Could leave as soon to be as not be kind.

Churlish despite ne'er looked from his calm eye,

Much less commanded in his gentle heart,

Nor could he cloak ill thoughts in complimented art.

My sister added, "You will be at no loss to apply this." A few years later a friend, who then filled the post of organist of the cathedral at Quebec, sent me an extract, headed, "A picture, (the Bishop)"

"I have before my eyes at this moment his slender and spiritual figure, his calm but most subtle glance, and the incomparable expression of his smile. His face is classic, the ideal of thought. Where art thou, O Canova, that thou mightest transfer a portrait like this to marble? it is so intensely pale, pure and profound.”