SUNDAY SERVICES (From the Whig)

ADOLPHUSTOWN, June 16^th

On Sunday morning early, the steamer Hero arrived with the 15^th Battalion from Belleville, and as dawn flocked the eastern sky the companies marched to their tents -- a very tired looking lot of men. The battalion was commanded by Lieut. Col. Lazier, with Majors Henderson and Dunnet, Paymaster Biggar. Quartermaster Campion, Adjutant Lazier and Surgeon Burdett as staff officers. At three o’clock the battalion was marched beneath two wide spreading oak and maples and a military service held. Many of the company stood over the ashes of pioneers, while from a sloping mound Rev. Mr. Forneri, B.D., gave an excellent sermon on the characteristics of the loyalists. The hymns were sung by the citizen soldiers, led by the band, which played admirably.

LAYING A CORNER STONE

On Saturday afternoon another epoch in the history of Methodism occurred -- the laying of a stone of a memorial Methodist church, to be dedicated to those who brought to Canada the principles and doctrines they learned before their exile. In 1788 one Lyon, a class leader, began speaking and exhorting. In 1789, Rev. Mr. McCarthy followed, and on enunciating Methodist doctrines without governmental authority he was banished and on one of the islands near Kingston perished, or at least never was heard of again. In 1792 the first Methodist church in Canada was erected, the spontaneous gifts of the settlers being remarkable. The subscriptions ranged from £1 to £12, large sums for the poor but devoted people. It is upon the site of this first church that the memorial building is to be reared at a cost of $5,000. It will be brick with stone foundation. The church stands on the farm of J. P. Dorland, 2^nd concession Adolphustown, about two miles from the village.

The ceremonies on Saturday were witnessed by a very large company. After a short introduction the corner stone was placed in position, and Mrs. J. B. Allison, widow, aged 85 years, stepped forward, and as the tears of joy coursed her cheeks, laid the same in the name of the Holy Trinity.

On Monday, after an able speech by Mr. A. L. Morden, of Napanee, and the delivery of Dr. Canniff’s fine oration, the foundation stone of the United Empire Loyalists’ monument was laid with Masonic honors. One of the most lively and eloquent speeches of the day was by Mr. Lucas. It is impossible to adequently reproduce his manly Canadian utterances. His closing remarks are noteworthy. In the hearing of Sir Richard Cartwright he denounced any proposition for changing the Government of Canada. While annexation could never take place, independence was equally to be depaecated by all true Canadians. Rounds of applause and rousing cheers greeted all reference to British connection, giving no encouragement to independence.

Sir Richard Cartwright availed himself of the occasion to indirectly appeal to political ends.

The absence of Sir John Macdonald was universally regretted. He explained in a letter to the committee that his heart was with them, but the duties of State made it impossible to attend.

(From our own Correspondent)

The city Battalion, under Lieut. Col. Lazier, mustering over 200 men, left by the Hero at midnight on Saturday and reached Adolphustown, their destination, at daylight. The voyage was vociferous with song, solo and chorus, and the echoes of the Bay of Quinte resounded with the strains of social and martial music. Sleep was not courted and the beauty of the scene which at the dawn greeted the eyes of officers and men completely awakened them. There is no prettier spot outside the Thousand Islands than that selected for the Battalion camp, water on both sides., the bay serpentine and studded with islands, while all around at a distance of a few miles, the wooded hills rise in picturesque and various beauty. The camp immediately adjoins the vilet or creek-mouth, into which the U.E. Loyalists a century ago sailed, the haven of liberty, the home of loyalty, the nucleus of national spirit. It was seven o’clock before all the tents were pitched and the men were too hungry to sleep. At nine a rudimentary and fragmentary breakfast was literally devoured by 200 famishing mortals. At 10 the Battalion paraded for instruction in saluting, and for orders. In the afternoon Divine Service was held at the U.E. Loyalist Cemetery, under the shade of the beautiful trees, where, standing above the ashes of patriots and martyrs, the Rev. R. S. Forneri preached an admirable sermon upon the text, “Fear God and honor the King.” The preacher developed the idea that those upon whose labours we have entered had not merely been willing to die for their country, but that they had lived for their country; and he hoped that the young soldiers before him would follow in their footsteps, and be governed by their principles.

The camp is very orderly. Sentries are duly posted, and the strictest discipline is maintained. On Sunday evening Mr. Watson, Dr. Canniff, Mr. P. F. Canniff, of London, and others, dined with the officers, who are expected to entertain largely on Monday, when thousands of people will fill the beautiful grounds. Arches, stands, booths, tents, flagstaffs, without number, have been erected by the enterprising promoters of the celebration, which with fine weather must prove a grand success, as such a memorial deserves to be.

Notes of a quiet stroll among the graves of the old cemetery (which is never closed) may not be uninteresting to your readers, many of whom boast the same loyal stock, the same historic associations. There are many nameless graves, with only a moss covered, wooden, undecipherable slab to mark where lie some of nature’s noblemen. There are others whose inscriptions time has not yet wholly effaced and which , bear witness to the religious sentiments and also to the longevity of the old Loyalists.

One is sacred to the memory of

MARY RICHMOND ALLISON

Born July , 1745 (O.S.) died October, 1840

Another is simply marked

“GONE HOME”

There is another in memory of

JOSEPH HUFFNAIL,

Died in his 83^rd year, being the son of a U.E.

Loyalist, retained his loyalty to the British

Crown to the end of his life

and below this is cut:

Jane, his wife.

“Our bodies lie beneath the sod,

Our spirits gone to live with God.”

Another stone bears the following

“Jane, wife of Willet Casey, died 1856, in her 93^rd year.”

On another we read that “Henry Hover, departed this life August, 1812, aged 79 years.”

Another stone perpetuates the memory of

AMY A. ROBLIN

Born 1801 -

My dear companion now is gone

and I am left to grief and pain,

but if in Christ I follow on,

In Heaven we soon will meet again.

On the modest tomb of a young man hard by we read: -

“Tis hard to die so young, just verging

On manhood’s happy joyous days.

To die when hopes our feet are urging,

When life is bright as summer’s rays.”

But the oldest of all I could find is the following:

Here lies entombed

HANNAH VANDUSEN

Who deceased March 8^th, 1791. She was the 1^st wife of Conrad VanDusen, and faithfully discharged the duties of a companion, a parent and a citizen.

May Belleville’s women merit like eulogy.

As I write the camp is quiet and silent. Nothing is heard save the sentry beat and the sonorous and somnolent trumpeting of multituduous frogs. The college company is expected in the morning. More anon.

W. N. P.