A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time by Rose
1812. His mother, Elizabeth Coulson, was a native of Stockton, near
1349 words | Chapter 40
Hull, England, and was born in 1815. His grandfather, Joshua Kaye (the
family name was originally spelled _Kaye_) emigrated with the family
from Ireland many years ago, and settled in the eastern part of Ontario,
where he followed the same occupation as he had done in his native
country, namely, that of wheelwright. He was a man of small stature, but
of marked intelligence and great amiability of character, and a leader
among the Methodists of his day. The wife of this worthy man was a
Fitzhenry, a name of some considerable note in Ireland. She was tall and
fine looking, and evidently had her early training in an advanced circle
of society. Both died in the village of Newburg, and their bodies rest
in the small rural cemetery near the village of Napanee Mills. His
maternal grandfather was a miller from his youth up, and for several
generations some of the Coulson family have been engaged in this
business, and in that of shipbuilding in England. The father and mother
were married in 1837, the year of the coronation of Queen Victoria, and
took up their residence on a farm a short distance north of Napanee
Mills. Here Mr. Kay, sen., farmed, and also carried on the trade of
carriage-building and blacksmithing, employing a number of workmen. The
farm he afterwards sold, and moved into the village of Newburg, where he
engaged in the lumber business. Here young Kay received the rudiments of
his education, first in a private school and afterwards in the Newburg
Academy. When he had scarcely reached his fourteenth year his father
died at the early age of thirty-nine, leaving a widow and three children
in poor circumstances, the subject of our sketch being the oldest. This
necessitated his giving up school and entering on the battle of life for
an existence, his mother with the other children returning to her
father’s home until he could provide for them elsewhere. After a hard
struggle of several years he succeeded so well as to be able to bring
the family again together, and he made a home for them at Cramborne, a
small village about five miles north of Cobourg. Here he was led to
think more seriously of religious matters, and made up his mind to
consecrate himself to the work of the church. He at once set about
preparing himself, and acted in the capacity of local preacher for some
time. Having been relieved soon afterwards of much business anxiety, he
gave himself up to labour and study. After a hard struggle he succeeded,
and to his surprise and satisfaction, in the spring of 1862, he was
informed by the officials of the Methodist New Connexion Church of
Baltimore, Ontario, with which he had connected himself a few months
before, that they would gladly recommend him to the work of the
ministry, and on his case being brought before the conference he was
appointed to assist the late Rev. S. B. Gundy, in the town of St.
Mary’s. This was a fortunate circumstance for the young preacher, for
the Rev. Mr. Gundy was a man of excellent ability and one of the finest
preachers in the denomination. The death of the superintendent some time
afterwards was a great loss to Mr. Kay. He then took up the course of
study prescribed for his work, which by no means was a light one. His
studies were now chiefly directed by the late Rev. William McClure, who
was appointed at that time to the chair of theology, philosophy and
literature, for the student probationers of the church, and under his
able tuition he succeeded in mastering the curriculum appointed by the
Board of Education of the conference. Since then he has been successful
in gaining some knowledge of Latin and Greek, with a little of German,
but still thirsts for more knowledge, as he considers all possible lines
of study are needed by the efficient and progressive Christian minister.
The Rev. Mr. Kay first began his ministry, as will have been observed,
at St. Mary’s, and here he spent one year; next he went to Manvers,
where he preached for two years; then he went to Ingersoll, and spent
two more years; in Milton he preached for three years; in Waterdown for
three years; Tilsonburg, two years; London, two years; then he again
spent two years in Ingersoll; and then moved to Waterford, where he
spent three years; in Thorold, three years, and for the last three years
he has been in Hamilton. In 1872, when the subject of Methodist union
was a live topic in the churches, Rev. Mr. Kay was secretary of
conference, and contributed by both voice and pen to bring about union,
and when this great movement was accomplished he was removed from
Tilsonburg to London by the conference of 1875, and during his stay
there he helped to build the Wellington Street Church and parsonage,
which is now one of the most prosperous churches in the denomination.
This reverend gentleman has been several times financial secretary of
the districts in which he has been stationed; and in 1886 he was a
representative at the General Conference which was held in Toronto. He
has found time, also, to attend to the temperance movement. From boyhood
he has been a teetotaller, having joined the Cadets of Temperance in
Newburg, and subsequently entered the orders of the Sons of Temperance
and Good Templars; and later held for two years the office of grand
counsellor, and for three years that of chaplain in the Supreme Lodge of
the Royal Templars,—which holds its annual sessions in the city of
Buffalo, where the order was first organized in 1870. As a natural
consequence he is a firm and uncompromising prohibitionist, holding that
the only way to elevate the masses and improve the financial condition
of the country is the entire abolition of the traffic in intoxicating
drinks. Mr. Kay also belongs to the United Order of Workmen, and did for
some time belong to the orders of Oddfellows and Foresters, but a few
years ago found it necessary to retire from them. As we have seen, the
subject of our sketch was brought up in the Methodist fold, and he has
seen no reason since to change his belief in the doctrines that were
taught him at his mother’s knee; but, nevertheless, he is not opposed to
a progressive theology, and can see no reason why a person should be
compelled to follow all the old methods of reasoning and forms of
expression. The words of modern use are often as expressive as those
used aforetime, and some of the old ones are none the worse for being
used before. The Augustinian school of theology finds no favour with
him. He believes in a free will—without the necessitarian adjuncts of
such limitations as affords it only to a few favoured persons—the free
and full salvation for all, and the kindest and most gracious invitation
to all to come to the fountain and drink. The gospel freely offered is
God’s expression of love. He has also devoted some time to literature,
and in 1871 published a very interesting “Biography of the Rev. William
Gundy,” his father-in-law. This volume was very favourably received, and
highly praised by the press. He is a diligent student, and has also on
several occasions contributed to the columns of our newspapers and
periodicals. On the 20th of October, 1864, he was married to Eliza,
second daughter of the Rev. William Gundy, who for more than half a
century was a preacher of the gospel, and though now dead for over
sixteen years, yet speaketh. Six of a family have been born of the
union, four of whom survive, two sons and two daughters.
* * * * *
=Macdonald, Rev. James Charles=, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, is
descended from an old Highland family, who emigrated to Prince Edward
Island in the last century. His ancestors formed part of the gallant
band brought out by the Laird of Glenaladale, in the _Alexander_ in
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