The Henson Journals

[25]

Saturday, August 31st, 1912. Little Metis.

A glorious day, but with the bite of autumn in the air. The morning I spent in the effort to complete those hapless lectures. Professor Cappon (English Literature) came to (midday) dinner. We had much interesting conversation mainly on politics. He is more sanguine than I think reasonable as to the international situation but therein he is a representative Canadian.

In the afternoon we drove up to our host's lake, about 600 feet, over a road entirely worthy of standing alongside that from the railway station. My companion was Mr Scott, an official of the Grand Trunk Ry., an intelligent man who accompanied by his wife had just completed a tour of 8000 miles in 23 days, all within the dominion. I quoted to him Rawle's opinion that the present Canadian boom was bound to be followed by a 'slump': &, rather to my surprise, he expressed his agreement. He said the speculating advertizers [sic] were doing much harm to the country. The lake surrounded by varied timber, in which autumnal colours were just beginning to invade, was a romantically beautiful spot. A 'loon' or great Northern diver was crying its weird call on the bank, as we arrived. Mine host & I in one boat, Mr Scott & 'Johnnie' (a French Canadian attendant) in another engaged in trout–fishing. Though the lake swarmed with fish our combined catch did not amount to more than 20 fish – mostly small.

[26]

Mine host & I had some conversation after supper as to the conditions of land–ownership in the Dominion. He said that ownership in fee–simple was the only tenure recognized. Steps have, however, been taken within recent years to reserve to the state some of the natural resources. Thus minerals, water–power, & all lakes cannot any longer be purchased. I inquired how he himself had acquired possession of his lakes, & he replied that the law did not apply to the ancient tenures. He had purchased privately owned waters.

The Church in Little Metis was carried on as a 'Union Church' (i.e. a church in which Episcopalians & Presbyterians worshipped together) until about 3 years ago, when the Anglican Bishop, a stiff High Churchman, dissolved the unity, & built a separate church for the Episcopalians. There was a pretext for his action in the increase of population, which appeared to demand an increase of church–accommodation, but the reason was found in his Lordship's antipathy to the principle & method of such denominational federation, & his motives were so evident that the procedure was not effected without arousing resentments & suspicions in a sphere which had been happily free from both. Such are the normal contributions of the Episcopate to the cause of religious reunion!

---

Issues and controversies: recognition of/reunion with non-episcopal churches