VOLUNTEER MINISTRY

In writing my History I would not want to leave out how our ministers were chosen out of the laity, either by lot or later by ballot vote, and preached the Gospel "without money and without price," taking their turns at their appointed places of worship. They also preached at the House of Refuge from the time it was built around 1880, as they thought it was their duty, for the Bible says "And the poor shall have the Gospel preached unto them." This was cheerfully done and was appreciated by those people.

I would also like to say the Markham district and part of Vaughan were first taken up by Mennonites and Tunkers. Both churches were organized at the same time and both churches were strong believers of separation from the world in dress and non-resistance, the same as the Quakers. Yet they differed on a few things that we thought were vital. These two churches showed a great deal of brotherly love and charity from the very fact that they arranged their meetings so they would not both be at the same place at the same time. When the Brethren kept the Feast, the Mennonites came and got something out of it, which was also the case in the Sunday morning service, as there was always a dinner prepared and anybody could stay and have a social day together. As I think back of those good old days and those good old ministers of both churches who were pillars in their church, how steadfastly they contended to preserve their churches, it should make all of us think seriously in this fast age we are living in so as not to depart from the faith.

May God's richest blessing be with those of the future generations.