A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time by Rose

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