REDEErnG THE TIME Conservative Evançelical Thought and Social Reforrn In Central Canada, 1885- 1 9 1 5 DARREN T. DOCHUK A thesis submined to the Depamnent of History in conformity with the requirernents for the degree of Master of Arts Queen's University Kingston, Ontario, Canada May, 1998 copyright O Darren T. Dochuk, 1998 National Library Bibliothèque nationale I*I of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. me Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON KfA ON4 Canada Canada Your He Vatff nifcMince Our fi& Wrerdlénrnca The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une Licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microfonn, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de rnicrofiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherurise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT The development of religious thought and social reform in tum-of-the-century Canada has been an area of histoncal scholarship visited almost exclusively by historians interested in the emergeence of a liberal evangelical expression- While much has been done to accentuate the nuances of the Canadian evangelicai response to intellectual and social change, the bulk of scholarly work has focused on the maturation of a liberal theology and the corresponding rise of the social gospel. By examining the theology and social activism of a group of prominent clergymen and laymen, this study will add to recent historiography by highlighting the unique response to change by evangelicals on the conservative side of the ideological continuum. It will be demonstrated that these individuals were not "fundamentatists" or reactionaries, but rather, important figures in the religious and social establishment of Central Canada. As such, they were among the leaders in articulating a vision of community that sought as its end the establishment of a "godly nation." ACICNOWLEDGEMENTS My work at the Masters level has given me an appreciation for the individual and collective effort required for any scholarly enterprise of this son. There are a few people, in this respect, who deserve special thanks. Dr. Marguerite Van Die provided careful supervision of this study and challenged me to broaden my view of religious development in Canada. Her insight and encouragement was particularly welcomed in the latter stages of this project when time restrictions became more pressing. I am also grateful for the support 1 received from friends and fellow students; numerous informal conversations with Darren Schmidt, Kevin Kee, and many others made the process of thesis witinç an enjoyable one. My warmest gratitude is also extended to my family. Although three time zones away, Greg and Janelle offered encouragement via ernail and phone calls. 1 am also deeply indebted to Mike and Tetyana for the hospitality they showed me while in Toronto for research, as well as for their constant moral support and, last but not least, their eagemess to ensure that 1 was "up to date" on the latest in cornputer technology. Special thanks rnust also be conveyed to my in-laws, Ron and Rene Cochrane, who have been unceasingly supportive of my desire to pursue graduate studies - even when that meant saying goodbye to their only daughter. 1 am most appreciative of my parents, George and Martha Dochuk, who have made it a life-long commitment to instill in me a deep understanding of the human and religious experience. Finally, my greatest thanks is reserved for my wife Debra. 1 continue to be strengthened by her eagerness to share the same passions and dreams, regardless of the cost. Her enthusiasm and support is not taken for granted. CONTENTS .. ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................... il .. - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................... .. ................................................................... .-..III TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................. ............................................................. ..iv PREFACE .............................................................................................................................. v Chapter 1. LOCATMG CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICALISM M TURN-OF-THE- CENTURY CANADA .......................................................................................... 1 2. REDEEMMG THE FAITH: THE FUNDAMENTLUSAS A WMDOW NT0 CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICAL THOUGHT.. ..................... ... ..-..........-27 3 REDEEMING THE CITY: WILLIAM HOWLAND AND SOCIAL REFORM M TORONTO. ..............................--................................................................. ..66 CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................... 1 1 1 APPENDK ............................................................................................................................ 1 19 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................... 120 WTA ...................................................................................................................................... 135 PREFACE Recent histoncal works have demonstrated that the responses of Canadian evangelicals to intellectual and social change in the late nineteenth and early hventieth centuries are best viewed on a continuum rather than in dichotomous (modernist - anti-modernist, liberal - fundamentalist) ternis. The value of such an approach is made clear when looking at the beliefs and practices of one particular group of conservative evangel icals. Held annual l y in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario during the late nineteenth century, the Niagara Bible Conferences were attended by evangelicals from Nonh Arnerica and Great Bn'tain. Among the leaders of these meetings was a network of Canadian layen and clergymen who, as a collective, were deeply involved in the religious and social development of Central Canada. TIVOof the most prominent members of this group were William Caven ( 1830- 1904), clergyman and principal of Knox College from 1873 until 1904, and William Howland ( 1844- 1893), mayor of Toronto from 1886 to 1888. Despite their activism, Caven, Howland, and the other memben of this network have remained on the historical margins: historians have either paid linle attention to them or have observed them only in the context of early fundamentalism. As a result of this limited perspective, historians have failed to recognize the contribution they make to an understanding of evangelical thought and social reform in tum-of-the-century Canada. By viewing this network through a broader lens, this thesis will add to the existing literature on Canadian evangelicalism in at least three ways. First, an examination of some of the ideas espoused by Caven and other clergymen in this nehvork will show that these evangelicals were informed by a number of intellectual currents. Their unique appropriation of these various movements further demonstrates that, whiie conservative in nature, the theology of this group was above al1 else, practical and dynamic. Second, a discussion of Howland and the social activism of this network's laity will highlight the important contribution these evangelicals made to social reform. While this contribution has often been overlooked for its traditionalism, this study will show that conservatives shared many of the same concerns for the community as more radical reformers. Finally, the nature and extent of this network's activities reveals the extent to which evangelicals of al1 intellectual persuasion were, during the pre-war period still able to work collectively towards the creation of a godly society. LOCAmG CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICALISM IN TURN-OF-THE-CENTURYCANADA In the summer of 1 885 Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario played host to hundreds of leading evanplicals from ail parts of Nonh America and Britain. The reason for this gathering was the annual Niasam Believen' Conference, a week long event that encouraged fellowship and the collective study of Bible prophecy. ' This event was not new to the area, nor \vas it unique for the evanglicals that participated in it.' First organized in 1878 by a group of Arnericans, which included such prominent leaders as Nathaniel West, James H. Brooks, William J. Erdman, Henry Parsons, and Adoniram J. Gordon, the Niagara Conferences represented the most popular and continuous of several prophecy conferences staged in cities like Philadelphia, New York, and St. Louis in the late nineteenth century.' Several interesting features marked this gathenng, including 1 The Niasara Conferences have received some attention by historians, but primarily from within a theological fiarnework. The first major work to highlight the historical impact of this event was Ernest Sandeen's The Roots of Fundarnenralism (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. 1970). Sandeen considers these