In my road trip of discovery last week, I drove from Port Dover to Port Stanley along the Erie shore and then along the shore of Lake Huron to Port Elgin.
As I travelled, I pondered the challenges of the pioneers who came to Ontario well over 200 years ago when the province was covered with mature mixed forests. Our pioneers must have laboured for years to clear the forests enough to plant meagre fields. All transportation was by water, hence the importance of these ports which were settled at the mouths of the various rivers that ran into Lake Erie and Huron. Imagine the difficulties they faced. There were no highways except by water until the colony pushed through primitive roads. No chainsaws. No tractors. No grocery stores. No malls. No building centres. Only horses for ploughing. They faced enormous labour and danger.
Because they were people of faith and found great comfort in worship and prayer, they established churches wherever they settled. Of course, we must not idealize these pioneers. Many were but Sunday Christians or worse; even so vibrant faith simmered in the hearts of real believers who had left the “Old Country” for lives of freedom in the “New”. These believers insisted that churches be erected. Sadly, many of these churches have now stood empty for several generations. Many have been turned into residences. But as a reader who knows this part of the province has informed me, in urban centres throughout this part of the province, new congregations have arisen. We can only hope and pray that the influence of these vibrant congregations may spread the good news far and wide. For without their influence, like the Israelites of old, Ontarians are prone to either be proud of their prosperity or complain about what they perceive as their rights. Few acknowledge their debt to the benevolence of God. We live in a profoundly blessed and prosperous province but thankfulness and a perspective on where we were 200 years ago is rare. As Winston Churchill noted; “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
Like the Israelites depicted in many Psalms, the pioneers cried out to God in the midst of privation and sickness. And God heard. What about now? What is ahead for our country, a country where vast numbers have abandoned faith and with it, thankfulness.
“Some wandered in desert wastelands [in the trackless wilderness] finding no city [place]where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city [place with rich soil where they could farm] where they could settle [and build churches for worship]. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things” (Psalm 107:4-9). Let them, let us, give thanks!
Throughout my travels in South-western Ontario, I was struck by our rich farmlands. Fields to the horizon full of corn and soybeans and ripening wheat. Other fields with every variety of vegetables and fruits. A few fields still of tobacco. Fields full of fodder for milking cows or beef. Huge chicken farms. The pioneers would be astonished.
As a result of God’s benevolence we have a rich province relatively free from all of the turmoil in countries around the world—even south of our border. But too often we are not thankful! We need a gospel revival of repentance, faith and thankfulness. May the vibrant new churches spread the good news far and wide.
Country Inspiration 