A lot of people know facts about Canadian History. They know the Vikings came to Canada in the first century, that John Cabot discovered Canada in 1497 and that Jacques Cartier and Samuel De Champlain were the first explorers. What most people don‟t know is that Canada‟s history is very Christian. That Lief Ericsson was a Christian and the first know white man to present the gospel to Canada‟s native people. That John Cabot claimed this land for God or that Cartier and Champlain were travelling not just to find new land but to spread the gospel to as many people as possible. Recently I read a book called Stand on Guard that told the true, godly history of Canada. Today, I want to tell you some of the things that I learned. David Thompson was a mapmaker, explorer and statesman. He developed maps of western Canada in the 1700s. Many of his maps are still used today. It was difficult work, charting new territory. “What motivated this man to endure such hardship? A vision! He wanted to reach the Native People of the West with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He always carried his Bible with him and read it out loud at every opportunity.” Because of his work and his vision, many missionaries moved into Western Canada and not only did the Aboriginals hear the gospel but so did new settlers and trappers from the Hudson Bay Company. An Anglician Bishop and Egerton Ryerson, a Methodis Minister formed Canada‟s early educational system. Ryerson believed that his primary task was „to make men Christians‟. He wanted a common ground to Christian principals. In 1896 the Ontario Public School Act stated, among other duties, that all teachers should respect religion and the principles of Christian morality. Then, of course, there was Robert Stanley Weir, who wrote the words to our national anthem, “O Canada” . The lost verse, one we sing often in our school but is unknown to most people, reveals Canada‟s early trust in God:
Ruler Supreme Who hearest humble prayer Hold our Dominion In Thy loving care Help us to find, O God, in Thee A lasting rich reward As waiting for a Better Day We ever stand on guard Even the name, Dominion of Canada was inspired from Psalm 72:8 “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea.” There are many more people and many more examples of course. My point is that God definitely had His hand in the formation of Canada. I believe that Canada is a nation that was founded for God to use for His purpose. Learning how He worked in the past reminds us of our duty and our calling. Billy Graham, on 100 Huntley Street, once said that Canada may never become a military superpower or an economic superpower, but shoe could become a spiritual superpower, showing the rest of the world the way.