Charles Taylor (born 1882)

Charles Taylor came through Barnardo’s to the Toronto distributing home. He sailed on the Vancouver and arrived in Quebec on June 24, 1897. His placement in Tillsonburg was with Mr. John Swance.

Charles received a medal for his service and was also featured in Ups and Downs talking about his placement and his religion. Unfortunately, some of the scans of this January 1902 edition of Ups and Downs are unclear so the words have been transcribed based on their visibility.

“We have an intense dislike of cant and shun anything that savours of hollow professions of religion, but we publish the following letter from Charles Taylor, believing that he writes in the true sincerity of conviction and that he has indeed been led to a saving knowledge of the truth in Jesus Christ, and has definitely enlisted himself as a soldier of the cross:

Dear Sir I received your letter of the inst. and the medal, which I am very proud of. Thanking you very kindly for sending it to me, for it is going to be a great help to me in getting a situation, and all through life. I am very proud to think that I have earned one of those medals. I know that I have often thought while I was serving my time with Mr. Swance that I would like to be free and get out away from the but something always told me not to do I have now found out and that I had the Home to guide me. I always went to church with them, but I never took much interest in the meetings till the last Sunday in the old century I found Christ. I was baptized, and now I am a member of the Baptist Church in Tilsonburg, and I hope that I shall always seek the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him.

Well, the crops were none too good out here this Summer; wheat was a total failure, for it was half weeds and grass; the oats were so light and smutty that they are kind of poor feed for horses and cattle to eat. The corn was the best crop we had out here, for it was splendid; the stalks were great and they were loaded heavily with corn. I am well and in best of health. I must close, for it is getting late. Thanking you very kindly for sending me one of your medals.

Yours Truly,

CHAS. TAYLOR.

In reference to the early part of Charlie’s letter, we rejoice to bear our testimony to the fact, which is within our daily knowledge and observation, of the number of our boys and girls who can speak of the same experience, who have been called out of darkness into the marvellous light and liberty of the gospel of Christ, and in their homes and situations all over the country are witnessing a good profession for the Master, are leading consistent Christian lives and adorning the doctrine of God their Saviour in their daily walk and conversation. May the New Year be one of great ingathering of these young lives into the fold of the Good Shepherd, and may those who have already yielded their hearts to the Saviour realize with greater fullness that the Lord is previous, and be enabled to press toward the mark for the prize of their high calling in Christ Jesus.”

Mr. Swance described Charles in the 1899 edition up Ups and Downs:

“Mr. John Swance has nothing to say against Charles Taylor, who is now in the last year of his term. While Charley does not dislike farming he would prefer learning a trade, he says; but is disposed to be guided by the counsel or Mr. Swance and follow what he has begun – the most independent calling under the sun. He was getting ready to go to a garden party with the Misses Swance when I dropped in to tea. His aunt has tried to persuade him to visit her in England, but he has been talked out of that notion also. He has grown to a remarkable extent, and is now a sturdy lad, trustworthy, honest, respectable, and of an intellectual appearance.”