=Benson, Rev. Manly=, Pastor of the Central Methodist Church, Bloor street, Toronto, was born in Prince Edward county, Ontario, in 1842. His parents, Matthew R. and Nancy Ruttan, were of U. E. loyalist stock, and were among the early founders of Canadian nationality on the beautiful shores of the Bay of Quinté. To this, doubtless, may be attributed the sturdy mental and moral, as well as physical fibre, which characterizes the so worthy a son of so worthy parents—the subject of our sketch. His parents removed to the town of Newburgh, and here Manly received a good education at the academy, and prepared himself for the work of a teacher. At the age of ten years he was converted to God at a special service held by the late Rev. Joseph Reynolds, the superintendent of the Demorestville circuit, and he grew up under the fostering influence of the Sunday-school and the class-meeting, both of which had a marked influence on his young life, and spared him from the many bad influences that are apt to surround young men. For a few years Mr. Benson applied himself as a teacher, at the same time continuing his studies with the principal of the Newburgh Academy. The piety and cultivated talent of the young teacher attracted the attention of the members of the Methodist church of the town in which he lived; and having undergone the preliminary training in Christian work as a local preacher, he was recommended by the official board of the Newburgh circuit for the ministry. He was received on trial in 1863, and made his first acquaintance with the activities of the work in the western extremity of the province. For four years he travelled successively as junior preacher on the Romney, Chatham, Windsor, and Sarnia circuits; and having given full proof of his ministry, passing with credit all the prescribed examinations, he was received into full connexion, and ordained at the Hamilton conference in 1867. He then travelled, as superintendent, the Ridgetown, Newbury, and Cooksville circuits. After one year on the latter circuit, he was invited to the Centenary Church, Hamilton, as colleague of the Rev. W. J. Hunter, D.D. At the end of his first year in this charge, which date also completed the full pastoral term of the superintendent of the circuit, he was invited by the official board to take Dr. Hunter’s place as superintendent of the church and circuit; but instead of accepting, suggested the name of the Rev. Hugh Johnston, M.A., who was appointed superintendent, and with whom he was associated for the balance of his pastoral term of two years. The closing year of his three years’ term in this city was signalized by the building of the elegant and commodious Zion Tabernacle. From Hamilton he went to Stratford and St. Thomas, and spent three years in each of these places. When closing his pastoral term at St. Thomas, in 1881, he was invited to the pastorate of the Central Methodist Church (Bloor Street), Toronto. No transfers were made that