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- Notes for CHARLES SAMUEL EBY(6), REV.:The early years of his boyhood were spent in Elora, Ontario, where his parents moved before he had completed his second year. When only eleven years of age he was converted to God while attending a camp meeting on the old Peel circuit. Soon after, he joined the Wesleyan Methodist Church and has always remained loyal and true to God and the church of his choice. When about fifteen years old, he was apprenticed to a saddle and harness maker in Guelph, Ontario but his heart was not in the work. He took more interest in his Latin grammer which he kept tacked before him while at work at the bench. He remained there nearly two years then thought there was no use spending any more time in a harness-maker's shop, as his ambition in life was to study for the ministry, to which he felt called. He taught school for some time a few miles from Guelph and at the age of eighteen he began to preach.
The late Rev. Dr. Carroll, then Chairman of the Guelph Districy, recommended him to the Conference and he spent one year on the Peel curcuit. In the fall of 1865 he went to Victoria University, Cobourg, with the determination to go through a college course, and to work his own way along. Something seemed to draw him to the German work and when he had been two years at Cobourg, Providence opened up a way for him to go to Germany to perfect himself in the German language. He attended Theological University at Halle and spent two and one half years there and in other parts of Europe. He made good use of his time in preparing himself for the mission work that lay before him. Before leaving Europe he preached in both German and French.
In the latter part of 1870 he returned to Canada, much stronger in body and enjoying far better health than ever before. He again went to Cobourg to continue his studies and the following May he graduated with honors and received the degree of B.A. In June he was ordained and was received into full connection by the Conference. The same month he married Nellie Keppel of Brooklyn, N.Y. and settled down at Preston, Ontario, as a superintendent of the German Mission in connection with the Methoodist Church. He spent five years in the German work-three at Preston and two at Hamilton, Ontario.
Then came a change. God had other work for him, and a great future lay before him in a far distant land. Just at this time (1876) a call came for two more men for the foreign mission-Japan. Consecrated, whole hearted men were wanted. Brother Eby was one of the men the Conference chose for that important work. Always ready to obey the Saviour's command and willing to go anywhere for Christ, he at once responded to the call. Preparations for the journey were immediately made and in August of the same year he bade a long good-bye to friends, home and native land and with a wife and two little children he set sail for the distant Islands of Japan.
He threw his whole soul into his new work. It was not easy work. The Japanese language had to be learned and many other difficulties overcome. His powers for learning languages were wonderful and it was not long before he had Japanese mastered and could preach in that language as freely as he could in English. For several years he remained, doing a noble work for God; then his health failed and he was obliged to leave for a time and return to Canada. Early in the spring of 1885 he left Japan and did not return for nearly two years. He and his family were welcomed by their many friends in Canada and the United States. His visit, and the change, were of great benefit to him and through the blessing of God, he soon regained his health. During his stay here the degree of D.D. was bestowed upon him by the Victoris University, Cobourg. He lectured and gave missionary addresses from one end of the Dominion to the other and in some places in the United States. He was ready when the time came for him to return to Japan and was anxious to get once more at the work he loved
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