Sir Samuel Tilley: A Father of Confederation

Life in colonial New Brunswick rested firmly on the Christian 

foundations laid in the earliest days of European settlement, 

and augmented through the evangelistic efforts of many churches

in the province. One product of this Christian heritage was 

Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley, Premier of New Brunswick at the time 

of Confederation and a Father of Confederation. Tilley was New

Brunswick's leading Father of Confederation. He held political 

offices from 1848-1893 on civic, provincial, and federal levels.

His direct contribution to Canada's Christian tradition is truly 

national in scope: from Tilley came both Canada's official motto, 

and the country's unique title: The Dominion of Canada.

Both the term "Dominion" and the motto, "A mari usque ad mare", 

are taken from Psalm 72:8: "He shall have dominion also from 

sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth."

Tilley's son tells of his father's contribution:

"When the fathers of Confederation were assembled 

discussing the terms and conditions of Confederation 

and the drafting of the British North America Act,

there had been considerable discussion the day before 

and many suggestions as to what the new United Canada 

should be called, and no conclusion had been reached. 

The discussion on the name stood over until the next day. 

The next morning, as was Sir Leonard's custom, 

he read a chapter from the Bible, and that particular morning 

he read Psalm Seventy-two. When reading verse eight

of the said Psalm—‘He shall have dominion also from sea to

sea’—the thought occurred to him, what a splendid name 

to give Canada. When he went back to the sitting of the 

convention that morning, he suggested the word ‘Dominion’,

which was agreed to, and Canada was called the 

'Dominion of Canada'."

The motto represents Tilley's belief, obviously shared by many 

of Canada's founding fathers, that God should have His rightful 

place in the new country, the "Dominion of Canada".

Tilley was a devoted member of the Church of England, 

and his church attendance was reported to be "constant and regular". 

He was also a leader in the Prohibitionist movement. His

biographer says that "the secret of his life was that he loved 

his God and his country."

This is perhaps best shown by the faith expressed by Sir Leonard 

as he lay on his deathbed. One of his final instructions to his 

gathered family and friends was that his tombstone should simply

read: 

"His trust was in Jesus." He explained with his fading breaths

 that he wanted “passers-by to be helped in their earthly 

pilgrimage” and to know that his faith in Jesus Christ had been 

the true source and power of any success he had known in his life.

Just as Sir Leonard Tilley said, "His trust was in Jesus" so you too 

can have this same confidence and trust. “But these are written, 

that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of 

God; and that believing ye might have life through his 

name”       (John 20:31).

Thanks to --  Pastor David Harness, Sr.