COLLING, Rev. Thomas

REV. THOMAS COLLING, B.A., was born in the township of Nelson, county of Halton, May 14th, 1840, and received his primary education in the common schools of that county.

At the age of sixteen he entered the preparatory department of Victoria University, Cobourg, where he remained one year.

In 1862 he entered the Methodist ministry, and after laboring in that vocation for two years he again attended the lectures of Victoria University, and graduated from that institution in the year 1869 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts.

At the close of his college career, Mr. Colling was ordained in the city of Toronto by the Rev. Morley Punshon, the well-known English divine, and was given an appointment at the town of Dundas under the superintendence of the Rev. W. H. Laird. He remained in that town for one year, and spent the following year in Oakville, the Rev. Michael Fawcett being his superintendent in the latter place. His next appointment was at Cote St. Paul, as superintendent for the years 1871, 1872 and 1873. From that place he went to St. Catharines and assisted the Rev. Dr. Sanderson in his pastoral work for two years. When the division of the circuit was made in that city, our subject was made superintendent of the Welland Avenue church.

To him is due much of the credit for the erection of the handsome edifice on Welland Avenue in 1876, he having been the chief promoter of the undertaking. He went from St. Catharines to become the pastor of St. Thomas Second church, and remained there during 1877 and 1878. He next spent three years in New Brighton, and secured the construction there of a very handsome church, which cost about twelve thousand dollars.

From London South he came again to St. Catharines, as pastor of the Welland Avenue church for the year 1882. During that year Mr. Colling married Ellen Elizabeth, daughter of John Ingram, Esq., of London South. His next pastorate was at Beamsville during 1883 and 1884, and has had his present charge since the meeting of the conference of 1885. On assuming this pastorate he was appointed superintendent for Welland district.

Although Mr. Colling is an earnest, forcible, and eloquent preacher, his strong point in church work is his faculty of putting church finances in good shape and raising money to build new churches.

Colling, Thomas, Rev. buried at Mt Pleasant Cemetery, London, Middlesex Co.