HISTORICAL SKETCH

OF

St. PaUr5 Anglican Church

MARMORA

75th ANNIVERSARY

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THE MOST REV. JOHN LYONS M.A. D.D.

ARCHBISHOP OF ONTARIO and METROPOLITAN OF

THE ECCLESIASTICAL PROVINCE OF ONTARIO

"Congratulations to St. Paul's Church on this very im-portant occasion in the history of their parish. May God'schoisest blessings attend you in your united endeavours inHis ~hurch as you face the future in these very difficultdays.

Faithfully yours,

John Ontario.

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HIsTORICAL SKETCH.OF·

~t. JaUr!i Auglirat:tQIqurrlrf; :!Iarmnra7 5th 6.nniversa.~y

This historical sketch marks three quarters of a centuryof religious activity by St. Paul's Church in the village ofMarmora and District.

A site having a commanding position was selected onBurstaIl street (named after Edward BurstaIl, of QuebecCity, a director of the Marmora Foundry Co. in ] 849) andon September first, 1874 honoured brethren of the MasonicOrder laid the corner stone in accordanoe with traditionalceremonies in the building of Sacred Edifices and thus signi-fied their uniformity of faith in God.

The corner stone of Marmora's first Anglican Church, tobe dedicated later to St. Paul, was well and truly laid by Rt.Worshipful Brother S. S. Lazier of Belleville, D.D.G.M. ofPrince Edward District for 1874.

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For the laying of the corner stone, Miss Minnie Bleecker,daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Bleecker, presentedthe silver trowel to the officiating dignitary of the MasonicOrder. It bore the inscription:

Presented to

'~.,

Rt. War. Bra. S. S. Lazier, D.D.G.M.P. E. D.

By the Ladies of Marmora, on the occasion

of his laying, the corner stone of

St. Paul's Church, Marmora

September 1st, 1874

In passing, it is interesting to note, that the young ladyso honoured on that day and who later became Mrs. DavidMulloy, is now living in Los Angeles.

One of the two lots to become the property of theChurch, was given by the Cobourg, Peterborough and Mar-mora Railway and Mining Co. The other lot was purchasedfor the sum of $50.00 from the same company which amountwas subscribed by the following old "Worthies" each contri-buting ten dollars; Solomon Johns, A. W. Carscallen.WilliamLeonard, David Fitchett and David Bentley. Mr. Bentleywas the agent for the company. None of the five donorslived to see the Golden Jubilee of the Church observed in1924. All money for the Deed of the Church property wassubscribed on April 11th, 1874.

An interesting anecdote comes to light from a letter re-ceived by Mr. W. J. Cottrell in 1934 from Mr. Edward Wil-kinson, of Geyserville, California. This letter states that thisMr. Wilkinson came with his father, a brother and two sistersto Marmora, in 1870, when the Rev. George Grout of Stirlingheld Anglican services in the Town Hall which had beenbuilt by the Marmora Iron Company. From this letter we

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quote two interesting sentences:

"Finally, the Anglicans decided to erect a building and acertain Mr. William Leonard being enterprising and well-to-do, went to the various Anglicans including the Campions,McWilliams, G. W. Bleecker, my father and many others whosubscribed to the building fund. The Church was built fromstone quarried on the far side of the river below the bridge,being completed about 1874 or 1875, except for the towerwhich was finished some ten years later by a young English-man who quarried and dressed the stone." .

Previous to this new era in Church Life in the village,religious services and priestly ministrations were somewhatirregular as evidenced by Rev. J. S. Groves of Stirling whensigning his name, affixed, "Travelling Missioner.' Occasionalvisits were also paid by Rev. [oseph Gander a graduate of St.Augustine's College, Canterbury, Eng. who took temporaryduty throughout the Diocese. Mr. Gander, it is said, had acertain knowledge of medicine, and he and his, wife and foursons had considerable musical talent. The graves ot Rev.and Mrs. Gander and that of one son were accidentally dis-covered in a tiny cemetery on an old farm near Monk's Lakein Haliburton County in September 1946. Anything in thenature of regular service in Marmora did not materialize untilthe Rev. James Preston of Stirling gave a monthly service.This ministration was maintained successively by the Rev.Henry Edward Massey Baker, Rev. George Grout, Rev. J. E.Halliwell and Rev. J. Godden.

Fortunately, Sunday School work had been commencedyears before by Miss A. H. Bentley, daughter of David Bentley,previously mentioned. Under her superintendency the Sun-day School flourished until infirmity compelled her retire-ment. Not only Anglicans, but children of other communionsattended this Sunday School. Stories, great and inspiring, ofthese early years when retold by the few survivors of thosetimes, charm the listener who is interested in the pioneer his-tory of the district.

Not long after the com-pletion of St. Paul'sChurch, when the Rev. J.Godden was in Stirlingthe Rev. J. E. Halliwellwas largely instrumentalin the appointment of Rev.Charles Mountain Harrisa graduate of Trinity Col-lege, Toronto as the firstresident incumbent of St.Paul's. No one could haveforeseen with this appOint-ment the long record ofChristian service that wasto ensue. After labouringwith body, soul and spiritfor over forty-four years hepassed away after a shortillness to a far better rest. Rev. Canon Cha~les Mountain HarrisIn his life, he was beloved Incumbent, 1849-1923by all, and in death hismemory honoured. During his long rectorship he had seenerected in his original parish two daughter churches, St.Mark's Rawdon on the 12th Line, and Holy Trinity Church,North Marmora,

In course of time Mr. Harris, at his own expense, engag-ed Lay Readers, among whom were, Mr. Ralph Fulcher, R.M. Steacy, who later became Rector of Westboro, in theDiocese of Ottawa, and George E. Simmons who also wasordained and spent twenty years in distinguished service tothe Canadian Church in it's foreign field at Kaifeng, Honan,China. His death there a few years ago was a distinct lossto the whole Canadian church and more especially to theDiocese of Honan. W. G. Lansbury another Lay Reader, wasalso later ordained and served in the diocese as Rector ofParharn, Wellington and Madoc. He was buried in the

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lovely churchyard at Christ Church, Hillier, in the parish ofWellington and Hillier. Other Lay Readers included JohnEdward Gibbard, formerly of Bournemouth, England, Mr.A. Peppiatt, of Toronto, and Mr. W. J. Cottrell who is stillwith us, and to whom St. Paul's is deeply indebted for hisfaithful services and invaluable help.

During the years of the First World War, Canon Harriswas appointed a Canon of St. Ceorge's Cathedral, Kingstonby the Rt. Rev. E. J. Bidwell, bishop of the Diocese, a fit-ting tribute to his mahy years of devoted service to thechurch. He died suddenly, on March 13th, 1923, deeplymourned by all citizens of the community.

Canon Harris was succeed-ed by the Rev. P. Caiger-Watson who was appointedrector in July 1923, havingjust returned to the diocesefrom North Dakota. It wasduring Mr. Watson's incum-bency, that St. Paul's con-gregation found itself con-fronted with the need of arectory, Canon Harris havinghad his own dwelling. Theneed resulted in the attrac-tive residence adjacent tothe Church and enclosed bya suitable stone fence, thesetting being a justifiablesource of pride to everyoneand invariably admired byvisitors. During Mr. Wat-son's rectorship, the parishbecame self-supporting for

the first time in its history, and many other advances weremade. Mr. Watson resigned after only three years of in-cumbency to accept a parish in the diocese of Ottawa at Gal-

.REV. P. CAIGER-WATSON

Rector, July 1923-1926

etta where he still resides.The semi-centenary of the church was observed in Oct-

ober 1924, the date of earliest convenience. Rt. Rev. E. J.Bidwell, Bishop of the Diocese, was the celebrant and thepreacher was the Rev. John Lyons M.A. then rector of Pictonand now Archdeacon of our diocese and Metropolitan of theecclesiatical province of Ontario. Mr. Lyons preached fromthe text, "The lot is fallen unto me in a fair ground, yea, Ihave a goodly heritage.'? Ps. 16;7. At evensong, BishopBidwell preached from the text Acts, 2;26. "They continuedsteadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship." Mon-day evening's festivities consisted of a supper, reception andconcert in the Town Hall. The Rector Rev. P. Caiger-Watson presided, and Mr. E. Gus Porter, M.P. deputized forthe Hon. John R. Cooke who was to have been the speaker.

After the resignation of theRev. P. Caiger-Watson in1926 the Rt. Rev. C. A. Sea-gar, Bishop of the Diocese,appointed the Rev. ArthurBell Caldwell a graduate ofMontreal Diocesan Collegeas Rector. Mr. Caldwellcame to our diocese fromWyebridge, in the diocese ofToronto, and he was wel-comed to this parish in Dec-ember of that year. For sev-enteen and one half years hegave devoted service to St.Paul's, and his sudden deathfrom a heart condition inJuly 1945 came as a greatshock to his former parishion-

REV. ARTHUR BELL CALDWELL ers.Rector, Dec. 1926-JuIy 1944 During Mr. Caldwell's in-

cumbency, the old Oddfel-

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low's Hall was purchased for a Parish Hall. It is a tributeto his work that the mortgage .of this hall, and almost all themortgage on the rectory, were paid off before his resignation.Speaking of the .rectory, St. Paul's congregation is much in-debted to Mr. S. B. Wright for many years of Deloro, a faith-ful Churchman and former Warden, for his generosity in thematter of the rectory mortgage. He and Mrs. Wright, aftermany years amongst us, are now retired and live in Vancouv-er. Another achievement was the installation in 1932 of abeautiful Eastern window to the revered memory of CanonHarris. Money for this came from funds raised by the ladies

.of the congregation although Miss Frances Jones, sister ofthe late H. M. Jones, M.D. was largely instrumental In thisobject as also in earlier years in the securing of funds for

such purposes as a pulpit andother furnishings. Hev. A.B. Caldwell served two termsas Rural Dean of Hastingswhich office he held until ashort time before his leavingthe deanery. He resignedfrom the Parish in July 1944to accept the Parish of Eliza-bethtown but ill health pre-vented his entering upon thiswork. He died ill Ganano-que, July, 1945. Thus thisparish had the best· years ofhis life and ministry. Hespent himself for it.

Mr. W. J. CottrelI as Lay-reader, took' services duringthe interregnum under thesupervision of Mr. W.J. Rob-inson, .Rural Dean. It wasduring these few months that

1\'IR. w. J. COTTRELL such improvements as a newLicensed Layreader furnace and an attractive ap-

proach to the Church base-

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ment were made. Mr. H. R. Pearce, as Rector's Warden andW. D. Lavender, People's Warden respectively, accepted theirresponsibilities during the interregnum in a most creditablemanner. Mr. Pearce has just retired as Rector's Warden thisyear, having served in that capacity for all Rectors since andincluding Canon Harris.

The bishop of the Diocese Rt. Rev. John Lyons ap-pointed Rev. J. M. Brownlie, L.Th. STh. to succeed Mr.Caldwell. His incumbency was effective as from Oct. Ist

REV. J. M. BROWNLIE, L.TH., S.TH.Appointed Rector, Oct. 1, 1944

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1944. Mr. Brownlie is a graduate of Trinity College, Tor-onto, and has spent all his ministry in this diocese. Furtheradvancement has been made in his time. The long-feltwant for a robed choir was met by the generosity of theparishioners, who responded to his appeal for money. Thematerials were purchased and the ladies of the congregationmade the vestments. The Choir has a reputation for itswork far beyond the boundaries of the parish. The interiorof the Church has been decorated, new lighting installed, sothat the Church to-day is one of the gems "in the Diocese.Last year, Mr. Brownlie was the second of St. Paul's Rectorsto be appointed Rural Dean of Hastings.

Facing the Parish on its 75th Anniversary is the matterof improvements to the Parish Hall, and we are all hopefulof this achievement in the near future.

It was found necessary, due to changing circumstancesto sell and demolish Holy Trinity Church, North Marmora,but the Parish has been strengthened by the addition of thebeautiful church St. Mark's, Bonarlaw, as a component partof the parish, with its loyal people.

This congregation, it will be observed, has an uniquedistinction in that, for the seventy-five years that it has beena parish, only four clergymen have been its Rector, two ofwhom, have a combined incumbency of over sixty-one years.It is also unique, in that there is only one living predecessorto the present rector.

The reaching of the seventy-fifth milestone gives us nopromise of what lies ahead, but ours has been a goodly heri-tage over these years, for which, we can thank God, and takefresh courage for the future. To all who shall lab or, comethe words of the Master, "Other men have laboured and yehave entered into their labours", and from the words of Davidto his son Solomon: "Thou mayest add thereto".

A frequent remark is "What a lovely Church!" It is in-deed a Parish Treasure, and may it be the desire of futuregenerations to devote the same care and love that those pastand present have given to it. The Churches of the countryenshrine so much of our past history and they are the, gloryof our times.

In the writing of this historical sketch the generous as-sistance of Mr. W. J. Cottrell is gratefully acknowledged.

~ -We take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks

to the many business firms herein mentioned {pr their helpin publishing of 'this booklet.

COMPLIMENTS OF

oELORO SMELTING & REFINING CO. LTD.DELORO, ONTARIO

Smelters and Refiners of Silver and Cobalt Ores.Manufacturers of "Deloro Stellite".

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