Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout437"Booklet, ribbon bound, 21.5 x 14 cm. 18 pages, compiled and updated by Alan Clark. The United Church of Canada A History of Jackson's Congregation and Mt. Zion United Church ""One Hundred and thirty-seven Years of Worship and Praise"" Congregation 1856 -- 1993 " "Historical Outline The First Church “…To have and to hold, the said parcel or tract of land and premises unto, and to the use of the said Trustees and their successors in the said trusts FOREVER. . ."" Thus read the title deed for the Jackson's Congregation Meeting-house on the Ninth day of February, eighteen hundred and fifty-four. Three years earlier this congregation had been reported as a constituted group in the Missionary reports of the Wesleyan Methodist Church to the Conference, in 1851. It is assumed that in this year the Jackson's Congregation was first organized and as such petitioned the Conference for a regular Ministerial supply to be conducted by the Reverend John Law and his assistant, Robert Lochead, who wereresponsible for other local congregations in the district on the Oshawa Circuit. At this time, Pickering Township Wesleyan Methodism was under the authority of the Toronto District. Previous to 1851, and as early as 1845, the names of the trustee i.e. Geo. Day, John Weir, John Wass, Edw . Jackson, David Bowes and Edw. Bowes, and other names of the original congregation appeared on the Conference report from the Markham and Oshawa Wesleyan Circuits. Page 1 " "Those were the pioneer days of Pickering Township. Although the township had been surveyed between 1791 and 1800 with its neighbouring township of Whitby, settlement had been surveyed and confined to the lakeshore and the Indian trail paralleling it, now known as Kingston Road. By 1812 the Brock Road was opened for travel between the Township of Brock, Lake Simcoe and Frenchman's Bay port. However, the concessions were a little more than incomplete paths through the virgin woods. Records indicate that even by 1834 the Seventh and Sixth conessions were open only two and three miles east and west of the Brock Road, and the earliest settled farms had little more than a half dozen acres of cleared land with a log dwelling and barn. As the tide of immigrants from Yorkshire and Northern Ireland found their way to Port Hope and Frenchman's Bay, they disembarked and trudged on foot to the interior of the township carrying on their backs their belongings and what supplies they could afford. Within the next few years paths between the clearings were widened to allow for better travel and transport, and with this improved communication pioneer families gathered in the fellowship of their neighbours for Christian worship. By 1855 no less than four branches of Methodism were to be found in the township, along with Baptist, Presbyterian, Quaker, Episcopalian and Roman Catholic adherents. The Methodist Episcopal congregation of the Mount Zion district met in a building known as the ""White Church"" begun in 1857 on the south-west corner of Lot 8, Concession 7. The Bible Christian Methodists worshipped in a building erected on the north-east corner of Lot 1 of the 8th concession. Two prominent congregations of these early days were those of the Primitive Methodist branch which gathered at the Bethel Church and Balsam Church, both on the 9th Concession. This diversity among the Methodists was largely due to the proselyting efforts of two competing Methodist conferences, the English Connexion and the Episcopal Conference in the United States. Page 2 " "Although, as previously stated, the Jackson's Congregation was organized as a preaching charge in 1851, and although the site for their meeting-house had been purchased in 1854, it is conjectured that it was not until 1856 that the congregation was able to afford the erection of a building. Considering the economic hardship with which the early settlers were handicapped, and since it is the date in the stained-glass transom over the entrance to the present brick church, this latter date is proposed. The deed from which the extract was quoted earlier listed the purchased site as being of twelve square rods, in the north-west corner of Lot 6, Concession 7. At this time the adjoining property to the east and south belonged to John Jackson, hence the origin of the congregation's name. One of the oldest, living former members of the Mount Zion community can hazily recall this first meeting-house as it appeared on this site. A weathered frame structure, built on posts, this first church was of the plainest design in keeping with the pioneer taste. Each side contained two windows; the entrance door was to the north. Inside the door the box-stove was placed, and the stove pipes ran the interior length of building to provide maximum extraction of heat from the burning fuel. It has been suggested that the reason for the purchase of twelve square rods of land was in contemplation of a burial ground, although there is no record of any interment having taken place at this site. As the newly-cleared land began to yield abundance and the pioneer folk prospered, as children matured and families had wore hands to do the farm work, as the social life of the community continued to develop and centre around the church, some of the facilities of the original site werefound to be inadequate. Page 3 " "In 1878 and 1874 a union of Methodist branches took place joining the Methodists under the single authority of The Methodist Church of Canada. Locally this union resulted in the absorption of smaller groups by the more prominent congregations. From 1855 Jackson's had been a preaching charge on the Whitby Circuit, but a reorganization of the circuits in 1863 resulted in the formation of the Pickering Circuit. This circuit included ten points i.e. Duffin's Creek (later Pickering Village), Brougham, Mount Pleasant (west of the Brock Road on the 7th Concession), Greenwood, Claremont, Glen Sherrard (now Glen Major), Jackson's, Salem, Kinsale, and Audley. These points were well supplied with qualified clergy from the Toronto Conference, and it was not long before Jackson's became the prominent congregation of its district. By 1871, names of families appear in Jackson's Church records which were formerly associated with the Methodist Episcopal, Bible Christian and Primitive Methodist congregations. Considering the growth of the congregation and the prosperity of the district, it was decided in 1873 to re-build the original church on a more favourable site to accommodate better those attending services. The greatest need appeared to be that of a large, sheltering church shed and an adjacent hitching grounds for the horses and rigs. In exchange for the old site, Samual Jones Sr. agreed to provide a new location for the church, in fact it is said that he offered the land to the Trustees. Permission to dispose of the old property was received from the Conference office in Toronto, and with this memorandum of authority, the Trustees, Geo. Day, John Mass, Edw. Jackson, Edw. Bowes, John Jones, Joseph Jones and Richard Wilson Sr. completed the transaction on August the 26th, 1873. Page 4 " "Across the Road… On August the 29th, three days after this transaction, the title deed to the new site was drawn up, and it is here for the first time that the name ""Mount Zion"" appears. The Trustees acquired from Samuel Jones Sr. a plot of land eighty-two feet long and seventy-eight feet deep in the south-east corner of Lot 6, Concession 8. Although the deed stated a ""consideration of twenty dollars of lawful currency"" it is doubtful if any exchange of money actually took place. Local lore has it that shortly after the latter transaction, John ""Squire"" Disney, then owner of the Jackson farm, wished to obtain the old twelve-square-rod site from Samuel Jones Sr. However, Mr. Jones and Mr. Disney did not see eye to eye and Mr. Jones refused to relinquish the property. Many years later after the passing of both these gentlemen, their sons Edwin Disney and Samuel Jones Jr. agreed to exchange a black colt for the site. And so it is still said that present site was indirectly ""traded for a black colt."" No record exists concerning the details of the rebuilding of the frame church on the new site, however beginning at this tine anniversary services were observed in the latter part of October. The Trustees of the Mount Zion Church are listed as being Geo. Day, John Jones, Richard Wilson Sr., Joseph Jones, John Elijah Jones, Uriah Jones and John Brander. However, several former members of this church remember details of it construction and it is to them that we owe our description. Page 5 " "Apparently no stone foundation was built for the church. It was mounted on cedar posts exposed a foot or so above ground level. The building was roughly thirty feet with a shed extending east from the north-east corner, still standing to the present day. (The east section of this shed was built at the Primitive Methodist Church in Balsam. It was removed to Mount Zion churchyard before 1890. The sash in the windows contained many small panes of glass, there being two windows on each side was in the former building. It is highly probable that the church as moved on log rollers by teams of horses from its old site, as was the custom in those days. Around the churchyard a straight rail or board was erected with a gate at about the present drive-way. Many years earlier an Orange Lodge hall had been built on the south-west corner of the adjoining Lot 5. (The Orange Hall stood on the church property, eastern limits until 1916 or 1917. At this time it was purchased and removed to a farm at Balsam on the 9th Concession, where it was used as a farm shed.) Since the lodge property and the church property abutted there was no fence erected between then, and the two frame buildings, standing at opposite ends of the board were similar in appearance. The unpainted pine boards had weathered to a mellow grey blending with the darker grey of the split cedar shingles on the roof. Each frame building had a clay brick chimney at its northern extremity, and the church shed extending between then assisted in enclosing the yard on three sides. Indeed, in spite of its modesty, the cluster of buildings must have appeared comfortable and substantial to the passer-by. Page 6 " "Upon entering the church by the South-end door, the single, centre aisle presented a large box-stove. The pews were shortened on each side to allow free passage for the worshippers around the stove, and overhead, extending the upper length of the interior was the customary string of black-tin stove pipes Proceeding up the centre aisle, one's foot-tread was softened by a plain carpet which led from the stove to the communion table and pulpit. On each side, straight-back, board pews accommodated the worshippers. A spindle railing separated the pulpit and communion table, which were raised on a small platform, from the congregation. Originally the pews were also placed to the right and left of the pulpit, the choir begin seated on a similar platform in the back of the church, in the south-east corner to the right of the door-way. Later the choir loft was moved to the front, north-west corner, where most of the old members remember it. Practically no conspicuous colour accented the interior of the church, but the neutral tones of the well-scrubbed floor and furnishings presented a restful atmosphere for worship. Every Lord's day, and throughout the week, this building and the neighbouring hall were a centre of thriving social activity. Each Sunday morning at ten the young and older men and women met in two separate classes to study the Word of God. In the afternoon Sunday School was held at two-thirty, and in the evening at seven-thirty came the evening service. Most of these Christian folk did not make a practice of riding to church each Sunday. The majority of the families walked from their farms at least twice on Sunday, winter and summer, to the church building, and thought nothing of it. All meetings were well attended, the church being filled to capacity for the evening Page 7 " "services, and often overflowing at the entertainments held during the week. The Epworth League, which corresponds to the Young Peoples' Union, met every Wednesday evening at eight, and on Thursday evening, the Mid-week Prayer Meeting was conducted. After these Meetings, refreshments were frequently served in the hall, but these could not be compared with the big, annual hot-dinner served either in the hall or on tables in the church shed, or often, later, in both places for lack of better accommodation. An interesting reference was made to the use to which the north-east window was put for the Sunday School entertainments. Apparently, performers were required to enter left stage, through this open window, behind a curtain. It is to be hoped that the weather was always accommodating, the step ladder was substantial and that no one on the outside gave in to the mischievous ideas while watching the others precede him through the window. Often in the late fall and early spring the mud between the two buildings was excessive, offering the local gallants justifiable opportunity to pick up the girls and carry then to safety. Throughout the ""late eighties"", the annual church dinners held late in October reached such popularity that families travelled often five or six miles to attend. The crowd were waited upon in relays. One oldster remarking on the abundant spread concluded by emphasizing that the tables were loaded with ""all the kinds of vittles you could imagine."" The proceeds from these gatherings were set aside for maintenance, missions or a future reserve. Page 8 " "Mention should be made at this point to the activities of the Temperance Union in the community. Apparently there were two periods when the membership and social life of this group was particularly active. The first of these was from 1870 to about 1890, the other later in the early nineteen hundreds. We are told that the young people of the district field their meetings in the Orange Hall weekly, often acting as host to neighbouring unions. A formal opening and business portion was conducted at the beginning of the meetings, after which there was a programme. These programmes were the highlight of each meeting, often becoming quite hilarious with nonsense and good fun. Frequently sides were chosen and judges appointed, then each side was required to out do the other side's performance. A lunch was served at the close of the programme and here the young swains had opportunity to sample, and the local belles opportunity to display, the culinary skills of each kitchen. Many oldsters remember these meetings as times of rich fellowship and warm memories. Soon it was evident in the early nineties that the church's accommodations were growing more and more inadequate for the needs of the congregation. Congregations in Claremont, Brooklin and Pickering were established in large, churches which were more efficient and comfortably appointed. With spirit the members at Mount Zion church rallied to meet the financial outlay for a larger building, and by the spring of 1893 sufficient funds had been acquired to begin the new house of worship. Page 9 " "The Brick Church… A contractor's tender dated april 26, 1893, stated. . .""I hereby agree to build a church at Mount Zion according to plans and specifications now drawn by A. Post arch and for the sum Twenty-four hundred and ninety-six ($2496.00) for the completion of the whole work. If bricks verned (veneered) -- $2427.00 If sides papered -- $ 16.00 -- $2443.00 (Signed) Wm. Noble "" It appears that the Trustees had approached Mr. Noble of Whitby in view of availing themselves of this services in the erection of the new building. The above tender covered one portion of their enquiry, however on the opposite side of the same document a tender is submitted for the ""Carpenter and Joiner work for the new Brick Church at Mount Zion."" No record of any contract exists today, but many of the older members recall that Mr. Noble was awarded the contract, so the Trustees must have been satisfied with the above prices. Mr. Westlake of Whitby was awarded the brick-laying and Masonry contract, and a Mr. Wilson of the same town was contracted to do the interior decorating. The interior funishings were also let to contract, a wood-working establishment in Port Perry being responsible for the pews. The pulpit was donated by the Young People's Union with the pulpit chairs as a gift from interested relatives of a prominent church family. Throughout that spring and summer construction on the church continued, and upon the customary anniversary date in late October the new house of worship was dedicated. Page 10 " "Rev. John Harris was the pastor of the Circuit and under his leadership morning and evening services were observed. Mr. Richard Wilson Sr. directed the choir, his daughter Jenny (Jane) accompanying at the organ. The Brooklin Choir and Quartette provided the Musical offerings and leadership at the evening service, Mr. Richard Wilson Sr. was the treasurer of the Building Fund; Mr. T . C . McAvoy as a leader in the raising of funds, with the assistance of other members of the Board of Trustees, and Stewards Elijah Jones and John C. Jones. Owing to the treasury not having sufficient finances to completely pay for the outlay, a mortgage was granted to the church by Mr. George Middleton, a gentleman seriously interested in the church and its activities. Several years later this mortage was burned, the Rev. John Harris having returned on this occasion to perform the ceremony. Since the opening in 1893, few significant changes have taken place in the brick church. The choir loft was on a slightly lower platform than the pulpit, the choir proceeding to their places by means of the east aisle of the church, and steps at the east corner of the loft. It has been said that the original designs for the church included a choir loft in a bay at the north end of the church, behind the pulpit. Apparently lack of funds deterred the Trustees from having this addition constructed with the main church building.) Surrounding the choir loft a heavy wooden railing on wrought iron supports separated the choir from the congregation. Later remodelling of the choir loft raised it on a level with the pulpit to facilitate entertainment held during the week. Page 11 " "A series of reed organs and harmoniums assisted in the musical leadership of the worship services and meetings in both the frame church and the present brick church. The largest of the reed organs, an Estey, was purchased in 1910. It went out of service in the early nineteen thirties. The congregation and choir of the church are indeed indebted to the church organist for their devoted service over the years. At first brick church was lighted by coal-oil lamps of which there are still two in the 'church's possession. Following these, the church was illuminated with acetylene gas from tanks located in the basement entrance, piped to fixtures in the auditorium. At a later date gasoline vapour of Coleman fixtures were installed and these served until the installation of electricity in June of 1932. The history of the church's illumination is also the history of the illumination in Southern Ontario rural district over the past hundred years. The ordinance of Holy Communion was observed regularly over the years, the household of John Albert Jones being responsible for its preparation from previous to 1889 to 1934. Three elements were originally served as communicants: water, bread and wine. The water was passed from person to person in a large, white bowl; the wine contained in a decanter and goblet on the communion table was reserved for those who considered themselves worthy of the privilege. Page 12 " "A ten-point charge in 1863, the Pickering Circuit had not preserved records of its congregations at each point humorous, though perhaps not accurate observation, of these days suggested that the Methodist talked a lot, but wrote little, whereas the Presbyterians wrote a lot but said little. Whatever the case may have been, it was not until 1871 that the Rev. George Cornish instituted a circuit register in which were listed the classes at each appointment For this record our church is, indeed indebted This register lists such names as Wilson, Day, Jones, Crummer, Gallagher, Mowbray and Disney as being returned to the Methodist Conference of 1871. From the time of this first record until the turn of the century, the church membership grew from only a score of names to some fourscore. By 1893 when the present building was dedicated, the Circuit has been reduced to six points i.e. Greenwood, Kinsale, Audley, Brougham, Mount Zion and Glen Major. At the time of church union between the Majority of the Methodist churches and Presbyterian churches in 1925, the Circuit was reorganized into a three-point charge of Greenwood, Kinsale and Mount Zion. Under the jurisdiction of the United Church of Canada, the Circuit became a member of the Oshawa Presbytery in the Bay of Quinte conference, an affiliation which has been maintained over the last sixty-five years. As today is tomorrow's history, so yesterday is today's history. And so it seems but yesterday that yet another generation has been nurtured and reared, and established its place in the Mount Zion Community. This generation now looks back on more than thirty-five years of participation and achievement that has maintained the church as the focal point of the community's social and spiritual activity. Of the tangible and the visible there is a considerable list. Page 13 " "In the early 1960's as the economy of the rural areas improved, the congregations commenced with the installing of a new concrete floor in the basement, upgrading the heating system with an oil-fired furnace, expanding and updating the church kitchen and repairing the church roof. The eastern section of the church shed was transferred to the Town of Pickering Museum in 1965 It was during this period that the finances of the Greenwood-Mount Zion charge became more closely integrated. The mid-1970's saw the upgrading of the washroom facilities and the installation of a new well to supply the needs of the the facilities and the kitchen. With these improvement it became more convenient to organize large gathering activities such as Stewards' Suppers which has evolved into the locally famed Mount Zion Turkey Supper, a tradition that continues to the present. In the early 1980's trees were planted to beautify the church grounds adding to the existing foundation plantings which had been donated and maintained for so many years by Irene and Cecil Jones. Such was the church and its appearance enhanced that in 1986 it was selected as part of the location of a film ""Heaven on Earth"" . Two years later the first Nativity enactment was staged in the open air, a production of narrative, music and local cast participation. It has subsequently become an annual event that merits the commendations of the greater rural community. In the last year of the eighties the oil fired heating was replaced by electric furnaces with an accompanying upgrading of the electrical and insulation standards. Page 14 " "The congregation have continued to improve their century old church in the 1990's. A new front door, a new basement south wall, a new sign and a new kitchen floor were installed in 1990 and 1991. In 1992 the front entrance walls were panelled, landscaping shrubs planted and in 1993 the back entrance and shed re-clad. Summer and fall activities have included cook-outs, pork roasts and yard sales. These improvements and activities indicate the able leadership, strong social and community commitment and spiritual fellowship of the Mount Zion United Church. While reflecting on the todays and yesterdays of Mount Zion, one ponders the future of this congregation and community. Across rural Ontario substantial changes are taking place in the farming communities, particularly those in proximity to larger urban centres Being scaled to human size has been one of the major pleasures of rural life; the individual is known in the community and the community values that individual. It is such feelings of belonging in the rural neighbourhood that have provided the cohesiveness and remarkable strength of the congregation through many generations. Let us profoundly hope that these qualities will continue to be possible in a changing community beset by so many outside influences. Mount Zion has seen much change in the past, has adapted, but may see even greater change in the new impending century. With God's grace and our prayers may it continue to serve well our children's children. Page 15 " "A hundred and thirty-seven years have come and passed since the Jackson congregation first met together in the pioneer homes for worship and Christian fellowship. 0ver a hundred winters have gripped these rolling hills and over a hundred summers have smiled upon these fertile valleys. Long ago the founders of Mount Zion Church and their children have been laid to rest in the Salem churchyard. Sould you go there on an evening as the sun is setting among the hills, and you read the names of these pioneers, perhaps you too will be caught in the spell of those early days of loneliness and faith, hardship and hope, industry and foresight. And perhaps the greatness of their vision will stir your hearts too. In the hush of our worship they still commune, - in the glow of our memories they still live. Do not our lanes and fields still ring to the cleaving blows of their axes? Do not we fleetingly discern their rugged features as they trudge toward the meeting-house of a cold winter evening? Do not we catch the glimpse of soft candle-light from a cabin window beyond the trees of a summer night? Yes, they are still among us. With our share of their faith in God's promises, we need not fear the tomorrows that are yet to come Compiled and Updated by: Alan Clark Page 16 " "Ministers Who Served the Jackson's and Mount Zion Congregation Years — Minister — Assistant(s) Previous to and circa 1850, George Cambell (first local preacher and school teacher) Toronto District-Oshawa Circuit 1851 - John Law — Robert Lochead 1852 - John Law — David C McDowell 1853 - Peter Ker — 1854 - David B. Madden — Robert Fowler (Site for the frame church purchased.) Whitby District — Whitby Circuit 1855— David B. Madden — Alexander Drennan 1856— William Willoughby — Thomas D Pearson (Frame church erected.) 1857— William Willoughby — Thomas D. Pearson 1858— William Willoughby — Alfred Andrews 1859— John Hunt — Alfred Andrews 1860— L. Warner — G.Dickson, S. Night 1861— L. Warner — G.Dickson, R.O. Wilson 1862— L. Warner — G.Dickson, R.O Wilson Whitby District- Pickering Circuit (Duffin's Creek. Brougham, Mount Pleasant. Claremont, Glen Sherrard. Jackson's. Salem. Greenwood, Kinsale, Audley.) 1863-1861 — William McFadden — Alfred McCann 1865-— John N. Lake — Edward Morrow, B .B 1866- 1867— Henry Reid —Albert C. Wilson 1868-— Thomas Stobbs— Newton Hill 1869-1870— Thomas Stobbs— William Walsh 1871— George H. Cornish— James E Werden 1872— George H. Cornish — Joseph Deacon, Andrew Ross 1873— George H. Cornish — Andrew Ross (Union of the branches of methodism to form the Methodist Church of Canada Frame church moved to the present site ) 1874-1876 — W W. Leech —T.P. Steel 1877-— S. Washington 1878— W. Dingman 1879-— Chas. Langford —W. Wilkinson 1880-— Chas. Langford— Wm. H. Learoyd 1881-— Chas Langford— T. Bartley 1882— F.C Kean —T. Bartley 1883-1885— F.C. Kean— J.J. Ferguson 1886- —M.S. Matthews 1887-1888— G.M. Brown Whitby District-Greenwood Circuit (Greenwood, Brougham. Mount Zion, Audley, Salem, Glen Major. Kinsal. Glen Sharrard changed to Glen Major; Salem services discontinued circa. 1890.) Page 17 " "Years— Minister— Assistant 1889-— W. Hall— W . A Bunner 1890-91— G.W. Hewitt— 1892-— John Harris — George Mason 1893-— John Harris — C.W. Reynolds (The present brick church erected.) 1894-— John Harris — George Mason 1895-— John Harris — C.W. Reynolds 1896-— James Thom —T.H. McDonald (By now a six-point circuit; student assistants were discontinued and substituted by lay Ministers if available.) 1897-1899 —G.R. Clare 1900- —James MacFarlane 1901- —W.W. Leech 1901-1902 —Daniel Willians 1903-1908 —E. A. Tonkin 1908-1912 —S.T. Tucker 1913-1915 —E . W . Tink 1916-1918 —J.O. Totton 1919- —M. Wilkinson 1920-1922 —J.W. Bunner 1923-1925 —Montague W.Leigh 1923-1926 (Union of the Methodist and Presbyterian churches form the United Church of Canada.) 1926-1928 —Joseph Barnes 1929-1931— W.S. Smart 1932-1934— Fred Horton 1935-1938— H.H Mutton 1939-1945— R.W. McVey 1946-1948— R.C. Luffman 1949-1952— H.R. Monkman 1953-1958— Henry Moore 1958-1976— Thomas Fleetham 1976-1978— John VanGulick 1978-1986— A. M. Butler 1986-1992— Sharon Patterson 1992-1993— H.H. Batstone and Charles Swan 1993-Present Dale Elizabeth Young Church Officers 1993 Minister: Rev. Dale Elizabeth Young Session: Rev. Dale E. Young, Murray Jones, Lloyd Harbron, Ian Robb and Donald Jamieson Board of Trustees: Allen Carson, Grant Carson, Reta Harbron, Harold Parkin, Glenn Manderson and Frank McAvoy Board of Stewards: Donald Jamieson, Murray Jones, Rob Carson, Gordon Duncan, John Wilson, Mike Stymest, Murray Steeves, Sue Stymest, Ken Wilson and Lloyd Harbron Organist and Choir Leader: J.C. Coolen President of United Church Women: Alma Wilson President of the Men's Club: Murray Jones President of the Active Service Class: Evelyn Jones Presbytery Representative: Rob Carson Anniversary Committees Chairman-Donald Jamieson Kari Kelso, Alma Wilson, Alma Jones, Joan Wilson, Murray Jones, Grant Carson, Murray Steeves, Rev. Dale Elizabeth Young and J.C. Coolen Page 18 "