HomeMy WebLinkAbout533Paperbound book, 15 x 23 cm., 122 pages, written by Diane Schillaci,
the story of Dunbarton-Fairport United church.
"THE MEMORIES MAKE THE HISTORY, DON'T THEY....
The story of
DUNBARTON - FAIRPORT UNITED CHURCH
and ERSKINE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
A Salute to Her People
****
A Celebration of Faith
Diane Schillaci
"
"THE MEMORIES MAKE THE HISTORY, DON'T THEY ....
Copyright 1986 by Diane Schillaci
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means
without permission in writing from the author.
Acknowledgement: The author gratefully acknowledges permission to quote from
""The Secular City"" by Harvey G. Cox, copyright c. 1965 by Harvey G. Cox and
reprinted by permission from the publisher, Macmillan Publishing Company.
"
"CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION — 1
A TALE OF TWO CHURCHES — 4
THE UNIFIED CONGREGATION — 29
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY — 37
FAIRPORT - THE EARLY YEARS — 54
DUNBARTON REBUILDS — 63
INTO A NEW ERA TOGETHER — 73
A SALUTE TO THE WOMEN — 78
EMPLOYING THE ENTHUSIASM OF YOUTH— 92
BIBLE SOCIETY — 98
THE SOUND OF MUSIC —100
A FINAL WORD — 104
APPENDICES:
A. Taking a Look Around — 107
B. Taking a Look Around Erskine Church — 111
C.1 Founding Members — 116
C.2 Roll of Honour, W.W.I — 116
C.3 Roll of Honour, W.W.II — 117
D. Basis of Union — 118
E. Contents of Time Capsule — 119
BIBLIOGRAPHY — 120
"
"In Dedication [Aurelia]
As others have before us, we come 0 Lord today;
As others will who follow, we praise you on our way.
With each new generation, as ages come and go
Though all the world changes, one changeless God we know.
Our forebears built a church here, where they could join in praise
To worship as your family through all their living days;
In pious adoration, those humble folk and true
Worked hard and made their witness, and then went home to you.
Now in our turn, dear Father, we've had to face the test,
Not as to who is wisest, nor as to who is best,
But as to how, together, combining one with all,
We best can serve our neighbours, in answer to your call.
So we have built a church as our faith told us we must
We've made a new commitment and sealed it with our trust;
Our work is just beginning; our witness far from done
To glorify our Father, inspired by your Son.
Eternal loving Parent, we thank you for our call
We thank you for this challenge to each one and to all
To go forth from this building empowered by your grace
That in our daily service, the world will see your face.
Copyright 1986, David M. Stone
"
"AUTHOR'S NOTE
In attempting to record the story of Dunbarton - Fairport United Church I have become all
too aware that the perception of history can be distorted by time and human memory.
I have had access to many of the records which have been kept but they often reflect only
one side of an argument. Therefore, if I have erred, I must ask the indulgence of the reader,
given the fact that it has sometimes been necessary to draw conclusions from limited
information - any error that does become apparent is not from lack of research but from
the scarcity of recorded history.
It is a pleasure to acknowledge the help of all the people who have given so freely of their
time and precious memories and in some cases, equally precious photographs.
Without their knowledge and reminiscences of early life in the villages of Dunbarton and
Fairport this book might have been merely a dry record of facts. I hope instead that it
provides the vehicle by which the reader can travel back in time as well as catch a glimpse
of the future.
My sincere appreciation is extended to Mrs. Doris Carr, Harold and Winnifred Mitchell,
W. B. Dunbar,the late Mrs. May O'Brien, J. D. O'Brien, Mrs. Monica (Mike) Cook,
Mrs. Mary Loucks, Mrs. Alice Lowdon, Dr. Wm. McKay, Harold Anderson,
Miss Mary Anderson, Rev. Fred Bayliss, Rev. Bob Raymont, Don and Marie Lynde,
Betty Heeler, Evelyn Westgate, Clare and Ivey Skitch for the time they have given me
and the questions they have answered. I am grateful to Douglas Wright of Scarborough
Ontario for permission to use his letter recalling his brief association with our church and
from which I have taken the title of this book.
Thanks also to my friend Dave Sills for his excellent photographs of archive material and the
interior of Erskine
"
"Church, and to Bill Wragg Sr. for providing, on very short notice, a well defined sketch of the
little church at Fairport which was demolished in 1984. I am especially grateful to those who
read the draft of my manuscript and provided helpful comments and suggestions for
clarification on some issues: Rev. R. Raymont, Dr. Wm. McKay, Mrs. Joyce Lawlor,
Clare and Jim Martyn, my parents Roy and Maude Speight and my husband Bob Schillaci.
Their encouragement and that of the many people who frequently inquired about the
progress of my first attempt at writing gave me the confidence to continue. Finally,
a special thank you to John and Lillian Perigoe for editing of the final draft, as well as the
assistance of John Dunlop in production; and to Joyce Lawlor for always being available
to point me in the right direction when there was information I needed.
Diane Schillaci
April, 1986
"
"INTRODUCTION
To fully appreciate the lives of the men and women of the Presbyterian denomination
who peopled the early pioneer settlements in Upper Canada and built and attended church,
it helps to understand a little of the history of the religion and the character of these people:
at once stern, upright and brooking nothing that suggested lack of moral fibre,
yet at the same time a people who gloried in many a highland fling or gay Gordon
when the toil for the week was done. When they formed a church, not only was it a
place of praise and exhortation to their God to guide them in their daily lives,
it formed a framework for their social lives and provided a place at which they could
congregate to visit and gossip with neighbours seldom seen during the busy week.
The church which our Scottish ancestors built for themselves belonged to one of the
splinter groups making up the Presbyterian denomination, and there was a certain rivalry
amongst such groups as the Church of Scotland, the Free Presbyterians and the
Secessionist Church which was the group with which Dunbarton was affiliated.
Over the years various of these splinter groups formed unions amongst themselves,
and this explains the decision in 1840 to abide by the pastorate of Secessionist
Robert Thornton rather than that of Wm. Lambie who was a minister of the Church of
Scotland.
The name Presbyterian is derived from the Greek word presbyteros, Elder, and the Elders
originally formed the governing body of the church, with a minister who acted in the role of
moderator. When pioneers formed their congregation, the Elders they elected were men
whose moral values exemplified the Christian faith. Once elected to the session,
these gentlemen were ordained and held the post for life, acting as a body of
assistance to the minister and guiding the flock in its spiritual life. It was the responsibility
of the Elders to discipline members of the congregation when the occasion arose
(a candidate for membership
"
"2
was taken to task very sternly by the Elders at the time of his reception into fellowship in
1842 for 'having committed fornication') and to assure attendance at Sabbath services
through visits to the homes of members.
As the Elders guided the congregation spiritually, the Managers they elected cared for the
temporal aspect of church life, the collecting of funds and raising of money, as well as the
general caretaking of the building and the grounds. After the union creating the United
Church of Canada, the Managers came to be known as the Board of Stewards.
Up to the time when the decision was made to hold communion quarterly,
the Sacrament was observed irregularly. However it was then, as it is now,
a very special occasion and the early members of the church took care to prepare
themselves to receive it. On the Saturday night immediately preceding a Communion Sunday,
preparatory services were held in which the congregation participated,
confessing unworthiness to receive the Sacrament and praying for forgiveness
of their transgressions.
When a person wished to join the congregation, he was recommended as a candidate
for membership by the minister to the Elders who in turn examined the worthiness of the
subject. Upon the approval of the Session, the man or woman took communion and was
welcomed into fellowship with the rest of the congregation.
Services on the Sabbath were lengthy affairs, and devoid of musical accompaniment
until the latter third of the nineteenth century. It was expected that the minister would
sermonize and exhort his flock for no less than an hour, being very blunt in his message
to forsake paths of evil and sloth. In an era when the safe birth of children and the survival
of the mother was uncertain, a special service was held in the form of the 'Churching of
Woman', at which time the new mother would accompany her husband to the church to
give thanks for the blessing bestowed and for her own safe delivery.
"
"-3-
Sabbath services, for all their gravity throughout, were also very social occasions,
the social event of the week, before and after which all who came would spend much time
visiting with neighbours who had walked (or, if they were a little more affluent, driven their
buggies) many a mile. (Occasionally, poor weather contributed to conditions that made
walking or travelling difficult, and at such times reference is made to a poor turn out.)
Entertainment of the time was only what people made for themselves, and they made the
most of these times when so many people gathered for one occasion.
Here, then, is the story of Dunbarton-Fairport United Church which began over one hundred
and fifty years ago and is today on the very threshold of a new era.
"
"A TALE OF TWO CHURCHES
Genesis and Early Trials
In 1911, Rev. Wm. R. Wood, a former minister of Dunbarton Presbyterian Church,
published a very readable and entertaining history of the Township of Pickering in which he
devoted several chapters to the birth of Presbyterianism in the Township.
What Rev. Wood neglected to tell, however, is that his research led him to study an extremely
well-preserved, hand-written account of the Minutes of the Session of Pickering United
Associate Synod of Scotland, 1835 - 1851. If one can accustom one's eyes to the spidery,
often blotted script of the writer of this book, a shadowy figure using a quill pen dipped in ink
every few letters, one will come upon some fascinating glimpses into a past that is far distant
from today's world.
Even the world of Rev. Wood, although a part of the current century, was closer to that
inhabited by the people who founded what is today called Dunbarton-Fairport United Church,
because he was part of the Presbyterian Church seventeen years before the union which
created the United Church of Canada.
Let's take a trip back then, to the village of Dunbarton in the township of Pickering,
Upper Canada to meet the people who created the church we know today.
The year is 1835.
Upper Canada had been created some fifty-one years earlier and was experiencing a
period of phenomenal growth as settlers newly arrived from the British Isles, and
United Empire Loyalists from the United States flooded into the country and established
themselves on the land. The City of Toronto had been incorporated the previous year,
and her first mayor, a fiery little Scot from Dundee was writing articles in his newspaper.
The Colonial Advocate, which would incite many to rebel against those worthy gentlemen
who held tightly the reins of power.
"
"- 5-
The Village of Dunbarton, some twenty-five miles east of Toronto, had been laid out in 1831
by Wm. Dunbar, a native of the ancient university town of St. Andrews in Scotland.
Purchasing 100 acres of thickly wooded land from the Crown, Dunbar proceeded,
with the help of his young family, to clear the land, and within a short time he built a
house for himself and laid out plans for the village which still bears his name.
Over the next few years he was joined by other Scottish immigrants and the forest gave way
to acres of cleared land and these hardy pioneers built homesteads in what had been,
such a short time ago, a wilderness.
At about this same time, twenty-seven-year-old Robert Hill Thornton was ordained as a
minister of the United Secession Church of Scotland, and on May 8, 1833,
less than a month after his ordination, he set sail from Greenock, Scotland on a mission to
preach the Gospel in Canada. Arriving in New York seven weeks later,
Rev. Thornton and his bride of less than three months proceeded to Rochester and thence
across Lake Ontario to Cobourg. After settling Mrs. Thornton in Cobourg, he travelled west
seeking out settlers in the densely forested areas along the northern shore of Lake Ontario.
This energetic, dedicated man soon established a Congregation at Whitby,
where Thornton Road has become a memorial to him. He was not content, however,
to settle down, and in July of 1835, his travels carried him into the Township of Pickering,
where he found a number of Scottish settlers eager to hear him speak.
Life was not easy for these first pioneers, but they were of hardy stock, and their
determination to build a life in the wilderness of Upper Canada was lighted by a strong and
unbending faith. Most had left dearly loved homes far behind in England and Scotland,
and had come to this new land bringing with them the hopes and dreams they would need to
sustain them through the arduous sea voyage and years of back-breaking toil.
Small wonder then, that they placed great emphasis on the need to build a church -
a place to lift them up when times were hard as they
"
"- 6 -
The first page of the Session Book records the appointment of elders and managers at the
first session meeting, (J. David Sills)
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"- 7 -
so often were.
Thus, on July 5, 1835, in a small schoolhouse owned by 'Squire' Francis Ley,
just east of Pickering Village, a small group of men and women met with Rev. Thornton.
One of the first things they did was to elect a body of men to be known as Elders -
William Dunbar, John Agnew and James Greig; Mr. Greig was appointed Clerk of this
Session.
Later on that year, these gentlemen called a meeting of the Congregation for the purpose of
naming Managers, and to this post were elected William Dunbar Jr., William Wilkie,
Thomas Brand and John Agnew. Mr. Agnew was also to be Convenor and Treasurer.
On November 7, 1835, the first Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in Pickering Township was
dispensed by Rev. Thornton to eighteen men and women. A Congregation was thus
established.
From the end of November 1835 through the end of April 1836, services were held every
week at Squire Ley's. During the months of May and June these services were held
fortnightly, but weekly meetings were resumed in July. Rev. Thornton, aided by the Elders,
presided over the flock here as he did in the other small communities where he was so
eagerly welcomed. Collection at weekly services was meagre, and on May 7, 1837,
the Treasurer accounted to the Managers for the princely sum of 6 pounds,
4 shillings and 11 pence, the total of the monies accumulated since the first collection
was taken! The Congregation appears to have thrived because names were constantly
being added, and on August 12, 1838, the first roll of communicants was drawn up,
showing a total of 47 names.
Mackenzie's Rebellion in Pickering
A series of events late in 1837, however, suggest a rift in the Congregation.
To digress briefly, a review of the politics of the age will remind us that William
Lyon Mackenzie had led his followers and agitators for reform into an abortive rebellion on
"
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The Minutes for 12 August 1838 show monies collected and the membership roll of
Pickering United Associate Synod of Scotland.
(J. David Sills)
Pickering the 12 August 1838
Members names belonging to the Presbyterian Congregation.
Robert Smith, Isobel Smith, Ann Wilkie, William Wilkie, Mr and Mrs. Squire William Dunbar,
Jane and John Dunbar, Ellen Peat, Isobel Peat, Andrew Alison, Janet Alison, Alex Wadell,
Catherine Wadell, Mrs. Knox, Len Knox, Jane Knox, Robert Coutts, Jane Coutts, David
Gilchrist, Mary Dickens, Laura Bratt, Samuel Sommerville, John Brander, Elizabeth Dunbar,
Matthew Hyslop, Janet Hyslop, George Hamilton, Thomas Brand, James Peters,
Sarah Peters, Jane Greig, Thomas Park, Mrs. Park, James park, Robert McConochie,
Mrs. McConochie, George Brown, Christian Brown, Peter Nisbett, Isiach McCardle,
Shileura Symmonds, Michael Anderson, Elizabeth Anderson, Robert Gibson,
Margaret Gibson, John Agnew, Thomas Annan,
Donald Munro, Alex McIntosh, Donald McKay, Francis Ley, Robert Smith, William Smith,
Eb. Birrell, Alex Dunlop."
"- 9 -
December 7, 1837. By December 8, the rebels had scattered, many,
including Mackenzie, to the United States, while others were jailed and some executed.
While the neighbouring Township of Scarborough was generally loyal to the Crown,
many Pickering men were sympathetic to the rebels. Mackenzie had been a frequent
visitor to the Pickering area, often joining the settlers in a merry highland fling.
William Dunbar Sr. and his sons were numbered amongst Mackenzie's more moderate
sympathizers. The Toronto Globe, in an article on August 6, 1869, said of Mr. Dunbar:
A Tory neighbour reported him as a rebel, though rebellion or opposition to the authorities
by forceable means was far from his thoughts. Early on a Sabbath morning,
while sitting alone reading by his fireside, he was rudely seized by a band of
volunteers and marched off to Toronto, with two of his sons, through the snow,
without hat or coat, his ferocious captors not allowing him to supply himself with either.
The authorities there were all confusion so he was put in ward till next day,
when some sort of court was constituted to try the prisoners that had been brought in.
His case, as well as that of his two sons, was soon settled as the charge of disloyalty had
not the shadow of foundation. He and his sons were immediately dismissed as innocent men.
(Another Pickering man was not as fortunate as the Dunbar men. Peter Matthews,
whose family lived on the 7th Concession of the Township, was tried, found guilty of treason
and hanged.)
Even Rev. Robert Thornton did not escape the suspicion of being in league with the rebels,
and had the misfortune of being shot at by troops stationed in a house neighbouring his own
as he rode home one night. Undaunted, Thornton rode back and confronted the commanding
officer who reprimanded the soldier responsible for the action. This suspicion however,
created uneasiness within his own Congregation, and attendance at Sunday services
dwindled over the next few years.
In Dunbarton, however, Session minutes indicate that Sabbath services and Session
meetings continued to be observed, although on December 24, 1837, James Greig,
Clerk of Session, entered into
"
"-10 -
the minutes the following brief and very terse statement:
The Session Clerk has this day delivered up the Session Book to the Congregation
and in the meantime renounces fellowship therewith.
In an entry sometime later. Rev. Thornton angrily denounced the actions of the Clerk by
stating that:
…….in the judgement of all concerned has by his unconstitutional and
unChristianlike conduct forfeited all title to Church privileges, the Session agreed that his
name be taken from the Communicant Roll.
Rev. Thornton appended the notation:
Owing to the singular nature of the case and the remarkable temper displayed by the clerk
precluding any attempts to reclaim, the Session thought it best to enter no details in the
records of the case.
As a result of these statements and the timing of them, one could conclude that Mr. Greig's
sympathies were in opposition to the rest of the Congregation with regard to the necessity for
rebellion. William Dunbar was appointed Clerk in place of the disgraced Mr. Greig.
Mr. Dunbar must have had an idea of the value of records kept by the Session because he
wrote into the account a brief historical note telling of the engagement by the Congregation
of Rev. Thornton as their pastor for a two-year period ending with the second Sunday of
October at a salary of twenty-five pounds per annum, preaching on alternate Sabbaths.
He added that services continued to be held at Mr. Ley's school at half past two of a Sunday.
With the loss of James Greig as a member, the Congregation also forfeited his generous
contributions, a loss that must have created financial difficulty. Just prior to his angry note in
the Session Book, Mr. Greig is credited with a contribution of one pound, fourteen shillings,
a considerable sum of money at that time. (On February 6, 1839, the total collection
notwithstanding, the
"
"- 11 -
Congregation faced a deficit of 18 shillings, eleven and a half pence.
In an attempt to alleviate this condition, the Managers made enquiry into the availability to
them of a grant, but found that their not being in connection with the Church of Scotland
precluded them from being eligible.
Later on in the year of 1839 Mr. Dunbar, in his records of the Session, makes reference to
the fact that a collection taken at Mr. Ley's had amounted to 1 shilling, three and a half pence
and a collection taken at the 2nd Concession totalled two shillings, three and a half pence.
This is the first occasion on which reference is made to any meetings taking place on the 2nd
Concession, but it is apparent that a branch of the Congregation had begun to meet at a
school house that was once located at the northwest corner of the 2nd Concession and
Fairport Rd.
Rev. Thornton had, earlier in 1839, advised his Congregation of the difficulties he was
encountering due to ill health, and suggested that perhaps someone should be found to
replace him. Support of at least part of the Congregation was with Rev. Thornton,
and they requested that he continue to minister to their needs every three weeks with
supply of sermon supplementing him, as long as his health would permit.
There was a body in the Congregation, however, who were not satisfied with the
Secessionist views expressed by Rev. Thornton and who opted for the Church of
Scotland teachings of Rev. Lambie.
Late in 1840, the Elders and Managers met at the home of Mr. Dunbar and discussed
whether they would issue a call to Rev. Lambie, or abide by the pastorate of Rev. Thornton.
The concensus was in favour of the latter. Hence the followers of Rev. Thornton moved their
meetings to the school on the 2nd Concession, whilst Rev. Lambie's followers continued to
meet at Mr. Ley's school. This story will follow the lives of people who decided to abide by
the ministry of Rev. Thornton.
"
"- 12 -
A hiatus occurs in the records of this very early period in the history of Dunbarton Church,
because the records end with an entry in the Session Book on May 22, 1842,
and do not resume until January 1, 1848.
Erskine Pastoral Charge
Sometime in 1847, a new two-point charge was created, consisting of a Front Station,
meeting on the 2nd Concession and a Back Station meeting at Claremont,
the charge being designated as Erskine. When the Session met on January 1, 1848,
at the home of Wm. Dunbar, The Elders agreed to the election of Dunbar as Session
Clerk and as Presbytery Elder for the next three months. They also decided upon the
necessity of holding quarterly session meetings and they agreed to hold a Congregational
Meeting of the Front Station to elect Managers for the following year. A motion was passed
that collections taken on the Saturday and Sunday during which the Sacrament was
dispensed, 'be kept as a separate fund for the necessary expenses incurred on that
occasion and the surplus, if any be at the disposal of the Managers of the Congregational
funds.' Mr. Dunbar was requested to provide bread and wine for the Sacrament.
In March of that year a Congregational list was drawn up of members in the Front Station
and the Back Station and the name of Rev. A. W. Waddell appears as pastor.
(A brief footnote in Session minutes, however, suggests that Wm. Speirs should be
suspended from Church privileges 'on account of certain credible reports that he has used
language unbecoming a Christian'. Mr. Speirs' name was ultimately erased entirely from
Church records.)
By early 1852, membership in the congregation had grown sufficiently to consider the
formation of a Missionary Society, and it was the duty of the women of the Society to act as
collectors; territories were set out for these ladies at a meeting held in February at the home
of the Chairman, Rev. A. W. Waddell. Mrs. Sherwood was to have as her area the territory
east of Brock
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Road and north of Kingston Road. Mrs. Buchan, south of Kingston Road and east of
Frenchman's Bay; Margaret Nisbet, from Brock Road west to the meeting house,
from the Second Concession south. Janet Allison was assigned the area west of the
meeting house and north of the Second Concession, and Anne Common had the area
from the meeting house to Brock Road and from the Second Concession north.
The ladies were provided with books in which to record the monies collected,
as well as a list of names of the congregational members within their territories.
(This is the earliest geographical definition of the congregation.) Mrs. McKeggie,
in her capacity as Treasurer, received the contributions.
Three gentlemen of the congregation, Alexander Dunbar, James Allison and John Parker
were chosen to assist the ladies in carrying out the objects of the Society;
Mr. Parker was elected as Chairman.
During the early years of the 1850's, disagreements began to arise within the congregation
which finally led to a schism that would not be healed for many years. Early in 1851,
William Wilkie resigned from the Session, his reason being a disagreement with
Rev. Waddell who was, in Mr. Wilkie's opinion, neglecting congregational visitations.
Rev. Waddell neither denied the charge nor offered explanation or apology.
The hard feelings created as a result of this conflict may have led to the inability of the
congregation to come to an agreement a short time later when the decision to build a
meeting house was taken.
The decision to build a church came about sometime during 1851 - 52, and the resulting
discussions became the source of a great deal of acrimonious wrangling.
The eventual breach in the congregation that resulted from these discussions led to the
formation of two separate congregations which would not be reunited for almost thirty years.
At a meeting of the Managers on December 28, 1852, however, a committee was formed to
investigate the building of a church and discussion centred around the best location to erect
the proposed meeting house. The suggestion was made to consider a
"
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The minutes from 24 January 1853 shows a resolution expressing intention not to oppose
building of Erskine Church. (J. David Sills)
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site near the Kingston Road; property was also offered by both Mrs. Brand and
Mr. Ferguson, should a site on the Second Concession be found to be desirable instead.
Wherever the building was to be erected, the committee was in general agreement that it
should seat upwards of 300 people. A subscription list was to be drawn up to pay for the
proposed structure.
A number of meetings were held with poor attendance by one party or the other,
but on March 24, 1853, a motion by certain members of the building committee was
made and carried, to appoint trustees to hold the title to 1 1/4 acres of land acquired from
Alexander Ferguson on the southwest angle of Lot No. 26 on the Second Concession,
for the purpose of erecting a church and burial ground. Those chosen as trustees were
Robert Smith, David Clark, and Thomas Annan.
On March 5, 1853, a contract was signed by John Allison to erect a building on that property,
the dimensions of which were to be 44' x 34', set upon a foundation of cedar posts 18""
in diameter and sunk into the ground 'a sufficient depth to warrant permanancy'.
The cost of this building, 170 pounds, was to be paid in three installments,
seventy-five pounds on Dec. 1, 1853, 52.10 pounds on June 1, 1854,
and 42.10 due Dec. 1854. The contractor further agreed to forfeit the sum of 25 pounds if the
building was not finished by June 15, 1854. Materials used in the building were to be
purchased locally.
While these negotiations were being carried out, however, the section of the congregation
opposing construction on the Second Concession held a meeting at the home of
Wm. Dunbar and unanimously agreed that while they would offer no opposition to their
fellow countrymen, they would continue with their own plans to build a meeting house on the
Kingston Road. The building committee appointed included John McKeggie, Wm. Dunbar,
Wm. Chisholm, George Kilpatrick and John Parker.
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George Bostwick offered half an acre of his land on Lot No. 24, provided he be given the
contract of manufacturing the bricks necessary to build the church. As a further enticement,
he offered a 10 pound subscription to the building fund.
The congregation considered the offer, thanked Mr. Bostwick, and accepted instead the offer
of William Dunbar for one quarter of an acre of land at the top of a hill that comprised his
apple orchard.
Having settled the question of location, this committee approached Mr. Maberley of
Toronto to draw up plans for a building of approximately 45' x 34' that would seat 250.
Upon examining the plans submitted, however, the Building Committee concluded that they
were too expensive, and Mr. Dunbar was requested to draw up new plans.
These were subsequently adopted.
Early in May, 1853, an attempt was made to resolve the differences between the two
factions which made up the congregation. An olive branch was tendered by the Dunbarton
group when they offered to request the assistance of the Moderator of Presbytery in settling
the differences and agreeing to abide by his recommendations, but the Managers from the
Second Concession stubbornly refused to have any part of such mediation.
As a result plans were accelerated to commence work at once on the Church on the
Kingston Road. Contracts were drawn up with Murdoch McKenzie for the carpentry work,
and Andrew Hubbard for the supply of lumber ($10 / thousand for clear and dry stuff and
$6 for common), and A. Archibald for masonry work. (Mr. Archibald was instructed that he
must supply his own scaffolding and the necessary water for this job.) John McKeggie
agreed to supply 75,000 bricks at 72.10 pounds which were to be made at Mr. Bostwick's
brickyard.
At the period during which parties from both Dunbarton and the Second Concession were
actively getting their two buildings underway, Rev. Waddell became involved, probably less
than
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Background history recorded by Wm. Dunbar in 1854. (J. David Sills)
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willingly. Rev. Waddell had been pastor to the Congregation since it formed again in 1847,
and now he found himself accused by parties on the Second Concession of subscribing
largely to the building of the meeting house on Kingston Road. They demanded to be
informed how he intended to apportion his services.
At the same time, the Dunbarton Congregation sent a delegation to him to ascertain
whether he would continue with them until the fall, should he submit his demission.
Poor Rev. Waddell. In a reply to the demands from the Erskine group, he entered into
Congregational records the following rebuttal:
1. I never subscribed for the building of a meeting house to
be under my pastoral care. There was no such condition either
improper or understood by me.
2. My contribution to the people at Dunbarton was promised
before the decision to build on the Second Concession.
3. The same contribution was offered to this section of the
Congregation generally more than a year ago and was refused,
much to my disappointment.
4. It is admitted that it would be injurious to build a house
so near, but in reply, I would say that the house is not to
be built by me. I shall not urge the prosecution of the project
but neither is it in my power to prevent it.
5. I intend during my connection with the Congregation to
apportion my services as I have done hitherto. I have neither
the intention nor the authority to change the actions of the
Congregation.
This rebuttal, however, was apparently not received with favour by either congregation,
because in September 1853, 33 members and 68 adherents of Dunbarton issued a
call to Rev. Alexander Kennedy to the charge of Dunbarton.
Erskine Congregation, meanwhile, requested the Rear Station (Claremont) to call a
Congregational meeting in order to form a two-point charge with Erskine.
The Rev. Mr. Ormiston of Toronto was requested to supply vacancies as often as possible.
For his
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services he was to receive one pound per day and he was instructed that he must 'find his
own conveyance between stations'. A subscription list was drawn up for the construction
of the United Presbyterian Congregation, Front Station, Pickering (Erskine) and a schedule
for such payments was also decided upon.
At the congregational meeting of the Erskine Congregation on January 3, 1855,
Managers were elected for the ensuing year in the persons of D. Gilchrist, Michael Anderson,
John Stein, Robert Gilmer, Wm. Wilkie and Thomas Annan Sr. The Church was officially
designated The Erskine Church in Connection with the United Presbyterian Church in
Canada, and the Session was instructed to apply to Presbytery for a moderator.
Dunbarton and Canton United Presbyterian Church
Early in January, 1854, a decision was made by the Congregation of Dunbarton Church on
the Kingston Road to draw up a Constitution similar to that of Melville Free Presbyterian
Church at Highland Creek, but in March such plans were tabled in order to consider a
suggestion made by a group of people living in Canton (Pickering Village) to effect a
union with those who were at the time considering a station there. Both congregations
felt that a union would help them to support the hiring of a permanent minister,
so Dunbarton took the final step of applying to the United Presbyterian Congregation of
Pickering (Erskine) for official disjunction from that body. This was effected much more
amicably than was the attempt to agree on the building of a meeting house,
and once the separation was finalized, William Dunbar, Robert Aitkin and Peter Nisbet
were directed to attend the next meeting of Presbytery to request recognition as a
separate body. Rev. Thornton, who was now Moderator of Durham Presbytery,
was then requested to procure the services of Rev. Alexander Kennedy for the church which
was to be designated Dunbarton and Canton United Presbyterian Church.
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On May 2, 1854, a meeting of Session was held in the newly built church at Dunbarton,
and a subscription book was started towards paying the salary of the new minister.
The church was officially opened on May 21, by Rev. Dr. Taylor, with the assistance of the
Rev. Wm. Ormiston.
Rev. Alexander Kennedy was an Ayreshire Scot, the son of an Elder in the Secessionist
Church, and from his earliest days he developed a love of liberty, civil and religious,
while maintaining a strenuous opposition to the use of liquor. In his book Past Years in
Pickering Rev. Wood tells the following tale:
………on one occasion in his student days he did not hesitate to reprove even the fathers of
the Presbytery for their laxity of principle and conduct in this regard. He had been present at
a meeting of Presbytery, probably submitting some student exercise or other,
for in those days Presbyterial oversight of students was a very real thing.
At the meeting a member of Presbytery had been deposed from the ministerial office for
drunkenness. But at the Presbytery dinner following the meeting intoxicating drinks were
used as before. Some opportunity was afforded Mr. Kennedy of addressing the members,
and referring to the use of liquor on the table, he made the significant remark: 'You have this
day stroked the lion that has slain your brother.' It is not known how the ministers received the
well-merited rebuke, but it was nothing less than heroic that a student should speak in such
terms to his ecclesiastical superiors and judges.
After attaining his degree in Theology from Glasgow University, Rev. Kennedy was appointed
as missionary to Trinidad. With his new bride he set sail and settled in Port of Spain early in
1836. He soon became known for his work to prevent oppression of and injustice to the
Blacks there. After working on the island for fourteen years, declining health made it
necessary for him to leave Trinidad. His intention was to return to Scotland,
stopping along the way to visit with friends in the United States and Canada.
One such stop lasted for many years - he discovered open doorways in the new land,
and the fresh northern air was responsible for a return to good health. He was received into
the United
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"21
Constitution of Dunbarton United Presbyterian Church. (J. David Sills)
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Presbyterian Church by the Presbytery in Toronto, and in September 1850 accepted a call to
Darlington where he preached until the spring of 1854. Upon his resignation there he
accepted a call from the people of Dunbarton and was inducted on October 3.
Rev. Kennedy was wholeheartedly welcomed by the new congregation,
and soon showed himself to be a man of warmth and humour with a large fund of anecdotes.
At a Congregational meeting in January 1855, the trustees of Dunbarton Church were
instructed to obtain a deed for the land on which the church was built, including the burying
ground a few yards west of the Church which had recently been acquired. At the same time
Mr. Dunbar took back a mortgage for one hundred pounds on the church.
A proposal was made and agreed to that henceforth, no more strangers would be allowed to
be buried in the Dunbarton Cemetery.
The constitution, tabled a year previously, was officially signed in the name of the
Congregation by trustees Alexander Dunbar, Chairman, and John McKeggie, Secretary,
on April 6, 1855.
Regular meetings of the Managers looked after the normal year-to-year operation of the
Church, such as increasing the salary of the minister from 12.10 pounds per quarter to
15 pounds, and meetings were held at Canton to encourage that body to contribute their
share of Rev. Kennedy's salary, house, rent and other congregational expenses.
At a congregational meeting of 1859, the Treasurer's Report for the previous year
showed the following receipts and disbursements:
Receipts
Received by Collection 23.lls.7d
Received by subscription 44.16s.3d
Received for Missionary Purposes (by collection) 15.10s
Received by Mr. Dunbar's Subscription 10.
Balance from 1858 05.03s.10d
= 99.01s.8d
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Disbursements
Minister's Salary 60.
Mission Schemes 15.
Sundry - Preacher's Wine 04.4s.2d
By Mr. Dunbar for house rent 10.
= 89.4s.2d
leaving a balance of 9.17s.6d. Since Mr. Dunbar was still owed for rent on Rev. Kennedy's
residence, plus interest, the Treasurer was instructed to pay him 5 pounds and open a
subscription for the balance (subscriptions amounted to 8 pounds.) By the year 1861,
sufficient monies had been collected to pay off the debt on the church, and the mortgage
was subsequently discharged. At a meeting of the Managers in June, a motion was adopted
to lower the crows' nest pulpit and erect a platform in front of it. Wm. Dunbar Sr. offered to
provide the lumber for the job.
In 1864, at a meeting of the congregation, a motion was put forward to introduce the singing
of hymns into the services of worship. This issue had been a contentious one in some
churches, but the Dunbarton congregation agreed almost unanimously to approve the motion.
A year later. Jonathan Holmes suggested that the hymns be used much more generally;
although the congregation endorsed the use of such a method of praise,
it apparently took them a little time to accustom themselves to it.
The third quarter of the nineteenth century was a time during which prosperity was evident
throughout the community and the country as a whole. In January 1863. during the course
of the annual congregational meeting, it was unanimously agreed that special thanksgiving
be offered up 'for the good feeling existing among members of the congregation and the
prosperous condition of the affairs of the church'.
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Jonathan Holmes (H. Mitchell)
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Further evidence of affluence can be seen in various motions to purchase a new buggy for
presentation to Rev. Kennedy and the plans by the Managers to erect a fence around the
church and build additions to the church sheds. An inside porch was also added to the front
entrance.
Rev. Kennedy tendered his resignation late in 1872, but found his congregation unwilling to
accept it. They petitioned him earnestly to reconsider, and he acquiesced.
When the question of a union between the Canadian Presbyterian Church and the
Presbyterian Church in connection with the Church of Scotland arose,
a resolution was passed by the congregation on January 11, 1874, that 'being convinced that
union is strength and dissension is weakness, and believing that there is no real or
substantial difference between the two churches in point of doctrine,
form of worship and discipline, do hereby accept the said basis of union between the said
Churches, believing that said union will add strength and efficiency to the united church and
tend to the glory of God.'
The following year, a special meeting of the congregation was called to vote upon the
question of introducing the use of an organ into services of worship to accompany the
singing of hymns. The resulting vote was 16-3 in favour of purchasing such an instrument,
and a subscription list was drawn up to procure the necessary funds. $75 was immediately
pledged by the congregation.
It was in this year also that the congregation learned with sadness of the death of their
founding minister and later Presbytery Moderator, Rev. Robert Thornton at the age of 69,
in the Town of Oshawa where he had up until the time of his death been minister at
St. Andrew's Church. He is buried in the Union Cemetery in Oshawa.
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Years of Change and Growth
The years from 1878 to 1882, once again saw a shift in congregations.
An agreement had been reached some years earlier between Rev. Kennedy and
Rev. Ross, the minister at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church at Duffin's Creek that should
either one of them resign, the other would do likewise and allow the congregations of
Canton and Duffin's Creek to unite as a two-point charge.
It appears that Rev. Ross was the one to submit his resignation and,
to fill his part of the accord, Rev. Kennedy once again expressed his intention to retire.
Once again he met with opposition from his congregation, but in the end,
Canton and Duffin's Creek reached an agreement between themselves;
they felt they would require a minister who would reside in their vicinity.
This demand was unacceptable to Dunbarton, particularly since they were the larger
congregation and thus paid a greater share of the pastor's salary and they feared the
cause of religion would be injured by a non-resident minister.
Although reluctant to separate from Canton, Dunbarton did accede to the request and
separation of the two congregations was achieved in 1879. Shortly thereafter,
Canton united with St. Andrew's of Duffin's Creek and St. John's of Claremont.
Dunbarton also agreed, albeit reluctantly to the resignation of Rev. Kennedy although they
petitioned the Presbytery to appoint him stated supply and moderator of Session until a
suitable replacement could be found.
Up until this time, certain trustees had been appointed as collectors, and it was the
responsibility of these gentlemen who were assigned certain areas of the congregation,
to call on families residing in their jurisdiction quarterly to collect monies previously pledged.
At the Annual Meeting of 1881, a motion was carried to make quarterly announcements
from the pulpit requesting that members should pay their subscriptions directly to the
treasurer or to place the money in an envelope on the collection plate.
It was also decided that a collection would be taken at Sunday evening
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services.
In January 1882, overtures were made by the Front Station of the Erskine Church to unite
with Dunbarton as a result of the formation of the union of the Back Station
(St. John's Claremont) with Canton. The two congregations once again embarked
upon negotiations, this time with happier results than the last-time Dunbarton and
Erskine people entered into discussion. The proposal for union which was drawn up
suggested, in part, that:
1. The proposed church would be called Dunbarton - Erskine
Church.
2. Members of each congregation would have similar privileges.
3. Services of worship would be held in the morning at
Dunbarton and in the evening at Erskine.
4. Property of each church would become common property
although the proceeds from cemetery plots would go to the
upkeep of the cemetery.
After considerable discussion, the proposal was deemed imperfect, and the delegates
went back to work to come up with a proposal which would be perfect. At one point,
finding it difficult to reach an agreement, Mr. Anderson and Mr. Allison,
delegates appointed to represent Erskine Church, suggested that they would close the
church altogether and let members go where they chose.
An alternative was suggested by Dunbarton in that the two congregations unite only as far
as sharing on a 2/3 - 1/3 basis the same minister.
Finally however, agreement was reached and union was consumated on May 15, 1882,
Rev. Kennedy was finally allowed to resign, having guided the Congregations through this
somewhat tempestuous period, and his grateful congregation presented him with a purse of
$143, (Upon retirement, Rev. Kennedy moved to Welland, Ontario where he died in
January 1892.)
Negotiations during the year of 1882 were not finished, however,
because in October an application was received from
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Melville Church at Highland Creek requesting a meeting with Dunbarton representatives to
consider union with their Congregation. Their proposal, in part, suggested that should a
union take place, Dunbarton would pay $550, towards the salary of a minister and provide
him with a house, and Highland Creek would pay $350. p. a. Union was once again effected,
but throughout the period that it remained in effect (1882 - 1899), it was frequently stormy,
partly as a result of disagreement on the residency of the minister.
The minister in question was the Rev. Robert M. Craig who was ordained and inducted into
the Dunbarton - Melville charge on August 14, 1883 at a service that was,
in the words of Jonathan Holmes, Secretary, 'very solemn and impressive and the audience
was very large.'
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THE UNIFIED CONGREGATION
The Village of Dunbarton and her Church, like the rest of Canada,
was growing up and coming of age. What had been a pioneer settlement only fifty years
before now thrived, boasting its own two-room school, post-office and several merchants.
The Communion Roll for the year 1884 for Dunbarton and Melville Churches lists 110
persons, not including adherents. A motion passed at one congregational meeting appointed
Messrs. Taylor, Anderson, Mclntosh and Allison 'to keep order amongst boys who sit near the
door of the church'. With just a little imagination one can see the group of little rowdies in their
Sunday best, talking and giggling amongst themselves, perhaps even daring to tweak the
pigtails of the little girl in the pew ahead of them.
But growth has its problems, one of them being that suddenly, the building that had been
perfectly adequate, was now too small! Upon the motion of Peter Nisbet, seconded by
John Parker the building of a new church was considered of the utmost importance.
Once again a committee was formed to get an estimate on building,
and a subscription list started. By Feb. 13, 1886, $2384. had been pledged with
additional people agreeing to give unspecified amounts of money.
This new church was to be built with a basement, and would seat between 270 and 280
people. The dimensions would be not less than 52' x 36' and George Parker,
was to make the necessary arrangements with Mr. A. A. Post to draw up plans.
Once these plans were approved, no time was lost in ordering the needed materials:
10,000 bricks from Pickering at $7.50 per thousand 14,000 bricks from Whitby at
$8.00 per thousand 26,000 shingles at $2.75 per thousand 200 bunches of lath at 0.19
a bunch
A tender submitted by Thomas Deverell for building was accepted, provided he agree to a
price of $1312. for mason work,
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Hannah Tingle Parker (Doris Carr)
John Parker, Clerk of Session. (Doris Carr)
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brick work and plastering and a tender from Thomas Henderson for $1290.
for carpentry was also agreed upon. One can easily imagine the contagious enthusiasm
that manifested itself within the congregation as plans proceeded apace.
Early in April, the men of the congregation formed a working bee to tear down the original
Dunbarton Church to make way for the new. During the period of reconstruction,
Sunday services took place at the school on Kingston Road, just west of Dunbarton Village.
Committee meetings were frequently held at Mr. Dunbar's home.
Work proceeded without delay and by June 17, the cornerstone was laid by Peter Nisbet,
the oldest member of the Session by office. The day of the cornerstone laying started as a
rainy one, but that did not stop the celebrations that followed this special event.
A year after the first suggestion to erect a larger building, the new church was in use.
The Dedication Service was held on February 6, 1887, at which time Rev. Principal
MacLaren of Knox College was guest speaker. At the Annual Congregational Meeting that
year the trustees and members of the building committee approached the congregation to
request permission to take out a mortgage of $1000, and also borrow $500. by promissory
note, the sum of which was to be repaid in total by March 1890. At the same time an
insurance policy was taken out on the church for $2500. and on church sheds for $100.
Following the meeting, members of the congregation adjourned to the church proper for the
purpose of allocating seats.
The next years were prosperous ones for the congregation. Anniversary services conducted
by Rev. Wm. Patterson of Cooke's Church, Toronto, held a year later were followed by a tea
and a programme of music, readings and recitations which the Pickering News termed 'a
grand soiree' and urged everyone who could attend to do so. Although the congregation
began the year with a small
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deficit, they were in a better position than they had been the previous year, and looked
forward with optimism to the year ahead.
A Young People's Association had been formed, with a membership of over 30 young men
and women. Led by the Rev. Craig who occupied the office of President, other chairs were
held by George Parker, first Vice-President; Tena Anderson, second Vice-president;
Aggie Henderson, Secretary; Maggie Holmes Treasurer; Andrew Annan, Guard;
and Jennie Dales, J. Andrew, and D. Morrison, Directors. Meetings followed the
time-honoured format of business first, followed by entertainment which took the form of a
reading or two, a solo, (I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen was popular), and a debate
('Resolved that the American Indian has suffered more at the hands of the white man than
the African Negro'),
The local weekly newspaper, the Pickering News , often carried bits of news,
which was sometimes little more than gossip, but a quick read through some of the
columns datelined Dunbarton gives a good idea of the comings and goings of the villagers,
many of them members of Dunbarton Presbyterian Church:
Mr. Thomas Rodd has moved on to the Sullivan homestead.
We are sorry to hear of the severe illness of Mrs. Cuthbert Holmes west of this village.
Mr. Enoch King has moved from his farm in the 2nd Concession, and has been succeeded
by Mr. Jas. Scott.
Mr. John Andrew expects to leave here this week, and is to be succeeded by
Mr. Daniel Morrison on the farm of Mr. Gernon.
A scrimmage ending in a lawsuit before his honour Magistrate Campbell has been the talk of
the town but cannot give particulars.
Mr. Joseph Grills of Lakeview Farm has moved to the vicinity of Oshawa,
and has been succeeded by the Toms family of Newcastle.
We had an awful time getting to the party at Mr. Alex Thorn's on Thursday last but that was
nothing to the enjoyment we had after we arrived.
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Mr. John Murray' of Highland Creek and Mr. B. F. Wonch of Pickering have also moved into
our town, the latter to take charge of the stage from this place to Toronto.
The past week has been an eventful one in the way of changes in the residents of our
village and vicinity. Mr. Mclntosh having decided to turn farmer,
has removed to Mrs. Allison's farm west of the village and has been succeeded by
Wm. Campbell, who for some years had been foreman at the shoeing shop of the
Toronto Street Railway Co.The neighbourhood has been very fortunate in securing such a
good mechanic and citizen and hope he may be long spared to wield the hammer.
You will notice I am a little green at the correspondence business but perhaps you may hear
again from
JOSHUA
Another item, not as gossipy, a couple of weeks later related the tragic death of Hugh
McConochie, one of the Managers of Dunbarton Church, who had been walking along the
Grand Trunk Railway track near Dunbarton as a train bound for Toronto thundered towards
him. He moved off the track but not far enough, and was struck by the train causing him to hit
his forehead on a bolt on one of the ties. He was killed instantly.
In late 1887, the congregation once more found themselves having to look for a new minister.
Rev. Craig's health had begun to fail, and during the summer he took time away from his
pastoral duties to visit Ottawa. He returned feeling somewhat better, but shortly afterward he
took a longer trip to Manitoba where he wrote his congregation that he was greatly improved.
On December 3, Presbytery called a Congregational Meeting to consider Rev. Craig's
resignation.
A good possibility exists that Rev. Craig's ill health was due, at least in part, to the constant
bickering going on between Highland Creek and Dunbarton at this time.
Upon his resignation, ill feelings that had been held in abeyance once again surfaced.
A delegation was formed by Dunbarton to ascertain whether Highland Creek (Melville)
wished to remain united, and if so a proposal was made for the sharing of the cost of a
supply minister
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until a permanent one could be found. Agreement was reached in that during the period of
supply, Dunbarton would pay $6 per Sunday towards the minister's fee, and Melville, $4,00.
Dunbarton Managers expressed their willingness to meet the minister at the train station and
provide transportation for him to and from Melville Church for afternoon service; for this 'taxi'
service, Melville committed to pay an extra 50 cents. For a brief time, harmony was restored,
but relations remained strained. Part of the reason for this strain was due to the fact that each
congregation wanted a resident minister, and in September, 1889, when Robert Dunbar of
Buffalo, New York, offered to sell Dunbarton the property on which the manse stood,
they agreed to the acquisition of house and land. Mr. Dunbar took back a mortgage on the
property of $500 at 6% to extend over a period of ten to twelve years.
The congregation then directed their Managers to proceed with repairs that were necessary
to the house, expending an additional $700 thus.
In July, 1890, after having heard various candidates, the combined charges called the
Rev. John Chisholm of the Presbytery of British Columbia to the pulpit. Miss Mary Anderson,
a life-long adherent of the Dunbarton congregation and great-niece of
Mr. Chisholm remembers him as a very energetic, enthusiastic man who had the natural
qualities of a leader, and she recalls that he was well loved by his congregation.
The years of Rev. Chisholm's pastorate were busy, growing ones that saw the addition of
many new members, and the loss of others, a fact which created the need to revise the
Communion roll several times over the period of a few years.
John Parker, who passed away in 1895 at the age of 83, had been ordained to the
Session in 1854 and immediately appointed Clerk of Session, a position he held until
illness forced his retirement in 1891. In addition he was, for over thirty years,
Superintendent of the Sunday School, as well as an active participant in mission work.
A native of Ayreshire, Scotland, he
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immigrated to Canada in 1842 and ran a business in Toronto for a few years. In 1851,
he married and moved to Dunbarton where he opened a general store which was in later
years owned and operated by Mr., and Mrs. S.G. Morrish, also active members of the
Dunbarton church. (The store itself was destroyed by fire in 1943.) Shortly after establishing
himself as a merchant, Mr. Parker was appointed postmaster of the first Dunbarton post
office. He was a member of the building committee of the original Dunbarton church and a
strong advocate of the need for a new one in 1886.
John Oddie, although not as long associated with Dunbarton Presbyterian Church,
was no less a hard worker. At the time of his death in December 1895,
he was not actually a member of Dunbarton, having found it necessary to move from the area
four years earlier, but he was still held in high regard by the members of the Session with
whom he had served since 1873.
Peter Nisbet came to Canada sometime during the 1830's from Haddington, Scotland.
He purchased land on the lake shore east of Dunbarton, after having worked for a time for
other farmers. Early in his life in Canada, Mr. Nisbet would recall, he had driven a herd of
about forty head of cattle from Pickering Township to the State of Michigan,
walking with them all the way. He allied himself, upon his arrival in Dunbarton,
first with the Erskine Congregation, and upon the formation of Dunbarton Church in 1854,
with that congregation. In 1840, Mr. Nisbet was ordained as an elder,
and shortly before his death he was appointed as Presbytery Elder. Rev. Wood quotes from
a writing by Mr. Nisbet's daughter:
My father never neglected a duty if he knew it or could in any way carry it out and many a
dark and stormy night I have seen him taking his staff in his hand and walking to Dunbarton
and back to attend prayer meeting, saying it was less trouble to walk than to take out a horse.
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Mr. Nisbet was a conservative Scottish Presbyterian, and his was one of the dissenting
votes when ballots were cast to introduce hymns and instrumental music into the Sabbath
service. In later years, after he retired from farming, Mr. Nisbet took up residence in the
Village of Dunbarton. He died there on March 10, 1896, at the age of 88.
The elders also recorded sorrow at the loss of two other active members around the same
time, in the persons of George Gourlie and James Allison, necessitating the election of new
men to take the place in the Session of those who had been lost.
In the fall of 1897, the congregation voted to introduce the use of the new Presbyterian Book
of Praise.
Dissension between the Dunbarton congregation and that of Melville reached the boiling
point when Melville requested that a meeting be called with Dunbarton in January 1899,
at which time an announcement was made of the intent of the Highland Creek congregation
to build a manse. Discussion continued through the spring and summer, and in October,
a petition was presented to Presbytery requesting that a Sessional Record and Clerk be
appointed for each congregation. This was done and the two never very united congregations
separated from each other. The same year, Rev. Chisholm left the charge of Dunbarton,
and for the next four years, Rev. Wm. Morrin provided the congregation with stated supply.
And so, the congregation entered the twentieth century as a church standing on its own but
with high hopes for the future.
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THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Rev. Wm. R. Wood of Knox College was ordained on June 16, 1904, and was inducted
immediately as Moderator of Dunbarton Presbyterian Church. The same year, he introduced
afternoon services at Rosebank during the months of July and August, an
arrangement which lasted for quite a number of years. Average attendance at these services
was 75 persons, many of them visitors from Toronto who were vacationing in this pleasant
summer resort and who took an active role in Sunday services. Early in Mr. Wood's pastorate,
Session adopted a motion to observe the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper four times annually,
as close as possible to the first Sundays in January, April, and October, and the last Sunday
in June, rather than the irregular scheduling of these services up to this date.
Rev. Wood held morning and evening Sabbath services with only one or two exceptions
during his term at Dunbarton, and took upon himself the introduction of a weekly prayer
meeting. In addition, he inaugurated an annual service at Erskine Church which took the form
of a commemoration to the early pioneers of the area.
The prayer meetings which Rev. Wood introduced were held in the church until midway
through 1905, at which time the attendance was split into smaller groups meeting in the
homes of individuals, as the result of the participation of a greater number of people.
However, in November the meetings were disbanded and in their place a Young People's
Group was formed, averaging a turnout of 25. (The Young People's Group referred to earler
had been disbanded some time before.) Membership on the Church roll at this time hovered
around 91. In its Annual Report for the year 1905,
Session expressed concern over the tendency on the part of certain members to irregular
attendance, and the fact that no baptisms had occurred during the year. Young parents were
urged to recognize the importance of this sacrament and avail themselves of it.
Youths were also encouraged to participate in the Young
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"38
People's Group.
The early years of the twentieth century seem to have seen a gradual decline in the interest
shown by some church members, and when an attempt was made to form a men's class,
the initial attendance was only 15. Even the interest shown by this small body declined,
and Session recorded disappointment at what it termed 'this most disheartening
unsatisfactory and ominous feature of our work'.
With the arrival of the twentieth century, the congregation found itself to be very much a
part of the world's community. Earlier missionary work which was largely confined to
assisting Canadian native people now reached out to contribute to relief of famine in China,
as well as other places where help was needed. The Elders recorded their satisfaction with
being able to send a contribution of $40.38 to the Chinese Famine Relief.
In May, 1908, Rev. Wood announced his resignation to the congregation.
Three years later, he wrote Past Years in Pickering, a delightful account of early years in the
township and an invaluable aid to me in clarifying issues that from time to time seemed
awfully muddy. Rev. Wood was followed in the pastorate by Rev. A.L. MacFadyen who
agreed to a salary of $800 per annum to be paid monthly, and two weeks of vacation.
In return, he agreed to include among his regular pastoral duties the summer services at
Rosebank and the Erskine Memorial Service begun and continued through Rev. Wood's term.
Rev. MacFadyen initiated a progressive Bible class, and he also introduced once again
midweek prayer meetings which were held regularly through the year but discontinued for a
time during harvest. The young people of the church formed their own Dunbarton Literary
and Mutual Improvement Society which met once every fortnight. During his term,
the use of duplex envelopes for weekly offerings was begun, and the Congregation,
upon deciding to sell the old organ, voted that proceeds from the sale would
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go to the choir.
The elders were pleased to acknowledge what they saw as 'evidence of a reviving spirit in
the congregation' at the annual meeting held in January 1915 (there were now 118 names
on the roll), but they expressed their regret that the offerings for the previous year had
decreased. A discussion of the reason for this, however, saw an acknowledgement that it
was probably due, at least in part, to the fact that Canada was now at war,
and many young men from the congregation had answered 'the patriotic call'.
It was probably for the same reason that the congregation saw fit to eliminate the
annual social which had, until then, followed anniversary services.
Rev. MacFadyen tendered his resignation at the 1916 annual meeting,
but the congregation voted not to consider accepting it. A year later, however,
the Session was forced to seek a replacement for him, because he died on January 9, 1917,
following a brief illness; his congregation mourned the loss of 'our beloved Pastor'.
Rev. J.F. Clugston was called to the charge at a salary of $1,000 per annum, four weeks
vacation and a manse.
Discussion arose in the form of a question of whether to build a new manse.
Considering the financial state of the church, however, (a suggestion had been made only
minutes earlier to 'pass the hat', resulting in contributions and subscriptions amounting to
$100!) the motion was defeated in favour of making repairs to the existing manse.
As the war came to an end, congregations like Dunbarton received a letter from the General
Assembly outlining their work among soldiers, and each individual congregation was
requested to form a committee to assist in this work. Rev. Clugston agreed to serve as
chairman, along with Wm. Dunbar, Joseph Allison, Mrs. Dunbar (representing WMS),
and Mrs. Charles Annis (Ladies Aid). A special thank offering was also taken up among the
congregation.
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With the end of the war and the return of men from overseas, the membership roll climbed to
128 - the greatest number yet reached.
A New Era Begins
A major step was taken early in 1925 by Dunbarton Presbyterian Church when members
were summoned to a meeting thus:
Take notice that the Union of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, the Methodist Church in
Canada and the Congregational Church in Canada will become effective on the Tenth day
of June A.D. One thousand nine hundred and twenty-five and that under the provisions of
Section 10 of Chapter 100 of the Statutes of Canada A.D. One thousand nine hundred and
twenty-four, a meeting of the congregation will be held in this Church on Tuesday the 20th
day of January A.D. One thousand nine hundred and twenty-five at the hour of three o'clock
in the afternoon for the purpose of deciding whether or not this Congregation of Dunbarton
Presbyterian Church will enter the said union.
Such a union had been under discussion as early as 1912 with a certain degree of
opposition among Presbyterian congregations across the country, but on January 20, 1925,
Mr. Bremner of Cobourg spoke at the general meeting of Dunbarton Church and members
were advised they could cast their ballot at specified times during the two-week period of
January 20 to February 3. Rev. Clugston was appointed as Returning Officer,
Mr. Charles Annis as Poll Clerk, and the Misses H. Thorn and V. Allison as Scrutineers.
On the last day of polling, the ballot box was opened, and the result indicated 58 votes in
favour and 4 against union. (Keeping in mind the number of names on the roll at this period,
there was also a certain amount of disinterest or indecision!) (Quite coincidentally,
the service to mark the 150th Anniversary of Dunbarton - Fairport United Church was held
exactly 60 years after the decision of the Congregation in favour of union.) The vote favouring
union was echoed by churches of the three denominations across Canada. Before the
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actual changeover, plans were made to receive Centennial Methodist Church of
Scarborough into fellowship and joint charge with Dunbarton. Rev. Clugston was now
preaching three services every Sunday, morning and evening at Dunbarton and afternoons at
Centennial, but he readily accepted his new responsibilities.
In return, his salary was increased to $1800 a year.
Dunbarton Presbyterian Church officially became Dunbarton United Church on
June 10, 1925.
The question of selling the manse was raised again the following year, and this time the
decision was in favour of doing so. The proceeds from the sale, $1600, went towards the
building of a new brick manse at a cost of just over $6300. The lion's share of the cost was
borne by Dunbarton ($4071.50) and the balance by Centennial.
The manse was to be occupied by Dr. J.R. Fraser who replaced Rev. Clugston at this time.
Additional property was acquired in 1928 when the congregation accepted an offer by
Mr. Dunbar to sell the church 30 feet of land to the north and the full length of the lot from
west to east in order to keep open the driveway to his property.
The decision was also made to tear down the old drive sheds,
the necessity for them having declined as more people acquired automobiles and no longer
required stabling for their horse and buggy.
The congregation sustained a loss in August 1930 with the death of William Dunbar.
He was the third generation of the family to be an actively involved member of the
Dunbarton church and the Elders referred sadly to the death of 'a great and helpful influence.
For many years he was a tower of strength to the congregation.
His unfailing loyalty, his generosity, and above all his wise counsel and kindly personality
are much missed,'
As the world entered the 'dirty thirties', membership decreased slightly, and again concern
was expressed by the Session who recommended concentrated local missionary
work within the
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community. Slight changes were made in the order of service, new hymnaries were
purchased, and another attempt was made at forming a men's brotherhood to meet monthly.
In 1931, Rev. E.M. Burgess replaced Dr. Fraser as minister. During a Session meeting,
the Elders raised the question of inviting women to join that venerable body,
but the resulting vote of the congregation was 15 people for and 22 against acceptance.
(69 people refused to become involved in this issue.)
During 1932, the Erskine Church was moved back one hundred feet and mounted on a
cement foundation. Descendents of the pioneer Gilchrist family who were numbered
among the first members of the early congregation erected a gate at the entrance to the
church and cemetery as a memorial to their ancestors. Three years previously the
Erskine burying ground had been enlarged by four and a half acres, and in 1935,
the headstones and remains of the cemetery in Dunbarton were removed to a cairn in
Erskine Cemetery. The property on which the Dunbarton Cemetery had been located was
cleaned up and subsequently sold.
The year 1937 again saw a change in ministers of Dunbarton United Church as
Rev. Burgess advised the congregation of his resignation. His successor, Rev. H. Howey,
was to be the congregation's spiritual leader for the next four years.
As in past years, summer services continued at Rosebank, although by now this summer
community had grown from a place where families set up tents during the summer months
to a neighbourhood of pleasant cottages. The services continued to be well attended and
were generally overseen by a senior member of the Session.
Rev. F.W. Madden replaced Rev. Howey as minister in June of 1940, and he remained until
1944 at which time Rev. A.E. Holley took his place.
Once again the world knew war, and once again members of the Dunbarton community
hastened to enlist. Dunbarton United
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Church responded with donations to a special British War Victims Fund and the Red Cross,
and children of the Sunday School forfeited gift prizes at the annual Sunday School picnic in
favour of patriotic coloured ribbons; money that would have been spent on prizes went to the
Save the Children Fund.
By the time the war ended, church attendance was once again on the upswing as many
former city dwellers took up lives in the rural setting that still characterized the Township of
Pickering. Members on the Communion Roll numbered 130, and persons under the care of
the pastorate 420. Actual attendance, however, was only 63 people on an average Sunday.
With the war behind them, the congregation turned to business at hand. Consideration was
given to the erection of an annex which would provide a back entrance to the basement
(heretofore the only door to the basement had been located on the west side of the church
near the south end). Plans also included the building of a cistern to provide on-tap water
and a general interior and exterior painting job. The final cost when the work was finished
was $4575.
In 1948, the minister was once again replaced. Rev. J.K. Braham joined the congregation
and remained with them for two years, to be succeeded in turn by Rev. A.F. Bamford
(1950-1956); Rev. J.W. Wilkinson (1956-1960) and Rev. Dr. W.A. McKay (1960-1972).
Just prior to the induction of Rev. Bamford, a congregational meeting voted on the proposal
to dissolve the union with Centennial Church. Since the union had come about 25 years
earlier, the population of the area had doubled, and there was now too much work for one
minister, so on June 3, 1950, Dunbarton once again became a single charge.
As the population had grown and church membership had increased,
the choir had expanded and boasted 27 people who took part not only in services at their
own church, but performed as guests of other churches as well.
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A Centenarian at Last
1954 was a special year for Dunbarton United Church because it marked the
100th anniversary of the first building; plans were made for celebrations which took place on
October 3, after which the Women's Association served tea and cake. Services were
conducted in the morning by the Rt. Rev. Dr. A.A.Scott, immediate Past Moderator of the
United Church of Canada, and in the evening by Rev. George A. Beatty, Chairman of the
Toronto East Presbytery. The choir from Greenwood Church sang at the evening service.
As a memorial to that special occasion, a small booklet was produced by Rev. E.M. Burgess,
minister from 1931 to 1937, outlining the history of the church. During the year, membership
soared to 190, with many very active groups and societies. Among them were the W.A.,
On-We-Go, Young People's Association, Sunday School, Women's Missionary Society,
Mission Band, Baby Band, Boy Scouts, Cubs, and Girl Guides. Many of these groups
were active fund raisers, and their combined contributions did much to help pay off the
debt incurred during the building of the back entrance and the kitchen. A new gas furnace
was installed shortly afterward.
In 1959, a letter was received from the Canadian National Railroad with regard to their
intention to expropriate property along their proposed new line. The manse was built on
one of these properties, and a resolution was passed by the congregation on
September 9, 1960, to agree to the price offered by the CNR of $27,000.
One Sunday morning sometime later, the congregation was disturbed at morning
worship by a loud crackling noise and brilliant flames. They soon discovered to their
amazement that the Railroad had set fire to the manse, along with a number of other
buildings which they had purchased, in order to clear the way quickly for the new line which
they were planning to build.
The loss of the manse was only one of the results of this move by the railroad.
Another far reaching consequence was that many people whose homes had been
expropriated were members of Dunbarton Church, and they were forced to seek new houses
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elsewhere. Many of them moved some distance from the community and thus severed their
ties with the Dunbarton congregation.
At the same time that the railway was building, a new community which came to be known as
Bay Ridges was springing up south of Highway 401. The houses under construction were
modest brick bungalows that offered a low down payment and a 35-year mortgage,
and they were snapped up by young couples unable to afford prices of homes in the city.
The result was a great influx of people into the hitherto quiet farming community.
Into this rapidly changing church came Rev. Wm. McKay. Rev. Wilkinson had been ill for
some time, and shortly before he was due to retire, he stepped aside for Rev. McKay.
Before the outbreak of World War II, Rev. McKay spent two years in the town of Hudson,
halfway between Fort William and Winnipeg. When war was declared, he joined the R.C.A.F.
as a pilot, and was assigned to the R.A.F. Coastal Command, seeing action in south east
Asia for two years. Upon his return to Canada, he availed himself of the Veterans' Allowance
offered by the Government, took a graduate course, and received his doctorate in history.
Upon graduation, he became Assistant Minister at Leaside United Church for seven years,
and at the end of that period he accepted a call to Dunbarton at a salary of $3,500 p.a.,
plus car and housing allowance.
During the years of Dr. McKay's pastorate, three significant changes were brought about by
the United Church of Canada.- the introduction of a new Sunday School curriculum,
the revision of the hymnary, and a change in the women's organizations of the church
which was to bring all hitherto separate groups under the aegis of the United Church Women.
These were not, however, the only changes that occurred. The necessity to purchase a new
organ for Dunbarton Church was seen early in Dr. McKay's pastorate, and a fund was started
for the purpose. The early years of the nineteen sixties saw a decline in
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the interest shown by the congregation, and when a meeting was called to discuss
the need for a new organ, only 24 people attended. It was reported that a total of
$2000 had been subscribed, $1000 of which was donated by James Mitchell.
As a result, a special drive was made for funds, and a member from each church-related
organization was appointed to receive donations. A new Baldwin organ was purchased
and was dedicated on November 12, 1961. At the same meeting, a motion was passed
by the congregation to donate $700 towards the Toronto United Church Conference for the
purchase of 158 acres near Bolton, Ontario, to create Cedar Glen, a conference centre
and a camp for United Church boys and girls.
The lack of enthusiasm and interest in matters congregational seems to have typified,
to some extent, the decade of the sixties. Attendance averaged 48 people and Robert
Pitcairn expressed his unwillingness to continue as organist and choir leader
if greater enthusiasm was not shown by the members of the choir.
A questionnaire circulated by the Official Board on church life and work indicated that a
larger choir was needed, and membership subsequently increased so that by the end of
1961, there were 22 in the senior choir and 24 in the junior.
If interest in some areas was low, however, the need of the children of the congregation was
great. The Sunday School was operating at capacity and discussions took place to consider
ways by which to create additional space for this important area of church work.
With the growth of Bay Ridges and the building of more houses on the West Shore,
it was decided to make a canvass of the area in the form of a religious census-taking.
Dr. McKay, Ivy Thompson and James Mclntosh, assisted by members of the Sunday School
Committee, undertook the task during the autumn of 1961, and the resulting figures indicated
that less than one-third of the new home-owners were members of the United Church of
Canada. An invitation was extended, however, to welcome anyone interested
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Village of Dunbarton looking east on Kingston Road - early 1920's.
(H. Mitchell)
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to attend Sunday services at Dunbarton and become involved in the life of the church.
In 1962, a bequest from a former member of the church was received, and it was decided
that this money would go towards alterations that would update and modernize the sanctuary.
Dr. McKay drew up the plans, and upon the approval of the Session, the work was begun.
When the church was originally built, a raised platform faced by a rail extended across the
front, behind which sat the choir; the rostrum formed a semi-circle at the middle of the
platform about three steps up from the nave. The minister, when delivering the sermon,
looked down upon the congregation from a height of about three feet. The communion table
stood before the rostrum and the distance between the pulpit and the first seat in the church
meant the necessity of removing one or two of the first pews during occasions such as
weddings and funerals to create more room for the ceremonial proceedings. With the
renovations, the platform was removed and the pulpit put back and to the side, at a height
just slightly above the nave, bringing the minister, choir and congregation into closer contact.
Rev. McKay's message in the annual report for the year 1963 termed that year 'the most
difficult year in its (the church's) history' because of the continuous upheaval created by the
building of the railway and the attendant road detours, demolition and/ or abandonment of
homes, and so forth. However, during the mid-1960's membership at Dunbarton was once
again on the rise; a Congregational Property Committee was formed, consisting of
representatives from Session, Stewards, U.C.W., Sunday School, and the choir;
and a Christian Education Committee was made up with similar representation.
These new bodies encouraged increased participation by more members of the
congregation. About the same time, negotiations were entered into with John Dunbar and
W.B. Dunbar to acquire an additional parcel of land 88' in depth for badly needed parking
space. The land was acquired following a congregational vote in April, 1964, and paid for
by an anonymous
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donor.
Not all fund-raising efforts for work of the church were simple requests for money,
by any means. In addition to all the usual bazaars, teas, and catering of dinners that
are often a source of revenue, the congregation involved themselves in the fun of fund raising.
The profits from one such event, a family curling night, helped pay for the installation of new
pews and a new centre aisle. In 1968, arrangements were made to install a septic tank,
running water and washroom facilities. A water heater was installed the following year.
During 1969, a portable building that had been used at a one-room schoolhouse on Bayly
Street became available, and its purchase and removal to church property provided the
answer to the overcrowding of the Sunday School. Investigations were made into the
possibilities and problems involved in such a move, and the acquisition was completed
from the Township at a nominal cost of $1. Financial contributions were sought from the
congregation to cover the costs of excavating a 24' x 36' x 8' basement, and the removal
of the building to its new site. The work was completed and the addition dedicated on
October 31, 1971.
Dr. McKay tendered his resignation to the congregation effective August 1, 1972,
saying he felt new blood was needed to create fresh ideas. He was replaced briefly by
Rev. Fred Bayliss who had just returned to Canada after having spent ten years in the
missionary field at the University Medical Centre in Korea.
Rev. Bayliss could not have foreseen, when he was inducted into the charge,
the major catastrophe which would mark his yearlong pastorate at Dunbarton,
an event which would change the course of the Church's future.
Five weeks after his induction as minister of Dunbarton United Church,
the 86-year-old structure was gutted by fire.
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FIRE!
Don Lynde was not only a long-time resident of Dunbarton and a member of the Church,
he was also Pickering Township's first full-time fire chief. An active member of the Board of
Stewards, he had made one of his regular safety checks of the building late Sunday night,
January 7, 1973. Eight hours later the building was an inferno. Mr. Lynde recalls looking out
the west window of his house on Kingston Road early Monday morning to see brilliant orange
flames licking at the roof at the back of the building. The alarm was sounded and fire trucks
rushed to the scene, but the blaze was well under way by the time they got there,
and the frigid temperatures of early January hampered the efforts of firefighters as water from
the hoses froze on the church and on the men who fought desperately to save it.
Despite their efforts, however, the fight was in vain. Nine hours later the church which had
played such an important role in the lives of hundreds of people lay in ruin.
The cause was later found to be a short circuit in the electrical system.
After the initial shock wore off, immediate steps were taken by the congregation to
decide on a course of action. Messages of condolence, offers of help and donations
large and small poured in from individuals, churches of all denominations and businesses
in the community. The use 'of any or all of our facilities' was offered by Pickering United
Church in Pickering Village.
On January 25, 1973, a congregational meeting was held to discuss alternatives:
- to build a new church on a new site;
- to build a new church on the old site;
- to rebuild the old church.
Against the advice of Presbytery, the decision was made to rebuild the old church 'on the
old foundations but incorporating modern materials and methods and arranging the interior
space so that it would be more useful and functional today and for the
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Dr. Wm. A. McKay (W. A. McKay)
Dunbarton United Church, mid sixties. Note that Old Kingston Road has been graded and
the church is at a greater elevation than shown in the earlier photo. (M. Mitchell)
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Dunbarton United Church was destroyed by fire on January 7,1973. (Town of Pickering Fire Dep't.)
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future'.
The former minister, Dr. McKay, was asked to chair the Building Committee and he and
his wife were among the driving force that led to the reconstruction.
Once the smoke had cleared, an emergency meeting of the Session, Board of Stewards
and the Trustees was called at the home of Don Lynde to discuss a place of worship
in the interim. The facilities of the Congregation of Fairport United Church in Bay Ridges
were among those offered, and the decision was made to accept the proposal.
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FAIRPORT - THE EARLY YEARS
The little white frame church at Frenchman's Bay was old long before it was acquired by
Dunbarton congregation. Details of its past history on the Bay Road in the quaint village of
Fairport are scarce, but the suggestion that it was once used by the Society of Friends is
confirmed by two brief articles in the December 16th and December 30th, 1887,
issues of Pickering News.
Pickering Harbour Sabbath School
An entertainment will be given by the scholars of Pickering Harbour Sunday School,
on Tuesday, December 28th, to consist of readings, recitations and singing by the school,
and addresses by prominent speakers. A special feature during the evening will be the
unloading of the Xmas ship 'Glad Tidings', of her full cargo of presents for young and old.
Refreshments provided for the children. A cordial invitation is extended to all.
The Xmas boat, held by the Friends Sunday School at the Harbour on Tuesday the 19th inst.,
was quite a success. The program was extensive and varied. A very interesting part of the
evening's proceedings was the distribution of the presents taken from the boat.
The report of the secretary showed that the school was in a healthy state,
financially and otherwise. A considerable sum was realized at the door.
Like Dunbarton, the Village of Fairport was a flourishing one during the early years of the
century, but unlike Dunbarton whose families formed the nucleus of a farming community,
the Village of Fairport was also a harbour town where boats were loaded at the grain
elevator at the north end of the Bay and with timber from the northern parts of the township
and where men fished for a living. Today's busy Liverpool Road was simply the Bay Road to
some and Queen Street to others. Its present appellation resulted from the hopes of some
people to see the community at the southern end of the road become a port to rival its
namesake across the water.
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Like the community of Rosebank. Fairport also had about it the flavour of a restful haven
from busy city life, and summer time saw a minor explosion as many people wanting to
leave their cares behind took a train eastward to disembark at Dunbarton Station.
At the turn of the century, they set up tents. Later, they built cottages, some of which still exist.
Rev. Wood quotes a charmingly descriptive picture of the area:
Crossing the Grand Trunk track southwards on the Liverpool sideroad you reach the crest
of the hill in a few moments, and if at all you have eyes to see, you are compelled to pause
and look. Behind you on the right, half hidden in its leafy maples, lies the village of Dunbarton,
with its little arch-towered brick church on the hill. On the left, a little farther removed,
is Pickering Village, anciently known as Duffin's Creek, with the world-famous college
on its fine site adjacent, while beyond the view extends thirty miles north-eastwards to the
Uxbridge hills. Southward on the right lies the triangular expanse of the Bay, glassy smooth,
reflecting the clouds above and the varied green of the opposite shore. On the left,
rich green fields succeed one another to where beyond the Point the lake shore bends
away to the eastward. In front Lake Ontario gleams shoreless to the horizon.
Driving southward over the smooth firm gravel with a one-plank sidewalk threading
its way through the grass by the roadside, we soon come to the neat cottages of
Fairport nestling amid luxuriant hedges and dainty patches of lawn. Passing along
we come into closer view of the great ice, grain and coal warehouses by the wharf and the
snowy lighthouse that sentinels the entrance to the bay. Launches, yachts and rowboats
brighten the waters as they flit about. An ideal mile and yet so real as to lie hardly beyond
the twentieth mile-post eastwards from the Queen City of the Lakes.
It was about this time that Dunbarton Church looked southward and considered the future
of annexing the Church at the Bay.
The little church had fallen into disrepair when a proposal was made to the Dunbarton
congregation that it could be purchased for $100. William Dunbar and James Allison were
requested to investigate the feasibility of this action and proceed to close the
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deal if they felt it was satisfactory. They reported at a meeting of Session on July 27, 1920,
that the purchase had been completed and necessary repairs had been made.
Some year-round residents of the Fairport Community, members of the Dunbarton Church,
were invited to become members of a committee which would act as a Board of
Management for the little church, and summer services were begun there by Rev. J.F,
Clugston, attended in large part by the cottagers of the area. The summer families
who travelled east to spend the months of July and August were, for the most part,
monied people and their contribution to the church very quickly provided the funds
necessary to repair the building. Indeed, after the repairs had been accomplished,
money remained to enable the church lot to be fenced.
Summer worship commenced late in July 1920, and continued though August;
these services were held every summer until 1947 under the auspices of the
Dunbarton church, frequently conducted by a student or lay minister (elder)
who also preached at Rosebank.
The names of people associated with the church at the Bay are still recognised by
many older residents of the area; indeed there are still a few families living in the vicinity
whose parents or grandparents were directly involved, Mrs. May O'Brien was an active
member of the Fairport Church and subsequently the Dunbarton Church for many years
and only ceased to participate in the activities of the U.C.W. when declining health forced
her to enter a nursing home. Mrs. O'Brien's sister-in-law Agnes was also greatly involved
in those early services at Fairport. Agnes O'Brien played the old pump organ, and following
Sunday services, the minister was often invited into the O'Brien home for dinner,
after which he was driven to the railway station for his return to the city.
Early in the forties, as a result of an influx to the area of Fairport during the war by people
who worked in the munitions factories in neighbouring Ajax, the number of permanent
residents
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Receipt for final payment on Fairport Church. (Church Records)
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increased greatly. The Session of Dunbarton wrote Agnes O'Brien in 1946 suggesting that,
as the workload of the pastor had increased significantly, Fairport residents might consider
taking full charge of the Bay Church which would be placed at their disposal.
These arrangements were not finalized until the following year, however,
and in the meantime, during the summer of 1947, a request made to Dunbarton
Session by the Toronto Baptist Seminary to hold summer services there was granted.
In September 1947, a meeting was held between the Elders of Dunbarton Church and
interested Fairport residents at the home of Mr., and Mrs. Fred Scott, Fairport,
to discuss holding year-round services there.
Resulting attendance showed promise for the future, and a Sunday School was soon
started for the many children of the community. On one particular occasion, a story is told,
a small lad of perhaps six years of age arrived on a Sunday morning to find the doors of
the church shut and the service already in progress. His persistent pounding finally brought
one of the worshippers to open it and admit him. He strutted in, exclaimed in a voice for all
to hear, 'I've been knocking on the damn door and nobody'd open it' and proceeded to the
front of the church, seating himself right under the nose of the minister. The congregation
contained their amusement, probably with a great amount of difficulty.
In January 1949, a cemetery board was set up to be responsible for the burial grounds
adjoining the church, and in March of the same year, a committee was formed to investigate
the practicality of raising the church and putting in a basement which could be used as a
Sunday School room. This proved to be too expensive an undertaking however,
and a motion was made instead to make repairs necessary to the existing foundation.
The building Committee was further authorized to prepare plans and sketches for an
extension to the existing building. The addition, upon approval created a kitchen and
Sunday School hall: construction was done by men of the congregation.
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During May of 1950, a congregational meeting was called to discuss the ramifications of
forming a new pastoral charge with Rouge Hill and Centennial Churches, the latter having
recently severed their 25-year-old union with Dunbarton Church. (A pastoral charge is
fiscally independent though it may share a minister with another pastoral charge.)
A motion was put forth and carried by a majority of 25 to 10, and Harry Cook,
clerk of the Session and W. H. Hern were elected to take the resolution to Presbytery.
Less than two weeks later, a letter from the Official Board of Dunbarton United Church
was received by the Fairport Session proposing a meeting to discuss union between
Dunbarton and Fairport to form a single charge. Harry Cook, responded,
stating that Fairport had previously agreed to a union with Centennial United and
Rouge Hills United. Mr. Cook concluded, 'We trust that the friendship and good relations
between our two churches will continue, and that you will have every success as a single
pastoral charge'. Fairport became part of a three-point charge though continuing to share
a minister with Dunbarton.
Mrs. Monica Cook was requested to form a company of Girl Guides about this time,
and weekly meetings were started using the facilities of Dunbarton Church.
Mrs. Cook recalls many nights when a parent would drive the girls to the meeting,
and they would return home afterwards on foot, engaging in lively conversation amongst
themselves and with their much loved and greatly respected leader. Mrs. Cook proudly talks
of the five girls in this 1st Dunbarton Guide Troop who achieved special recognition
through their work to win the coveted Gold Cord (now the Canada Cord).
Over the next few years, involvement at Fairport increased, as the ladies formed their own
very active W.A., and a Brownie pack started in December 1956 with 16 small members.
As of January 1, 1957, the church had a membership of 52 names on its roll and they made
a decision to purchase a new organ. The purchase price was $1300, and the organ was
dedicated as a war memorial.
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The church itself was heated by means of a coal stove, and Mrs., Cook recalls the diligent
caretaker who was so determined to keep the building warm that many people feared he
would instead burn it down, so hot were the fires he built.
Early in the sixties, Fairport Congregation was faced with the realization that their little
building was no longer large enough to support the ongoing activities of an increasingly
busy congregation and discussions were held to consider the building of a new church which
would accomodate 200-250 people, By 1964, it had become necessary to hold two services
every Sunday, and Dunbarton Church agreed to move their Sunday service back fifteen
minutes to 11:15 to accomodate the time it took Dr, McKay to travel between the two
churches. (Membership at Fairport in the mid-sixties had climbed to ninety as a result of the
establishment of the Bay Ridges community and the little church could only seat eighty to
one hundred; the Sunday School had an enrolment of 175.)
Discussion of the building of a new church took several directions: the existing building
would be torn down and a new one erected in its place; a new site would be purchased a
little further north on Liverpool Road (currently the location of the service station at the corner
of Krosno Blvd. and Liverpool Road), but in the end, the United Church purchased a parcel
of land on Douglas Ave., at the foot of Old Orchard Road and leased it to the Fairport
Congregation. A portable was acquired, and after necessary repairs were carried out,
church furnishings were moved there and this building became the new home of the
Fairport Congregation. In the meantime, repairs were made to the smaller building for the
purpose of using it for Sunday School, Scout and Guide meetings and other community
functions.
The portable church left something to be desired in that it was poorly insulated and proved to
be costly to operate, but at least it was able to accomodate the growing congregation
better in terms of size. The official opening of the new building was
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Rev. Fred Bayliss
FAIRPORT CHURCH, PICKERING ONT.. 1920 —1966"
"62
held on October 16, 1966.
The fact that the congregation now had expanded facilities did not deter their original plan to
build a proper church, and in 1972, proposals were being considered for facilities that would
house a day-care centre and offices for professional people, as well as the church.
Such plans were shelved, however, when news reached the congregation of the disastrous
fire suffered by Dunbarton. An offer was immediately extended by Fairport to share the use
of their facilities with the stricken congregation, and was quickly accepted.
In May 1973, Rev. Bayliss issued to the members of Fairport Congregation a proposal that a
permanent union between Dunbarton and Fairport be considered. The congregation
expressed reserved interest in the proposal: they had received an alternate proposition,
and wished to consider it fully before making a final decision. In the final analysis, however,
they agreed to the union.
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DUNBARTON REBUILDS
Advice was sought from two engineers as to the structural soundness of the walls that had
remained standing in the aftermath of the Dunbarton fire and upon receiving assurance
of their safety, the firm of George Baird and Associates was chosen as architects,
and a building fund was started. Application was also made to the Toronto United Church
Council for a grant of $30,000. and on November 11, the congregation carried a motion to
rebuild at a tendered cost of $189,000. (The figure was $69,000 above a ceiling originally
placed on reconstruction at a congregational meeting on June 6.)
An auction was planned as a fund-raising event, as was a turkey supper; people were asked
to save money in pop cans and turn them over to the building fund. Donations were solicited
and received from local businesses, and money was obtained from the insurance policy on
the church (which had, by fortunate coincidence, been increased on the advice of Presbytery
not long before the fire.) A donation was offered by Olivet Presbyterian Church on Yorkville
Ave. in Toronto of thirty wooden pews and a pipe-organ, on the condition that Dunbarton
supply the cartage. The donation was gratefully accepted and the furniture was put into
storage until the construction of the building was completed.
During this busy period of time, Rev. Bayliss had been under pressure by the United
Church of Canada to accept a position with the Division of World Outreach, an area with w
hich he was familiar, and he tendered his resignation to the congregation.
He was succeeded by Rev. Robert Raymont in July 1974.
Rev. Raymont was raised in the town of North Ridge in Essex County and attended Essex
District High School. He exhibits pride in the fact that, while attending Essex District
High School, he was the only student to serve as the Commanding Officer of the Cadet
Corps and be President of the Student Council for two years simultaneously.
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Upon leaving high school, he worked at Stokely Van Camp for three years before he felt a
call to follow his elder brother into the ministry. Robert enrolled as a mature student at the
University of Western Ontario and upon graduation from Western, went to Laasland,
Saskatchewan where he spent two years as a lay minister. Upon his return to Ontario,
he attended Emmanuel College, and at the end of his second year, he married.
He was ordained in 1963, and that year he and Nancy went to Radville,
Saskatchewan where they spent the next four years. Upon returning east,
Rev. Raymont spent brief periods of time at Putnam, Ontario and Ingersoll,
Ontario before accepting a call to North Street United Church at Goderich.
When the suggestion was made by a friend to consider a call to Dunbarton four years later,
Rev. Raymont entertained the idea initially with reluctance, but a visit to the countryside
just east of Toronto soon convinced him that the atmosphere was exactly what he and
Nancy wanted for their young family. Thus it was that old Dunbarton, in the summer of 1974,
welcomed a new minister.
By late summer of that year, reconstruction had progressed to the point where it was feasible
to hold services in the building, and plans were made to commence with the second Sunday
in September.
Rev. Raymont consulted with Dr. McKay and Rev. Bayliss to determine what kind of turnout
he could expect to prepare for that first service. Ever the optimist, he set up what he thought
would be enough chairs, and as the available seats began to fill, he found himself asking
people who came in if they had a car blanket in their trunk: if they did it was spread out on
the raw cement of the tiers that rose at the rear of the sanctuary. Dust coated everything,
and amidst the less than comfortable setting, Rev. Raymont preached his first sermon in the
new church. It was at this point in his career that he adopted the style of preaching that is
uniquely his own as he roams back and forth, sometimes wandering into the congregation —
after all, he says of his first
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service, it's difficult to be formal under such conditions.
And so, when the reconstructed church was officially opened, it was no longer the rural,
country church of 135 years ago, but a new beginning with a new minister and the melding of
an old congregation with a young one. On January 16, 1975, the re-dedication service of the
unified Dunbarton - Fairport United Church was held.
The new church had much to recommend it in terms of religious symbolism.
The roof, which in the original church had been closed in by a ceiling was now opened
up to the peak, and its very height gives one the feeling of being uplifted; the rising at the
rear of the sanctuary produces a feeling of intimacy while providing greater seating
accomodation than was possible in the old church. Glass windows which follow the
structure of the front wall left standing after the fire create, especially on a sunny morning,
a glorious light that symbolizes in such a true fashion the presence of God, the Light of the
World.
Reconstruction had been accomplished at a cost of $195,000. and at a Congregational
Meeting three years later, Dr. McKay, Rev. Fred Bayliss and Mr. Don Lynde were able to
burn the mortgage that had enabled the construction to be accomplished.
During 1975, a committee was appointed to evaluate church government and make
recommendations for improvement. Out of this came the move from separate bodies of
Session, Stewards and Trustees to the formation of a Congregational Board which
encompassed all the duties of these bodies through the introduction of committees.
United Churches across Canada had begun to introduce the replacement of Session and
Stewards with the unified board in the late fifties, and the impact had been to relieve
somewhat the strain placed on a few individuals by their membership in these bodies
and to involve more, newer members into active participation within the life of their church.
1975 was also the year that Dunbarton - Fairport congregation carried a
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Dunbarton - Fairport United Church as it appeared in 1985.
(J. David Sills)
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a motion to accept a summer student and Rev. Bob Nightingale became the first minister to
serve an internship under the guidance of Rev. Raymont at Dunbarton - Fairport.
Development in Pickering continued during the late 'seventies as building in the south part
of town escalated. When Toronto United Church Council asked if Dunbarton - Fairport was
willing to accept the role as the United Church in South Pickering, the congregation
answered in the affirmative. They further agreed that they would be willing to expand as
required. As a direct result of this decision, a Long - Range Planning Committee was
established. This committee put forth a motion a) to acquire adjacent property which would
allow for future expansion; b) such expansion would be planned to serve spiritual,
educational and community-related requirements; c) a building committee
would be formed to coordinate the two previous plans. Dunbarton - Fairport was once
again on the move!
The path which they would follow was not to be a smooth one. It was, in fact,
one which would lead to a period of great anguish and soul-searching which arose in part
over a motion passed by the congregation at the annual meeting of 1982 to expand the
program through two full-time staff persons as a prelude to building expansion.
With the amalgamation of the congregations of Dunbarton and Fairport churches and the
general growth of the community, ministerial duties had increased to the extent where it was
becoming difficult for one person to carry the load. The solution to this problem appeared to
lie in the hiring of Betty Keeler, Superintendent of the Church School, as lay assistant to
Rev. Raymont. Amongst Mrs. Keeler's duties were those of congregational visitations,
freeing Rev. Raymont to minister to spiritual needs which required an ordained minister.
There were, however, objections by some people who felt that their needs could not be met
by a lay person. They also called
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into question the propriety of spending money on a second staff person, even though the
congregation had approved a deficit budget.
These negative reactions were held in check for a period of time, but grievances began to
accumulate as progress toward acquiring additional land was slow and an additional factor
was added to the discontent of some members. This matter concerned the actions of the
Cemetery Committee and the Congregational Board of the Church. The duties of the
Cemetery Committee included the sale of plots, upkeep and general administration of the
Erskine and Fairport Cemeteries. The Committee itself was made up of men to whom this
trust had passed from generation to generation over many years; generally the committee
acted independently of the congregation in matters that concerned the cemetery.
And so, when the Cemetery Committee received a bequest from the estate of a man whose
ancestors had been pioneers of Erskine Church, the committee moved to purchase adjacent
property which would facilitate the expansion of the Cemetery, the need for which was
becoming apparent.
At this point in time, the congregation was in the process of making application to the United
Church of Canada for grants and loans with which to purchase property for the planned
expansion of the church.
In order for the purchase to be completed, however, the land would have to be registered in
the name of the United Church of Canada (as all church property is) or in the name of
another legal and responsible body. The Cemetery Committee were given an alternative:
they could take steps to separate from the church and become accountable to the Town of
Pickering for their actions; or they could turn their bequest and other accumulated savings
over to the Church Treasurer, as United Church policy provides, and allow the
Congregational Board to act on their behalf in the matter of purchasing cemetery property.
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After much soul-searching the committee voted to retain their status as a committee of the
church. With the guidance of John Perigoe, Chairman of the Congregational Board and
David Stone, Chairman of the Building Committee, the approval of the congregation,
of Scarboro East Zone and Toronto Area Presbytery was secured to purchase such
property for the expansion of the Cemetery. In return, the Cemetery Committee agreed
to turn over to the Treasurer additional monies which they had accumulated.
These monies were applied to the planned expansion of the church.
With the success of this move, Dunbarton - Fairport hoped to establish a reputation
within the United Church as a unique pastoral charge in which a planned expansion was
undertaken with full involvement of and respect for the institutions of the past as well as the
present. Dunbarton - Fairport United Church is not a new suburban church but one whose
deep roots have linked the community with the church as its focal point for 150 years.
This vision of unity, however, was not to be. There were those within the congregation who
were not content with the decision reached between the Congregational Board and the
Cemetery Committee, and their discontent became a wedge which served to widen the
gap created by the dissatisfaction over delegating congregational visitation to a
Lay Assistant.
In the spring of 1983, the congregation faced a challenge: that of whether they were
willing to support a minister who stood accused of neglecting pastoral duties resulting
in the loss of some members, and disregarding the financial situation of the church.
A petition signed by seventeen members was presented to the Official Board requesting a
change in pastoral relations. A meeting of the Congregational Board was called to discuss
the matter. The outcome was a motion staunchly supporting Rev. Raymont, and a statement
affirming confidence in his role as spiritual leader was endorsed. The days that followed
were ones of turmoil for members of Dunbarton - Fairport as individuals struggled with the
question of how they viewed the role of their minister and his
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responsibilities within the congregation. The matter reached a climax on
Easter Sunday 1983, when the Chairperson of the Congregation, at the close of the worship
service, requested the congregation to examine and sign petitions in favour of retaining the
minister or in favour of a change in pastoral relations.
Emotions ran high as members and adherents wishing to see Rev. Raymont's ministry
continue or concerned about the expectations of ordained ministry vied with others who
vowed to replace him or withdraw their membership. After more weeks of unhappy
discussion, the congregation was requested to resolve the question by voting.
On Sunday May 15, after the service of worship, a congregational meeting was called to
order by a chairman nominated by Presbytery, Rev. Matthew Bailie. Speakers for and
against the retention of Rev. Raymont spoke alternately, and when no others wished to be
heard, the ballots were cast. The resulting count showed a majority of 119 to 47 favoured
Rev. Raymont.
The matter was theoretically decided, but a residue of sadness remained as some long-time
members withdrew their participation and support from the life of Dunbarton - Fairport.
One of the results of the conflict was the formation of a Ministry and Personnel Committee
which would act in future as a liaison between members of the church and the church staff,
intercepting grievances before they reached the point where they had the potential to destroy
relationships.
150 Years - A Celebration of Faith
In 1983, a committee was appointed as an adjunct of the Worship Committee to plan the
celebration marking the 150th year of the origin of Dunbarton and Erskine Churches,
This committee was chaired jointly by Ken Collins and Lynn Harris and included as members
Joyce Lawlor, Clare Martyn, Amy Bell, Bruce McNabb, Carolyn Joyce, and Diane Schillaci.
Plans were made for a year of celebration that commenced on September 16, 1984,
at a special service to which the congregation came out in force, many dressed
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in costumes representative of the past 150 years, some of them original clothes that had
been in families for many generations. Rev. Raymont preached his sermon
(with considerably less fire and brimstone) in the costume of a circuit riding
preacher of the early nineteenth century, similar to that which would have been worn by
Rev. Thornton. The only part which was missing was the gun carried by early circuit
preachers to fend off dangers such as wolves.
At the conclusion of the service, a reception was held in the lower auditorium where a
cake marking the 149th anniversary was cut by 91-year-old Mrs. May O'Brien,
the oldest member of the congregation. Following the reception, adults and children alike
trooped out to the parking lot where hundreds of colourful balloons, each containing a
message to the finder, were launched to float heavenward and thence to wherever the wind
might carry them. The 150th year was officially underway.
The bazaar that year took on the special flavour of an old-time bazaar, and a float depicting
an old-fashioned Christmas was entered in the community's Santa Claus Parade.
Former student-ministers who had spent part of their training period at Dunbarton -
Fairport returned to speak briefly on where their work had taken them since leaving the area.
A contest was held in which members of the congregation were invited to submit designs
for a new logo. The winning entry was designed by Mrs. Nancy Raymont and depicts the
symbolic alpha and omega, the dove of peace, and the fish. The triangular shape of the
'A' represents the three churches that make up the present one, and the years '1835 - 1985'
are incorporated in the base of the symbol representing omega. The logo has been adopted
for various uses including the cover of the quarterly newsletter, PEWS NEWS.
The actual 150th Anniversary Service was held on February 3, 1985. the closest Sunday to
the date of the opening of the building in 1886, and the sermon was delivered by Rev. Clifford
Elliott of Bloor Street United Church in Toronto. Plaques were presented to
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John Perigoe, representing the congregation as its chairperson, from Prime Minister
Brian Mulroney and the Government of Canada, and by the Honorable George Ashe,
M.P.P., on behalf of Premier William Davis of Ontario. (The plaque presented by
Mr. Ashe was one of the last of its kind to be signed by Mr. Davis before his resignation
from office.) A pot luck luncheon followed this special service.
As a wind-up to this year of celebration, a Strawberry Tea and Heritage Day Festival were
held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Martyn on Sunday, June 23, following worship.
The planning of this very successful final event in the anniversary year was one into which
members of the United Church Women, the 150th Anniversary Committee,
and the congregation at large put a great effort, and its success was due in large
measure to the skillful organizational efforts of Convenor Clare Martyn and those ladies who
co-ordinated the various aspects of the undertaking. After a luscious repast of sandwiches
and strawberry shortcake, guests were invited to tour the Martyn home, viewing an extensive
collection of antiques and collectibles. A room designated the Archive Room was filled with
many of the minute books, records and documents from which this history has been compiled.
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INTO A NEW ERA TOGETHER
Today the Gospel summons man to frame with his neighbour a common life
suitable to the secular city. He responds by leaving behind familiar patterns of
life that are no longer apropos and by setting out to invent new ones.
The summons in no sense requires a thoughtless novelism, a scurrying after the new simply
because it is new. It means rather that antiquity is no longer per se a mark of authenticity.
Old ideas must compete on an equal basis with new ones. What has been accepted must
be continually tested in the light of a world that is constantly changing. Thus the past is
celebrated and appreciated, but it can never be allowed to determine the present or the
future. (Harvey G. Cox, The Secular City)
With 150 years of history behind them the people of Dunbarton - Fairport United Church look
forward to the future with a vision that started with the decision to build an addition that would
house a new sanctuary capable of seating upwards of 350 people, increased room for the
Church School, meeting rooms and access for the handicapped.
In January 1983 the trustees of the Church were authorized by the congregation to apply for
loans in order to proceed. Through 1983 and 1984, meetings were held with the various
courts of the United Church, and in the fall of 1984, the architectural firm of Brown,
Beck and Ross was retained to draw up plans for a building.
Two parcels of land were purchased by the congregation, the first situated to the north of the
existing property and purchased from John G. Dunbar and June Laura Dunbar at a cost of
$22,600 and the second which comprised seven building lots to the east from Runnymede
Development Corporation for $90,000. A motion passed by the congregation authorized the
Congregational Board to make formal application to Toronto United Church Council for a
loan of $250,000. and to Ventures in Mission for a loan of $466,500. to facilitate the planned
expansion.
Ground was broken in a ceremony on Sunday June 16, 1985 by His Worship Mayor Jack
Anderson
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Time capsule is placed by Jim Dryden.(John Wallington)
Cornerstone is put into its position by Doug Brown and Fred Whittington.
(John Wallington)
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Rev. Bob Raymont gives the Benediction after ceremonial laying of cornerstone
(John Wallington).
"
"76
of Pickering; Mr. Sydney Lowdon, a long-time member of the congregation;
and by Mrs. Maureen Wait, one of the newest members. Shortly thereafter,
a contract was signed by the trustees on behalf of the congregation and by Doug
Brown for the architectural firm and Fred Whittington for the general contractor,
CHI Construction Ltd.
The construction company was on site during the second week of July and good weather
conditions meant that the work could proceed with few hitches. Architect Brown scoured
Toronto brickyards to come up with material which is well matched to the bricks of the
existing building.
Material was gathered to place in a time capsule which would show future generations a
representation of life in the closing years of the twentieth century,
and on Sunday October 20, 1985, the ceremonial laying of the cornerstone took place.
As a part of the worship service, the congregation gathered to watch Jim Dryden,
another long-time member, put the time capsule into position after which the architect
and the contractor put the date stone into place in the western wall.
As the physical growth of Dunbarton - Fairport became reality, the need to increase the
staff became a necessity. Consequently, Mrs. Joyce Lawlor, who had acted in the capacity
of part-time secretary for over thirteen years became full-time staff. The services of a student
intern were sought and obtained, first in the person of Gayle Lucas, then in the person of
John Miller; Lillian Perigoe, the first lay-person in Dunbarton -Fairport's 150 year history to
commence studies in theology as a candidate for ordained ministry came on staff in
January 1986, as Associate Minister.
The final service in the building of 1887 was a moving tribute which marked the 151st
Anniversary of the Congregation on February 2, 1986. The following week worship was
conducted for the first time in the beautiful new sanctuary. The earlier building
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which has been incorporated in the design of the new one will stand as a testimony to the
courage, perseverance and love of the generations who have, over the years,
called it My Church.
Rev. Bob and Mrs. Nancy Raymont (D. Schillaci)
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A SALUTE TO THE WOMEN
While bodies like the Board of Stewards and the Session have been a vital part of the
growth of the church, the contribution of the women's groups must be recognized for what
it is - an essential driving force behind all the activities in the life of the congregation.
Now combined under the umbrella of the United Church Women, the groups that employed
the skills of the women were varied. Before any particular organizations were founded,
the help of the women was being enlisted for such tasks as collecting funds for the
missionary field. A bible in the church bears the inscription that it was a gift from the
Ladies in 1883.
In order to provide recognition to each group, I have divided this chapter into the subsections,
Ladies Aid Society; Women's Association, On-We-Go; Women's Missionary Society and
United Church Women.
Ladies Aid Society
To read through the minutes of the Ladies Aid Society is to take a delightful trip back through
the years to a time when women wore bustles. Life was not easy in the farming community,
but these wives and daughters of the men of the church were able to meet the challenge that
was handed to them and come up smiling.
The purpose behind the founding of the Ladies Aid was to assist the Building Committee of
Dunbarton Church with the erection and furnishing of a new church. On February 5, 1886,
the ladies met with Rev. Craig and a slate of officers was drawn up:
President: Mrs. Charles Clarke
Vice-President: Miss Minnie Dunbar
(Later Mrs. Dr. Dales)
Treasurer: Miss Jennie Parker
Secretary: Annie C. Brander
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Annie Brander was a spinster and remained thus until her death in 1959.
Through her many years of work with the Ladies Aid and subsequent Women's Association,
her delightful sense of humour was often displayed. The records she kept of Aid meetings tell
us that meetings were held every two weeks at 2.00 p.m. sharp and following business a
tea was served. The first meeting of the Society was on Tuesday February 23, 1886,
at the home of Mrs. Nisbet and the tea which followed consisted of bread and butter,
soda biscuits and fruit. Every time the biscuits were passed, according to Miss Brander,
they were called a different kind of cake! Her description of the events of the first year
states that they were 'lots of work, and fun with it'.
In addition to the four officers named, the Society elected a purchasing convenor to buy and
place in the hands of the Cutting Committee all material to be used. The Cutting Committee
was to cut the material for which orders had been received (linen and muslin aprons, etc.)
and distribute it to the women who were to do the actual sewing. During meetings a
plain tea was to be served, and 10 cents collected from each member to go towards the
funds of the Society. Charter membership was 24 women and their first year of organization
proved to be a busy one.
Three major events were sponsored by the Society during 1886, the first of which was a
Pink Tea' held at Mrs. Parker's. Supper was served in the basement, and a good turnout
insured the success of the event.
The second event could have proved a disaster but for the good common sense of the
participants, spiked with a healthy dose of good humour. The occasion was the laying
of the cornerstone on Thursday June 17, and the ladies made plans to hold their first
bazaar with tea to follow this momentous event. Four of their number were assigned to
inspect the grounds behind the church sheds and Mr. Dunbar's grounds and decide on the
suitability of one of the locations. Mr. Dunbar's lawn was chosen, and further plans were
made to get two hundred tickets printed up, Nuts and
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candy were amongst the items to be offered for sale at the bazaar and the Ellesmere Band
was hired to play at the laying of the cornerstone. As the big day drew close young gentlemen
of the congregation were asked for their help. The ceremonies were scheduled for 2:30 p.m.,
and the morning was a beehive of activity as the ladies set up all the tables and laid each
with pretty cloths and nice dishes. And then it rained. By the time the cornerstone had been
laid, the rain had stopped but the ladies returned to find the tablecloths were soaked and the
cups full of water. Undaunted they stripped the cloths from the table and hung them up to dry
in the brisk wind that followed, emptied the water from the cups and proceeded with their
bazaar. (As a point of interest, the sod-turning ceremony for the church that now houses the
Dunbarton congregation was held 99 years after the original laying of the cornerstone with
only one day's difference - June 16, 1985.
Following the success of their first two events, a Peach Festival was planned for September,
this time to be held at the home of Mr. Taylor, and a public sale was scheduled for a full week
at the beginning of December.
With money raised by these events, the ladies were able to pay for the first load of bricks for
the new church, the seats ($300) and advise the Session of their plans to buy a new organ.
A successful first year! The Session at its next meeting extended a hearty vote of thanks to
the Ladies Aid 'for their energetic and persevering efforts in support of the finances of the
new church.'
In January 1887,the decision was made to continue on with the Society, and the ladies
determined that their next project would be to make cushions for the seats of the church.
Twenty yards of rep were purchased and more donated (rep is a corded fabric for making
cushions and similar articles), and when finished they were sold at prices ranging from
$2.00 for side cushions to $3.40 for extra long ones. The minister's cushion was provided
free of charge.
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Meetings were now being held in the basement of the new church with adjournment to the
home of one of the members for tea. A committee was formed to purchase the organ for the
church and socials were held throughout the year, usually at the home of one or other of the
members. Later in the year with proceeds raised through various schemes, the ladies were
able to provide matting for the floor, carpeting for the stairs and a motion was made to buy
six dozen dishes 'at once'. Attendance by the end of the year had begun to decline,
averaging only 3 or 9 members at the meetings but the second year of operation
was no less successful nor busy than the first. An article in the January 20, 1888 issue
of the Pickering News acknowledged the contribution of the ladies thus:
The Ladies Aid Association has expended about $200, in providing a new organ,
a set of crockery, a cooking stove and cushioning a large number of seats in the church.
They have raised altogether about $550.
Their efforts at fund raising continued and in February of 1888 they planned the social
celebrations marking the first anniversary of the church. Posters were mounted and a
write-up in the Pickering News advertising the event suggested that everyone who could
attend, do so, because the event promised to be a grand one. The Methodist Tabernacle
Choir of Whitby had been hired to provide selections of appropriate music and the best
treats of the season were promised. Proceeds from this very successful soiree were later
reported to be $56.
Meetings of the Society had become irregular by this time, being held only when the need
arose to discuss a particular matter. The decision was made not to bother with an
anniversary celebration in 1889. A request was made to the ladies, however,
to canvass the congregation to collect subscriptions from the members for the amount
due on the mortgage.
A motion was made in January 1891 to hold meetings of the Society with greater regularity,
but attendance by this time had
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dropped to only six members and between the period December 1891 and January 1900,
no records of meetings appear to have survived.
The Society reformed on January 25, 1900, agreeing to meet at 3:00 p.m. on the first
Thursday of each month. Dues were once again set at 10c, and a slate of officers elected:
President: Mrs. P. Annan
1st Vice President: Mrs. McConochie
2nd Vice President: Mrs. Clark
Secretary: Mrs. Dales (Minnie Dunbar)
Treasurer: Miss Brander
Assistant Treasurer: Miss Walton
Members in addition to the above ladies were Mrs. Henderson, Mrs. Gilchrist,
Mrs. Lawson, and Mrs. Parker.
They launched their re-formed society with immediate plans for a parlour social three
weeks later, and an oyster supper that was scheduled for March 16 at Mr. Cowan's
residence at Rosebank (Mr. Cowan was requested to get the oysters). A spring garden
party was also planned, with an admission fee of 25c. The number on the membership
roll had grown to 22 by the end of 1901, and the annual report for that year showed that the
Society had raised $235.08, of which $17 was spent on the furnace and $20 given to the
Managers. A quotation from the minutes of the annual congregational meeting held in
January, 1902, indicates that the Aid provided a vital service for the Church:
It is generally agreed that this assistance from the Ladies Aid is absolutely necessary in
keeping up the Church finances so we can retain our own minister.
By the time Rev. Wood joined the congregation, the Society was able to contribute
$100 towards his salary ($800 p.a. in 1906). They also oversaw the upkeep of the manse,
papering and painting and keeping it in a general state of good repair, and they decided to
form three new committees: to visit the sick of the congregation; to provide flowers in the
church every Sunday; and to speak to strangers visiting the church. In addition,
they continued to hold
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various teas, bazaars, and in the fall, Harvest Home.
For a number of years after 1906, there appear to be no minutes extant of Ladies
Aid meetings, but reference is made in congregational minutes to a 'Ladies Aid Red
Cross' in 1915, and a body designated 'Busy Bees' (the Bees are acknowledged as
being helpful in the work that was done when Dunbarton acquired Fairport Church in 1920),
so one can assume the women continued to be actively involved in the work of the
congregation. In 1918 when the Presbyterian Church Assembly Central Committee
requested assistance from individual churches, the Ladies Aid provided a representative to
sit on the committee in the person of Mrs. Charles Annis.
By 1923, membership numbered 27, and credit was given to the Society for paying for the
decoration of the church and the basement, fixing windows and the installation of three lights.
In 1925, with the formation of the United Church of Canada, the body known as the Ladies
Aid Society became the Women's Association.
Women's Association and On-We-Go
As the country entered the era of modern conveniences, the Women's Association took on
the responsibility of wiring the church for electricity at a cost of $214, and purchased
electrical fixtures at $137. (Young people of the church also contributed to the fixtures,
donating $37. to the W. A. for the purpose.)
During the years preceding the Second World War, the W. A. matured and much of their
efforts went towards raising money through the sale of home cooking, making and selling
quilts and catering dinners. Because their number had grown considerably,
they divided into smaller geographical groups to work on various projects,
but monthly meetings attended by all members consisted of the business portion
followed by a program and a social hour.
There was also interaction with sister societies from other area churches,
including Donlands United Church in Toronto,
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Dunbar House, location of Bazaar in 1886. (W. Dunbar)
Ladies of the Church in period costume, early 1930’s (J.D O’Brien)
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Washington United Church in Scarborough, Cherrywood United, and St. Paul's-on-the-Hill
Anglican also of Dunbarton. Summer meetings frequently took the form of a picnic at the
Rosebank home of Mr. and Mrs. Cowan.
During the War, efforts were increased as each group made up a complete layette which
was sent to Britain as well as a blanket. Concerts were sponsored and proceeds donated
to the War Victims Fund, the Russian Fund and the Red Cross. Bundles of clothing were
gathered at the home of Mrs. Morrish across the road from the church from whence they
were delivered to a central depot in Toronto to be shipped overseas.
Membership by 1942 reached 56, and the Association consisted of four groups:
the Friendship Group, Village Group, East Group and West Group.
The women held their own church service for the first time during the minister's summer
vacation in 1943.
The 58th anniversary of the Association was celebrated in 1944 during which charter
members Annie Brander, Mrs. W. Henderson, Mrs. G. White and Mrs. Dales were honoured.
These ladies continued to participate actively in the W. A., and mention is made of the fact
that Miss Brander alone made six quilts for donation to the Red Cross.
As the war came to an end, the W. A. organized a Fireside Service for men returning from
overseas, and a party was scheduled for Christmas 1945 or the New Year when more men
would be home.
As lives gradually returned to normal, two events worthy of note occurred within the
W. A. The first one was the assistance the women provided to their sisters at Fairport
Church in forming their own Association.
The second was the organization of a group to be known as 'On-We-Go'. On-We-Go was the
brainchild of Winnifred Mitchell. She recalls how, after her marriage, she attended meetings
of the W. A. with her mother-in-law and within two years she became President.
She became aware that there were now many business
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women and young mothers who were unable to attend the afternoon meetings of the W. A,
and it occurred to her that there would be merit in starting an organization of which they
could be a part. The result was the formation of On-We-Go, and Mrs. Mitchell was the
President for the first two years. The name was the suggestion of Annie Brander who said
'You're on-we-goin' all the time'. This group soon became as involved in all facets of
fund-raising as the W. A. A chapter of the Kiwanis had been formed in Dunbarton some
years earlier, and the W. A. had catered their weekly dinner meetings for some time.
On-We-Go was now given an opportunity to take their turn catering these dinners as well,
and this provided one way in which the group was able to generate revenue on a regular
basis.
On-We-Go members not only contributed in a material way to the finances of the church,
however; they enjoyed a spirit of fun and fellowship, frequently involving themselves in
activities such as curling and bowling which Mrs. Mitchell recalls were lots of fun.
(Fairport W. A. also formed an auxiliary whose function was similar to On-We-Go
but which was known by the name 'Wednesday Evening Group' or 'Wednesday Nighters'.)
In October 1951, the W. A. decided to hold a turkey supper, the first one in eleven years
due to the restrictions of war rationing. Extensive plans were made for the event.
A charge of $1.25 was made to adults, and .65 for children. It proved to be enormously
successful and soon became an annual event, with an average attendance of 500 people.
Because of the sheer number of people served, the turkey supper was a major undertaking
and the help of every able-bodied person, members and non-members alike, was sought.
The men of the church took their place as carvers and ticket-takers, and convenors
were appointed for every aspect ranging from the purchase of food and solicitation of
food donations to the preparation and serving to the entertainment. Dressing for the turkeys
was prepared in great big washtubs loaned by Mrs. Morrish
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for the purpose, and the turkeys were stuffed. They were taken to a bakery in Pickering
Village to be cooked and then carried to the church for slicing. Vegetables were carried
hot from individual homes to the church kitchen and served from there. Desserts took the
form of different kinds of pie. Entertainment was provided in the church to people who had
purchased tickets, and they waited until their number was called, at which time they went
downstairs to enjoy the feast. After the last piece of pie was served,
the clean-up committee began their job of washing up and taking down all the tables.
It involved a great deal of work but also provided an excellent source of revenue to the
Association and the On-We-Go. In 1952, the Stewards reported that the proceeds given
by the W.A. as a result of their Turkey Supper brought church finances out of the red,
even though regular weekly offerings did not cover the running expenses of the church.
By 1955, the membership of the W. A. had dropped off considerably, partly as a result of
the loss of some of the older members, and they willingly agreed to pass over the
convening of the by-now annual Turkey Supper to the On-We-Go, agreeing however,
to accept half the profits for their help. Eventually, the four groups (at one point, five)
that made up the W. A. once again became one group. Nevertheless,
they continued to contribute extensively to the church, and in 1956 requested permission to
erect a cross on the north wall of the sanctuary. They also purchased a new stove for the
kitchen replacing the old wood-burning stove.
During 1957, they lost Mrs. Dales, and two years later Annie Brander, charter members
whose help and good, old-fashioned work throughout the years had been invaluable.
Women's Missionary Society
Records of the work of the W.M.S. through the life of Dunbarton Church are less detailed
than those of the Ladies Aid and the W.A., but this society nevertheless has contributed
greatly to another facet of church work - that of caring for others outside
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the sphere of the congregation. The Women's Foreign Missionary Society was formed in
1877, and although records do not appear to have survived, reference in minutes of
congregational meetings is made to a membership of 24 in 1907. Much of the work in
which these women were involved was in providing bales of clothing to be shipped to the
Indians of the Northwest.
When the United Church of Canada was created, the Society became known simply as the
Women's Missionary Society, and meetings were held one afternoon a month.
Membership in the Society was not large, attendance averaging nine or ten very active
women. Members of the W.M.S. paid a fee of .50 and each month contributed a 'free will'
offering; it was expected that each member would make at least one call every month in
the way of a missionary visit to those they felt were in need of support.
The Dunbarton Society was a branch of the national organisation, and individual units were
expected to meet a quota of items to be included in a bale which was sent to the
Presbytery depot in Toronto; a part of every monthly meeting was spent knitting mitts and
sewing layettes and other clothing, much of which was eventually distributed to needy
homes in Toronto, although some was sent to the North and the West.
The women also knitted bandages from heavy cotton similar to that used for
crocheting and these were sent to Africa to be used in the leper colonies as dressings.
From time to time, Society members travelled to Toronto, taking a lunch with them,
and assisted in the work of the World Relief by folding clothing to be included in larger
bales for distribution outside Canada. Members of the Society made in-depth studies of
the countries where missionary work was being done, and from time to time welcomed a
missionary home on furlough to speak at a meeting.
Perhaps one of the most important aspects of the Women's Missionary Society was their
involvement of children in the community in contributing to the needs of children throughout
the world. To this end, a Mission Band was formed some time around
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1924, and a Baby Band in 1938. Children of families living in the vicinity,
many of whose parents were not connected in any other way with the church,
were invited to become members of the Baby Band if they were under six years old and
the Mission Band if they were from six to twelve years of age. Small members of the Baby
Band were given little boxes with pictures depicting children in other countries,
and were urged to contribute pennies whenever they could. At the end of the year,
these boxes were collected and the proceeds sent to children's homes in Africa, India,
and to the Canadian West Coast.
Upon graduation from the Baby Band, the children became members of the Mission Band
and met twice a month, sometimes after school, sometimes on Saturday.
These children began to learn more about the world around them through prescribed
study on countries where the United Church had missionaries. In addition to their studies,
they contributed handcrafted items which they had made themselves to the bales packed
by the W.M.S. They also sent books to the Trinidad School for Girls and sent used greeting
cards to childrens' homes in Africa, India and China.
Once a year, the W.M.S. hosted a party to which they invited the mothers of children in
Baby and Mission Bands, and while the little ones put on a program of songs,
dances and recitations, the ladies were served tea by the W.M.S.
During the early years of the Second World War, members of the W.M.S. extended their
efforts to helping victims of the War through agencies such as the Red Cross, and were
urged to keep up their enthusiasm and pray for a righteous peace. Rev. Duncan McRae,
a missionary whose work had taken him to South China, assured members in a special
guest appearance at a worship service that they should carry on and not become
discouraged. 'It's a good work,' he said.
In 1962, the W.M.S. was absorbed, along with the W.A. into the one body known as the
U.C.W. The Mission Band was replaced
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by the organization that came to be known as Messengers. On-We-Go, however,
continued to function under that name until fire destroyed the Church: at that point in time,
the members united with their sisters at Fairport and the two organizations formerly known
as 'On-We-Go' and the 'Wednesday Nighters' became the 'Lightkeepers'.
The name of this group was a reference to the lighthouse at Frenchman's Bay,
as well as to the creed that was adopted by the Lightkeepers, 'Thy word is a lamp onto my
feet, a light onto my path', and repeated at every meeting.
The objective of the Lightkeepers was to raise funds to meet the needs and requests of the
church and community, and to this end, the group held turkey suppers, catered for wedding
receptions, Sunday School banquets, dinners for the Ministerial Association and the
Horticultural Society, etc. In addition the members enjoyed an atmosphere of fellowship
during the work parties to make chocolate eggs to sell for Easter and mincemeat for the
Christmas Bazaar. The final project before the group disbanded during the mid-eighties
was to repair the front wall and steps of the church and to put up railings on both sides of
the steps leading up to the church doors.
United Church Women
In the ensuing two and a half decades since the formation of the United Church Women,
the function of the women has remained as vital to the successful life of the congregation
as it was when first they organized the Ladies Aid a century ago.
As in past years, their prime source of fund-raising has been through holding bazaars and
catering banquets, and the money generated has contributed much to the church and to
the general welfare of the community through the support of agencies such as the Fred
Victor Mission, the Victor Home for girls and the Auberge Home for Battered Women.
In 1964, the members of the
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U.C.W. purchased a brass plaque for the front of the Communion Table in memory of the
work of their predecessors from 1881 -1961, and in 1968 they donated a new
baptismal font. (Both unfortunately, were lost in the fire of 1973.)
Work done by the women of Fairport Church often complimented that of the Dunbarton
organization and when Mrs. Alice Lowdon, President of the Fairport U.C.W. introduced the
observance of World Day of Prayer in the early seventies at Fairport, members from
Dunbarton Church were invited to join in this special worship service.
It has since become an annual observance at Dunbarton - Fairport.
With the union of the two congregations in 1974 came the amalgamation of the Fairport
U.C.W. with that of Dunbarton. Mrs. Lowdon, President since 1966 at Fairport was
elected to remain in office, a responsibility she held until 1978. Membership in the
U.C.W. had dropped off, however, and the undertaking of the annual bazaar became too
much work for the few women who regularly attended the monthly meetings,
so at Mrs. Lowdon's suggestion, the whole congregation was invited to share in the
responsibility of convening and contributing to what has become a prime source of
fund-raising for the church.
The purpose of the U.C.W. is to 'unite all women of the congregation for the total mission
of the Church and to provide a medium through which they may express their loyalty and
devotion to Jesus Christ in Christian witness, study, fellowship and service'.
To this end monthly meetings follow a format which opens with and highlights worship.
Mission studies on third world countries and frequently a guest speaker follow the business
portion of the meetings. Thirty-two women are at present actively involved in the
Dunbarton - Fairport United Church Women, under the leadership of Mrs. Mary Stinson,
and their plans for the future include contributing in a substantial manner to the furnishing
of the new building.
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EMPLOYING THE ENTHUSIASM OF"" YOUTH
There are no really early records of the operation of a 'Sabbath School' which dates back
to 1864 in Dunbarton Church, but periodic reference appears to reports being given by the
people charged with the education of the junior members of the congregation.
In 1905, there is a reference to 75 names entered on the roll of the Sunday School,
with an average attendance of about 45. Mention is also made of a summer school being
held at Rosebank during the summer of 1914 and run by Miss Marjorie Allison.
In addition to regular attendance at Sunday School, children were expected to attend
church services, and in 1917, the fathers of the congregation lamented the absence of
many young people from these services with the question, 'Where will our congregation
be in a few years?'
Actual records detailing meetings of the Sunday School officers and teachers do not
begin until 1924, and are in many cases only sketchy outlines. Twelve adults made up the
committee charged with the responsibility of instructing the young into the teachings of the
Church, but more than that, these people saw to it that the children had times upon which
they would later look back with happy memories.
During the years of the Depression, many parents simply could not afford 'good' clothes to
attend church themselves, but their children were welcomed anyway and took part eagerly
in Sunday services. As is the case today, summer picnics were planned,
(sometimes regular school would even be closed for the day for the specific purpose)
and for a number of years children and their parents set out to enjoy a day of games and
races to be followed by a picnic supper at Frenchman's Bay (the park to which they went is
now the site of a marina, but for many years it was widely known as Glen Avis after the
family who owned it). In later years, families would meet in front of Morrish's Store in
Dunbarton Village and Mr. Morrish would supply transportation in his truck to the
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"93
picnic site, sometimes Woodlands Park, or Greenwood Park, or Lynwood Park.
In December, Christmas parties and pageants were planned, complete with a visit from
Santa Claus, Special prises for regular attendance were awarded at the Christmas
festivities.
Sunday School instruction of sixty years ago saw the children hearing monthly talks on
missionary work, and several times during the year a speaker from the Temperance
Society assured that they received warnings on the importance of sobriety.
The primary section and the beginners section had a 'Birthday Box',
and upon the occasion of a youngster's birthday, that child was expected to make a
contribution to the box, the proceeds of which were sent to the Hospital for Sick Children.
In 1940, because of the outbreak of the war, money allocated to purchase prizes from the
T. Eaton Co. for awarding at that year's Sunday School picnic was reduced to a total of
$4 from the $8 that had been spent in the past, but the following year,
children were presented with red, white or blue ribbons instead.
Money that would have been spent on prizes was allocated to the Save the Children Fund.
Gifts were given at the Christmas party, however, with a limit of .15 spent on each child.
By the end of the war, the number of children whose names appeared on the roll had
escalated to 125, but average attendance was less than half that number;
steps were taken to encourage a better turnout, and names were not entered on the
membership roll until a child had attended at least four Sundays.
Teachers also encouraged attendance at Church services by starting Sunday school half
an hour before church with opening exercises and a short lesson, following which the
children would go up into the church to attend the first half hour of the service.
In an effort to supplement Sunday School funds, the teachers took part in fund-raising
events such as catering Kiwanis dinners, and organizing a craft show,
a daffodil tea in the spring, and demonstrations of flower arrangements.
An annual bazaar which
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they held every October was one to which all parents, whether members of the church or
not, lent their full support, donating anything they could to raise money. Evelyn Westgate
remembers one lady who had little of anything else bringing to the bazaar an armful of
beautiful fall marigolds and asking if they could be used. Sure enough, they were divided up,
tied with string, and sold to people anxious to hold on to the glory of late summer for even a
little while longer! With money raised thus, the Sunday School was able to contribute not
only to the religious education of the children but to assist in work that needed to be done
within the church and in the community of the world's young people.
The Sunday School continued to grow under the dedicated leadership of Helen Bradd who
held the post of Superintendent of the Sunday School from 1948 until her retirement in
1964. By 1955, 167 children and twelve teachers were on the roll.
A year later, the number of children jumped to 225, with an average attendance of 135.
Eighteen teachers were now required in order to handle this number,
and the Sunday School was divided into junior and senior departments.
Win Mitchell was one of the teachers greatly involved in activities planned for the
Sunday School children through the fifties, and Mrs. Mitchell reminisced about the
occasions on which they would charter a bus and take the children on excursions as far
afield as the Indian village and shrine at Midland, to Niagara, and other places of special
interest to the young. A picnic lunch and dinner would be taken, and they often did not
return home until late in the evening, exhausted, but filled with the stuff of which memories
are made. Skating parties at outdoor arenas during the winter were followed by a party
back at the home of the Mitchells. In later years, many a former student would exchange a
happy 'Do you remember when?' with Mrs. Mitchell and other special teachers.
With the increase in numbers also came an increase in the revenue provided by the
Sunday School, and the department's
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contribution helped to pay for the installation of a new ceiling in the Sunday School room
(aided by a generous donation of material from the Johns-Manville Company),
donated a piano, contributed sums of money to the Stewards to be applied against new
eavestroughing for the Church and also toward the minister's salary. Enthusiasm among
teachers and pupils was high.
During the mid-fifties, a group was also formed for the young people of the community,
and although it was not large, the names of the members read like a directory of the
Dunbarton area. One of the leaders of this group, Mrs. Mary Loucks, was a newcomer
from the city with a young family and a husband who was on the road a great deal.
She remembers with enthusiasm Sunday evenings when the young people of a generation
who did not have ready access to cars met at the church spending 'absolutely fascinating
evenings in discussion groups talking over the problems of the young.' Often the group
would meet at the Loucks' home for a party or dance, because such activities in the church
basement were frowned upon. The group stayed together all through high school but
disbanded as the young people married or went away to college. A few years later,
Mrs. Loucks found herself involved once more as a second group of children suddenly
joined the ranks of teenagehood. She admits to a less vivid memory of the activities of this
group, but does recall a day when the young people participated in a soap box derby on
Toronto Island, ' which I sincerely thought would be my last day. As I recall,
our wheels fell off……….’
Two notable changes affecting the Sunday School occurred during the 'sixties.
In the first place, a change was made in the time of the annual promotion.
This had traditionally taken place during the Christmas party,
and took effect at the first of the year. In 1964, the Sunday School committee decided to
promote the children in June, a change that remains in effect today.
The second occurence of note was the introduction of the New Curriculum by the United
Church. The intent of the new
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curriculum was to bring Biblical teachings into the context of modern living and has served
as a core to later curricula which took children a step further by enabling them to identify
the presence of God in their own day-to-day living. Although this change was greeted with
reluctance and opposition in some churches, Dunbarton made the transition with relative
ease.
During the late sixties and early seventies, however, Dunbarton experienced a decline in
the interest shown by teachers of the Sunday School: hitherto dedicated people no longer
wanted to spend every Sunday in the church school setting, isolated from other aspects of
Sunday worship. When they left, replacements for them became difficult to find.
The fire that destroyed the church early in 1973 created the opportunity to review the
organisation of such areas as the church school, and when the doors of the rebuilt facility
were opened two years later, more involvement by more people was soon evident.
Team effort became the key to the operation, allowing a teacher to spend at least one
Sunday a month in church while another taught the children; sign-up sheets encouraged
others to take their turn helping out, thus allowing them to spend a specified period of time
with the Junior Congregation before moving, on to involve themselves in other areas of
congregational activity.
Under the stewardship of Superintendent Betty Keeler, the leaders of the junior
congregation availed themselves of seminars at Cedar Glen and Five Oaks,
returning with contagious enthusiasm to share ideas among themselves and with their
young charges.
Interest amongst the children and the congregation was revived and Ms. Keeler recalls
the year when the nursery had an enrolment of ninety babies under two years of age.
In successive years, these little ones moved up and there was for several years one class
which always had a larger number of students than all the other classes.
Such was the impact of the Church School program and the dedication of the teachers that
a trio of twelve-
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year-olds who had graduated from the senior class approached Ms. Keeler to ask if they
might be allowed to continue attending Church School. They were not comfortable just yet
to leave the security of the familiar setting of Church School to involve themselves
completely in the maturity of church services. The group that was formed as a result of this
suggestion became a class of nine whose numbers and ages fluctuate as the years
change.
Perhaps one of the most important aspects of today's church school is the feature of
inter-generational worship. Children of all ages enter the sanctuary with their parents
prior to worship and spend the first fifteen minutes taking part in the service.
Following a special message delivered by Rev. Raymont, the associate minister or a
student for the ministry, the children disperse to their classes to continue their religious
education under the dedicated leadership of Celeste Hill and her staff of teachers.
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BIBLE SOCIETY
One of the very earliest organizations to be founded in the Dunbarton Presbyterian
Church was the Dunbarton Branch of the Upper Canada Bible Society in 1855.
In May of that year, thirty-one men and women of the church became the charter members,
and they elected officers in the persons of Rev. Alexander Kennedy, President; Wm. Thorn
and Thomas Courtice, Vice-Presidents; Wm. Dunbar, Secretary-Treasurer;
John McKeggie, Depository. The duty of the latter was to make available to the members
bibles and testaments which were purchased through the Upper Canada Bible Society.
(Mr. McKeggie may have operated the earliest store in the village,
because he was instructed to get a sign printed up and displayed conspicuously in his
store advertising the fact that he had bibles to sell. His successor in this office,
John Parker, also operated a store, and it may have been the same one.)
Membership in the Bible Society was open to anyone who would subscribe 2s. 6d.
annually or one pound, 5 shillings at any one time, Proceeds from these subscriptions,
after purchasing bibles for resale, went back to the Upper Canada Bible Society for the
purpose of 'translating the word of God into the Indian languages and supplying other
nations ........ with the pure word of God.'
In 1857, with William Dunbar Sr. as President, the name of the society was changed to the
Pickering Branch Bible Society with a view to covering the whole Township in its operation.
By the end of its third year, the officers of the society expressed satisfaction with the
subscriptions that they had been able to collect, particularly when they took into
account 'the scanty crops and the extremely limited demand for labour' that characterised
the year. They were disappointed to report though that there had been little interest
exhibited by the residents of the Township at large.
It appears that members of the Bible Society did, at the start, include members of the
Front Station of Erskine congregation, but
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in 1860 a decision was made to hold the annual meeting at Mr. Holme's school
(on the hill west of the church) rather than at Erskine, because none of the members of the
Society resided on either the 2nd or 3rd Concessions. Rev. Baird, minister of Erskine
Congregation, replied somewhat testily that it was not the wish of his congregation for the
meeting to take place at Erskine: another blow to any hope of friendly co-existence
between the two early congregations!
The women of the church played their part in the Bible Society, because in 1860,
three of the ladies and two of the men were appointed to collect the subscriptions.
In later years it was solely the women who did this job.
The Society lost an old and zealous friend of Bible circulation in 1870 upon the death of
their President, Wm Dunbar Sr. He was replaced by John Parker, no less an active and
upright churchman.
The report of the subscriptions collected that year showed their allocation as follows:
To the Upper Canada Bible Society $10.50
To the British and Foreign Bible Society $10.50
For Spain $21.00
Minutes of the Bible Society end with the record of a meeting in November 1892,
at which time Mr. Parker was still serving as President, but the Dunbarton Branch
continued into the twentieth century. In 1962, a bible (now in the church) was presented to
Mr. Benjamin W. Lotton by Rev. E.R. Stanway, on behalf of the Upper Canada District of
the Canadian Bible Society as a tribute to Mr. Lotton's untiring efforts on behalf of the
Society from 1913 to 1961 in the capacity of Secretary-Treasurer. Mr. Lotton and James
Mclntosh, who at one time occupied the position of Superintendent of the Sunday School,
were responsible for raising considerable sums of money over their long association
with the Bible Society.
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THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Music has played a major role in the life of Dunbarton -Fairport United Church for a good
many years. Before a choir was organized at Dunbarton, the congregation was led in the
singing of praise by a man known as the precentor who occupied a box just below the
pulpit and who introduced and led the hymns with the aid of a tuning fork. Mary Anderson
tells a delightful story that has been handed down in her family, of the precentor who stood
in his accustomed place one dark and gloomy day and peered at the words before him in
the hymnary.
'My eyes are dim. I cannot see this hymn.'
The congregation dutifully repeated what he said to which he responded,'I did not say -for
you to sing my eyes are dim, I cannot see this hymn. I think the devil's in you all.'
The use of music had been a contentious issue in some churches but in 1864,
with few people dissenting, the Dunbarton congregation voted to incorporate the singing of
hymns of praise in sabbath services; a choir was formed in 1870.
The question of acquiring an organ arose at the annual meeting of 1875 and on Monday
morning, January 15 of that year, Rev. Alexander Kennedy sent the following note to
Johnathan Holmes, schoolmaster of the village school and an elder of Dunbarton Church:
My Dear Mr. Holmes,
The Session will meet at my house tomorrow afternoon, as soon after three o'clock as you
can make it convenient to attend. We will not take up the organ question till you come.
Perhaps you could dismiss the scholars half an hour earlier that usual. I trust we shall have
an amicable meeting and be able to consent to the expressed desire of the large majority
of the congregation.
The meeting did indeed settle the matter and a year later $200. had been subscribed;
the organ was purchased at a cost of $185. and an additional $14 was expended on the
acquisition of
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music books. This organ was replaced twelve years later with funds raised by the Ladies
Aid and over the next few years there are entries in the account books for sums of money
used to buy additional hymn books and choir books. In 1911, the organ was sold and the
proceeds given to the choir. A new organ was bought with donations ranging from $1 to $5
given by various members of the Ladies Aid.
In 1910, George Parker, leader of the choir, died and was replaced by
Cuthbert W. Holmes. Mr. Holmes came from a music-loving family - in 1865, his father
Jonathan had urged the more general use of hymns of praise during worship services,
and in later years Cuthbert's granddaughter, following in his footsteps, became the organist. Harold Mitchell, grandson of Cuthbert Holmes, recalled the memory of a man who could 'sing like a lark'! Mr. Holmes retired as choir leader in 1914 at which time he was replaced by Nathaniel Burkholder.
In 1913, the congregation had passed a motion to give remuneration to the choir leader; a
sum of $36. When Mr. Burkholder took on the duty, the stipend was raised to $50.
per annum.
Over a period of years participation in the choir waned and was revived and from time to
time the leader would record his lament at the difficulty he was experiencing at interesting
people in this facet of worship. By 1952, membership had reached 27 but a few short
years later only 6 people made up the choir. A drive was started to purchase a new organ
in 1961; once again new members were sought and a choir and music committee was
established.
Following the fire of 1973, a used pipe-organ was donated to the congregation,
but because of the cost involved in installing it, it was never used. Instead the organ which
had been used at Fairport Church was placed in the reconstructed church and Mrs. Alice
Lowdon who had been the organist at Fairport for many years offered her services to the
united congregation.
"
"- 102 -
Choir of Dunbarton United Church at Erskine Memorial Service, early 1950’s.
(M. McClement)
"
"- 103 -
In April 1978 the congregation found themselves in the position to purchase a larger organ
at a cost of $16, 625; later that year Bill Estey was hired as organist and choir leader,
Mr. Estey has served the congregation since that time with the exception of a brief period
of time during which he was replaced by Mr. Paul Bodkin as Director of Music.
Under the direction of Mr. Estey the choir is, in this spring of 1986, a well-established and
integral part of worship at Dunbarton - Fairport United Church. The choir area in the new
sanctuary can seat up to forty people, and there is at present a drive to secure new
members. In addition, a youth choir, the 'Celebration Singers', under the direction of
Linda Meyer and Angie McNabb has been formed to bridge the gap which had existed
between the senior choir and the Junior Choir led by Nancy Abba with accompaniment by
Ed Hill. The Junior Choir bring their enthusiasm to worship once a month and offer an
eagerly awaited cantata of music and action every spring. The members of the Alpha
Choir are the youngest contributors to the music of Dunbarton - Fairport.
This choir is made up of children from five to seven years of age who practice under the
direction of Mary Stinson and provide a delightful addition to services of worship on
special occasions.
"
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A FINAL WORD
The story of a church and its people would not be complete without the little anecdotes
about people. A humorous little tale is one that is related by Douglas Wright of
Scarborough. Mr. Wright's association was of the briefest nature,
but it touched the life of him and three fellow members in the service of their country one
night in 1942, and Mr. Wright recalls the occasion in these words:
During the second World War, with many other Toronto boys. I was temporarily stationed
at the R.C.A.F. Station in Trenton... We were allowed leaves of absence on weekends,
generally from five o'clock Friday evening to midnight Sunday evening.... In the early spring
of 1942 rationing was in effect, and gasoline was hard to get. Automobiles were not
(as available as) they are now. Most travel was by bus or train. Unfortunately,
the schedule of the buses and trains did not necessarily coincide with the specific terms of
a '48' - and the main object of a weekend pass from Trenton was to get to Toronto as
quickly as possible, to visit your family.... I remember that one of our number was the lucky
owner of a car - and he had enough gasoline ration coupons to buy enough fuel to get a
car from Trenton to Toronto and back - a distance of about 240 miles.... So,
four of us piled into the car and left for a '48' in Toronto one cold early spring weekend.
Upon arrival we dispersed to our various families and other interests, with the arrangement
made to meet at a specific spot on Kingston Road, early on Sunday evening, for the return
journey to Trenton, in order to be back at the base in time.
As I remember we met at about 8 p.m. and it was a cold and blowing night with quite a bit
of snow on the ground, and more swirling around us. One didn't get from Toronto to
Pickering in the brief time it now takes on the 401 - indeed there was no 401.
The main route from Toronto to Trenton was Highway 2 which.... passes through the main
streets of most of the intervening towns, including Pickering. And on the main street of
Dunbarton was located the Dunbarton United Church….. Anyway, we had car trouble on
the outskirts of Dunbarton, about 10 o'clock on the cold and blowy Sunday night.
Car trouble! It stopped, and we didn't know why, and we couldn't get it going.
"
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The decision was to push the car (three of us) with one steering, until we came to a garage or
other possible source of help. We finally came to a service station garage but it was closed -
everything was closed on Sunday nights in those days - in particular everything in Dunbarton!
There wasn't even a light to be seen anywhere. Somebody remembered that churches were
supposed to provide sanctuary to weary travellers, and went up the sidewalk to the church -
and lo and behold the front door was open and it was warm inside.... So, we left the car in
front of the garage, with the idea of being there as soon as the mechanic opened up on
Monday morning. And the four of us went into the Church to keep warm.... Now,
here we have four young men (early, early twenties) who have been pushing a car along a
highway for some time in the cold, frosty air. The pangs of hunger naturally descended.
A quick reconnoitre of the church and the basement revealed no food - except for a bag of
potatoes.
And now a slight digression.... When I was a young lad going to public school, one of my
delights for lunch was a baked potato, smothered in butter and seasoned with pepper and
salt.... The best way to prepare luncheon was just before leaving to go to school at 8.30 a.m.
was to put a washed potato of suitable size just inside the door of the furnace.
Your mother then turned the potato several times during the morning,
and by twelve fifteen when you arrived home for lunch, it was cooked to perfection!!
So I related all these facts to the other three boys, and although we had no hope of food that
night, except raw potatoes, we comforted ourselves with the thought of baked potato for
breakfast. So, four young airmen 'purloined' a half dozen potatoes from the bag,
and put them just inside the furnace door. They were turned frequently during the night.
Then we spread ourselves throughout the church, one man per heat vent, and 'put in' the night.
Come daylight, we feasted on baked potatoes, done to perfection.
Finally the mechanic appeared, the car trouble was diagnosed and fixed. We found a phone
and called to Trenton to report the reason for our absence. Our journey continued uneventfully,
and what happened is now a happy memory. One other thing.... just before we left the church,
the four of us turned out our pockets and put all our change (as I recollect a total of about
$1.15) onto the collection plate on the table in front of the
"
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church. Many times I have wondered at the reaction of .... the minister.... whoever found the
money, as to how it got there! I imagine the Sunday evening collection in 1942 was probably
rather sparse, and certainly money was never left lying around!.... Certainly a 40-year-old
memory is not much in the life of a 150-year-old church, but all the memories together make
the history, don't they?
"
"APPENDIX A
TAKING A LOOK AROUND
The sanctuary in which the congregation of Dunbarton -Fairport United Church worships
today is a beautiful modern structure, but there are reminders, as one looks around of much
more of our past. What follows is a brief description of some of the things which are familiar
to those who come to the church on Sunday morning to worship yet who may not know of their
origin.
Let's take a look around, starting at the entrance to the building of 1886:
Trees and bushes - The shrubs outside the entrance to the building were planted in memory
of Rev. Enoch Stanway, and of Gladys and Alvin Raymont, parents of Rev. Robert and
Mrs. Nancy Raymont.
Stained glass windows - The beautiful stained glass window above the entrance to the
church and the two small windows on either side of the porch are one hundred years old,
a part of the 1886 structure that escaped destruction when the church burned.
Datestone - Upon entering the door, look down to see, encased in plexiglass on the floor of
the narthex, the datestone of the 1886 building. Originally, the datestone had been located
high in the arch of the church. During the fire, the front wall remained standing and it was
hoped that this part of the building could be saved. A day or two later however,
the wall came crashing down. Remarkably, although the datestone did break in the fall,
it did not shatter completely and the letter 'C', possibly part of the designation Canadian
Presbyterian, and the word 'Church', as well as the date 'A.D. 1886' can still be seen.
(The time capsule which, according to early records was placed behind the datestone has
apparently never been found.)
Stained glass window - Before the fire the round window above the altar had been a type of
stained glass known as a 'Rose Window'. When the Church was rebuilt, the decision was
made
"
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to replace it with a new design. The one which was chosen was the work of Dr, Bill McKay,
son of the former minister and himself a medical doctor. Dr. McKay had visited Turkey and
Eastern Greece shortly before with an archeologist, during which time he saw and
photographed ancient stained glass windows and mosaics in that part of the world;
he came up with an idea for a design which although not traditional, reflects many aspects of
the Christian Church. A study of the window reveals symbols representing the chalice,
the loaf and fish, a dove, and the hands of God. The window is a gift from Walter Lynde;
the smaller, triangular-shaped window above the round one was given by Ella Sharkey,
a descendant of a Dunbarton pioneer family.
Wall hanging - Above what was the choir stall is a wall hanging
using the acronym G R O W for the words 'Go Right On Working'. This hanging was
designed by Peter Halicki to depict the Stewardship theme 'Growing to Serve, Serving to
Grow'. It was then drawn to scale and a pattern made for it by Murray Gibson;
Evelyn Gibson and Joyce Lawlor planned the colour scheme. Work on the hanging was
done by the Craft Class under Mrs. Lawlor's leadership, and was finished by Mrs. Gibson.
Mr. Gibson made the frame necessary for quilting as well as the rods and hangers.
It was hung in the church in time for the Easter Season of 1982.
The Communion Table and Pulpit - In the old sanctuary, these were gifts of members of the
Dunbarton U.C.W., and the Baptismal Font was the gift of the Fairport U.C.W. in 1974.
A reminder of the fire - Blackened wood stumps, braces which supported the arches of the
original roof, can be seen by looking at the upper portion of the east and west walls of the old
sanctuary, a grim reminder of the day that changed the course of the Church's future.
A hooked picture - In McKay Hall is a picture done by Mrs. Mary Mills and shows the church
before the fire. This work of love was given to be hung in the church after reconstruction and
originally it could be seen in the narthex of the old building.
"
"- 109 -
The New Sanctuary
Communion Table - Entering the new sanctuary, one can look at the beautiful new
Communion Table which was placed by the Building Committee. Thirteen squares of wood
across the front of the table represent the twelve disciples and Jesus at the Last Supper.
The cloth on the Table - Chosen so as not to obscure the beauty of the Table,
the cloth was purchased by Jim and Clare Martyn from the Liturgical Apostolate Centre in
Weston where it had been made by the Sisters of the Divine Master.
Pulpit drapings - Some of the pulpit drapings which are used during various seasons of the
church year are the work of members of the U.C.W., Margaret Veenendaal and Mary Stinson.
The most recent was made by Mrs. Stinson for the Easter Service of March 1986.
Pulpit - The Pulpit was placed in memory of Herbert Robinson and Rev. Enoch Ridley
Stanway by Mildred Robinson.
Baptismal Font - The beautiful new font is a gift from Sydney and Alice Lowdon and is
dedicated to the memory of Mrs. May O'Brien.
Quilted wall hanging - The tapestry which hangs behind the Communion Table was
commissioned by the architect and is the design and work of Judith Tinkl, a well-known
Canadian artist living in Sunderland, Ontario. In this quilted hanging can be seen three
crosses, the different colours of which represent seasons of the church year: butterflies
and the fish.
The organ - It was purchased in 1978 with gifts of money from various people within the
congregation. The final gift of $8000 was made by Mary Anderson, Harold Anderson and
Florence Pugh, in loving memory of their parents, Christine and Robert Stewart Anderson.
Offering Plates - Although the fire destroyed much of the physical building and almost the
entire contents of the church, workers clearing the rubble afterwards discovered that by some
miracle, two brass collection plates had survived. They were found under what was left of the
silver communion service which had been completely melted by the intense heat.
The plates were a gift to the church in i960, one from the On-We-Go Auxiliary and the other
from the Sunday School in memory of Mrs. Winnifred Code, an active member of the church
"
"- 110 -
for many years.
Other offering plates have been given in memory of Daphne Caldwell by John and Lillian
Perigoe and in memory of Donald Thompson and of Mary Helen Thompson.
A smaller plate was a gift to the Dunbarton Sunday School from Fairport Sunday School
after the fire.
Hymn Books - Numerous hymn books which are in use during worship services are gifts of
individuals and bear dedications in memory of friends and loved ones.
Bibles - On the Communion Table, the Revised Standard Version of the Bible was a gift from
Sydney and Alice Lowdon. The pulpit Bible is dedicated to the memory of William and
Gertrude Heaton, residents of Dunbarton from 1929 to 1976, and was placed there by Steve
and Evaline Hughes. The original pulpit Bible was rescued from the fire by Fire Chief Don
Lynde, and although it is badly charred, it too is a reminder of our early beginnings.
A smaller Bible was a gift to Benjamin W. Lotton, Secretary-Treasurer of the Dunbarton
Branch of the Canadian Bible Society and was presented by Rev. E. R. Stanway,
District Secretary of the Society and the father of Mrs. Nancy Raymont.
Banners - Over a period of years, there have been many banners made by various groups
within the church which have been hung in the old sanctuary and the lower auditorium.
One such banner entitled 'Love in All Seasons' made by members of the Junior Sunday
School was a winner in the children's class in a competition sponsored by the United Church
of Canada during the fiftieth anniversary of the Church. The banner was described as 'an
expression of happiness employing symbols that speak clearly to children' and was on
display in various centres across Canada as part of a travelling exhibition sponsored by the
United Church. Sadly, the banner has now gone missing. Others, however, have been made
by Sunday School classes and Mid-week groups and can be seen displayed at various
places throughout the church building.
Book of Memory - This book was placed by Bill and Joyce Lawlor as a way of recording for
posterity the gifts that have been made to Dunbarton - Fairport in the past and during the
expansion. Wendell Sumner is contributing the calligraphy that illustrates the book.
It is on display in a glass-topped case in the sanctuary.
"
"APPENDIX B
TAKING A LOOK AROUND ERSKINE CHURCH
Erskine Church, standing on the north-east corner of Finch Avenue and Fairport Road
appears today much as it did when it was first built. Although lightning which hit a nearby tree
caused it to fall and break two windows on the south side, the rest of
the windows contain original glass in their panes. The church has been moved back one
hundred feet and mounted on a stone foundation, but the interior is as it was when a member
of the pioneer Anderson family carved a small 'A' into the pew which
designated the space occupied by his family. Here in photographs is the Erskine Church of
135 years ago - the Erskine Church as we know it today.
"
"- 112 -
Early Baptismal Register of Erskine Church.
"
"- 113 -
Interior of Erskine Church
"
"- 114 -
Organ, Precentor’s Box and Crow’s Nest Pulpit.
"
"- 115 -
Erskine Church, 1986.
Pioneer Memorial at Erskine Cemetery.
"
"APPENDIX C.1
Communicants receiving first Communion; 1836
Robert Couts
Jean Couts
Hellen Peat
Jean Knox
William McQuey
David Smith
Janet Hyslop
William Dunbar
John Agnew
Laura Bratt
David Strathern
Rachel Park
John Greig
Isabel Peat
Wm. Dunbar Jr.
David Sinclair
James Greig
Thomas Brand
APPENDIX C.2
ROLL OF HONOUR OF DUNBARTON UNITED CHURCH
WORLD WAR ONE
George Arrowsmith
William B. Dunbar
William Annan *
John Frost
Thomas Lipscombe
Carl Bishop
William McIIroy
Harry Beattie
Reginald Dixon
J.S. Blenkin *
Charles Jinks
Dan Wright *
Vier Wigle
D. Snyder
B. Dunn
W. Dunn
William Herbert White
Mrs. Jennie O'Leary
Alvin Brander
John Lee
Schifitto Sebastiano
William Stanley
Joseph Brown
Ross Carson
Irving White
Thomas Brignall
Wm. Cunningham
Frank Porter Aylmer
Barry E. Stork
W.R. Dunn
Gardiner Dunbar
John Frank Dales
Horace Tatword
Robert Lee
Ernest Henderson
Frank Powell
Frank West
Ross Hadley
Clare Balsdon
Fleming Morrison
Bert Beckett
William Mitchell
C. Snyder
J.M. Wheeler
M. Dunn
Fred Mitchell
* Killed
"
"
APPENDIX C.3
ROLL OF HONOUR OF DUNBARTON UNITED CHURCH
WORLD WAR TWO
H.S. Anderson
E.J. Burgess
E.A. Compton
W.H. Taylor
Verna Littleford
R.O. Ravey
M.S. Paxton
R.S. Gillard
N. Hubb
F.W. May
F. Hill
Helen Scott
James Coke
C.J. Bassett *
J. Cromp
A. Simpson
J.N. Littleford
J.D. O'Brien
I.S. Nelson
R.A. Dixon
B.J. Harmon
I. Long
D. Fairbairn
D. Plitz
Vernon Balsdon
R.H. Avis
J. Brooks
K. Reid
D. Weir
W. Moore
A. Scar
A.E. Draper
R.M. Graham
G. James
V. Bye
H. McClenent
J. Shields
D. Anderson
B.J. Bye
C.V. Price
W.H. Waddell
W.A. Kemp
H.T. Scott
C.W. Praddick
M. Gordon
D.C. Jack
E.L. MacDonald
E. Ireland
I. Reed
Jack Chapman
C.A. Stephens
J. Amos
R. Cross
R. Starret
D.J. Jenkins
C. Prouse
J.L. Mills
R. Dobber
A. Hill
W. Irving
D. Cossar
J. Pearson
Stanley Balsdon
R. Barth
C.R. Craven
A. Smith
W.H. Westgate
R.J. Munro
G. McConachie
H.B. DeGurse
R. Harrison
D.G. Joyce
R.V. Connor
O.S. Nelson
Armond Chapman
D.M. Thompson
* Killed
"
"- 118 -
APPENDIX D
BASIS OF UNION
Agreed upon by the congregation of Erskine Church and Dunbarton and on which the union
was consummated by Commission of Presbytery on May 15th 1882.
(1) That the two congregations be united into one congregation under the name of the
Dunbarton and Erskine Congregation, and that the office Bearers and Members of each
Congregation enjoy similar privileges in the United Congregation.
(2) The United Congregation shall worship in Dunbarton Church until
for its welfare and the furtherance of the cause of Christ, it shall see fit to arrange otherwise,
but would respectfully suggest to the Session of the United Church the advisability of holding
an occasional service in the Erskine Church, as opportunity for doing good may offer.
(3) That the property of each of the Congregations be vested in and become the
property of the United Congregation, under one management, and the Trustees of the
Erskine Church Property shall continue in office according to the deed of said property;
and any income derived from either of the properties shall be expended as far as need be in
keeping in order the respective properties from which such income was derived,
and would further recommend that a special committee consisting of members interested in
Erskine Church burying ground be appointed to take charge of it.
(4) That the Managers of each Congregation shall continue in office, acting as one body
in the United Congregation till the end of the year, when the annual meeting shall elect such
new managers as the congregation may think proper.
Extracted from the Minutes of Presbytery by Revd. A. A. Drummond, Clerk of Presbytery on
the 19th day of July 1882
Received from Mr. Peter Nisbet, Presbytery Elder and entered herein on the 31st day of July
1882 by me, J. Holmes, Secty of Managers.
"
"- 119 -
APPENDIX E
ARTICLES INCLUDED IN THE TIME CAPSULE, 1985
History of Dunbarton - Fairport United Church by Carolyn Joyce
Current Order of Service for October 28, 1985
Order of Service for 158th Anniversary Sunday, February 3, 1985
Photograph of old church at front door with wedding party of Cynthia Cousins and Rick
Sommerkamp
Photograph of Rev. Robert Raymont and children at Advent Event, December, 1984
Photocopy of the most recent list of members and adherents of the congregation,
including addresses, postal codes and phone numbers
Copy of the 1984 Annual Congregational Meeting reports.
Current edition of the Pickering Bay News
150th Anniversary memorabilia - button, balloon, hasti-note, Christmas card,
blank bulletin with picture of church
Current edition of 34 cent postage stamps
Toronto Star newspaper reporting the winning of the American League
East Pennant by the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club
Pictures from the sod-turning ceremony of June 16, 1985 -
a)Rev. Robt. Raymont, Mayor Jack Anderson, Sydney Lowdon, Maureen Wait
b)Rev. Robt. Raymont, Ms. Betty Keeler, Ms. Joyce Lawlor
Newspaper clippings of the sod-turning ceremony with Dave Stone,
John Perigoe, David Green - dated June 19, 1985
Newspaper clipping of Strawberry Social and Expansion program from Toronto Star,
dated June 1985
Pews- News, Fall Edition 1985 - the quarterly newsletter edited by Diane Schillaci
Street Map of the Town of Pickering
Bible Society Tract - God's Gift Is .....
Letterhead and envelope used by the church office 1985
Canadian penny
Strawberry Social advertisement flyer/poster
Photo of the 158th Anniversary celebrations parade held on Sept. 16, 1984 originating at
the Fairport Hall, showing Danny Wragg, Betty Keeler, Diane Schillaci and Joyce Lawlor in
period costume and holding balloons
Toronto Star - Sunday edition, dated September 20, 1985
Minutes of an Executive Committee meeting
"
"BIBLIOGRAPHY
From the Archives of the United Church of Canada
Account Book, (1876 - 1942)
Baptismal Record of Erskine Church, (1869 - 1881)
Communion Roll, Vol. 1 - 8, (1884 - 1971)
Constitution of the Dunbarton United Presbyterian Church in Pickering
Correspondence pertaining to the rebuilding of Dunbarton Church
after the fire of 1973.
Dunbarton Church Baptismal Register, (1854 - 1951) Dunbarton Church Marriage Register,
(1854 - 1926)
Dunbarton United Church Register of Baptisms, (1925 - 1952)
Dunbarton United Church Register of Marriages, (1927 - 1954)
Dunbarton United Church Register of Burials, (1931 - 1952)
Dunbarton Upper Canada Bible Society Minutes, (1855 - 1898)
Fairport United Church Congregational Meetings Minutes from Jan. 24, 1957 - 1974.
Historic Roll, (1947 - 1968) Ladies Aid Minutes, Vol. 1 & 2, (1886 - 1906)
Ladies Aid Treasurers' Books, Vol. 1 - 3, (1988 - 1937)
Marriage Register, (1917 - 1949)
Minutes of (Dunbarton) Congregational Meetings, (1853 - 1894)
& Historical Outline, (1851 - 1853)
Minutes of (Dunbarton) Congregational Meetings, (1985 - 1963)
Minutes of Meetings of the Village 6roup, W.A., (1943 - 1968)
Minutes of Session, (1966 - 1973)
Minutes of the Dunbarton United Church Sunday School, (1964 - 1974)
Minutes of the Official Board, (1965 - 1966)
Minutes of the Official Board of Fairport United Church, (1965 - 1974)
Minutes of the Property Committee, (1964 - 1972)
Minutes of the Session, (1923 - 1966)
Minutes of the Session of Pickering United Associate Synod of Scotland,
(1835 - 1840, 1848 - 1851)
Report of the Establishment of the Church, (January 1853)
Session Record, Dunbarton Presbyterian Church, Minutes of the Session,
(1851 - 1853)
Steward's Secretary Book of Dunbarton Charge, (1958 - 1963)
Steward's Secretary Book of Dunbarton Charge, (1963 - 1974)
Sunday School Account Book, (1944 - 1966)
Sunday School Account Book, (1952 - 1963)
Sunday School Minutes, Vol. 1 - 3, (1924 - 1963)
U.C.W. Minutes, (1962 - 1967)
W.A. Minutes, Vol. 1 - 4, (1943 - 1961)
"
"W.A. Treasurers' Books, Vol. 1- 3, (1938 - 1961)
Wednesday Evening Group, (1973- 1975)
W.M.S. Minutes, (1938 - 1953)
W.M.S. Treasurers' Books, Vol. 1 - 4, (1932 - 1961)
From general sources
Historic Sketches of Oshawa
Oshawa Public Library Biographical News Clippings
Past Years in Pickering (W.R. Wood)
Pickering News
The History of Dunbarton United Church on the Occasion of the One-Hundredth
Anniversary, 1854 - 1954. (Rev. E.M. Burgess)
The Little Church on the Hill. (John A, Roberts)
The Pickering Story (W.A. McKay)
The Secular City (H. Cox)
The Toronto Globe
"