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On the 25th
of December, 1832, Knox Presbyterian Church, Demorestville, was dedicated to
the worship of Almighty God by Rev. Robert McDowall, assisted by the Rev.
William Smart of Brockville. These two were the pioneer Presbyterian
missionaries laboring in the immense distances bordering on the St. Lawrence,
Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario. Mr.
McDowall centred his labors around the Bay of Quinte, making Sandhurst church in Fredericksburgh,
his home church, where lie his remains.
He established five churches. Confining this article to Knox Church,
Demorestville: The grant of land for the church was given
by Captain Demorest, founder of the
village. The first trustees were Benjamin Smith,
Griffith Howell. First Elders - D. B. Way, Jacob Howell,
Jonathan Green. First Clerk - John Howell. Dates: Building of church begun 1830;
dedication of church Dec. 25 1832. The name “Union Presbyterian Church”
appears in the early records. 1838-1855, Rev. James Rogers, Pastor. 1843, the congregation entered Canada
Presbyterian Church. 1857-1868, Rev. Mr. Smith, Pastor. 1868-1873, Student Supply. 1873-1880, Rev. James Boyd, Pastor; married Miss Lazier. 1880-1881, James Somerville, student, who
married Miss Butler of Gomarrah. 1882, Summer, William Hay, student. 1882-83, Winter, a few services. 1883, Summer, William Hyland, student. 1883-84, Winter, Community Revival, R. J.
Craig of Deseronto, at Spring Communion, 1884, received 17 new members into
Knox Church. 1884, Rev. Mr. Bennet, supplying. A manifest desire for connection with
Picton or Deseronto. 1884-85, a few services during winter. 1885, Summer, Mr. MacKinnon, student. 1885, addition of some dozen of families
from Episcopal Methodist Churches who did not enter Canada Methodist Church
at union, and whose own churches had been closed. Valuable addition. 1885-86, Winter, occasional services. 1886, Summer, Mr. MacKinnon, student. 1886, Envelope system adopted, and Ladies’
Aid organized. 1886-87, Winter, occasional services. 1887, Summer, Mr. Rattray, student. 1887-88, Rev. J. Snodgrass, Licentiate,
ordained and placed in charge. 1888, Mr. Snodgrass resigns. 1888-89-90, Winters, occasional services. 1890, Summer, Mr. Hodge, student. From 1901 to 1904, Winter services, very
few; Summers, student supply, whose
names are yet recalled, viz.: 1892, Mr. Menzies 1893 and 1894, Mr. J. Fraser, who married
a daughter of Dr. John Cryan, and is now pastor of Gravenhurst United Church
of Canada. 1895, Mr. C. Dyde. 1896, Mr. Hunter. 1897, Mr. Currie. 1898, Mr. Fair. 1899-1900, Mr. G. C. Taylor. 1901, Mr. Fowlie. 1902, Mr. F. Taylor. 1903-04, Mr. I. C. McConachie. 1904, Crofton congregation organized. 1904, Dr. John Cryan and James Caughey
ordained as Elders. 1905, Rev. C. E. Gordon-Smith inducted. 1907, Individual Communion cups adopted. 1907, Nov. 1, Rev. C. E. Gordon-Smith
resigns on account of poor health. 1908, Rev. Peter Nicoll became pastor. 1909, Original church building replaced by
present structure. 1910, Jan. 30, first service in new
church. 1910, June 10, new church dedicated by
Rev. James Fraser of Uxbridge. 1910, Oct. 16, James Crawford ordained as
Elder. 1911, Sept. till March 10, 1914, Rev. Mr.
Pitcher, Pastor. 1914, June 2, Rev. R. J. Craig inducted. Between Oct., 1914 and Aug., 1915, three
elders passed away - Dr. J. Cryan, James Caughey, George Smith. 1915, July, W. G. Badgley, D. Fraser, R.
Monroe, ordained elders. 1919, May, Knox Church separated from
Crofton. 1922, Board of Managers, - Messrs.
Badgley, Fraser, G. Crawford, D. Walker, C. Peck, W. R. Monroe, Dr. H. Cryan,
S. Clement. 1925, Knox Church voted 23 to 4 against
union. 1925, March, R. J. Craig retired from
active service, but continues as S.S. 1925, Sept., Congregation decided to
remain closed on account of impoverishment, in hope of reopening when
circumstances permit. 1927, Feb 26, Wellington Boulter, Senior
Elder, passed away. 1928, Dec. 21, congregation decides to ask
Presbytery to dissolve congregation, as there is no prospect of reopening. This was duly granted, and a committee
appointed to dispose of the church buildings and equipment. Some outstanding statistics: First communion, Oct. 6, 1833, 36
communicants. Among these is the name of the Peck
family; and for 100 years that name
has been represented on the communion roll. Never a large congregation, yet at 1906
its members numbered 169. Rev. Mr. Rogers’ field embraced
Sophiasburgh and Hillier. In the 30’s and 40’s of last century, Knox Church members in the
neighborhood of Roblin’s Mills were regular attenders, and considered an
ox-drawn conveyance an up-to-date means of locomotion. Generation after generation passed on, and
with the usual lights and shadows of church life, Knox Church kept bravely on
its way. Always from earliest years there was a
vigorous Sabbath school; and here we
name one, who for many years served as deacon, manager, elder, trustee, and
superintendent of the Sabbath school - the late Wellington Boulter, who even
in his busiest years of developing the canning industry was barely absent
from the Sabbath school, directing it, providing largely for it, and at Christmas making every effort for a happy
celebration. In the erection of the
new church in 1909, Mr. Boulter guaranteed half of the cost. With him as an efficient co-worker was his
most estimable wife, who was leader in the Ladies’ Aid, and indeed wherever
she could help the church; and with
them their devoted children. It was an
unfortunate day at Knox when the Boulter family left Demorestville. They had been such energetic, enthusiastic
leaders, and such liberal givers - and no one able to take their place. Thirty years ago the Christian Endeavor
Movement with Sabbath school prosperity had vigorous life at Knox. The story is told of one man, yet to the
fore, who made it a delightful custom to harness his team to his largest
conveyance and convey to the Sabbath school, Christian Endeavor Society, or
any meetings of the young people all whom he could gather up between his home
and Demorestville. And the same
service would Donald gladly give for any social meeting, the annual harvest
home and Christmas entertainment. With such leaders there was a group of
responsive helpers who never failed to co-operate and carry on. BLACK SETTLEMENT
CHURCH Connected with Knox Church was the Union
Church (Presbyterian, Wesleyan, Episcopalian) situated on the Back Road, quite near to the home
of W. R. Munroe. It was also called the Black Settlement
Church, from the several families named Black, residing near. The interested visitor may yet see that
church. It still stands, but on a
different site. The ground for the
church was given by Jasper Dingman, Esq., of Picton. Before me lies a copy of the original
subscribers to that church. John Black
heads the list with $100, followed by forty-one others, whose subscriptions
range from $2 to $30. Rev. James Boyd supplied this church with
afternoon service for some years. I
had the privilege of conducting service in it as I exchanged with Rev. Mr.
Boyd in the 70’s of last century. I know not if other denominations held
service in that church; and just why
it had so brief an active career may be found in the idiosyncracies of human
nature. There was certainly intense
enthusiasm in its birth. CLOSING REFLECTION It is peculiar how the strong, predominant
strain of Presbyterianism in the pioneer settlers of Prince Edward County
never developed into many such churches.
The historic records tell of the large numbers of Presbyterians who
came. One explanation is that only
properly ordained clergymen of the Presbyterian Church were allowed to
officiate; and as these came mostly
from Scotland and Ireland, they were few and far between. Meanwhile communities were growing and much
needed religious gatherings. Ready at hand were the class-leaders and
earnest laymen of especially the Episcopal Methodist Church of the United
States, who could conduct a meeting much after the Christian Endeavor
mode; and schoolhouses were used for
this. The people, young and old,
gathered. And such gatherings were
about the only light in the darkness of Pioneer times, pointing the Way of
Life. The descendants of these emigrants may yet
be traced by their names which tell of a Scotch or Irish meeting, and of
course Presbyterian; and these names,
many of them are on the rolls of other churches than Presbyterian - other
churches, which were able more quickly to send in ministers and Bible
students to supply the spiritual needs of the people. I think that explanation is adequate. The Kingdom of God did not suffer. Souls were nourished. The Presbyterian Churches at Consecon and
Hillier were closed some ten years ago.
Knox Church, Demorestville, closed in 1926. St. Andrew’s, Picton, carries on vigorously
and successfully, and is the only Presbyterian church in Prince Edward still
waving the Blue Banner. It looks
forward to its centennial celebration of 1933. Meanwhile, Knox Church, Demorestville, the
immediate subject of this article quietly awaits the final page in its
hundred years of history. Yes !
sad to say, “Silence reigns, where once arose the hymns of Auld Lang
Syne.” - R. J. C. |
