CONTENTS—The Quakers—Among the Settlers—From Penn.—Duchess County—First
Meeting-house—David Sand—Elijah Hick—Visiting Canada—James Noxen—A first
settler—Their mode of worship—In Sophiasburgh—The meeting-house—Joseph
Leavens—Hicksites—Traveling—Death, aged 92—Extract, Picton Sun—The first
preaching places—First English church—In private houses—At Sandwich—The
Indian church at the bay—Ernesttown—First Methodist church—Preaching at
Niagara—First church in Kingston—At Waterloo—At Niagara—Churches at
Kingston, 1817—In Hollowell—Thurlow—Methodist meeting-houses, 1816—At
Montreal—Building chapels in olden times—Occupying the frame—The old
Methodist chapels—In Hollowell township—In the fifth town—St. Lawrence—
First English Church, Belleville—Mr. Campbell—First time in the pulpit—
How he got out—The old church superseded—Church, front of Sidney—Rev.
John Cochrane—Rev. Mr. Grier—First Presbyterian Church in Belleville—
Rev. Mr. Ketcham—First Methodist Church in Belleville—Healey, Puffer—The
site of the church—A second one.
THE EARLY CLERGYMEN AND CHURCHES OF UPPER CANADA.—THE QUAKERS.—NOXEN,
LEAVENS, HICKS, SAND.
Among the early settlers of the Bay were a goodly number of the Society
of Friends. Some of them were natives of Pennsylvania; but the majority
were from the Nine Partners, Duchess County, New York, where had existed
an extensive community of the followers of Fox. The first meeting-house
built by the Quakers in Canada was in Adolphustown upon the south shore
of Hay Bay, toward the close of last century.
About 1790, two Quaker preachers of some note visited Canada, they were
David Sand and Elijah Hick. By appointment they held service in
Adolphustown; it is uncertain whether this was before or after the
building of the meeting-house. The first and principal preacher among
the Quakers was James Noxen, one of the first settlers of Adolphustown,
under whom the Society was organized. He subsequently in 1814 removed to
Sophiasburgh, where he died in 1842.
The worship of the Quakers consists in essentially spiritual meditation
and earnest examination of the inmost soul, a quiet holding of the
balance, to weigh the actions and motives of everyday life. To the
proper discharge of these duties no place can be too quiet, too far
removed from the busy haunts of men.
The sixth township, or Sophiasburg had among its settlers a good many of
this sect, which at first had meetings at Jacob Cronk’s, until the year
1825, when they erected a meeting-house upon the northern front of the
township.
Two miles below the village of Northport, is situated a Friends’
meeting-house. Here twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, congregate
few, or many of the adherents of this persuasion, to commune with their
God. The meeting-house, reposing upon the very verge of the shore, and
half shadowed by beautiful maples and evergreens, is a fit place in
which to submit oneself to strict self-examination. There is nothing
here to disturb the supreme quietude of the place, unless, the gentle
ripples of the water, or the more restless murmuring of the wave.
JOSEPH LEAVENS “was an early settler of Canada, an emigrant from New
York,” he was for many years an esteemed preacher of the Hicksite branch
of Quakers, and was accustomed to travel from place to place, to talk to
his co-religionists. He had a place for preaching in a loft of his
brother’s store in Belleville. He was one of the first Quaker preachers
in Canada and travelled through all the townships at the Bay, and to
East Lake.
“Died in the township of Hallowell, about the 24th of May, 1844, the
venerable Joseph Leavens, in the 92nd year of his age. He was amongst
the early settlers of the Canadian forest, and emigrated from New York
State, and probably was a native of Nine Partners District. He had long
been a Preacher in the Religious Society of Friends, and though not
possessed of more than one talent, yet it is believed that, as he
occupied that to his Maker’s glory, his reward will be as certain as
though he had received ten talents. He was a diligent reader in the
sacred volume. He was much beloved both by his neighbours and friends,
and it is desired that his gospel labours may be profitably remembered
by them and his relatives.”—(_Picton Sun._)
In speaking of the individual clergymen who first came to the Province
we have referred to many of the first preaching places and churches: but
there remains to be added some further remarks.
We have seen that the first church erected in Western Canada was at the
Mohawk settlement, Grand River, which was built the first year of their
habitation in that place—1785–6. Strange that the natives of the wood,
should take the lead in erecting places of worship. It was several years
later before even log meeting-houses were put up by the loyalists. For
many years the pioneer clergymen or preachers officiated in private
houses. Now the service would be at the house of one, to which a
considerable number could come from a circuit of ten or fifteen miles,
then it would be at the place of some settler whose larger log house
afforded a more commodious place of worship.
A church was built at an early date at Sandwich, but the year, we know
not. The first church erected upon the Bay, the Rev. Mr. Smart thinks,
was at the Mohawk village, Tyendinaga. At an early period a log church
was built in Ernesttown by the Lutherans and another on South Bay; one
also for Mr. Langhorn to preach in, and then another in Adolphustown.
The first Methodist church was built in Adolphustown in 1792, and a
second one a month later in Ernesttown.
The Rev. Mr. Addison, went to Niagara in 1792. When Governor Simcoe
lived in Navy Hall, the Council Chamber a building near the barracks it
was said, was used alternately by the English Church, and Church of
Rome.
The first English Church was erected in Kingston in 1793, and up to 1810
it was the only one. A Methodist church was built at a very early date
at Waterloo; it was never finished, but used for many years. The first
at Niagara, was in 1802.
In November 28, 1817, there were in Kingston, “four churches or
meeting-houses, viz: 1 Episcopalian, 1 Roman Catholic and 2 Methodists;
there were 4 professional preachers, viz: 1 Episcopalian, 1 Presbyterian
and 2 Methodists. This enumeration does not include a chaplain to the
army, and one to the royal navy.” In Ernesttown there was one resident
professional preacher, a Methodist.
In Sophiasburgh there were no churches; but the Quakers, Methodists and
Presbyterians had meetings at private houses.
In Hollowell, says Eben. Washburne, “we have one Methodist, and one
Quaker meeting-house; preparations are making also for a Presbyterian
meeting-house. The former is attended by a circuit preacher every two
weeks; the latter by a Quaker every Sabbath.”
In Thurlow, “the Gospel is dispensed almost every Sabbath of the year,
in different parts of the township, by itinerant preachers of the
Methodist and Baptist sects.”
In 1816, there were eleven Methodist meeting-houses in Canada. These
were all of wood excepting one in Montreal, built in 1806, which was of
stone. “The mode of building chapels in the olden times was by joint
labor, and almost without the aid of money. The first step was for
scores of willing hands on a given day, to resort to the woods, and then
fell the trees, and square the timber; others, with oxen and horses,
drawing the hewed pieces and rafters to the appointed place. A second
step was to call all hands to frame the building, selecting the best
genius of the carpenter’s calling for superintendent. A third step was a
“bee” to raise the building; and the work for the first year was done.
The next year, the frame would be enclosed, with windows and doors, and
a rough floor laid loose. As soon as the meeting house was thus
advanced, it was immediately used for preaching, prayer meetings and
quarterly meetings. Some of the early chapels would be finished inside;
others, would be used for years in their rough, cold, and unfinished
state. The people were poor, had little or no money, but loved the
Gospel, and did what they could.”
The oldest of the eleven chapels is the Adolphustown, on the south shore
of the Hay Bay, and on the old Bay of Quinté circuit.
“The next for age is the chapel in the fourth concession of Ernesttown.
It was not erected here at first, but on the front of the township, lot
No. 27, and close to the Bay of Quinté. After some years, (some of the
principal Methodists moving to the fourth concession), the frame was
taken down, drawn to the present site, and put up again. It stands on
the public road, leading from Napanee to Kingston, and near the village
of Odessa. A roughcast school-house, now stands on the old site, east of
Bath. Some challenge the antiquity of the Ernesttown, with the
Adolphustown chapel; but both were commenced at about the same time, by
William Losee; the latter was first erected. As the traveler passes, he
may look on this old and useful meeting-house, still used for public
worship, and see a specimen of the architecture of the pious people
settled in the woods of Ernesttown seventy years ago.
“About nine miles from Odessa toward Kingston is the village of
Waterloo, and on the top of a sand-hill, formerly covered with lofty
pines, is a well proportioned and good looking Wesleyan stone church. It
is on the site of an ancient frame meeting-house, decayed, and gone,
which bore an antiquity nearly as great as the other two chapels. The
meeting-house in the Township of Kingston was an unfinished building, a
mere outside, with rough planks for seats.
“Two miles from the Town of Picton, and in the first concession of the
Township of Hollowell, is still to be seen one of the oldest Methodist
chapels in Upper Canada. The ground and the lumber were the gift of
Steven Conger. The first work was done in June, 1809. An account book,
now existing, shows the receipts and payments for the building. Some
paid subscriptions in money, some in wheat, some in teaming and work;
and one person paid one pound “by way of a turn.” The first trustees
were named Conger, Valleau, Vanblaricum, Dougal, German, Benson, Wilson,
and Vandusen. They are all dead, but children of some of them are still
living in the vicinity. The building is square, with pavilion roof, of
heavy frame timber, yet sound, having a school-house on one side, and a
mill on the other. Here is a burying ground attached, in which lie many
of the subscribers to, and first worshippers in, the chapel. It is still
used as a place of worship, and for a Sabbath school. These four chapels
were all in the old Bay of Quinté circuit.
“In the fifth township east of Kingston is another relic of the times of
old, called the Elizabethtown chapel. It is now within the boundaries of
the village of Lyn, about eight miles from Brockville, and near the
river St. Lawrence. A chapel particularly remarkable for the assembling
of the Genesse conference in 1817, and the great revival of religion
which there commenced.”
The first English Church erected west of Adolphustown, was at
Belleville. It was commenced in 1819, and finished the next year. The
Rev. Mr. Campbell was the first clergyman, and came to the place some
little time before the building was completed. An anecdote has been
related to us by one who saw the occurrence, which will serve to
illustrate the character of those days. Mr. Campbell one day entered the
church, when near its completion, and walked up a ladder and entered the
pulpit; immediately one of the workmen, named Smith, removed the ladder,
leaving the Rev. gentleman a prisoner; nor would they release him until
he had sent a messenger to his home for a certain beverage. This church
when erected was an ornament to the place, and is well remembered by
many, having been taken down in 1858, the present handsome structure
being completed. Mr. Campbell continued in charge until his death in
1835. During this time he caused to be erected a church at the front of
Sidney, midway between Belleville and the Trent, and he held services
there every second Sabbath, in the afternoon, for a time; but the
congregation was never large. Methodism seemed to take more hold of the
feelings of the people. Mr. Campbell’s successor was the Rev. John
Cochrane, who was pastor for three years, when the present incumbent,
the Rev. John Grier, who had been at the Carrying Place for some years,
took charge.
The first Presbyterian clergyman of Belleville, was Mr. Ketcham, under
him the first church was built.
The first Methodist church to be built in the western part of the Bay
country was at Belleville. It was probably about the beginning of this
century that the itinerant Methodist began to visit the head of the Bay
Quinté. They were accustomed to preach in private houses, and barns,
here and there along the front, and up the Moira River, and at Napanee.
Healy and Puffer were accustomed to preach at Col. Bell’s, Thurlow.
Belleville was laid out into lots in 1816; Mr. Ross applied to
government for one, as the society was disqualified from holding landed
property until 1828. The land was accordingly granted to him, and
recorded, January 7, 1819. A frame building was immediately commenced 50
by 30 feet. Before it was inclosed, service was held within the frame.
The building was never completed. The pulpit was of rough boards, and
the seats were of similar material, placed upon blocks. In 1831, a
second chapel was commenced, and the old one removed.