The Islands: St. Lawrence Church: Young letter 1940

St. Lawrence Church: Young letter 1940

The following letter courtesy of the United Church, Victoria University Archives.

The church now known as The St. Lawrence United Church congregation on Wolfe Island, was opened by a dedication service on March 15, 1874, (on the Sunday preceding March 19th). The presiding elder of the congregation was Mr. Isaac B. Aylesworth, and the dedication sermon was preached by the minister of St. Lawrence, New York. The Rev. Benson Smith was the minister of this church from March until July of 1874, at which time the Rev. John Rogers came as resident minister. However, services were held prior to the building of the church in the district schoolhouse. Two of these very early ministers were Rev. W.H. Graham (father of Hon. Geo. B. Graham) 1865-1868; who was followed in 1868 by Rev. E.S. Howard.

Concession 18, Lot 9, South of the base line, which is the location of the church, was part of the property on which the late Captain Bamford had a lease. However, the late George Kirkpatrick was invested with power to grant a piece of land for a church or a cemetery. The site of the present cemetery had been used as a cemetery since long before the church was built.

The early parsonage was located on the property of the late Mr. George Keyes, who , for many years was a loyal and enthusiastic churchman.

The church shed was built in 1875, one year later than the church.

It was not until about 1895 that the porch and spire of the church were built. This was achieved largely through the encouragement of the late George Washington Woodman, who paid for the whole front addition.

The first social function held in the church was a Tea Meeting, which was held on March 19, 1874, at which time a large crowd gathered in the new church. The church was opened on the previous Sunday.

Three of the original contributors to the building of the church raised among themselves one-half of the contract price. They were: Geo. Washington Woodman, William Rattray and Samuel Dillon Woodman.

The vault in the cemetery was built through the contributions of shareholders, some of them being: Geo. Wash. Woodman, W.H. Woodman, Wm Gillespie, Geo. Gillespie, Charles L. Woodman, S.D. Woodman, Almon Joslin, R. McFadden and Albert Barry.

Your minister is indebted for much of the above information to Mr. W. H. Woodman.

Through the years many changes in this congregation have taken place. Many of the old familiar workers have gone on to the fuller life; other families have moved off the Island, and new members have pledged their membership to the church. At the present time there are barely a dozen homes comprising this congregation; at times the responsibility is heavy, but services are held regularly; the church building has been kept in a good state of repair, and the church, now blessed with having a highway to its door, seeks still to serve its families and to carry on the fine tradition that has come to it from the past.

R. W. Young,
(Minister)
May, 1940

The Islands: St. Lawrence Church: Young letter 1940