*Excerpt from Reuban Butchart's "The Disciples of Christ in Canada Since 1830", Chapter 11*
The churches in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia realizing that their strength was unequal to the formation or support of a 'College' did a practical thing, about the year 1887, when they formed a board to handle an Educational Loan fund for assistance to young men working towards the ministry. A board (unnamed) served four years and was replaced at the annual meeting in Westport, N.S. in August, 1891 by a new one: brethren John M. Ford and Henry W. Stewart. At the date stated the expenditures were just short of $600 and the new board were asking the brethren to make up a small deficit.Â
Reference was made to three young men who had graduated from Lexington, Ky. and were serving the churches. They were Ellis B. Barnes (who served in Bowmanville, Ont.); George D. Weaver and C. H. Devoe, the latter two preaching for Maritime churches. The educational attainments of Maritime preachers who went abroad for study were high. Two of the men students mentioned in Donald Crawford's home-college became themselves educators: F. T. O. Norton, dean of Transylvania (probably) and later Greek professor at Crozer College; whilst H. A. MacDonald became president of West Kentucky College, or was so noted in the Christian, July 1887. A. McLean, it will be recalled, was also fourth President of Bethany College.