Cross Roads Christian Church

Historical Sketch compiled by Lena McCallum in 1961.

*This page needs additional information and history, specifically related to the re-founding of the church after it's first closure. If you would like to contribute information to this project, please email info@restorationhistory.ca*

The church at Cross Roads, Lot 48, was constituted in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ten (1810) and consisted of the following members: John R. Stewart (Harbour), Isabella Stewart, Donald McGregor, Isabella McGregor, and Catherine Campbell.

All these persons were Baptist in principle though only two of them, Sisters McGregor and Campbell, were baptized. There was no Baptist minister on the Island at that time to baptize them. 

The Lord's Supper was regularly administered by Brother John Stewart, who generally exhorted and preached at the meetings. The church met in the homes of John Stewart and Donald McGregor and afterwards in that of Duncan Kennedy, Kinloch. Additions were made to the church from time to time. We have the names of eight new members in the year 1812: Duncan Kennedy, Mrs. Duncan Kennedy, Donald Stewart, Margaret Stewart, Duncan Stewart, Donald Stewart, Isabella Stewart, and Mrs. John (Jane) Robertson.

The first meeting house was built in the year 1813. It was a small log house, without plaster, pews, pulpit, or gallery, or anything to mark it as the House of Prayer. It was about 30 feet long by 20 feet wide. 

Some time after this the Rev. Alexander Crawford, of Yarmouth Nova Scotia, came on a visit to the Island, and he baptized those members who had not been baptized prior to their admission to the church, which was on the open communion principle. In the year 1814 there were nineteen additions, all by baptism. 

Alexander Crawford visited the Island for the third time in the year 1816 and remained here. He preached occasionally at Cross Roads for a year and six months and then removed to Tryon where he settled with his family. He continued to visit the church and preach from time to time until 1828. He died in 1829. The record says of him: "He was a good man and possessed talents of a very high order".

The meetings were kept up by the brethern with the occasional help of Bro. Benjamin Scott from Nova Scotia. Bro. John Shaw was set apart to the work of an evangelist, and he came occasionally and preached and administered the ordinances of the church for about three years. 

The Rev. Benjamin Scott, who had been ordained pastor of the church at Lot 49 (which he had been instrumental in gathering together), preached and administered the ordinances to this church for nearly seven years. He was afterwards engaged as pastor for six months, ending in May 1842. 

A new meeting house was commenced in the year 1836, and in 1839 the old one was pulled down. The new building was then occupied as a House of Prayer and is a proof of God's goodness and of their desire for the pros­perity of His cause and their zeal for His honour." 

The Rev. John Knox, pastor of the First Baptist Church of the City of Albany, New York State, having visited the Island for the restoration of his health, was unanimously called to the pastoral charge of this church and congregation and entered upon his duties on September 1st, 1842. In this same month Mrs. Forbes, aged 83, and John Andrews were added to the church by baptism. 

In 1843 the church resolved to send their pastor, Dr. John Knox, to the meeting of the Baptist Association to be held in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, to examine into their Gospel order and principles and report to the church. His report being unfavorable, no action was taken. 

In September, 1843, the church agreed to the request of the Baptist church in Granville Street, Halifax to allow their pastor to minister to the Halifax church for one month. In November the Halifax church extended a call to Dr. Knox to become their pastor but the call was not accepted. 

At the Annual Meeting in January, 1844, it was resolved to choose three additional deacons from among the younger members of the church and the pastor announced his intention of preaching, previous to the said election, on the nature of and qualifications for a deacon. The deacons elected were: Stephen Bovyer, William McGregor, and Alexander Kennedy 

On February 8, 1844, it was resolved that the church consider the subject of weekly communion. The unanimous decision was that all Churches of Christ should observe the Lord's supper every first day of the week. 

During the year 1844, a Mission House was proposed to be built for the use of' the pastor. A piece of ground was presented by Deacon John Dewar and Bro. Donald McRae and accepted by the church. A house was erected on this land and finished in 1846. 

During the years that Alexander Crawford was engaged in preaching and teaching the New Testament plan of worship, churches had been constituted at East Point (now South Lake), Three Rivers (now Montague), Summerside, and New Glasgow. For many years these churches did not have pastors and frequent requests came to Cross Roads while Dr. Knox was their pastor to allow him to visit and preach to them. He seems to have accepted responsibility for the supervision of East Point and Three Rivers churches, and visited them two or three times a year at minimum, and was usually accompanied by one of the deacons. 

During the month of May, 1845, the pastor called the attention of the church to the great need of increasing holiness among the members and urged with more than usual energy the necessity of close self-examination, of greater attention to the Blessed Word of God, both as regards understanding, treasuring up and practicing the same. He preached fourteen sermons a week to the church and congregation for about a month, urging holiness on the believer and repentance on the sinner. 

In July Dr. Knox recorded as follows: "During the last three months above forty persons have been converted and baptized. How wonderful is the work of the Lord. To Him be all the glory. Amen." 

In October, 1845, Dr. Knox and John Stewart visited the East Point Church and on their return they related how the hand of the Lord had been with them during their visit and had revived the church. Forty-three persons were baptized before they left. Dr. Knox also visited Three Rivers on his way to East Point when he baptized two persons and four persons on his return visit. 

The Three Rivers church then requested Cross Roads to spare their pastor to hold a series of meetings with them. Permission was granted and a great revival took place. Fifty one persons were baptized. In the following year 1846, the Three Rivers church asked Cross Roads to arrange that the pastor spend some time with them regularly to minister to their necessities. 

In the year 1847 the church assembled to consider appointing some persons as Elders to administer the ordinances of the church. It was unanimously decided that there were not persons in the body divinely qualified for that office. Deacon Duncan Kennedy was then appointed to preside in the absence of the pastor and was declared duly qualified to administer the Lord's Supper in the absence of the pastor. 

The records over the next several years are very brief, merely noting a few additions to the church through baptism. In the year 1859 thirty-three persons were baptized. 

In May, 1862 Dr. Knox resigned as pastor to go to Halifax, "where the Tabernacle in Brunswick Street had been built for him and he was under engagement to go and open it in June". He returned to the Island in 1864 and resumed the pastorate of Cross Roads church. 

In July, 1864 Bro. Lewis Jansen of Louisville, Kentucky, visited the church and several persons were baptized through his labours. Dr. Knox baptized eleven persons in June, 1865. 

In 1869 the Association of the Christian Churches in Prince Edward Island met at Cross Roads, when Elder Benjamin Franklin of Indiana, Editor of "The Christian Review", was present and preached with "very great acceptance". He baptized six persons. 

In August, 1869, Dr. Knox preached at a three weeks' mission at East Point and baptized :fourteen converts who were added to the church. 

In the year 1869 a small church was formed in Charlottetown with which many of the Cross Roads members united as being more convenient. 

In 1873 the Association again met with the Cross Roads church when Bro. Donald Crawford and Dr. Knox preached to large and interested congregations. Two weeks later the pastor began a series of meetings in which he was joined by Bro George Smith from Bethany, U.S. Bro. T.H. Blenus from Nova Scotia also assisted by preaching, praying and singing. Brethren George Sweeney and Z.T. Sweeney from the State of Kentucky preached at some of the meetings. "There was considerable stir among the old members as well as the young", and twenty-six persons were baptized. 

In October, 1873, Dr. Knox announced his intention of retiring from the Pastoral charge, his resignation to take effect in February, 1874. He had served the church for well over thirty years. The church was now without a pastor and found it necessary to carry out the views held by it on the subject of a plurality of Elders. 

At a public meeting of the church, Deacon Stephen Bovyer was appointed to the Eldership in connection with Deacon Duncan Kennedy who had acted in that capacity for some time past. 

At a meeting held in February, 1877, of the Trustees of the cemetery in connection with the church, several resolutions were adopted regarding size and sale of plots, appointment of a Secretary and a Treasurer who were empowered to sell the plots, the number of plots to be reserved for the poor (two plots, size 14 by 14 feet). A committee was named to lay off the ground and make a plan of it. 

On the second Lord's Day in July, 1881, the Annual Meeting, or Association, was held at Cross Roads. There was a good representation from  the churches on the Island and preachers were present from both the Island and abroad. A general interest seemed to be felt in missionary work and a resolution recommending that a subscription list be opened by the churches was unanimously adopted. During the meetings which continued for two weeks five persons were baptized by Bro. Rufus Stevenson, of Montague, (formerly Three Rivers) and twenty-two by Bro. T.H. Blenus of River John, N.S. 

The next Annual Meeting to be held with the Cross Roads church was in July, 1885. The preachers were Brethren Rufus W. Stevenson, of P.E.I., O.B. Emery of Deer Island, N.B. and T.H. Capp of Saint John, N.B. 

In October 1885, Bro. Ira c. Mitchell of Pennsylvania was engaged to spend one-half his time with the church. He was an able preacher but owing to the ill health of Mrs. Mitchell he had to leave the Island after about eleven months as pastor of the church. 

Bro. W ,K. Burr of Ontario preached for the church for two months, July and August, 1888. Ten persons were baptized during this ministry. 

Bro. Howard Murray of Milton, N.S. visited the Island several times during 1889 and succeeding years and was welcomed as a preacher, and as a visitor at the homes of the church members. 

During the years when the church was without a resident pastor meetings were held regularly, the services being led by the Elders who administered the ordinances of the church. It should be noted here that much credit is due Elder Donald Crawford of New Glasgow for the help and encouragement he gave the church through his frequent visits and preaching. 

The Annual Meeting in July, 1890 was held at Cross Roads with represen­tatives from all the Island churches present and also many visitors from the Nova Scotia churches. On the Sunday morning the church was filled to capacity to hear the Annual Sermon preached by Dr. John Knox who, at this time, was almost blind but still in possession of wonderful physical and mental vigor. He read the Scripture lesson and hymns from memory. Dr. Knox died in November, 1892 at the age of 75. 

In 1892 Bro. O.B. Emery was engaged to give half his time to preaching and the pastoral care of the church. Nine persons were baptized during the Annual Meeting held in July 1896. Bro. Emery resigned in 1897, and in 1898 Bro. A.N. Simpson was engaged to work with the church for half his time for one year. He also served the New Glasgow church. This arrangement was continued for another two years. 

By the turn of the century Cross Roads church had lost many of its members through deaths and removals to other parts of Canada and to United States. Whole families had left the community and those replacing them were were affiliated with other churches. However, the members continued to meet on Sunday mornings and services were led by Elders Robert Stewart and James McCallum. The Lord's Supper was observed weekly. 

In 1907, Cross Roads Christian Church united with the Hazelbrook and Alexandra Baptist churches to support a pastor who would conduct a worship service at each church every Lord's Day, administer the ordinances of the churches, and give pastoral care to the congregations. The Lord's Supper continued to be observed at Cross Roads church on the first day of the week. 

This Church History would not be complete without recording the names of those who gave so generously of their time, labour and resources, over many years, to establish a church and keep its door open to all who would come to join in worship of the Lord Jesus Christ. The list does not pretend to be complete but is as accurate as can be made from the records that are available. 

There must be many who served faithfully for shorter periods of time and to them we pay tribute. All of the men named below served as officers of the church, sometimes acting in two of three offices simultaneously, for a duration of from thirty to fifty years. 

The first Elder was John R. Stewart (Harbour) who came from Edinburgh in 1810. The first Deacon was Donald McGregor, appointed in 1810. Then Duncan Kennedy served as Deacon, Elder and Clerk from 1812 to 1862. John Dewar was made a Deacon in 1818. 

Other names appearing in the records from 1850 are: Stephen Bovyer, Robert Bovyer, Robert Stewart, Charles Stewart, John McGregor, Sr. Franklin Bovyer, James McCallum, and Alexander Kennedy.

The only pioneer family to still have descendants active in the church is that of Duncan Kennedy. His great grandson, H.J. Kennedy, is a member, and his great-great-grandson, Austin Kennedy, is a deacon and secretary ­treasurer at the present time (1961). 

In 1925 the All-Canada Convention met with the church at Cross Roads. Extensive repairs had been made to the church building and the interior was completely renovated. The services at the Convention were in the nature of a re-dedication. 

The year 1907 marks the end of an era in the history of Cross Roads Christian Church. At this time only four of the older members were still serving as elders, deacons and trustees and they continued to hold office until death. Younger men were appointed from time to time and they came gradually to assume the responsibilities. Among these men special mention should be made of the faithful service given by Caldwell Wood and Bryer Jones, Sr. , both of whom have now been claimed by death. 

The wives of all the men mentioned together with other women members of the church and friends are to be commended for their loyal support in the missionary work of the church, in the Sunday School (when it was possible to have one), and in providing music for the services. 

Cross Roads in the old days was not a missionary minded church, although for some years they contributed the collection taken on the first Sunday of each month to missions. Later they made direct contributions to Bro. W .G. Menzies for his work in India. 

In 1946, during the pastorate of Mr. Stackhouse, a Women's Missionary Society was formed under the leadership of Mrs. Stackhouse. This group carries out the duties of a Missionary Society and a Ladies' Aid. It is now called the Christian Women's Fellowship ( C .W .F.) and is associated with the United Christian Missionary Society. The group is small in number but it does a worthwhile work for both the local church and missions. 

The church had many problems to face during the years but it faced them courageously and with God's help. That it continued to serve in the community is a credit not only to the present membership but also to the foundation that was laid during the years since 1810. 

Cross Roads commemorated the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of its founding by entertaining the All-Canada Convention in August 1961.