*Excerpt from Reuban Butchart's "The Disciples of Christ in Canada Since 1830", Part 2, "The Churches of Christ in NB"*
*This page needs additional information and history. If you would like to contribute information to this project, please email info@restorationhistory.ca*
"In June, 1843, a small body of men and women formed themselves in to a society of Christians", as they termed themselves, and thus constituted the first congregation of Disciples of Christ in this city. In an old book now in the possession of an elder of Cobourg St. church, in which are written the accounts of the congregation in a cramped and almost [309] undecipherable handwriting--but unfortunately contains but little other information of this early church--I find that in January, 1835, the membership numbered thirty-six. Some of the names in this small company, such as Mercer, Bennison, Howitt and Knott might sound familiar to some of the present generation. Nine of these are found on the roll of the membership today, although a few of their descendents hold a place in the church of their forefathers." (So writes James W. Barnes, in a paper delivered to a Mission Band assembly.)
The thirty-six charter members of Duke St. church were as follows: Joshua Mercer, Ed. Bemison, Ann Mercer, Elizabeth Lawson, Mary Hewitt, Mary Mercer, Ann Barrey, Ann Knott, Abigail Spencer, Margaret Mercer, Thos. Hatheway, Jos. E. Morse, Helena Mercer, Martha Baird, Mary Nuese, Thos. Knott, Charles Mantell, Daniel Jones, Margaret Jones, Esther Barry, Margaret Mercer, Mary Knott, John Perry, Lester H. Newtt, Sarah Perry, Matilda Bemison, Clarissa White, Margaret Perry, Eliza Perry, Thos. Hosfield, Mary Saunders, Eliza Quinton, Mary Mills, Sarah Ann Ryan. Note, two were dismissed.
The organizer of this group has been attributed to George Garraty, but of this there is no certainty. Mr. Barnes, in a letter, Nov. 14, 1941, states that he is not satisfied that he was the man, although he knows that W. W. Eaton was before him. "Garraty was the minister of Duke Street in my early boyhood days" he writes, and it is understood that he baptised him. "W. W. Eaton had the oversight of the church in the late thirties and early forties."
In the early part of 1835 the group set about building for themselves. They were then meeting in a hall at the corner of Charlotte St. and Horsefield. They leased a lot on Charlotte St. (where Bassen, Ltd., stands). They gave labor or material where money was not possible. The largest contributors were Thos. Knott and Geo. Harding, each giving 100 shillings. Thos. Hatheway gave thirty shillings and paid four shillings at the registry office. (He may have been the recorder of the history). The church at Eastport, Me. sent money more than once: twenty shillings at one time, and later five pounds, seven shillings. Lewis Johnson, M. D., of Halifax, N.S. donated ten double-numbers of The Christian Gleaner, which netted £1:19:9, but the results were still short of the objective. (The Christian Gleaner, of which no copy seems extant, was Canada's first Disciple journal.)
From the account it may be assured that the house was finished in 1837. Besides gifts they had the ground rents for a portion of their lot. Mr. Gerow, Mr. Skinner, and Dr. Grey each paid £1:5s a year. The group met for preaching morning and evening. There was no Sunday School, but the Lord's Supper was observed in the afternoon, and at this meeting they took up the "Supper Collection", which fund was supplemented by donations and used by the deacons as a Poor Fund.
During these years the congregation was visited by various of our early preachers, such as Benjamin Howard, or John Doyle (1839). W. W. Eaton is seen first in June, 1839, when he began his publication, The Christian. In the December issue he reports the church "as stationary for some months", but that within a few weeks he had immersed two young persons and two others had united, being baptized already. This seems to indicate that for the present he was leader and proclaimer. Eaton commented as follows: "We are living in peace and always have interesting meetings when we meet to commemorate the death of our blessed Redeemer".
A long essay in The Christian reveals the primitive attempt to imitate every act recorder in Acts by the early disciples as an obligation to be followed, whether worship, singing, prayers, or obedience to an ordinance. Mr. Eaton's reflections upon the warmth of their fellowship were apparently of a very sincere order. Mr. Barnes notes that the principal expense of the congregation on Charlotte St. seemed to be for candles, which might indicate sermons preached to midnight, after apostolic example. From many studies of primitive groups, such as this, it seems evident that such aims--limited though they may seem nowadays--did just what is asserted: they created deep and strong personal fellowships. They were in a sense duplicate of Jerusalem in spirit; but within them seldom the breath of Antioch. W. W. Eaton (whose work as an evangelist in Ontario and Maritime provinces was outstanding) summed up in his journal the history of the Charlotte St. congregation in The Christian. "In five years one hundred persons had been added to their roll, but owing to some deaths and removals the membership was reduced to seventy", which seems like a very worthwhile record.
Reverting again to Bro. Barnes' paper, it is noted that in the year 1852 the Charlotte St. congregation took a forward step in agreeing to raise the sum of $100 for the purpose of co-operating with the American Christian Missionary Society. The Maritime churches were asked to pay for the support of three evangelists, the church to make the selection of laborers. Thus they were native to the soil. In return the Society agreed to pay in $600 for the support of these churches, Another missionary move forward is revealed in the decision to hear a quarterly report on the mission to Jerusalem (our first foreign enterprise). They were able to provide some funds for Bible translation (probably under the American Bible Union).
Following this active outlook the congregation undertook in January, 1854, to build for its own work. They bought two lots, sold their meeting house profitably, and in the month of March began the erection of a frame building on Duke St. The great fire of 1877 destroyed this building, and the church continued by meeting in a hall. From The Disciple of October, 1879, it is learned that a new and substantial brick building, 60 x 40, costing $5,000, was erected on the old site. A sermon was first preached there on September 21, 1879, by T. H. Blenus, who was expected to become pastor.
Membership was then reported as fifty-two, but it had lost fifty-one members in September, 1873. These went out in order to found the Cobourg St. congregation. Whether this was due to an unexplained rift in harmony, or some other impasse, has not been explained to the writer. George Garraty appears for the last time as preacher in July, 1881, when three ladies were baptized, so J. S. Flaglor reported.
One thing may be said: we may confidently write 'finis' to one phase of the Master's work whenever it comes to a full stop, due to human causes, as long as we retain confidence that the Master might (and no doubt will) be ready to further an effort in accordance with the revealed will of God. The Master's way has been sorely baffled by erring disciples since Calvary; but the way of the Cross is still open for His followers to attempt a victorious ending.