North Street Christian Church

Compiled by Rachael Beck for Maritime Christian College, 1992.

*This page needs additional information and history. If you would like to contribute information to this project, please email info@restorationhistory.ca*

All that remains to the passerby as a monument to a congregation that thrived for 150 years, is a brightly coloured purple church building with yellow trim. The unusual colours and design cause the building on the corners of North Street and Fuller Terrace in Halifax to stand out.

But in the hearts of all those who served and worshipped there, the North St. Christian Church has a rich history. The congregation in Halifax had its root among the dissatisfied members of St. Paul's Anglican Church who, when their bishop failed to appoint Dr. Twining as rector, withdrew. These people, many of whom were African-Canadian, were baptized in Bedford Basin in 1827 and formed the First Baptist congregation. They moved their place of worship from the Old Baptist Meeting House to a chapel on Granville St. There were many professionals and leading citizens among the congregation.

In August of 1829 a dispute arose over the formal calling of Rev. Henry K. Green as pastor. Because two of the three objectors were trustees of the property, when notice was received in April 1830 that the possession of the building would be handed over to the trustees that September the congregation withdrew and met in the Royal Acadian School. Also a mitigating factor in the split was the difference in opinion on the doctrine and practice of the Baptists. Apparently, Mr. Green and his supporters advocated the observance of weekly communion and it is evident that their practices and views had begun to follow those of Alexander Campbell and the emerging Disciples of Christ movement in the States. 

Thus, in 1831 the first Disciples congregation was born in Halifax, although they called themselves Second Baptist Church and were affiliated with the Nova Scotia Baptist Association until 1835.

From 1835 to 1838, the church met in the Carpenters' Hall on Gottingen St. Dr. Lewis Johnstone who was an active member of the congregation, along with Richard Creed and John Slayter split the duties of pastor. John Johnson, Richard Giles and Goerge Creed were the first deacons and John Naylor became clerk. By 1837, there were 44 active members and great support of open communion. The church met in the Old Baptist Meeting House for the next five years. During this time, Benjamin Howard, an evangelist from the U.S. visited the Halifax congregation a number of times. This was the church's first visit from a member of the Disciple movement.

The lease on the Old Baptist Meeting House expired at the end of 1842 and this brought on a crisis. The church lost many members but a small faithful remnant was able to survive to see the building of Zion Chapel on Creighton St. in 1844. W.W.Eaton, the editor of The Christian, visited Halifax in 1847. During the summer of that year, C. Dealtry had begun preaching at Halifax. In the December 1847 Christian the editor writes that his preaching in Halifax had not led to "immediate fruit" but he later learned that Dealtry had immersed 26 people. The April 1848 issue of The Chris­tian reports that Dealtry had baptized 109 people since last fall. 

There was then at this point two groups of Disciples meeting in Halifax - one lead by Dealtry and the other meeting in Zion chapel. Although in Eaton's opinion Dealtry was a first-rate evangelist, he could not overlook Dealtry's preaching of errant doctrine on such points as judgment and the state of the dead. Despite this the church flourished until Dealtry's abrupt departure from Halifax in 1850 due to his past and present unexemplary lifestyle catching up with him. Dealtry's followers were dispersed and the few who remained were under the leadership of William MacDonald for almost 10 years before Halifax con­gregation was once again visible in the church community. 

Dr. John Knox was a medical doctor who became the leader of the Scotch Baptist congregation at Cross Roads, P.E.I. Knox, like many of the Scotch Baptists between 1835 and 1850, realized his religion was very close to that of the Campbells and other Reformers and he became president of the predecessor of the P.E.I. Convention of Christian Churches. Since 1842, Knox had visited Halifax to preach usually at the Granville Street Baptist Chapel where his views did not align with those of the Calvinistic Baptists. 

On June 9, 1862 he came to be the minister for the small group of Disciples that had survived since the time of Dealtry. They had erected a meeting house called the Tabernacle under the perseverance of Samuel Strong. Strong was a local merchant who believed there should be an open communion church in the city. The Tabernacle was plain and had a platform but no pulpit. Dr. Knox's abilities as a lecturer and preacher caused the group to grow and in 1862 Knox baptized the first new member - Henry Carson. 

The church practiced monthly communion in its outset to avoid being called Campbellites. When the congregation reached 40 members, all but Samuel Strong felt that the communion should become a weekly ordinance. This caused Dr. Knox to resign and the subsequent departure of the entire congregation with Strong who had secured a new preacher, creed and name for the church. Only three did not follow Strong. They were Saul Mosher, John Matthias and Henry Carson. Strong sold the Tabernacle after a year and a half and if it wasn't for these three determined men, the Disciples movement would have been extinguished in Halifax. 

The period from 1868 to 1893 was one of struggle for the Halifax congregation. Visiting preachers included T.B. Knowles, Ira J. Chase, Thomas Keillor, Joseph Gaetz, Bro. Southmayd, G.W. Williams, Howard Murray and most frequently T.H. Blenus. Visiting preachers filled the pulpit anywhere from a weekend to several months. Elders and deacons assumed leadership in the absence of a preacher. During this time the congregation met in various halls including the Commercial College and Temperance Hall. 

The membership increased with Henry Carson usually performing baptisms. In the February 1879 edition of The Disciple (Editor T.H. Blenus) Henry Carson reported that "23 members meet weekly - no additions or loss that year." However, emigration was high and this kept numbers low. 

By 1880 the Halifax church was worshipping in Salem Chapel on Argyle St. and F.W. Pattie came from Texas to be minister and he brought with him new hope for a congre­gation on the verge of collapse. In April of 1881 the congregation purchased a building on Cornwallis St. with the help of funds received from Milton and Westport. Sunday School was first organized in the new premises on May 15, 1881. Unfortunately, the building was in need of much repair and there was lack of money. The church could not support Mr. Pattie and in 1885 the hall was sold for $1800. Proceeds from the sale were used to start a building fund, and the congregation found a new place of meeting in the National School on Argyle Street. 

In the January 1886 Christian Edward Wallace writes that there were ten new members over the past year. He also explains why growth has been difficult, "Halifax is a hard field in which to labour, surrounded as we are by an almost impenetrable wall of opposition which can be broken down only by a continuous fire from the gospel gun, manned, as it must be by unflichable soldiers of the cross." 

Henry Carson remained active in proselyting about the community. During the 1880's H.E. Cooke and Harry Harding were members at Halifax who were to later become leading ministers in the Maritimes. Howard Murray, an evangelist with the Milton church, conducted three weeks of services at Halifax in February and March 1887 that generated an increase in interest and in numbers. Edward Wallace and H.E. Cooke became elders and W.J. Messervey and W.H. Harding were named as deacons. In 1888, however, Messervey, Cooke, and Harding left Halifax to pursue study and careers in the ministry. 

Henry Carson met B.B. Tyler who was a minister in New York. Tyler came to Halifax in July 1888 and preached Sundays in the Academy of Music and weekday evenings in the Masonic Hall for six weeks. Tyler greatly raised the profile of the Disciples in the city by his speaking. He encouraged the building of a new church and pledged $250 when the cornerstone was to be laid. 

Negotiations to purchase land on Brunswick St. began in 1889 but were not finished. It appeared that a building was never to be as more delays were encountered. W.H. Har­ding preached during the winter of 1890 while he studied through Dalhousie University. Following this was a time without a preacher until the summer of 1891 when J.H. Gardiner ministered to the congregation. Elder Hiram Wallace filled in for the year end and Howard Murray succeeded him in the spring of 1892 and brought about the purchase of two lots at the corner of North and Maynard Streets from Martin P. Black's estate. 

The following people were named trustees: Nelson V. Graham, Henry Carson and Harris Wallace. The building committee was composed of Albert Craig, Fred Stevens and James Wallace. The corner­stone was laid that summer and on Feb. 13, 1893, the new building was dedicated. Howard Murray spoke in the morning service and Henry W. Stewart preached in the afternoon and evening. The church had a seating capacity of 300. Member­ship was 40 people and the cost of the new building and lot was $4500. 

The newly erected church added stability to the congregation but still there was a succession of preachers. Howard Murray acted as pastor for the winter of 1893 and Donald Crawford spoke for five Sundays during the summer. H.A. Northcutt, E.C. Ford and Rawlinson each served as pastor for a short time. Will F. Shaw was the first settled minister and he remained for a year. 

Apparently the city did not understand "what we are and what we represent." This is according to Shaw's article in the December 1894 Christian regarding a meeting between the North St. Church and the Halifax Union of Christian Endeavour. T.H. Blenus was pastor from 1895 to 1898 and he ensured that the community became more aware of the North St. congregation and what it stood for. The Halifax church began to receive financial aid from the American Home Mission and this was to continue for some time. 

E.C. Ford became pastor for the next three years. In 1898 16 members left, one of whom was Henry Carson. There were new members in 1899 and new challenges in 1900. The third longest ministry in the history of North St. was then held by R. Everett Stevenson from 1901 to 1909. Shaw states that "his vision and enterprise brought results''. By 1902 there were two women's organizations and three C.E. Societies. 

A new Sunday School hall was built for $800 and dedi­cated November 1906. The offering of the congregation was $20 a year and this sustained the church. K.F. Nance fol­lowed Stevenson as minister of North St. It was during his service that the Lutz and Houston meetings took place for six weeks beginning May 9, 1909. These meetings are well-known because this evangelist (H.F. Lutz) - singer (Frank Houston) team accompanied by a choir of fifty succeeded in bringing 104 people into the church, ninety by baptism. This evangelistic victory was not met by similar enthusiasm from some fellow-ministers in Halifax since some of the additions came from other congregations. 

In 1909 a pipe organ was installed at North St. Christian Church and this same year Howard Murray passed away. The duty of minister was filled by a man named Welsh for a short time and then by W.F. Chase in the fall of 1910. 1912 to 1914 was a replenishing period as the congregation had lost many of its best workers the previous year when they moved away. F.B. Holden was the minister at this time. 

The need for funds to pay for extensive repairs on the church building in 1913 was met by raising $1600 through suppers and the "duplex envelope system". Holden reported 163 resident members in August 1914 along with 29 non-resident, 13 baptisms and Sunday School attendance of 102 with 18 teachers. 

Between 1915 and 1917 the following people functioned as minister at North St.: Lorne F. Sanford, C.A. Donaldson, G.F. Assiter and H.R. Bell. On December 6, 1917 the people of Halifax suffered the devastating effects of the explosion in the Harbour. This destroyed the church building on North Street completely. Fifteen percent of the congregation's active members were killed, and many others were seriously wounded. 

The people began to meet together each Lord's Day in the homes of the Ibsons, the Walkers and the Miles. A.P. Hodges served as pastor from 1918 to 1921 and the Star Hall on Agricola St. was used as a place of worship for a time. The congregation decided to rebuild on the old site. There was a desire to have a new building made of brick but the high prices prevented this. Instead, the old building was restored and remodelled at a cost in the vicinity of $22 000. 

On November 21, 1920 the building was reopened. Church and Sunday School attendance were running about 50 and 40 respectively. Hodges resigned and Dr. F.L. Wallace preached from September 1921 until Spring 1922. He was succeeded by P.A.Davey, who had been serving as a missionary in Japan. 

In the spring of 1926 Dr. Wallace returned to minister at North St. for the next 21 years. By maintaining his medical practice, Dr. Wallace was able to help the con­gregation become debt free in 1942 for the first time since the erection of the first building. During the Depression there was significant growth in both church and Sunday School attendance. 

During the years of the Second World War, many changes and developments took place in the church. Miss Fern Simpson accepted the position of Parish Worker. She did extensive work with children and young people in the church and made many contacts. In 1943 a new electric organ was installed and a stained glass window was presented to the church. 

The October 1945 Canadian Disciple reports that the Board of Stewards held a meeting to discuss repairs to the building due to the "extensive damage inflicted by the recent explosions." On February 3 there was an induction service for newly elected and re-elected officers and dea­cons. Newly elected deacons were Roy Bowser, Spurgeon Ramey, Cliff R. Ramey, and R.L. Gibbons. 

The April 1946 Canadian Disciple tells of a mimeograph purchased using money given by three church members. The Christian Youth Fellowship (CYF) produced the first church bulletin under their editorship. 

Some renovations to the building took place in 1947. A new front was built in the sanctuary and chimes installed. Dr. Wallace resigned in June of 1947 and J.P. MacLeod took over until January 1949. Robert E. Shaw became minister in February 1949 and was supported by the congregation, the UCMS and the All-Canada. 

On November 25, 1951 an addition to the church buil­ding was dedicated. It was built to provide facilities for a growing Sunday School and for mid-week activities. A manse was purchased in 1953 owing to the generosity of Miss Mabel Brown and Miss Rosann Bond. 

In July 1954, Dr. Wallace died at home in Wolfville after an illness. 

A memorial service was held on the occasion of the 123rd anniversary of North St. Church. Robert Shaw conducted the service and he described Wallace as a man of "drive" for all his achievements. Membership totalled 62 in 1956. 

The Maritime Convention was held at North St. Christian Church August 9-12, 1956. Not only was Halifax becoming very involved in the Maritime fellowship of churches, but it was to nurture the growth of the emerging group of believers in its twin city Dartmouth. By this time a site had been chosen to establish a church in Dartmouth, and Robert Shaw held early-morning services there for over a year. 

In the summer of 1957, Robert Shaw resigned to further his studies at Vanderbilt University in Alabama. The inter­im-minister was John Bergman of Edmonton, Alberta who took up the position Nov. 24, 1957. Bergman remained for about a year and a half for the Canadian Disciple lists Robert Watson as minister of North Street. The ministry again changes hands to Thomas Fountain by January of 1962. 

The December 1963 issue of the Canadian Disciple shows an increase in Sunday School and the number of groups for young people: Junior (8-11 years), Chi-Rho (12-14), CYF (15-18) and Young Adult (19-30) fellowships were all in existence at North St. Five members from Halifax went to the International Convention in Miami where Thomas Fountain preached convention Sunday. 

The Canadian Disciple also reports a Christian Men's Fellowship was organized at North St. with Delbert M. Crocker as president and R.L.W. Gibbons as secretary-treasurer. North St. held the N.S. CYF conference on November 2 and 3 with 60 in attendance. There were many faithful members at North St. that made it a success. The June/July 1971 Canadian Disciple has an article honouring Mrs. Reid Gibbons for her over 20 years of service as Super Intendant of Sunday School. In 1972, Miss Annie Wright is paid tribute for 40 years as Sunday School teacher.

Ken McCullough was minister at North St. beginning October 10, 1971. The church began producing newsletters and became further involved in the community through opening itself for children's play three afternoons a week and entering a mini-boys (under 12) basketball team in the city recreation league. The church also offered its facilities to Co-Op Day Care Centre from June to September of 1973.

Another aspect of North St. 's community outreach was the organization of a coffee house in the basement this same year. The coffee house ministry, which they called Rivendell, was a place where young people of the church and world could meet together to share ideas and music.

On November 24, 1974 the 143rd anniversary of North St. was held and it marked 81 years in that location. In 1974 Ken McCullough resigned as minister and the January 1975 Canadian Disciple reports that Robert Johnson is minister. A new communion set was dedicated February 9 to the memory of Mrs. Reid Gibbons, not only Sunday School Superintendant but former president of Christian Women's Fellowship (CWF). The biennial assembly of the Maritime Christian Missionary Society was held September 12-14, 1975 at North St. with the theme "Evangelism is ... ". 

Neil Bergman was the next to accept the position of minister at North St. He had a strong Disciple background and had been minister of Lancaster Christian Church in Kentucky. He began his ministry in Halifax in July 1978 and was also to serve in the Dartmouth church. Miss Annie Wright retired in 1978 after 53 years as a Sunday School teacher. North St. became involved in holding services and visitations in the nearby senior citizen complex called Nortwood Manor. 

On October 25-27, 1980 the 150th anniversary of the Halifax congregation was celebrated with a church supper, two services Sunday with Robert Shaw as speaker and performance by a group called the Covenant Players in the evening. 

But after 150 years of successes and failures in the effort of the people of Halifax to carry out God's will, the North St. congregation was to finally come to an end. The Oct./Nov. 1981 Canadian Disciple describes the dissolution of the church as follows: 

"The fact is, the congregation has decided to terminate the 'existing ministry centred at the building known as North St. Christian Church, Halifax on October 31, 1981."

The building was sold, and is now used for other purposes. The same year, 1981, the Halifax Christian Church was organized, and so the cause of Christ continued to be carried on in the city.