Silver Falls Church

The congregation at Silver Falls got off to a rather unpleasant beginning about the year 1889. At that time the Disciples of Christ and the Methodists of that community, which is situated about three miles from St. John, circulated a subscription paper for the purpose of raising money in order to erect a union church building. The effort was a success, because the community, in general supported and co-operated with the plan. 

When the meeting house was completed, a Methodist brother was called to dedicate the building. This brother did his work well, but unfortunately, he dedicated it to the Methodist Conference. But when T. H. Capp, who was Co-Editor of "The Christian" and the pastor of the Coburg St. church, came, as per the subscription agreement, to preach in the union house, he was forbidden the use of it. The band of disciples, beaten out of their money, labor and ardent hopes for a church home, now began holding services in a hall.

Beginning in January of 1892, a prayer meeting was started, with a number of the brethren from Coburg who lived at Silver Falls. They met faithfully every Friday evening, and were led by Bro. H. W. Stewart and some of the Coburg men. By February a large number were taking part in the meetings and a good interest was manifested by all. The folk of Coburg were very optimistic of having a church in that community in the near future.

On Sunday evening, June 12th, Bros. Boyne and Banks of Coburg visited Silver Falls and found a crowded hall, as the people were expressing a very strong sentiment in favour of the plea of the Disciples of Christ.

During this time, Miss Sophie M. Lamont was attending school in Fredericton to gain her teacher's 1st class license. She was a member of the Coburg St. church and frequently helped in the missionary and educational work, "she took an active part in all our church work, and there are few who have greater zeal and knowledge."

In January of 1893, she moved to Second Falls, Charlotte Co., N. B., to teach school and where she was also busy building up a Sunday school. By September of the same year, she had taken charge of the school in Silver Falls.

The disciples continued to meet in the hall until the 1st of October, 1893, when their Methodist "friends" thought it advisable to exert their influence to exclude them from using the hall also. On a vote, they accomplished this end, and again the disciples were without a suitable place to meet to partake of the Lord's ordinances.

Finding themselves out in the cold once again, a meeting was called on Wednesday, September 27th. About 25 members of the Coburg St. Church who lived at Silver Falls decided to organize and build a meeting house of their own. The meeting was held at the home of Henry Shellington, where a building committee was appointed, with power to commence the work at once. 

Since Miss Lamont was teaching school at this place, she was chosen secretory of the building committee, and she did her utmost to assist the worthy brethren. Mr. Edward Shellington, who was present at the meeting and who was appointed on the building committee, kindly donated a lot of land for the church building. While this was going on, Miss Lamont had organized a large class who were studying "The Life of Christ," under Prof. Harper of the Chicago University. 

The new meeting house was framed and boarded in by the 1st of November, 1893. Because of the deep interest and great zeal displayed by the brethren, the building was almost completed by the 1st of Decem­ber. An Endeavour Society was also organized at Silver Falls, with 12 active members. The elected officers were as follows: President, H. Shellington; Vice-President, Miss Ada Garnett; Treasurer, J. Arthurs; Secretary, B. Hicks, and Corresponding Secretary, Alice Garnett. The following was reported in The Christian:

On Lord's day, December 17th, 1893, Bro. Stewart preached the opening sermon in the new house at Silver Falls. The house was filled, and Bro. Stewart's sermon was one of his best. It was on "Precious faith." He showed why it was precious and then exhorted all to contend for it earnestly. He said the Disciples of Christ take the Bible only for their rule of faith and practice. They owe only the names written therin, and are working for the fulfillment of our Lord's prayer, that all His people should be one. The Disciples at Silver Falls had erected this house for the purpose of teaching these truths, and they hope to see many unite with them, and thus honor Him who is the author of this precious faith. 

This sermon did great good, and many who had never heard Bro. Stewart, expressed great pleasure in listening to him. About 20 drove out from the city. To say they were surprised and pleased does not express their feelings fully. They found the house finished and painted outside, Inside it is ceiled with wood, which is oiled and varnished. Neat blinds are on the windows. Two beautiful chandeliers holding six lamps which lights the room well. A low platform runs across one end, the centre of which is raised two steps for the chairs and stand. A fine new organ is on one side and a table with a nice cover on the other. 

The whole platform is carpeted. The house is warm and cheerful and is one of the best country houses the writer (Donald Crawford) has ever been in. Chairs are now used but in a short time pews will be put in. They also intend to have doors so placed as to make a small room for prayer meetings, etc. We hoped to see it opened free of debt, but it could not be done. Something over $100. is needed. The brethren at Silver Falls are very thankful to those who have helped them to build this house, and they will in time pay off the debt. (The Christian, 1984)

Mr. Crawford, in the same edition of the Christian, goes on to say: 

Bro. Stewart is now conducting a meeting in the new house, assist­ed by Bro. Stevens, who has given up a part of his home visit in order to work in this meeting. They do not expect many additions, but want to give these brethren a good start in their new house of worship. This is the first new point in New Brunswick in many years that has erected a house for the Disciples of Christ to worship in. We hope and pray that a new era has dawned on us; and that we shall see every year a new place opened up where the Word of God will be taken as the only creed for the congregation to follow. (The Christian, 1984)

A Sunday school was organized at Silver Falls on January 14, 1894. Twenty-eight were present and Bro. H. Shellington was chosen as the superintendent. The prospects for an increased attendance looked very good. It was estimated that the cost of their new building was about $800.00, with a debt of only $100.00. Being anxious to pay off their debt, a number of concerts were given to this end. At one such concert on January 19th, $15.00 was raised. At another, on February 23rd, $32.00 was raised in order to build a shed to protect the horses. By the 1st Sunday in February, attendance was now at 30. The following was reported in the Christian: 

The Building Committee appointed by the brethren residing at Silver Falls to superintend the erection of a house of worship in that place, take this opportunity to thank the brethren, sisters and friends who have contributed to the building of such house. To our friends and the members of the Deer Island churches particularly we feel grateful. Such offerings will not go unrewarded. 

The land was given by Mr. and Mrs. Edward Shellington. The Coburg St. church gave six windows. The organ has been provided for by a few families at Silver Falls. 

Committee: Henry Shellington, David Garnett, Joseph Arthurs, J. S. Flaglor, and O. B. Stockford.

By May, the Sunday school had grown to 40 scholars, and Bro. Stewart had resumed his Wednesday evening preaching services. Also in May a committee from Silver Falls asked the brethren at Coburg for advice in regard to organizing. Bros H.W. Stewart, G.F. Barnes, J. S. Flaglor and O. B. Stockford were appointed to confer with them. 

At the Annual Meeting held at Milton, N. S., from August 20 to September 2, Silver Falls was reported to have had 22 members, 35 Sunday school scholars, and seven teachers. They are reported holding their own, even though they had no full-time preacher. 

Bro. T. H. Blenus was in southern New Brunswick holding evan­gelistic meetings at the end of 1894. He found the church at Silver Falls meeting regularly and active workers being developed. They were arranging to lift the small balance of debt off their beautiful little chapel. He had an interesting comment to make:

I have been carefully and prayerfully examining into the wants and needs of this part of the provincial field. I find that some NEED just what they do not WANT, and others WANT what they do not NEED - but with love, care and patience, I trust that we can soon see that we want what we need and need what we want, and as far as we are enabled, procure both.

It is sad to think that things and people have not changed much since 1895. 

For the next five years, the church continued in its usual fashion; meeting every Lord's day afternoon for Sunday school and the breaking of bread, meeting every Lord's day evening for a prayer and social time, meeting every Wednesday evening with the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavour. 

Visiting preachers were always welcomed. Such men as Elder Donald Crawford, William Murray, Hiram Wallace, W. H. Harding, Evangelist Whiston, Howard Murray and Dr. R. Bentley Ray. Many of these men were the preachers at the Coburg St. church, who assisted the Silver Falls brethren on a weekly basis. 

In a listing of the churches in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, up to July of 1900, Silver Falls is reported to have had 29 members. This is only an increase of eight souls since their commencement six years prior. It was apparently becoming difficult to maintain an independent status, so a decision had to be made:

This church has taken its membership with the Coburg St. Christian Church. The church building and lot has also been transferred to the trustees. The members meeting at Silver Falls will hereafter be known as a Mission of the Coburg St. Christian Church. This transfer was made at the annual business meeting held the second Tuesday in May, and Bro. H. Shellington was appointed an elder to assist Bro. Thomas Garnett, the senior elder, who has filled that office since its organization .... The services will be continued as formerly.

The work at Silver Falls progressed very satisfactorily after this transfer. Six months later the congregation spent between $150.00 and $200.00 on their new building, improving it both in comfort and in appearance. They moved the building forward, put a new foundation under it, painted, varnished and carpeted it on the inside and built a neat fence around it. Spiritually they were also moving ahead. Dr. R. B. Ray, during a two-week period, held a meeting of eight services for them, and as a result, 16 confessions were made. At one service alone, there were 12 confessions. A number of these were by members of families who were not before connected with any of the Silver Falls brethren at all, many of them coming from Methodist and Church of England families. Dr. Ray felt that, "there is not now any person of sufficient age but what is a member of the one body."

Dr. R. Bentley Ray was held in very high regard by the brethren at Silver Falls, for at the New Year's eve service of 1901, Bro. Charl­ton presented him with a gold charm for his watch chain, as a token of the respect and esteem in which he was held.

The needs of Sunday school workers became apparent to some, so during the winter of 1903, a Sunday school seminar was held:

A very interesting and profitable meeting of Sunday school workers from the city was held in the Christian church, Silver Falls, on Friday evening January 23, when a large audience were gathered to talk on Sunday school work. E. M. Sipperal taught the lesson for Sunday, the 25th and was listened to with marked attention by those present, after which a conference was conducted on the needs of the parish, in which quite a number took part.

By April of 1904, Bro. Floyd Murray felt that the prospects for future success at Silver Falls looked very bright, as they were a group of truehearted and whole-hearted people, who continued steadfastly in the Lord's work.

Each summer the Sunday school held an annual picnic. The Silver Falls group always joined the Coburg St. and Douglas Ave. Sunday schools for a good time of fun and fellowship. They would often travel up the St. John River by train or by boat, to spend the entire day at Westfield Beach, Crystal Beach or Harding's Point, which are about 15 miles from the city. 

By the summer of 1910, the small congregation at Silver Falls were still very loyal to the truth they had received:

The little bank of Disciples at Silver Falls deserve honorable mention for their faithful efforts to sustain the cause of Christ in that locality. Though many of their members have moved to town and other places, they still keep up their Sunday school and regular Sunday evening services. (The Christian)

Over the years, from 1900 to 1917, again, many preachers and evangelists assisted the brethren at Silver Falls. Among these were U. G. Miller, S. V. Williams, G. N. Stevenson, J. F. Floyd, H. A. Devoe, A. B. Wade, H. Minnick, Geo. W. Titus, E. C. Ford, H. E. Steele, Frederick Ross and S. B. Culp. Since Silver Falls had become a Mission of the Coburg St. church, many of these men, as in previous years, had been the pastor of Coburg who assisted the brethren on a weekly basis. 

By the summer of 1916, the brethren at Coburg saw the need to revitalize the work at Silver Falls:

At the annual business meeting of Coburg, a committee was appointed to confer the the brethren at Silver Falls to see if some arrangement could be made to revive the work there. As a result, the writer (Fred Ross) has agreed to visit them every Lord's day afternoon. 34 were present and is hoped that interest will increase from week to week. In work of this nature "we are truly heeding the injunction of Paul when he bids the strong to bear the burdens of the weak." (The Christian)

The history of Silver Falls after 1916 is unknown. Nothing more is recorded in "The Christian." Apparently in 1942 the building was destroyed by fire, suspected to be caused by arson. All the church records were lost in this fire.