*Excerpt from Reuban Butchart's "The Disciples of Christ in Canada Since 1830", Part 2, "The Churches of Christ in NS"*
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All Hants County churches stem from the break-away from the Baptist church in Rawdon by elder John McDonald and preacher John Doyle, in the years 1832- (1834-5-?), and maturing in a church group formed in 1837 at West Gore. West Gore was the first congregation and Rawdon the second, particularly as far as a building is concerned. The two congregations were practically one, sharing each other's meetings; the preachers (when there were preachers) being the same.
It was the custom for one church that had enjoyed the morning meeting to drive over to another so as to enjoy an afternoon or evening service. But West Gore was the central point, at which the morning meeting would be held, and afternoon and evening services alternated on Sundays for Rawdon, Newport, and Nine Mile River after it began and also Shubenacadie. When the preacher was at another service the elders carried on the worship and communion table, and the S. School. Practically all the ministers who preached at West Gore have done so at the other points, says my richly-stored informant, E. M. MacDougall, of West Gore.
Rawdon township was a community of perhaps two hundred and fifty souls, entirely rural. Upper Rawdon church was a comparatively strong church at one time, with a membership of (roughly) fifty persons. In pioneer days there were from thirteen to fifteen families and both heads of the home would be members, mostly of the progressive type, and the children followed in their turn. Names of some of these families are: Aubrey, Fenton (2 families), Gilby, Pierson, Wallace (3), Weatherhead, Withrow (2).
George Wallace was elder and S.S. Superintendent for many years, presiding at the weekly Table. In later years after Geo. Wallace's death, his place was taken as a local preacher by John W. Wright, of Nine Mile River, who was a lay preacher in the community. It may be assumed that evangelistic meetings were held by the older ministers mentioned in the groups in the province (this was their sole task); and in later time W. H. Harding and A. J. MacLeod, and others, have preached. There were not so many conversions usually as at W. Gore, likely on account of less interim preaching. At the present time there are only two members of the Church of Christ living at Rawdon, and the Baptist church would reveal the same. Many have moved elsewhere and are helping to build the cause there. This is especially true of Massachusetts.
Several cases of pioneer churches having the doors locked against further preaching, have come to my notice, and Rawdon had this experience also. When the hall at Rawdon was thus closed the congregation naturally decided to build and did so. (Community churches were built in the Maritimes in early days, and sometimes their purpose was set aside.) Land was deeded to the group's trustees and control placed in the hands of Wm. Fenton, Geo. Wallace and Joshua Withrow. The date of this is May 21, 1869.
While the church was building, it is likely that an old meeting house was used as a sanctuary, but there may have been a period of three months when there was no meeting. From The Disciple, February 1879, it is learned that its editor, T. H. Blenus, was giving half-time to the church and that it was in a prosperous condition; also that at that time Nine Mile River was being maintained as a mission point. From The Christian, August 1891, it is learned that E. C. Ford was the preacher and J. B. Wallace the presiding elder.
In March, 1892, elder J. B. Wallace passed to his reward after a long life, much of it devoted to preaching the gospel and maintaining the church in his native county. In The Christian, July, 1894, W. H. Harding reports that the church at Upper Rawdon is again "keeping house for itself" and starting a mission band. In September, 1899, the membership was said to be twenty-three. In the February issue, 1901, John H. Wright reports that he had been holding a service once a month for the church during the last twelve months. These reports indicate a decline and that the candle was gradually going out. But not until Time ends can the total influences of the Rawdon church be learned.