HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Illustrated Signal-Star, 1889-03-25, Page 9GODERICH ILLU.57RATED SIGNAL -STAR.
Morton and Wm. Acheson. Wm. Mitchell,
Secretary.
ST. JOSEPH'S CONVENT AND SEPARATE SCHOOL
St. Joseph's Convent was built in 1873,
when Rev. Father Boubat was in charge of
Goderich parish. In 1874 the Separate
School was organized,, and since that time
has been carried on continuously in con-
nection with the convent. In addition to
the primary and preparatory course for ad-.
vancement to the High School,. special
branches 'of education -are taught, such as
painting, music and drawing. At the in-
ception of the school a young ladies select
department was in connection, but this
branch has been discontinued owing to the
amount of work entailed on the teachers by
the ordinary course of study incident to the
thorough carrying on of the Separate
School. From the beginning the teachers
have been the Sisters of St. Joseph's Con-
vent. The Convent is prettily situated on
the corner of North street and Caledonia
Terrace, and commands a fine view of the
mouth of the River Maitland, Goderich.
Harbor and the Lake. •
ST. PETER'S (R. C.) CHURCH.
The oldest place of worship in
St. Peter's (R. C.) church. From
what- we can learn it was erect-
ed in 1834, the late Hugh Chis-
holm being the builder. The
first baptism of which we have
record was in 1843, although
there must have been a number
previous to that date. At that
time the late Rev..Father
Schneider was in char e of the
parish, and Rev. Frs. •Ryan and
Keleher succeeded him. In 1868
Rev. Father Boubat, was appoint-
ed parish priest, and during his
term .St. Joseph's Convent, and
the present priest's residence
were built. Rev. P. J. Shea suc-
ceeded him in 1874, and after a
pastorate of six years was fol-
lowed by Rev. B. J. Watters,
.who had charge of the parish for
over eight years. Last year Rev.
Father Watters was succeeded
by Rev. T. West, the present
pastor. St. Peter's, although a
frame edifice, gives no evidence
of having withstood the storms
of over fity-five years
NORTH -ST. METHODIST CHURCH.
The Methodist church on
North street dates back to 1859,
table of whom was Rev. J. A. Williams, D.
D , now one of the Superintendents of that
body in Canada. The present pastor is Rev.
Geo. Richardson, President of the Guelph
Conference. In 1886 the annual meeting
of Guelph Conference was held in Goderich,
and the sessions were held. in North street
church An organ that cost $1,000 and a
good choir contribute materially to the
success of the services held in the church.
ST. GEORGE'S (EPISCOPALIAN) CHURCH.
The earliest record of Episcopalianism in
Goderich is that found in the register dated
Feb. 1st, 1843, when the first baptism is re-
corded, Rev. R. F. Camp bell, M. A., being the
officiating clergyman. On the 5th of Feb.
1843, the first marriage is recorded, at
which Rev. Mr. :Campbell also officiated.
The entry states that both of these interest-
ing events took place in the " school room,"
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was the entire destruction of old St. George's
church • in. 1879, which caused the hold-
ing of public worship in the Court House,
until Dec., 1880, when the present handsome
and commodious church on North street
was completed, and opened for divine ser-
vice. In 1887, after a long and successful
ministration, Venerable Archdeacon Elwood
passed to his rest, deeply regretted by all
who knew him, and in the same year
Rev. W. A. Young, M. A., formerly Bishop's
Commissary at London, was appointed
Rector of Goderich by Bishop Baldwin, a
position which he still holds. The new
church cost about $15,000 before it was
completed, and the neat and compact school
house which adjoins it laid an assessment
upon the members of about $1,500.
VICTORIA STREET METHODIST CHURCH.
The handsome little Methodist church on
Victoria street, which' is one of the pret-
tiest edifices in the town, is of compara-
tively recent date. Previous to 1878, the
Episcopal Methodists worshipped. in a
little frame church on the Huron Road,
but in that year Rev. O. G, Collamore
succeeded in erecting the present Victoria
street church, at a cost of $9,000. Rev.
Mr. Collamore was succeeded by
Rev. G. A. Francis, and Rev. Mr.
Sutton, in the order named, and
then the 'arnalganiation , of the
Episcopal Methodist "and Wes-
leyan bodies • took place. Since
that time the pulpit,, of , Victoria
street church has been occupied
successively by Revs. J.. A. Car-
son, G. F. Salton and A. Potter,
the latter of whom was appoint=
ed last year, and continues to pre-
side over the congregation.
when Rev, Thos. Cosford was
d�.
ST. GEORGE'S (EPISCOPAL) CHURCH, NORTH STREE
thepastor. The cost of the original structure
was $6,000. In 1866 a gallery was erected
on three sides, -at a cost of $550, under the
pastorate of Rev. R. Whiting. 1869 found
Rev. R. Poole in charge, and under his rule
the church was extended to the form of a T
by adding 28x56 feet, the additional cost
reaching $3,500. In 1878, during the minis-
tration of Rev. Jas. Preston, the increase in
the congregation made necessary a further
extension of the church, 20x40, at an addition -
al outlay of $1,800. The building is now
cruciform in appearance, being 108 feet long
by 56 and 40 wide, and is capable -of seating
over 900 people. North street church, like
all Methodist churches, owing to the itiner-
ant system, has had a large number of pas-
tors during its existence, not the least no -
which goes to show that at that time no
church had been built. For years public
worship had been conducted in a frame
building on the south side of West street
(near Carl's cooper shop) which belonged to
the late Dr. Hamilton, and it was not until
1843 that a church was built on what is now
known as St. George's Crescent. In this
church,. in the year 1849, Rev. Mr. Cameron
was succeeded by the late Archdeacon
Edward Lindsey Elwood, of happy memory,
who for some thirty-eight years thereafter
had charge of the parish. In 1874,, on the
night of Christmas Eve, a fire broke out
in St. George's church, which . almost com-
pletely destroyed the interior, and neces-
sitated extensive repairs in connection with
the edifice. The next event of importance
T. In 1875 the Free Church of Can-
ada, the United Presbyterian and the
Church of Scotland having in the meantime
united, the local Presbyterian bodies in
.Goderich also agreed to unite and worship
in the one church with two pastors—Rev.
Messrs. Ure and Sieveright. In 1878 the
amalgamation of the two congregations
led to the enlargement of the church to
its present dimensions. Mr. Sieveright re-
signed in 1880 to become a missionary in
the Northwest, but .not until he had been
successful in causing the erection of churches
at Leeburn and in Goderich township,
which have continued to be in Connection
with the parent church at Goderich. In
the following year Rev. J. A. Turnbull was
called to succeed Rev. Mr. Sieveright, and
he left in 1884 to accept a call at St. Marys.
KNOX (PRESBYTERIAN) CHURCH.
Back in the early Fifties what
was known as the United Pres-
byterian church was under the
charge of Rev. J. A. Devine, who
severed his connection in 1855.
He was succeeded by Rev. John
Fraser, who returned to Scotland
about 1861. During his pastor-
ate the congregation prospered,
for in 1857 arrangements were
made for erecting a larger place
of worship, and in 1858 the
church was built on East street
at a cost of $9,500. In June,
1862,Rev. Robert Ure, of Str-eets-
ville, received the call, and was
settled in charge of the congre-
gation during the same summer.
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