HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-06-28, Page 121SUNDAY SCHOOL ORCHESTRA - In 1925 Caven Presbyterian Church
had a Sunday School orchestra to go along with its beautiful big pipe
organ. Members of the orchestra were, from back left, Lloyd Baynham,
tftk;._
Ed Christie, Harry Gidley, Bill Gardiner and Ken Stanbury. From front
left are Ella Wares, Edna Pfaff, Lena Coates and Mrs. Blayney.
•
ft. .
Reg Beavers
Section 1, Page 33 THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE JUNE 28, 1973
Paid minister $6.00 per Sabbath
By GWYN VI/H I LSMITH
Before 1861, the Presbyterians
of this area either worshipped at
Warrensville or Thames Road
churches but owing to the
distance and bad roads it was
thought expedient to form a
congregation in Francistown,
now Exeter north.
The planning meeting and also
the first services were conducted
in a brick store at the north end of
the village, on the site of the
North End Supertest station.
Rev. John Logic, who was the
pastor of Warrensville and
'Caven' Presbyterian Church,
Loved by all
In April, 1883, Rev. W.M.
Martin was inducted as minister
and remained with the growing
but still small flock for 26 years.
Their number only about 70 by
this time, belies the amount of
work accomplished. In the first
year of Mr, Martin's pastorate
the debt of building the new
church of $2,000 was wiped out,
new horse sheds erected and
plans on the way to build a
handsom manse next to the
usually supplied oats and hay for
his horse, as well. (A sort of
travelling allowance, you might
say.)
Raising money to pay for the
minister's salary, the mission
fund and the upkeep of the
buildings seems to be among the
traditions of Caven. In the early
days, part of these expenses were
procured by the renting of
pews . $2.00 per single or $5,00
per family. Woe and betide the
person who had the audacity to
sit in somebody elses seat! One
old timer remembers visiting the
Presbyterian church with his
family and inadvertently sitting
in someone's rented pew. The
look on the good parishoner's
face when he ushered in his brood
and found his bench occupied was
something less than Christian,
apparently!
Besides worrying about how to
pay the minister it seems to have
been a concern of the early elders
as to how long a pastor should
remain in one pastorate. In
March, 1895, a special meeting
was called to discuss the 'Per-
manency of the Pastorate'.
Evidently, some felt it might be
beneficial to change fairly
frequently but Elder William
Moncur firmly stated that "we
might not be able to get capable
men if we keep changing them'.
His reason seems to have been
that it was not good for ministers
to use old material. He said,
"Keep a man working (writing
new sermons) and he will be all
the more fitted for work (to
compose better sermons), The
Rev. Martin added that the
Presbyterians were making as
good progress in the town as the
Methodists who were changing
men every three or four years.
Church music
Another piece of business that
worried the elders back in 1882
was whether or not hymns should
be sung in the worship service.
Up until that time only psalms
and paraphrases were sung led
by a precentor and with no in-
strument accompaniment. This
tradition had likely come over
from the Church of Scotland
which held that musical in-
struments were instruments
of the devil.
After some discussion this
matter was held over but a
change must have been made
soon after because by July, 1883,
the choir was providing music for
a festival.
Shortly before this date the old
minutes reveal that Joseph
Senior was offered $20 cash, $20
in subscriptionsand a free pewf or
his services as choir leader. He
accepted the proposition and
— Please turn to page 23
Thames Road, served the first
communion in 1861 to the small
congregation numbering 17
members. He was assisted by the
first session: Mr. John Anderson,
Mr. William Logie and Mr. John
Strang.
Rare pulpit gift
The Rev. Logie was one of the
most remarkable men among the
pioneer ministers of Western
Ontario. Born and educated in
Scotland, history records that he
was "far above average with his
rare pulpit gift.' And although
some of his flock complained that
he didn't visit his people enough,
he held the newly handed
Presbyterians together 'in bonds
of love . . . always coming to
them with a scholarly and
heavenly message'.
Perhaps one of the reasons he
wasn't able to visit as often as
desired was the fact he was kept
busy with his 17 children!
Under his leadership a frame
church was built about the year
1863 on the north bank of the river
to meet the needs of the
0 congregation, and session
records of the time note that the
debt incurred for its erection was
wiped out by 1867.
By 1875, when Rev. Logie's
resignation was accepted 'with
deep regret' the roll numbered 51
communicants.
Irishman who loved horses
He was succeeded by Rev. A.Y.
Hartley a rough and ready Irish-
man who loved fast horses and
was a familiar sight flying down
the road, the smoke streaming
from his pipe. He made many
friends and is described as
having a rare gift for preaching
though somewhat lacking in tact
which caused him to have many
opponents as well.
What he lacked in tact must
have been •made up by en-
i•
thusiasm and executive ability
for it was under his eye that the
new brick church was erected on
its present site on Main Street in
1877.
Shortly after the official
dedication, special services were
held at which Rev. Dr. William
Caven, principal of Knox College
preached. Hence, the name
church property.
Disaster struck the small band
when a great windstorm blew the
roof off the church and wrecked
the building badly in 1893. Far
from being discouraged, the
congreation rallied under Mr.
Martin's guidance and not only
rebuilt the church but had it paid
for almost immediately.
Although it is noted in the
church writings that Mr. Martin
was not an eloquent speaker he
was praised as a 'noble Christian
man'.
That he was loved by not only
his own flock but by all the
community is easily discerned
when one reads an account of the
'testimonial fete' given to him
and his wife just before they
retired to London in 1909,
The Exeter Advocate described
it as the biggest event of its kind
ever held in Exeter when citizens
filled to over flowing the Opera
House to honor them. The ac-
count describes in detail the
entertainment, the decorations,
the menu and the many speeches
alluding to the character and life
of the honored guest and his
family.
Golden Jubilee
• Mr. Martin's place was filled
by Rev. S.F. Sharp. Under his
pastorate the congregation
continued in "good health".
Renovations were made to the
church building including
electric lighting, and in 1910
Caven stood first in Huron County
Presbytery in givings to missions
and in general revenue.
The congregation also
celebrated its Golden Jubilee
during Mr. Sharpe's ministry in
1911 with many special events to
mark the occasion.
Early Business of Caven
In these days of debates about
GAI (Guaranteed Annual
Income) for ministers it's in-
teresting to read in the 1879
minutes of the Caven board of
managers that the stipend for the
minister was $6.00 per Sabbath,
Of course, this was augmented by
bags of potatoes, carrots and
other vegetables and the oc-
casional side of pork to help keep
food on the clergy's table. He was
The Late B. W. F. Beavers
50 Years
of Service
Under the same name
It was 50 years ago — in 1923 — when B. W. F.
Beavers purchased the hardware business from Hugh
Spackman. For the subsequent years the store was
operated out of the building now occupied by A & H Food
Market.
In 1945, Reg Beavers took over the business from his
father and continued to operate it out of the same facilities
until May 6, 1948, when he purchased the former Chinese
Cafe and moved the business to its present location.
That same year, Reg acquired the franchise for
Westinghouse Appliances and has continued to sell these
fine appliances throughout the years.
Last year, another big change was made in Beavers
Hardware, when the front portion of the building was leas-
ed to Avco Financial Services. However, Reg continues to
operate his hardware business out of the rear portion of
the store and features a wide selection of toys in his
downstairs toy department.
WESTINGHOUSE
APPLIANCES
Backed By Our Famous
Factory Warranty
BEAVERS
HARDWARE
Main St. Exeter
It