HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1996-07-17, Page 23Highlights of faith in Hay
The following presentation was made at the Sunday Ecumenical Service held during the "Hay Days '916" Home-
coming Celebration. The theme for the service was "Celebrating Our Oneness us Christ" and the "Hay Township
Highlights" History Book Committee was asked to present a message to the children. This poem was composed on
behalf of the whole history book committee.
Millions and millions of years ago,
thick glaciers of ice comprised the scene.
As they moved they scooped the soil,
Then a great glacial lake is all you would have seen.
And time it went so slowly by,
The rain. it fell. the soil took form;
the clays, the silts. the minerals, the foams.
Soon, in God's good plan, the land was born.
On Lake Huron's Southeast shores,
broad, with shining sand,
The Attawandarons, or. the Neutrals trod.
for this was Native land.
The Lord had laid the groundwork;
provided trees, water. fish. game, seed and soil.
Nature was one with woman and man.
They were thankful for the results of their toll.
By hunting and by gathering.
First -Nation children all were fed.
All we have: a block of flint, some arrowheads, a stone pipe,
on their lives some light has shed.
A young brave met death in the marsh one night,
The cedar boughs bent low to hold his head.
His friends placed him on a stretcher of logs,
this was the last time these lands they would tread.
Then in July, 1824.
in England, far across the sea,
Investors were plotting to own Canadian land,
they'd form a monopoly
Our 54,527 acres
was named in 1828.
after Robert William Hay, English Bureaucrat.
To reward him - the Brits thought this was great.
John Galt, Huron's father,
thought since "Canada Company" owned this land,
they could sell it and build roads, bridges and schools.
He'd make them understand!
Ten years later, not much progress has been made.
A few settlers on London Rd. to the East
and along Lake Road to the West,
but they were on their own - no help in the least.
Newcomers, no money to their name,
could lease, pay a bit year by year,
worked statute labor building roads,
little by little, their land they made clear.
The British were the first to buy,
to the East on Concession 1.
Hay's first settler was John Hillock
but of his descendents here, today there are none.
From England and from Scotland,
six weeks o'er the sea,
when landing they fled to the countryside,
away from the cholera in the port cities.
When days were so lonely,
in their little cabins so strong,
they would gather their children around them
to lift their'voieeS in song:
"Faith of our fathers!
We will love both friend and foe in all our strife,
and preach thee too as love knows how,
by kindly word and virtuous life."
So, it was official in 1846;
Clerk, poundkeeper, pathmaster, paid in pound and pence
Our Township of Hay was established
to assume responsibility for the welfare of its residents.
Then came the French,
in Quebec, times were hard,
but stories, promises of the Huron Tract,
were told by comers de bois Gelinas, Durand and Bedard.
They travelled inland by rivers,
then walking winding paths through the bush,
now South along the sandy beach,
to Pointe-aux-Bouleaux they did push.
Our lake, she was wild.
The rains and storm filled them with fright.
But the sun rose anew the next morning.
Their future here looked bright.
So, on Lake Road East and Lake Road West
French families grew, and grew, and grew.
Despite the hardships of living each day,
Each baby was a gift from God, they knew!
"Gloire eternelle au Dieu vainqueur,
Au maitre de l'histoire,
Que i'Esprit chante dans nos coeurs
Sa louange de glorie!"
And then from Germany
our next immigrants arrived,
bringing their trades and their know-how,
the hamlets of Zurich and Dashwood began to thrive.
Saddlers, tanners and blacksmiths,
hoteliers, shopkeepers, harnessers and bakers.
pouers, butchers. fanners and builders,
Mr. George Hess; the exquisite watch maker.
"So nimat denn mein Hande and fuhre mach.
Bis an mein Selig Ende und ewiglich.
!ch kann alleln nicht gehen nicht einen schrift
Wo Du wast gehn and stenen da nimm mich mit."
The settlers held gatherings;
thanked God for their new home.
The British, the French and the Germans -
never more would they roam.
Yet still they were separate.
The swamp as well as languages cut them in two.
And a Protestant to mix with a Catholic?
Well, that would never do!
They each had a language.
They each had a faith.
Each one was uniquely different,
Yet each one the same in their original base.
Their ministers came
to baptize their people.
The priest would ride in,
for marriages - blessed and legal.
Their life was their church.
Their church was their life.
Sunday worship held in log homes.
Sunday school taught by husband and wife.
Presbyterian, Anglican,
Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Methodist,
Mennonite, Amish, United,
One assembly was Baptist.
Each hamlet, each crossroad,
Hillsgreen, Kippen, Blake and Rodgersville,
all over the township people were praying;
in Slabtown, St. Joseph, Drysdale and Fannsville.
Christian life flowed naturally.
Each section formed schools.
The three Rs were important,
but not without The Golden Rule!
They buried their dead -
cemeteries marked with etched stones.
How many tales of unselfishness and caring
lie there with those bones?
Some congregations stayed small.
Others' numbers ranked high.
Soon shiny steeples were seen
rising up through the sky.
Quilting bees and barn raisings,
clearing, ploughing and sowing,
harvestings, and reapings, a railway through Hensall,
and still the Faith was growing.
God let us build the tractor;
men and horses needed a helping hand,
steam engines and threshers,
we were working more and more land.
Our people lived through wars,
The Depression, storms, fires and disappointment.
They loved their teachers, doctors, and mid -wives,
but still they kept their Testament.
For sure, we have been blessed
with many lighter moments too;
sports, bands, visitors. clubs,
only to name a few!
And new families have been drawn here
. by some unseen, strong hand,
from Europe to start a life again
though saddened to leave their homeland.
"Maagt, die overvloedig
Rein zijt zachtmoedig,
Maak ons vrij van schulden,
Leerd ons moedig dulden."
Planning. planning, planning,
always decisions to be made.
We cast our votes, make known our views,
pray God we not be strayed.
There is comfort here for every age.
Young children play among the sprouts.
Maple trees, with autumn leaves,
ensure the cold North winds stay out.
The middle years are spent in work.
We farm, we build, we play, we learn.
"150 years of Diversified Progress",
with each and every page we turn.
Now we have,come together,
here in this place in 1996.
We practice our Faiths in our own special ways,
but with our neighbors we mix.
Language differences no longer a barrier.
we laugh, we sing, we talk,
and to that one common destination,
side by side we will walk.
Whatever the number of churches,
or what names will remain on The Last Day,
Our Lord has always seen
that there has been Faith in Hay!
MIX & MINGLE IN '96
HIBBERT
HOMECOMIN
AUG. 2 - 4, 1996 in
DUBLIN
WitqAttideST3rd,5:00-7:30PM
TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED BY JULY 20th
t I AVG. 4th, Tice - 5:80 bills • IIV:A 2:0 i m
TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED BY JULY 30th
Large 85.00 Small 83.00
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT:
Edlghoffers (Mitchell) Cardno's Mens Wear (Seaforth)
Hibbert Township Office or Any Conlmlttce Member
.',
Heather Sweeney Klapp
County roads
GODERICH - On April 1,
1997, Huron County will have
12 per cent more pavement to
look after.
The province is transferring
Hwy. 83 from Hwy. 21 to Perth
County's border, Hwy. 84 from
Hwy. 21 to Hensel( and Hwy. 86
to the Wellington County border
to the control of the county.
Acting County Engineer San-
dra Lawson told county council
at its meeting last Thursday that
the new roads will add 70.6 km
to the present total.
Lawson said the county
doesn't know yet how much
money the county will receive
exactly, but it will be more than
she expected.
The province will give the
country one-time only compen-
sation of 66 cents for every SI
of identifiable need on the roads,
$5.000 for each 2 -lane kilometre
and if the system increases the
county's roads by more than 7.5
per cent, as it does in Huron's
case, there will be more money
coming.
Lawson said the province
hasn't yet decided what to do
with connecting links through
towns, so Hwy. 83 through Exet-
er and Hwy. 84 through Hensall
will remain provincial roads for
now.
In other road news, speed lim-
its in the Howick Twp. were
changed on the newly paved
Hwy. 7 where the speed limit
was increased to 90 km/h and in
Wroxeter where the speed limit
was decreased to 60 km/h for
340 metres up Cty. Rd. 12 from
Hwy. 87.
Lawson said there arc 14 chil-
dren living in three residences at
the corner of Cty. Rd. 12.
izza * Panzarotti
Angelo's Ex ter
Open Thurs. to Sat. 5. 11 p.m.
UU tV CLIil it DOS
For Dan Morley
& Lord Lucan
Sat., July 20 8 p.m. - 1 a.m.,
a South Huron Ag Building.
.Music by D.J. Lunch
provided. Tickets
$5./person. Age of Majority
required
1 11AI��t�i�iuf'aHI
(under NEW Management)
(open at 11 a.m. daily)
Daily Lunch & Dinner
Specials
(i.OSED
\tnndays all day
()pen For
Breakfast Soon
4,14
Specials
Sunday Ju y_21
Lunch Buffet $4.99
1.1 ani. 3 •.m.
Rib Eye Steak $7.95
Choice of potato or rice.
soup and salad
Veal Cutlets $6.95
4 - 8 p.m.
1
380 Main St. Exeter
235-0580
1-71V, E! ON STAGE!
gkj-founof JUL16 JULYY27
0C,J3aszvIks
,1 /vr/ocA 7Yo/mai my teiy
Written by TIM KELLY
From the datsNc thriller of SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
Directed by MAX REiMER
Sponsored by J.P. afCKELL FOUNDATION
1480001 Trust Company
To ntee
SOX OFFICE OPEN
MoAdSy to Saturday 9 - 9
(319) 2304000
1-6004004665
MOON Kew
Times -Advocate, July 17, 1996
Garage Sale
Craft Store Clearance
& Household Items.
Fri., Sat. Sun., July
19,20,21
105 Elm St. Lucan
Lucan Business
Association
Ga
le
Sat., July 20
8a.m.-4p.m.
Downtown Lucan
VIIIMISWW
Dance Hall
® 9 p m. 1 am.
349-2678
Luna Dangers w•boms
Fri. July 19
Nora Gallaway's Band
Sat., July 20
End -0 -the -Line
THIS WEEK AT
Hunchback of Notre Dame
and Karam
At the Mustang Drive-in
Independence Day plus The
Truth About Cats & Dogs
The Nutty Professor & The
Frighteners
rBucIk , poet?
r For Randy Regier
& Angela Reid
Fri. July 26
Hensel) Community Centre
Lr information 482-97. �)
Exeter Legion
Ladles Auxiliary
BINGO
Thurs., July 18
7:00 p.m.
10 Regular Games
5 Specials
1 Share the Wealth
Jackpot $650
No one under 18 admitted
Lic. #M125539
Page 23
$ REWARD $
$50 Reward for Information
that will lead to the
apprehension of the
hoodlums who smashed and
stole my mailbox 4 times In
Tess than two years.
Siivere Bticke
229-6540
Lucan
Community Centre
Bingo
Wed. July 17
Bingo starts 7:30 p.m.
Regular Games
$1000
Jackpot Game
52 calls or less $900 bonus
Total prizes $3000
Due to the licence regulations,
no one under 18 allowed to play
Licence #537495
iN CONCERT
Sat. July 20
Church of God - Grand Bend.
(Hwy. 81 and 0111 Rd.)
7:30 p.m. - Free WIII Offering
(Air conditioned)
The Blue Water
Tug -O -War Club
presents
The Am 11 sll IFlraeallslbunirg
Ce-td1 010- P5atI61
Uoan ramalnma
Aug. 2,3 and 4
at the Dashwood Ball Park
Limited to 16 teams. Entry
fee $175/team
PRIZE MONEY
Plus Individual prizes throughout
the weekend.
For entry forms and more
INFORMATION contact any member
of the tug -0 -War team or Blaine
Pryce at 237-3263 (after 7 p.m. or
leave message)
Registrations must be received by
Sat., July 20, 1996
Coming events
�a14z1��•��<�.
BEEP BARBECUE, Centralia United Church. Sunday. July 28. 1996.5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Adults 58.50; children 6-12 years 54.25 (59.50. 54.75 at door). For tickets call 229-
6304 or 228-6702. 28,29.30c
SOLO TOURNAMENT, Saturday. August 3. 1996. Seaforth Legion. Registration
12:30 p.m. Tournament starts 1 p.m. Entry fee 55.00. AI1'proceeds to prizes. Everyone
welcome. 29,30,31c
Cali
1-900-451-4323 Ext.135
12.49 per minute.
To listen to these area singles describe
themselves and to leave them a
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Furey, outgoing SVM. IN short brown halr/eyes. a erne overwetty,t. student. eryoys inerts TV
mov'9& dancing. rotererodrto seers sand BM. Ade.4669
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SWF, 21, 5'9', sandy d rade. tr0 n eyes, warn. carktg. Men*. employed. enloys writing
dancing outdoors. doge tieing, movies. seeteng rice. sweet. wring. canntreconve SM
Ade 3556
5----.. AMOK?
SWF. 45 5'. mecum bract brown hak/eyes My. ares cooking. bond gomet 100tg waks.
'eels employed BCM. N/1 non4Ytker. Ads 6615
Cali 1.800213-7514 Ext.135
to place your FRU od In UpDalosoukang colleen for Today auccesslut singles
QepNs s/ Ga ontime.armee •1 T-004.47-315:
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