HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-11-27, Page 2•
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1,3ge 2.,„„puNToNNEWS*MRD, WEDNESDAY, NOYE*En 27
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By ElizabethKettlewell
CLINTON - At St. Paul's Anglican Chur-
ch, Clinton, one of the most meaningful ser-
vices in the history of the church will be
celebrated on December 1 at 11 a.m. The oc-
casion honors the 120th anniversary of the
building of the present church, and coin-
cides with the celebration of St. Paul's 150th
Anniversary. The guest Celebrant will be
the Right Rev. Derwyn D. Junes, Bishop of
the Diocese of Huron.
The foundation of St. Paul's history was
created with the coming of the Canada Com-
pany. In 1832 one acre of land of Lot 24
Hullet was set aside by the Canada Com-
pany as a site for the building of a small
frame church for the handful of settlers at
"the Corners". This is the location af the
present St. Paul's Anglican Church.
Supervision of the church and property
had been entrusted in 1835 to Mr. H.
Ransford, W. Pugh, and E. Ledyard by the
Episcopal Church of England and Ireland;
thus the history of St. Paul's dates from that
time. From 1835 until 1839 the church was in
the Diocese of Quebec, as the founding of St.
Paul's predates both the Diocese of Huron
and the Diocese of Toronto.
Fire was a constant threat in every little
community in the early days of Huron Coun-
ty, and local histories record the tragic loss
of many architecturally significant
buildings. Fire fighting 'equipment at that
time was merely ineffectual leather bucket4
in the hands of brave volunteers. The flimsy
first church was razed by fire in 1845; then
in 1856, the year when "Vanderburgh's Cor-
ners" became Clinton, a second church was
built. It too was frame in construction, and
intended to serve temporarily until suffi-
cient funds could be raised to build a fine
brick church. In 1859, •St. Paul's was formal-
ly constituted as a parish with the Rev.
James Carmichael as its first incumbent.
1862 was a joyful year at St. Paul's!
Through the dedicated efforts of the entire
congregation, the long-awaited brick church
was built at a cost of $4,000. Many well
known Clinton names were'recorded in the
building activities - Robert Cooper, Jonas
Gibbings, John Pollack, Thomas Plummer,
Isaac and William Rattenbury, Robert
Beacom, Horatio Hale, Thomas Rance, to
mention just a few.
A numbing disaster struck St. Paul's on
Sunday, January 15, 1865 when shortly after
midnight, flames were noticed in the chur-
ch. Fire 'burst through the floor, and even
before help arrived, nothing could be saved.
A description of the destruction of St. Faun
was published in the True Briton onthe
following day: -
"It is our painful duty to chronicle the
complete destruction of St. Paul's Episcopal
Church, so recently erected in this village.
The fire was discovered about half past one
o'clock yesterday (Sunday ) morning, and as
the sexton had been engaged in firing up in
.order to have the church comfortable for
morning 'service, t (hot air being used for
warming purposes ) it is supposed to have
originated in some way connected with the
furnace or other heating apparatus. In an
almost increditable short space of time the
whole church was a mass of flame and quite
beyond any human power to save. Nothing
whatever was saved except some trifling
furniture inthe vestry: Entrance into the
body of the church was impossible.
The burning pile was cert ainly a magnifi-
cent sight, but as intensely melancholy as it
was grand, for the mind would inadvertent-
ly wander. back to the recently manifested
zeal and untiring exertions of the much
beloved. and energetic incumbent ef the
Parish, the' Rev. James Carmichael,
assisted by zealous members of the con-
gregation, put forth in erecting and eOna-
pleting the structure so fast turning to
ashes. Kind friends from all points of the
compas 'generously contributed • of their
means to aid in the good work. Along with
the building perished many articles donated
to the congregation, amongst them were the
following: a pulpit from Trinity Chur6h,
Galt: a Saxon Font from F.W. Thomas Esq.
of Goderich: richly carved Gothic Commu-
nion Table from T, Stevenson Esq. of Clin-
ton: a splendid Eight Day Clock from J. Bid-
dlenombe Esq. of Clinton: a Gothic Reading
Desk from the Workmen of T. Evershed,
Clinton: the Coinmunion Chairs from A.
Smith Esq. late of Clinton: a Damask Arm-
chair from Paulin and Prior, late of Clinton:
the Carpet in the Chancel from Mrs. Car-
michael:, and last but not least the Bible and
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St. Paul's Anglican Church in Clinton underwent extensive repairs and restoration this
past year and this weekend the 120 year old structure will be honored with a special Sun-
day service. Rev. Derwyn D. Jones, Bishop if the Diocese of Huron, will take part in the
11 a.m. service.,
1835
t'9"
Church Service Books, from the Church
Society through his Lard.ibip the Bishopof
the Diocese. These, though costly in
themselves. cannot of course • be considered
as a part of the cost of the church; but the
costly. Harnionium, the books of the Choir.
the Chairs, lamps, etc.; can; those joined
with the whole cost of the building, pewing,
heating etc.; bring the cost in round figures
to $4,000.
The whole of this valuable property
perished in almost an hour. 'Tis sad to think
that the labour of so, many days and so many
individuals should he swept away in so short
a time. But such, lufWever, are the facts,
and which will doubtless form a source of
deep anxiety to the pastor and people. for
many a day to come,."
;The writer sympathized with the Rev. Mr.
Carmichael but assured him that "the
energies of his people are nota buri.
beneath the ashes, but are as vital as ever,
and that a new church would rise "Phoenix
like on the site of the old one,as it was at
once a credit and an ornament to our
village."
The writer's confident and optimistic
prediction materialized, and tin November
19, 1865 the present , St. Paul's Anglican
Church was opened... a miracle indeed. In
thdir book of church architecture in Upper.
Canada, titled "Hallowed Walls", restora-
tion architects r Anthony Adamson and
Marion MacRae speak . of the "ghostly
presence of an unremembered architect
surrounds the harmonious composition of
basic Gothic form in white brick which in
1865 became St. Paul's Anglican Church,
Clinton. Sweeping steps, neatly -curved
about the doorway in the tower 'base, save
graceful access to the gallery whose aftad-
.ed, front was shaded • by an acorn -tipped,
scalloped verge -board in the Itaiianate
style.'
The service.being arranged by the Rev.
Gordon Simmons fOr St. Paul's Anglican
Church, Sunday, December 1 at 11 a.m. is 'a
celebration of the re- dedication of the pre-
sent church. The Lord Bishop of the Diocese
was present at the re -opening of St. Paul's in
1865, and the present Bishop of the Diocese
of Huron, the Right Reverend Derwyn D.
Jones will be the guest celebrant on this
historic occasion.
Laurel Lavis, organist and choirmaster of
St. Paul's has arranged special music for
this Sunday's service, and her guest soloist
will be Barbara Hodgins.
Rev. Gordon Simmons, rector -of St.
Paul's, and i embers of the congregation,
will welcome friends and visitors attending
this service, and ektend a cordial invitation'
to join in the social hour being presented by
the Ladies of the Friendship Guild in the
Parish Hall following the service.
( Description of the church fire of 1865 was
•
fund by Mrs. Josephine Winter in her conti-
nuing search for history of St. Paul's
Anglican Church.
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