The Huron Expositor, 1990-06-27, Page 1Croma
BY PAULA ELLIOTT
Are the little churches dying?
"I used to think that 'this diagnosis
was fair," remarked Reverend)ohn
Boyne to the congregation at
Cromarty Presbyterian Church this
past Sunday. "Now, I think it's just
stupid."
In fact, the 300 or so well-wishers
packed into the standing -room only
church for Cromarty Presbyterian's
125th anniversary are living
testimony that little churches in
small communities are not dying.
They're as strong as they ever
were, in fact.
Reverend Lucie Milne of
Mitchell, Cromarty'sminister, was
thrilled with the large turnout for
res
the 2:30 P.M. service on Sunday
afternoon. The Cromarty
congregation . usually - numbers
around :80, but friends and former
members from .all over the. region
travelled to the stone church for the
service. Cold and threatening
weather put the planned barbecue
e
on hold, and a tree -planting
scheduled for the afternoon was
carried out in the morning due to
threatening skies, but the spirit of
celebration and good fellowship
prevailed.
The Cromarty Junior Choir
entertained with "The Butterfly
Song", and the Mitchell District
High School Quartet travelled to the
church to perform. Mr. Gordon
Houghton, a former member of the
GREETINGS
AND
FELLOWSHIP were enjoyed after the
services. Here, Reverend John Boyne (closest to the door),
Reverend Kenneth Knight and Reverend Wilfred Jarvis, past
ministers at Cromarty Presbyterian, renew acquaintances with old
friends on the church steps.
_WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1990 .
parish, was on hand 10 sing a solo,
number
Special guests for; the 1251h .r
anniversary service were
Reverend John Boyne. of Gale
Presbyterian :Church, +Elatrfa,
••leve id Wilfred Jarvis of ,.St.;
Andrew's . Presbyterian Chtnvh,
Tillsonburg, and llte Reverend:.
Kenneth , Wright frrom Goderich.
Rev. Boyne served as the minister
of the Cromarty church -from 39;62.
to 1968, Rev. Jarvis firm 19699to'
1977, and Rev. Knight from 1978
to 1986. Reverend Lucie Mune, the
present minister of the parish, came
to Cromarty in 1987.
Rob Templeman, a member of the
Board of Managers for the church,
was on hand Rev. Milne to
plant a "stone church oak tree" in
the church,conttyard on behalf of
the . congregation to celebrate the:
church's 125th birthday.
All of the visiting, ministers
expressed their joy'.. at being invited
back to the community for the
service. and were looking forward .
to getting together with old friends.
Rev. Jarvisnoted that many of his
former Cubs, Scouts, Brownies and
'brides' were in the congregation,
and that he could recognize them as
easily as many of them could
recognize him, iii some cases.
"I have a little less hair, and a
Little more stomach," he Laughed.
"CLL GUARANTEE THAT WALL FOR 1000 YEARS," remarked
contractor John Watson when Cromarty Presbyterian Church
was built in 1865. The church celebrated its 125th anniversary on
Sunday, June 24 with a packed house in attendance.
uiet little ministry has checkered history
The following history of the Cromarty Presbyterian Churchand
congregation was adapted from a written account by lair.
Thomas L. Scott, a 30 -plus year member of the church.
On February 28, 1851 a meeting • of settlers was held at the home of
William Roy, the farm on which Roy's Cemetery is located, as to the
advisability of building•a church. Mr. Roy offered a site on his farm for
the church and cemetery. The same year, a log church was erected on
that site and many settlers from the Cromarty area attended By 1852,
more settlers arrived west of Cromarty and a decision was made to erect
a larger log church. Francis Hamilton offered a site for this church and
cemetery on Lot 11, Concession 11 Hibbert and the church, believed to
be the first one in the township, was built. Services were held at these
two churches by catechists from 1851 to 1854 by Mr._Fraser and Mr.
Kennedy. In 1853, Reverend John Trourifoot of London was commis-
sioned by the London Presbytery visit the people of the community
and try to fortu._them into a congre $ion, . y - .
The first ordained minister to be placed in charge of the•congregation
was Reverend John Fotheringham. He wasordained and directed into
the service on February 27, 1956. The congregation at that time was
designated Hibben and Flat Creek, with four preaching stations,
Fullerton, Ribbert, Flat Creek and Usborne, later Roys, Cromarty,
Kirkton (stone church) and Thames Road. A manse was built midway
between Cromarty and Roys on the north-west corner of Lot 5,
Concession II Hibbert for the minister. Reverend Fotheringham,was the
minister until 1872, when he retired due to ill health. During his
ministry, the need for more church accommodation arose and the
present stone church was built in 1864, officially opened in 1865.
The semi -centenary celebration was held on June 28, 1915 and the
100th Anniversary of the building of the log church was commemorated
on June 28, 1952. On Sunday, June 27, 1965 the 100th anniversary of
the stone building and dedication was celebrated.
Reverend Peter Scott was the minister from 1972 until 1901. During
his ministry, the brick manse was built in Cromarty, in 1879. According
to records, Cromarty paid $1147.49 and Roys paid $321.00. It was
noted at the annual meeting that year that "in the event of a separation
taking place being sanctioned by the Presbytery, there shall be a
division of the manse property , the funds paid by the worshippers
known as Roys church being refunded in proportion to the value of
aforesaid property and in proportion as they have paid forward." In
1925, in fact, Roys congregation went into union and by 1929 made a
claim on the portion of the manse, but the claim was denied on the
ground that they had not made claim before expiry of the agreement
according to the act of union. The manse was sold to John Jefferson in
1962 for $3500, with the money given to the Exeter manse for building
a new manse after their original one was sold.
After Church union Cromarty, consisting of ten families, had great
difficulties with their finances. In November, 1927 Reverend John
Elder, an Irish minister in the U.S.A., was inducted in Cromarty. He
was a strong preacher who revived the congregation. At the 1928 annual
meeting, the construction of a basement in the church was discussed,
and largely under Reverend Elder's leadership, it was decided to
proceed with the project. Reverend Elder took a trip back to Ireland and
upon returning with his new bride, found that work on the basement
was progressing favourably. On September 30, 1928 the re -opening and
64th anniversary of the church was celebrated. Things were going well
again for the little church.
In 1930, Rev. Elder accepted a call to Milverton and as the Great
Depression sunk in, Reverend Roger of St. Mary's was inducted at
Cromarty. His health was poor, however, and after his wife passed away.
he retired in early 1933.
Things were at a low ebb in the congregation. The basement had cost
$3200, a considerable amount of that was unpaid, and the lender wanted
the money, Reverend James Reidie, being without a charge, agreed to
come to Cromarty for $800 a year, but the Presbytery would not give
hitr►. vgting privileges. The following year, his salary was upped to
$1000with voting privileges -included:-
Early in 1936, a special evening was arranged to burn the note on the
basement. Hydro was installed in 1935 and Rev. Riedie assisted in a
play put on the by the church young people, the proceeds of which paid
For a major portion of the hydro installation costs.
Rev. Reidie passed on in August 1939 and was succeeded by Re.
Peter Jamieson, 1940-42. After him came Rev. William Alexander
McWilliams ('43-'48), Rev. George Young ('48-'50) and Rev. Robert
Duncanson ('50-'54.)
During the years, there had been some talk of Cromarty joining with
another congregation for a two-point charge. In 1954 the Exeter charge
joined with Cromarty and although there were difficulties at first,
Tarn to page 2 •
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a
A TOUCHING REMINDER - This
poignant little tombstone rests in
the wall of the Cromarty Pres-
byterian Church courtyard, a
testimony to the hard lives of the
pioneers and early seftlers of the
Cromarty area who worked to
build the parish and keep it alive
for 125 years. The stone reads
"Beatrice Pearl, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Robert Hoggarth. Age
4 months. Died February 2,
1899. R.I.P."
SONGS OF PRAISE AND CELENi1A7'1ON - The Mitchell District High School
packed house duringCro n last entertained a
marry Presbyterian Chlrrt:h's Yth anniversary celebration test Sunday. Close
to 300 parishioners, past and present, filted'The stono church.
THE NEW STONE CHURCH OAK for the ofd stone church in
Hibbert was planted in the Cromarty Church courtyard on Sunday
morning. Reverend Lucie Milne and Ron Templeman, a member
of the church Board of Managers, presented the tree on behalf of
the congregation.
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