535-03 Page 63f - Woodstock Sentinel -Review, Mon., June 19, 1967 Fa
g¢
O"Plaqu,
Ded�cati®n Honors
Oxf ord s Oldest Church
'l
�z A plaque recognizing "Ox. He was married in 1806 to theme arly days of the church s : "Every minister is told that
:Ford County's oldest protestant I Mary Boulton of Edwardsburg oudine, according to Rev. H. the church is closing when he
- congregation" was dedicated in Upper Canada and he and his ; J. Moore, minister of West Ox- takes over the charge," said Mr.
yesterday to West Oxford family, eventually 11 children, The congregation share Moore, "But this is never true.
United Church by Oxford Pres- spent most of their time around their worship service with their It is a strong rural congrega.
bytery. ,Quebec and the Delaware cir- children who attend the church Rion with a strong young pea.
°
The church's congregation has �cuit in the United States. 'service after Sunda school. ples Iron ++
given 163 ears of continuous y __—�°-- and Sunday Schnol
Y 'West Oxford church has been 1
service since its founding in 1804 part of five church circuits. A, i � f f+
by a saddle -bag preacher. rural church, set peacefully in
i Rev. R. B. Cummings, As- the country with no houses for
" i sociate Minister - of Empress half a mile on either side it e s
III REV. R. B. CUMMINGS ",;United Church, London, was was first part,of the, Long Point
. Guest Speaker ': the guest speaker for the dedi- Circuit from 1802 to 1810. Mr. - e
cation service. Mr. Cummings, Bangs founded this circuit. Y £
91
who was stationed at West Ox- In 1811 until 1831 the church
+ ford from .1936 to 1944, is one of ii - -
tI �r eJt OA��a J the 74 ministers who served at came part, of the Aneaster',
United Church the Church for periods of time Circuit involving a large area - +
ranging from one to eight years. close to Hamilton and Dunda,
The Church's roots date back wrest Oxford Circuit existed x ��
. Cr^ ,e to 1802 when a young pioneer from 1932 to 1842 and had ear-'
eremony Set saddle bag minister, Rev. Na- lier been part of the Long Point
l Circuit. In 1843 it became part than Bangs of the Methodist
INGERSOLL — Went Oxford I Church heard about the small of the London district and Wood
United Church will be honored {Oxford community and decided stock was named as head of the
circuit. In 1868, Salford, south
to help them organize their of Ingersoll, became the heed of e as the oldest Protestant church ship. Mr. Bangs was stationed
A
�I' in Oxford Presbytery this Sun- to the larger Niagara Circuit the circuit when the London unit F
day at 2.30 P.m. land was visiting Burford 10iwas presumably 'broken down
Following a service, a plaque) Imiles north of the MgiaawkVil-)into several smaller districts.
will be unveiled to commemo-
rate the occasion. The church, Rage, when he was first told The first organized church at . k
) ,a'bout Oxford. West Oxford was a frame build t
was founded in 1804. He left immediately far Ox- �mg erected in 1824. It stood.
Rev. R. B Cummings of Lon- .. ford but because it was De- close to where the present build is
Adma and former Pastor of thel eeimber and conditions were mg stands. Local labor built -
I�church will be guest speaker.6I muddy and cold travelling was,the frame church which served
4� Rev, Wells Robinson, chair- f slow and tie could only go 14;thf congregation antll the pres-
3 lent building was built in 1854. '
man of the Oxford Presbytery miles a day. When he reached A church shed stood on the
of the United Church, and Rev. the area he lodged with Major roadside south of the church on
a
Harley Moore, Pastor of Went Ingersoll. _..
n til 1948 when it was sold b, -
Oxford Church, will officiate at For church services an rater- -
public auction. .a .i fix•'
the service. ested settler would inform the The oldest member of thr
I�• scattered pioneers when Mr. . 1
Bangs was in the area and they present 72 member congrega--
would gather at each other's lion is Clarence Scott. Mr. Scott
homes to hear him speak. 80, washorn and has lived in
In August, 1804, after three the community all his life. Re -
in the in southwestern Ontario; resenting the congregation, he
,€t i, Mr. Bangs returned to the Nia- unveiled the plaque at the dedi-
;3 gara Circuit and it is believed cation service yesterday.
that he visited Oxford only. Church layalty is as strone to
twicein 1804. Iday as it must have been in
.'?
J ,. /f'l9L
CIRCUIT RIDER`— Rev. R. B. Cumming, of London, a former minister of West
Oxford United Church, rode on horseback to a guest preaching engagement
there yesterday. A special service marked the unveiling of a plaque presented'
by the Oxford Presbytery to West Oxford as the oldest Protestant church in
the county. It was founded in 1804 by Rev. Nathan Bangs, a pioneer circuit -rid-
ing minister. Jed Winter is leading the horse.
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11 7719
u ✓wc /9'7 r96
Clarence Scott, Ingersoll, left ONe t irember of the congre-
PLAQUE HONORING Ox-
nrd County
Church. The oldest member
the Clarence
Rev. R. B. Cummings, centre, ter of the church, and Ali
gation of West Oxford Unite+! Cht.rch is shown left at the unveiling
of the plaque noun the founding
s oldest
lion was unveiled
congre-
yester
of congregation,
Scott, 80. is shown at left with
and Rev. Harley Moore, Mr. Moore is currently minister of
Cummings is a former mmis the church.
of the oldest. congregation in
Oxford Count m 18C4 , Rev,
Y R 13. Cumming,
dry at 'West Oxford
United
London minister of
the. church 1936 44 right was
». a
G I 'I. a it a
<
i 4 F `_ i 'j ' ' > y. ,.s; °
guest Minister at the service attended
< k by many former members ,