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535-03 Page 7 bRVy__Me__t_fi_o&s­t Clerics Feun By M. E. Cropp r thodism was begun in Eng- d by the brothers John and tries Wesley. When, some s later, the movement I ed America, it took 'an ¢"copal form, with bishops, r"1ding. elders, ministers, pro- ners, local preachers, ex- ters and class leaders. thodism entered Canada by of the States after the ri,an Revolution. Thus the it churches were Episcopal in * :vernor Sirocco is generally a credit for trying to estab- the Church of England as official church of Canada, the Presbyterian Church nted on sufferance, it being Established Church of Scot - But before his time, in when Rev. George Neal, dodist minister from Georgia, ved at Niagara, he was for- m to preach by the earn - [ding officer of the district, it g explained to him that only isters of the Church of Eng- I werx permitted to preach in ads. George Neal continued preach and was ordered to e the country by a certain -. Before that time came the 'rnanding officer died, so Irge Neal stayed. i 1794, the nrst quarterly ,ting of the Methodist Church held in the Niagara district. - ' a later meeting, Nathan gs, from Connecticut, was cried, In September, 1801, ¢came an itinerating Metho- preacher. In 1802, he visited isolated backwoods settle. it in the Township of Oxford. limes Difficult In District, years of service, so they had no preachers were sometimes as. family responsibilities. saulted, verbally and otherwise. ..rA Nathan Bangs, who became a Upon one occasion a rugged probationer in 1802, married Mary Bolton; of Edwardsburg, in blacksmith stopped him as he 1806. He was just in time, for was riding past, and with much alinsive la_h_guage declared his THE SENTINEL-RtVIEW, SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1954 West Oxford United Church Built in 1854 'u.• 14}y ` Clww% g praying, and to stand while .1,venture bent, rode horseback spite of a preaching to the people who are from his home in Sandwich, to flies, mosq meanwhile sitting." York and back. He kept a four- drances, I. nal of all he saw and experienced. single ap * , . Nathan Bangs was the first In Oxford Township he found a year. His minister to visit this settlement, 1 settlement that stretched for and 23 pi where white men had been living I eight miles on either side of the young mi It, for 18 years. Mr. Bangs also i Concession line (meaning -. the Ingersoll Road, or the First Con- months get his visited Blenheim Township, and cession) with settlers. "Even to went on, classes were formed. On August I the 2nd and 3rd Concessions, a than I s - 4th and 5th, in 1804, Nathan Bangs attended a quarterly I Methodist -Meeting I -louse, a woods s 4 is the small tan -yard and a few good Maker meeting in Oxford. This houses." A type "' s first organization of which rec- I • ported' ., ., ords are still kept, * + • • + I The young circuit riders of the men. He meets a WEST OXFORD s reported that the whole Just when the first log church munity, white, black and as built is not known, but by I vn, attended his services. He �near, Fe year 1806, it stood on, or reported to have opened his + the site of the present- tings with the following West Oxford church, the first, ds. and for years the only. church I -am a Methodist preacher building in the County of.Ox- my manner of worship is to ford. In that year a young man, �4id while singing, kneel while _ Charles Askin by name, on ad - First Methodist Trekked Methodist church traveled thou- sands of miles every year. Their salary was $80 a .year — if It could be collected. One proba- tioner, John Carroll, reported that in six months donations had amounted to $1.50 and an order for a pair of overalls. Another young preacher reported that in The A milestone. will be reached by the West Oxford United was the Church when the 150th anniver- fed and nary is observed with special those v services this Sunday. The con - few of gregation has completed exten- batione: 5ive plansfor the observation of marry until after their four goon young preacher -reported -that in spitel- of all storms, cold, heat, flies, moss quitoes and other hinderances, he had CHURCH MARKS 150TH the anniversary with a social l gati program planned for the middle mv, of the week and concluding with rch specialchurch services on the in ' following Sunday, June. 20. It p'ho is expected that a great many chu former members of the congre- (St; )ver Oxford Horseback not missed a single- appointment_ dur- ing the year. His remuneration was - --_— on $ and 23 pair of socks. Another ffiSTORIC C y tears: Mr. Bangs also visited�ien- young ng man said that in three months KINGSTON, OntHURCH. (CP)—The By „-, r, t.,.opq heim Township, and classes were he had received $2.75 to get his horse congregation of 5witzerville Uni- Methodxsm was begun in Ex,land formed. On August 4th and 5th, in shod. "But", he went on, "no man ted Church near here observed r the brothers John and Charles 1804, Nathan Bangs attended a guar- was happier than I as I rode through the 127th annviersary of the far- 'esley. When, some ears later, the terly meeting in Oxford. This is the the woods singing ging I'll Praise My motion of the Switzerville Chapel, ovement reached America, it took first organization of which records Maker While I've Breath:" where the first minister of the t Episcopal form, with Bishops,1 are still kept. A typical year's work was reported Methodist -Episcopal Church in residing elders, ministers, Probst-' Just the first log church was t by one of these young men. He had Canada was ordained in 1828. - --- ners, local preachers, exhorters and when filled 365 appointments and travelled — - -- -- -- ass leaders. built is not known, but by the year 3,650 miles. Methodism entered Canada by way 1806, it stood on, or near, the site the States after the American of the present West Oxford church, for the The mitigating g circumstances was aa 195R- a (U1b!(ax, toad -volution. Thus the first churches. the first, and years only Ox- that these young men were fed and .170 -re Episcopal in form, church building in the Count of g y � lodged free of charge by those, whom � 6a..11" o-d� e. x�+.(� •N„ wrsrcacL * * * ford. In that year a young man, Chas. Askin by name, on adventure bent, ' they served. Also, fe wof themwere ofL W esi os.�°fd eA..rcL. In 1794, the first quarterly meet- g of the Methodist Church was held rode horseback from his home in married. Probationers were forbid- den to marry until after their four 7` The 'Watts w°ro o(- eowevete b!o the Niagara district. At a later Nathan Bangs, from Conn.,' Sandwich -to York and -back. Her kept a journal of all he saw -and ex— years of service, so they had no fam- ily 1sl /Vary%.* eeting, is converted. In September, 1801, he perieneed. In Oxford Township he I responsibilities. Nathan Bangs, who became a pro- 7" h`ak,)a. 8""/r " calve an itinerating Methodist prea- found a settlement that stretched for eight miles on either side of the Con- bationer in 1802, married Mary Bol- to - Ra "°I✓s a •• h,. or. In 1802, he visited the isolated ton, of Edwardsburg, in 1806. He°tit rod/%af ckwoods settlement in the Town-` cession line meanie the Ingersoll ( g g was just in time, for shortly after 3c°tr - a ford. It is reported that p Road, or the First Concession) with the term of probation was raised to y„ ^ Ri✓°r> community,white, black settlers. "Even to the 2nd and 3x•d Concessions, a Methodist meetingTales six years. [rtwrr h'dski*6 • attended his services. He to have opened his meet- House, a small tan -yard and a few l y �.are of the saddle -bag preacher usually accompanied by tales "'/s>' r- - he following words. good houses." * * o, rl his horse, and many are the fig+ be sturdy and wise, for many a tin t Methodist preacher and to stand 11 The young circuit riders of the 'horses remembered. They needed �' �i, id their rider's life depend on th r of worshipis ;ing, kneel while praying, Methodist church travelled thousands L _West Ox Ce _ — ic"'t 9F• m,,A?, . i orse's sagacity. A certain justice (,, he peace once remarked to a young ind while preaching to the P g of miles every :year. Their salary JeF(n 4aa °va - q,ed ie Y 58-Rye S� yn. was, preacher that the Master was con an are meanwhile sitting." `vas $80 a year —if it could be col- lected. One probationer John Car- P yy For/rn- 1 �9a tent ride upon a humble re "there o * * s g i Bans was th £it. roll, reported that in six months don- had _ i`tas N,hq ••b9 •' , ,,l°° oyg°rY3_ ,¢ a.m./«6 f replied the preacher, are no ed asses left. They have all been. made when "� it this seal�ent, where �-' u' ations amounted to $1:50-ai5d an ord^"• +'�•• a pair "s overalls. Another Saar _ <<,rg rag ; .:, !. s - ".,�,1.A 1� into justices of the peace." _ _fit"-5.51Y' 1 \WJ30011M n will be visiting for the sary services fo- this cl that is one of the old 'astern Ontario. The ab( r shows the present bri •h which was built in IF Photo) No one can say now what happened to the -first little West Oxford. Clinrch, but dc-.hues. ti,e- property was confiscated by the Government. The building may 7'1'1O have been destroyed when the district was ravished by the Gam° Americans. When, after the war, 44 "'1°�F the Methodists were again al - a„ 44� co.-d— lowed to hold property, the West th ac- Oxford congregati on eer quired or re -acquired the prop- erty upon which their chu/^" now stands. The deed fos s,A, t property is dated November 29t, 1923. A few years later a second church was built on this property. evwt-'04 There .are stories of people walk- dA"O ;ing to this church from homes 15 miles away. They walked barefoot with their shoes under "5 their arms to within sight of the church, and then put them on -1 for a decorous entrance. (�,µM * In 1832, a circuit was formed - under the Rev. John Baillie, comprised of tlj- following churches — Oxford Chappel, Beachville, Ingersoll, 12th Con- cession Zorra, Woodstock, North Oxford, Embro Road, Aylmer, Mt. Elgin, Dereham and Salford. - In 1842, the circuit became known as the Woodstock circuit. In 1849, the circuit was divided in half, part becoming the Wood- stock circuit and half the Inger- soll circuit. In -1854, the second West Ox- ford Church was taken down -.. r nr^-rnl .,....--M s.,.