Page 36 - Presbyterian Connection, Spring 2020

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PRESBYTERIAN
SPRING 2020
presbyterian.ca
Connection
NEWS
A Year of Anniversaries at Knox’s Galt
A photo of Knox’s Galt taken in approxi- mately 1878. St. Andrew’s is on the hill to the left of the building.
By the Rev. Angus Sutherland,
retired supply minister at Knox’s Galt Presbyterian Church in Cambridge, Ont., Minister-in-Association and archivist for the congregation
What do a runaway horse, a buried church bell, a heresy trial and a Ca- nadian novelist have in common? They are all part of the history of Knox’s Galt Presbyterian Church in Cambridge, Ont.
In 2019, Knox’s Galt marked the 175th anniversary of the congrega- tion and the 150th anniversary of the building where they worship. Knox’s has a remarkable history that began on a Sunday morning in late July 1844, when the Rev. John Bayne, minister of St. Andrew’s Church of Scotland in Galt, Ont., picked up an open Bible and marched out of the building, followed by most of the congregation. Outside, he declared the congregation to have joined the Free Church of Scotland, returned to the building and claimed it for the Free Church. As the colonial gov- erning body at the time aligned itself in favour of the Church of Scotland, the congregation found itself home- less, needing to erect a new building about a year later.
The runaway horse: The Rev. Dr. John Bayne became a much- loved minister in Galt and was well known far ther afield. Having vis- ited Scotland in 1843, he became deeply inspired and returned home to espouse the movement that cre- ated the Free Church of Scotland. He is properly called the Father of the Free Church in the Canadas, hav- ing travelled to urge congregations
throughout Canada West (Ontario) to join that body, and founding con- gregations in Ayr, Doon, Hespeler, Paris, and East and West Puslinch township. He was also known for his love of speed, getting horses and wagons to go faster when he was in control. There is a story of a time when he lost control of the horse he was riding and was seen by an elder of the church racing by. The elder called out asking where he was going, and Bayne was heard to reply, “I have no idea. You’ll have to ask the horse.”
The Rev. Dr. John Bayne served Knox’s Church until his death in 1859. (His legacy was noted in a service on the same date in this an- niversary year, the 160th anniversary of his death.) Newspaper reports indicate that the funeral procession was witnessed by more people than the entire population of Galt—literally thousands lined the streets between church and cemetery, honouring his ministry to church and town.
The congregation, having out- grown the building that had been home since 1845, decided to have the current structure erected, fin- ishing it in 1869. It was originally built to seat 1,350. An evangelistic outreach took place at the time of the completion of the new building with at least 24 different ministers preaching to the crowds that had come. The records indicate that the membership stood at 760 with many adherents attending as well.
The buried church bell: There are various stories told about the church bell. This is one of them. In 1880, Central Presbyterian Church in Galt was established when the remaining congregants of the original St. An- drew’s united with a congregation formerly of the Associate Presby- tery (Secession of 1773). Central was built right across from Knox’s, but as there were different styles of worship, this was not seen to be a problem.
The original St. Andrew’s build- ing was left to decay, but there were people in both Knox’s and Central who believed themselves the true descendants of that congrega- tion. One night, a member of St. Andrew’s who opposed the union forming Central, went with some help to St. Andrew’s and absconded with the church bell. So that Central would not have use of it, the bell was buried where only a handful of people knew its location. What their
ultimate plans were, no one is sure. However, in 1889, the year that the St. Andrew’s building was demol- ished, the bell was unear thed and, with the blessing of Central Church, was placed in the steeple at Knox’s. The bell continues to call people to worship today.
The heresy trial: In 1888, seven members of Knox’s Church were tried by the session for heresy. They had been attracted to a travelling evangelist whose theology was not the traditional view of Presbyterians, and the seven became vocal, call- ing for changes in the church. When the session stood against them, they appealed to presbytery, then to synod, and finally to the General Assembly, being defeated each step oftheway.Totheircredit,theseven did not leave the church, but contin- ued to worship at Knox’s, accepting the will of the church.
The Canadian novelist: Knox’s had several well-known preach- ers in their history, and at least two published authors among them. One was the Rev. Dr. James Smart, a much-loved minister, who eventu- ally became Professor of Biblical Interpretations at Union Seminary in New York. He wrote several theological books. But preceding him was the novelist Rober t Ed- ward Knowles, minister of Knox’s from 1898 to 1915. An eloquent preacher, honoured in Canada and the United States for his oratorical skills, Knowles wrote seven novels while at Knox’s, including his best- known work, St. Cuthbert’s, a tale of Presbyterians in early Canada.
What’s in a name? The name “Knox’s” was a common one in early Canadian history. As the years went by, most churches reduced the name to Knox, and indeed this was done in word if not in deed at the Galt church. However, a hundred years ago or so, one of the minis- ters noticed that the name had never been changed officially, so he sug- gested that the church reclaim the apostrophe-s. This writer believes that it is the only congregation in Canada that has retained the old form of the name, and has on many occasions heard members and ad- herents correct people, saying, “It’s Knox’s, not Knox.”
Anniversary 2019: The stories of the past, the history of a church that served Galt, and the city of Cambridge (which was created by the amalgamation of the communi-
The Rev. Gordon Timbers cuts the anniversary cake while the Rev. Angus Suther- land and the past ministers of Knox’s (photos on the wall) look on.
The first building used by Knox’s Galt (from 1845 to 1868) after its expulsion from St. Andrew’s building. Photo taken in approximately 1856.
ties of Galt, Preston and Hespeler in 1972) are part of the fabric of Knox’s.
In this anniversary year, Knox’s began with an invitation to the Rev. Bob Smith, a former Knox’s con- gregant who went into ministry. He effectively kicked off the anniversary celebrations at the star t of Septem- ber. At this point, it would be good to note others who have come from the congregation into ministry: the Rev. Gordon Smith of the United Reformed Church in England; and, within The Presbyterian Church in Canada, the Rev. Will Ingram and the Rev. Susan (Ingram) Kerr.
For the anniversary Sunday, Oct. 20, we were pleased to welcome the Rev. Gordon Timbers to the pul- pit. He was associate minister from 1982 to 1988, working with the Rev. Bob Jackson. The Rev. Timbers was presented with a displayed collection of the Communion tokens used by Knox’s Church throughout its history.
The congregation also celebrated by holding special music events— one featuring the Journeymen Gos- pel Quar tet from Fergus, Ont., and
another, a concer t of Celtic music with Ruth Sutherland, Celtic harp- ist, and Doug Feaver. Each of these events was followed by a celebra- tory dinner.
In worship, Knox’s enjoyed the fellowship of long-table commun- ion during October and December Communion services, making use of specially made commemorative Communion tokens. It featured the supply minister as acting Precentor, who led us in some psalm singing. The Precentor used a tuning fork that had been used by Knox’s Pre- centor in the late 1800s.
Having celebrated this important anniversary, Knox’s, sadly, has cho- sen to ask the Presbytery of Water- loo–Wellington for the dissolution of the congregation in the year 2020. A long and intriguing history, and years of service to the Lord Jesus Christ will shortly come to an end. But we are confident that the effect of the faith and service of the people of Knox’s Church over the years will continue to touch the history and character of Galt Cambridge and of The Presbyterian Church in Canada.