THE REGISTER
Berwick, Nova Scotia
Thursday, February 25, 1954
Pastor Presents Berwick United Church History
In connection with Berwick United Church anniversary services, morning and evening, next Sunday, Pastor Rev. Gordon C. Pringle has gone back in church records to present salient facts of the church’s history. Rev. Dr. MacGregor Fraser, of Acadia University, will be the anniversary preacher. Mr. Pringle’s historical notes are as follows:
In 1782, Rev. William Black preached the first Methodist sermon n Cornwallis Township.
Methodism came into Cornwallis West (now Berwick) with the pioneer settlers. One of these was Matthew Fraser ...He together with John Morton and a Mr. Webster, started in Berwick the first Sabbath School in the County of Kings, and one f the first in the Province.
In 1837-38, Mr. Buckley gave a piece of land for a Church and it was built in Grafton and dedicated. It was known as the "Valley Church".
May 25, 1857, the foundation stone of Wesley Church, Main Street, was laid.
In 1872, it was decided to hold a Camp Meeting in Berwick. This institution owed its origin first to the enthusiasm of E. C. Foster, and to the spirit of evangelical zeal that animated so many in the Berwick Circuit.
At a meeting of the Quarterly Official Board of the Berwick Circuit, March 5, 1872, E. C. Foster was appointed Secretary, and H. E. Jefferson, Treasurer, of the projected Camp Meeting. Edward Jost and Mr. Foster joined in purchasing the property on which the encampment has been held ever since. The Camp Meeting improved and developed from year to year and in 1885 was incorporated and put on a permanent basis. In former days, it staged revivals of great spiritual power ... The Camp Meeting has left its impress on the life of the Maritimes and beyond.
Berwick Church effected local union with the Presbyterian Church before the general Church Union in 1925. Accordingly, part of the circuit was transferred to the Waterville Charge.
In 1938, Wesley Church was lost in a fire.
From November 1, 1938 to February 18, 1940, the Berwick Baptist Church granted the United Church the privilege of holding services in the Baptist Church. February 25, 1940, the new Church was opened and dedicated.
Ministers of Berwick Pastoral Charge: George Butcher, Richard Smith, T. W. Davis, John Read, Fletcher Pickles, John Prince, J. S. Addy, George B. Payson, Christopher Lockhart, John Johnson, John Cassidy, T. D. Hart, Alexander Tuttle, E. E. England, John Craig, G. W. Glendenning, John Prestwood, John Phalen, George Bryant, J. A. Smith, Arthur Hockin, C. H. Johnson, A. R. Reynolds, J. G. Hockin, J. S. Nickerson, W. J. Dean, A. D. MacKinnon, C. Daniel Matheson, and the present Minister, Gordon C. Pringle.