THE
PROGRESS OF THE CHURCH IN THE SEVEN RURAL DEANERIES OF THE DIOCESE OF FREDERICTON:
Being
the Addresses delivered at the Last Anniversary Meeting of the Diocesan
Church Society held in the Church Hall in Fredericton, on Thursday, October
7th, 1877 (outlines the history of each parish):
"In 1851 the parish of Canterbury
was set off from the Mission of Woodstock as a separate mission under the
charge of the Rev. Thomas Hartin, who labored faithfully for more than
twenty-five years, spending and being spent for the Church's sake. Mr.
Hartin, not only gave the land on which the churches and the rectory were
built but spent largely of his own means on the building of the churches
(p. 84). Mentions Rev. Messrs. Towers, Titcombe and Warneford as subsequent
missionaries to Canterbury.
Diocesan
Church Society Occasional Paper No. 6,
"Vacant Missions About to
be Supplied", May 1884, Geo. W. Day, Printer.
Talks about Aberdeen, Albert,
Canterbury, Johnston, Madawaska, Welsford
"Canterbury" by The Rev.
Canon Neales
"The Parish of Canterbury
has been set apart as a separate Mission of the Church for at least twenty-five
years. It was at first, and for about twenty years, in charge of the Rev.
Thomas Hartin, and upon his resignation, it was served for two years up
to July 1st, 1881, by the Rev. Frederick Towers. Since that date the Mission
has been vacant. It has an area of about 400 square miles and a population
of 2,600. There are two consecrated churches, and when there was a Missionary
there, services were also held at three Mission stations."
No Sunday schools have been
kept up during the vacancy. There is neither parsonage nor endowment. An
effort has been made of late by the Church Wardens, by canvassing the whole
Mission, to find how much money can be raised towards the support of a
Missionary, and it is found that at present a sum of $260 per annum is
the most that can be hoped for. Although there is, as might be expected,
no little to discourage, yet it is a matter of deep regret that the few
who earnestly desire it, should not receive the regular ministrations of
the Church, and that the majority of the young are being lost to the Church
altogether. Yet, earnest, patient labor, with judicious teaching in the
distinct principles of the Church, would soon be found to give much cause
for encouragement in this now neglected part of the Lord's field." (p.
6).
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