Journal Pioneer Newspaper - July 22, 1964
PIONEER SERVICE RECALLS LONG HISTORY OF CHURCH
TIGNISH- A centennial
anniversary service honouring the early pioneers of Protestant church history
in this part of the province, will be held at Tignish United Church, Sunday,
July 26, 1964 at 2:30pm.
Worship will be conducted by the minister Rev. David S.H.
MacDonald, who will also deliver the sermon, Special music will be sung by the
Wilmot Church Quartette of Fredericton, N.B.
Henry Clark of Alberton will be guest organist.
Protestant church history in Tignish dates back 104
years. The first church building was
located one mile south west of where the present church stands.
Rev.
Robert Dyer, the first Anglican clergyman to be settled in west Prince says in
his journal that at Little Tignish a church was
built by the Episcopalians,
Baptists, Presbyterians and Methodists and that he himself had the pleasure of
opening the new church. The year would
be either 1860 or 1861.
WEST CAPE CIRCUIT
Rev. Allan Fraser, minister of Alberton Presbyterian
Church from 1855-1870 had under his care an area extending from Tignish to West
Cape and in the years of Tignish congregation were Alexander Stewart, Thomas
Haywood, Mrs. Josiah Hamill, Thomas Barbour, Mr. and Mrs. James Haywood, Daniel
Miller, Alexander MacLeod and Carlyle Bell.
BUILT IN 1893
Erection of the present edifice was completed in 1893 and
on July 2 of that year was dedicated.
Communion at the afternoon service was conducted by Rev. James Murray
assisted by Rev. David Sutherland of Charlottetown.
The land on which the new church was built was a gift of
Mrs. Benjamin Haywood (nee Elizabeth Rodd)
So far as can be learned the building was erected by J.M. Clark and Co.
of Summerside. One of the carpenters in
its employ at the time was Hensley Stavert who later became a Presbyterian
minister. Bricks used for the foundation and flue were manufactured by Francis
O. Hughes who operated a kiln just outside the village.
Ministers who served the congregation in Tignish were
Rev. George Fisher 1884-1889; Rev. James Murray 1891-1895; Rev. A.D. MacDonald
1894-1903; Rev. W.A. MacKay 1905-1908; Rev. J.H. MacNattie 1909-1913; Rev.
Emmanuel Lockhart 1914-1920; Rev. T.L. Williams 1921-1923.
SINCE CHURCH UNION
At the time of church union in 1925, a rearrangement of
congregational boundaries resulted in Tignish becoming a part of Alberton
Pastoral Charge. It’s ministers since
then have been Rev. J.R. Miller 1926; Rev. A.S. Weir 1926-1934; Rev. George
Ross 1934-1936; Rev. M.K. Charman 1936-1941; Rev. G.N. Somers 1941-1943; Rev. Murdock
Fraser 1943-1948; Rev. P.A. Fitzpatrick 1948-1951; Rev. A.R. Wallis 1951-1954;
Rev. Murray Gardiner 1954-1956; Rev. J.M. Sproule 1957-1958.
The charge was without a minister for eighteen months and
during this period it was served by Elmer MacLean a laymen who is now studying
for the ministry.
Rev. J.A. MacIntosh was minister in 1960-1961. The present minister Rev. David S.H. MacDonald
was inducted as minister in July 1962.
About 18 years ago the exterior of the church was
repaired and painted. In 1959 the
interior of the church was completely redecorated.
In preparation for pioneer Sunday the interior of the
church and grounds around the church have received a major clean-up. Within the past few years a number of gifts
in honor of loved ones departed have been presented and dedicated.
Tignish Protestant Church began as a community church
with its people of several denominational traditions working together to foster
and promote the Christian spirit. After
a century of service it is apparently still a community church proud of honour
and pay respect to the early Pioneers who kept faith.
_________________________________
Below is an excerpt about the church from UPEI: Island Lives
Methodists, Bible Christians
And Presbyterians In Prince Edward Island:
Campbellton-Miminegash. 1984.
Warren W. Goss. Williams & Crue. Page 53.
"TIGNISH — To the people of
Tignish, Church Union was nothing new. The first church in their community was
built in 1861 by Episcopalians, Baptists, Presbyterians and Methodists. Use of
this little church was discontinued in 1893 when a new one was built by the
Presbyterians. This church also became a community one. In 1973, the building
was turned over to the village of Tignish to be converted into a museum."
_________________________________
The church that preceded the above church was built just outside Tignish on the Christopher Road on the south side of Little Tignish River. Rev. R.W. Dyer officially opened the church in January 1860 as noted in his journal excerpt below. He called it "Omnibus Church". I've never been able to find references to this church name - it might have been called something else.
"January 29, 1860... After the Morning Service, I took some refreshment and started off to
Tignish to hold Service in the new church.
I was not a little gratified to have the pleasure of opening this new
building, especially as it has been built by all denominations, namely,
Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Wesleyans, Baptists. Service commenced at 3 o'clock with singing, and then commenced our
beautiful Service, and a sermon, Exoduc 20, and the 24th verse, which I had
partly prepared for the purpose. After
the Service we sang the evening hymn and closed the service of the day which
was, I believe, enjoyed by the whole congregation. This is the first time since I came to this Mission
Below: Photo of the former Omnibus Church site, the church is long gone - only a few stones remain in the cemetery - it's all grown up around it.
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