Churches
Prior to the year 1859, Blanshard contained but few churches, and those it did contain were not of a very substantial order. The west end of the township had no churches at all. It must not be inferred, however, that because there existed no churches there were no religious observances. On the contrary, indeed, many of the old pioneers were very devout, and paid strict attention to their religious duties. All the denominations that exist in the township today were in existence then. The true worship of God does not require the "long drawn aisle and fretted vault'' to make it acceptable. That joy and peace arising from a close communion with the Most High can be found at the altar raissed in the log shanty in as great degree as if the worshipper bent his knee amid pomp and ceremony under the dome of an ancient cathedral. In the various log buildings erected for school purposes the services were held, and when these were not convenient, then the doors of the settlers were always open to the minister who desired to impart religious instruction to the people. Previous to 1859 a Presbyterian Mission had been established at Anderson, on the second concession, and of which mission Mr. Alexander Wood, now of Nissouri, was a most earnest worker. After Mr. Wood removed from Blanshard the services of the Presbyterian body were no longer maintained. A portion of the members united with the Motherwell congregation, and another portion in the west end of the district joined with a part of the township of Usborne, and established what is now Mr. Colin Fletcher's church, at the head of the third concession of Blanshard. On the Mitchell road, Mr. Johnson Armstrong and others established what is now the Zion congregation. At Prospect Hill the English Church had established a mission and erected a church. The Presbyterians had also raised a church at the lower end of the tenth concession, on the farm of Mr. William Hamilton. The Methodist body also erected a church near the same place. A log church in connection with the Anglican body had also been erected on the corner of lot five, on the sixth concession.
In 1860 a revival seems to have set in with regard to church building. Till this period the Methodists and the Presbyterian both held their services in the old log schoolhouse at Kirkton, which then occupied the spot where the present brick schoolhouse now stands. The Rev. John Fotheringham was then Presbyterian minister in what is now Mr. Fletcher's congregation. Steps were being taken by both bodies for the erection of churches, and shortly after Methodist body erected in Kirkton the first brick church ever built in Blanshard. The Presbyterians also erected, about the same time, the old stone church one mile and a quarter to the north. A new church was also erected by the Anglicans in Kirkton, and which at the present time is about to be removed for a handsome brick building on the same site.
The several bodies into which the Methodist Church of today was then divided seemed to vie with each other in building churches;
and with such zeal and enemy did they pursue this craze for church building that in a few years the township of Blanshard contained or contributed to nearly a score of churches.
After that great change in the policy of the Methodist body which has led up to her splendid position of today, by a united effort for the extension of her principles, a new order of things has been brought about.
When the union was finally consummated, a number of churches were allowed to fall into disuse.
The union of the several congregations added strength financially and numerically to the society, which previously had wasted its energy in fighting a part of itself.
Thus any one of the old buildings was found to be too small to accommodate the increased congregation that now worshiped together under the same roof.
New churches had therefore to be built; and in this connection the people of Blanshard have shown a most liberal spirit.
The first move in the line of erecting new buildings was begun in the village of Kirkton several years ago, when a splendid edifice was raised on the site of the old brick one. This innovation on the part of Kirkton was followed by Anderson, and Zion on the Mitchell Road, where handsome and substantial brick buildings have been erected. These three churches, with the one building at McIntyre's, the brick church at Woodham, the frame church on the tenth concession, and Cooper's church on the base line, and the frame church at Prospect, are all the Methodist churches now in Blanchard. Outside of the town of St. Marys, the township does not contain a Presbyterian church. The Anglican body has a church at Prospect. It may be said, however, that the Methodists own all the church property in Blanshard with the exception of the small building at Prospect Hill.
Thus has passed away the old order of things, and in the great march of progress all seems to have changed. In the short period of sixty years the old woods have nearly all been cleared away. The corduroy roads and the stumps are no longer seen. The oxen and the sled are gone. The log barns are rotted away or burned up. The old cradle and the hand rake are seldom used now. The old log schoolhouse on the corner is long a thing of the past. The old church, too, has been changed. Its environment has also changed. In the grassy plot around where it stood are numerous mounds over which the weeds solemnly wave. These were not there sixty years ago. The old shanty with its hallowed associations has passed away. The old clay fireplace, the chain and the hook that hung from the lug-pole, the old bake-kettle that sat on the hearth, the old benches that stood by the walls, all are gone. The old familiar faces that sat around the great old fireplace sixty years ago and told the old stories of their early homes far away, they too are nearly all gone and sleeping - sleeping in the years of the long ago.
Prior to the year 1859, Blanshard contained but few churches, and those it did contain were not of a very substantial order. The west end of the township had no churches at all. It must not be inferred, however, that because there existed no churches there were no religious observances. On the contrary, indeed, many of the old pioneers were very devout, and paid strict attention to their religious duties. All the denominations that exist in the township today were in existence then. The true worship of God does not require the "long drawn aisle and fretted vault'' to make it acceptable. That joy and peace arising from a close communion with the Most High can be found at the altar raissed in the log shanty in as great degree as if the worshipper bent his knee amid pomp and ceremony under the dome of an ancient cathedral. In the various log buildings erected for school purposes the services were held, and when these were not convenient, then the doors of the settlers were always open to the minister who desired to impart religious instruction to the people. Previous to 1859 a Presbyterian Mission had been established at Anderson, on the second concession, and of which mission Mr. Alexander Wood, now of Nissouri, was a most earnest worker. After Mr. Wood removed from Blanshard the services of the Presbyterian body were no longer maintained. A portion of the members united with the Motherwell congregation, and another portion in the west end of the district joined with a part of the township of Usborne, and established what is now Mr. Colin Fletcher's church, at the head of the third concession of Blanshard. On the Mitchell road, Mr. Johnson Armstrong and others established what is now the Zion congregation. At Prospect Hill the English Church had established a mission and erected a church. The Presbyterians had also raised a church at the lower end of the tenth concession, on the farm of Mr. William Hamilton. The Methodist body also erected a church near the same place. A log church in connection with the Anglican body had also been erected on the corner of lot five, on the sixth concession.
In 1860 a revival seems to have set in with regard to church building. Till this period the Methodists and the Presbyterian both held their services in the old log schoolhouse at Kirkton, which then occupied the spot where the present brick schoolhouse now stands. The Rev. John Fotheringham was then Presbyterian minister in what is now Mr. Fletcher's congregation. Steps were being taken by both bodies for the erection of churches, and shortly after Methodist body erected in Kirkton the first brick church ever built in Blanshard. The Presbyterians also erected, about the same time, the old stone church one mile and a quarter to the north. A new church was also erected by the Anglicans in Kirkton, and which at the present time is about to be removed for a handsome brick building on the same site.
The several bodies into which the Methodist Church of today was then divided seemed to vie with each other in building churches;
and with such zeal and enemy did they pursue this craze for church building that in a few years the township of Blanshard contained or contributed to nearly a score of churches.
After that great change in the policy of the Methodist body which has led up to her splendid position of today, by a united effort for the extension of her principles, a new order of things has been brought about.
When the union was finally consummated, a number of churches were allowed to fall into disuse.
The union of the several congregations added strength financially and numerically to the society, which previously had wasted its energy in fighting a part of itself.
Thus any one of the old buildings was found to be too small to accommodate the increased congregation that now worshiped together under the same roof.
New churches had therefore to be built; and in this connection the people of Blanshard have shown a most liberal spirit.
The first move in the line of erecting new buildings was begun in the village of Kirkton several years ago, when a splendid edifice was raised on the site of the old brick one. This innovation on the part of Kirkton was followed by Anderson, and Zion on the Mitchell Road, where handsome and substantial brick buildings have been erected. These three churches, with the one building at McIntyre's, the brick church at Woodham, the frame church on the tenth concession, and Cooper's church on the base line, and the frame church at Prospect, are all the Methodist churches now in Blanchard. Outside of the town of St. Marys, the township does not contain a Presbyterian church. The Anglican body has a church at Prospect. It may be said, however, that the Methodists own all the church property in Blanshard with the exception of the small building at Prospect Hill.
Thus has passed away the old order of things, and in the great march of progress all seems to have changed. In the short period of sixty years the old woods have nearly all been cleared away. The corduroy roads and the stumps are no longer seen. The oxen and the sled are gone. The log barns are rotted away or burned up. The old cradle and the hand rake are seldom used now. The old log schoolhouse on the corner is long a thing of the past. The old church, too, has been changed. Its environment has also changed. In the grassy plot around where it stood are numerous mounds over which the weeds solemnly wave. These were not there sixty years ago. The old shanty with its hallowed associations has passed away. The old clay fireplace, the chain and the hook that hung from the lug-pole, the old bake-kettle that sat on the hearth, the old benches that stood by the walls, all are gone. The old familiar faces that sat around the great old fireplace sixty years ago and told the old stories of their early homes far away, they too are nearly all gone and sleeping - sleeping in the years of the long ago.
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