The Particular Covenanted Baptist Church
of Ontario and Manitoba, Canada
RECORD OF THE COVENANTED OR PARTICULAR BAPTIST
CHURCH OF CHRIST IN ONTARIO.DATED A.D. 1820
Said church are desirous of recording an outline of their rise and progress, together with a brief sketch of the articles of their faith and practice, and mutual covenant, as the professed disciples of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; hoping the same may be of benefit, through the blessing of God, to future generations, if it be His holy will to preserve a remnant to bear testimony to the truth as it is in Jesus, and recorded by the pen of inspiration, and understood only by the teaching of the Holy Ghost.
It is a cause of grief that many errors abound in the present generation in doctrine, principles and practice under a mask of religion; with such we cannot, we dare not associate, nor hold communion in church fellowship; although despised and spoken against as hard-hearted, and narrow, contracted in our views. Yet our principles and practice, in the following formula, stand or fall to none but the word of God alone. Faith and holiness are our professed principles, with a desire as far as possible to be at peace with all men, especially with those who love the Lord in sincerity, although they differ from us in name, yet rejecting Him in their practices, based on traditions or commandments of men, not countenanced by the law of Christ nor practiced by the Apostles; and so those that desire to agree by the way must be of one mind and judgment to avoid schisms or divisions, which are attended with evil consequences. So we resolve, through the grace of Almighty God to help us, while our frail life continues, to take His holy word as our guide, observing all things whatsoever He has commanded His Apostles to teach, praying the Lord to strengthen us so to do, and to His name be the praise. Amen.
Daniel McArthur, a young man of Cowal, in the west of Scotland, about the beginning of the nineteenth century, was converted by grace, and immediately commenced to preach the gospel to his countrymen with fervency and zeal, the Lord working with him, so that his fame went far and near in that country, and multitudes flocked to hear the word, a great awakening being among the people, and the great power of God was felt, and many added unto the Lord.
He, being desirous to follow the rules laid down in the holy word of God, saw it his bounden duty to forsake the prevailing customs and be baptized according to the apostolic mode; and after much search found Elder McFarland, a Baptist minister in Edinburgh, who preached the doctrine of grace in its purity, who baptized him, and ordained him pastor over the church. A number of faithful men was raised up, among them such as Daniel Whyte, who was ordained Elder, and emigrated to North Carolina. His labors there were much blessed, and gathered a large church, among the members of which were Alexander McArthur, James McKellar, James McKirdy and Hugh Beaton. The last mentioned, Hugh Beaton, Elder McArthur ordained over the church in Scotland. Elder McArthur, after enduring much hardship and suffering many persecutions from the established clergy, was apprehended by their authorities, and put on board of a war vessel, carried to England, put in dungeons; they changed his name often, so that his friends had much ado to find him. When found, he was brought to Edinburgh, and tried before the lords of session, and released. His adversaries were fined four thousand pounds sterling. After that he emigrated to New York State, and there he died in the full assurance of faith.
Deacon Dugald Campbell, of North Knapdale, emigrated to Canada in 1818, settled in Aldboro, Elgin County, commenced preaching the gospel, the Lord blessing his labors and opening the hearts of many to receive the truth, as formerly in Scotland under Elder McArthurs preaching. Numbers were added to the church. Then he was ordained to the pastoral office by the regular Baptists of Canada, many of whom at that time were sound in the faith. But after some time, they departing from gospel order and sentiment, he withdrew from their communion, and organized what is now known as the Covenanted or Particular Baptist Church in Ontario. After which the Lord raised up several faithful men, who labored with him in the gospel, viz.: Duncan McCallum, Duncan Lamont, Neil McDonald and Thomas McColl. Elder Campbells health having begun to decline, Neil McDonald was ordained Elder to assist him, who officiated with him for some time in the pastoral office.
Upon Friday, the fifth day of November, 1852, the church met in Aldboro for the purpose of examining Thomas McColl and setting him apart for the work of the gospel ministry. After relating his experience and call to the ministry he was approved of, and ordained by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, which consisted of Elders Dugald Campbell and Neil McDonald and Deacon Duncan McCallum, which was done upon Saturday, the sixth; and the day following the Lords Supper was administered.
After a few years Elder Campbells health became so impaired that he could not attend the meetings. Elder Thomas McColl was called to the pastoral care of the church, which at that time consisted of five branches, viz., Aldborough, Dunwich, Lobo, Ekfrid and (Duart) Orford.
The church here stood alone, and would not fellowship any in the country, and it supposed there were none on the Continent of America that it could fellowship, until Elder McColl received a number of the Signs of the Times from Jane McGregor, a friend of his with whom he corresponded in Delaware County, New York, who was a hearer of Elder Isaac Hewitt. She still kept sending the Signs, until the account was given in them of Elders Beebe, Dudley and Johnson visiting Dundas, Ontario, to ordain Elder William Pollard. After seeing this notice in the Signs, Elder McColl wrote to Elder Pollard to visit the church at our quarterly meeting, held in Lobo the first Sunday in February, 1857, which he did. The doctrine he preached was well received by the church. The following Spring Elder McColl invited Elder Beebe and others to our meeting in June. On the invitation Elder Beebe came, accompanied by Elders Thomas Hill, E. A. Meaders and William Pollard. All the visiting Elders preached during the meeting, and the truth proclaimed by them was cordially received by the church here, and an unbroken fellowship has existed between them and the church here ever since. Elder Campbell was still alive, but so infirm from age that he could not attend the meeting. And when he was told by the brethren of the truth he loved being preached by the strangers who visited us, he rejoiced and wept tears of joy. This man of God fell asleep in Jesus the following Fall.
Elder McColl continued in the pastoral office until he became so infirm that he could not serve the church in administering the ordinances, when he resigned his charge with the unanimous consent of the church to Elder Pollard, who is still our pastor, and now assisted by Elder William L. Beebe in the work of the ministry here. Elder McColl departed this life in the full assurance of faith on October 17, 1870.
At our yearly meeting in June, since 1857, and at some of our other quarterly meetings, we have been visited by ministering brethren from the States, as follows: Elders Beebe, J. F. Johnson, C. B. Hassell, S. H. Durand, J. L. Purington, J. A. Johnson, William J. Purington, J. H. Gammon, and others.
- The Above Account was Taken from "Hassell's History."
PROVINCE OF ONTARIO
An Account of the Particular Covenanted Baptists of Canada, by Elder J. Stewart McColl, published in the Glencoe Transcript, April 1981
DUNDAS COUNTY
DUNDAS CHURCH (DUNDAS)
The Baptist Church at Dundas divided over doctrine and practice in about 1850. Several members withdrew and organized on the Primitive Baptist pattern. John and Mary Pollard were among those who withdrew. Their son, Elder William Pollard, was ordained at this church, in about 1855. The church became extinct after a few years.
ELGIN COUNTY
ALDBOROUGH BRANCH (EAGLE, NEAR THE McCOLL CEMETERY SITE)
Deacon Dugald Campbell left North Knapdale, Scotland, in 1818, and came to Aldborough township, and settled on Talbot Road (trail), near the site of this branch of the church, and commenced preaching here. He was ordained by Elder Charles Stewart. The Covenanted Baptist church was established here in 1820. A log meeting house was erected where the village of Eagle now stands, which was replaced with a frame building in 1844, on the S 1/2 of Lot 15, Concession 12, Aldborough Township. It was used by the Covenanted Baptists of this community until 1927.
DUNWICH BRANCH (3 MILES EAST OF WALLACETOWN, MCKILLOP CEMETERY SITE)
In Dunwich the first congregation of Particular Covenanted Baptists met in a log meeting house which stood a short distance west of Wallacetown. In 1852, it was replaced by a frame meeting house, just east of Wallacetown. In 1911 a new brick structure was erected at the same site, along No. 3 Highway. The new brick meeting house had a vestibule and basement, and cost $5,000.
LAMBDON COUNTY
BEULAH CHURCH (1889)(MET IN SCHOOLHOUSE IN BROOKE TOWNSHIP AT FIRST, PROBABLY HAD A FRAME MEETING HOUSE OF THEIR OWN LATER)
Beulah Church, at Aberfeldy, or Brooke, was organized in 1889. Monthly meetings had been held in the area by Elder William L. Beebe prior to this. The presbytery which organized the church was composed of Elder William Pollard, Deacons D. Campbell and D. McAlpine, Elder Benton Jenkins, and Elder William L. Beebe. Elder Beebe served as pastor until his death, in 1901, during which time he baptized seventeen people. He was followed by Elders D. M. Vail, J. M. Fenton, and Robert Watt. Elder Robert Watt was ordained here in 1921.
MIDDLESEX COUNTY
EKFRID BRANCH (5 MILES FROM MELBOURNE, MAYFAIR CEMETERY SITE)
The first meeting house of the Ekfrid branch, a small log structure, was erected only a few rods from the present site in the 1830's. It served the sturdy pioneers for twenty years, most of whom walked to the meetings in those days. In 1853 it was replaced by a neat frame structure. As the congregation increased, this building became inadequate, and was replaced by a new brick church building, which was opened for use in November 1901. Pastors who served at this location included Elders Dugald Campbell, Thomas McColl, William Pollard, H. M. Curry, W. I. Carnell, George Ruston, D. Alex McColl, and J. Stewart McColl. Elder D. Alex McColl was ordained here in June 1966. Elder J. Stewart McColl was ordained here in June 1972.
LOBO BRANCH (LOBO TWP.)
In 1827, Elder Dugald Campbell came to preach at Lobo, and organized a congregation there. The first log church at Lobo was erected in 1837, on the corner of Lot 9, Concession 6, of Lobo Township. In 1855 a brick edifice was built on the opposite corner. In later years, the Lobo branch met at in the frame building known as the Pollard meeting house, at Poplar Hill. Elder Duncan Lamont was one of the early ministers at Lobo, and preached here for almost 40 years.
POPLAR HILL BRANCH (12 MILES WEST OF LONDON), LOBO TWP.
Beginning in about 1880, some of the members at Lobo withdrew over some doctrinal issues. They met at first in homes, until a meeting house was built in Poplar Hill, in 1883. The quarterly meeting was appointed to convene at the Old School Baptist meeting house here in 1890.
LONDON, LONDON (1920)
The London Church was organized September 5, 1920. Elders J. M. Fenton and Robert Watt were among the early pastors of this church.
KENT COUNTY
DUART (ORFORD) BRANCH
The first meeting house of any denomination built in the village of Kilmarnock (now Duart), was built under the pastorship of Elder Dugald Campbell, in 1851. Five years later, a new and better building was erected. In 1896, a brick meeting house was erected while Elder William Pollard was pastor.
TORONTO (CAPITAL OF THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO)
TORONTO BRANCH
Elder George Ruston served a branch of the church at Toronto. No other information has been found yet.
Ministers of the Particular Covenanted Baptists also held services on a regular basis in other places, including Dutton, St. Thomas, Brantford, Bala, and Detroit, in meeting places rented for that purpose by the local people.
PROVINCE OF MANITOBA
WINNIPEG (CAPITAL OF THE PROVINCE OF MANITOBA)
WINNIPEG CHURCH
The Old School Baptist Church of Winnipeg, Manitoba, was organized September 6, 1914, by seven members belonging to the Strict Baptist Church in England and the Old School Baptist Church in America. Elder Silas H. Durand, of Southampton, Pa., presided. In September 1915, four new members were received by baptism. On September 26, 1915, Jabez C. Smallbone was ordained to the ministry, and was appointed pastor of the church.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS (FROM ALL OF THE ABOVE CHURCHES):
Allison, Ardies, Bateman, Beebe, Bishop, Black, Blue, Buchan, Buller, Burgess, Campbell, Carey, Carmichael, Carnell, Carscadden, Cathers, Chappell, Clark, Corneill, Cowan, Duncanson, Dundas, Eaton, Elliott, Ferguson, Ford, French, Galbraith, Genge, George, Gilbert, Gillis, Graham, Gray, Hodgins, Johnston, Jones, Kennedy, Kerr, Lamont, Leatherdale, Leitch, Lilly, MacDonald, Maddock, McAlpine, McArthur, McCallum, McColl, McDonald, McDougald, McFarlane, McGugan, McIntyre, McIvers, McKellar, McKillop, McLachlin, McLarty, McLean, McPhail, McTaggart, McTavish, Munroe, Murray, Perry, Pollard, Reed, Reeves, Rogers, Ruston, Scates, Schliehauf, Shearing, Sinclair, Smallbone, Staples, Stevenson, Thompson, Walker, Watt, Weir, Willey, Williams, Woods, Young (very incomplete list).
Note: While searching for obituaries, we discovered that there have been a large number of people who faithfully attended these churches who were not members. Surnames of those we noted are: Bateman, Blue, Carmichael, Corneil, Durdle, Errett, Graham, Love, McAlpine, McArthur, McColl, McDougald, McLean, McIntyre, McPhail, Smith.
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