December 16, 2012

Mechanics' Hall 
(North Vancouver Archives #13270)

 Posthumous
Moodyville Methodist Church
Moodyville, B.C. Canada

"The Reverend Ebenezer Robson, a Methodist minister...travelled from New Westminster to the inlet in the spring of 1865 to bring the gospel message to the locals.  In his diary for June 19, Robson wrote: 'Rode out to Burrard Inlet, and crossing over in a canoe preached to 15 persons at Moody and Co's mills after supper; good attention and invitation to come again.  Rode back after dark, arriving home about 10 p.m.  this was the first sermon on the inlet.' : (REF 1.)  "...a year later, Catholic missionaries began working among the local Indian people." (REF 2.)

Rev. Ebenezer Robson

(REF 1.)

"Moodyville (at the south end of Moody Avenue, now Moodyville Park), is the oldest settlement on Burrard Inlet,... Logging came to the virgin forests of Douglas Fir in North Vancouver, as sailing ships called in to load. A water-powered sawmill was set up in the 1860s at Moodyville, by Sewell Moody. Subsequently, post offices, schools and a village sprang up." (Link.)  "1901 the Moodyville  Sawmill closes....1915 Moodyville is incorporated into the City of North Vancouver.... 1916 The abandoned Moodyville sawmill is destroyed by fire." (REF 3.)

"The Methodist Church did not construct a building, but conducted worship services at Moodyville in the cookhouse, schoolhouse and the Mechanics Institute Hall." (REF 4.) (See Map  below.) 

Early Moodyville
(Note: School on left, Cookhouse on right.
The Mill is at the bottom. REF 8.)

"Article 10 of the Bylaws and Constitution of the Mechanics Institute, founded in 1869, provides for the room to be at the disposal of preachers of the Gospel of all denominations, for holding Divine Service, free of charge." (REF 7.)  "...in the school house I saw hymn books of the Methodist Church.  Sunday School was held frequently and at times church services for the elders." (REF 5.) "The community centre of Moodyville was the "Mechanics' Institute", a two-story building.  Upstairs was the Masonic Hall ...In the hall was an organ which was taken downstairs on special occasions....The "Institute", complete with the organ of the Masonic Lodge was regularly used for worship whenever a minister of any denomination came." (REF 6.) Building a separate church was considered at an Institute meeting in 1880, but "the proposal was finally withdrawn..." (Map.)

Photos: Mechanic's Institute-Copied and Photoshopped, North Vancouver
                          Archives. Rev. Ebenezer Robson-Copied from REF 1. and Photo-
                          shopped.  
Map-North Vancouver Archives #225, "Sketch of Moodyville Sawmill Site",
                         Rodgers Burns.  School and Cookhouse colored 
                          pink by SW.

Reference 1. The Pioneer Years 1774-1886, 
                          by Derek Patrick.

Reference 2. Reflections, by Chuck Davis.
Reference 3. City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory 1994
Reference 4. A History of the City and District of North Vancouver, 
                          Woodward-Reynolds.
Reference 5. North Vancouver 1891-1907, John Rodger Burns.
Reference 6. The Early Story of North Vancouver, p. 11, Rev. William Stott.
Reference 7. Minute Book of the Mechanics' Institute, property of the
                          Vancouver Public Library.
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Vancouver_(city)

Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. 

Give strength to the grieving family in Newtown Connecticut.

Amen

.

                                                                                                                      December, 9, 2012

133 East 4th Street

The Gospel Hall
North Vancouver, B.C. Canada

"The Gospel Hall brethren are a group of independent Christian assemblies throughout the world that fellowship with each other through a set of shared Biblical doctrines and practices. Theologically, they are evangelical and dispensational....they usually describe themselves simply as "Christians" gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus,...They are not a denomination in the normal sense of the word....Gospel Hall brethren would claim to follow the "pattern" of New Testament church doctrine...As such they recognise no central ecclesiastical authority, no formal creed, no prescribed liturgy nor any ordained salaried ministry. Each assembly is an autonomous locally functioning body of baptised believers, recognising the final authority of the Bible and led by a plurality of elders." (Link 1.)

Welcoming plaque on the front of The Gospel Hall

Allan McCurrie, "one of the Trustees", outlines the history of The Gospel Hall in North Vancouver.  "Before coming to our present building at 133 E. 4th St. in 1929, we were in rented accommodation at 6th and Lonsdale on the west side from 1915-1919, 1919-1920 at 120 East 2nd St.,and later in 1920 at 4th and Lonsdale, NW corner."

The 1921 City Directory confirms the 4th and Lonsdale NW corner location. It lists The Gospel Hall in North Vancouver  at #403 Lonsdale Ave in 1921.  This was the middle of the three stores in the 1912 building on the north west  corner of Lonsdale Ave. at West 4th Street.  The building also is listed as having rooms.  The Des Brisay Department Store occupied #401 in 1913 and at least to 1920.  Others who occupied #403 during the time The Gospel Hall was a resident were Lonsdale College of Music and Tailor Richard Willoughby.  The last listing of the Gospel Hall at this address was 1929.

Scripture plaque on front of The Gospel Hall

The Building Permit Book at the North Vancouver Archives lists a permit being applied for in 1928 to construct the Gospel Hall at 133 East 4th Street.  The applicant was C.A. Copp.  The architect for this $4000 structure was S. D. 

Taylor.  The main meeting hall of the two story church is on the upper floor.  
The hall has wood panelling on the side walls up to the windows and covering the front wall.  A large lectern is in the front of the hall and chairs provide seating.

Scripture plaque on rear of The Gospel Hall

The 1930 Fire Insurance Map at the North Vancouver Archives indicates that The Gospel Hall was at  133 East 4th Street.  

The Gospel Hall continues to be used  for worship today with meetings on Sundays and Tuesday evening. Times of the meetings and scripture plaques on the front and back of the building announce the Christian message of The Gospel Hall.

(SW Observation of the Sanctuary: The simple hall had wood panelling on the sides up to the windows.  The front was also wood panelled, this time to the ceiling.  In a recess there was a large lecturn "my guide told me that is what to call it" and a chair on each side.  The chairs were casually placed in the hall.)

Thank you: To Allan McCurrie for his helpful information. Photo: Taken November 2012 by SW.
Link 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_Hall_Brethren
Link 2: http://www.gospelhall.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1160&Itemid=60

                                                                                                            December 2, 2012

689 Courtenay Street

St. Andrew's Presbyterian
Victoria, B.C. Canada

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church is located in downtown Victoria B.C. at the corner of Douglas and Broughton Streets, not far from the Inner Harbour. It is the oldest continuing Presbyterian Church (1889) and congregation (1866) in Victoria. "The architect was Leonard Buttress Trimen. The architecture is said to be of Castellated Scottish Baronial style. With its stepped gables, massive tower and sturdy doors (See photo below.) it is easy to agree with the castellated designation ." (See Link 2.) 

Front doors

 "The first organ installed for the Congregation of St. Andrew’s dates back to 1879, and that organ was installed by the S. R. Warren and Son organ builders from Toronto, Ontario. That organ had to be shipped to Victoria by sea around the Cape Horn and was reported to be the finest and largest in the Province at that time. From its earliest home to the present, the organ has undergone a number of revisions, rebuilds and upgrades. Those revisions and upgrades saw the transformation of the original organ, wind powered by a water-engine and with a disposition of 21 stops to its current version of 72 speaking stops of which 37 are pipes and the remainder digital, all available through a beautiful Rogers Organ console installed in 2001.

"The organ contains 2190 pipes, and the latest rank installed was the Trumpet 8′ built by Casavant Organ builders in Quebec, Canada. The pipe work still uses 3 ranks from the original Warren organ and was built by the Walker organ company in 1872.

                  Altar and pipe organ

"St Andrew’s was fortunate to be able to obtain a number of ranks of pipes from Christ Church Cathedral as the Cathedral replaced their organ with a new tracker instrument. Those ranks were from the English organ builder Hill Norman and Baird and added greatly to the current ensemble.

"The organ is cared for and maintained by Grant Smalley. The current organist and music director at St. Andrew’s is Douglas Hodgkinson." (See Link 1.)

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church sits at 680 Courtenay Street in the heart of downtown Victoria, B.C.  It is an easy walk from the B.C. Parliament Buildings, The Empress Hotel, and the B.C. Provincial Museum.

Photo: Top photo of church and of church doors taken in 2004 by SW. 

              Photo of altar and pipe organ from Link 1.

Link 1: http://standrewsvictoria.ca/
Link 2: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zedzap/4291592520/

                                                                                                      November 25, 2012

1910 Fire Insurance Map

Posthumous
Baptist Church-1908
North Vancouver, B.C. Canada

The Baptist Church was the fourth church to be built in North Vancouver.
First was St. Paul's Catholic Church on Native Lands in 1886.  Next was St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church (See Blog Post September 9, 2012.) on West 13th Street in 1900.  Then St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (See Blog Post November 18, 2012.) on East Keith Road in 1904. And in December 1908 the Baptist Church on east 5th Street. (REF 1 page 16.) 

By this time, 1908, North Vancouver had a newspaper, The Express-1906, gas street lighting-1905, and a street car-1905. (REF 1.)

The 1910 Fire Insurance Map (pictured above) shows the exact location as north side of East Fifth Street (#2) and west of St. George's Avenue.  This is just two blocks south of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.

The 1909 and 1910 City Directories at the North Vancouver Archives lists the address as " 5th and corner St. Georges.  The pastor for these years is noted as being Rev. David Long. In 1911, the last listing, the address in the City Directory is the same listing and the pastor was the Rev. C. Blunden.  The diagram shows that the the church was "13' to the eaves".  

In 1912 the Baptist church is listed as being at the "sw corner 12th & St. Georges". (See Blog Post October 28, 2012.) 



Reference 1: Wm. Stott, The Early Story of North Vancouver,

               and Art" notes, 2nd series, vol.1; 2 March 1950.
Reference 2: 1910 Fire Insurance Map of North Vancouver, North Vancouver
               Archives.
Note: Blog Post of the Baptist Church at East 12th Street is at 1/28/12.

Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen

                                                                                                          November 18, 2012

100 block East Keith Road

Posthumous
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church-1904
North Vancouver, B.C. Canada

In 1891 the District of North Vancouver, B.C. was incorporated as a municipality and included the area that in 1907 became the City of North Vancouver. (REF 5.)  The District of North Vancouver developed along the  Burrard Inlet directly north across from downtown Vancouver.  Lonsdale Avenue  grew as its main corridor.   

"The first church, St. John's Anglican, was opened on October 28, 1900." (REF 2.) (See Blog Post  September 9, 2012.)  This church was west of Lonsdale Avenue on West 13th Street.

In 1902 Pete Larson opened his Hotel North Vancouver just west of the foot of Lonsdale Avenue  near the waterfront.  "...St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church was organized in it." (REF 2.)  There are also references to St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church meeting in Dorman's Shack in 1903. (REF 6.)

1910 Fire Insurance Map

 "St. Andrew's Presbyterian was completed in November 1904." (REF 2.)  The church was built on the front of lot 11 on Keith Road on the south side of Victoria Park in the first block east of Lonsdale Avenue.  Victoria Park  is a wide boulevard extending a block west and a block east of Lonsdale Avenue.  From south to north is runs from between Sixth Street to Eighth Street. The land for the park was donated by the North Vancouver Land and Improvement Company jointly with A. St. G. Hammersley.  Rev. J. D. Gilliam, the PResbyterian minister helped clear the land for the park. (REF 2.)

The 1910 Fire Insurance Map describes the church as being T shaped, and  22 ' to the eaves and 88' to the ridge.  The height to the ridge was probably only 38' as indicated in the 1930 Fire Insurance Map (below).  The "8" was possibly due to a copy error. (SW.)

1930 Fire Insurance Map

In 1912 St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church built a church on the north east corner of East 10th Street and St. George's Avenue.  In 1925 the Congregational, Methodist, and those Presbyterian's that wished to, joined to form the United Church of Canada.  St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church became St. Andrew's United Church. Presbyterian congregation members that didn't wish to join the United Church moved to the Oddfellow's Hall-IOOF Hall-of the  former St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in the 100 block of Lower East Keith Road.  In 1934 they built a new St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church at 121 East 12th Street. 

On the 1930 Fire Insurance Map (above) the church is on the same lot 11, but it is somewhat L shaped, possibly due to a front to back addition on the west side. (SW.)  Measurement to the eaves is again 22' and to the ridge 38'.  The Map also labels the building as being now not only St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, but also the IOOF Hall.

Three years after the 1930 Fire Insurance Map was issued, a new St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church was given a permit for building at 121 East 12th Street.  This building became a Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall in 1955 and the Black Sheep Restaurant in 1976.  The building was demolished in  2000 and an apartment building was built on the site. (See Blog Post February 13, 2011.)

In 1952 the congregation joined St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church and moved to their church at 2641 Chesterfield Avenue to form St. Andrew's and St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church. (See Blog Post 3/3/13.)

Photo: From St. Andrew's United Church 1925-1975, in the files of the
               North Vancouver Archives, #2545-1916
Reference 1: Woodward-Reynolds, Kathleen Marjorie, A History of the City and
               District of North Vancouver, page 154.
Reference 2: Wm. Stott, The Early Story of North Vancouver, from "Museum 
               and Art" notes, 2nd series, vol.1; 2 March 1950.
Reference 3: 1910 Fire Insurance Map of North Vancouver, North Vancouver
               Archives.
Reference 4: 1930 Fire Insurance Map of North Vancouver, North Vancouver
               Archives.
Reference 5: City of North Vancouver Heritage Inventory 1994, page 5.
Reference 6: History of St. Andrew's and St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church, 

                 pages 1-15 out of 23, given to SW January 2013 by Angela Edmonds.

Note: Blog Post on the 1933 St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church at 121 East 12th 
               Street at Churches On Sundays, February 13, 2011.

Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen

Remembrance Day
The Wall

This is a story of my family.  My grandmother, Marie,  was born on a farm in Petasky, Michigan.  She had 5 brothers and 4 sisters.  She moved to Wisconsin as a bride and died in 1952 at age 67 in Kaukauna, Wisconsin.  My mother kept in touch with several of her brothers and sisters.  One of these was her Uncle Charlie who had moved to Rapid City South Dakota. In 1956 when I graduated from high school and my brother graduated from grade school my mother took us by train and then bus to visit the Black Hills, Yellowstone Park, and her Uncle Charlie.

I had heard about her Uncle Charlie over the years.  He and his 1st wife Kate had never had children.  Then in his 60's they were divorced and he married his second wife, the young Kate.  Kate had been a nurse in the Korean War.  Her 1st husband had been a pilot who was killed in that war.  She had a son, Alan, from that marriage. Kate and Uncle Charlie also had a son, of course, named Charlie. Charlie had red hair and freckles, was rambunctious and looked like "What me worry?"  This great gift to Uncle Charlie so late in his life became his life.  Alan was 9 and Charlie was about 5 when my mother, brother, and I visited this family.

Many years after this visit I heard that Charlie, the great gift to my mother's Uncle Charlie, was killed in Vietnam.  My prayers went out to Uncle Charlie in his grief and Kate who had suffered such a loss in the Korean War.

When the Vietnam War Memorial was installed in Washington D. C. an accompanying "Moving Wall"  went on tour.  The replica was true to the original, a long rambling wall of black with the names of those that sacrificed their lives in the Vietnam War.  A soldier stood on guard with eyes on the wall. This "Moving Wall" came to Vancouver in 1988 and was mounted in Sunset Beach Park.  It was here that I visited the "Moving Wall".  I approached the soldier on guard who took me to the spot where "Charlie Reberg" was carved into the black surface.  I touched his name and thought of the little five year old with red hair and freckles and his parents who adored him.  And I prayed for them and all the other parents who had such a loss.

In 1998 the US Government offered rubbings of the names of those on the wall on request.  I gratefully received a copy of "Charlie Reberg" as it appears on "The Wall".  It can be seen in the photo below.

Each Remembrance Day, I remember.  I remember the sparkle in Uncle Charlie's eyes as he watched his five year old Charlie play in the front yard of their Rapid City home.  I remember that quietness of 9 year old Alan that seemed to reflect the death of his father in the Korean War. I think of the grief of young Kate and her double sacrifice.  And I pray for all the other families that have made this sacrifice.  Let us remember.

Photo: Taken of Suzanne Wilson's copy of "Charlie Reberg's" name on the Vietnam Memorial, "The Wall."
Link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_Veterans_Memorial

Prayer

"Dear God please be with persecuted Christians throughout the world." SW

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen

Cathedral of Catania

Catania, Sicily, Italy

"The Cathedral of Catania, entitled to St. Agatha, is a church in Catania, Sicily, southern Italy. The church has been destroyed and rebuilt several times due earthquakes and eruptions of the nearby volcano Etna. It was originally constructed in 1078-1093, on the ruins of the ancient Roman Achillean Baths,... At the time it had the appearance of a fortified church ...  In 1169 it was nearly entirely destroyed by an earthquake, leaving only the apse area intact. Further damage was introduced by a fire in 1169, but the most catastrophic event was the 1693 earthquake, which again left it mostly in ruins. It was subsequently rebuilt in Baroque style.

"Today, traces of the original Norman edifice include part of the transept, the two towers and the three semicircular apses, composed of large lava stones, most of them recovered from imperial Roman buildings.

"The current appearance of the church date to the 1711 century design of Gian Battista Vaccarini, who designed a new Baroque façade after the 1693 earthquake. It has three floors with Corinthian columns, in granite, perhaps taken from the Roman Theatre of the city. All the orders are decorated with marble statues of St. Agatha over the gate, St. Euplius on the right and St. Birillus on the left. The entrance door, in wood, has 32 sculpted plaques with episodes of the life and martyrdom of St. Agatha, coat of arms of popes and symbols of Christianity.

                                                                                 Chapel of St. Agatha

                                                                    (Wikipedia)

"The dome dates to 1802. The bell tower was originally erected in 1387, with a height of some 70 meters. In 1662 a watch was added, the structure reaching 90 meters; after the 1693 destruction it was rebuilt, with the addition of a 7.5 t bell, the third largest in Italy after that in the St. Peter's Basilica and in the Duomo of Milan." (See Link.)

                                                             The bell tower, designed by Carmelo 

                                                                    (Wikipedia)

Photo: Top photo taken in Catonia, Sicily, Italy  in April 2010 by SW.
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catania_Cathedral

Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen