DR. GATES’ PASTORATE, 1886-1900.
In September, 1885, the Church extended a call to Rev. G. O. Gates. He accepted, and entered upon his duties on New Year’s Day, 1886, being present at the Annual Conference Meeting. On the following Sunday he preached to large and attentive audiences. At the close of the evening service Rev. Dr. Goodspeed on behalf of the Church extended the right hand of fellowship to the new pastor and his wife. A recognition service was held January 19th, at which there were present Reverends Goodspeed, Cahill, Bruce, Shawffield, Stewart, Gordon, Spencer, Hopper and Saer. Dr. Goodspeed, who presided, welcomed Brother Gates to the pastorate and said “Though Mr. Gates had never preached here before, and was known to the Church by reputation only, a record is better than any fugitive effort in the way of preaching,” Mr. Cahill, in his address to the pastor, said “Your obligation is to fill the pulpit, but the obligation of the members is to fill the pews.”
Reduction of the Debt.
This same year the church was encouraged by the gift of $200 from Mr. Jacob Bradshaw, which they resolved to place in the Savings Bank to form the nucleus of a Sinking Fund, for the purpose of paying off the debt on the Church property. In 1879 quarterly collections were commenced for this purpose by means of envelopes. This plan has been continued, but the payments made monthly, and the mortgage reduced $1,000 every second year.
In 1888 our hearts were cheered by the generous donation of Mrs. James Dyall of $1,000 towards the reduction of the debt. At her death in 1892 she also left the residue was reduced $4,600—this amount being made up by the first payment on the bequest of the late Mrs. Dyall $3,603, a rebate of $500 from the estate of the late J. H. Moran, and the balance from the Sinking Fund.
The total amount received by the Church from the estate of Mrs. Dyall was $7,160, all of which was applied towards the reduction of debt.
In 1887 the Sunday School and all Societies in the Church were at their request placed under the direct control of the Church, and have since reported to the Annual Meeting. This year, also, the Roll was thoroughly revised and the active memberships reduced to 257, the non-resident members being placed on a separate list.
Mission Founded.
In February, 1889, a Mission was founded in the North End of the City by W. C. Cross and others associated with him. At first held in a room in the rear of a grocery store on Sheriff street it soon outgrew its early quarters, and in the fall of the same year a building was erected on Murray street, at a cost of about $750, whence its present name—“The Murray Street Mission.” The large majority of the workers have always come from Germain Street Church. In addition to the regular Sunday School at 9.30 a. m., a week-evening prayer meeting has been conducted during a large part of the time. At present, Chas. R. Wasson is Superintendent, with L. W. Simms and W. E. Roop as Assistant Superintendents.
In 1890 Dr. Gates was offered the position of Secretary of the Foreign Mission Board—a position he was eminently qualified to fill, but at the earnest solicitation of the Church he declined the appointment.
In 1892 Brothers William Lewis, C. C. Parker, and J. H. Wasson were elected Deacons.
On January 5th, 1894, was held the Roll Call of the Church, the number on the roll being 436, 277 resident and 159 non-resident. Of the resident list, while 13 sent word that they were unable to be present through sickness, or absence from the city. Of the non-resident members, 10 reported verbally and 11 by letter.
1895 was a year when as a result of faithful planting of the seed of truth by the pastor and others a large in-gathering occurred. We reported to the Association: “Additions by baptism 77, by letter 20, by experience 2, total 99. Present Membership 461.” At the Communion service in April, 59 new members received the right hand of fellowship.
This year the Convention held its Fiftieth Anniversary with this Church, where it will be recalled its first meeting had been held. Our contributions to the Denominational objects amounted to $902 this year, and in 1897 $1,200. This contrasts favorably with 1887, when only $281 was raised for these objects.
Rev. Louis Duval.
In 1895 Brother Louis was licensed to preach. After completing his course at Acadia University and Newton Theological Seminary, our Brother and his wife went to Africa to labor for the Master. Returning home on furlough in 1909, he remained about nine months, and has since returned to his work in the Great Dark Continent, where he has had the experience of erecting a Church upon this—one of the outposts of the great Master’s Kingdom. His first boy convert is now studying to prepare himself for the ministry to his fellowmen.
Dr. Gates’ Trip to the Orient.
After faithful service with the Church for over twelve years the pastor was granted six months leave of absence to visit the Holy Land, Egypt and Europe. A farewell service was held March 9th, 1898, which was largely attended. An address was presented prepared by Dr. S. McCully Black from which we quote—“We remember tonight with grateful hearts the large blessings which have come to the Church under your ministry; we could call to mind the glad and joyous experience which by the favor of God we have been permitted to enjoy together; the pleasant fellowship which has characterized all our meetings; the blessing of the Sanctuary; the peace and harmony which have prevailed in the Church; the seasons of special blessing which have been enjoyed; the large number that you have been permitted to baptize and welcome to the fellowship of the Church; the enlargement of the Church benevolence and its increasing interest in all our Denominational work; the training of the young; the growth of the Sunday School and of Local Mission work, and the general enlargement of the Church’s activity.” To the address Dr. Gates made a feeling reply.
On the return of Dr. Gates from the east, and of Mrs. Gates from Great Britain, whither she had gone to meet him, a welcome service was held on the evening of September 8th, when an informal address was presented. Dr. Gates in reply spoke at some length of his trip, especially of his experiences in the Holy Land. All were glad to welcome Dr. and Mrs. Gates back and to find them looking so well, and the opinion was expressed that as a result of his six months' vacation, the pastor had added more than as many years to his life.
Shortly after his return the pastor commenced a series of twelve sermons on the Holy Land. These were highly interesting and instructive, and the desire to hear them so general that the Church was packed to its utmost capacity and still many were unable to gain admission. At the close of the sermon on “The Holy City—Within the Walls,” Professor L. W. Titus sang very acceptably “The Holy City.”
The Sunday School.
In 1899 a number of the young men purchased the lot of land adjoining the church property on Germain street—50 x 190 feet—at a cost of $1,680. This they transferred to the Trustees to the Church for the purpose of ultimately erecting a Sunday School building thereon.
In the same year Deacon T. S. Simms resigned as superintendent of the Sunday School—a position which he had filled most acceptably for the long period of twenty-five years. Upon his retirement, W. C. Cross was elected as superintendent, and has held this office since that time. At present our Sunday School is in a very flourishing condition. In the main school, the enrollment shows 8 Officers, 28 Teachers and 270 Scholars. A feature of our Sunday School work has been the large amount raised by the scholars for Missionary purposes, at least $100 per year having been contributed by our Scholars during the last seven years to the Glendinning Fund.
In 1900 Brothers W. H. Colwell, S. H. Davis, and W. C. Cross, were elected deacons.
Resignation of Dr. Gates.
At the end of 1900 Dr. gates tendered his resignation of the pastorate he had so acceptably filled for the previous fifteen years, and the Church was reluctantly compelled to accept it, Dr. Gates feeling that it was his duty to accept the call from the Windsor Church. A proposition made by the ladies, and heartily supported by the entire Church, was for Dr. Gates to take a year’s rest from the pastorate, and at the end of this time again take up his work here—the Church to provide for supply. All efforts however, to induce him to reconsider the matter were in vain, as he had accepted the call from Windsor immediately after tendering his resignation.
In closing his farewell sermon Dr. Gates said: “There is no spot in the Old World of the New so dear to me as the City of the Loyalists, by the side of old Fundy. I love its streets, its bracing air, and the push and energy of its citizens. There is no better place in the world for a man who loves the work, and no city on the continent where the great heart of Christianity beats truer for what is good and pure and holy. I do not know why I am going, but I have said I am going and I expect to go. They say that a tree which has been long rooted in one place will not grow in a stranger soil. If this be so, maybe I shall return. I am doing what I feel I ought to do, and who can oppose God’s leading?”
One of the city papers referring to Dr. Gates said: “As a preacher he is unsurpassed by any in the city, and as a citizen his personal popularity extends far beyond the bounds of his Church and Denomination, and his departure will be keenly felt.” An address, engrossed on parchment by T. H. Belyea, and bound in Morocco, was presented to Dr. Gates by the Church; and a purse towards fitting up his library by the ladies.