The Story of the Great Fire in St. John, N.B., June 20th, 1877Stewart, George
History
The Story of the Great Fire in St. John, N.B., June 20th, 1877
Stewart, George
Saint John (N.B.) -- Fire, 1877
whirlwind, and rent asunder in an hour, an edifice which had withstood
the blasts of the elements for seventy years. In 1808, on Christmas day,
this chapel was opened, and dedicated to the service of God, by the Rev.
Mr. Marsden. The leading layman at that time was the late John Ferguson,
an influential citizen and a prosperous merchant. He did much for
Methodism in his time, and it was through his exertions that the chapel
was built. For many years this commodious building was the only place of
worship that this body of Christians had in the city, and the various
clergymen who from time to time preached from its old-fashioned, homely
pulpit, developed sterling qualities and superior talents. Among its
body of laymen were men distinguished alike for their zeal and religious
principles. Such clergymen as Revs. Messrs. Priestly, Wood, Dr. Alder,
John B. Strong, Bamford, Wm. Temple and H. Crosscomb, will be
affectionately remembered by old members of this congregation, as
ministers whose interests were ever closely identified with those of
their hearers. The present Chief of Police, John R. Marshall, has been a
member of this church all his life, and for thirty years he has led the
singing. It was an unpretentious building with no attempts at
architectural display. A few years ago, to meet the wants of the
community, it was enlarged and extended back, and the gallery was placed
nearer the pulpit. While this building was burning the hospitable
residences of James Lawton, Esq., and Wm. Davidson, Esq., were being
reduced to ashes, and Dr. McAvenny's fine dental rooms adjoining those
houses, went down also.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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