Nova Scotia history

Nova Scotia

Brethren testimony in Nova Scotia has its roots in the preaching of a Presbyterian minister named Stirling. He preached the Gospel in Pugwash in the 1870s and was used in the salvation of Dan Kennedy, a young farmer in Port Howe. Then in about 1882, Samuel Wallace from Ireland, who had employment in Pugwash, began preaching in Port Howe, walking six miles from Pugwash to preach the Gospel in the schoolhouse each Sunday at noon. The people said he was a strange looking man and preached a strange doctrine at a strange hour. However, God blessed the Word spoken and some were saved. Miss Fanny King, a neighbor to the Kennedys, and later the wife of Dan Kennedy, was soon rejoicing in Christ Jesus as her Savior.

The following winter, John Knox McEwen, who had been laboring in Ontario, came to Nova Scotia and joined Mr. Wallace. They preached to individuals, in homes, and in halls, meeting with much opposition, but God blessed His Word to the salvation of many. Mr. McEwen then labored for some time alone, but God sent him a number of helpers from time to time, including George and Allen Simpson of Galt, Ontario, and John Mitchell. The fiery preaching of Mr. McEwen awakened such an interest that the whole community around Port Howe was stirred. Early in 1885 a number more were saved, including Dan Kennedy’s sister and three of the Misses King. Miss Emma Copp was led to Christ by Mr. McEwen. Later she became the wife of the evangelist William Matthews of Boston.

In the fall of 1885, the first assembly in Nova Scotia was planted in Port Howe. Dan Kennedy and his wife were among the first to take their stand in the assembly. Their home was a sanctuary for the people in the years that followed. The assembly met first in a home; later the Christians built Port Howe Gospel Hall. The old Gospel Hall has since been rebuilt and added to and occupies the same location. This community was the scene of several stirring revivals. A good number still gathered there in 1955, but the assembly today is small. The area around Pugwash and Port Howe is less populated now than when the assembly work was begun.

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John Grimason and Mr. McEwen opened a work in Docherty Creek, now called Pugwash Junction, a little farming community five miles south of the village of Pugwash in Cumberland County. Among those saved through this effort were Mrs. MacLeod and Mrs. Piers. Mr. Oswald MacLeod, the evangelist, was a grandson of both these women. In 1886 or 1887, an assembly began in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Eaton, parents of Cyrus Eaton of Cleveland, who was to become a very wealthy businessman, well known in financial circles around the world. In the early days of the work of God at the Junction, the old schoolhouse was the only public place available for the preaching of the Gospel. In late 1888 or early 1889, the Pugwash Junction Gospel Hall was built on the corner of a field owned by Phillip Tuttle, about a mile from the current location.

Those gathered in the Pugwash Junction assembly at the beginning were Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Eaton, Mr. Daniel McLeod, Mr. and Mrs. John Wesley MacPherson, Ada MacPherson, Mrs. Fred MacLeod, Mrs. Nelson Piers, and Mrs. Silas Wacome, and a few others.

Many preachers spent time in the area of Pugwash Junction over the years. By far the greater part of the early preachers came from Northern Ireland.

George Simpson from Ontario, as well as John Grimason, worked with John Knox McEwen during the early period. Mr. Simpson married Ada MacPherson but died young. Mr. Grimason labored up and down the coast of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Mr. McEwen returned to England, and for a few years there was little gospel activity in the little assemblies that had been planted, and the assembly at Pugwash Junction essentially died.

But in the fall of 1902, David Scott, a preacher in Ireland, became exercised about returning to that needy field. He corresponded with W.N. Brennan, who encouraged him to come. Arriving with his family in Truro, Mr. Scott began meetings in Port Howe. The hall was filled nightly and many souls were saved. He then began in Pugwash Junction, where a similar work of grace was accomplished. This visitation of God caused a great revival among the saints and gave the work a fresh start. During that fall, winter, and spring, more than 60 persons professed to be saved. Sometime after the assembly was regathered, Oswald MacLeod’s father purchased the old school building for the assembly. A lot at the location of the present hall was procured and the building was moved onto it. The assembly at the Pugwash Junction Gospel Hall continues to this day.

Among the leaders in the assembly over the span of years, we mention Hiram MacLeod, Ainsley Goodwin, Frank Elliott, Mac MacLeod, and Harold Elliott.

An outstanding feature of the work was the yearly Conference at Pugwash Junction. It began in Pugwash in 1903, but in 1912 moved to Pugwash Junction, five miles away. A new hall for the Conference was soon built. The Conference was the event of the year. Believers gathered from New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton, and Nova Scotia. At the first Conference in 1903, James Campbell and William Matthews ministered the Word for three days.

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W.N. Brennan came to the small city of Truro in 1893. An assembly began in the Brennan home. This work continued only a short time, but in 1923 a Gospel tent was taken to Truro and a few professed salvations. An assembly was begun again at that time. The Christians built their own hall, probably called the Truro Gospel Hall but later changed to Good News Bible Chapel. The assembly ceased to function, perhaps in the 1980s, and the building was sold to the believers at Debert Gospel Hall. The Truro assembly now meets at the Young Street Gospel Hall.

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James McCullough arrived in Nova Scotia from Ireland just before the Conference of July 1924. In 1927, he and Tom McKelvie took a Gospel tent to Debert, a small town west of Truro. A number were saved and baptized. William Brennan dates the establishment of the Debert assembly after 1937, with erection of the Debert Gospel Hall following soon after. The Debert assembly goes on today.

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In about 1900, two families of Christians came from an assembly in Scotland to New Glasgow. As there was no assembly there, they began Remembering the Lord in one of their homes. Though these later moved to western Canada, God has maintained a testimony in the city. William Brennan was involved in the beginning of the assembly at New Glasgow Gospel Hall, which still carries on. In 1907, Mr. Brennan left his business in Truro to devote all his time to the Lord’s work; he went on to become an itinerant preacher and helped establish several assemblies.

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Lenoon K. McIlwaine came from Ireland to Truro in April 1930 to preach the Gospel and spent the rest of his long life in fruitful pioneer work. He was largely responsible for opening up the southern part of the Province to the Gospel, as far as assembly testimony is concerned. Through his and others’ efforts, two assemblies were planted in Lunenburg County, the West Clifford Assembly and the Nineveh Assembly. Mr. McIlwaine moved after a time to Clementsvale, Annapolis County, in the western part of Nova Scotia, where an assembly was established, and the Clementsvale Gospel Hall was erected. The assembly carries on today.

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In the mid-1930s, the McCracken brothers, John and Robert, came to the Atlantic Provinces, John to Nova Scotia and Robert to New Brunswick. In 1942 the McCrackens saw a good number saved at Pugwash Junction. Robert, gifted above many in both the Gospel and ministry, was well accepted and deeply appreciated throughout the region. John McCracken in his early days spent some time with Mr. Brennan, but after his marriage he settled in the southern part of the Province where he labored quite extensively with Mr. McIlwaine and others. The Weymouth Assembly on the western side of the Province was largely the result of his faithful and patient labors.

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In about 1950, Isaac McMullen began meetings in the village of Cambridge in Haunts County, west of Truro. The Cambridge Gospel Hall was built for the assembly. For the size of the community there has been a good number in fellowship. This assembly continues today.

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Oxford is a small town a few miles southwest of Pugwash. During the 1950s, Hiel Patterson held weekly Gospel meetings and children’s meetings in the area. Some of the new believers joined the fellowship at Pugwash Junction Gospel Hall and others came into fellowship at Port Howe Gospel Hall where Hiel Patterson and his wife Marg were in fellowship. In January 1960, with the assistance of those two assemblies, the Oxford Gospel Hall was established.

Hiel Patterson and Douglas Howard are credited with starting the assembly at Oxford. In active leadership over the years have been Arthur Murray, John Purdy, T. Floyd Stewart, Hiel Patterson, W.L.R. Johnson, Ralph Hunt, Clifford Budd, David P. Cole, and R. Richard Cameron. Oxford Gospel Hall has commended workers to the Lord’s field in Venezuela and to local work. About 25 adults and youngsters are in the assembly.

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After a Gospel thrust and teaching for Christians in the Tatamagouche area north of Truro, the Tatamagouche Assembly was formed in March 1974, a hive-off from Oxford Gospel Hall. Fred Holder and Douglas Howard were the principals involved in establishing the assembly, with follow-up work by Hiel Patterson and T. Floyd Stewart.

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River Hebert is a small town on the northwestern side of Nova Scotia, across the Chignecto Bay from New Brunswick. It was to that town that Robert Darling and his family came from Scotland to work in the then-booming coal mining industry. Having been in assembly fellowship in Scotland, he desired to establish an assembly testimony in the town. Thus, River Hebert Gospel Hall was born in 1921, located outside the village. A new hall was built later another mile out and is still in use.

Elders over the years in River Hebert Gospel Hall include Harry Dow, Robert Darling, John Seamon, Gordon Forscenor, Howard Rector, Wally McCheron, Kenneth Ripley, and Percy Ripley. Russel Harris, commended from Ontario, was a main stay in the assembly for many years. Cecil Morton and his wife moved to the area in 1991 to help in the assembly. River Hebert Gospel Hall held annual Bible Conferences for many years, until the mines closed, and the population declined. Eight adults are now in the fellowship, but a large young people’s work adds over 50 youth.

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Ken Ripley from River Hebert Gospel Hall, and T. Floyd Stewart of the Oxford Gospel Hall, being supported by Oxford Gospel Hall, conducted children’s meetings and presented the Gospel in the area of Amherst, northwest of Oxford. As a result, the Amherst Assembly came into being in April 1981.

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Blues Mills Gospel Hall began in 1955 in the town of Blues Mills. Four families were involved in the formation of the assembly, those of Don MacLennan, John MacLennerl, Gordon Cummings, and David MacDonald. Elders have been Don MacLennan, David MacDonald, Dave MacDonald Jr., John Bain, Fred Bartlette, and Don MacNeil. Several workers have been commended by Blues Mills Gospel Hall to the field in Venezuela and to local work. About 60 adults and youngsters attend the assembly.

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In 1909, several brethren from Scotland had come out to work in the coal mines around Sydney Mines on Cape Breton Island, the eastern portion of Nova Scotia. They began an assembly and arranged to hold their first Conference at Christmas, 1910. The Sydney Mines Gospel Hall was erected, but the little assembly was only nicely under way when a split occurred and only a small number remained to carry on. The assembly continues today.

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Early in the 1900s, Breaking of Bread was begun in the home of John H. Archibald at Manganese Mines. Gospel meetings were held in the schoolhouse. But it was a dying community, and the Manganese Mines Assembly ceased when the place was practically deserted.

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Tent meetings and street meetings in the city of Sydney on Cape Breton were conducted from about 1913 to 1917 by preachers such as Messrs. Brennan, J.T. Dickson, Robert Milnes, McClure, and A. Goodwin, with many professing salvations. As a result, an assembly was formed there in February 1927, which continues today, meeting in the Sydney Gospel Hall.

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As a result of the work in Sydney, the Gospel was carried to the fishing village of Port Bickerton on the eastern shore in the early 1920s. This resulted in the start of a meeting in a home and the Port Bickerton assembly was formed. Later a building was obtained for the Port Bickerton Gospel Hall in which the assembly still carries on.

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The River Denys Gospel Hall on Cape Breton Island resulted from Gospel meetings conducted by Isaac McMullen.

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In the early 1930s, a new brethren testimony was established in Halifax after some ‘Grant exclusive’ meetings disbanded. The Halifax Gospel Hall was erected in one of the newer districts.

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In 1955, seventeen people in fellowship at the Halifax Gospel Hall decided to form a new assembly in the capital city of Halifax. These were the Cleveland, Leadbeater, Havill, Miller, King, Thompson, Harvie, Lennox, and Laidlaw families. They met at first at the YMCA on South Park Street, but soon purchased the former Bethany United Church building near the Armdale Rotary and renamed it Armdale Bible Chapel. Svend Christensen was the first full-time resident worker at the new assembly.

The work grew, and in 1959 these Christians purchased a lot at the corner of Frederick and Willett Streets in Halifax for the erection of a new chapel. Fairview Bible Chapel was opened in 1960, having a seating capacity of 150. In 1975, the assembly first recognized elders; these were Ron Harris, Harry Thompson, and Allan Adamson. Fairview called Hal Threadcraft in 1985 to be a full-time pastor, and Bruce Boyce in 1986 to be the youth pastor.

Fairview Bible Chapel continued to grow, and in the early 1980s, two ‘sister’ assemblies were begun in the adjacent city of Dartmouth and in Fall River, a town a little further north. With the blessings of Fairview, 40 adults with their 33 children left to form Colby Drive Bible Chapel in Dartmouth. When Fairview filled up once more, believers living in Fall River area decided to form the Fall River Assembly; 22 adults and 20 children left to form the new church.

The Fairview assembly continued to grow, and two acres were purchased at Rockingham Ridge. Grace Chapel was erected and opened in 1986. John Munro became the full-time pastor in 1992.

Grace Chapel and its predecessors have commended numerous people to the Lord’s work. Attendance grew to 400 adults and children at one time.

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The roots of Northbrook Bible Chapel in Dartmouth lie in an independent church that formed in the early 1950s. That work started in 1953 through children’s meetings and a Sunday School at Tuft’s Cove School. A lot was purchased in 1956 and a building was completed in 1959. A church was formed and called the People’s Church until it was incorporated in 1961 when it took the name Northbrook Bible Chapel. Open-air meetings were common and Bible studies were held in the home of Paul and Carrie Hatt. Ted White was the pastor of the People’s Church until 1961, when he left to become Director of Canadian Sunday School Mission in New Brunswick. The church seems to have had no full-time pastor after that.

In 1968, Ray and Helen Fox came to Nova Scotia from Ontario as self-supporting workers. Mr. Fox sold his business and went full-time into holding open-air Gospel meetings and distributing Gospel literature. He attended Fairview Bible Chapel when in the area. He was invited to speak at Northbrook. His ministry was so helpful that the Board of Trustees asked him to continue and give as much ministry as possible. He agreed and suggested they that he begin with a series on the New Testament church and the priesthood of all believers. The Christians agreed with what he taught, and soon were linked with the brethren.

Mr. and Mrs. Fox moved to Dartmouth in 1970, and Mr. Fox became a full-time worker for Northbrook Bible Chapel. Elders were chosen, and over the years these have been Ray Fox, Ralph Dillman, Don Salmans, and Hubert Hebb. Deacons were also selected. About 130 adults and children are in the assembly.

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Greenland Bible Chapel, known initially as Christian Assembly of Greenland, began in 1968 in the town of Greenland, Annapolis County, toward the west end of the peninsula. Lewis Peck, Harold Smith, George Heidman, and Clark McClelland were those involved in the start-up. Lewis Peck and Willard Peck have shared the leadership of the assembly, which numbers about 60 attending on Sundays.

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Lower Argyle Gospel Hall, near Yarmouth at the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia, began in 1961 with four people in fellowship, and 10 added soon after. The assembly started mainly as a result of efforts by Harold Smith. George Heidman also was involved in the start-up. Harold Smith, Phillip Nickerson, and others have shared leadership. At one point, the assembly had 65 to 70 in fellowship, but many hived-off to start a Christian school, and today about 20 attend the assembly.

The assemblies in Nova Scotia actively support Emmanuel Bible Camp on Prince Edward Island, and Malagash Bible Camp on Nova Scotia.

Sources

• The History of the Pugwash Junction Assembly, by Oswald L. MacLeod, 1995
• John Knox McEwen and Pioneer Work in the Maritimes, by John T. Dickson, Good News *Publishers, Westchester, IL (1968)
• Northbrook Bible Chapel: Heritage Day, September 17, 1995
• The History of Grace Chapel, by Stan Smith,1994
• Remember the Days of Old, by Betty McMullen, unpublished manuscript, New Brunswick, 1999
• Letters of Interest, February 1944, p. 24; March 1944, p. 38; December 1955, p. 15
• Questionnaire Responses