Hamilton Meeting Room, ON

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History

In 1862, when John Nelson Darby traveled to Canada, there seems to have been an existent exclusive brethren assembly already there.

The earliest known correspondent was Alexander Hamilton (b. 1817 Scotland) who was active as early as 1871, and continued for the duration of his life, he died in 1893. Alexander was a chemist who operated a drug store on King St., and resided at 295 E. King St. From ca. 1880-1883, the assembly met at 19 S. McNab St.

Prior to 1878, in an area of modern-day Hamilton known then as Dundas, a separate meeting room may have been planted there. In 1880, its correspondent was a printer named Thomas Somerville. It continued thru 1927. Also before 1878, in the Lynden area, there may have been another meeting room that met thru 1880 with a correspondent of a farmer named Thomas Lemon. In the mid to late 1940's, there also may have been a meeting room in Bartonville.

The subject assembly of this particular article later became known as a Tunbridge Wells assembly by 1909, and operates to this day, its meeting room (2023) is located in the Crown Point East neighborhood.

Locations

  • 84 1/2 Main St. W +1911+

Meeting Times

  • Su B 11am, G 7pm; Tues P 8pm; Thu R 8pm; +1911+

Correspondents

  • W. Crossley +1911+
  • A. Elms +1911+
  • E.B. Cox +1911+
  • A. Fleck +1911+

Divisions

Open

According to a census in 1881, there were 175 PB adherents in Hamilton, which likely included both the forementioned exclusive assembly, as well as the first open brethren assembly, that started meeting in 1874 down the road at 140 MacNab St., which continues today as West Fifth Bible Chapel, Hamilton, ON. The open assembly was planted as a result of Scottish brethren John Carnie, Donald Munro and John Smith, and met initially in the home of Mr. & Mrs. William Fenton at Catherine Street North, who had previously performed evangelistic services in Gore Park.

By 1904, the open assembly included the families of W.A. Wilson, Peter Carroll, William Duncan, George Nunn, C. Maddison, Albert Marks, Arthur Thomas, Robert Patterson, Charles Carter & Edgar Mortimer. By 1912, it also included John Moreland, James Saynor, Angus Munro, John Anderson, and Alfred Best.

Its first correspondent was James Muir, the father of noted evangelist T.D.W. Muir who started the open brethren Central Gospel Hall in Detroit, Michigan. Other correspondents that followed included Mr. Fenton, Abraham Mullings, John E. Taylor, William Wilson, William Duncan, Albert Marks, John Moreland, John Anderson, Guy Cesar, & Gordon Thomson, in that order, thru 1974 when the open brethren history was written.

It is presently unknown whether the Fenton family was previously in fellowship with the EB, as well as others that followed into the opens. There have been at least 10 open brethren assemblies in the Hamilton metro since 1874, including:

  • West Fifth Bible Chapel, Hamilton, ON 1874-present
    • McNab Street Gospel Hall 1876-1970
  • Woodburn Gospel Hall +1884+
  • Nash Road Gospel Hall 1913-present
  • Alberta Hall +1927-1936+
  • Dundas Gospel Hall +1927-1950+
  • Bethany Gospel Chapel +1927-present
    • Bethany Hall +1927-1950+
  • Canada Street Gospel Hall +1936-1990+
  • Stone Ridge Bible Chapel 1952/1994-present
    • Queensdale Gospel Hall 1952-1983+; Queensdale Bible Chapel +1985-1994/1998
  • Cherry Beach Hall +1962+
  • Fruitland Gospel Chapel, Stoney Creek 1962-1983+

See A_Century_in_Retrospect_-_James_Gunn for a 1974 history of OB in Hamilton

Kelly

In 1881, there was a global division that led to the starting of a separate meeting affiliated with William Kelly (KLC) which met at Stoney Creek, now Vinemount, and continues to this day, with services in both English and Arabic.

Raven

In 1889, several other families left in adherence to Frederick Raven, which by 1954 had a meeting on Robins Ave., and another on Rifle Range Road, which by the 1960's was meeting on Emerald Street under the global leadership of James Taylor, Sr. of New York City, New York.

Needed Truth

Sometime prior to 1930, Sheldon Gospel Hall was started, with affiliation with an exclusive group known popularly as "Churches of God", and historically as "Needed Truth" that left the OB in the 1880's, which continues today on Annabelle Street.

Also See

Sources

  • Ancestry.com
  • EB AB's 1877-1882; TW AB's: 2021;