Saskatchewan history

Saskatchewan

Taylorside is a country farm district west of Melfort, which is 100 miles northeast of Saskatoon. The assembly now meeting at Taylorside Gospel Hall had its start in 1902 when Herbert and Hannah Taylor moved from Ontario to the area to begin homesteading. They had been raised Anglican, had been saved in Gospel tent meetings, and had come into fellowship at Deer Lake Gospel Hall in Ontario. Herbert and his two brothers started the assembly, which met initially in the Herbert Taylor log house. In 1908, the Christians built Taylorside Gospel Hall in the area named for the Taylors. Those in leadership have been several of the extended Taylor family, including Jim Foy, Robson Bertram, Roland Seale, and Clifford Paul. The assembly has had a three-day Conference each year since 1936 and has an annual Easter Youth Conference. Many have been saved through the evening Gospel meetings of the assembly, which numbers over 100 today.

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An assembly in Moose Jaw was first listed in the 1908 edition of the city directory. Located at 228 Fairford Street West, the Moose Jaw Gospel Hall was registered in the name of William M. Rae, an itinerant evangelist from Portland, OR. Though the founders of the assembly are not remembered, Mr. Rae is undoubtedly one of them. Early members were Walter Little, Sr., John Campbell Kinloch and his wife Annie, Andrew and Sarah Snowdy, and Mrs. Mary Barley.

In 1911, three Hollands brothers, Charles, Archibald, and Frank, arrived from England. Charles and Archibald and their families played a large part in the assembly for many years. Others at that time were Mrs. Joseph (Brigitta) Lett and her daughter Bertha, Miss Margaret G. Rose, and the Eustace Godfrey family. Most of these had brethren backgrounds.

The Moose Jaw Gospel Hall remained in rented quarters on Fairford until 1935 at which time the assembly moved to the Maybee Block at 121 High Street West. A year later they moved to 124 First Avenue North West. Following World War II, an airport barracks was purchased and moved onto the foundation prepared at 68 Stadacona Street West. In 1949, a chapel was built at that location, and called Stadacona Gospel Chapel.

In addition to those mentioned, active leadership has been provided by William and Mary Wilson, Robert (Sr.) and Mary Farquhar, William and Florence Farquhar, James and Alice Miller, A.L. Stewart, Mrs. Christina Kjarsgaard, Mrs. Leila Coates, Duncan Murray, John and Mrs. Wallace, Ronald Moffit, James Diamond, Marvin Dyck, Stephen Bramer, Bruce Fisk, and John and Karen McCubbing. Mr. McCubbing is the sole elder at present.

Among the many ministries of this assembly of Christians was Salem Hall, a children’s outreach begun by Stanley Wells and continued by William and Florence Farquhar. A number of the sisters went out each week for many years to minister to the residents at Valley View Centre, a facility for the mentally handicapped. During the war, a weekly Gospel radio program was conducted, with messages brought by Stanley Wells, Charles Hollands, and William Farquhar, with occasional guest speakers and with music supplied by members of the assembly. Street corner meetings were held into the late 1940s. A puppet ministry under the direction of Mrs. Karen McCubbing has been presented at assemblies throughout the province and at other evangelical churches. The Strasbourg Bible Camp was started in 1938 with the co-operation of the assemblies at Strasbourg, Moose Jaw, Regina, and Saskatoon.

Stadacona Gospel Chapel has about 50 adults and children in attendance, and has commended missionaries to the Belgian Congo, India, Colombia, Austria, and to various ministries in the U.S. and Canada.

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The assembly at Fairhaven Bible Chapel in Saskatoon was begun in about 1912 by brethren immigrating from England, Scotland, and Ireland. Meeting initially in rented quarters, the Christians in 1914 built Hebron Hall, a small building at Avenue C and 25th Street. A year later, this building was moved to Avenue B and 25th Street, enlarged, and renamed Hebron Gospel Hall. It was often called the Saskatoon Gospel Hall. Those active in leadership from the early days include J. Paxton, W. Marlow, R. Hawkins, W. Wilson, B. Tansley, and A. Matley.

In 1968, the building name was changed to Grace Gospel Chapel. When the area became industrial and families began moving elsewhere, the believers decided to relocate. In 1979, the building was sold, and Fairhaven Bible Chapel was built in the Fairhaven district of Saskatoon. The assembly has commended workers to the Lord’s service in France, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. Fairhaven Bible Chapel has an attendance of about 50, down from about 100 in the 1960s.

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For several years beginning in the 1980s, James Ronald and his wife and family visited door-to-door in their neighborhood of Saskatoon, making contacts, having children’s meetings, and starting summer and winter camps. Many of the children attending these camps came from broken homes. An assembly was begun in the early 1990s, meeting in rented space in an elementary school on Sundays and in the Ronald’s home for midweek prayer and Bible studies. A renovated school bus was used to pick up children for the children’s meetings.

As numbers increased, land was purchased, and with the help of two brothers from Ontario, the Lawson Heights Gospel Hall was constructed at 131 La Ronge Road, Saskatoon in 1995. The assembly has been of great help to area university, college, and nursing students. A two-day conference was held in November 1999, with many young people present.

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The small town of Arborfield lies at the northern part of the farming area of Saskatchewan, toward the eastern side of the Province. It was to that district in early 1921 that Fleming May and Eddie Morton came with the Gospel message. These first meetings were held in the farm home of Will and Nellie Miller. Later Gospel meetings were held in the farm home of Frank and Annie Cummings at Old Arborfield, and also in a rented Orange Hall northwest of Arborfield. Then in the summer of 1922, a Mr. Farmer came for more meetings. Through these meetings, a number of souls were saved, believers taught, and several were baptized. Later in 1922, those saved met in the Miller’s home to Remember the Lord in His death. These were Dave and Edith Lloyd, Henry and Bell Cummings, Albert Cummings, Angus and Annie Miller, Will and Nellie Miller, Mrs. Allport, and Bob and Gladys Melrose. The assembly held the first of its annual Bible Conferences in the early 1930s. A canvas tent was used for the meetings, and meals were served in the vacant Viceroy Cafe.

Mrs. Dafoe’s house, across the road from the Millers, was renovated and served as the meeting place until about 1929, when the Arborfield Gospel Hall was built in the town. For many years, the hall was also used as a school classroom for grades six to eight. In 1980, a larger hall was built on the same location.

Many of the pioneer evangelists were faithful to come to that out-of-the way area of Arborfield and build up the assembly, which continues today with nearly 50 coming to the meetings. After a lapse of some years, the assembly resumed holding annual Conferences in 1993. Recent leaders in the meeting include Floyd Pickering and Wallace Miller.

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The small town of Maidstone is near the western boundary of Saskatchewan. The assembly at Maidstone Gospel Hall began in 1937 in the home of Howard Perry near the town, and derived in part from the Lashburn Assembly, which has since disbanded. C.F. Broadhead from England is credited with starting the assembly, and he along with Howard Perry, W. Broadhead, S.J. Foster, Dick Robertson, and Harry McLaren have been the leaders. Now at the corner of Main Street and 4th Avenue W, Maidstone Gospel Hall consists of eight adults and five children.

Sources

• Questionnaire responses and other correspondence
• God’s Dealings in His Matchless Love & Grace in the Arborfield District, by Vernon Cummings, 1993
• Letters of Interest, February 1980, p. 16