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The Old Methodist Church at Adolphustown (Dorland) Concession 2, Lot 18 Land deeded September 12,
1859 Church dedicated November
11, 1860 Replaced by the current (Dorland)
U.E.L. United Church 1884 "Moved by Br. Joseph Allison, Seconded
by James Foster that there be a church built on lot No 18 in the second concefsion of Adolphustown and that Solomon Wright, Henry
Huffman, Cyrus Roblin, Frederick Box and James Clark be a Building Committee
to agree with the contractor with Power to add John P Dorland to their
number. Carried" Minutes from 1859 On Sabbath, 11th inst., the new Wesleyan
Church, recently erected in the 2nd Con. Of Adolphustown was dedicated. The
new Church is a plain, substantial, frame building, 42 x 54, built in the
Gothic style, without galleries and costing about twelve hundred dollars. November 29, 1860 Napanee Standard Large and valuable sheds have been
erected in connection with Adolphustown Church, and the church itself has
been completely renovated and painted, the whole cost is estimated at about
$430. Christian Guardian June 23 1869
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An Interesting Note The
church cemetery sits to the east and south of the existing church building. There
are five visible gravestones dating before 1859; Mary Helener Peterson
1852, Thomas G. Gibbs 1853, E.G. Dorland 1855, Henry Carr 1856, Low S. Roblin d. Dec. 17, 1847 @ 2 mos. |
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1860 Wallings Map showing “Proposed Site of
Meth. Ch.” |
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1878 Meachams Atlas showing the Old
Methodist Church at Dorland |
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The Deed September 12, 1859 John P. Dorland & Eleanor Dorland (his
wife) to Trustees of the Wesleyan
Methodist Church in Canada; Solomon Wright, Henry
Huffman, Frederick L. Box, James Clark, William Peterson, Joseph E. Gunsolas, Samuel Dorland In consideration of the sum
of twenty-five cents. ¾ of one acre. Part of Lot 18, Conc. 2 Commencing at a post planted
at the southern limit of main road in the second concession of Adolphustown
on the line between Lots number 17 & 18 and --- in a westerly direction
along said road two chains and then in a southerly
direction parallel with the line between the said lots number 17 & 18
three and a half chains and then at right angles in an
easterly direction two chains, then at right angles on the
line between said Lots number 17 & 18, in a northerly direction three and a half chains to
the place of beginning. |
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Subscription List for the Methodist Church on the Second Concession “We the undersigned agree to
pay the amounts annexed to our respective names towards the erection of a Wesleyan Church near John P. Dorland’s
in Adolphustown, the amount payable to Solomon
Wright, James Clark, Cyrus A. Roblin, Frederick Box and Henry Huffman, the Building committee, in
three different instalments; One Third Feb. 1, 1860, One
third, July 1 1860 and the remaining Third Dec. 1 1860. Signed at South
Fredericksburgh, October 4th, 1859.
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Church Dedication – Methodism November 29 1860 Napanee Standard On Sabbath, 11th inst., the new Wesleyan
Church, recently erected in the 2nd Con. of Adolphustown, was
dedicated to the service of Almighty God. Sermons were preached during the
day by the Rev. Wm. Pollard, Chairman of the Kingston District and the Rev.
J. Stinson, D.D., President of the Conference. To most of our readers, the
names of these Ministers are a sufficient assurance that the sermons were
both eloquent and practical, notwithstanding the very bad condition of the
roads and the inclemency of the weather. On the following day, a tea-meeting was held at the
new church which certainly did credit to all connected with it. The writer
does not recollect ever attending a
similar meeting at which everything passed off more happily. Certainly the
ladies performed their part in a manner which could not well be exceeded
anywhere. The great abundance and the splendid manner in which all the
refreshments were prepared was admired by all. We question whether His Royal
Highness himself sat down to a more sumptuous and splendidly prepared banquet
during the times he was the honored guest of the Province. The speeches too,
were such as one seldom enjoys the pleasure of listening to. This may well be
known when our readers are informed that the venerable Col. Dorland and the
Revs. W. Stephenson, W. Pollard and Dr. Stinson were the orators of the
evening. The famed eloquence of Mr. Stephenson, the practical and able manner
of Mr. Pollard and the always happy style of the President, are known by
almost every one of our readers. Suffice it to say that each of them fully
sustained his former reputation. After such an excellent repast and so rare
an intellectual treat, it could hardly be expected that the numerous company
present would feel otherwise than very liberal; and the popular
superintendent, Rev. J.H. Starr, resolved to take advantage of the favourable
opportunity for appealing for assistance to liquidate a debt still remaining
on the building. The response was so favourable that in a few minutes it was
announced that the subscription and sale of tickets together, had amounted to
the handsome sum of about three hundred
dollars – an amount large enough, we were informed, to liquidate the
entire debt, and twenty five pounds over! The new church is a plain, substantial, frame
building 42 x 54, built in the Gothic style, without galleries and costing
about twelve hundred dollars. It is creditable to the enterprise and
liberality of the inhabitants of that respectable vicinity. Adolphustown may justly be termed the cradle of
Canadian Methodism. It was there that the first Methodist Preacher, Losee,
commenced his labours in 1789 or ’90 and the first ordained Methodist Minister, Dr. Dunham, was sent in 1792. It was
there that the first Methodist Chapel was erected about 1792 or ’93. The
first class in Canada was also formed there in 1790. The first Camp Meeting
in British America, we are informed, was held in the same Township, in the
autumn of 1805, on the same lot on which stands the old Chapel. It was also
the scene of the early labours of Case and Ryan, of Dr. Bangs and Wm. And
John Ryerson and many other eminent Ministers, whose names are intimately
associated with the early history of Canadian Methodism. Wesleyan Methodism seems to have been wonderfully
successful in Canada. There are men in our midst that can recollect when it
was first planted here and yet, in so short a space of time, it has become
the large and respectable denomination that we now see. The report of the
last Conference shows that it has now, with its jurisdiction, fifty-three thousand six hundred and
thirty four members, extending from
the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the east, over the rocky Mountains to the
Pacific washed shores of British Columbia on the west and northward to the
hyper-borean regions along the Hudsons
Bay and the Lake of the Woods; a territory larger than the entire continent of Europe. We have it
on the high authority of t the “Canada Directory,” that it has as many
Ministers as all the other Protestant denominations of the Province joined together. Nor are they the
uneducated, illiterate men that they have been represented, in some quarters,
to be; as there is a very fair sprinkling of D.D.’s, A.M.’s, A.B.’s &c.
The Church has its University and College, and its Female College, its
newspaper and magazines and its very extensive and flourishing “book
concern,” with its numerous agencies. Perhaps no other denomination has more
Sabbath Schools and Bible classes. Its churches, many of which are commodious
and beautiful are found in every town and village; and throughout the country
they have service in almost every school house and classes in every neighbourhood.
It boasts of the largest and most prosperous Missionary Society in the
Province, the annual receipts of which amount to over £10,000, and which supports two expensive industrial
schools among the Indians, a printing establishment, day schools,
interpreters and two hundred and thirty salaried agents in various
capacities. In every department the Church shows unmistakable
signs of vitality and prosperity. Verily, God hath honored and blessed
Methodism in Canada. |
