Did you know once there were two Presbyterian churches in Goderich? Or that Knox Presbyterian Church in Goderich sponsored the first Wolf Cub Pack in Canada? Or that when Knox Church was rebuilt in Goderich after a devastating fire in 1950, it received the Governor General's Silver Award for most outstanding ecclesiastical building in Canada?
These are just a few of the interesting facts you will learn by reading the new history book, We Love To Tell The Story, produced by Knox Church to recognize 170 years of Presbyterianism in Goderich. The 114-page book, featuring more than 100 photographs, was launched September 10th at a "Yesteryear Dinner" held at Knox. In keeping with the church's upcoming 170th anniversary in October, the dinner's menu reflected favourites of the mid-1800s to early 1900s and grandparents were the honoured guests.
The history book was eight months in the making by a committee of Knox Goderich members consisting of Fran McLean (chair), Dwayne Rising of the Goderich Print Shop (publisher), and a writing team of Ann Coulter, Carol Egener, Eleanor Erskine, Richard Madge, Colleen Maguire (photo editor), Diane McIntosh, Diane Osborn, Sandy Sowerby and Joanne Walters (copy editor). The book builds upon and continues the story of 150 Years of Presbyterianism in Goderich, a booklet published in 1985. The late John Stringer and the late James Coulter served as editors of this booklet and the current committee is indebted to them for their historical research dating back to 1830.
We Love To Tell The Story features all the Presbyterian ministers who have served Goderich since 1835 and the major developments in the church during each of their ministries, one of the main ones being the union of two Presbyterian congregations, St. Andrew's and Knox, in 1875, and another being the decision to keep the Presbyterian denomination rather than unite with the Methodist and Congregational Churches in Canada during the "Church Union Crisis" of 1925. There are also several stories and photos of the fire which destroyed the Knox Goderich building in 1950 and its triumphant re-opening in 1952.
The book lists ordained ministers and missionaries from Knox Goderich who have served in many parts of Canada and the world and features a story on each of the four organists who have served Knox Goderich since 1985. The second half of the book is dedicated to organizations and groups within the church and talks about Knox's many outreach projects, including the building of a school in Nicaragua. It also features stories on special annual services such as Kirkin' O' The Tartan which celebrates Scottish heritage
and the Mariners' Service which dates back to 1903 when it was called the Sailors' and Fishermen Service (it was re-named following the Great Storm of 1913).
One of the most poignant parts of the book is the "Honour Rolls" section which features short stories on some of the many Knox Goderich members who served in the First and Second World Wars, including memories of two men who lived in concentration camps as youths and one who remembers fleeing his home in Holland as a five-year-old boy.
If you would like to purchase a copy of We Love To Tell The Story, contact the Knox Goderich church office at (519) 524-7512 or Fran McLean at (519) 524-1816.
A Fateful Journey
Following is an excerpt from the "Memories" section of the book contributed by Madeleine Edward, long-time active member of Knox Goderich and daughter of the Rev. David J. Lane, minister of Knox Goderich (1931-41). She was the catalyst behind this section, providing names and addresses of people who grew up attending Knox Goderich but had since moved away. One of Madeleine's most amazing memories could have resulted in her not even being here to relate them to us.
"In 1939, Madeleine and fellow Goderich Collegiate teacher Marjery Ackerman, went to Europe for the summer. When Sarah Weir of Goderich learned they were going to be in Scotland, she asked them to deliver a parcel to her mother who was celebrating her 100th birthday. Mrs. Weir was unsure if she would get to the birthday event in time as she was still awaiting passage. Madeleine and Marjery arrived in Leith, Scotland in time for the party and dropped off the gift.
"Marjery's sister Dorothy had been on a teacher exchange program in England for the past year and was returning to Canada. A young British man, Ken Payne, who was "smitten" with Dorothy, escorted Madeleine and Marjery around London and tried to talk them into staying an extra week in England. This would mean going home on the Athenia instead of the Leticia, a Cunard sister ship of the Athenia which they were already booked on. Ken reasoned they didn't have to be back in Canada for a week because school didn't start until then. He drove them to a travel agency in London to make alternate arrangements. On the way, Madeleine and Marjery discussed the consequences of changing plans. First, they had run out of money and second, if anything happened to delay their arrival back in time for their first staff meeting with A.R. Scott, the strict new Goderich Collegiate principal, they could be in trouble. They decided to stick with their original plan. Madeleine was happy that on the trip home on the Leticia, the waters were "calm as a millpond". The Athenia, although a passenger ship, was one of the first casualties of the Second World War when it was torpedoed. Fred Weir, Knox Goderich elder, returning home from holiday in Scotland with his wife, the aforementioned Sarah, drowned. Sarah survived and continued as a faithful member of Knox Goderich until her death many years later. Madeleine and Marjery often asked themselves, "Why were we guided NOT to change plans to go on the Athenia?"
"Madeleine explains an interesting connection between the Leticia and Knox Goderich. Right after her trip home on the Leticia, it was commandeered by the Canadian Navy and served as a hospital ship for the remainder of the war. The commanding officer was Dr. Harold Taylor, a Goderich native and member of Knox Goderich. He was the father of Libby, who married Dr. Ken Lambert, a retired Goderich surgeon."
© The Goderich Signal-Star 2005
