The establishment of religious services was an early
priority in the Pipestone settlement as elsewhere. Throughout the
1880’s a home or a school house often doubled as a place of
worship. Building a church could have to wait.
Mrs. Bulloch, in Pioneers of the Pipestone gives this excellent account
of religious life in the new community:
“The first church service on record was held out of doors on the banks
of the river. A shelter for the oxen been built and under this a few
men gathered. A missionary had come to pay a visit to these earliest
settlers and he gathered a few of them together and held his first
service.
Among those present were Mr. George Campion, who gave the
writer an account of the meeting, Mr. James Lothian, Mr. Walter Crask
and some of the McKinnons. Rev. Dow visited the settlement on May 15th,
1883, and it is altogether likely it was he who held this service on
the river bank.
On August 12th 1883, the first service in a building was held at the
McKinnnon’s, some thirty being present.
On August 31st, 1884, the organization of the Presbyterian
Church took place, the service being held in McKinnon's barn loft,
about fifty being present; the Reverend Doctor Robertson
officiated at this meeting. Managers elected to carry on the work were:
Thomas Bulloch, George Forke, James Lothian, J. McKinnon and G. Hatch.”
The first man to be stationed in the district was Reverend Haig who
preached at McKinnon's and then at a second appointment at the home of
Mr. Thomas Bulloch.
Reverend McLean was the second minister to be sent to the district and
the third, Reverend McLeod. These men preached at McKinnon's and
Bu1loch's and this arrangement was carried on until the building of the
school house in 1887. The services held in the school drew people from
a very large territory. Many splendid men ministered to the people
during these years and it was not an easy task, especially during the
winter months.
After the first years when the men already mentioned took
charge of the work, a long list followed and among those who come
especially to mind are the Reverend G. Gunn, whose home was at Selkirk,
and who was a descendent of one of the prominent families in the first
days of the Red River Settlement, and Reverend J. A. Bowman, who was
later head of the Employment Service in Winnipeg.
Another man who came a bit later but can still be included among those
who served in the early days was Reverend McQuarrie, an elderly man of
splendid education, who had taken a medical course as well as his
theological training. His ministry was very greatly but the work was
harder for him as he was not accustomed to pioneer conditions and the
getting about from place to place in winter months was rather an
ordeal.
In 1889 the Methodist Church sent Reverend Halsell to the district and
from that time the two denominations were represented, the services
being held in the school house and each minister having other
appointments. In this church also many fine men ministered and it was
that body, which after the town began, erected the first church in
Reston.
Adapted from Trails Along the Pipestone, page 462
Adapted from Pioneers of the Pipestone. page 31 - 33
The Methodist Church and Parsonage.
The Methodists were the first to erect a church in Reston.
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