Relics of fire, July 3, 1911, Christ Church Cathedral, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada Post on Flickr by Bill Jarvis.
On July 3, 1911, lightning struck the south-west cormer of Christ Church Cathedral in Fredericton. The resulting fire spread through the roof to the steeple which was also destroyed, along with the chancel. The Cathedral bells fell, and were also destroyed.
The remains of the bells were melted down, and made into dinner bells, which were sold to help raise funds for repairing the damage. These bells have an exceptionally clear and pleasant tone.
Shown here are two of them. They have differences in the cross which serves as the handle. The one on the left is cast in one piece, with the date stamped vertically. The one on the right is cast in two pieces, with the date stamped horizontally. The bells are 53 mm in diameter, and are 80 mm tall.
The bell on the right has been handed down through my family. I believe it was purchased originally by my great grandfather, William Munson Jarvis of Saint John NB. He was prominent in church and diocesan affairs for many years.
Gerry Curry commented:
I have one of these bells too, like the one on the left. It was handed down through my mother's family. My grandmother was born and raised in River John, NS. She married an Anglican minister, but they would have still been teenagers in 1911, so I'm not sure how they got the bell unless there was a general fundraising campaign throughout Maritime churches.
When Anglican Bishop John Medley (1804-1892) arrived from Exeter, England in 1845, he immediately set upon construction of Christ Church Cathedral. Along with his devotion to the Medieval Gothic style, he brought with him the young English architect, Frank Wills, who modeled the Cathedral as a virtual likeness of the late Medieval Church of St. Mary at Snettisham, Norfolk. The Cathedral was the first Canadian building to follow closely the ideals of the Ecclesiological Society, a reformist Anglican movement that sought a return to the architecture of the Middle Ages. Wills left Fredericton for New York in 1849, so the task of final design was given to the celebrated English Architect, William Butterfield (1814-1900). The tower of the Cathedral was the last major part to be constructed, original plans calling for twin towers, but soaring costs led to the choice of a single tower. The building was completed in 1853, and is universally regarded as the most important Gothic Revival building in North America. On July 3, 1911, lightning struck the Cathedral and the resulting fire gutted the spire and destroyed the choir when the bells melted and fell to earth. It took over a year and $100,000 to rebuild the Cathedral, which was administered by New York City architect Cass Gilbert (of Woolworth Building fame). Christ Church Cathedral was declared a National Historic Site in 1983.
An Account of the Laying of the Foundation Stone of the Cathedral in Fredericton, October 15, 1845
Church in the Colonies. No. XI. Diocese of Fredericton. London: The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, February, 1846.
In ancient times the Cathedrals of Old England, which are still the glory and ornament of that country, and are now more visited and admired than ever, were built by the Bishops of the respective Sees, assisted by the multitude of the faithful, who rejoiced to pour their offerings into the treasury of God. In faith the work was begun; the builders died, and left their work unfinished, but others took it up, and by God's help brought it to an end. But the Colonies of England, though every where dispersed, knew no such glory; and for a long season the gathering in of the "unrighteous mammon" seemed to be the sole end of colonization. At length, the note of preparation is heard, and in more than one Colony God's servants "think upon the stones" of his Church, and "it pitieth them to see her in the dust." New Brunswick is one of the first Colonies in which the foundation stone has been actually laid: an event the more remarkable, when we reflect, that no such work has been begun since the Norman Conquest, that is, for the last 700 years; a work in which the goodness of God is manifestly made known towards us.
As many persons are interested in the success of the undertaking, the following account may not be unacceptable.
On Wednesday the 15th of October, pursuant to a notice signed by the Lord Bishop, a procession was formed at the Province Hall, a short time before three o'clock in the afternoon, and the whole body proceeded to the ground in the following order:--
The Band of the 33d Regiment of Foot.
The Officers of the Regiment.
His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor in Military Uniform.
The Members of the Legislative Council.
His Honour the Chief Justice, the Master of the Rolls.
Mr. Justice Carter. Mr. Justice Parker.
Members of the House of Assembly, and Members of the Bar.
The Lord Bishop, bearing his Pastoral Staff.
The Archdeacon, The Bishop's Chaplain,
And 19 other Clergy in their Robes.
Inhabitants of Fredericton and other parts of the Province.
A large multitude accompanied the procession on either side, and when it reached the ground, every place was occupied, the number of spectators being probably between two and three thousand.
The Bishop, presenting His Excellency with a silver trowel, (the gift of Mr. Spahn, of Fredericton,) requested him to lay the foundation stone of the new Cathedral, and, previous to the ceremony, offered up the following Prayer:--
O LORD, mighty and glorious, who fillest all things with thy presence, and canst not be contained within the bounds of heaven and earth, much less within these narrow walls, yet dost vouchsafe to accept the poor endeavours of thy humble servants allotting special places for thy worship; we humbly beseech thee to accept this day's service of separating this place from worldly uses, and marking it out to be hereafter wholly dedicated to thy glorious name. Accept, O Lord, the offering of this spot at the hands of those who have faithfully given it unto thee. Prosper the work, and those who build in it. Make it thy holy dwelling place for evermore. Let it be hereafter consecrated and made wholly thine by the ministry of thine appointed Pastor. Here may prayers, supplications, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men: here may thy sacred word be read, preached, heard, and blessed. And be present with us, O Lord, at this time, and with all who shall hereafter minister or worship in this place; and consecrate us unto an Holy Temple unto thyself, dwelling in our hearts by faith, and thoroughly cleansing us from all worldly and carnal affections, that we may be devoutly given to serve thee in all good works. Thus may we ever continue in the mystical body of thy blessed Son our Lord; and united in the bonds of a true faith, a lively hope, and a never-failing charity, may we, after this short life ended, enter with joy thy everlasting kingdom, and be built up as pillars in the temple of our God, to go no more out for evermore.--Amen.
The prayer ended, the Stone was raised, and His Excellency proceeded to deposit the bottle containing a few coins, with an inscription written on parchment, in a cavity of the large block of granite selected for the Foundation Stone.
The following is a copy of the Inscription:--
In Honorem Dei Opt: Max:
Patris, Filii, et Spiritus Sancti,
Ecclesia¦ hujus Cathedralis
Fundamenta jecit
GULIELMUS G.M. COLEBROOKE, Eques Hanovensis,
Provincial Nova-Brunsvicensis, pro hac vice Legatus,
Res divinas peragente JOANNE MEDLEY,
Episcopo Frederico-politano.
Anno Episcopatus Primo.
Idibus Octob: MDCCCXLV.
The Stone having been lowered with the accustomed formalities, His Excellency proceeded to address those present as follows:--
"My Lord Bishop, Reverend Gentlemen, and Gentlemen,
"Called by your indulgence, and at the special request of you, my Lord, our respected and esteemed diocesan, to take a prominent part in laying the Foundation Stone of this Cathedral about to be erected, I cannot but regard it as an occasion for solemn thankfulness that I should thus be associated.
"To any one who has beheld the noble structures which by the piety of our ancestors have been raised to the honour of God in our Mother Country, I can appeal for an acknowledgment of those feelings which their contemplation awakens. I have ever considered that the elevation of our Gothic spires--contrasted as they are in this respect with the temples of heathen antiquity--are calculated to inspire those lofty and sublime emotions which are the peculiar attributes of our Christian faith.
"To our worthy Bishop, Gentlemen, we are indebted for the pains he has taken in obtaining for us a fine model for the Edifice we are about to raise, and which I may be permitted devoutly to anticipate will long endure after we shall have passed away, though not, as I hope, to be obliterated from the pious remembrances of those who may succeed us and witness its completion.
"There is something at once solemn, impressive, and consoling in the reflection, amidst the perishing elements around us, and the cares and vicissitudes of our brief existence, that we are contributing to rear a solid and imposing structure, to be dedicated to the worship of that Being who has ever existed and will ever exist, and 'whose service is perfect freedom;' and as Englishmen we must feel grateful, that it has pleased Him to put it into the hearts of our fellow-countrymen at home to assist our slender resources in such an undertaking.
"Till this hour, and for more than forty years, we may consider that we have been wanderers in the Wilderness, though not, as I trust, without the Ark being with us in our wanderings, which is henceforth to find a habitation and a resting place.
"It is pleasing also to reflect that--as in the erection of the first Temple, and in the more memorable foundation of the Christian Church--the period chosen for our solemn dedication is one of universal peace--our country, in the full career of her high and honourable destiny, respected amongst the nations of the world for her piety and her charity, as she has been in the day of trial, with the blessing of God, in her martial achievements.
"It has been said, that the sun never rises nor sets upon Englishmen; and wherever it shines upon them, whether in the temperate or the torrid zone, by sea or by land, may they never forget the hand that has hitherto conducted them through perils; or, that they are engaged in the service of Him, who has promised to those who faithfully serve Him, to be with and sustain them always, and to build his temple in their hearts.
"It has been my lot to visit many regions where Englishmen have lived and died, far remote from the sepulchres of their country; and from the sense of desolation to which the impression has often given rise, it is to me an especial consolation to witness in the latter part of my life, the growing expansion in the East and in the West, of our ancient and venerable Church, destined, as I believe, by the Providence which watches over us, and sanctifies our labours, to sustain her part in the spread of the Gospel, the herald of 'peace on earth, and good will towards men.'
"The occasion may not inappropriately suggest to our minds the words of the Prophet--
'Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.
'Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet.'--Isa. xxviii. 16, 17.
The Lord Bishop then spoke to the following effect:--
"Sir William Colebrooke and Gentlemen,
"It affords me the greatest gratification to hear from your Excellency, sentiments to which every Christian heart must respond, and to find myself, on this eventful day, surrounded by the Judges and Law Officers of the Province, by Members of the Legislative Council and House of Assembly, and by men high in station in the Province, and distinguished for their talents, who have, with a unanimity worthy of the occasion, come forward to support this great undertaking. The building a Cathedral in this Province may in some sense be called a National work: for whatever reflects the genius, the piety, and the glory of England, adds lustre to the nation from which the original idea is derived. It is in many other respects important; not only as a national type of the unity of the Church, but as a consecration to God on the part of man of all those gifts which God has been pleased to vouchsafe to him. For when do we glorify God so much as when we consider nothing to be properly our own, when we look upon all as His, lent to us for our use, but to be given back to Him, the great and glorious giver, and employed in His peculiar worship and service. Thus whatever our gifts be, whether they be gold and silver, whether they be wood or stone, whether they be skill in carving, force and eloquence in utterance, sweetness in music, taste in decoration, all are well used and employed, in the material expression of our inward thanks and praise, of our love and devotion to His glorious name.
"A Cathedral Church is also the common home of all; for as it is the Mother of all the Churches in the Diocese, so every one has a right to resort to it without payment, without that exclusive property in seats, alike forbidden in Scripture, and unsanction by the custom of the purest ages of the Church. And I joyfully anticipate the day, whether I live to see it or no, when the full importance of this great principle will be felt, that all men are sinful creatures, desirous to abase themselves in God's sight, and that therefore none should be excluded for want of money, and that there should be no distinction, but between those who serve the people, and those who are served by them. And possibly many who do not yet enjoy the full blessing and privileges of our Church, may yet feel inclined occasionally to enter a building so founded and built up.
"I am well aware that to the foundation of a Cathedral in this Province some persons may object that the money might be better expended than in what appears to them to be a lavish and wasteful expenditure, and needless display of ornament on the house of God. I for one fearlessly appeal to the laity of this country, and plainly ask them, whether the foundation of a Cathedral is not accompanied by a simultaneous movement on the part of the Church, to extend and improver her Missions, and to diffuse the glad tidings of the Gospel to the remotest corners of the Province, and whether there be not an anxiety on the part of the founders of the Cathedral, to promote the welfare of the poorest Church, and of the most uneducated and needy settlers.
"But let us join issue with such objectors on the footing of Scripture; let us ask them, whether they recollect that on a single building, 90 feet long by 30 wide, every part of which was built by express direction from the Almighty, vouchsafed in writing, no less a sum than three or four millions of our money was expended?
"And if under any dispensation whatever, Almighty God would never have sanctioned any thing morally wrong, why should we object to what has the direct sanction of the Old Testament, and is no where forbidden in the New? And when this so much praised plainness is carried out into the houses of the objectors themselves, when, in proportion to their increased means, men cease to ornament and fill with splendid furniture their own 'ceiled houses,' it will be time to let God's house lie waste, and to strip it of the ornaments which a grateful heart may bestow upon it. Such parts, however, of every such building, are probably better bestowed as gifts, than taken from the general fund appropriated for the fabric.
"Having disposed, as it seems to me, of this objection, it remains that I endeavour to impress upon this large assembly the duty of united and zealous co-operation. This Cathedral Church will best be built by our adopting the excellent Cornish motto "One and all;" by our reflecting that if we have little, "we should do our diligence to give of that little;" but if we have ample means, an abundant contribution will alone ensure its acceptance from the Almighty.
"Would to God, indeed, that every one who hears me this day could have worshipped within the walls of one of our glorious Cathedrals in Old England! Then I am sure I should not need to urge on you this duty, but your own zeal would outrun my desires. Recollect, that though built in Fredericton, it belongs to the Province; the design was conceived, and the first contributions were raised in the Mother Country, and it would indeed be a disgrace to New Brunswick if the efforts of Englishmen were not seconded here. But I believe they will be seconded. The attendance here of so many from all parts of the Province, the zeal of all classes and conditions of men, the kind and generous feelings already exhibited, put it beyond a doubt, that if we be only true to ourselves and to God, and do not suffer ourselves to be disheartened by the cry of the desponding, the work will be done; and we, by God's grace, shall live, some of us, to see the topmost stone erected, and it will be a joy to some of the children whom I see around me to say, when they reach old age, My parents helped to rear the stones of that Cathedral Church, and my children's children will rise up and call the builders blessed.
"I have now only once more to return you all my sincere thanks for your kindness in attending, for your active support, and likewise to the Officers and Band of the 33d Regiment, who have so cheerfully rendered their assistance on this solemn occasion.
"Let us conclude, as we began, with prayer."
When His Lordship had concluded his Address, he proceeded to use the following Prayer:--
"O GOD, who hast built thy Church on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Corner Stone; we give thee humble thanks that thou hast called us to the clear knowledge and light of thy Gospel in thy most blessed Son by the Holy Spirit.
"We bless thee that thou hast at this time given us the opportunity to lay the foundation of this House of God. May it be raised in due season to be a most Holy Temple unto thee--'where our prayers may ascend up before thee as incense, and the lifting up of our hands as the evening sacrifice.'
"Finally, we give thee most high praise and hearty thanks for all thy servants departed this life in thy faith and fear. Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and all others, whom thou hast delivered from the miseries of this wretched world, from the body of death and all temptation, and who have committed their souls into thy holy hands, as into sure consolation and rest: whose examples teach us to follow.
"Grant, we beseech thee, that we with them may fully receive thy promises, and be made perfect altogether; and being set on thy right hand in the place where there is neither weeping, sorrow, nor heaviness, may hear those most sweet and comfortable words--'Come to me, ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.'"
The 100th Psalm was then sung by the assembled multitude, the Band taking the instrumental part: after which, the Lord Bishop gave the Blessing, and the Procession moved back to the Province Hall, and dispersed.
A SERMON PREACHED IN CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, FREDERICTON, 2ND SEPTEMBER, 1853, BEING THE FRIDAY EVENING AFTER ITS Consecration, BY THE REV. THEODORE EDSON, D.D., Rector of Lowell, Massachusetts
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling: One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. EPHESIANS iv. 4,5,6.
The subject of this passage and its connexion, is the unity of the Church. This is set forth in the Scriptures every where as of essential importance. In the Old Testament the unity of the Church was guarded by the most express and solemn provisions. The Saviour himself inculcated it in the strongest terms as necessary to its greatest usefulness and efficiency. "That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that the world may know that thou halt sent me." This unity was most earnestly taught and maintained by the Holy Apostles, and beautifully exemplified in the primitive Church.
I will advert in their order to the great principles of this union, as they are named by the Apostle in the text.
THERE IS ONE BODY. The Church is a body: not an abstraction merely: not a theory only: not a spirituality: but a body. A body implies organization, dimensions, form. Applied to a society it denotes limits distinctly marked. It is ONE BODY. The oneness of the Church is a oneness of body. However many its members, however numerous its branches, however diversified its limbs, yet, as the human "body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ," i.e. the Church of Christ. "There is one body,"
AND ONE SPIRIT. For as the human body is animated by its spirit, and that spirit is one and indivisible, so that if a limb be severed from the body the spirit is not thereby divided so [3/4] as to animate alike the separated parts, but remains with the vital portion only; so the Holy Spirit, animating with life and efficacy the body of Christ's Church, is one spirit; and is a principle of union in the Church, as is the spirit of a man in the human body. The unity of the Church is a oneness not only of body but of spirit.
ONE HOPE OF YOUR CALLING. Likeness of condition and wants, of pursuits, of objects and hopes, is a ground of sympathy and a bond of union. This is one of the principles of union in Christ's body, the Church. That all are originally in the same lost condition, all need the same salvation, that all are to be saved by the same general means, and the same process of divine renewal, conducive to the same results on the character here, and all indulging the same blessed hopes hereafter, is an efficient preparation for a practical and delightful union of spirit and bond of peace among the members of Christ. Called in one hope of their calling into the same body, inheriting the same promises, they are united in the same interests, in the same means, and in the like endeavours to make their calling and election sure.
ONE LORD--the proprietor--the owner--the head. We have then one organization of homogeneous material, controlled by one mind, one body, and one spirit, with one head, one will, one source of authority; and that authority, that head, the Lord Jesus Christ, the husband and bridegroom of the Church, who loved the Church and gave himself for it. The members of the Church being thus vitally and directly connected with Christ, He becomes the great and effectual point of union to the body.
ONE FAITH is another principle of union. It is no easy matter, as is well known, to bring a large body of people to think precisely alike on all the various topics which come before them. The Church is an extensive society. And it is the condition of all association that some liberty must be restricted in order to secure the remainder, and to obtain other advantages of union. Men in society are put under a certain degree of restriction in order to preserve their freedom in matters that come within that restriction. This is the true notion of social liberty. The highest degree of civil liberty is attained and secured only by preserving the proper balance between restriction on the one hand and freedom on the other. [4/5] The Church has ever recognized this principle, as well in matters of faith as of practice. There are certain truths which are essential, being the very instruments in the hands of the Spirit of practical salvation. The essential truth, which he that believeth may be saved, the faith, so called, is one; and herein there must be union in the Church, otherwise her foundations are subverted. In the essentials of faith there must be agreement. But by the good Providence of God these essentials are very few, plain and distinct. They are comprized in that primitive, and by the Church universally received formula, the Apostles' Creed. This is the faith into which her members are baptized, that to which they as christians are pledged when they are initiated into her pale. Herein her faith is and ever has been one and the same.
You will observe that these distinctive, and saving, and consequently essential articles of the christian faith, are expressed in terms of extensive comprehension. In drawing the line of restriction the Church has made the circle so large as to comprehend the greatest freedom of opinion compatible with union in the essentials of the faith. By adopting the happy medium she secures union on the one hand and freedom on the other. The enlarging of the platform of faith can be done only by throwing out essential doctrine and marring the system of divine truth. By increasing the articles required restriction is increased, the platform is narrowed, liberty is infringed, schism is provoked, and the oneness of the faith violated. That the Church in her ancient Creeds has taken the true medium of restriction, whereby she bath kept the faith, and of freedom of opinion whereby she hath kept the unity of spirit in the bond of peace, has been tested by her long experience in the use of one and the same Creed from the Apostolic to the present age.
And observe the perfectly practical method whereby she holds and inculcates this unity of faith. She introduces her Creeds into her Liturgy, so that on every occasion of public worship her members,--men, women and children,--are called upon audibly to repeat and openly profess belief in the several articles of the christian faith. Thus these great truths, the very implements of the soul's salvation, are kept constantly before the mind. Then these same truths are so incorporated throughout her services, are made the very framework of prayer, are interwoven with all our wants, as argument and encouragement with God, as impulse and direction to the affections, so interwoven are they with the warmest devotions of the heart, [5/6] quickening the energy of supplication, and inspiring the confidence of filial trust, that they obtain lodgement in the best feelings of the soul, they become inscribed on the enduring tablet of the heart, with the cumulative authority of successful experiment. Thus the oneness in matters of faith is not a mere head work only, our devotions are so imbued with them, that we pray them into our very heart, "one Lord, one faith," and
ONE BAPTISM. This is the ordinance whereby we are incorporated into the body of Christ's Church. It is the sacrament of initiation to membership, the line of distinction which marks the limits of the society. That simple, solemn institution of Christ himself, for the express purpose of admission to his Church, whereby the Apostles admitted every member whom they received when they went forth among the various nations of the earth, actually became the form of initiation in all the branches of the Church; so that a person thus admitted in one branch was received as a member in all other branches. The one baptism was acknowledged among all the different tribes and kindreds of the earth wherever the body was to be found. However the distant branches might become diversified in matters non-essential, however they might vary the unprescribed ceremonial of the transaction, yet the washing with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, was the. one baptism, into the one faith, practised and professed by all, whereby a member thus admitted was a member of the whole body. On this fundamental point the practice of all branches of the Church of Christ was and has been essentially the same. And to this day the one baptism marks, before God, before the Church, and before the world every member of the one body.
ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL, WHO IS ABOVE ALL, AND THROUGH ALL, AND IN YOU ALL. In this oneness of God the Father, who is over all, reference seems to be made to that superintending divine Providence which, in all past time, has so signally interposed to preserve the Church in its integrity; which Providence, being that of the same God and Father, we have reason to hope, will overrule to promote the welfare and the oneness of the same body. And through all, refers to that one and the same blessed spiritual influence which, like an unbroken cord running through all branches and members of the body, becomes a strong bond of union to the whole. And in you all, alludes to that precious indwelling of God, that [6/7] participation of the divine nature, that manifestation of the Saviour's presence to the souls of true believers, whereby He is said to dwell in them and they in Him agreeably to his gracious promises. "If a man love me he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." "And I will manifest myself to him." I in them and thou in me." "Behold I stand at the door and knock: If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me." "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith." "He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him." "So he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." "As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God." "Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you." "That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." "One God and Father, in you all." Amazing truth! A wonderful bond of union is this! In the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ he offers and gives himself to be taken and received by the faithful; thus renewing their spiritual life, increasing and strengthening their vital union with himself and with each other. "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread." By the right and frequent partaking of that one bread are we made of the one body: union with the Church is strengthened and sustained, Christ is received. He gives us his flesh to eat, comes unto us and dwells in us, God the Father, Spirit, Son, over all, through all, and in you all!
Such brethren is the oneness of the Church, and such are some of the great principles of Christian union, as the same are enumerated by Saint Paul in the text. Schism is a state of separation from the great body of the Church by the sundering of some or all of these ties. It is a grievous sin against the body of Christ, fraught with manifold evils to the community, and with great danger to the transgressor. Christians are liable to fall into sin. Surrounded by temptations and inclined to evil, they are too frequently ensnared; and while they should be lights in the world, and examples to others, they may themselves become sadly involved in sin. When they violate the third commandment they commit the sin of profaneness. When they indulge in evil speaking they violate [7/8] the ninth commandment, and commit the sin of slander. When they transgress the tenth commandment they commit the sin of "covetousness, which is idolatry." And so the violation of these principles of Church union is sin against the welfare of His Church, who prayed, and labored, and suffered, that its members might be all one. And as there are (it may be) many christians who are guilty (it is to be feared) of the sins of covetousness, and of slander, so is it to be feared there are many christians guilty, more or less, of the sin of schism.
Sins may be committed ignorantly. Saint Paul persecuted the Church ignorantly. It was a grievous wrong notwithstanding. God knows what deductions to make for the ignorance of the offender, and how to estimate rightly the offence. One may be in a state of schism through ignorance. But when duly admonished it behoves him to inform himself. He must not willingly continue in ignorance when he might have the means of knowing. Ignorance is but a poor excuse to him who intentionally retains it.
One may have been born in a state of schism, and may have received all his early training under its influence. However such circumstances may, in his case, extenuate the guilt of schism, which is not for us to decide, they do not supersede its mischiefs. An infant child may be nursed at the breast of an inebriate, and even fed with intoxicating drinks. And how far his consequent habits of intemperance are chargeable to his own fault, it is hard to say. But of the mischiefs of drunkenness, there can be no question. God only knows how to distribute the responsibility with perfect accuracy, and how to dispense a righteous judgment. There is great danger lest one bred in schism should never be persuaded to renounce it. The strong influence of early convictions involves the soul in a snare from which reason and truth may not be able to deliver.
Associated as we are in society, there is great danger of partaking in the errors and wickedness-of those around us. Thus many of the primitive christians were so situated in the midst of surrounding idolatry, as to make it exceedingly difficult to take and maintain such a course as should not involve them at all in the idolatrous practices of their relatives and neighbours. So is it difficult for us always to avoid giving encouragement to the prevailing schism with which we unavoidably come in contact. The holy Scriptures are not wanting in admonitions on this subject. Saith Saint John, "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that [8/9] biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evil deeds." And Saint Paul cautions Timothy not to "be partaker of other men's sins." Difficult as it may, at times, be to avoid participation of the sin of schism, so rife around us, yet it should not be forgotten that it is a sin productive of enormous mischiefs, which we cannot countenance and encourage without partaking of the guilt thereof.
We christian brethren are highly privileged in that we belong to a Church not in a state of schism, but of the one body, the body of Christ: As a body in connexion with Christ: by a connexion with which we have connexion with Christ our Head "Members of Christ," and if faithful to these principles of union, "children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven."
And one Spirit--as not spirit without body, so not body without spirit. Let christians feel continually (and they cannot feel it too impressively) their entire dependence in all outward ministrations of the Church upon that Divine Spirit, which inspires and animates the body. Let every outward exercise be but the form of the spiritual, every external, the expression of its internal.
And be united in the hope of your calling. Aim at one and the same point of attainment. Use the same means for the same ends. The will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you is your sanctification. Your greatest fitness for Heaven, is the purpose of the Church, by training in God's worship, and by subjecting you to the enlightening influence of His truth. Keep this object in view. With singleness of aim, with urgency of effort, press onward in the same way which Christ bath consecrated, toward the mark of the prize of your high calling.
One Lord, who must be our Lord, our Supreme Master, whose will we must obey, whose interest we must serve, even the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of the Church, its Proprietor, its Head, the Chief Corner Stone of its foundation. We must have the one Lord, and the same which the Church has and ever has had, and no other. Not an imaginary Christ, not a mere man, not a superior creation of angelic nature, not a fanciful being, but He, the same that founded the Church, declared it to be a perpetual institution, and promised to be with it to the end of the world, its Head, its Lord. This Lord must be our Lord; His will, our will; His word, our law.
One Faith must we have, and that the same which was once delivered to the Saints, the Church, and transmitted in her [9/10] Creeds. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." But what Christ? The Christ of the Church. Christ as set forth in articles of "the Faith once delivered to" her, and which she has transmitted. Believe these truths of Christ, the Christ set forth therein. Receive, embrace, confide in this Christ, "and thou shalt be saved:" The one Faith and the same from its first delivery till now.
One Baptism, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, must we be baptized with. "He that believeth (the one Faith) and is baptized, shall be saved." It is by baptism that we are connected with the one body of Christ, are made members of Christ, children of God, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. "Our Saviour Christ saith, None can enter into the kingdom of God except he be regenerate and born anew of water and of the Holy Ghost." "Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again." Let the unbaptized yield themselves to this positive requirement of Christ; and in the exercise of Repentance and Faith, and in submission to His will and authority, be received into the body of His Church, and be made partakers of the promises and hopes with which the Lord hath endowed His spouse. Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; that one Spirit which animates the one body, into which ye are incorporated by the one Baptism.
And let it be remembered that this incorporation is to be quickened and sustained by frequent communion with the body by prayer, and by the faithful use of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. That bread which he gives is his flesh, which he gives for the life of the world. And thus, feeding his people, he dwells in them, and they in him, and the Spirit bath his Temple of their bodies, and dwells within them, and the Father makes his abode within them. The one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, is also in all the true and faithful members of this one body: "which is His body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." So that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, (amazing condescension!) dwelleth in them. "That ye" saith the Apostle, "that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."
FREDERICTON: PRINTED AT THE ROYAL GAZETTE OFFICE BY J. SIMPSON, QUEEN'S PRINTER. 1853.
Many Anglicans in the Diocese will know the name Pickett-Scovil, but did you ever wonder who these people were?
In our Diocese, the Pickett-Scovil Memorial Fund, administered by the Anglican Church Women (ACW), assists retired clergy and widow(ers) with dental and medical expenses not covered by medical plans and Medicare.
Elizabeth Scovil, a nurse, started the fund in 1910 with friend and fellow nurse Lucy Vail Pickett, and...
Ben and Deborah Johnson with Ollie, one of their dogs. Luna is pictured in the slideshow below, in the living room.
When Deborah and Ben Johnson purchased their George Street home two and a half years ago, they knew they were purchasing an historically significant building. But until they started peeling the layers back, they probably didn’t realize just how much Fredericton history was contained within those many plastered walls. Included in that history, is a period relevant to the history of Christ Church Cathedral.
But let’s start at the beginning of Ben and Deborah’s story and how they became (in their words), “the caretakers” of this historical property.
Ben and Deborah were living in Starlight Village in Hanwell, when they decided the time had come to build their dream home. The blueprints were finalized and they had purchased the perfect piece of property to start seriously thinking of construction. Knowing that it would be a one or two year project, they decided to look for a downtown, two apartment house that they could live in and rent out while that construction took place. Their real estate agent was given the task of finding that house. And as luck – or fate – would have it, the George Street property was about to go on the market. Even though it clearly wasn’t a two apartment building, Ben and Deborah thought, “This isn’t the one but why not take a look at this beautiful home”. Upon entering the house, just one look at the grand staircase was all it took. And the rest really is history!
The exterior of the house. Interior photos can be seen in the slideshow below.
The current George Street house was constructed facing Church Street in 1840. It was a modest two storey home which grew in 1870, when it’s owner George Frederick Gregory, Judge of the Supreme Court of New Brunswick and Mayor of Fredericton decided to build an addition fronting on George Street. This addition was also two storey and the house increased significantly in size and grandeur. Mayor Gregory and his family lived here until his passing in 1910. In 1912, the property was purchased by Christ Church Cathedral Bishop and Chapter as the Residence for the Most Reverend John Richardson, Archbishop of Fredericton, resided here with his wife, Dora and family until his death. The house was owned by Christ Church Cathedral until 1938. While Richardson family resided here, the third and final addition was added, also fronting on George Street, and this addition was his official office and became known as the Bishop’s Library.
Ben and Deborah believe that it was this addition that really brought the original two houses together architecturally. It is currently listed in the National Historic House Registry specifically for those many architectural details.
The house went on to have several more interesting incarnations. After the death of Bishop Richardson, the house was purchased by Dr. Cowie, a Fredericton family physician. At that time, the hospital was housed just a block or so away on Church Street. Rumour has it that at one time, a tunnel ran from the George Street house to the hospital. But rumour also has it that a tunnel ran from George Street to the Cathedral in the Bishop’s time! Perhaps both Bishop Richardson and Dr. Cowie disliked cold winter walks.
In 1959, the house was sold to UNB and became Murray House, a student residence, and the Bishop’s Library was used as the Common room, quite a change from a Bishop’s office!
In 1982, it was purchased by Sam and Yolande Rubinstein who turned it into “The Very Best Bed and Breakfast’ which thrived as a B&B under their ownership for many years. The Church Street portion was turned into three one-bedroom apartments by the Rubinstein’s and the five bedrooms on the second floor became the guest rooms. Each bedroom had its own electric fireplace and ensuite bath added by the Rubinsteins. During this time, theatre folk performing at Fredericton’s Playhouse were among the many guests.
When the Rubinsteins decided to move to Calgary in 2019 to be nearer their grandchildren, the house changed hands again, this time, the purchasers intended to turn it into an Air BNB. Those plans were thwarted two years later, when despite significant renovation, COVID raged, travel was restricted and the Air BNB business did not thrive.
Original cabinetry in the Bishop's library.
Enter Deborah and Ben in May of 2021. After visiting with them (and with Ollie and Luna, the resident dogs), we feel certain that all past owners would be very content with the current interior design and decoration. We were very pleased to visit when decorating for the Christmas Season was in full swing. Ben and Deborah really do regard themselves as “caretakers of an historic property” and have done all renovations with this in mind. Right down to the removal of five to six layers of asphalt and cedar shingles, preserving plaster walls, repairing crumbling chimneys, updating the kitchen and more, they have been conscious of marrying today’s convenience with an eye to preserving the architectural history of the home.
The Bishop’s Library, as seen below, has had many of the original features restored and highlighted. The bookshelves and cabinetry are original as are the glorious stained glass windows. The fireplace, although not a working fireplace, has had the original interior details restored. We think Bishop Richardson would be more than happy with his office were he to pop by for a visit!
Thank you to Ben and Deborah for sharing their home in this way with the Cathedral Congregation and visitors to our website. We don’t have to wonder what the next incarnation of this fine residence will be. Ben and Deborah already have that worked out! While they love living here and will be sad to leave, their dream home is still calling. But the property will remain in the very caring competent hands of these two. Their plan is to turn it into a “shared living home” where five like-minded women can each rent their own room with private bath while sharing common spaces. They have a list of interested people, but are open to adding to that list if this concept appeals to you!
Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed the pictures and story of one of Fredericton’s loveliest historic properties!
The woodcut piece in the Lady Chapel at Christ Church Cathedral is by New Brunswick artist John Hooper.
English-born artist best known for his polychromed carved wood sculptures, Hooper spent much of his youth in China and served as a captain in the British Army in India in 1944. He was educated at the Royal College of Art and Bournemouth College of Art and studied with sculptor Jacob Epstein. After working at the University of Natal in South Africa from 1956-1962, Hooper moved to New Brunswick where he was hired to establish the art program for Saine John schools. He worked as a teacher for many years before devoting himself fulltime to his art practice in 1974. Hooper was the sculptor of the celebrated bronze figure of Terry Fox that faces Parliament Hill in Ottawa. (from Ar(T)chives: Visual Treasures from the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick - a booklet accompanying the exhibition at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery December 2022-May 2023)
"Archives are more than simply repositories of paper documents, ledgers, and census volumes; they often hold artistic treasures that tell an entirely different story than one containing only the written word. In partnership with the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, we are pleased to present some of the most beautiful and fascinating visual records of New Brunswick (and Canada, for that matter) that you may ever see."
An illustrated booklet, available at the gallery, includes several works featuring Christ Church Cathedral, including architectural designs of the stonework, a pencil sketch showing the Cathedral and the Parish Church, and a watercolour sketch for the Reredos. Visit the exhibit to explore other treasures!
'It Remains for Me to Say', a book containing the memoirs of Archbishop Harold Lee Nutter is available for purchase at the Diocesan Synod Office for $28 (plus postage if required). Drop by the Synod Office upstairs in Memorial Hall, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. or email <office at anglican.nb.ca> for details. The book, edited by Archbishop Nutter’s son Andrew (Bruce) Nutter, tells a fascinating story of a long Anglican life.
A description of the book is below.
It Remains for Me to Say
The Memoirs of Archbishop Harold Lee Nutter
edited by his son Andrew with a foreword by David Adams Richards
After he retired the Archbishop recorded his memoirs for the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick in 1992. They have had to be extensively culled but tell a fascinating story of a long Anglican life.
Harold Nutter was born in Welsford and named after his uncle whose name is included on the memorial at Vimy Ridge following his death in the Great War. His mother died of tuberculosis when he was nine. Unlike other boys of his age, interested in hunting and fishing, Harold began studying Greek at the age of twelve. His father, who ran the village grocery store, found his son’s unusual interest difficult to explain to fellow villagers.
In his first year at Mount Allison a devastating fire destroyed the men’s residence just before Christmas in 1941. Harold had been assigned to a top floor room with four other boys, but several days before the fire, the Dean of Residence moved him to another room on the same floor. Sadly, all the boys from that earlier room died understandably leaving Harold to wonder why he should be spared.
Later he was the recipient of five honorary degrees, a member of the Order of Canada, and a social reformer under New Brunswick premier Louis Robichaud. He was offered the Lieutenant Governorship of the province, and a seat in the Senate.
The Archbishop was sounding alarm bells in the later part of his episcopate over the wayward and woke direction of his beloved church. His writings now seem prescient.
"Building on the Past to Sustain the Future: Recommendations and observations from the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals Workroom series (2021) on building reuse for climate action."
It is a great advocacy and communication tool that provides clear information on why old buildings are necessary for fighting climate change. The paper also contains excellent resources should you wish to delve into this topic further.
it takes between 10 and 80 years
Here is just one of many important notes to take away from the green paper:
"[…] it takes between 10 and 80 years for a new building that is 30% more efficient than an average-performing existing building to overcome, through efficient operations, the negative climate change impacts related to the construction process. (Preservation Leadership Forum, 2016)"
We need positive climate action now, not in 10-80 years. The next question also becomes clear... is the lifespan of a new material or building long enough to overcome the negative climate impacts of production and construction (embodied carbon)?
We hope you find the paper thought-provoking and encouraging. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this topic further, please feel free to get in touch.
Since Queen Elizabeth II's death, many people have been reflecting on her life of service to her country, the Commonwealth, and the Church.
The Queen traveled to New Brunswick five times, visiting Christ Church Cathedral during her time in Fredericton. Here are photos of some of those visits.
In 1951, Princess Elizabeth signed the Royal Bible while in the Cathedral. In the photo below, you can see Dean Gray on the left, Bishop Morehead on the right, and Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh behind Bishop Morehead.
Here you can see the signatures written in the Cathedral's Royal Bible.
In this photo, Princess Elizabeth is seen leaving the Cathedral in 1951 with Bishop Morehead.
This National Film Board documentary of the 1951 royal tour shows a brief clip of the royal motorcade passing admirers outside of the Cathedral, and then visiting UNB. Scroll to the 42:10 minute mark.
Queen Elizabeth attended worship in the Cathedral in 1984, while in New Brunswick to celebrate the Bicentennial. She is seen in this photo, with Bishop Nutter wearing the mitre. Behind him is Dean Noseworthy. Prince Philip is standing behind the Queen.
The Government of New Brunswick has prepared a video tribute to Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's life and the everlasting legacy she left in New Brunswick.
A provincial commemorative service (Choral Evensong and Memorial) for Her Late Majesty will be held in Christ Church Cathedral at 2:00 p.m. on September 19, 2022.
She led a truly remarkable life.
Rest eternal grant unto her, O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon her.
The remains of the bells were melted down, and made into dinner bells, which were sold to help raise funds for repairing the damage. These bells have an exceptionally clear and pleasant tone.
When Anglican Bishop John Medley (1804-1892) arrived from Exeter, England in 1845, he immediately set upon construction of Christ Church Cathedral. Along with his devotion to the Medieval Gothic style, he brought with him the young English architect, Frank Wills, who modeled the Cathedral as a virtual likeness of the late Medieval Church of St. Mary at Snettisham, Norfolk. The Cathedral was the first Canadian building to follow closely the ideals of the Ecclesiological Society, a reformist Anglican movement that sought a return to the architecture of the Middle Ages. Wills left Fredericton for New York in 1849, so the task of final design was given to the celebrated English Architect, William Butterfield (1814-1900). The tower of the Cathedral was the last major part to be constructed, original plans calling for twin towers, but soaring costs led to the choice of a single tower. The building was completed in 1853, and is universally regarded as the most important Gothic Revival building in North America. On July 3, 1911, lightning struck the Cathedral and the resulting fire gutted the spire and destroyed the choir when the bells melted and fell to earth. It took over a year and $100,000 to rebuild the Cathedral, which was administered by New York City architect Cass Gilbert (of Woolworth Building fame). Christ Church Cathedral was declared a National Historic Site in 1983.
