For
both Methodists and Presbyterians, North America was yet another forum
for the manifestation of Old World schisms. By 1834 there were two
Presbyterian congregations in York, each taking an opposing side over
the issue of state-funded religion.
The Irish
Secessionist Presbyterian Reverend James Harris (1793-1873) came to
York in 1820 and soon after began to organize a congregation(1). A church and lands were donated in 1821 by Jesse Ketchum [site 7, 8], Harris’ future father-in-law(2). The congregation consisted of about 400 Irish and American tradesmen and artisans(3). As part of the United Synod of Upper Canada, the Harris church did not support statefunded religion(4).
The Presbyterian Church was the Church of Scotland. However until 1830 most Scotsmen in York chose to attend St. James’ [site 17] because it was an established church(5).
In 1830, with the help of the Glasgow Colonial Society, the 71st and
79th Highland Regiments and Presbyterians in Montreal and Kingston, St.
Andrew’s Presbyterian Church was built(6).
This second Presbyterian church in York was located on the southwest
corner of Church and Newgate (now Adelaide), and was designed by
congregation member John Ewart [sites 3, 5, 6], with a spire added in 1841 by John G. Howard(7). It served as a place of worship until 1878(8).
Conflicts
over state-funding between the two churches continued until 1834 when
some of St. Andrew’s members joined with the former Harris
congregation to create the Free Church(9). This new church, founded on the principal of absolute separation of Church and State, later became Knox Presbyterian Church(10). Radicals, like William Lyon Mackenzie [site 23], were quick to leave St. Andrew’s for Knox over these issues(11). All of this tension added to the unsettled nature of Toronto prior to the 1837 Rebellion. |
Notes
- Martyn, Original Toronto, p.36.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
- Armstrong, A City in the Making, p.172.
- Ibid.
- Firth, p.lvii.
- Arthur, pp.46-7.
- Ibid.
- Martyn, The Face of Early Toronto, p.67.
- Firth, p.lvii.
- Ibid., p.lviii.
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