By Ella Hillier
Special To The Beaver
One of the first Anglican churches in Ontario, St. John’s in Bath, will hold a 230th anniversary celebration on Sept. 10. A special service is planned for 10 a.m. in the church, followed by a reception at St. John’s Hall from 11 a.m. til 1 p.m.
Bishop Michael Oulton and local elected officials will attend. The church and hall are located at 216 Church Street (County Road 7) in Bath. St. John’s congregation invites and welcomes all to attend.
In view of this 230-year milestone, here are a few interesting facts about St. John’s.
St. John’s Church in Bath as it appeared in 1877. The first church was built on the site in 1794. (Mary Davy)
n In 1787, Rev. John Langhorn, Church of England clergyman, was accepted by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel as a missionary to the Loyalist settlements. He made his home in Bath (called Ernestown). On alternate Sundays Rev. Langhorn conducted services for two home congregations: St. John’s in Bath and St. Paul’s in Fredricksburgh.
n For years, Rev. Langhorn was the only minister west of Kingston who had legal authority to perform the marriage ceremony. He would only do so in one of the churches and before 11 a.m.. Whoever came after that time would find the church locked.
n For his health’s sake and to brace his nerves, Rev. Langhorn used to bathe every morning in Lake Ontario and this practice he kept up during the coldest days of winter, when he could only get his bath by jumping into the holes made for cattle.
n By 1794 the first church on the site was completed. St. John’s has been in continuous use ever since.
n On April 10, 1925, there was a fire caused by a spark which had blown from grass burning in the graveyard. The rector, with his parishioners and friends, worked well into the night, but the bright sun of Sunday morning shone only on charred beams, pieces of the bell and particles of building material. There was no wind that day and it appeared an opportune day for work. But the Bath wind freshened and a spark apparently found its way into the baseboards.
• Owing to the untiring effort of Rev. A. L. McTear, the rector at the time of the fire, the exterior of St. John’s Church retained its original appearance when rebuilt in 1925.
• The date stone above the west door is inscribed ‘St. John’s Church 1787 1793 1925’. The inside features charming simple painted details. The most striking features of the church are the 13 stained glass windows. These commemorate local families and their ancestors many of whom were United Empire Loyalists.
• The first recorded burial was conducted by Rev. John Langhorn for Benjamin, son of David and Eleanor Ros of Bath (Ernestown) on March 12, 1788.
• In 1800, the church was pewed. A neatly-drawn plan of the building shows pews and occupants. Each subscriber gave five pounds and had to build their own pew within 12 months. Pews were forfeited if the subscriber did not attend service at least four set times a year.
• St. John’s Centennial was celebrated June 15, 1898. Large crowds from Kingston, Napanee, Deseronto and surrounding places attended the gala celebration which featured a football match between Napanee and Adolphustown, music by the Mohawk brass band, a public dinner and grand evening concert in the town hall.
• St. John’s Memorial Hall was built in 1970 thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Mabel Gutzeit, UEL, 1881-1968. She had purchased a lot adjacent to St. John’s Cemetery facing County Road 7.
• In 1984 three students were employed to help restore the 170-plus year old cemetery. The project included leveling graves, planting grass seed, repairing tombstones, erecting fallen tombstones, and mapping the graveyard.
Please join us on Sept. 10 as we gather to celebrate 230 years of God’s gracious acts for His people and His community at St. John’s Anglican Church.
Further information about the church can be found on our website at www.stjohnsbath.ca or call 613-352-7464.