You may be surprised to learn that most former Methodist or Presbyterian churches recorded very little in their minutes about joining with The United Church of Canada in 1925. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can see a brief note about the results of the church union vote. Otherwise it seemed to be business as usual, just with a new church name at the top of the page. Thankfully, Musquodoboit Harbour Pastoral Charge in Nova Scotia was an exception with their session and congregational meetings providing a wealth of information about the process involved in becoming part of the newly formed denomination.
First, let’s start with the Musquodoboit Presbyterian Pastoral Charge. The first substantial minutes about the upcoming union are from November 1924 when Rev. Robert Johnson of New Glasgow sent a letter to the session asking for time to present the case against church union. The session agreed that Rev. Johnson could come and they would also invite a speaker from the union side. This debate took place on November 26 at both Clam Harbour and Musquodoboit Harbour with Rev. John A. Clarke speaking for union.
Shortly after, dates were set at Ship Harbour, Musquodoboit Harbour, Oyster Pond, and Clam Harbour for the big vote to take place. Announcements were made at the church services of each congregation about the upcoming vote.
Here is a more detailed look at how the process unfolded at Musquodoboit Harbour Presbyterian Church:
On January 28, 1925, the congregation of Musquodoboit Harbour met to set up the process for voting. It was decided that the vote would be by secret ballot at the close of the meeting and then at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland for one hour each day for two weeks. Mr. Sutherland was appointed poll clerk, George Gaetz assistant clerk, and Mrs. L.H. Logan, Mrs. W.H. Manuel and Mrs. S. Sutherland serving as scrutineers.
The poll was closed on February 11, 1925 and the votes counted at Musquodoboit Harbour. It was a very close vote with 40 votes for and 37 against.
The vote was much more decisive within the whole pastoral charge with a total of 111 for union and 54 against.
Lest you think I had forgotten about the Methodists, the following minutes were from the March 3, 1925 Quarterly Official Board meeting of the Musquodoboit Harbour Methodist Circuit which just shows that they were discussing local church and missionary funds among other things. All of the Methodist denomination joined with The United Church of Canada in 1925 so there was no vote held in the individual churches.
Stay tuned for what happens after the vote as the newly formed pastoral charge figures out how to be a United Church.
