Burtts Corner Church of Christ History

(Taken from: Reuben Butchart – The Disciples of Christ in Canada Since 1830 (1949)))

Coburg St. Church, St. John, loaned their minister, Henry N. Stewart, and he laid the foundations of Burtt’s Corners church, and organized it scripturally on May 20, 1894, with thirty-five charter members. Eight more were added during that year. The first officers were George H. Boone, elder: deacons, David Griffiths, Angus McDonald, Medley White. Sixteen other additions followed by the year 1900. The advance was slow, but the congregation was working towards a building of their own. A building owned by Baptists was used. The break came when Bro. W. H. Harding in June, 1901, was preaching chart sermons, which somewhat upset the Baptist-Disciple balance. A move had to be made at once and an enlargement of the church was effected. Elwood Burtt was made elder, and as he was a prominent industrialist and merchant it strengthened the church’s position. Deacons were added in the persons of Charles Inch, John Staples, and Charles Staples, with Samuel H. Boone, honorary board member, and William H. Allan, superintendent of the Bible School. Later Bro. Wilson [330] donated a lot and great material assistance was rendered by Edward Burtt. Much work was contributed and a fine new building was erected and later dedicated by W. H. Harding. With a membership of seventy-three the work went forward.

On August 10, 1901, Bro. H. E. Cooke was installed as minister. In 1905 a parsonage was erected. During Bro. Cooke’s early years especially, the church prospered and increased in membership and Christian influence. The burning of the mill of Bro. Ed. Burtt set the community back for some years, owing to removals. W. H. Harding contributed an important meeting, and that of John H. Wells, in August, 1925, resulted in fifty-two additions. A thousand persons lined the banks of the Keswick to witness the baptisms. A vigorous Bible School acted as a feeder and there was some co-operation with the Foreign Christian Missionary Society. Christian Endeavor flourished in its season. Ministers or evangelists of the congregation have been Henry Stewart, W. H. Harding, George Garraty, T. B. Blenus, H. E. Coke (32 years), Barry McLean, John Carr and C. E. Armstrong. After Bro. Boke’s long pastorate had ended in 1932, Barry McLean was called and served until 1936; followed by John Carr, of Greenmount, P.E.I., who acted until 1939. In the Spring of 1940 C. E. Armstrong, of P.E.I., was called. The church was then assisted by the Maritime Christian Missionary Society. After a year’s work Bro. Armstrong was able to solve some problems and lift the church to a more progressive plane. His pastorate was broken for some months in 1942, but he returned and is now in a stronger position. (This church is said to have once suffered through calling a man who was unacquainted with its doctrinal position.)

The remarkable service of Bro. H. E. Cooke deserves recognition. Born at Halifax in 1856, he was at sea for twenty-nine years, and at the age of nineteen had a captain’s rank. In winters he studied for some time at Prince of Wales College, Charlottetown, and later at Johnson Bible College. His religious leadership was first given energetically to a congregation of Baptists, where he made such a success that he was gratefully remembered. In speaking of this to the writer he said, in nautical language: “They needed it: it was low tide with them.” He began his work as pastor at Kempt, Queen’s County, N.S. in 1889; served at Westport seven years, at Summerside, P.E.I. for three years; at Southville two years; at Burtt’s Corners thirty-two years. In the early eighties an English Secularist, Charles Watt, tried to work havoc amongst the churches. (Secularism denied belief in God or a future life.) In Halifax he was brought to a halt [331] by H. E. Cooke who challenged him to meet an unnamed opponent. On the appearance of Clark Braden, Watt fled without giving battle. (Clark Braden was from the U.S.A. and specialized in defending Christianity, on many occasions, some of them in Canada.) Bro. Cooke died in September 1941.

Burtt’s Corners was the scene of an All-Canada Conference in June, 1929.

Following is an excerpt from the document signed by charter members in 1894 relative to organization: “We desire that the Church may be simply a Church of Christ, wearing a Scriptural name; that as individuals we be simply Christians, or Disciples of Christ. Our only creed shall be the divine one upon which Christ said he would build his church, and our only book of discipline shall be the word of God. We will gladly welcome into our fellowship any who have been born of water and the Spirit and who desire to work with us in the name of the Lord.”