Brock Avenue Gospel Hall, Toronto, ON
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[edit] History
As early as 1866, an ‘exclusive’ assembly was meeting in Toronto on Alexander Street between Yonge and Church Streets. Another ‘exclusive’ assembly was meeting on Albert Street by 1873, and was called ‘The Tabernacle.’ Lord Cecil, prominent in the split of the Grant brethren from other ‘exclusive’ assemblies, met at Albert Street.
Elizabeth Street Hall, Toronto, ON was begun by Walter McKenzie in that period. Mr. McKenzie had been converted under the preaching of John Darby in Toronto, but soon disagreed with Mr. Darby on questions of local discipline.
In 1875, the evangelists Donald Munro and John Smith, arrived in Toronto. Not finding a suitable place for preaching, they rented a hall and preached there. They often stayed at the home of John Ironside, who met with the Christians at Elizabeth Street Hall, Toronto, ON]. In 1879, Donald Ross held meetings for at least three weeks at Elizabeth Street Hall, Toronto, ON, and it is thought that this was the beginning of the first identifiable ‘open brethren’ assembly in the city.
Later in 1879, Donald Ross and T.D.W. Muir preached together in a tent on Yonge Street, and later Mr. Moyse of Australia joined them. The following year, Alexander Marshall conducted a Gospel campaign in the city; Harry Ironside was his co-worker for a time in these meetings.
During this period, Brock Street Temperance Hall, Toronto, ON, which stood on Brock Street at the corner of Little Richmond, emerged as the center championing ‘open brethren’ principles. Brock Avenue Gospel Hall, Toronto, ON and Central Gospel Hall, Toronto, ON both have their roots in the Brock Street Temperance Hall, Toronto, ON.
When Little Richmond Street was renamed Farley Avenue, the Christians at Brock Street Temperance Hall, Toronto, ON began referring to their center as the Farley Avenue Hall, Toronto, ON.
In the course of time, the two groups – Elizabeth Street and Farley Avenue – followed divergent lines. Also, a son-in-law of Walter McKenzie built a new hall on Buchanan Street, which he called Beulah Hall, Toronto, ON. This grew to be a very large meeting. When the Christians built a new hall at 25 Charles Street, they retained their Beulah Hall designation.
During this period, there was a degree of interaction of these ‘open brethren’ with some denominational churches and with the‘exclusive’ brethren. For example, J.W.C. Fegan, the well known ‘open brethren’ who started the Boy’s School in England, preached at Farley Avenue Hall, Toronto, ON in 1884 and at the Queen Street Baptist Church in 1886. In 1892, T.D.W. Muir preached at the ‘Assembly Rooms’ at Yonge and Maitland, where F.W. Grant attended before moving to Plainfield, NJ. Donald Munro and John Smith preached for a time at a Methodist church in Bolton.
In 1886, Donald Munro married and established his home in Toronto. He was an active evangelist in the city, and was responsible for the first Conference at Farley Avenue Hall, Toronto, ON. The Conference became an annual event that served to launch the activities for the year. Many of the well known pioneers were speakers at these Conferences.
Among those remembered at Farley Avenue Hall, Toronto, ON are the families of George Watson, Tom Holmes, George Ironside, John Berrie, W. Dewsbury, and J. Tough. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Skeeles joined with the Christians at Farley Avenue Hall, Toronto, ON in 1872; their daughter, Jennie May, began keeping assembly records in 1890. Her record shows 128 on the roll for the Sunday morning meeting that year at Farley Avenue Hall, Toronto, ON. William Beers came around 1890 and is remembered as a real shepherd to the flock at Farley Avenue Hall, Toronto, ON.
Earlton, Charlton, and Englehart are a trio of small towns about 25 miles north of New Liskeard and near the Quebec province boundary. Assemblies established in those three villages had much interaction. The railroad was pushed north from North Bay, reaching New Liskeard in 1904 and Earlton in 1905, then continued north to Englehart from there. As the railroad came through, farm lots were made available to settlers.
In the fall of 1905, four young men from Muskoka came to establish their farming claims. These were Albert and Alfred Carr, Hugh Fergusson, and Jim Baldwin, all related. In 1903, Albert Carr had been in Toronto, where he was saved and became associated with the Brock Avenue Gospel Hall, Toronto, ON. There he met John Sylvester, who was just starting out in the Lord’s work, and Fred Watson. John Sylvester and J.J. Rouse had held Gospel meetings in New Liskeard prior to that time.
In 1907, John Slyvester and Fred Watson held Gospel meetings in New Liskeard. Albert Carr walked the 24 miles from his home at Earlton to meet them and encourage them to come to Earlton for more Gospel efforts, which they did. Many were saved, and an assembly was established, meeting first in the log shanty that Albert Carr lived in while building his house. Breaking of Bread and Gospel meetings were held in this shanty, and people crowded into it and around the outside. When Mr. Carr completed his house about two years later, the assembly met there; in 1911 the Christians were able to build the Earlton Gospel Hall, ON three miles west of Earlton. A new hall built in 1984 at the same location.
Early conversions and additions to the assembly were the families of Alfred Carr, Hugh Fergusson, Jim Baldwin, Harry Baldwin, Arthur Burley, Edgar Burley, George Eaton, and Alton Ralph. Among those who came a little later were the William Potter, Percy Booth, Sam Hall, and Ivan Field families. Traveling preachers came regularly to Earlton, including John Sylvester, Fred Watson, George Shivas, and Ben Widdifield from Huntsville.
Leaders of the assembly, besides those already mentioned, include Fred Hall, Fred Taylor, Bethuel Carr, John Potter, Clifford Hall, Eric Taylor and Philip Potter. The assembly has commended a worker to Manitoulin Island. About 35 adults and children attend Earlton Gospel Hall, ON.
[edit] Address/Contact
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Past Address, 1928 to June 29, 2008 Brock Avenue Gospel Hall 311 Brock Avenue |
[edit] Links
www.brock.gospelhall.com [1]
[edit] Leadership
Past Elders
Past Deacons
[edit] Commended Workers/Ministries
Full-Time Service
[edit] Also See
Bramalea Bible Chapel, Brampton, ON
Turner Road Chapel, Windsor, ON
Elizabeth Street Hall, Toronto, ON
Brock Street Temperance Hall, Toronto, ON
Brock Avenue Gospel Hall, Toronto, ON
Central Gospel Hall, Toronto, ON
Farley Avenue Hall, Toronto, ON
[edit] Author
Dan H. Smith, Ed.D. President, Emmaus Bible College
[edit] Resources
Questionnaire responses and other correspondence
The 75th Anniversary of The Windsor Assembly, 1916 to 1991
Excerpts from a History of the Brethren Movement, by Norman E. Crawford
Sketch of the History of Bethel Gospel Chapel North Bay, Ontario, 1997; based on book to be published in 1999: When Your Children Ask, by Donald E. Carney
The History of the Barrie Ontario Assemblies, by H. Bruce Hicks
Brief History of Early Assembly Work in North America, by Norman Crawford, 1999
Until He Comes, A History of the Spring St. Assembly, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, 1899-1997, by Wayne and Heather Rodgers
History of the Lansing Assembly, by Hubert Lucas, Sr., 1973
Reflections of Turner Road Chapel, 1930-1990
In His Name, by John S. Robertson, March 1960 (a history of Toronto Assemblies)
A Kernel of Wheat, by Chester Donaldson, 1982, updated 1994
A Grain of Mustard Seed, The Story of Bible Fellowship Assembly, by Chester Donaldson,1983
Deer Lake Gospel Hall, by Bert French, 1997
The Growth of God’s Assembly, Planted in Welland, by Lorne Yade, 1985
Saved to Serve, by John M. Martin, Gospel Folio Press, Grand Rapids, MI 1994
Wallenstein Bible Chapel, The first thirty years, 1968-1998, by Albert Martin, 1998
Englehart, 1933-1993, 60 Years of Memories of an Assembly and its People, by P. Wood, 1993
History of Christians Gathered Unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ at Strongville, Ontario, by Mrs. William Williams and others, 1990.
A Record of Gospel Testimony in Northern Ontario, by Bethuel Carr, 1979
Graphite Bible Chapel, by Doug Robinson, undated
Waverley Gospel Hall, undated
Let The Tide Come In, by C. Ernest Tatham, 1976
Shoreacres Bible Chapel, 1959 - 1994, 35th Anniversary Reunion
When Your Children Ask, a History of Bethel Gospel Chapel North, Ontario, by Donald E. Carney, 1999; published by Donald E. Carney
The Brethren Movement in North Hastings 1885 - 1924 (A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Historical Theology, Dallas Theological Seminary), by Robert Garry Jenkins, May 1986.
History of Bancroft Area Assemblies, Garry Jenkins, unpublished, 1986.
Letters of Interest, August/September 1955, p. 14; October 1955, p. 15; January 1959, p. 7; December 1966, p. 8; June 1969, p. 14; September 1975, p. 20
