1889-90.1 TWO FRONTIER CHURCHES. 121 



Fancy a proud, dignified man like Dr. McGill coming from Scotland 

 where he was a minister of the Established Church and finding that he 

 was not allowed to perform the ceremony of marriage. Here are 

 extracts from the dignified and rather curt letter he writes. 



'< Sir, — I understand it to be required by the law of the Province that 

 a minister in connection with the Established Church of Scotland . . 

 ." . must yet submit to request of the General Quarter Sessions auth- 

 ority to celebrate marriage, even among members of his own congrega- 

 tion . . . although I regard this law as an infringement of those 

 rights secured to the Established Church of Scotland by Acts of the 

 Imperial Parliament of Great Britain ... it seems expedient that 

 I should conform to it, until that church to which I belong shall procure 

 its abrogation as an illegal violation of its rights. I request, therefore, 

 that you will give notice to all concerned that I intend ..." 



Also in this connection comes a copy of certificate to Governor's office, 

 York, for share of money allotted by Her Majesty's Government for 

 support of ministers of Church of Scotland. In 1830, subscriptions for 

 a new church, this is seventeen years after the town was burnt, they 

 having worshipped in the school-room where the Sexton's house now 

 stands. Also a subscription for sacramental silver vessels which cost 

 ^20. On looking over the names we find many familiar to us, but so 

 far as I know of the eighty names signed sixty years ago of various sums 

 from ;^ 10 to ;^ 50 there are just two living now, Wm. B. Winterbottom, 

 Niagara, and Gilbert McMicking, Winnipeg. Such well known names 

 are here as Robert Dickson, Walter H. Dickson, Lewis Clement, Andrew 

 Heron, Thomas Creen, Edward C. Campbell, Robert Hamilton, Daniel 

 McDougall, Robert Melville, Jas. Crooks, Jno. Claus, John Rogers, 

 John Wagstaff". The whole sum subscribed was ^^760, the church to 

 seat 600. The name St. Andrew's was now used for the first time, 

 salary of clergyman ^175 with Government allowance and promise 

 of manse, as soon as possible. Next comes Incorporation of church. 

 The plan of the church and names of those who purchased seats, 

 of whom there are now in the church representatives of six. In 

 1834, old meeting house was rented for i^ 12.10s. In 1836, directions to 

 advertise for a precentor in the newspapers of the town. Belonging 

 to this period are the Communion tokens, bearing the inscription, " St. 

 Andrew's Church, 1831, R. McGill, Niagara, U.C," which are now in 

 demand by collectors of coins and may yet be quite rare if this rage of 

 numismatists continue. Now comes the vexed question of the Clergy 

 Reserves in the form of a petition to Sir Francis Bond Head for a due 

 support from lands appointed, &c. Now that the bitterness and rancor 



