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WHITBY FREE PRES, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29. 1978, PAGE 7 BilnWinter's H istorical Whiotby BISHOP SMITH Ini its early days the village of Brooklin was the home of one of the most important clergymen in the country, Rev. Philander Smith, Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Canada. Bishop Smith was born in the town of Blenheim, County of Schoharia in the State of New York, April 27, 1796. His parents were Presbyterians, and he spent his boyhood in Delaware County, New York. In 1815 at the age of 19, he moved to Canada, and settled at Lynn, near Brockville, on the St. Lawrence River. Though flot a member of anyý church, he was la decided Calvanist and, interestingly enough, had a strong dislike for Methodists. His parents bad apparently warned hlmý about the M ethodists and their wgiys of worship, but young Smith boared in Lynn with a family'of Methodists, and after a while, was persuaded to attend a Methodist meeting. * He found nothing objectionable in these people that he had only heard about, and continued to attend their meetings. About a year or two after attendiigMethodist meetings for the firs t tîme, Smith decided'to devote himself to the churchi. A'nurnber of the peopfle he worshipped with had' Corridor u*Capers March is being its typical self and winter ha& retumed ful force. It was not the most beautiful Easter weekend 1 have experienced, but memorable in its own way. MANNING NMEWS Th.e Public meeting on this development went quite weil. There were no major objections to tis development and we hope this protect can be startoçi soon. WESTMINSTER UNITED CHURCH Confirmation Classes: Thcy wîi resume on, Sunday April 2. Kerygma: Both afternoon and eveëning. classes wiil meet on Thursday evening at 7:30 p.mr. at the manse. My time'bas been too taken Ùup this week visiting my husband in J. O. Ruddy Hospital so 1 didn't have much timne to look up any news. That is ail fortins week and a hait to my career in journalism, as Mary will be back next week. Glad to bave you back Mary. Marion Buchanan 579-0878 FISHER REFRIGERATION SERVICE AvtImulzeA[Abu-De i.r Love energy with high.efficlency central air cofiditi.fling sales ond instolictions Repoirs to ail makes of freezers. refrigerators, air conditioners, dehum idifiers. W. clean & service residential qnd commercial airc-4.in.rs Repairs so Ali Makes Freezers -Rfm~tr - Air Coriditioners We Recharge Automob,!Ai Coridioin prayeUd for his "conversion" and hoped it would corne at the Annual General Conference of the Methodist Church at Eizabethtçwn, near Lynn, i 817. After accepting the church as his vocation, Smth returned to the United States to tel] his famnily, and in 1819 he be. came a supply preacher. At a conference of the Church at Lundy's Lane ini 1820, Smith was received on trial, and at the Conference at Vienna, New York in 1822, he was ordained as a deacon. Deacon Smith participated in the Methodist Conferences in Canada and rose in stature in the church until -on June 9; 1847, at the General Conference in Brighton, he was ordained Bîshop of th~e Methodist Episcopa.l Church of Canada. From that time. tili his death 23 years later, Bishop Smith neyer missed a sineie conference of his church. Wliile attending the Niagara Annual Conference in 1868, and presiding from the Alter, Bishop Smith received a tele. gram from London, Ont., reporting that bis son, Philander Smith Jr. was near death. - The meeting suspended its business and prayers were said and hymns sung for the Bishop's dying son. The Bishop himself was flot a weIl man,, and there were tears in the. eyes qf many of the delegates of the conference. After the prayers were sid, the Bishop addressedthe Conference, saying: "My Dear Brethren, 1 féee that I may be speaking to you for the iast time at your Annual Con- ference. My strength is fast giving way. I live> oniy to serve the Church. A few weeks ago 1 had no expectation of ever. meeting you .again in the' flesh, and yet I had an ardent desire to be with you once, more. God has in tis respect given me the desire of my heart. I may not see you again. It matters not if I go, but 1 gohome. It is better to be absent from the body- and present with the Lord." The Bishop's son died shortiy after, and despite this tragedy, Bîshop Smth's health improved, an <d he con- tinued in bis duties, until bis death at Brooklin, March 28, 1870 at the age of 73. The. funeral was' held at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Brooklin, which stood near the. present site of Mitchell Brothers Building Supplies. The church wasi draped in mourning, and bis successor, Bishop Richardson, conducted the service. The funerai was attended by many of the highest officiais in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was undoubtediy one of the largest ever held in Brooklin. The shortness of notice and impassible -roads prevented~ many from attending the funeral of one of the greatest churchmen of Canada. He had been a preacher and, church officiai for 50 years. It is flot known how long Bishop Smith lived in Brookin, but it was probabiy for a short time in bis semi-retirement years. Brooklin had one of the st.rongest Methodist Episcopal conigregation, whicb built a large- whit frame church inA1845, the first in the village. Bishop Smith was buried in the cenietery behind the church, and bis feilow. churchmen raised, $1 ,500 to erect a stone in bis memory. The Methodist Episcopal Church joined with the Methodist and Bible Christian Churches inI1884, and the old cburch became a Salvatiorn Armiy barracks. Later it was moved to the main street of Brooklin and converted into a store. The Methodist Episcopal Cemetery was left unattended for many years, until the stones were moved to Groveside Cemetery, south of Brooklin after the First World War.- Here Bisbip Smith's grave stone may be seen, in a'special plot reserved for the clergy, LIFE- "I VER \ 140/ %&Im FWBe & Smolç Detector Severol Types, inLto.çk $3,3. LONDON AMSTERDAI MANCHESTI PRESTW ICI Passport m DUBLIN FRANKFURT -~ ZAGRED DUBROVINIK Pictures Complimentary with Booking 1 Contact RUSSELL TRAVEL 116,SROCK ST. S, WHITBY 668-5000 HOURS Mon. - Sat. 9-5 p.m. sets, everytime! Ad4 bounce, curi and-direetion to straight hair with a- permanent or eut your hair in onerof the new geometric styles. LA COIN TESSA WRAITTY LOIJNGE - - - - - - - 094 JAMES PRENTICE, opTnCAN 400-À- DUNDAS ST. 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