The Presbyterian Church of Saint David - Halifax, Nova Scotia
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member T0SHEA
N 44° 38.676 W 063° 34.469
20T E 454442 N 4943631
On the south side of Saint David's Presbyterian Church is a large bronze plaque which contains a bit of the history of the church, originally known as Grafton Street Methodist Church.
Waymark Code: WMPPTD
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
Date Posted: 10/03/2015
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Outspoken1
Views: 3

The first Grafton Street Methodist Church was built in 1852, only to burn in one of Halifax's many fires on February 23, 1868. The small cemetery beside the church predates even that church, having been used from 1793 to 1844. It was known as the Old Methodist Burying Ground and is now one of the holiest sites of Methodism in Eastern Canada.

The present Grafton Street Methodist Church replaced that church, opening for services on November 7, 1869. The building remained a Methodist church until June of 1925, when Church Union in Canada made it redundant.

The few Presbyterians who resisted union established The Presbyterian Church, Halifax in 1925. Very soon afterward the church bought this building and in 1930 it was renamed to become The Presbyterian Church of Saint David.

The plaque reads as follows:

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF SAINT DAVID

THE PROPERTY ON WHICH THIS CHURCH STANDS WAS ACQUIRED BY THE SOCIETY OF METHODISTS IN 1793 FOR USE AS A BURIAL GROUND. A CHURCH STRUCTURE WAS BUILT ON PART OF THE SITE IN 1852 BUT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE IN 1868. THE PRESENT CHURCH BUILDING WAS ERECTED DURING 1868-69 AND DEDICATED BY THE METHODISTS ON NOVEMBER 7,1869. THE BUILDING BECAME THE CHURCH HOME OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF SAINT DAVID ON SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 1925. THE CITY OF HALIFAX DECLARED THE BUILDING A HERITAGE PROPERTY ON JANUARY 28,1982.

ALTHOUGH MANY OF THE GRAVES IN THE ORIGINAL CEMETERY NOW LIE COVERED BY THE CHURCH BUILDINGS, THE NAMES OF MOST OF THOSE AFFECTED BY CONSTRUCTION SINCE 1869 ARE MAINTAINED IN THE CHURCH RECORDS. THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF MRS. C.B. FERGUSSON, THIS REMAINING PORTION OF THE CEMETERY WAS RESTORED IN 1982 TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF CHARLES BRUCE FERGUSSON (1911-1978), C.M., B.A,,M.A..D.PHIL., PROVINCIAL ARCHIVIST OF NOVA SCOTIA, 1956 -1977.
Group that erected the marker: The Presbyterian Church of Saint David

URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]

Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
1544 Grafton Street
Halifax, NS Canada
B3J 3S9


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