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In 1865, after fourteen years as pastor of the
congregation of St. Paul's Church, Harbour Grace, Rev. Bertram Jones left his
parish to retire in England. Jones was replaced by Rev. Mr. Hoyles from
Carbonear and James Gardner, a lay preacher of the congregation. Jones returned
to Newfoundland in 1868 after an unsuccessful attempt to secure a retirement and
pension from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.
His request for a pension from the St. Paul's congregation, upset by the expulsion of their priest, Archdeacon Kelly, resulted in a schism which divided the congregation. In 1875 forty-six members of St. Paul's congregation erected Christ Church and on July 9, 1876 it was consecrated by Bishop Kelly. Ironically, the dispute over the Jones pension was settled that year when he retired. In December 1878 a memorial present of £120 was instrumental in enabling the congregation to acquire their first curate. Reverend C.E. Smith served as first Rector of Christ Church from his appointment in 1880 until 1883 when he was replaced by Reverend N. LeMoine. According to T.G. Ford (1935) Christ Church was officially granted the right to keep registers of marriage, birth and death in 1883. On January 12, two years earlier, the first baptism was performed at the church and noted on the register of St. Paul's. The church, however, operated in heavy debt and by 1889 became the Mission of Christ Church, St. Paul's parish, subsidized by grants from the Synod. That year the Reverend John Monk Noel was appointed curate of both mission churches of St. Peter's and Christ Church. From that period his successors at St. Paul's, Rev. W.R.J. Higgitt (1915-1925), Rev. Gordon S. Templeton (1925-1934), Rev. H.F.G.D. Kirby (1934), and former curate of St. Peter's Rev. W.E.R. Cracknell, became responsible for the Christ Church congregation. With the arrival of Kirby in 1934 the congregation decided to close the church. The final baptism was recorded in October 1933 by Rev. Mr. Templeton. The church was eventually dismantled and its building material transferred to Rev. Mr. Short's congregation for enlargement of the church at Grates Cove. Baptism Record
Marriage Record
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