St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church

About

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church is the oldest Presbyterian church in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

St. Andrews is Ottawa's oldest Protestant Presbyterian Church in Canada congregation. Nicholas Sparks donated land in 1827, which permitted the construction and opening in 1828 of the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.

The church was founded for, and built by, the Scottish and Irish labourers who were constructing the Rideau Canal for Montreal's John Redpath and their own Thomas McKay. The location on Wellington Street was purchased for 200 pounds sterling and the church was built during lulls in the construction of the canal.

As Ottawa had no Anglican church at the time, St. Andrew's argued that it should be considered the established church in the city, as the representative of the Established Church of Scotland. The advantage of being so recognized, was the rights to clergy reserves. The authorities agreed to the request, and in 1837 the church was granted a large glebe to the south of the city. This area stretching from Bronson Avenue to the Rideau Canal later became the neighbourhood known as the Glebe.

In the 1840s a stone manse was built where the Sunday School Hall later stood. The minister of St. Andrews was the Rev. Alexander McKidd, M.A., from 1844 to July 1846.

In 1844, a number of families left following the 1843 Disruption within the Church of Scotland, and formed Knox Free Church.

Rev. William Durie, was inducted in the spring of 1846, cared for the typhus-stricken immigrants passing through Bytown and died of typhus in September 1847. The Rev. Alexander Spence, D.D., served a long ministry of nearly twenty years from July 1848 to 1867.

An extension for the original building was completed in 1854. The Rev. J. H. McLardy was Assistant Minister during 1865. During 1866-1867, the Rev. Daniel Miner Gordon was Assistant Minister; he returned as Minister 1869-1883, and later served as Principal of Queen's University, Kingston, Ont.

The building was replaced with the current structure in 1872. The commission for St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church on Wellington Street at Kent Street was awarded to William Tutin Thomas of Montreal in 1872-74.

In June 1875, St. Andrew's, Knox, Bank Street (later Chalmers ), the newly formed congregations in New Edinburgh (now MacKay United Church, named after their first Elder and Trustee Thomas MacKay ), and in the Sandy Hill (or Lower Town ) St. Paul's or Daly Street, and congregations in nearby Rochesterville (Erskine), Hull, Quebec, Cumberland, Manotick, Nepean (Merivale, and Bells Corners ), that all became part of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, within the Presbytery of Ottawa.

On the 7 August 1883, the Rev. W. T. Herridge, D.D., was inducted.

The Dominion of Canada Rifle Association erected a plaque in 1906 which is dedicated to Lt Colonel John MacPherson (1830-1906), who served as its treasurer for 36 years.

In 1913, the Rev. A. M. Gordon was Assistant Minister; in 1914 he went overseas with the first Canadian Contingent and served with distinction throughout the First World War.

The Ottawa Branch of the 21st Battalion Association erected a memorial plaque which is dedicated to Brigadier General William St Pierre Hughes, D.S.O., V.D., First Commanding Officer 21st Battalion (Eastern Ontario), CEF 1914–1916.

In 1919, Dr. R.T. Herridge retired and he was appointed Minister Emeritus.

Erected by his wife and children, a memorial plaque at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Ottawa) is dedicated to Major General James Lyons Biggar, C.M.G., Quartermaster General of Canada in 1917 during the Great War.

A memorial stained glass window is dedicated to members of the church who gave their lives in the Great War: "They overcame and they loved not their lives unto the death 1914–1918" Members of the Overseas C.A.M.C. Nursing Service erected a memorial plaque which is dedicated to Matron Margaret H. Smith, R.R.C. & Bar, veteran of the South African War and the Great War.

The Rev. George Kilpatrick, B.D., who served overseas during the Great War with distinction, was Minister from 1920 until June 1925. In 1925, this congregation voted 389-309 to remain in the Presbyterian Church in Canada rather than join the United Church of Canada. A number of families, and the Minister, went to nearby Chalmers ; only Knox and Erskine (closed October 2007, and amalgamated with Westminster ), within the then City of Ottawa remained as "continuing" Presbyterians.

After 1925, the Presbyterian presence in Ottawa was far smaller. St Andrew's, Knox and Erskine were involved with citywide ministries. A church school in the Hintonburg neighbourhood (the former Bethany Presbyterian Church became Parkdale United) became St. Stephen's Church in 1945, while "minority" groups formed St. Giles in The Glebe, Westminster in Westboro, South Gloucester and Knox Church, Manotick.

Princess Juliana of the Netherlands erected a wooden lectern and brass plaque, which is dedicated in thanks to the church for their hospitality during Princess Juliana's residence in Ottawa during the Second World War.