Chapter VI . The Parish in the Present Century It would be possible to recount the life of the Parish of New London for the past half-century or so in great detail. Annual accounts are printed in successive reports of the Diocesan Church Society and, until a grant of money was finally relinquished, in those of the Colonial and Continental Church Society. Newspaper descriptions of events in parish and community are available in secular and Church papers. Parish registers have been regularly kept. Many living persons, including several former incumbents, could add reminiscences. The full story of these years may be told at some future time. For the present, however, it is necessary to shorten the narrative. James Abbot Winfield , a layman who had laboured in the Church Army in England and in Canada returned to Halifax in 1900 with the idea of settling permanently in this country. He came to the parish in September and was ordained to the dia- conate in the following year. On September 29, 1902, he was ordained priest in St . Mark's, Kensington , the only ordination so far held in that building. In the 1902 C. & CCS. report he wrote: I have three Churches and two schoolhouses where I hold services: Kensington ; 24 families, average attendance 75, communicants on the roll 38, no lay helper, Sunday School of 33, average attendance 24, Superintendent and six teachers. Irishtown ; about 30 families, two lay helpers who have on some occasions officiated in Church, Sunday School of 60, superintendent and 8 teachers, also Bible Class for men. Spring Valley ; fifteen families. These at¬ tend Irishtown Church and Sunday School. ; 22 families. These attend Irishtown Church when possible. French River ; 37 families, 29 communicants, Sunday School of 23, 4 teachers. The winter of 1903-04 was hard: It would be impossible to describe the journeys 'mid blind¬ ing snowstorms and gales, with drifts of snow from five to twenty feet deep, struggling horses, broken harness and sleighs. . . . Our railway system is completely done up at present. My wife went to Charlottetown to spend a couple of days and she has now been waiting three weeks to get home. Mr. Winfield 's ministry was faithful and effective. He was musically inclined and encouraged his choirs. He resumed occasion¬ al services at Clinton. St . Mark's, Kensington , was re-decorated, and the windows were provided with tinted glass. When the church was reopened in the summer of 1902 the music was rendered by a choir trained by the organist, Miss Laura Walker . The organ 48