The new St. James’ Church was opened for divine service on September 20, 1885 with Venerable Archdeacon Read as preacher. His text for the morning service was "My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer", and for the evening service, "The Church is His Body". On that day there were twenty-nine communicants. Fifty-one scholars attended Sunday School classes. Rev. Henry Harper, the first rector of the new church, stated in his report that "the new church was much admired by all". As a point of interest, the first child to be baptized in the new structure was Daisy Monkley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Monkley of Birch

Hill.

Since the opening of St. James’ in 1885, regular maintenance and some major renovations were carried out. Church records make several references to shingling, painting, furnace repair, and various remodelling jobs. A contract price of interest is that of $8.00 for painting the

church in 1888. Below is a receipt showing that this amount, along with $ .65 for supplies, was

paid to Isaac MacKinnon.

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