/ Cmthollc gentleman took up the cause of his country men and interested himself in the erection of a church in their locality. Re first obtained permission from the late Bishop McDonald, for them to separate themselves from Parish and form a distinct mission. When after considerable debate a site for the proposed church was determined upon. Mr. Stephens procured from the proprietor of the township, the late Earl of Selkirk , a grant of the land selected. Gatherings of the parishoners, called "frolics*1, were then instituted. These frolics were in truth seasons of very hard work, in which the men felled the forest trees and prepared them for the builders hands. Lotteries were held and subscription lists opened; to these all the parishoners contributed, but none o generously as Mr. Stephens , who also gathered contributions from wealthy riend6 of his who resided at a distance. Encouraged, aided and spurred on by r. Stephens, the parishoners kept at work until the church was framed, rough- >osrded, shingled, and in fact, completely finished exteriorly. A temporary ltar was then erected and mass offered in St. Michael's church. At this mass, r. Stephen's assisted; then, having had the pleasure of seeing his poor country- en worship God in their own church he withdrew from any further responsibility in ionnection with the building. Foremost in contributing towards the erection of his church were the late William Cody , Patrick Power , John Roach , and Richard Jurran of Newton, the late Patrick O' Connell of Montague, the late A. McMillan )f Belfast , pnd Owen McKenna , now of Singy in Vernon River Parish . I!he church of St. Michael was blessed and formally opened in 1852 by his Lordship Jishop Mclntyre . t was for many years attended from Vernon River , the first pastor being the late lev. James Brady , the second Rev. P. X. deLaugie , the thifcd, the Rev. James Phelan *ho had the church plastered and built a parochial house. The first resident