The first church, built in 1848, served the spiritual needs of the people for fifty years. It was then in need of repair, the numbers of parishioners was steadily growing and it was too small, so a decision was made in1894, under the leadership of Father P. A. McElmeel, to build a new one. But Father McElmeel died that same year, and it was left to his successor Father D. B. Reid to help plan and construct a “brand new wooden church”. In 1898, after they had spent many long hours of heavy work in the woods to secure the lumber to be used, and having, at last, gathered on the site the other materials they needed, the construction was undertaken by the people themselves “without any assistance from landlords or government”.

The church was completed and opened in the Fall of 1898, and on December 8th., Rt. Rev. James Charles McDonald, Bishop of the Diocese, solemnly dedicated the magnificent edifice. He also erected the Stations of the Cross, and annexed to them the indulgences that are enjoined with the prayerful “Way of the Cross”. The Bishop was assisted by the following members of the clergy: Ronald B. McDonald, Patrick Doyle, A. P. MacLellan, John J. MacDonald, Thomas Curran, Martin Monaghan, and James Aeneas McDonald.

This church was destroyed by fire Christmas Eve, 1914.

The third church was built in 1915, dedicated October 22nd., 1916, and was demolished in May, 1953.

The people of St. Joseph’s Parish, were Justly proud of their church. It was a magnificent structure towering towards the sky; it was beauti- fully finished, warm and commodious. But God acts in strange ways. “Who knows the mind of God or His ways ” On Christmas Eve, 1914, when people were making their plans to assist at Christmas Mass, when all was quiet in their homes, tragedy struck the parish. A fire broke out in the church, and before it was discovered, and help could be summoned, the building was a mass of flames. In a short time the stately edifice was levelled. All that remained was a cracked foundation, some twisted metal, the remains of the beautiful sounding bell, and the coal in the basement.

_14_