THE FIRST CHURCH ERECTED 1826 - 1831 
     
    
   
   
    
     In the year 1826 work was commenced on the erection of the 
     
     first St. James’ Church at the corner of Pownal and Fitzroy 
     
     Streets, but it was not until five years later, on Tuesday, August 
     
     9th, 1831, that the building was dedicated for worship. On that 
     
     same day the first pastor, the Reverend James Mackintosh, sent 
     
     out by the Glasgow Colonial Society of the Church of Scotland, 
     
     was inducted. This first Kirk was described as “a large, comfort- 
     
     able, and commodious building housing the elite of Charlottetown 
     
     at worship” and giving one the impression “of size, magnificence 
     
     and grandeur.” A few of our senior members still remember the 
     
     first Kirk which, removed to a site to the north of the present 
     
     manse, served as a Sunday School for seventeen years after the 
     
     completion of the present Kirk in 1878. Followingthe erection of 
     
     our present Kirk Hall in 1895 (at a cost of $3,612) the old Church 
     
     was dismantled. The porch was removed to form part of a house 
     
     standing now (1962) at 43 Churchill Avenue; the remainder of the 
     
     building was used to build a house that was erected at 33 Euston 
     
     Street, but which has since been replaced by the house that stands 
     
     there now. 
     
    
   
   
    
     THE SECOND CHURCH ERECTED, 1877 - 1878 
     
    
   
   
    
     Following the growth of the Congregation during the twenty- 
     
     year pastorate of Dr. Thomas Duncan (1856 - 1876), the Congrega- 
     
     tion decided to replace this first Church with a larger and more 
     
     suitable sanctuary. Dr. Duncan was succeeded by the Reverend 
     
     Kenneth MacLennan, a minister of unusual gifts as an artist and 
     
     architect. It is mainly due to his influence and inspiration that 
     
     the present noble edifice was designed and erected. Ever since it 
     
     has been recognized by experts as one of the most beautiful sanc- 
     
     tuaries in eastern Canada. The corner-stone was laid by the Min- 
     
     ister June 7th, 1877, and the building was opened and dedicated 
     
     to the Glory of God on October 20th, 1878. David Stirling, of the 
     
     firm of Stirling and Dewar of Halifax, was the architect, and 
     
     Messrs. MacDonald, MacDonald and Fraser of New Glasgow, 
     
     Nova Scotia, were the builders for a contract price af $20,000. (It 
     
     is insured for ten times that amount today). 
     
    

    
     Of Early English Gothic style, the Kirk is built of Wallace 
     
     (Nova Sc‘otia) freestone, with doorway facings, buttresses and 
     
     windows of red Prince Edward Island stone. The building is 77’ 
     
     long, 55’ wide, and 59’ high, with walls 18” thick. The tower- 
     
     spire, with walls 20” thick, reaches to a height of 130’ and 
     
     constitutes one of the most striking features of the whole design. 
     
    

    
     When the edifice was completed in 1878 the pulpit was placed 
     
     against the north wall with a choir gallery above and behind the 
     
     pulpit under a large mould plaster arch, and a gallery around the 
     
     three other sides of the building. In 1931 the seating was re- 
     
     arranged, the gallery removed from all but the east side, and a 
     
     chance] erected in the west end as a memorial to the Goodwill 
     
     Family. 
     
    
   
   
    
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