HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE EAST POINT BAPTIST CHURCH

Being called to the First Baptist Church, Montreal, he found a situa- tion almost as difficult as the one in St. John. The church property was advertised for sale and the people discouraged and almost hopeless. Suc- cess, once again, crowned his leadership. He was pastor of the First Church for fifteen years, when he was called to the chair of Practical

Theology at Brandon College, Manitoba, Canada. Dr. Howard Whid- den, then President of Brandon College, says:

“For three years, Dr. Gordon was a member of our Faculty in that College, and rendered outstanding service in the train- ing of men for the Christian ministry. Dr. Gordon made an exceptionally fine contribution to the life of the churches.”

He has been fifty-eight years in the active work of the ministry. During that time he baptized fifteen hundred persons on a profession of their faith, and received an equal number by letter and experience; and out of these more than fifty have definitely entered the ministry. He led in the liquidation of over $150,000 of debts and liabilities against chur- ches. The denomination today is getting almost $10,000 a year more from churches he served than they paid before he became pastor.

And the denomination has not been ungrateful, as the following list indicates. He was made (1) A member for many years of the Board of Governors of Acadia College. (2) President of Foreign Mission Board for many years. (3) President of the Maritime Convention (1882). (4) President of the Ontario and Quebec Convention (1907). Acadia honored him with the degree of Master of Arts, and ten years after with the degree of D.D. What is regarded as the crowning triumph of his life is the organization of the Olivet Baptist Church in Verdun, Mon- treal, and the building of one of the most attractive church edifices in Canada. The address presented to him by the church indicates their estimate of him and his achievement.

”We bless God for your guidance and help during these early days of our church, fraught with so many glorious possibilities and it will be our proud privilege to speak through all the years spared to us of the lav- ish devotion with which you sought to extend the kingdom of God in Verdun, at the time of life when most men seek for repose.” He was then nearing his eighty-fifth year.

Mrs. Dr. Gordon, formerly Margaret Ford, sister of Rev. ]. A.

Ford, has not been without her share of recognition. As a prominent

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