OTHERS WHO HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS

NICHOLSON DONALD Born: Aug 1 1, 1906 Ordained: Oct 2 l, 1947

Donald Nicholson was born on August 1 l, 1906, to John Donald and Janie(MacLennan) in Hartsville, where his father farmed. Donald like his grandfather who he was named after, had no middle name. Following early education, he went to Manitoba while still fifteen to work in the harvesting. He worked in the woods and then three years in Ontario.

He went to Quincy Mass, working as a carpenter and learned the granite polishing and cutting trade. He toiled in Quincy for seven years. While there he met and married Sarah Christine MacPherson from Kilmuir, P.E.l. They were married July 7, 1928, in Boston. During the depression they went to New York as his brother there had a job for him in the granite trade, where Donald then worked for a further ten years. He came back to the Island in 1942 with his wife and daughter, Joyce Marie. On October 1, 1943, Donald and his wife became members of Zion by certificate of transfer from Calvin Presbyterian, Maspeth, New Jersey.

It was while in Ontario, that Donald heard a Methodist layman originally from England. He would hold prayer meetings where Donald boarded, and issued a call and Donald gave his life to Christ. It was April and Donald said the air in the morning took on a better light. Everything seemed better than it was before. While in New York he started lay preaching, his first sermon being on Long Island at an evening service at a Methodist church. He preached in Missions and Penitentiaries. He did Summer relief for a Baptist church, where the minister encouraged him to take up the ministry. Donald was ordained as an elder in Calvary Presbyterian Church in New York.

Back on P.E.I., with Donald going to Brookfield Church, he met Rev. Killen who encourage him to become a minister, as Donald preached and the minister sat in the congregation. He became student minister and on May 10, 1945, the Presbytery of Prince Edward Island sponsored a special course in Theology, for Donald. He was appointed Student Supply at Brookfield for three months from May 6, 1947. He received a call from Brookfield pastoral charge signed by l 17 communicants and 170 adherents on July 23, 1947, and was inducted on October 21, 1947 at 8:15

PM. While still a student, Donald was asked by G. Carlyle Webster of

Zion to preach in Zion Church, with the thought of having him fill in for a vacancy in Murray Harbour North charge. Donald and his wife became members of Zion church and Donald preached for months at a time in Zion during the illness of Rev. Webster.

-122-