Herbert Foshay preached his last sermon in May, before leaving for a new interim calling in Moncton, New Brunswick, and Pastor D.G. McDonald returned full time to the pulpit. Over the summer many new members were baptized, and by early fall the Baptist Church membership had grown to 241. Nathan Davies took over the duties of church clerk from Johnathan Metcalf, who had been having some misunderstandings with Pastor McDonald. The first notes Nathan Davies produced were concerning Charlottetown Baptist’s effort to establish a new church on the Rustico Road. Fourteen members of the Charlottetown church, who lived on the Rustico Road, presented a letter signed by Brother William Neil, to the deacons and trustees. He suggested that they be given letters of dismission, so they could become members of the new Rustico Road Baptist Church, in the cause of Christ. Even though these members were very important to the church, the idea of expansion was always met with enthusiasm. In July 1881, the fourteen members were all granted dismission with a note, ”trusting that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit will abundantly bless them.”

In 1881, the date of the annual meeting of the Charlottetown Baptist Church was changed from January to April. The big news this year was when Deacon and Treasurer James DesBrisay reported the largest bank balance in the church’s history, $203.03. The Church Building Committee finally presented their financial report on the construction of the new church and although some of the figures lack a lot of detail, we do know that the total cost of the big brick octagonal

church was $20,085.32.

Disbursements Receipts

Fraser’s Contract $13,090.00 Union Bank Overdraft $2,334.64 Basement Grading and fencing 1,803.59 Subscriptions and Donations 3,811.03 Lot and lawyer’s Fees 3,370.90 loans raised by Mortgage, Plans 156.85 (hurch Bonds, notes, etc. 13,000.00 Alley’s salary as Supt. 220.00 Amt. realized by card sales 410.25 Interest paid during const.’ 803.42 Baptist Society collections 113,75 Insurance 103.50 Pew rentals 97.00 Glass and Furnaces 312.58 Misc. 318.65 Basement furniture 121.42 $20,085.32 Coal for Winter ’79-’80 42.66 McDonald expenses 55.50 Cash on hand m

$ 20,085.32

Pastor McDonald never did want a regular wage, and the church decided that the time had come when he should have one. ”...Our Pastor, not accepting any stated salary on accepting the pastorate of the Church - Only such as the Church and congregation saw fit to voluntarily give.” After paying the current expenses, the Pastor was given the balance of his stipend. They agreed that in the future they would pay Rev. McDonald $600 annually. At the same time they presented and approved a long overdue Code of By—Laws, to prevent this happening

Rev. D. G. McDonald

46