the general efﬁciency of all church organizations and committees. To implement his program, a new Ways and Means Committee was established under the chairmanship of John A. Webster. One of this new committee's ﬁrst tasks was to deal with the proper handling and use of the Sunday School quarters. The Sunday School building had not been upgraded or improved since it was built almost 30 years ago, and although minor work had been done, there was great need for major expansion. All thoughts of major changes had been shelved in the interest of the current objective to reduce debt, but it was agreed that the existing facility space could be further altered to maximize efﬁciency, and now the new committee would see that it was done properly. The alterations to the Sunday School, and changing class room sizes, etc., was paid for out of the 'Debt Fund’. It continued to grow with annual contributions from individuals and a number of the church groups who always seemed to be able to provide a bit extra, no doubt at the continual urgings of Treasurer Alfred Stems.

Alfred Stems, as both deacon and treasurer, was a constant inspiration to the entire church. Everyone recognized his contribution, especially considering his poor health. Recognizing this, the church ofﬁcers initiated a special committee to seek out new candidates for deacon from within the membership, who might carry on the high standard already established. It had been a decade since the last deacon was appointed, and there had only been ten since the church was started over 80 years before. The fact that those already chosen were highly respected, godly men was well established, and the committee reported, in February of 1917, that three new names were being recommended. The reason given for doubling the number was in consideration of the age of the existing deacons and the fact that church membership and activity levels had increased dramatically. As a result of the committee’s recommendations, the three new deacons conﬁrmed were Harold Jenkins, Artemas Clark and Henry Callbeck.

As the ”war to end all wars” ended in 1918, the Charlottetown Baptist Church was continuing to grow under the leadership of Pastor Charles Freeman. With the trials of war over, young Charlottetown men began to return from overseas to resume a normal lifestyle; included among them were Dr. Ira Yeo and J.E. Stems. Many prayers were voiced for those who returned safely, and especially for the families of those who paid the supreme sacriﬁce. A number of local BaptiSt families would be without husbands, sons and brothers. In 1931, a tablet was placed in the sanctuary remembering those from the church who had served. A letter of congratulations was sent to the local Roman Catholic Diocese in 1919, On the opening of their beautiful new St. Dunstan’s Basilica on Great George Street: following ﬁve years of construction after their devastating loss by ﬁre in 1913.

At this point in time, increased church activities were taxing facilities to the maximum and the new Ways and Means Committee was looking seriously at both the sanctuary and the Sunday School hall as possibilities for major expansion- Sanctuary addition would be difﬁcult and the only logical expansion in that regard was to build a new church, and no one really appeared interested in that alternative- Since most of the weekly activity took place in the Sunday School hall, this was the target of growth discussions and plans. There was no time frame to either initiate 0' complete a major addition to the Sunday School, so although it was badly needed' the target of the treasurer was still to get the church out of debt. .

The highlight of the evening at the annual meeting in 1920 was awalrd'ng