A LEGACY 0F FAITH

Chapter 12

Burning the Mortgage

A new Building Committee, chaired by Deacon Clark, reported in mid July, 1921, that there was no point in doing a lengthy study relative to the proposed expansion of the Sunday School, due to the "unreasonable cost”. This negative report was followed a few months later by Pastor Charles Freeman’s resignation. Charles Freeman left Prince Edward Island in November and Charlottetown Baptist really missed his contagious enthusiasm. It is interesting to note a couple of firsts thatoccurred during Pastor Freeman’s term; one was the fact that Mrs. Freeman was the first pastor’s wife noted to be active in the operation of the church. For almost all of her husband’s stay in Charlottetown, she taught the ladies' class in Sunday School.The second was the formation of a new committee to organize the taking of collection each week. The first members of the Collections Committee were Ralph Jenkins, E. Harris, W. Robblee, Percy Moreside, Warren Burns and Cecil Jenkins. Regarding collections, there was continued encouragement by Treasurer Sterns for members to use the weekly envelope system of giving tithes and offerings. It was a much simpler system of control; but despite his best effort, envelope receipts rarely achieved more than 60% of the annual total.

With Reverend Freeman gone, the memory of his contribution to the Charlottetown United Baptist Church remained, and the Board of Trustees sent a letter to Acadia University urging them to seriously consider giving him an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree, at the spring Convocation in 1922. Acadia resBonded, advising that the choice was worthy, but there were others with prior claim. A follow-up letter to the Acadia Senate suggested they keep the request 0n file, with a final note that Charles Freeman, ”...Was a fit and proper person hecause of what he had done for our Church, and the Baptist denomination "' {he Maritime Provinces.” Rev. Charles Freeman was awarded a DD. by Acadia University two years later, in 1924.

H . In late February, 1922, the congregation, with unanimous approval, sent a ”'th letter" to Rev. Ross C. Eaton in Milton, Massachusetts. They offered him an ar\nual salary of $2,100, plus $200 moving expenses, if he would consider coming to Charlottetown.Within 24 hours a positive response was received, and Charlottetown BaptISI had found a new minister. The health of Deacon Alfred Sterns continued to deteriorate, and although he would not give up, fellow Deacon Alvin Webster agreEd to assist him in the office of treasurer.

Rev. Ross Eaton took over the pulpit at the United Baptist Church in May

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