History of Dalesville Baptist Church
If we are to understand something of the character of the men and women who founded Dalesville Baptist Church which has been our heritage since 1825, it will help if we learn something of the land these hardy pioneers chose upon which to establish their homes. Some of its basic aspects have not changed. In spite of the heroic efforts of generations to pick off the stones which covered the land when the first settlers arrived, in spite of the endless stone fences erected, there always seems to be a fresh crop each spring! In the last fifty years the forest which covered the tops of the hills and hid the real scarcity of arable land when our forefathers arrived, has laid claim once more to these hills and valleys. The similarity stops there, perhaps, because each remote valley is now linked with a network of roads, and instead of a few lone shanties, there stand many beautiful, comfortable homes.
Those early arrivals were told that the township of Chatham, 50 miles from Montreal, in the county of Argenteuil, which began at the Ottawa River, was bounded on the east by the township of Gore, on the north by the township of Wentworth and on the west by the township of Grenville. As they traveled inland from the river, they could observe that the front part was level, though stoney. Further north they began to climb into mountainous lands which abounded with springs of purest water. In fact, they found a land of brooks, rivers and lakes. We may ask why, after a hazardous and wearisome voyage did these Scots from Glenlyon, Perthshire push on into the hills. One needs to understand that, in coming to Canada, they were escaping a kind of bondage to the Laird who held them on small holdings of land for which they paid rent and which they might never hope to own. Here, they were offered 200 acres of land for the clearing and improvement. Did the hills and dales, into which they advanced, answer to a nostalgia forever felt by every Scot "far frae his hame"? One can believe that they saw more of the opportunities then the obstacles, though some of those were not long in making their presence felt. When Archibald McArthur came to Dalesville there was just a trail blazed through the trees. The mosquitoes were very hungry. When Mrs. McArthur begged, "Archie, Archie, take me out of here," he replied, "Peggy, if you can find your way out, go."
This is a small part of the history in which God called a people to start a Baptist church which was called "DALESVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH".
READ MORE > >
Those early arrivals were told that the township of Chatham, 50 miles from Montreal, in the county of Argenteuil, which began at the Ottawa River, was bounded on the east by the township of Gore, on the north by the township of Wentworth and on the west by the township of Grenville. As they traveled inland from the river, they could observe that the front part was level, though stoney. Further north they began to climb into mountainous lands which abounded with springs of purest water. In fact, they found a land of brooks, rivers and lakes. We may ask why, after a hazardous and wearisome voyage did these Scots from Glenlyon, Perthshire push on into the hills. One needs to understand that, in coming to Canada, they were escaping a kind of bondage to the Laird who held them on small holdings of land for which they paid rent and which they might never hope to own. Here, they were offered 200 acres of land for the clearing and improvement. Did the hills and dales, into which they advanced, answer to a nostalgia forever felt by every Scot "far frae his hame"? One can believe that they saw more of the opportunities then the obstacles, though some of those were not long in making their presence felt. When Archibald McArthur came to Dalesville there was just a trail blazed through the trees. The mosquitoes were very hungry. When Mrs. McArthur begged, "Archie, Archie, take me out of here," he replied, "Peggy, if you can find your way out, go."
This is a small part of the history in which God called a people to start a Baptist church which was called "DALESVILLE BAPTIST CHURCH".
READ MORE > >
