EBENEZER  CHURCH  HAS  75TH  BIRTHDAY

Part of Large Congregation Hears Service From Outdoors

(Special Dispatch to The Globe)

Ebenezer, June 11 - Ebenezer United Church, Toronto Gore, celebrated its seventy-fifth anniversary yesterday.  A congregation that assembled from points widely divergent in the Province, as well as from the immediate district, crowded the church to the doors, and those unable to find seats within heard the two-hour service through the opened windows.

The celebration was on the lines of the old camp meeting.  The services were conducted by Rev. F. Sullivan, Thistletown.  The preacher being Rev. H. Wellwood. Weston, son of the late H.E.Wellwood, a former pastor.  At the luncheon after, a four-story birthday cake was cut by Rev. Henry Harper, pastor of the church in the years 1884-87.  Mrs. Hannah Dobson, Brampton, was the oldest member of the congregation present.

Built of bricks burned on the farm of James Sleightholm, who deeded the property to the congregation, the church stands none the worse for seventy-five years of weather.

Strangely enough, no weddings took place in the church until 1927, members of the community preferring evidently to be married in their homes.  John Julian Jr. was wedded to Bessie Fieldhouse, and at today's service, Rev. Sullivan baptised their son, George Edward. 

 Writing a history of the church for the congregation which attended today, Miss Eva Nattress, Miss E. M. Peacock and Mrs. William Dobson discovered many amusing sidelights, reflecting on the life of the community.  In 1855 the Conference "raised" the minister's salary to $320.  Isaac Wilson and Jane Woodill walked from Mason's Corner in Albion Township, to be married by Rev. Matthew Nichols, then walked home again.