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Setting out in style: handbill
announcing church opening
and tea meeting, August 21-22, 1887
"In the early days Godlip Wood lived at the entrance of Dwight Bay, just back of Poverty Point. Recently his grandson, Jim Wood, came across a hand-bill that had been preserved among his grandfather's papers, announcing the opening of the Baptist Church at Dwight. Alex [Alexander M. Stewart, eldest grandson of founder Alexander Stewart] had copies of the hand-bill made, of which the following is one." -- Harold S. Stewart, The Stewarts of Dwight [1962, privately published], p. 87. |
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Earliest known photo of the church -- 1895
The man at the door is almost certainly the pastor,
the Rev. Alexander Stewart.
.jpg) Photo probably by James Arnold or Joseph L. Humphrey |
Men and boys, possibly after a "bee" around 1905
| In this picture, parts of the church's exterior appear to have been newly painted. Note that part of the decorative molding along the ridgeline of the roof has come off, and that there is as of yet no steeple. The young man in the white shirt second to the right of the gate is possibly Alexander M. Stewart, and the one sitting on the fence is possibly Hugh Stewart. |
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After a summer service, 1907
| The date is marked on the photo print. The bush behind the church has grown larger than in the previous photo. |
 Photo probably by Arthur L. Stewart |
Mary McGinn Stewart and J. W. A. Stewart, 1912
| "The dressing up ended, however, with the Sunday service..." -- Harold S. Stewart, The Stewarts of Dwight, p. 22 |
 Photo probably by Arthur L. Stewart |
J.W.A. Stewart, child (possibly Harold S. Stewart, Jr.), J.W.A.'s second wife Ruth, Joseph Tapley
 Photo probably by the Rev. Harold S. Stewart |
Passing of the torch, around 1940
The photos in this group appear to have been
taken on the same Sunday
and are from early Kodachrome slides.
| The Rev. J.W.A. Stewart poses on the church steps. The woman in the doorway behind him is organist Florence Boothby. This image is very similar to another on the History page which was probably taken on the same occasion. |
Socializing after church
| The church by this time had a connection to Ontario Hydro, as well as a steeple. The steeple was added in 1915 in memory of Mary McGinn Stewart, a donation from her children. You may also view an enlargement of part of this photo and try to identify the people in it. |
The church in winter, around 1950 The 8 x 10 inch color halftone print, probably from a calendar, is titled "Winter Sanctity, near Dwight, Ontario" and is credited to Marjolaine Symington. The car in the background dates the photo to approximately 1950.
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Ringing the bell before the service
| Once the church had a steeple, ringing the bell became an exciting task for a young parishioner. Some care was necessary not to pull too hard, send the bell "over the top" and slip the rope off its pulley. The man to the right of the doorway in this photo is William Keown. |
 John S. Allen photo |
The Rev. Harold S. Stewart reading from
the Bible, The pulpit chairs were given by Walter Burrill in memory of his first wife, Beatrice, and the pulpit Bible was given in memory of Alan Walker by his wife, Elma.
John S. Allen photo |
Announcement card for the summer of 1959. Unfortunately, the
CBC archives no longer have a tape of the August 2 service.
.gif)
Order of service, 1959. This copy was used at the pulpit by the
Rev. Harold S. Stewart for one of the services.
Marjolaine Symington photo 
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