Clyde River United Baptist Church
Title
Clyde River United Baptist Church
Church Name
Clyde River United Baptist Church
Church Association
Prince Edward Island Association
Province
Prince Edward Island
County
Kings County
Address
726 Clyde River Road (Route 247), Clyde River, PE
Status
Active
Date
Built 1893
Historical Information
The Baptist work at Clyde River from the beginning was associated with the North River field. The first church building was a building of logs, much like that of Alexandra Baptist Church. This log building was built at York Point on the West or Elliot River. Frequent reference is made in the histories to West River, which must haveincluded a large area on both sides of the river, even as far west as Bonshaw.
Clyde River and West River were a part of the North River organization when that church was founded in 1830 by the Rev. Samuel McCully. Rev. John Scott became the first pastor. He began to preach shortly after his arrival on the island in 1806, or 1807, and was ordained in 1832, settling in his parish. He also preached at Cross Roads and St. Peter’s Road in these early years.
In 1842, Malcom Ross, a native of Cape Breton, who graduated from Horton Academy that year, came to West River as a young missionary. Here he laboured with Rev. John Shaw, and then he received a call to settle in North River pastorate, which he did, and was ordained by John Shaw, John Knox, and Alexander McDonald in June 1843. In 1845, he was assisted in revival meetings by John Shaw, and over sixty were baptized, twenty-two at West River, and forty at North River.
The Clyde River and West River sections of the field separated from North River to become a separate church called the Clyde River Baptist Church. In 1879, the Clyde River church, having grown sufficiently so that the move seemed justified, separated from the West River (now Long Creek Baptist Church), and both became individual churches.
Both the Clyde River Baptist Church and Bonshaw Baptist Church were built in 1893, by the same architect and builders. The similarity between the two structures is very strong, and was even stronger prior to Clyde River changing the windows on the front façade from two smaller windows to the window presently there (2021). In photo 1, which was taken shortly after construction, is almost identical to the Bonshaw Baptist Church . This building is a rather plain wood frame construction that originally had two slender windows on the gable end and a small entrance room on the right side. The two slender windows have now been replaced with a large, ornate piece of stain glass.
The Clyde River Baptist Church still maintains many of its original architectural embellishments that are featured both inside and outside. Inside the building still has its original stained wainscoting and trim boards that have not been painted over, as is the case in so many other churches. It still maintains its original pews and many of the original panes of glass are original to the building. Outside the building still has wooden shingles on the sides, and has been relatively unchanged except for the addition of the large stained glass window on the front and one on either side of the building.
Information from the church and Frank Sinnott, History of the Baptists of Prince Edward Island, 1974.
Photo 1 - Courtesy Friends of Clyde River Group
Clyde River and West River were a part of the North River organization when that church was founded in 1830 by the Rev. Samuel McCully. Rev. John Scott became the first pastor. He began to preach shortly after his arrival on the island in 1806, or 1807, and was ordained in 1832, settling in his parish. He also preached at Cross Roads and St. Peter’s Road in these early years.
In 1842, Malcom Ross, a native of Cape Breton, who graduated from Horton Academy that year, came to West River as a young missionary. Here he laboured with Rev. John Shaw, and then he received a call to settle in North River pastorate, which he did, and was ordained by John Shaw, John Knox, and Alexander McDonald in June 1843. In 1845, he was assisted in revival meetings by John Shaw, and over sixty were baptized, twenty-two at West River, and forty at North River.
The Clyde River and West River sections of the field separated from North River to become a separate church called the Clyde River Baptist Church. In 1879, the Clyde River church, having grown sufficiently so that the move seemed justified, separated from the West River (now Long Creek Baptist Church), and both became individual churches.
Both the Clyde River Baptist Church and Bonshaw Baptist Church were built in 1893, by the same architect and builders. The similarity between the two structures is very strong, and was even stronger prior to Clyde River changing the windows on the front façade from two smaller windows to the window presently there (2021). In photo 1, which was taken shortly after construction, is almost identical to the Bonshaw Baptist Church . This building is a rather plain wood frame construction that originally had two slender windows on the gable end and a small entrance room on the right side. The two slender windows have now been replaced with a large, ornate piece of stain glass.
The Clyde River Baptist Church still maintains many of its original architectural embellishments that are featured both inside and outside. Inside the building still has its original stained wainscoting and trim boards that have not been painted over, as is the case in so many other churches. It still maintains its original pews and many of the original panes of glass are original to the building. Outside the building still has wooden shingles on the sides, and has been relatively unchanged except for the addition of the large stained glass window on the front and one on either side of the building.
Information from the church and Frank Sinnott, History of the Baptists of Prince Edward Island, 1974.
Photo 1 - Courtesy Friends of Clyde River Group
Files
Collection
Citation
“Clyde River United Baptist Church,” Atlantic Baptist Built Heritage Project , accessed April 29, 2024, https://atlanticbaptistheritage.omeka.net/items/show/277.