Cherrywood Church

To build a church in a rural community is no easy task. To build a Methodist church in a community where most people attended churches of other sects is still harder. But that is the way the early Wesleyan Methodist in Cherrywood did. The present congregation is remembering these enterprising people in the services of the sixteenth anniversary of the church. Before they built their church they held services in their homes or travelled the rough roads in spring boards to Highland Creek where the nearest Methodist church was located.

By 1874 the early Methodists were convinced that the community would be a better place to live in if they had a church. The owner of the brick yard supplied the brick and his wife furnished the alter. The local merchant supplied the coal oil for the lamps. Members gave freely while canvassing neighbouring denominations. Finally the total cost of nine hundred dollars was raised and joyfully did the members meet for the first service of worship in their new church although it was not artistically perfect, but the simple rectangular building of white brick was beautiful to them.

In it they saw the work of their own hands through self sacrifice and hopes for a fuller and better community life. Thirty years afterwards they made necessary improvements, an alcove at the front for the choir and a vestibule at the back. A special shed removed from an abandoned church was set up to accommodate the many rigs. The improvements in the church and the early growth of the congregation was made possible by the church union in 1864 when the Bible Christians joined with the Methodists. This anniversary was an occasion to pay tribute to the memory of the early church workers.

Services to mark the anniversary were held the next Sunday at 2.30 o'clock and the speaker was Rev. Mr. Lawrence of Washington church, Scarborough and at 7.30 p.m. the speaker was Rev. Mr. McDonald, chairman of Toronto East Presbyterian church, assisted by the choir of the Centennial church in Scarborough. Names of choir members: Mary Jane Barnard, first organist, Ambrose Barnard, Sinclair Barnard, Miss Emmaline Burkholder, Miss Stouffer, Daniel Hoover, Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Burkholder and Miss Emily Taylor.

Names of the ministers were H.C. Ross, J.R. Real, J. W. Puffer, Rev. Dick, J.T. Caldwell, H.B. Conron, J.J. Redalitt, G. W. Stevenson, John Vickery, R.E. Loye, Wm. Neal, Levi Annis, Rev. Carscadden, Rev. Moore, Rev. Lunau, Rev. Legget and Rev. Rennold which bring it up to 1908. Rev. Lake had a very successful revival meeting after the church was built. Rev. Mr. Kennedy of Peterboro held a revival meeting around 1900 which proved a success.

The Erskine Presbyterian church was built in 1853. It was the first church in the section and was used for a number of years but the congregation later worshipped at Dunbarton. There is one service on the third Sunday of June in remembrance of the old pioneers that are buried in the cemetery. It is one of the best kept up cemeteries in the township. They also gathered up the tombstones of some of the old settlers who were buried on their farms, and placed them in the cemetery which is a credit to any cemetery.

The next oldest church is the Reesor Mennonite church which was built on Rev. John Eby Reesors farm in 1857. Before this they worshipped in a log school house which stood on the corner of Lot 1, concession 1, at the very edge of Markham township and before that they worshipped in their homes. Their last house meetings were held in Samuel Reesors home every Christmas Day as it was his birthday and nearly everyone stayed for dinner. The cemetery at Cedar Grove is one of the oldest cemeteries where a lot of the old settlers are buried.