A former member of St. Peter’s Cathedral congregation then living in London put the Trustees in touch with the Reverend W.P. Henderson of St. Stephen’s, Tunbridge Wells, recommending him highly for the vacant position at St. Peter’s. His application was received and considered at the Easter meeting. It was decided to oiTer him the position at St. Peter’s and everything seemed settled until the Trustees received further correspondence from the Reverend gentleman, in May of that year, declining the offer.

This action prompted a second ‘special congregational meeting’ to discuss the situation. At that meeting, held on May 10th, it was decided that a Committee to consist of representative members of the congregation should be formed to help the Trustees and Churchwardens with the task of selecting and appointing a new Priest Incumbent. The newly formed Committee consisted of Mr. Edward Bayfieid, Mr. L. Brecken, and Mr. W.L. Cotton. Acting jointly they were able to secure the services of the Reverend James Simpson, luring him away from his teaching job at Trinity College School, Port Hope, Ontario.

The Reverend James Simpson Comes to St. Peter’s Cathedral.

James Simpson was born in Maidstone, Kent, England in 1853. He was educated at Southsea Diocesan School before immigrating to Quebec in 1872, intending to go into business there. He was persuaded to attend Bishop’s College, Lennoxville, beginning in 1873 by the Reverend Charles Hamilton (afterwards Archbishop of Ottawa), and the Reverend H.C. Stewart. He graduated in 1876 having been prepared for Holy Orders but continued his studies there and graduated with an MA. in 1879. After graduating he had to give up reading for five years owing to severe strain of his optic nerves. For the next few years he worked on government surveys until entering Holy Trinity as Master in 1882. He was ordained Deacon in July of that year by the Bishop of Toronto The following July he was ordained Priest.

In December of 1886, the Reverend James Simpson left as Master at Trinity College Srhool, Port Hope, to take temporary charge of St. Peter’s Cathedral. Shorty after his arrival he was offered the Incumbency of the Cathedral Church and was inducted as Rector on the Feast of St. Matthias in 1887.

During thc interim period between the first and the second incumbents at St. Peter’s, Father Hodgson’s practice of the gradual introduction of Tractarian ceremcnial into worship services at the Cathedral was maintained and in fact extended. The Reverend Samuel C. Smythe was the first to use unleavened bread during Holy Communion in May of 1886. Other than this one innovation, Cathedral life went on much as it had under Father Hodgson.

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