Toronto) and the Rev’d S.C. Smythe (of Jamaica).

It was decided by the D.C.S. that the Reverend James Simpson should continue the arrangement of assisting with Georgetown, at the request of the S.P.G. and the Bishop of Nova Scotia. The Archdeacon expressed the hope that something could be done towards supplying Cherry Valley and Mount Stewart also with some form of Clerical ministration possibly by as early as the summer of 1887.

Cathedral Life Under James Simpson.

Cathedral life went on undisturbed by the instability surrounding the search for a new Incumbent throughout 1886. The Sunday School was maintained in very satisfactory condition, the number of both teachers and students having increased. The teachers received weekly instruction from the Priest-in-Charge. Both the Boys’ and Girls’ Day Schools were also prospering. A new Parish system of District Visitors had resulted in the systematic visitation of the poor and sick by ladies of the congregation, thus strengthening the hands of the Priest in relation to his other Parish work and leaving him more time to deal with pressing matters as they presented themselves.

During the year, 854 services had been held at the Cathedral, with 130 of those being celebrations of the Holy Eucharist. Total communions made throughout the year exceeded 1,900 with 41 new communicants being added to the rolls after Confirmation by the Bishop. This was the largest single group of candidates ever presented for confirmation at St. Peter’s. The major expense incurred by the Cathedral during the year was $2,100.00 for the purchase and installation of the new organ. All in all, the future looked bright.

1887 was Father Simpson’s first full year at St. Peter’s and he wasted no time in working toward rejuvenation and growth within the Cathedral congregation in all aspects and areas. The number of families that constituted the congregation membership was not large. It had hovered somewhere around 90 families for a number of years, with some leaving and some new additions, dictated chiefly by the availability of jobs in the area. This pattern continued for a number of years.

With his background in teaching, Father Simpson understood the importance and need for strong and steady instruction in all areas and for all age groups of the congregation. He began with the future of the Church, the children, and worked successfully to encourage a decided increase in the number of children attending both the Day Schools and the Sunday School. The weekly instruction meetings with Sunday School teachers continued. He

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