But no Parson looked down his nose Or gave Eldon a stare - For it was Wednesday morning and

The Parson was not there.

Re-opening day was such a trial

For all folk in the pews -

They mopped their brows and craned their necks And quaked there in their shoes.

As once they feared Eldon would grab His hammer and begin

With eyes agleam and start again That awful, awful din.

The choir became a nervous wreck, The soloist grew weak,

The organist began to fear

Her heart stopped for a week.

The service ended with a sigh

Of relief, like a quake

Rose up in thankfulness for the

Noise Eldon did not make.

For there stood Eldon proud as punch! Six feet nine inches tall —

’Twas plain to see he truly was

The coolest of them all.

He went out among the kids

And chided many times

Because they scuffed their feet in church And dropped some noisy dimes.

He singled out each one who made Oh, just the slightest sound -

He said it was undignified,

And then smiled all around.

He mused, “It seems so quiet here Where all is newly painted -

I wonder where my hammer is?”

And everybody fainted! .’ S. Barlow Bird

FREETOWN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The work of the Presbyterian Church in Freetown, goes back to the days of Rev. John Keir, who settled in Malpeque in 1810. He served here faithfully until 1819 when Bedeque and Richmond Bay, owing to an increase in population, were separated from Malpeque and formed into a pastoral charge with Rev. Andrew Nichol as minister. He was a man of great energy and intense devotion, but was not long permitted to continue his labours for he passed to the Great Beyond in 1820. In 1821, he was succeeded by the Rev. William MacGregor. In 1825, the Bedeque pastoral charge was separated from Richmond Bay. A few months after the organization of this newly founded congregation came one of the most striking pioneers of our church in the person of Rev. R.S. Patterson, MA. A history of this congregation would be incomplete without reference to this great man. On November 8th, 1825, a call was moderated in his favour which he accepted.

It was said that at that time there was not a wagon in the parish or a mile of road on which to travel.

The surrounding country was almost an unbroken forest. Patterson however, lived to see the country a fruitful field densely inhabited and witnessed the triumphs of steam communication by land and sea. His trials were many, during the greater part of his ministry his stipend was only $300 per annum. He received only half of this in money. At first he had to work on a farm and teach school to support his family. He had many severe trials in his home resulting from successive strokes of bereavement, but amid all his trials he was strengthened and sustained by his Master and was greatly prospered in his work. When his congregation became able to support him, he devoted himself more exclusively to ministerial work and theological studies

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