necessitate the piano being moved in and used for two services, while repairs were

being made. The Board of Management initiated a policy where, with the deacons, they

took turns on Sunday mornings greeting people at the door. The ladies involved on the board made it clear that they did not enjoy the hand shaking. Ladies were advised that they could be there to basically welcome visitors and guests, making sure they were comfortable and signed the guest book. Nineteen hundred and fifty-three was a hot summer in Charlottetown, and attendance numbers were down in all city churches. Pastors Davidson of United Baptist and Dunbar ofCentral Christian worked out a system that Baptists would hold the Sunday services in July and Central Christian, in August. It worked well, and rather than half-filled congregations, all services were well attended. There is no indication of how the collections were divided, but we might speculate, with Baptists being by far the largest denomination, that they wanted their fair share.

Nineteen fifty-four and 1955 would be milestone years in the life of the Charlottetown United Baptist Church. Events ranged from a controversy of gigantic proportions, to a settlement solidified by the adoption of the church’s first constitution, as well as a new and much loved pastor who would shortly lead his flock gracefully into a beautiful new edifice.

The Board of Management issued a two page list of rules and regulations early in 1954. It would guide the actions of the board and all church officers, in regards to the new rotation system they had created. The board well realized that these were not the legal ”marching orders” that were needed and that much stronger guidelines were required, but until something more binding could be initiated these new self-directed regulations would have to suffice.

In February of 1954, a number of unusual occurrences within the management structure created concerns for the Board of Management. It started when Deacon John Gordon, who was very seriously ill, requested that he be relieved of some deacon’s responsibilities. The Board of Deacons, in consultation with Rev. Jim Davidson, then appointed a relatively new, young and very enthusiastic member, Charles Scranton, to replace him on the active deacon’s list. This method of appointing a deacon prompted outspoken concerns from some members of the management board. This outburst was followed shortly by the resignation of two more deacons; Sidney Burhoe and Chester Brehaut, who was also in rapidly failing health. Board member Ralph Rupert advised the church clerk that a group of members was requesting a congregational meeting, to discuss an important matter relative to the future welfare of the church. The petition he carried was signed by 23 concerned members.

A congregational meeting was held on April 7, 1954, when a letter was

read charging:

Flagrant violations of Baptist principals by a Board of Deacons taking unto itself

powers it did not rightfully possess, and participating in unethical practices in the election of a Deacon. These, along with a general bungling of relations between the Minister and members of the Church and congregation.

The letter went on to say that the Board of Deacons had lost the confidence of the majority of the members and should be declared vacant, and a new board

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