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The establishment of religious
services was an early priority in the
Baldur area as elsewhere. Throughout the 1880’s a home or a
school house often doubled as a place of worship. Building a church
could have to wait.
In the early 1880’s, Bethel Church was built on the W.J. Welsh farm.
(NE 34-4-14). The decision was made at a meeting, of which the Rev. Wm.
McKinley was chairman, and which included Tom Leslie, Messrs. Rogers
and Huffman. During the ministry of Oliver Darwin, Bethel Church was
moved to town.
Early Histories refer to the Methodist Otenaw Circuit which included
Excelsior, Grund, Belmont, and Rosehill. Otenaw services would have
been held at a home. The Minister was Rev. James Hoskins in 1884.
In 1882, owing to exertions of W. J. Porter and others, a schoolhouse
was built at Rosehill which for some time after 1889 was used for
Methodist church services. Prior to that the first Methodist services
in the district were in the William Stark home.
The first Presbyterian and Methodist services were held in the upstairs
of the Blacksmith shop. In the year 1891 a frame church from the Tiger
Hills was hauled to Baldur and church services of all denominations
took place there until churches were built. In 1898 an Anglican church
was erected with Archbishop McRae as dedicator and Rev. Belter as
rector.
In 1900 the Presbyterian Church was erected, a solid brick edifice of
ample dimensions, with a basement for Sunday school, all heated by a
furnace, sat a cost of $3,000.00. The dedicatory services were
conducted by the pastor, the Rev. McKay at 11 a.m. and Rev. T. B.
Wilson and the Rev. J. J. Clemens in the evening.
In 1904 the Methodist church was built on the corner of Second and
Carrey at a cost of $10,000.00. It was opened on October 16, 1904. The
Rev. Hamilton Wigle, B.A., of Regina, President of the Assiniboia
Conference, preached the dedicatory sermon. In 1907 the Lutheran Church
was built on the corner of Government Road and Carey Street. It was a
white brick edifice. The dedicatory service took place on Nov. 24th,
1907. The President of the Synod, the Rev. J. Bjarnason, and the Rev.
F. Hallgrimson officiated .
Baldur’s Historic Churches
Baldur United Church: Built at 202 Second Street in
1904 as a Methodist
Church. The Rev. H. J. Miller was minister at the time. The building is
a Designated Heritage Site
St. Mark’s Anglican Church: Built in 1898 on Oak
Creek Rd N
St. Immanuel Lutheran Church: Built in 1907, with
Arni Sveinson as Head
Carpenter. It is located on Oak Creek Rd. N
Notable Early Clergy
Rev. James Hoskins
First Resident Minister 1884: Otenaw Circuit composed of Otenaw,
Excelsior, Grund, Rosehill & Belmont
Rev. J.H.L. Joslyn
Married Alex and Margaret Fowler on the Playfair farm in 1895
Baldur Methodist Church, 1904.
Photo from the S. J. McKee Archives
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