Article on a temperance-based sermon delivered by Rev. Joseph Young, pastor of the Bradford Methodist Church. On December 4, 1902, the Ontario Liquor Act referendum would be voted on by the public to decide whether the government should usher in an era of prohibition. Bradford, a town heavy with taverns and inns, had churches and the newspaper promoting the vote for prohibition. After the vote on December 4, West Gwillimbury had a majority for prohibition, though it did not pass. There was a low voter turnout, and despite the majority everywhere, it could not pass. See the Related Description articles for more information on Bradford's perspective.
The following notes on the history of this bible were written by George Jackson in 2008:
"The Gardener Bible In the winter of 2008 this bible was offered to the BWG Local HIstory Room as a memento of the Gardener family who lives at Steele's Corners, the 14th line of West Gwillimbury. The bible came to us through the auspices of Mrs. Kay Boer of Stroud. Her family home had been near the Gardeners and it was through her efforts that the connections were made to have the Bible come to our Library. In this case there were two Bible's involved in this story which goes something like this. The lady who found theses Bibles worked at the Barrie landfill. She noticed these two Bibles when they were brought to the "dump" on top of a load of articles that appeared to come from a home that was being cleaned out. She retrieved them. The one Bible she has retained and the other one is here..... As I mentioned there were two Bibles. This Bible does not have any marking to identify it with the family. We assume it was in the Gardener family because it was associated with the other Bible that had the births marriages and deaths associated with thte Gardener family inscribed in the centre pages...."
This is a portrait engraving of Rev. Dr. James A. Long, the minister of the Methodist Church in 1906. He began his charge here in June 1905. He was the father of Pte. Arthur G Long, a Supreme Sacrifice of World War I.
This portrait is of Egerton R. Young, minister of the Methodist Church, missionary, and author. He lived in the Algonquin Lodge, later known as the Convent.
The Bradford Presbyterian Church was opened in January, 1894. This picture was taken when the first trees planted had reached this height, around 1911-1915.
"Reverend Roy Comrie of Umtalie, Rhodesia, will be guest speaker at St. John's West Gwillimbury churches in Bradford on Sunday, April 2. Mr. Comrie is a missionary who serves with the Africa Evangelical Fellowship and studies at Central Baptist Seminary in Toronto. He was born in Rhodesia to parents from Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland, and has served several years in Zambia. He and his wife, Gwyneth, a registered nurse, have been serving in Rhodesia as pastor of a congregation, principal of a Bible School, and evangelists. The Comries have three sons, two of them teenagers, and a daughter, and they are planning to return to Rhodesia in August. The Presbyterian congregations welcome everyone to their Sunday services and invite you to hear this interesting preacher."
