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Carmel Presbyterian Church
The second congregation to erect a church in the community was Carmel Presbyterian. The first formal meeting for organization was held on May 23, 1871. It was decide to form a congregation under the supervision of the Presbytery of Pictou in connection with “The Presbyterian Church of the Lower Provinces”. The new congregation became known as the Carmel congregation and consisted of 93 members and 80 adherents. The erection of a suitable place of worship, begun with enthusiasm, was completed in 1872, but during the services of dedication it was burned. Undaunted, the members of the congregation set work to rebuild; and the following year and a new church was dedicated to the glory of God.
The seats, equipped with doors, in the Carmel Church were either sold or rented. A citizen of the town, at the time a boy of 15 or 16 years, recalls going to Carmel Church to attend service. He was comfortably situated in a pew when a man wearing a long whisker approached him and said sternly, “You come out of there. That’s my seat. You’re not supposed to be in there”. And with this, the young lad found another seat. He also recalls felt covered kneeling benches were then in use in the Carmel Church.
In 1905, renovations were made, during which the church was changed to face west, as it does to the present day.
The history of the Carmel
congregation is largely the history of three pastorates.
The Rev. John Lees,
the first pastor, was called in 1873 and
labored faithfully for six years. He was succeeded by Rev.
Robert Cumming, who was minister for 31 years, resigning in
1912. In April 1913, the Rev. D.A. Frame became minister,
and remained there until February 1926, when the United
Church was formed.
Rev. Dr. A.H. Denoon, a member of the congregation, went on to become ordained in 1925 as a minister of the United Church.