Belleville in Hastings County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)

Formation of the Methodist Church (Canada, Newfoundland, Bermuda) 1884

Création de l'Église méthodiste (Canada, Terre-Neuve, Bermudes)

Formation of the Methodist Church<br>(<i>east side of marker</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 30, 2024

1. Formation of the Methodist Church
(east side of marker)

At the time of this photo, the marker was obscured by overgrown shrubbery and a parked vehicle.

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

[English] The largest Protestant denomination in Canada during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Methodist Church (Canada, Newfoundland, Bermuda) was established in 1884. Its formation marked the culmination of a long series of mergers between groups of British and American origin. The first broad union occurred in 1874 when three denominations, amalgamations of smaller groups, joined to form the Methodist Church of Canada. Nine years later, at meetings held in Belleville, union of all mainline Methodists was proposed. After intense debate, delegates representing the Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada, the Bible Christian Church of Canada, the Primitive Methodist Church in Canada and the Methodist Church of Canada approved the merger and, on July 1, 1884, the Methodist Church (Canada, Newfoundland, Bermuda) was officially established.

[Français] L'église méthodiste (Canada, Terre-Neuve, Bermudes), la plus importante église protestante au Canada à la fin du XIX^e et au début du XX^e siècles, fut créée été en 1884. Sa formation a marquait l'aboutissement d'une longue série de regroupements de sectes d'origine britannique et américaine. La première grande union date de 1874, quand trois confessions, résultant de l’amalgamation de groupes plus petits, se sont unies pour former l'église méthodiste du Canada. Neuf ans plus tard, lors d’une réunion tenue à Belleville, l'union de toutes les méthodistes traditionnels a été proposée. Après d'intenses débats, les délégués représentant l'église méthodiste épiscopale du Canada, l'église chrétienne biblique du Canada, l'église méthodiste primitive du Canada et l'église méthodiste du Canada ont approuvé la fusion et, le 1^er juillet 1884, l'église méthodiste (Canada, Terre-Neuve, Bermudes) a été officiellement fondée.

Erected by Ontario

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Heritage Foundation / Fondation du patrimoine ontarien.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Ontario Heritage Trust series list. A significant historical date for this entry is July 1, 1884.

Location. 44° 9.877′ N, 77° 22.885′ W. Marker is in Belleville, Ontario, in Hastings County. It is on Church Street just north of Bridge Street East, on the left when traveling north. The marker is located on the east side of Bridge Street United Church, (the site of some of the formation meetings), in front of the east entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 60 Bridge Street East, Belleville ON K8N 1L7, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Ontario

and specifically in Southeastern Ontario.

It is also in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

and Rupert’s Land.

Création de l'Église méthodiste<br>(<i>west side of marker</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 30, 2024

2. Création de l'Église méthodiste
(west side of marker)

At the time of this photo, the marker was obscured by overgrown shrubbery.———Au moment de la prise de cette photo, le marqueur était masqué par des arbustes envahissants.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Griffin Opera House (within shouting distance of this marker); James Bertram Collip 1892-1965 (about 150 meters away, measured in a direct line); George Zegouras Market Square (about 180 meters away); Pinnacle Playhouse (about 180 meters away); Belleville Collegiate Institute & Vocational School (about 210 meters away); O'Hare-Chant House (about 210 meters away); Market Square (approx. 0.2 kilometers away); Great Belleville Floods (approx. 0.2 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Belleville.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Also see . . . Methodist Church (Canada) (Wikipedia).

Excerpt: The Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada and the Wesleyan Methodist Conference of Eastern British America united in 1874, annexing as well the Methodist New Connection Church in Canada (itself an amalgam of several small groups), thereby forming the Methodist Church of Canada.
In 1884 this body joined with the Methodist Episcopal Church in Canada, together with the Bible
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 30, 2024

3. Formation of the Methodist Church Marker
The Bridge Street United Church east entrance is in the background.
Christian Church of Canada and the Primitive Methodist Church in Canada, bringing to birth the Methodist Church, with churches in Canada, Newfoundland (which at the time was not part of the Canadian Confederation) and Bermuda. This lattermost union made the Methodist Church the largest Protestant denomination in Canada. It now included all Canadian Methodists with the exception of several very small groups: the British Methodist Episcopal Church (a development of the African Methodist Episcopal Church serving chiefly people of colour), two German-speaking bodies (the Evangelical Association and the United Brethren in Christ), and the Free Methodist Church (a body that had begun in New York State in 1860 and extended itself into Canada.)
In 1925, the Methodist Church united with 70% of the Presbyterian Church in Canada and 96% of the Congregational Union of Canada to form The United Church of Canada.

(Submitted on September 2, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Bridge Street United Church (<i>northeast elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 30, 2024

4. Bridge Street United Church (northeast elevation)

The marker is located behind the parked vehicles.

Bridge Street United Church (<i>south elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 30, 2024

5. Bridge Street United Church (south elevation)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 3, 2024. It was originally submitted on September 1, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 205 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 2, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.