Kingston , Ontario . 2005
The people who worshipped in this building in 1855, or simply walked by on William or Sydenham Street would have to take a second look after 1888. The building had changed a great deal.
Let's walk again up William Street , in 2005. At the top of a hill sits an imposing limestone church. The spire, slender and highly decorated, reaches high into the sky. The cedar shingles look new – surely they have not kept the weather at bay since 1852? The Gothic battlements that were part of Coverdale's design are no longer prominent, but huge maple trees frame the front walk. It's an arresting sight.
The building is no longer a rectangle – in 1887/88 William Coverdale's design was rearranged by his successor, John Power. Power and his workers added two large wings to the exterior, and completely rebuilt the interior. More than 1000 people came to worship in the new nave in 1888. Let's walk up the stairs, in through the double doors, and stand in the bell tower. The trusty bell still hangs high above our heads, its pull still nearby. Whose hands have grasped the thick rope and pulled? And whose ears have heard the bell rung – in jubilation, in sorrow or just for fun after a Sunday service?