Cumberland County Genealogical Society

Maccan church to celebrate anniversary

MACCAN – The Maccan United Baptist Church will host a special church service on Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. in keeping with the 150th anniversary. Rev. Morley Shaw of New Glasgow will be guest speaker. The Harmony Five of Sackville, N.B., a men’s Gospel group, will be guest musicians. 

The Baptist Church was the first one built in Maccan. Construction started 1844 and it was opened early in 1845. The Presbyterian Church, where the present Presbyterian cemetery is located, was built In 1862. It was torn down in recent years. The Methodist Church, present day United, was built in 1879 and opened on February 1, 1880. I do not have a record of the Roman Catholic Church, which was in the center of the village and also dismantled in recent years. There was also an Episcopal minister in Maccan in 1878, for a note in a Gilbert Seaman diary notes: “May 30, 1878 – Gilbert Seaman gave a cow to the Episcopal minister at Maccan, Rev. E.H. Ball, for his use and for him to return the cow in one year. “It has been said that this church was near the cemetery that is just up the main highway from the Trider Road. 

An old fashioned ‘welcome – come join with us in this special event is extended from the historic church on the hill beside the Maccan River.

(Source: The Citizen, Saturday, October 22, 1994, – Maccan church to celebrate anniversary)

Church still active 153 years after its founding – Maccan United Baptist Church

MACCAN -The act of religious observance has played a major role in the history of this county. Natives of the area worshiped Glooscap centuries before the appearance of the European; religion provided a mainstay and comfort to county settlers far from their homes and mother church and it became the community focus in many Cumberland villages. 

People have always felt the need to worship in a place deemed suitable for such an important activity. Religious services can occur anywhere; in the out-of-doors, in schools, in private homes and most commonly in buildings specifically designated for such a purpose. Driving through present day communities in this province, one is made aware of the importance of the local houses of worship by their condition and location. Few churches are in a inconspicuous location – the majority are situated by the roadside or on a hill where they command a view of the surrounding area and in turn can be seen by all. Such is the location of the Maccan United Baptist Church. Built in 1844 by a small but ambitious congregation, the church is located facing the Maccan River where it pillars its surroundings. 

The earliest record of Baptist activity in the Maccan and surrounding area is in 1827, however it was not until 1844 that a true religious meeting house was established. The Maccan United Church was built with typical design of the New England Style Meeting House, which was a characteristic design of the Baptists, Presbyterians, and Methodists of the period. This style, characterized by a medium pitched gable roof, the absence of a steeple and little ornamentation are hallmarks of Baptist church architecture. However the church carries with it a charm and mysticism that can not be denied. The Maccan Baptist Church is grand in its stature. The pitched gable roof has a front gable or temple plan and return eaves, pilasters flank the front entrance of the three front facade and its original windows align both sides of the building. 

Along with its classic architecture the church has with it a very interesting history. Both Jonathan McCully’s and Sir Charles Tupper’s fathers ministered at the church and the famous country singer Wilf Carter as a child was part of the congregation. The church also housed the Women’s Missionary Society who engaged in activities as far as India, having one such member Maude Harrison depart for the distant land in 1896, where she laboured until her death in 1932 . Furthermore it is of added interest that the church is still active 153 years after its founding, making it one the oldest and still operational in the area.

(Source: The Citizen, Saturday, July 12, 1997, – Church still active 153 years after its founding – Maccan United Baptist Church)