Midland's Knox Church combines beautiful architecture, spirituality (6 photos)

If you like architecture, building and sacred spaces, Knox Church, SW corner of Hugel and First is worth entering.

What happens afterwards is up to you. It can be regarded as a building, and yet, so much more.

We lived in the old Wallace house, SW corner of Hugel and Second, right between Knox and St. Margarets, slightly up Hugel. Between two worlds, location wise…

Knox was, is, and shall remain, staunchly Presbyterian. My Scot side were both Presbyterian and Congregational Ministers. Dare I say more? Knox was originally organized in 1874, Osborne tells us.

The first Knox was on Manly. The second building , on its present site. Mrs. John  Dollar laid the cornerstone for the second one. In 1902, the Church as we  know it today was built, with Mrs. James Playfair laying the cornerstone.

Knox remained independent after Union in 1925.

The Methodists, and others, became the United Church of Canada which we know as St. Paul’s on King. It was built 1902.

Were they in a race for low church souls you ask? That remained an open question.

Around 1907, apparently, some of the members of St. Paul’s and other leading citizens carried Rev. McGee, on their shoulders, up King St., after defeating the “Liquor Interests”…Midland became a dry town. Local Option.

Those mean old Methodists. It was a time of Temperance. A story for another day!

René Hackstetter, Jan 14, 2021.