1880 Canada Ontario photos United Brethren Church conference

Group of photo vignettes of identified 17 Reverends of the Canadian Conference of the United Brethren Church, meeting at Port Elgin Ontario in April 1880. On thick card stock.

Scarce souvenir of that meeting.

UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH
MEMBERS OF THE CANADIAN CONFERENCE
Convened at Port Elgin, Bruce Ontario April 14^th 1880

In middle:  Rev. J. Dickson D.D. Bishop

By 1880, the United Brethren Church in Canada was:

• Growing steadily in rural Ontario
• Strongly revivalist and evangelical
• Connected to Methodist and Brethren traditions
• Focused on circuit preaching and small congregations
• Increasingly organized, with printed minutes and membership rolls

The Canadian Conference remained active until the early 20th century, eventually merging into broader denominational structures.

Poor condition: dark image, missing piece LL corner. stain UL corner. Horizontal crease. vertical tear top middle. 

9" x 7 ⅛"

The Church of the United Brethren in Christ organized its work in Canada under a Canadian Conference, one of several regional conferences across North America. By 1880, the Canadian Conference included congregations primarily in:

• Bruce County
• Grey County
• Huron County
• Wellington County
• Southwestern Ontario rural circuits

The conference oversaw:

• Ministerial appointments
• Membership rolls
• Discipline and governance
• Mission work
• Annual reporting of congregational statistics

The 1880 Port Elgin Session

• April 14, 1880
• Port Elgin, Bruce County, Ontario Port Elgin was a significant centre for United Brethren activity in the late 19th century, with an established congregation and suitable facilities for hosting conference sessions.

Annual conference sessions typically included:

• Election of conference officers
• Assignment of ministers to circuits
• Review of membership numbers
• Reports on Sunday schools, missions, and finances
• Examination and ordination of ministers
• Adoption of resolutions on doctrine and discipline