Alexander Spark
 The
third minister of the congregation and the first to occupy
the church building erected in 1810 was Alexander Spark. He
was born in Scotland in 1762, graduated from the University
of Aberdeen, served as teacher in Quebec for a few years,
and then shortly after returning from Scotland, where he had
gone for his theological education, he became the minister
of St. Andrew's Church. Initially he assisted the second minister,
George Henry and took over as sole minister on his death in
1795. Alexander Spark was a member of the moderate party in
the Church of Scotland and for a time was the only representative
of that party in Canada. As such, a study of his life is especially
interesting in that it helps to answer the question "What
was a moderate?"
Sometimes the moderates went too far in their rejection of
orthodox religious belief and some even embraced deism, the
idea that God did indeed create the universe but apart from
that, in this world he did not do very much. But Spark was
no deist and even preached against this idea. The moderate
party in some ways clearly was an extension of the Scottish
Enlightenment into the sphere of religion, and Spark's views
do not seem very different from that of most main-line ministers
of today.
 Some
evangelical members of his church became dissatisfied with
his style of theology and left to form another congregation.
The London Missionary Society eventually sent them a minister,
Clark Bentom, who criticized Spark on three grounds: he questioned
his Trinitarian orthodoxy, his open communion and his lack
of hell fire preaching.
In spite of this, a study of his life reveals a much-loved
man of God, consistently dedicated to the good of his congregation
and tireless in his service to the church. He rarely took
holidays and assisted his parishioners in many ways, including
in one instance, editing the Quebec Magazine and later
the Quebec Gazette when the owner died and his young
son was not able to carry on.
Spark read English, Greek and Hebrew and also spoke French.
His scholarship was recognised when Aberdeen University granted
him a Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) in the year 1804.
To read Spark's tomb stone, click on the image above for
an enlargement.
The above information comes entirely from an essay by D.
James Lambert of Quebec City who wrote the entry on Spark
in the Canadian
Dictionary of Biography as well as an additional more
lengthy study made available to the congregation at the time
of the 225th anniversary in the ministry of the Rev. Lyle
Sams. An essay by Dr. Lambert on Alexander Spark can also
be found in Called to witness, Volume three, published
by the committee in history, 1991.
View the dictionary entry on Spark.
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John Cook
 The
most famous minister of St. Andrew's Church, Quebec City was
John Cook. He was born in Scotland in 1805, married in 1837
and died in Quebec in 1892. He was minister here from 1836
until 1883.
The list of his accomplishments is remarkable making him
easily one of our denomination's most prominent ministers
in the 19th century and perhaps also one of the most important
people in the country in that time. Not only did he serve
a flourishing congregation here for over 40 years, but he
was also Principal of Morrin College, an arts and theological
college of our church, established immediately adjacent to
the manse of St. Andrew's, first Moderator of The Presbyterian
Church in Canada in 1875 when the four branches of Presbyterianism
in Canada united, and both a founder and a Principal of what
became Queen's University.
It is hard to believe that Queen's University in part came
into being through a decision made at a meeting in Quebec
City in 1839, but in fact such is the case. In Stanford Reid's
essay on Cook in Enkindled By the Word (Presbyterian
publications, 1966) we read that "In November 1839, at a meeting
held in Quebec, Mr. Cook moved and Dr. Joseph Morrin seconded
a motion that a committee be set up to raise money for this
purpose. As a result of these and parallel efforts throughout
the Canadas, Queen's College opened its doors in Kingston,
Ont. in 1842, with the Rev. Dr. Liddell as its first principal.
But the college had a long uphill struggle ahead."
 Cook
was also known as a broad-minded Christian deeply concerned
about others. The street the church is on may have been named
after him because of his connections with Morrin College,
Queen's University, and as first Moderator. But just as likely
it was because of the affection in which he was held by the
entire city. When devastating fires struck the city, Cook
was in the forefront of helping the destitute. His was a compassionate,
loving Christianity that endeared him to many.
A book of his sermons was published in the year 1888. An
essay about him is referred to above. Also, the reader is
referred to the article about him in The
Canadian Dictionary of Biography, volume 12, pages 210-212.
For more information see The
Canadian Dictionary of Biography and search under John
Cook.
If you want to go further in trying to understand the role
of the Presbyterian Church in Quebec City in the early 19th
Century you will be fascinated to read about Daniel Wilkie,
John Mure and Joseph Morrin.
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Daniel Wilkie
Born 1777 in Scotland ---Died 1851 in Quebec
An early educator in Quebec City, trained as a minister in
Scotland, licensed but not ordained. After Alexander Spark
died it was Wilkie who filled the pulpit until the new minister,
James Harkness, arrived. Wilkie, like Spark, was a moderate.
He assisted Spark and was an elder in the congregation. When
Wilkie supplied after Spark's death he donated his salary
to Spark's widow.
For more information see The
Canadian Dictionary of Biography and search under Daniel
Wilkie.
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John Mure
John Mure in the 1790's was a merchant, active in trans-atlantic
trade. He was involved in fur trade, timber and shipping.
In 1809 he bought a good part of a Quebec City suburb, St.
Roch, and in 1811 even donated the land on which today still
stands the impressive St. Roch Church. In 1819 he and John
Greenshields were delegated to find a successor to Spark.
They chose James Harkness. The church here still possesses
the document guaranteeing Mr. Harkness' stipend (300 pounds
per annum). Mure died in 1819 in Glasgow, leaving behind a
large legacy of money along with 2.400 bottles of wine!
For more information see The
Canadian Dictionary of Biography and search under John
Mure.
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Joseph Morrin
Born in Scotland in 1794, married in 1817 in Quebec, died 1861
in Quebec
We have already met Dr. Morrin in our brief note on John
Cook. He was present at the meeting in 1839 and seconded the
motion that eventually led to the establishment of Queen's
University. However, he is also remembered as a very prominent
doctor in Quebec City, a former mayor, and as a generous donor
to a college in Quebec City that existed from 1862 until 1902
and that was named after him.
As a doctor he helped found the College of Physicians and
Surgeons of Lower Canada, as well as the medical school that
was the predecessor to the faculty of medicine at Laval University.
In addition he helped found the asylum at Beauport, a suburb
of Quebec City.
He served as mayor in 1855 and then again from 1857-1858
and campaigned tirelessly for the recognition of Quebec City
as capital of Canada.
Stanford Reid's essay on Cook, cited above, refers to "the
establishment of Morrin College in Quebec City on the basis
of a gift of property and money worth some $50,000 by Joseph
Morrin. In 1862 the college opened to train men in liberal
arts, but especially for the ministry of the Kirk in Canada
and Rev. John Cook became it's first principal." Reid fails
to observe the fact ----remarkable for its time---that the
College also admitted women.
For more information see The
Canadian Dictionary of Biography and search under Joseph
Morrin.
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