December 12, 2007

Isaac O. Stringer 1866-1934

Filed under: Rupert's Land, Yukon

Isaac O. StringerIsaac O. Stringer was born April 19, 1866 in Kincardine Township, Bruce County, Ontario. Just before graduating the University of Toronto in 1892, he met Bishop Reeve of Mackenzie River who was appealing for missionaries to the Inuvialuit of the Lower Mackenzie. Stringer was ordained deacon and made his way to Fort McPherson by wagon, steamer and ox-team.

Stringer was priested in 1893 and travelled extensively visiting Rampart House, Kittigazuit, and other Inuvialuit communities. He married Sadie Alexander in Ontario 1897, and the two returned to the north, where they lived and ministered until 1901.

In August 1901, Stringer, his wife and two little children left Herschel Island, sailing on a whaling boat to San Francisco, for a furlough in Eastern Canada. Stringer had developed snow-blindness, unable to return to Hershel Island, he accepted the invitation of Bishop William Carpenter Bompas to become rector of Christ Church in Whitehorse. When Bompas resigned in 1905, Isaac Stringer was elected his successor as Bishop of Selkirk.

The name of the diocese was changed in 1907 to Yukon. The first Synod of the Diocese was held in Christ Church, Whitehorse in 1907. Dawson was chosen as the See City, and in the autumn of 1907, Bishop and Mrs. Stringer and their children set sail on the river steamer for their new home where they remained until 1931 when Bishop Stringer was elected Metropolitan of Rupert’s Land.

The Rev. Canon Arthur Henry Sovereign of St. Mark’s Church, Vancouver, B.C., was chosen as the successor of Archbishop Stringer. Archbishop Stringer moved to Winnipeg but continued travelling on behalf of the church. In the autumn of 1934, he visited the Diocese of Saskatchewan and penetrated far into northern Indian settlements, which were reached by airplane. On October 30, 1934, while about to ascend the steps of Trinity Synod Hall, Winnipeg, Bishop Stringer collapsed and died.


September 26, 2007

Bishops of Rupert’s Land

Filed under: Rupert's Land

The Diocese was established in 1849 and covered the area that is now the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert’s Land (10 Dioceses), as well as parts of what is now the Diocese of Yukon and the Dioceses of Moosonee and Ontario.

Diocese of Rupert's LandDavid Anderson (1814-1885)
Bishop: 1849 - 1864
Robert Machray (1831-1904)
Bishop: 1864 - 1904
Metropolitan of Rupert’s Land: 1875-1904
Primate of all Canada: 1893-1904
Samuel Pritchard Matheson (1852-1942)
Metropolitan of Rupert’s Land: 1905-1931
Primate of all Canada: 1909-1931
Isaac Stringer (1866-1934)
Metropolitan of Rupert’s Land: 1931-1934
Malcolm Taylor McAdam Harding (1864-1949)
Metropolitan of Rupert’s Land: 1935-1942
(Louis) Ralph Sherman (1886-1953)
Metropolitan of Rupert’s Land: 1943-1953
Walter Foster Barfoot (1893-1978)
Metropolitan of Rupert’s Land: 1954-1960
Howard Hewlett Clark (1903-1983)
Metropolitan of Rupert’s Land: 1961-1969
Walter Heath Jones (1928-2003)
Metropolitan of Rupert’s Land: 1988-1993
Donald D. Phillips
Bishop: 2000 - present


May 16, 2007

Robert Machray 1831-1904

Filed under: Rupert's Land

Robert MachrayBorn at Aberdeen, Scotland 17 May 1851. Educated at King’s College, Aberdeen, and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, Robert Machray received prizes in mathematics, philosophy and divinity. He was ordained in 1855, served in English parishes and was dean of Sidney Sussex College 1859-62. He succeeded David Anderson as bishop of Rupert’s Land and was consecrated in June 1865.

St John's College, WinnipegDuring his years there he helped extend and consolidate the church’s work and built up St John’s College, Winnipeg. At the start of his episcopate the area first suffered economically from a grasshopper plague then the following year brought the Red River Rebellion but stability and properity did slowly come.

In 1873 the Diocese of Moosonee was formed and in 1875 the dioceses of Athabasca and Saskatchewan were formed reducing Diocese of Rupert’s Land to cover Manitoba and some additional districts. Rupert’s Land, Moosonee, Athabasca and Saskatchewan were formed into a Provincial Synod and in 1875 Robert Machray became its first Metropolitan.

13 September 1893 the first General Synod of the Church of England in the Dominion of Canada was held in Toronto. Robert Machray was elected the first Primate of all Canada. He died in office at Winnipeg 9 March 1904.


April 18, 2007

David Anderson 1814-1885

Filed under: Rupert's Land

David AndersonDavid Anderson became the first bishop of Rupert’s Land in 1849 at which time the new diocese had only 5 clergymen. The day he arrived at the Red River Settlement, the priest who ran the Red River Academy died and as a result the first work Bishop Anderson performed was at the school.

Bishop Anderson travelled the vast diocese, in summer by canoe and in winter by dog-sled. In 1852 he made a 26 day trip to James’ Bay. Here he ordained John Horden, later Bishop of Moosonee.

St John's Cathedral, WinnipegIn 1856 Bishop Anderson visited England to secure funds for a cathedral and missionary work. The Hudson’s Bay Company and the S.P.C.K. each contributed £500 for the cathedral. St John’s Cathedral was then built but poor workmanship made the tower unsafe and it had to be taken down.

In 1864 Bishop Anderson returned to England and resigned the see. The number of clergy had increased to 23. In England he became Chancellor of St Paul’s Cathedral then Vicar of Clifton. He became senile in 1878 and eventually died in 1885.