AS has been mentioned it was decided in March, 1866, to build a new house of worship, and a committee was appointed, of which John McColl was Chairman, to investigate regarding sources of the needed materials. Nothing further was done until December of that year, when it was decided to build of stone, and a committee consisting of Duncan McCallum, John Stewart Sr., John Laidlaw and Thomas Aitken was appointed to procure plans and specifications. It was thought that an audience room to seat about three hundred would suffice for all occasions. A subscription list started at the meeting was very encouraging. James McPherson, Duncan McColl, Robert J. Laidlaw, Alexander Michie, John Duff, Alexander Robertson, Thomas Aitken and John Storey were elected to solicit subscriptions in the congregation.

The following men were chosen as the building committee: Robert Laidlaw, Chairman; Henry P. Lawson, James Robertson, Abram Stark, Donald McCallum, Andrew Aitken, W. Lawson, William Fisher, John McColl, James McPherson, Angus McColl, Peter Campbell, John Duff, Findlay McCallum, Thomas Duff, John T. Elliott, R. J. Laidlaw, John Stewart Jr., John Michie, John Turner, Thomas Hume, Donald Campbell, Duncan McCallum, John Stewart Sr., and Walter Laidlaw.

The building committee later on appointed sub-committees to look after the different parts of the work. R. J. Laidlaw was made Secretary of the Committee at its first meeting on March 20, 1867; a committee was appointed,, of which Duncan McCallum was Chairman, to examine the plans and specifications received from James Smith,-Architect, of Toronto; another committee was chosen to fix upon the quarrie from which to get the stone; and the chairman was instructed to advertise for sealed tenders for the

whole mason work, including the quarrying of the stone. As contractors hesitated about submitting tenders, Mr. James Farquhar of Toronto, and of the Farquhar Lime Company of Limehouse, recommended Charles Blackwell of Silver Creek to the committee. At a meeting of the committee on June 28, 1867, the tender of Mr. Blackwell was accepted. The tender of Thomas Henderson for the carpenter work was accepted on Dec. 9, 1867, and Duncan McCallum in April, 1868, was appointed to superintend it. At a meeting of the committee on May 26, 1868, the time of laying the foundation stone was fixed for June 2„ and it was decided to invite The Rev. James Mitchell, the late pastor, and the neighboring ministers, to take part in the ceremonies of the occasion. On December, 1868, Mr. Farquhar inspected the building, and reported that Mr. Blackwell had completed his contract with the exception of pointing the stones, which would be done in the Spring. In June, 1869, John Lambert having finished the plastering, the Treasurer was instructed to settle with him, and pay him thirty dollars extra as he had taken the job at a low figure.

At the final meeting of the committee on October 20, 1869, the Treasurer was ordered to pay John Moffatt the amount agreed on for painting the Church. After the completion -of the building the congregation acknowledged the voluntary and efficient-services of Mr. Farquhar by a suitable testimonial.

An immense amount of voluntary work was done by men of the Church. The stone was taken from the Hume quarry, and sand from the farm of Thomas Duff, most* of the timber was cut on Lot 10, 6th Concession West, the farm of James Lindsay, and the logs wrere sawed into lumber just across the road at the mill of James Stewart on Lot 10, 5th Concession East.

The old meeting house was moved down into the held of Andrew Laidlaw and occupied by the workmen. The congregation made use of the “Upper Church/’ as the old U. P. Church was called, until the new Church edifice was opened for worship on the last Sabbath of January, 1870, in the pastorate of the Rev. Donald Stewart. The “Upper Church” was sold soon afterwards.