Anne Langton’s Sketch of the first St. James
Photo: Peter Oliver. Photograph is of lithograph that is on display at St. James in Fenelon Falls, Ontario. The original is in archives of the Toronto Dioceses of the Anglican Church of Canada.
The log church was built in 1835 and a church parishioner would give as his fortune dictated, be it land, money or labour. The church was first established in 1835. A faithful group of worshippers were presented with a church site of three acres, on the hilltop to the northeast of Fenelon Falls.
In a letter dated August 22nd, 1837 to a friend, Anne Langton wrote:
The church looks uncommonly neat now that it is finished.
Miss Langton’s sketch shows the church to be a sturdy building of log construction, complete with a small porch and belfry, surrounded by a burying ground with fenced-in enclosures, and in the background, trees of the forest. This church stood like a sentinel on the crest of the hill, overlooking the little town of Fenelon Falls.
The very location was symbolic of the faith of the people.
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh by help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. Psalm 121
In August of 1848, the Rev. Robert Shanklin began his ministry at St. James. Although the records are not quite complete during this period, it appears that sometime about 1850 the log church was accidentally destroyed by fire.