Page 55 - Company Houses in "Kolonia"

ISSUE : Issue 57

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1991/6/1

missionary had been a difficult one. Mercifully, he did not know that he wouldn't live to enjoy retirement from his considerable lat)ours. On February 21 of that year, he was travelling with several gentlemen to North Sydney to establish a Masonic Lodge. They travelled by horse and sleigh over the Ice on Sydney Harbour. As they approached the shore near Smelt Brook, they lost direction in the night and the ice suddenly gave, the horse plunging first Into the water and pulling the sleigh with it. The other gentlemen were able to cling to the floating sleigh. It is thought, however, that the chill of the water paralyzed Wil? liam Porter and caused the blood to msh to his brain. "He could do no more than hold his head up until assistance was obtained to get him out of the water." When he was pulled out, he could not be revived.... His funeral was held at St. George's with 500 people in attendance, many of them coming from the remote settlements. In addition, there were 50 Masons, for Mr. Porter was Worshipful Master of the Mason? ic Lodge. According to a news report at the time, "the desk, pulpit and communion table were shrouded in black." Reverend Richard Uniacke conducted the service. He was buried In St. George's cemetery and a tablet was erected in the chancel to commemorate his labours. The SPG representative for that year said: "He left behind a widow and seven children, totally destitute." His widow was given a pension of ??65, a meagre sum for such a large family. The Cape Breton News stated that he had "a known character for genuine piety and honour.... At his several stations he was beloved and esteemed for his name's sake...." We must depend on other missionaries to give us a sense of the grief and loss felt in the mission stations on the death of this tireless wori

Cape Breton's Magazine