“Reference was made to the Ryanite movement. Prior to 1824, Methodism in Upper Canada was under the Conferences of the United States. Because of this, Methodists were often accused of being disloyal. This among other things led to the setting up of a separate Canada Conference. To this move Henry Ryan was opposed. This man who for years had been a Presiding Elder and a dominating spirit, kept up the agitation till he organised “a reformed and pure church” called the Canadian Wesleyan Methodist Church. Mr. Ryan had sympathisers at Cummings’, now Rock Chapel, who invited him to preach for them. He was present on Sunday, October 22, 1827, when Anson Green took the pulpit. He was waiting till Mr. Green should finish when he hoped to have a chance. The hymn selected by Mr. Green for opening the service was made without any thought of Mr. Ryan’s presence. One may guess Mr. Ryan’s confusion when Mr. Green announced:

Jesus, great Shepherd of the sheep,
To Thee for help we fly,
Thy little flock in safety keep,
For O the wolf is nigh.

This was too much for Mr. Ryan and his friends. Mr Cummings, after whom the chapel was named, was carried away by the agitation, so at the next quarterly meeting it was suggested that the place henceforth be called Rock Chapel, for it was built upon a rock. The old chapel still stands, and held its Centennial in the summer of 1922.

Among the prominent Methodists of Rock Chapel is the name of Abram Ryckman. One son, Edward Blackstock, became a minister and achieved high distinction in the church. Another, Wesley, was for years leader of the Waterdown choir, while Nettie, his daughter, was organist. Seth, his younger brother, was also in the choir. Walter was fourth, though not the youngest son. He was a class leader and Sunday School superintendent. He succeeded Mr. J. K. Griffin in that office, and was in turn followed by Mr. L. A. Cummer after his decease. When Mrs. Richard Green, the youngest daughter of Mr. Richard Carey, was at the point of death, friends asked her to name her first-born infant. “Call him Walter”, she said. “Why Walter?” they asked. “After Mr. Walter Ryckman,” she said, “for he is a good man.” Such is but one instance of the high esteem in which this superintendent was held.

On August 29, 1828, the year Griffin’s grist mill was built, a Camp Meeting was held at or near Waterdown. On the first day a rattlesnake was killed at the entrance. Mr. Green exhorted the people to be courageous, suggesting that this might be the token of a greater victory over the old Serpent who had dared enter Eden and brought such trouble into the world. John Carroll was sent up from Toronto by Elder Case to help. It was his first attempt at preaching abroad. He records that but one person was converted under the sermon, a young lady, the daughter of Mr. Caleb Hopkins. Mr. Green evidently stopped at the Hopkins’ home this time, for he records a narrow escape they had returning from the meeting. William Eastman was driving a young span of horses, and is going down the mountain on the Dundas Street one shied and crowded the other over the embankment. Mr. Green caught Miss Rachel and saved Mrs. Hopkins from the wheels, but the driver and horses went over. Fortunately no one was hurt. This Camp Meeting closed on September 2nd, lasting five days. Miss Rachel Hopkins afterwards became the wife of Rev. Anson Green. One might have guessed it would turn out this way, for Mr. Green keeps telling us how well he was entertained at the Hopkins’ home on the way to the Conference at Fifty Mile Creek in 1825, how when he was appointed the Ancaster Circuit he was given a room of his own in the home, how when Mr. Hopkins was starting for Montréal he accompanied him and Mrs. Hopkins and Miss Rachel as far as Niagara, how on returning Miss Hopkins was put into a boarding school at Grimsby, and how in his diary for his twenty-fifth birthday he records the qualifications of a minister’s wife. The climax is reached when in the autumn two years after, while on the Fort George circuit, now Niagara-on-the-Lake, he laid aside his saddle bags and began to use, what up to this time he had never been able to do, a conveyance on wheels. People smelt matrimony and correctly, for on November 27 he was married to Miss Rachel Hopkins. The minister returned him the wedding fee, saying he would rather be a brother than a hireling. The groom gave it to the bride. He does not say how much it was.

During these early years, the Sunday School was beginning to take root. Ebenezer Griffin in 1820, then only twenty years of age, was superintendent of a Sunday School at Smithville. In 1825, Mr. Caleb Hopkins was the superintendent at Nelson. The 1827 Conference, held in Hamilton, then part of the same circuit as Waterdown, organised a Conference Sunday School Society, appointing Anson Green secretary, an office for which he said he had no relish. By 1829 there were Sunday Schools on most of the 32 circuits in Upper Canada. The Christian Guardian newspaper which came out this year, contained reports of the work of the movement. The 1831 Conference reported that the increase of 2,436 in the membership was attributed to the activity of the Sunday Schools and Temperance work.

The first Temperance society was formed in the United States in 1827. Samuel Howell of Rock Chapel said, “A milk and water society is organised in the States, and I am going to join it. We allow beer and wine but no spirits.” Two years later, in October, a society was organised in Ancaster. The pledge ran: “We will not use ardent spirits nor allow the use of them so far as our influence extends, except when taken medicinally.” The next year records the fact that in Ancaster, “Two put large frame barns and another harvested sixty acres without a drop of ardent spirits.” From this it would seem that the organised fight against the liquor evil in Canada had its origins in the circuit of which Waterdown is a part and among the people called Methodists. At one time there were seven taverns in Waterdown, and at the same time seven churches, three of which were Methodist.

From 1832 Waterdown is part of the Nelson Circuit, which was set off from Ancaster at this time. Till 1857, when Waterdown was made the head of a new circuit, few details are available. Successes are reported from Nelson and Oakville by the Ministers. One of the best remembered ministers is William Philp. His son John entered the work and served Carlisle while stationed at Dundas. Another son, William, became a medical doctor and practised for years in Waterdown before moving to Hamilton, where he still lives. William Willoughby, a native of Ireland, tall, graceful and bland in manners, was stationed here in 1847-1848. Waterdown had its problems in those days, for Mr. Willoughby called it “Old Nick’s Camp.” The esteem in which Mr. Willoughby was held is seen in the number of boys who were named after him on the circuit. Among them W. W. Foster, W. W. Prudham and W. W. Livingston.

During these years the Methodist Episcopal Church organised and built a small frame edifice here. The Wesleyan Church on Mill Street was originally of plank. The present structure was, according to the stone above the door, erected 1865. Rev. Egerton Ryerson preached at the reopening. The New Connexion body preached on Dundas Street and built a stone church. The Wesleyan parsonage was down the Griffin Road opposite the old school. It was built in the days of Rev. James Gray, who was on the circuit 1858-1860. The New Connexion parsonage on the corner of Union and Main Street continued to be used till a year after the Union of 1874, when it was dispensed with. At that time the Wesleyan Church was used for preaching and the New Connexion for Sunday School. Rev. George Richardson was minister. His successor, Rev. William Hawke, occupied the Wesleyan parsonage, which was now retained for residence. The circuit at this time comprised Waterdown, Tuck’s, Springer’s, Millgrove, Rock Chapel and Lafferty’s, below the Clappison Mountain. After the Union of 1884 Millgrove was set off, leaving Waterdown, Springer’s and Tuck’s. Tuck’s being private property, and Waterdown anxious to have morning as well as evening service, was closed. In 1922 Waterdown became a station.

Prior to the Union of 1874 a Union Sunday School was held in the Township Hall. Mr. Cummer, father of L. A. Cummer, was one of the superintendents, as was also Mr. William McMonies, Mr. Bingham and Mr. J. K. Griffin. Later the Wesleyans held Sunday School in the church. Men can recall the classes that met in the galleries. The New Connexion people had a Sunday School in their church too. Rivalries existed, and sometimes a little bitterness. Dr. Ben Thompson, whose people were New Connexion, tells how the children used to say as they passed the Wesleyan Church on the way to the other Sunday School, “That is where the old Wesleyans go.” Mr. George Horning recalls how they went to the New Connexion Sunday School one morning during the time the new galleries were being added to the church to increase the accommodation, to find the place on fire. This was a heavy loss for the times.

Under Rev. Joseph H. Holmes, 1879-1881, who followed Rev. Wm. Hawke, a new Sunday School Room was erected at the rear, and in connection with the church, Mr. Walter Ryckman being superintendent at the time. Shortly after the New Connexion Church was sold and the proceeds applied on the new Sunday School building. Later on the old church was turned into a dwelling, and was bought back for parsonage purposes until the property adjacent was purchased for a new parsonage. During the time of Rev. George Fergusson, the galleries were taken out of the church, the choir floor lowered, and the Sunday School room remodelled. Thus things have stood till the present new edifice was erected on the site of the old.

The opening took place on Sunday, August 31. Rev. H. B. Christie preached in the morning to a full house from Psalm 122:1. In the evening the retiring pastor, Rev. C. L. Poole, preached from Luke 19:3, and again the house was full, in spite of the intense heat. The dedication took place in the afternoon. The superintendent, Mr. Charles Richards was master of ceremonies. Mr. Abiathar Carey and daughter sang as only Careys can sing. Rev. W. W. Prudham, a past pupil, gave the address, and Rev. A. J. Irwin conducted the dedication. Visitors and friends from near and far joined with the congregation in this joyful occasion.”