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Reverend Duclos
By H. E. Bourgoin
Reverend John E. Duclos, B.A., D.D. 1854 - 1943
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In 1916, a few French Canadian
families decided to embrace the faith of the Presbyterian
Church; so they wrote to the Rev. C.R. Lapointe known to
them as pastor of a French Presbyterian Church at Namur,
Quebec, asking him to come to them as their spiritual leader.
Rev. Lapointe was unable to accept their invitation because
of his family of young children. However, he was able to
refer them to one of his former class mates, the Rev. J.E.
Duclos, pastor of Erskine Church in Edmonton.
Rev. Duclos answered the call and came from Edmonton by
horse and buggy. He was highly qualified for the work he
had chosen to do. He held a B.A. degree from Queen's University;
he was a graduate of the Montreal Presbyterian College of
Theology. He was a gifted orator and perfectly bilingual.
At this time, he was 62 years old. Later, he was to receive
a doctorate in Divinity, but he was not a medical doctor.
Here, in Bonnyville, he held several meetings in the homes
of the people, and when he was presented with a petition
signed by 44 persons requesting the establishment of a Presbyterian
Mission in Bonnyville, he proceeded in that direction. Finally,
after lengthy negotiations with Church authorities Rev.
Duclos resigned his pastoral charge at Erskine Church in
Edmonton and he was appointed minister at Bonnyville. Shortly
after his arrival here, as he surveyed the large field of
activities awaiting his efforts, he divided his projects
into three departments: The Church, The Hospital, The School.
The
Duclos Mission in the early 1930's
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