1913-1914 - New Year's Celebrations

“Hearts and edifices were filled among the churches as the old year ticked off its closing minutes and gave way to 1914 with its hopes and uncertainties”

Hamilton Times. January 2, 1914.

As the midnight hour approached when the year 1913 ended and the year 1914 began in the city of Hamilton, there were many citizens of ages and circumstances on the streets joyously celebrating New Year’s eve.

The happiness outside was contrasted with the solemnity evidenced inside many of the city’s churches.

As a reporter for the Hamilton Times described the situation, “not even the joyous demonstration of thousands on the city’s main thoroughfares had significance equal to that within the walls of Hamilton diverse worshipping places as citizens of every standing bowed their heads in silent thought or listened to the inspiring prayers of clergy and laity.”

¹ “ Began the New Year With Praise to God : Watch Night and New Year Day Services in the Churches” Hamilton Times. January 2, 1914

While some of the city churches had closed doors on New Year’s Eve 1913, intending to open the following the morning for special New Year’s Day services, many were open at midnight to allow parishioners to welcome the new year in prayer and peaceful contemplation.

The Times provided a thorough survey, separated by denomination, of what transpired in many of the churches.

As regards Hamilton’s Baptist churches, the downtown James Street Baptist Church was closed New Year’s Eve but open the following morning. In the west end, the Stanley Avenue Baptist Church, and in the east end, the Victoria Avenue Baptist Church, both held watch night services.

At the Stanley Avenue church, the service began at 10:30 p.m. with a missionary meeting, during which the proposal of supporting a missionary to work in Northern Ontario was discussed :

        “(Then) Hymns were sung until a few minutes before the midnight hour when the New Year was heralded with silent prayer for the work of the coming year and thanksgiving to God for the blessings of the dying year.”¹

The evening at the Victoria Avenue Baptist Church was, as the Times reporter noted, of “a slightly different nature” :

The men of the church held a business meeting from 8 o’clock lasting for an hour, during which time they gave consideration to the campaign of canvassing every member, which is to begin shortly. This was followed by a general meeting given over to relating Christian experiences, and a light luncheon was the served by the church. Rev. Mr. Venis of Park Baptist Church had delivered the sermon, and the final half hour of the old year was devoted to consecration, the new year being ushered in amid prayers for guidance during the year 1914.”¹

As regards the Presbyterian denomination, most of the services to greet 1914 were held during the morning of the first day of the new year. The exceptions were the Knox Presbyterian Church, St. John’s Presbyterian, Erskine Church and Calvin Church.

At Knox, the pastor, Rev. S. B. Nelson spoke briefly on the upcoming new year, likening it “to a clean slate, and that we could keep that sheet clean or blot it.”¹ At the other Presbyterian churches, song services were predominant with many beautiful anthems delivered by the various choirs as the old year was dying and the new year was greeted.

While the Hamilton Roman Catholic Churches all held special masses on New Year’s Day, many, but not all, of the Anglican churches were opened for watch night gatherings.

Those attending services at the Church of the Ascension “had the pleasure of hearing excellent music rendered by the choir, of spending a few moments in silent communion as the old year silently faded into the new, and of hearing a stirring address by Rev. Canon Howitt, who took as the topic of his sermon ‘Looking at Jesus.’ ”¹

At St. John the Evangelist Church, Rev. Canon Daw conducted a well-attended devotional service on New Year’s Eve, 1913 : “Hymns were sung and prayers offered for success throughout the New Year. In a short address, he gave the following motto : ‘Let 1914 be a year for forgetting the things that are behind, and a year for stretching for the things that lie before.”¹

Outside of Hamilton’s churches holding watch night services, the greeting of 1914 was more raucous and loud : “The New Year’s Eve celebrations were, as usual, a little noisy and at the midnight hour, many factory whistles and noise producers let go a blast let go a blast that could be heard all over Hamilton. There is little doubt but that the few hundred chaps who congregated at King and James streets, and around the city hall, will be as hoarse as crows for several days for they shouted loud enough.”²

2 “Quiet New Year : Theatres Were the Chief Attraction of the Day”

Hamilton Times. January 2, 1914.

The Times concluded its overview of New Year’s Eve, 1913 and New Year’s Day, 1914 with the following :

“New Year’s Day passed off very quietly. There was nothing of an exciting nature to attract attention and so the residents did not appear on the streets in large numbers during the day. Of course, the theatres received usual holiday support and the vaudeville houses and the Grand were sold out several days before the holiday.

“Many Hamiltonians had left the city for over the first, while others remained in their houses all day or called on friends, enjoying family of a private nature.”²