Yukon Window

Canadian Memorial Chapel was born in the hearts of private soldiers in the First World War who, guided by a sergeant, formed a working party to bury six of Canada's war dead. On a November night of 1915, in the Ypres Salient, France, one of the soldiers said to Reverend Lieutenant-Colonel (Lt.-Col.) George Fallis, CBE, ED, DD: "Padre, after the war is over some chaplain should build a memorial in Canada in memory of fellows like these who have given their all." From that moment on, he would never lay away their beloved dead without the idea of a memorial chapel in his mind.

On his return to Canada he was advised by Reverend S.D. Chown, DD, General Superintendent of the Methodist Church, to go to Vancouver and choose a site in Shaughnessy Heights facing the eternal hills to erect the chapel of his dreams. He arrived in Vancouver in May 1920, to a willing congregation and plans were quickly laid. 

Lt.-Col. Fallis' friend Chris Spencer, CBE, advised him that in order for there to be national significance to the chapel, he should go across Canada and interview lieutenant governors, premiers, statesmen and leaders of each province, asking them to underwrite the windows. Yukon Territory was last.

He did not travel to Yukon, but in January of 1929 wrote Major George Black, Member of Parliament, whose machine-gunners were a brave formation from the Sourdough country made famous by the Gold Rush and poems of Robert Service. During the First World War, Black recruited a regiment from the Yukon, became the company's captain ;and was wounded at the Battle of Amiens. A letter was sent to Major Black outlining the ideas to be incorporated in Canadian Memorial Chapel and asking for advice as to how to raise the money for the Yukon Window. Within forty-eight hours a telegram read, "Order the window. Yukoners will underwrite it."

The Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire in Yukon set itself the task of raising funds in the territory, while George Black contacted friends in various communities that he thought would commit themselves to collecting contributions.

The dedication of the window on 23 July 1929 was one of the most colourful as Sourdoughs came from San Francisco, Portland and Seattle to join with British Columbia's ex-Yukoners in seeing Sheriff Charles MacDonald, a typical son of the North, unveil the window and to hear the well-loved Reverend (Captain) George Pringle, BA, DD, of Yukon fame, give the dedication sermon. George had served Yukon parishioners for a decade and later served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the war. His son, George Pringle, Jr., was also a minister, but joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and was killed in action during the Second World War. George's nephew, John Percival Pringle, was killed in the First World War.

It was a reunion never to be forgotten, for Sourdoughs met that Sunday evening who had not been together since the stirring days of the gold rush. Mrs. George Smith (nee Beatrice Lome), the Klondike Nightingale, sang Knapp's "Open the Gates of the Temple."

Depicted in Yukon Window - “A Symbol of Comradeship.” The Biblical scene shows Jonathan and David making a covenant. David has just killed Goliath with a mere slingshot. Jonathan was so taken by David that we are told his soul was “knit” with David’s. He gives David all his weapons and armour, demonstrating his love. David and Saul, Jonathan’s father, have a falling out. Two years later Jonathan dies in battle. Both David and Saul come together in grief. The historic images depict the Chilkoot Pass of Gold Rush fame in 1898, and the Royal Mail-Dog Train and cariole.

"COMRADESHIP."

"THE SOUL OF DAVID WAS KING WITH THE SOUL OF JONATHAN."

The Chilkoot
Pass-1898

The Royal
Mail

Yukon

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF THE MEN OF THE
YUKON TERRITORY WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE WORLD WAR.