The Sharon Temple: Ahead of its Time in More Ways Than One

I spent a few hours recently at The Sharon Temple, an architectural marvel located in the small town of Sharon just north of Newmarket, Ontario.

Built in the 1820s, the Temple was the creation of a break-away group of former Quakers called the Children of Peace. Their unofficial leader was David Willson who married a Quaker woman and was soon dismayed by the religion’s ban on music and talking. The new group promoted both, and the building housed a grand organ. Mr. Willson himself wrote hymns almost weekly in a study he built for himself on the property.

The Temple’s website explains more: “The Temple was constructed between 1825 and 1831. It was constructed  in imitation of Solomon’s Temple and used once a month to collect alms  for the poor; two other meetinghouses in the village of “Hope” (now  Sharon) were used for regular Sunday worship. The Children of Peace saw  themselves as the new Israelites lost in the wilderness of Upper Canada.  The village of “Hope” (now Sharon) was their new Jerusalem, the focal  point of God’s kingdom on earth.”

In addition to the Temple building, the site also includes a log cabin home (now a weaving building), the main family home (quite grand for the times), and more.

This is a must-see for anyone within striking distance. My visit definitely falls into the “I can’t believe I’ve never done this before” category.

All photo credits: Christine Woodley