Drawing on unpublished stories, minutes, and reminiscences of Chignecto clergymen, Hay delineates Covenanter life, exploring its beliefs and traditions, leadership, relations with other Presbyterian bodies, and the causes of the movement's collapse. He focuses on two key figures in the movement, Reverend Alexander Clarke, an Irish missionary who established Reformed Presbyterian congregations in the area, and Reverend Joseph Howe Brownell, who consolidated the congregations and led them into the Presbyterian Church of Canada in 1905. The Chignecto Covenanters fills an important gap in the history of Canadian Presbyterianism and of the Maritime region. "A model of how micro-history can be portrayed within a macro-context, The Chignecto Covenanters fills a gap in Maritime regional history and makes a significant contribution to the broader fields of Canadian religious and cultural history." John Moir, Emeritus Professor of History, University of Toronto.

Eldon Hay (1931-2017) was professor emeritus in the Department of Religious Studies at Mount Allison University.

Eldon Hay's profile page