Q.-

NOVEMBER 1s, 193a

1800- I925

1864-1933

i 125 Y8K}; or

Methoclism In Charlottetown I

Trinity Church

.Tornorrow’s Anniversary Service At

Recalls Historic

Part Played Biy Methodism In

Civic Progress. -

The Sixty-ninth Anniversary of w; opening of the formenFirst Methodist Church, now Trinity United Church .01 this city will be held tomorrow, to which the public are cordially invited.

The Rev. J. W. A- Nicholson, MA. of North Bcdeque will be the preacher at both services and spec- m music will be elven‘ by tho choir.

Although this is the anniversary or the opening of the former lvleih- vdist Church which was opened ilxty nine l years ago. lvlethodism llad a history in Charlottetown 1mm the beginning of the last cch- iury until file Union in I025.

A shut sketch oi this history my be of Interest to the Guardian seeders at this tlnlfl.

in the I-Iouss of Assembly. James Robinson was a United Empire Loyalist. l-le lived at Brighton Lodge near Victoria Park and he is still represented in Charlottetown by Mr. Neil L. Robinson and Mrs. Howard Hillson. Joseph Avard lived Just outside of the city at the comer of St. Peters and Mount Ed- ward Roads on the land now known as “St. Avards" named alter him. Thomas Murphywas an Irishman who came to this Island in 1806, and did business in Charlottetown for several years as his advertise- ments in the newspapers of that day disclose.

At this period when Charlotte- town was but a mere village and those early settlers were them- selves only beginning to establish

TRINITY UNITED CHURCH

In 1801 Thomas Dawson, a nat- Ive bf Coot Hill, Ireland, came to this Island. He was a Methodist local preacher in the old land and he and Benjamin Chappell. who was then in Charlottetown held preaching services and cottage prayer meetings for the benefit of those who wished to attend.

In 1807 the Rev. James Bulpltt was sent to this colony by the London Misionary Society. Ho was the first Methodist Minister ‘sta- tioned in Prince Edward Island. Mr. Bulpltt, who had previously spent five years in Nmvfoundland was peculiarly fitted for the work he had to do nmong the early set- tler,» of this colony. Ile resided in Charlottetown and his wife become a familiar figure as a teacher of the younger generation ‘

Wesleyan Chapel

On the 5th cf October 1810 Ben- Iumln Evans, a Charlottetown mer- chant, conveyed to the Wesleyan Society a. piece of land for the pur- Dose of erecting a place of wor/ship. nr a chapel as it was then called. This land was situated on the north side or Richmond Street bc- tween Queen and Pownal Streets and just below the corner of the Royal Bank building. Thc property was deeded to Thomas DcsBrisay Paul Mabey, Joseph Robinson. Jos- lDh Avlrd. and Thomas Murphy- Ehomas DesBrlsay was the first Proprietor of the old Apothecaries Hall, now Hughes Drug store. He. was the father or the late ‘rheophlluc DesBrisay, for several years Mayor of Charlottetown. Paul Mabey was a well-known Iflml-Xlt. and at one time the Nllresentatlve for Charlottetown

homes in a new land, the work of building a place of worship must have involved considerable sacri- fice. However to quote an authority of that clay: "After much deliber- ation they determined to build a chapel 40x30 feet and a_ dwelling house for the preacher.” This they accomplished after a long hard struggle. This first chapel though small and unpretentious as the cradle from which grew the strong, sturdy, Methodism of a later day. At first Mr- Bulpltt breached in the old Court House as the Chapel was

not opened for worship for six yours after the land was pur- chased.

The Rev. John Hick succeeded

Mr. Bulpitt in the pastorate of the Society in 1815. The next year he opened the chapel for public wor- ship. In 1817 Mr. Hick was trans- ferred to Upper Canada and the Rev. J. B. Strong was sent from there to Charlottetown. To the Rev. Mr. Strong belongs the honor of forming the first Sunday School of any denomination, opened in Prince Edward Island and known as the Wesleyan Methodist Sunday School of Charlottetown.

Rev. Mr. Strong's Pastoratc

This school, which still holds its sessions in Hearts Memorial Hall was organized by Mr. Strong in ms first year of his pastorate here. with twenty member: including Superintendent and teachers. In 1820 after this school was in oper- ation for three years. Walter John- ston. who went over the Island es- tabltshing ‘ Schools in nu account of his travels lays: "Tho Methodists hold a school in their

chapel on sabbath evening, but the

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APOLOGY

I HEREBY APOLOGIZE for mil- "18 statements to the effect that ""51" Persons were caught in Mr. Gordon McMillan’: Fox Ranch. I admit thutthla statement is untrue Ind that no such occurrence took plloc.

Dated at (farlottetown this 27th day of October, I933.

AMUEL ABBOTT.

Witness : MARION '1'. MacKENZIE. 2885

children who attend are few in number and young in years. I serv- ed these children with tickets, en- joining them to commit the pas- sages oi scrlpture to memory and repeat them next Sabbath."

In 1826—nln_e years after this school was opened-the P. E. Island Register, published in Charlotte- town. contained the following ar- ticle. "A public examination of the Wesleyan Sunday School took place in the chapel on Sunday last which we were glad to observe was very respectably attended. The cleanly and cheerful appearance oi the children was an interesting and pleasing spectacle. When we men- tion that considerably upwards of one hundred children regularly at- tend this school where they are gratuitously taught, not only the elements of useiul knowledge, but have their youthful minds early imbued with a reverence for divine things. some estimate may be formed of the important benefits which this institution has confer- red upon the community."

Among the first superintendents in the Sunday School were Charles Welch. John Bovyer. George Weldon and Watson Duchemin.

In 181s the Rev. John Fishpool was stationed in Charlottetown. He seems to have been out of the ord- inary run of Methodist preachers as the following memorial to the Lieutenant Governor in Council from Rev. Mr. Fishpool, less than two months after his appointment to the circuit, will show.

"To His Excellency Charles Doug- las Smith, Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief in and over Hts Majesty's Island of Prince Ed- ward and the territories thereto ad- jacent, Chancellor and vice Ad- miral of the same etc.. etc., etc.

“The petition of John Fishllool of Charlottetown in the said Island Methodist Missionary Soweth.

"That your petitioner, on Sun- day evening last about seven o'clock was going to his lodgings, and be- tween the house ol the Honourable William Please and Mr. Cameron. j your petitioner was met by the Hon-

ourable Colonel Holiand. who with some of his family were riding ap- parentiy for pastime in his carriage and the Colonel was driving the vehicle.

"That your petitioner, considering this conduct as a breach of the Sab- bath day and in a confined circle o inhabitants likely to produce niuch harm to the cause oi religion and morality as proceeding from a person of the Colonel's nigh stand- ing in the colony. was about to ad- dress the Colonel in the most res- pectful manner on the nature and probable effect of such his conduct. but your petitioner had only said to him, ".0 Sir. I am" when he re- ceived from the Colonel a severe stroke of his whip across the cheek and forehead and the Colonel drove on furiously through the streets of Charlottetown in his usual ntanncr.

,"That your petitioner immediate- ly repaired to the house of Ben- jamin De St. Croix, 13311.. one oi His Majesty's Justices oi.’ the Peace for the Island and stated to him the fact oi the said battery being coin- mitted and prayed his interference to support the Majesty of the law. but Mr. St. Croix excused himself at that time by observing that Col- onel Holland was a brother officer and he could not therefore properly act in the manner. and desired your petitioner to go to Francis Long- worth, Esq.. t0 whom your petition- or immediately repaired and stated the case, and was informed by Mr- Longworth that he had not Plum!“ as a Justice of the Peace 1n any 11l- ptancc since he was last 10901111911 Sheriff. and also remarked that as Mr. St. Croix was first aPPHEd m bl’ your petitioner, he cull“ l9 d° h“ duty, and if he had an excuse ov- Qry Magistrate besides milht m“! on, “m; Mr, Longworth advised

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your petitioner to return to M)‘. St. Croix.

"That your petitioner _on Monday morning last applied to Mr. St. Croix, who again excused himself as before, but in the evening of the day. on another applicatipn, Mr. St. Croix was ‘ i to ’ ‘ this morning to receive your Jtitioncr and his witnesses (six in number and most respectful persons) but be- fore the hour arrived your petition- er received a message from Mr. 8t. Croix stating that he would not do anything in the matter nor proceed at all in the business. .

“That your petitioner is and c1- ways was willing to be bound duly to prosecute for the said buttery ac- cording to law and is not desirous to obtain any pecuniary satisfaction whatever to himself.

"May it please Your Excellency to take the case of your petitioner into your serious consideration and grant such relief therein as to Your Excellency shall seem proper and your petitioner shall ever pray.

(Signed) John Fishpool. "Charlottetown. “August 4, 1818.”

Mr. Fishpool might make a very good prosecutor under the Sabbath Observance Act, but when struck on the one cheek he_ evidently did not believe in turning the other also.

Missionary Society Formal

On Christmas evening. 12:24, the Auxiliary Wesleyan hlissionury Soci- ety was formed in hc old chapel under the pastorate of the H! v. Mr. Bert. This Society was carried on for upwards of ‘ifty years and through the noble efforts of its members large sums of money were annually raised for the support of the work in the foreign field.

For twenty years this old chapel was occupied by the Methodists of Charlottetown and during that Der- iod the cause grew from a more handful until the place blacame too small for the needs of the Society. It was therefore decided to procure a new site and erect a larger chapel in a more convenient part of the town.

On the 16th of November, 1833. just one hundred years ago, yester- day, the Methodist Society purchas- ed from John Somers, a ha]! town lot on the corner of Prince and Richmond Streets, where the Heartz Memorial Hall now stands. ‘This land was conveyed to Isaac Smith. Robert Longworth, William Tanton, John Bovycr, Christopher Cross. Henry Smith, John Treniman, Tho- mas Dawson and Charles Welsh, as trustees oi the Society, and here they built a chapel. The building was an oblong wooden structure, 42 ft] wide by 55 it. long with a flat ceiling, high back pews and a gal- lery around three sides. This build- ing would seat about 600 persons. The chapel was opened for divine service on the 9th of July, 1835. The Rev. J. P. Hetherlngton. the resid- ent minister, preached the opening sermon. '

'I‘he following week the paws were let by the trustees under the follow- ing resolution: "Resolved that the pews shall be given to the highest subscribers. and that as many as have subscribed ten pounds and up- wards shall have the first choice, those who shall have subscribed seven pounds ten shillings and up- wards below ten pounds shall have the second choice. Five pounds sub- scribers and upwards below seven pounds ten shillings the third choice,,and so on to lowest. If any difficulty arises from several per- sons desiring the same pew every such case shall be decided by cast- ing lots."

One pew was reserved for the preachers family, and the large square pew near the pulpit and op- posite the preacherb new was re- served for "respectable strangers."

Mission Site Purchase

In 1836 the Trustees purchased a half town lot adjoining tne Chapel property on Richmond Street, upon which to erect a Mission house.

During the pastorate of the Rev. Richard Knight, Methodism made rapid progress in Charlottetown. Two years after the chapel was opened it was found necessary to enlarge the building by adding thirty feet to its length. At the close of Mr. Knight's term in 1839. the membership of the Society was 250, a large number having been added as a result of an extensive revival under his ministery.

In 1840 the Rev. William Webb was appointed to the Pastorate o! the Society and under his ministry it was found n y to again en- large the chapel. This time a large wing was erected on Prince Street, which completely changed the whole bufldlna and provided uniting ac- commodation for over a thousand WHOM- llarly the followin. year tho B". Mr. Webb dicd and Dr. DeWolfc was appointed to take his place.

For fiftwn years this building rc- maincd without further alterations or additions. Under the Pastor-ate of the Rev. Roderick Bmallwood in 1061 some thne hundred persons joined, the society as tbs result of revival services held at that time.

The old building that stood where thv Bwilmln Heart: Memorial flail new stands was Jun an ordinary

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PHOTOGRAPHS MADE BY CIIASWELL — STUDIO

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tion, and for a very few still living, it had many fond recollections and hallowed associations. In one of the 15789 pews behind the pulpit m» several years Paul Town taught a number of little boys the first prin- ciples of the Christian religion. He was a plain unlettered mechanic, but the recollections of his earnest, faithful solicltude for the future welfare oi the children lingers with us still.

Eioqueut Preachers

Here too, many of the eloquent preachers of the last century spoke from the old-fashioned pulpit that stoodln the centre of the main building as high as the gallery front. enclosed by the Communion rail, and reached by a flight of stairs. Among these were men of the stamp and stamina of Ephraim Evans, Frederick Smailwoocl and Ingram Sutciifle, of the fervor and eloquence of lifatthew Richey. Charles De- Wolfe and J. R. Marrowway. Many such men. whose lives and labours moulded and made the character of the Mcthodism of their day.

In the vestry fronting on Rich- mond Street adjoining the Chapel, the Sunday School and prayer meet- ings were held. The Sunday School held two sessions, one at nine 0'- clock in the morning and the other at two in the afternoon. every Sun- day through the year. -