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H I S T O R Y O F ME T HODI SM E ASTE RN BRI TI SH AME RI CA I NCLUDING NOVA SCO TI A, NE W BRUNSWICK PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND NEWFOUNDLAND AND BERMUDA FROM THE BE GI NNI NG TI LL THE CONSUMMATI ON OF U NI ON WI TH THE PRE SBYT E RI AN AND CONGRE GATI ONAL CHURCHE S I N 1925 BY D . W. JOHNS ON ' ‘ OF THE - NOVA SC OTI A CONFERENCE, E X E DI I OB OF THE WESLEYAN C O N T E N T S C h a pte r 1 Th e G e n e si s of Me h o m . t d i s 2 No a Sco on f e r . v tia C e n c e f ol l owin g c ircu it o rd e r a s in Ye a r Book o f 1924 Ne w B un s wi ck a n d Prin ce E dwa s l an d n cl ud n Bib l e r rd I , i i g h s ia n s C in P E . ri t . I N e wfoun d an d Co n fe r e n ce in lu d n L ab ad an E d uc a on l , c i g r or d ti in N e wfoun dl a n d Me th od i s m in Be rmud a Moun t Al llis on In s titution s We s l e ya n a n d Boo k Room C hu rch U n io n ’ Wo man s Mi s s i on a ry So c ie ty Ho m e a n d Fore i g n Mis sion s Ap p e n d ice s T h e C o n s tituti on an d P e r son n e l o f th e E a s te rn British Ame r ica Co n fe re n c e —18 55 to 18 74“ N ova fSco tia C on fe re n c e n am e s an d fig ur e s N B a n d .P E I Con f e e n c me s a n d ur e s . r e n a fig Ne wf oun d la n d Con fe re n ce n a me s a n d fig u re s Sup e rn ume ra ri e s in Diffe re n t C o n fe re n ce s De c e a se d Mi n i s te rs a n d Y e ars o f Se rvi c e Con fe re n ce Me e tin g Pl ace s an d Offic i al s PRE FACE a w Reaching crisis in the history of our Church , when it as w about to become a part of the United Church of Canada , it as thought desirable by the Conferences of Eastern British America that a history of Methodism in this territory should be prepared especially dealing with the past fifty years extending from the ’ date at which the late Dr . T . Watson Smith s excellent History r of Methodism in Eastern British America ended . We were e quested to undertake this task and consented to do so . As our investigations developed , we concluded that it would be wise to produce , in one volume , a summary of the history of Methodism in this territory from the beginning to the pre sent momentous 1 2 period ( 9 5) when the long proposed union of the Presbyterian , Methodist and Congregational Churches in Canada is about to c w be ac omplished , and e have acted accordingly . In doing so , “ ” after an introductory chapter on The Genesis of Methodism , we have proceeded to consider the progress of the separate east ern Conferences and to . give , as far as possible , a summary of the the history of every circuit , for convenience sake following order in which they appear in the Year Book , except that Ber w muda notes follo those on Newfoundland . By this arrangement , the record of any circuit can be easily found . Following this , are chapters on The Mount Allison Institutions , Wesleyan and Book ’ Room , Church Union , Woman s Missionary Society and Home and Foreign Missions . The Appendices are extended , giving the names of all candi dates who have been admitted to the ministry in these Confer e n ce s since 18 55 and what became of them . The preparation of discre an these tables has entaile d much labor . No doubt some p w cies ill be found . In preparing this volume we have traversed more than fifty ce years of Wesleyan files ; Minute s of the old E . B . A . Conferen , and of the three succeeding Conferences from 18 74 to the pre t ’ U i sent ; Missionary Repor s ; Academy , Ladies College and n dl S versity Calendars from their beginnings ; Argosy files , many ri t ct books and other documents . ’ “ i o h We are much indebted to Dr . Sm th s “Hist ry of Met o ” ’ di e m in Easte rn British America ; Wilson s Newfoundland an d ” “ ’ its Missionaries ; Cornish s Cyclopedia of Methodism in Can ’ “ ada S“elby Jefferson s Centenary Volume of Bermuda Metho ” ” di e m ; The Chignecto I sthmus and Its First Settlers , by True ’ “ ” ’ man ; Angwin s Methodism in Cape B“reton ; Lench e local his tories of Districts in Ne wfoundland ; Centennial of Canadian of Methodism in Easte rn Britis“h Amer ” ica ; Lives of William Black by Richey and Ma cL e an ; Francis ” ’ “ Me th e ra ll and his work ; Robert Wilson s Methodism in the ” ’ “ ’ Maritime Provinces ; Young s A Missionary s Work in Labra ” o . dor , and many local hist ries We are also indebted to those who have responded to our appeals for historical data but regret that many appeals were ’ like Noah s third dove which did not return . CHAPTE R I THE GENESIS OF METHODISM 0 e As it was said of J sus that He was born of a woman , so it might be said of Methodism . Whilst John Wesley is rightly revered as its earthly founder , it should never be forgotten that he had a very remarkable mother , not only because she was the m mother of so any , but also because of the impress she made upon them , especially upon John and Charles . It will be remem bered that when John was five years of age he very narrowly H escaped death by the burning of Epworth parsonage . e was the last to be rescued and that j ust as the roof was falling . From that time his mother seems to have devoted particular atte ntion to his education and when he was eight years of age she made special mention of him in one of the entries of her diary in which she s“aid : And I do intend to be more particularly careful of the soul o f this child that Thou hast so mercifully provided for than ever I have been ; that I may do my endeavor to instil into his mind the principles of Thy true religion and vi rtue . Lord , give me grace to do it sincerely and prudently , and bless my attempts ” with good suc cess . With equal truth it might be said that Methodism was born of God . e Having premised this much , we not that , since its birth , Methodism has been an evolution . It is not a mere mechanism , constructe d after an already chosen pattern . It is a life . It is a leaven which has grown by contagion . Like early Christianity off- it spread by persecution . It is sometimes called an shoot from Anglicanism , but it is nearer the truth to say that it was - its shot off from Anglicanism . Refused the parish churches , w preachers betook themselves to the open spaces , the high ays and hedge s , and constrained multitudes to enter the kingdom It found its way into the army and the navy and went with them w w into other lands and over distant seas , and herever it ent it made a lodgement and began to grow . s hvmn s No real census can be made of Methodi m . By its and by its preaching it has found its way into all other Christian S HI S TO R Y OF ME THO DI SM co mmun ions and has leavened their theologies until they have ar l g ely become assimilated to itself in doctrine . No longer is h - ell paved with the skulls of non elect infants not a span long , an d no longer is any poor sinner arbitrarily consigned to the limbo of the lost . It would be interesting to trace tit : beginnings of Methodism in every land , but our task has to do with its history in what is known as Eastern British America . It is of much interest to note that Methodism in Canad a began in a very central and historic community , the Yorkshire Methodists who came to this country from 1772 to 1775 settling in Amherst, Point de Bute , and Sackville , on , and on either side ~ of , the present boundary between Nova Scotia and New Bruns wick . Here they met in prayer and fellowship meetings , without a o past r , but faithful to the vows which they had taken upon r themselves in the Old Land .

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