History of Methodism in eastern British America : including Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Bermuda

17.4 MB·English

by  Johnson, D

The Leonard Library
Wptlitlt College
Toronto
Shelf No.
.
Register No. .&.

HISTORY OF
METHODISM
IN
EASTERN BRITISH AMERICA
INCLUDING NOVA SCOTIA, NEW BRUNSWICK
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
NEWFOUNDLAND AND BERMUDA
FROM THE BEGINNING TILL THE CONSUMMATION
OF UNION WITH THE PRESBYTERIAN AND
CONGREGATIONALCHURCHES IN 1925
BY D. W. JOHNSON
OF THE NOVASCOTIA CONFERENCE, EX-EDITOR OFTHE WESLEYAN
PRINTED BY
THE TRIBUNE PRINTING CO., LTD.
SACKVILLE. NEW BRUNSWICK
11 '
CONTENTS
Chapter Page
1. The Genesis of Methodism 7
2. Nova Scotia Conference following circuit order as in Year
Book of 1924 14
3. New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, including Bible
Christians in P. B. I 140
4. Newfoundland Conference, including Labrador and Education
in Newfoundland 241
5. Methodism in Bermuda 348
6. Mount Allison Institution's 364
7. Wesleyan and Book Room 391
8. Church Union 397
9. Woman's Missionary Society 403
10. Home and Foreign Missions 413
11. Appendices
A. The Constitution and Personnel of the Eastern British Amer
ica Conference 1855 to 1874 416
B. Nova Scotia Conference names and figures 419
C. N. B. and P. E. I. Conference names and figures 426
D. Newfoundland Conference names and figures 432
E. Supernumeraries in Different Conferences 439
F. Deceased Ministers and Years of Service 442
G. Conference Meeting Places and Officials 446

PREFACE
Reaching a crisis in the history of our Church, when it was
about to become a part of the United Church of Canada, it was
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
of Methodism in Eastern British America ended. We were re
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 present momentous
period (1925) when the long proposed union of the Presbyterian,
Methodist and Congregational Churches in Canada is about to
be accomplished, and we 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 history of every circuit, for convenience sake following the
order in which they appear in the Year Book, except that Ber
muda notes follow 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
ences since 1855 and what became of them. The preparation of
these tables has entailed much labor. No doubt some discrepan
cies will be found.
In preparing this volume we have traversed more than fifty
years of Wesleyan files Minutes of the old E. B. A. Conference,
;
and of the three succeeding Conferences from 1874 to the pre
sent; Missionary Reports; Academy, Ladies' College and Uni
versity Calendars from their beginnings; Argosy files, many dis
trict books and other documents.
We are much indebted to Dr. Smith's "History of Metho
dism in Eastern British America"; Wilson's "Newfoundland and
its Missionaries"; "Cornish's Cyclopedia of Methodism in Can-
ada"; Selby Jefferson's "Centenary Volume of Bermuda Metho
dism" "The Chignecto Isthmus and Its First Settlers", by True-
man; A;ngwin's "Methodism in Cape Breton"; Lench's local his
tories of Districts in Newfoundland; "Centennial of Canadian
Methodism" "Centenary of Methodism in Eastern British Amer
;
ica"; Lives of William Black by Richey and MacLean; "Francis
Metherall and his work"; Robert Wilson's "Methodism in the
Maritime Provinces"; Young's "A Missionary's Work in Labra
dor", and many local histories.
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.