the chignecto isthmus and its first settlers-第13章

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METHODISTS。

A　letter　written　from　England　to　Mr。　Wm。　Trueman；　Prospect；　in　1776；　asks　if　the　adherents　of　the　Methodist　societies　have　any　place　of　worship　to　go　to；　or　do　they　meet　among　themselves　according　to　the　usual　way　of　the　Methodists。　The　reply　would　be　that　they　met　amongst　themselves；　as　there　is　no　record　of　a　〃meeting　house〃　until　some　years　later。

The　Methodists　of　the　early　Yorkshire　emigration　at　first　met　quietly　at　the　home　of　one　of　their　number　for　their　services。　In　1779　religious　interest　deepened；　and　a　wide…spread　revival　began。　Meetings　were　held；　followed　by　encouraging　results。　Among　the　new　converts　was　Wm。　Black；　of　Amherst；　afterwards　Bishop　Black。　It　is　recorded　that　at　a　quarterly　meeting　held；　in　1780；　at　Wm。　Trueman's；　Wm。　Black　received　a　great　blessing；　and　although　only　a　young　man；　he　took　from　that　time　a　prominent　part　in　the　meetings　of　the　neighborhood。　Three　young　men；　Scurr；　Wells；　and　Fawkender；　agreed　with　Wm。　Black　to　visit　in　turn；　each　Sabbath；　the　settlements　of　Prospect；　Fort　Lawrence；　and　Amherst。　From　1780　until　after　the　first　Methodist　Conference　of　the　Maritime　Provinces；　in　1786；　Wm。　Black　had　charge　of　the　Cumberland　Circuit；　which　included　from　Wallace　（then　Ramshag）　to　Petitcodiac；　taking　in　Bay　Verte　and　Cape　Tormentine。　In　1782　the　membership　of　the　circuit　numbered　eighty…two。　In　1786　the　first　Conference　was　held　at　Halifax。

Shortly　before　Conference　Mr。　Black；　with　his　family；　moved　to　Halifax；　leaving　in　his　place；　at　Cumberland；　Mr。　Graudin；　of　New　Jersey。　Mr。　Graudin　was　sent　back　to　Cumberland　by　the　Conference。　He　was　assisted　by　John　Black；　of　Amherst；　brother　of　Wm。　Black。　In　1787　Mr。　Graudin　was　removed　and　his　place　taken　by　Mr。　James　Mann。　That　year　land　was　bought　on　which　to　build　a　chapel；　and　in　1788　the　first　Methodist　church　in　Canada　was　built　at　Point　de　Bute。　It　stood　somewhat　back　from　the　road　in　the　present　cemetery。　The　house　was　of　stone；　with　a　roof　of　thatch。　The　following　is　the　deed　of　the　property　on　which　the　house　was　built：

〃This　Indenture；　made　this　eighteenth　day　of　September；　on　thousand　seven　hundred　and　eighty…eight；　and　in　the　twenty…eighth　year　of　His　Majesty's　reign；　between　William　Chapman；　of　Point　de　Bute；　of　the　one　part；　and　the　Rev。　Mr。　John　Wesley；　of　London；　of　the　other　part；　witnesseth；　that　in　consideration　of　five　shillings　currency；　by　the　said　John　Wesley　to　the　said　William　Chapman；　truly　paid　before　the　sealing　and　delivering　hereof；　the　receipt　whereof　the　said　William　Chapman　doth　hereby　acknowledge　and　for　divers　other　considerations　him　thereunto　moving；　the　said　William　Chapman　hath　granted；　bargained　and　sold；　and　by　these　presents　doth　bargain　and　sell　unto　the　said　John　Wesley　and　his　successors　in　the　Methodist　line　forever；　one　acre　of　land；　situated　and　lying　in　the　County　of　Westmoreland；　and　Province　of　New　Brunswick；　bounding　on　the　west　on　land　belonging　to　James　Law；　Esq。；　and　on　the　south　on　the　main　road　leading　from　Fort　Cumberland　to　the　Bay　Verte；　together　with　all　privileges　to　the　said　premises　appertaining　and　all　the　profits　thereof　with　the　right；　title　and　interest　in　Law　and　Equity；　to　have　and　to　hold　the　said　acre　of　land；　to　him　the　said　John　Wesly　and　his　successors　in　the　Methodist　Line　forever；　and　to　be　appropriated　for　a　preaching　House　and　burying…ground；　and　other　conveniences　that　shall　be　judged　necessary　to　accommodate　the　same　under　the　inspection　and　direction　of　the　general　assistant　or　the　preacher　by　Conference　stationed　on　the　Circuit；　together　with　Wm。　Wells；　Thomas　Watson；　Esq。；　Richard　Lowerison；　George　Falkinther；　Wm。　Trueman；　jun。；　Stephen　Read；　and　James　Metcalf　to　be　Trustees　to　act　in　concert；　and　those　to　be　only　Trustees　as　long　as　they　adhere　to　the　Doctrine　and　Discipline　of　the　said　John　Wesley　and　his　connection；　and　in　case　of　death　or　failure　of　any　of　these　particulars　the　preacher　is　to　nominate　one　in　his　room。　Furthermore；　the　said　William　Chapman；　for　himself；　his　heirs；　executors　and　administrators；　doth　covenant　to　and　with　the　said　John　Wesley　and　his　successors；　the　before　mentioned　demised　premises；　against　the　lawful　claim　or　demand　of　any　person　or　persons　whatsoever；　to　warrant　and　secure　and　defend　by　these　presents；　in　witness　whereof　I　have　hereunto　set　my　hand　and　seal。　Bargained　year　before　written。　〃Signed；　sealed　and　delivered；　in　presence　of

JAMES　LAW；　　　　　　　　　　WILLIAM　CHAPMAN。　SALLY　LAW；　　　　　　　　　　JANE　CHAPMAN。　〃JAMES　WRAY；　Missionary。〃

James　Wray；　and　Englishman；　ordained　and　sent　out　by　Wesley；　arrived　in　1788。　He　was　the　first　ordained　Methodist　minister　in　Cumberland。　Previous　to　this　the　sacrament　of　the　Lord's　Supper　was　administered　by　the　Episcopal　clergyman。　This　same　year　Mr。　Black；　Mr。　John　Mann；　and　Mr。　James　Mann　went　to　Philadelphia　and　were　ordained。　Mr。　Mann　and　Mr。　Wray　were　both　on　the　Cumberland　circuit　for　a　year；　and　Mr。　James　Mann　remained　in　charge　until　1791；　when　he　was　followed　by　Mr。　Whitehead。　From　1793　until　1797　Mr。　Early；　Mr。　John　Black　and　Mr。　Benjamin　Wilson　were　each　at　times　preaching　in　the　Stone　Chapel。　Mr。　Wilson　was　alone　in　1798；　and　assisted　by　Mr。　Cooper　in　1799。　In　1800　Joshua　Marsden　came　out　from　England　and　was　sent　to　the　Cumberland　circuit；　where　he　labored　for　three　years。

The　following　are　from　the　journal　before　referred　to：

〃1802；　May　9thMr。　Marsden　preached　his　farewell　sermon　at　the　Stone　Meeting　House。

〃May　10thMr。　Marsden　set　out　for　Conference。〃

Mr。　Wm。　Bennet　followed　Mr。　Marsden；　coming　directly　from　England　to　Cumberland；　arriving　at　Mr。　Trueman's　on　June　26th。

〃June　26thMr。　Bennet　arrived　at　our　house　and　went　to　Tantramar。

〃27thMr。　Bennet　preached　his　first　sermon　at　Tantramar。

〃July　8thThis　day　was　appointed　by　the　Government　as　a　day　of　thanksgiving　for　the　blessings　of　peace。　Mr。　Bennet　preached　at　the　Amherst　Court…House　from　Romans　12　c。　1　v。　to　a　crowded　and　attentive　audience。〃

The　church　at　this　time　was　in　a　fairly　good　financial　condition。　Point　de　Bute　was　then　headquarters　for　the　ministers；　it　and　Sackville　being　the　most　important　places　in　the　circuit。　Mr。　Mann　visited　Point　de　Bute　in　1803；　preaching　at　the　Stone　House　on　May　2nd；　also　June　16th。

〃June　16th；　Mr。　Mann　preached　at　Mr。　Wells'。〃

〃June　26thMr。　Mann　preached　at　the　Stone　House　morning　and　evening　to　a　crowded　house。〃

Mr。　Bennet's　place　was　taken；　in　1806；　by　Mr。　Stephen　Bamford；　a　local　preacher　sent　out　from　England。　he　was　afterwards　ordained　and　remained　three　years。

〃July　6th；　1806Mr。　Bamford　preached　at　the　Stone　House　for　the　first　time。〃

On　June　3rd；　1808；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Wm。　Black　paid　a　visit　to　Point　de　Bute；　making　their　home　at　Mr。　Wm。　Trueman's。　It　was　a　great　joy　to　the　church　there　to　have　Mr。　Black　with　them　again。　In　1809…10…11；　Mr。　Knowlan　was　on　the　Cumberland　Circuit；　and　in　1812　Mr。　Bennet　returned；　followed　by　Mr。　Dunbar；　in　1815。

Mr。　Dunbar　remained　three　years　and　his　place　was　taken　by　Mr。　Priestly。　During　Mr。　Priestly's　stay　the　new　church　was　built　at　Point　de　Bute。　It　stood　in　front　of　the　spot　occupied　by　the　old　Stone　House；　and　was　opened　by　Mr。　Priestly　in　1822。

Mr。　Stephen　Bamford　was　on　the　circuit　1823　to　1825；　Wm。　Temple　in　1826　and　1827；　Wm。　Webb　in　1828　and　1829；　Wm。　Smithson　from　1830　to　1833。

In　1833；　Rev。　Alexander　McLeod　was　sent　to　Cumberland　as　assistant。　He　made　his　home　in　Point　de　Bute；　and　was　there　most　of　the　time　until　1836。　Rev。　Richardson　Douglas　had　charge　of　the　circuit　in　1834　and　1835。　Mr。　Jos。　Bent　came　in　1836；　and　the　house　on　the　farm　now　owned　by　Mr。　Burton　Jones　was　rented　for　a　parsonage。　During　Mr。　Bent's　ministry　there　was　a　large　revival　at　Point　de　Bute；　and　about　sixty　members　were　received　into　the　church。　Mr。　Bent　was　followed　by　Richard　Williams；　who　remained　two　years。　In　1840　the　Sackville　District　was　divided；　the　Point　de　Bute　Circuit　consisting　of　Point　de　Bute；　Fort　Lawrence；　Bay　Verte　and　Cape　Tormentine。　The　Cumberland　Circuit　had　been　divided　before　this　（as　early　as　1830）；　but　the　exact　date　cannot　be　found。

Below　is　a　list　of　the　ministers　who　have　been　resident　in　the　Point　de　Bute　Circuit　since　1840：

Wm。　Leggit；　1840…1842。　Geo。　Millar；　1842…1