was tendered at reduced rate by a friend in this town, a frame was provided and set up but the fears of our society and congregation predominated over their hopes . . . . It progressed toward com- pletion but very slowly . . . . Fortunately for the cause of Metho- dism in this town in 1834 the British Conference appointed the present highly respected Minister. A determination to finish the chapel was soon formed and to aid us in the undertaking an appeal was made to the public and the liberalities flowed in upon us . . . . The Chapel stands about the centre of the town . . . . Its dimen- sions about 50 x 40 . . . . a strong neat building will seat about 600 hearers . . . . The Chapel was crowded at every service on the day of dedication, Sunday, July 19, 1835 . . . . some could not get seats in the evening. Collections amounted to upwards of 23 pounds. Yesterday Chapel was opened for the letting of pews . . . . all speedily taken and many disappointed. This old church building still stands at 21-23 Prince Street where it was hauled in 1864 following the completion of the present brick church.”

In 1820, several years after the school was organized, Walter Johnson of Scotland, visited Prince Edward Island with a view to establishing Sabbath Schools and to investigate the religious state of the country. Mr. Johnson’s record states that “The Methodists occupy several preaching stations on the Island — Charlottetown, Murray Harbour, Tryon and Bedeque, with other places where they preach occasionally —— Lot 49, Covehead Road and Three Rivers (Head of Hillsborough). They have so many excellent local preach- ers that they seldom want for a sermon and wherever the Methodists abound, vice and immorality are made in a great measure to hide their heads, and every man and woman is taught to pray”.

Under the new conditions, the school began to improve and it continued to meet in the old chapel, holding two sessions each Sunday, for about 13 years, when the chapel was enlarged and a schoolroom provided. The superintendents during this later period were John S. Bremner, George Moore, George Beer and John T. Thomas. The furniture in that early school was most primitive — deal benches without backs and the only books used were the Bible and the Catechism, portions of which were committed to memory every Sunday. This resulted in a thorough knowledge of the Bible, not possessed by Sunday School scholars today. In addition there was a second School opened on Grafton Street West, near the corner

of Pownal Street.

Methodism grew up in an age of revival. These were many and powerful; perhaps the greatest one occurred in the winter of 1852 when Rev. Frederick Smallwood whose grandsons were later well known dentists on the Island preached with such power that 300 new members were added to the roll, nine of whom later entered the

Ministry.

__2]._