Sabbath days are generally filled up with looking over the past week’s industry and in visiting their neighbors. When any dissenting minister has happened to visit the Island from the continent, many of the inhabitants have attended with an apparent desire to be instructed.”6

9. THE REV. JOSEPH AVARD

The story of Rev. Dawson’s work and death so stirred the heart of Rev. Joseph Avard, of Guernsey, Channel Islands, that he organized a party of emigrants to form a Methodist colony in Prince Edward Island. Rev. Joseph Avard, an English Methodist local preacher with a gift of organization, landed in Charlottetown in 1806, and during residence of eight years took an active interest in the work of the society. For a year after his arrival, he preached every Sabbath, either in Charlot- tetown or in one of the outlying districts, but found it impossible to continue his work in addition to his ordinary business. Rev. Avard lived just outside of the town limits, at the junction of the St. Peter’s and Mount Edward Roads. The land then occupied by him is now a flourishing part of Charlottetown which for sometime was called after him, “St. Avards”.

The work soon grew beyond the strength of the volunteer workers, for the whole Island was now aroused and asking for Methodist preaching. Dr. Coke and the Rev. Adam Clark had both been friends of Avard in England. He wrote to them, making a strong appeal for workers. In reply, the Rev. James Bulpit, who had spent a term of five years in Newfoundland, was sent by the London Missionary Society to take charge of the work. From the year 1807, Prince Edward Island appears in the Minutes of the British Conference. Avard continued to give in-

valuable volunteer service and had much to do in establishing Methodism in “The Island Cradled in the Gulf.”

10. THE REV. HENRY ALLINE AND THE NEW LIGHT MOVEMENT

About the time Black began his volunteer itinerancy in Nova Scotia, the New Light Movement, of which Henry Alline was the leader, had touched many of the settlements of the province. Alline’s preaching was emotional and in strong contrast to the usual preaching of his time; the people were affected by it and many were shaken in their faith. No one doubted Alline’s sincerity, but his teaching provoked the bitterest controversies; families were divided; neighbours became opposed to each other; pastors preached against the doctrines Alline taught, but did not stem the tide of the movement. Into these conditions Black brought the evangelistic Christianity taught by Wesley and his preachers. The warm-hearted Yorkshire Methodists with whom he met in prayer and class-meeting, his constant study of the Scriptures and his clear assurance of God’s call guided Black in his work of

evangelism and in the wise leadership he gave to both volunteer and ordained workers.

6 John Cambridge, A Description of Prince Edward Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 1805