20. DIVISIONS BY DISTRICTS 
     
    
   
   
    
     Prince Edward Island had been one district in the Methodist Church 
     
     organization until 1893 when during that year it was divided into the Charlot- 
     
     tetown and the Summerside Districts with the Summerside District comprising all 
     
     of the Prince County Circuits, in addition to the Granville, the Margate and the 
     
     Western Queen’s Circuits. 
     
    
   
   
    
     In accordance with the Amalgamation of the churches on June 10, 1925, 
     
     the official name of the church became the United Church of Canada, Alberton 
     
     Pastoral Charge, Prince County, Prince Edward Island Presbytery, the Maritime 
     
     Conference. 
     
    
   
   
    
     21. THE 100th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF 
     
     THE MIMINEGASH UNITED CHURCH BUILDING 
     
     August 23, 1981 
     
    
   
   
    
     It would not be an exaggeration to write that the 100th Anniversary Celebra- 
     
     tion of the Miminegash United Church Building, the resulting souvenir com- 
     
     memorative booklet, and this historical account of the Methodists and 
     
     Presbyterians in the west Prince County area, started with a single date, 1881, 
     
     and that given without proof of accuracy. 
     
    
   
   
    
     From that very tiny bit of information has grown a voluminous accumula- 
     
     tion of information which has become a source of wonder to the Rev. Stewart B. 
     
     Russell, considering the sizes of the churches and the congregations involved in 
     
     the research. 
     
    
   
   
    
     It was learned that our ancestors, who began to arrive in the West Prince 
     
     County area in growing numbers starting with the 1830’s and the 1840’s, were 
     
     deeply interested in their religious heritage and determined to have their own 
     
     churches and ministers wherever they established their new homes. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The common practice of meeting in each other’s home continued until the 
     
     pressure of a growing population and the desire to have religious services 
     
     available, lead to very early discussions and plans for the church buildings, many 
     
     of which are still very much in use. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Unfortunately, we have not always been interested in the social and religious 
     
     history of Prince Edward Island as we are currently. As a result, many of the 
     
     facts discovered about the history of the churches in Campbellton and 
     
     Miminegash have come as a great surprise to the present generation. For 
     
     instance, the knowledge of the existence and the former location of the 
     
     Miminegash Bible Christian Church had just about disappeared from the com- 
     
     munity of Miminegash. The present research for this book has restored this in— 
     
     formation, and now we know a great deal about not only that band of hardy 
     
     Bible Christians, but also the devout Methodists and Presbyterians who were 
     
     their neighbors. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Plans for a public recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the Miminegash 
     
     United Church building began in 1979 upon the request of the elders, Robert 
     
    
   
   
    
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