English Conference met July 28, 1831 at Hicks Mill Chapel, Gwennap, Cornwall,

England, and voted to send a missionary to Ontario and to send one of their own members, Rev. Francis Metherall, to Prince Edward Island.

A month later, on August 27, 1831, Mr. James Thorne sent to Rev. Metherall the details of his appointment, together with the prayer, “May the Lord go with you and bless you, and make you a blessing to thousands.” The following certificate accompanied his final instructions:

“This is to certify to all whom it may concern, that the bearer hereof, Brother Francis Metherall, is an approved minister in the Bible Christian Connexion, and is appointed by the Conference of the said people as a missionary to Prince Edward Island, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, North America, in compliance with the request of some of our friends who have emigrated thither.

Signed, in behalf of the said Conference held at Hicks Mill Chapel, in Gwennap, county of Cornwall, England, July 28, 1831.

James Thorne, President

William Reed, Secretary”SI

11. WILDERNESS OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND CHALLENGES THE NEW MISSIONARY

Rev. Francis Metherall was born in North Devon in December, 1791, had been converted by Rev. James Thorne, and entered the ministry at the age of thirty-one. The first nine years of his religious work were spent in England and the adjacent islands where he experienced considerable success. While serving an appointment in the Channel Islands, he was married to Miss Mary Langley of Guernsey on August 22, 1826 who later was to share a most difficult life with her

husband in Prince Edward island.

“On September 5, 1831, Rev. Francis Metherall, with his wife and two children, embarked at Plymouth, Devon, for Prince Edward Island. The wind being contrary, the vessel lay in the Sound for more than four days, and the voyage did not commence until the night of the 9th. After five days, the weather became exceptionally rough, the ship sprang a leak, and it was found necessary to put back to Plymouth for repairs. The next spring, they re-embarked on the 23rd April on the brig “Amethyst,” which was bound for Charlottetown, but which, after a thirty—three days’ voyage, landed them at Bedeque, forty miles distant.

Their real destination was Union Road, a further distance of forty miles inland, and

as there was some difficulty in reaching it, Rev. Metherall set out by himself and tramped the whole way. The necessary arrangements for bringing on the goods

being made, Rev. Metherall returned to fetch his family. The latter part of the

journey they had to follow a blazed track through the woods, he carrying one of the children in his arms. During the last two miles of the walk, extended by their

having missed the way, Mrs. Mary Metherall’s courage almost broke down, and

51 Letter from James Thorne and William Reed, July 28, 1831.

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