she had to sit down on a log and weep out her distress, while Rev. Metherall spoke words of encouragement and hope. She had been for nine months without a home, had just come from a tedious voyage, and now, after the tiresome journey through Bedeque, and a weary walk of several miles, the lonely aspect of her surroundings seemed more than she could bear.”’2

12. FIRST YEAR OF THE REV. METHERALL’S MINISTRY AND THE ARRIVAL OF A SECOND MISSIONARY

“The Missionary was too thoroughly consecrated not to begin his ministerial work at once. Regular preaching services were immediately established, and in his first letter, dated the 10th June 1832, he speaks of the good already done by the

friends, Abbott and others, who had been Bible Christians at home; while on the

29th of that month he writes that he has formed one society of twelve persons, ” 53

and expects to form two more the following Sunday .

As work continued on Union Road and Winslow Road, Rev. Metherall turned his attention to Malpeque Road, commonly known then as Princetown Road, along which had settled many English families. He visited and set up preaching schedules in Little York, Covehead Road, Mill River which was near New London, and South West Bedeque. His missionary labors now extended to a distance of forty miles, but he still was not satisfied. He soon visited Vernon River the Three Rivers Settlements, Lower Montague, and Georgetown, preaching wherever he found an opportunity. Rev. Metherall had now extended the circuit to a distance of eighty miles during his first year in Prince Edward Island. At the end of his first year, he moved his family from Union Road to Vernon River where he lived in the house of Jeremiah Enman. In this extensive circuit were now forty-seven members, and the prospects for growth were so good, that a second missionary, Philip James, was sent by the Conference to Prince Edward Island in 1834. Rev. James left Appledore, Devon on the 24th of June on the brig “Sappho” and arrived in Prince Edward Island on August 3rd. Rev. James assumed responsibility for the circuit west of Charlottetown, from Union Road to New London, and Rev. Metherall worked in the area east of the Hillsborough River with a total of thirty-six preaching places for the two mis- sionaries.

13. BIBLE CHRISTIANS ERECT THEIR FIRST BUILDINGS IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

The first Bible Christian Church building in Prince Edward Island was erected on Princetown Road through the efforts of Rev. Metherall. Another log church was soon built on Union Road followed by a parsonage for Rev.

52 F.W. Bourne, The Bible Christians, Their Origin and History 1815 - 1900 (London, Truslove and Bray, Ltd, 1905), p. 210

53 Ibid., p. 211.

185