where the present Lot 10 Church is built (West Devon). The large creek by the 
     
     place where Mr. Nichols’ house now stands cut off all further advance. In the 
     
     darkness, he sought to make his way over the fallen timber, and through the 
     
     dense and tangled undergrowth up the stream, with the hope of finding some 
     
     means of crossing the ford. Presently, he came to a spruce tree, fallen across the 
     
     creek; an attempt was made to cross on the tree; when about half way over, the 
     
     branches of the tree top were so thick and entangled, that all further advance 
     
     was impossible in the darkness. He now, supperless and wearied, sat down on the 
     
    
   
   
    
     tree, leaned against the branches, and lodged there for the night. During the 
     
     night, the wind shifted to the north west, and a frost set in; when the morning 
     
    
   
   
    
     dawned, there being no prospect of proceeding, without any breakfast the 
     
     preacher commenced his return journey of eighteen miles, through partially 
     
     frozen snow and mud; this was accomplished by noon; he secured for his dinner, 
     
     there being nothing better obtainable, some coarse potatoes usually used for 
     
     feeding stock, being scarcely considered fit for table purposes, and a little whey 
     
    
   
   
    
     to drink.”7 
     
    
   
   
    
     “I travelled wholly on foot,” Metherall recalled, “the first three years I was 
     
     on the Island, but found it very great slavery. I often suffered much, and once 
     
     nearly lost my life in a storm.” Philip James writes of tottering through the snow 
     
     three or four feet deep, for six or seven miles together. Neither Rev. Metherall or 
     
     Rev. James ever willingly disappointed a congregation. Rev. Metherall, refusing 
     
     to ask the Conference for money to purchase a horse, later procured a horse out 
     
     of his own meager salary. It was about this time, in 1840, after six and one half 
     
     years of missionary work in Prince Edward Island, Rev. Philip James was remov- 
     
     ed from the Island and assigned to Ontario. 
     
    
   
   
    
     16. PERSONAL TRAGEDIES OF THE 
     
     REV. FRANCIS METHERALL 
     
    
   
   
    
     “In 1840, Rev. Francis Metherall was called to pass through the great trial 
     
     of his life in the death of his wife. Mrs. Metherall had been the sharer of her 
     
     husband’s joys and sorrows for many years. She had aided him in his work, especially 
     
     at Vernon River. After the Parsonage was built, the services were mostly held there. 
     
     Mrs. Metherall led the singing, conducted class and prayer meetings in the absence 
     
     of her husband, and visited the sick. But her labours were finished, and she entered 
     
     into rest. She was taken very ill very suddenly, and in a few hours died, leaving an 
     
     infant and eight children, including a son of Mr. Metherall’s brother, John 
     
    
   
   
    
     Metherall. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The eldest daughter, Susannah, only about fourteen years of age, had to 
     
     manage the household until a suitable person could be found to take charge of 
     
     the family. Captain Marshall, whose vessel was anchored in Orwell Bay, per- 
     
     formed the funeral rites, and administered Christian counsel and sympathy to the 
     
     bereaved family. Shortly after, the infant died also, and was laid beside the 
     
    
   
   
    
     mother in the Vernon River Cemetery.”58 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     57 Ibid., p. 43. 
     
     58 Ibid., p. 46, 47. 
     
    
   
   
    
     188