After Rev. Metherall’s death, his widow and family maintained the farm as their 
     
    
   
   
    
     residence. 
     
    

    
     His last years were not free from physical pain. At times his voice failed him 
     
     due to a throat infection which has persisted for many years. He was lame. from 
     
     an old injury received when his horse and buggy had gone over the side of a 
     
     bridge. In addition, he had never recovered from a severe cold which had left 
     
     him in a weakened condition. “As his end drew near, his suffering was very 
     
     great, but his patience and resignation were still greater. He expressed to those 
     
     around him strong confidence in God and a full assurance of hope”. One of 
     
     Rev. Metherall’s last utterances to his brethern in the district meeting assembled 
     
     was, “IfI were young again, I would give my life and all I have with greater zeal 
     
     to the work of the ministery. I have no regret that my life has been so spent. I 
     
     only wish I could have done more for Christ. Brethren, you will never regret any 
     
    
   
   
    
     work or any sacrifice you make for Christ”.‘" 
     
    
   
   
    
     Rev. Francis Metherall died on June 9, 1875 at the age of eighty-four years. As 
     
     a veteran pioneer missionary, he had served in Prince Edward Island for forty— 
     
     three years, and in the Christian ministry for a total of fifty-three years. Rev. 
     
     Jacob Gale wrote, “He seems to have been specially raised up by God to do the 
     
     great work assigned him in Prince Edward Island”. Rev. Francis Metherall, a 
     
     peacemaker who continually worked for peace and goodwill among men, was 
     
     called upon many times to settle disputes in various parts of the Island. “It can 
     
     scarcely be said that Rev. Metherall was brilliant as a preacher, but he possessed 
     
     qualities that were far more valuable. He was always clear, bringing out the 
     
     meaning of his text, and very impressive. His whole soul was thrown into his 
     
     subject; therefore, he was always attractive, but his grand source of his power as 
     
     a minister was in his all-prevailing prayers. In prayer he seemed to enter the 
     
     sacred presence of God, and like a prince, wrestle until he prevailed.”"5 
     
    
   
   
    
     26. THE REV. FRANCIS METHERALL: THE MAN AND HIS WORK 
     
    
   
   
    
     “The question has been raised, was Rev. Francis Metherall a great man? We 
     
     answer emphatically, yes! He may not have been great according to some of the 
     
     conventional standards of men, but if he is to be measured by the amount of 
     
     productive work performed, the influences for good he set in operation, and the 
     
     principles of truth stamped on his generation, then Rev. Francis Metherall stands 
     
     out preeminently as one of earth’s great men. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Rev. Francis Metherall, though then was unknown to us in the flesh, yet 
     
     while we have followed thee in these pages, we have admired thy devoted, con— 
     
     secrated life. We have profoundly sympathized with thee in they life’s sorrows; 
     
     we have felt some of the moving of the same spiritual power that didst inspire 
     
     thee to heroic deeds for thy Master; and now, in leaving thee, the fervent cry of 
     
     our heart is, may we be faithful to the God whom thou didst serve, and attain to 
     
     the same Heaven!”66 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     64 Ibid., pp. 91, 92. 
     
    
   
   
    
     65 Ibid., p. 94. 
     
     66 Ibid., pp. 97, 98. 
     
    
   
   
    
     200