22

then 80-year-oldjohn Wesley in England. Black was ordained at the American Conference in Philadelphia in the spring of 1789.15 Helen MacRae MacEwen in her work, The Churches 1790— 1990, Fflk Ferry Mill River East, indicated that Benjamin Chappell mainly worked alone until 1801 when his first assis- tant, Thomas Dawson, arrived from Ireland. After an early death, Dawson was replaced by another lay preacher,]oseph Avard. The first ordained preacher, Rev. James Bulpitt, and his wife arrived in 1807 at Murray Harbour to a warm welcome. With the pennission of the Governor, Bulpitt con- ducted services at the courthouse in Charlottetown which large numbers of people from surrounding settlements attend- ed.16 The following excerpt is Bulpitt’s record of his conver- sation with the Governor when seeking permission to preach: “I waited on the Governor He asked me y. the Methodists would fight, and if they were loyal subjects. I assured him they were inflexibly loyal. He then desired me to go and exhort all the people to be honest and industrious. ” 17

One year later, Rev. Bulpitt recorded that the timber had been cut for a 40-foot by 30-foot church in Charlottetown. He also claimed there was need for a church in Murray Harbour and that he had a congregation of 140 people at Cherry Valley, as well as congregations at Tryon and Bedeque.18 However Rev. Bulpitt ran into difficulties after several years on the Island. He was seen as ignoring the district and rumors were circulating. When the superintendent came to investi- gate, he found The Charlottetown Methodist Society divided. While some members were standing behind Bulpitt, others were complaining of his carelessness and internperance. The superintendent didn’t take seriously the complaint of intemper— ance; however, he did indicate that he believed Bulpitt’s wife’s income from teaching was a hindrance to the minister. Many cases of carelessness were uncovered and Rev. Bulpitt agreed to superannuation. He was carried this way for several years before his name no longer appeared in records. For many years he worked as an independent minister travelling throughout the Island. He was greatly respected by the people.19

LOT 16 UNITED CHURCH AND ITS PEOPLE