Throughout the mid 18th century, the big story in the provinces of Nova Scotia and lie Ste. Jean (St. John’s Island) was the effect of the British conquest of the French Fortress of Louisburg in He Royale (Cape Breton), and taking possession of He Ste. Jean. This, and the fall of Fort Beausejour on the Isthmus of Chignecto, led to most of the Acadian population of both provinces being expelled to France and south along the Atlantic coast, as far as Louisiana. In the latter half of the 18th century, there was a major effort by the Governor of Nova Scotia to repopulate the area, by encouraging immigration. This was achieved when four separate groups established new homesteads in the area. The first to arrive were the 'planters’ from New England, in the 17605. Next were the Yorkshire Settlers, who arrived on many ships at Halifax and Fort Cumberland (formerly Beausejour), between 1765 and 1780. The third influx was the United Empire Loyalists, who remained true to the King, following the American Revolution in the late 17705. Finally, in the early 19th century, the coastal areas were further populated with many shiploads of new settlers from Ireland and Scotland. Most of this new immigration came to this country escaping the further duress of unreasonable taxation and continuing religious persecution. All of these settlers were ”separatists”, who brought with them new and developing Christian beliefs that led to the erection of chapels, meeting houses and churches, in their efforts to perpetuate and expand the word of God.

In the New World throughout the 18th century, the majority of Christians who evolved from the original Puritans and Quakers were known as American Congregationals, although other denominations were gradually developing from within. Evolving denominations like ”Camp-Meeting Baptists”, Methodists and the more vocal Scottish Presbyterians, had started to gain a strong foothold. "New Methodism”, based on the thought provoking teachings of an Anglican minister, John Wesley, and his brother Charles, came with some of their devout followers who had arrived with the Yorkshire Settlers.

By the end ofthe18th century, a number of denominations earned a following within the diversified population that established homesteads in the maritime land areas, that would eventually become Canada’s maritime provinces. Here on Prince Edward Island, then lle Ste. Jean (St. John’s Island), the Roman Catholic church, whose presence in this area precedes the French occupation, was well established. There are countless references to itinerant priests like Father Angus Bernard MacEachern, who in the late 1 7005, ”walked the pathless forests ofSt. John ’5 Island creating small parishes in as many communities as possible". The first Methodist meeting house in Canada was built in 1788 by the Yorkshire Settlers at Baie Verte, New Brunswick, and Methodist/ Wesleyan teachings had already spread to St. John’s Island. Anglicans established the Charlotte Parish at Charlotte Town, on St. John’s Island in 1775. Even though Anglicans were associated with the controlling Church of England, the church that evolved in North America was influenced by the free thinking immigrants. Nevertheless, North American Anglicans still considered themselves the established church and as a result figured prominently in early religious development on Prince Edward Island.

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