A LEGACY 0F FAITH

Chapter 4

Building a Charlotte Town Baptist Meeting House

To many, these early Baptists in Charlottetown may be considered somewhat radical or perhaps too narrow minded, but what an example of righteous living they must have been. They were not local oddities; they were businessmen, ship’s riggers, clerks and housewives of the Town, who demonstrated the faith they had in their Lord and Savior in their everyday living. Baptists were not the only ones. Equally passionate in their religious devotion were their Methodist/Wesleyan brothers . V , .. V . . , . . , and sisters five blocks down Methodist/Wesleyan Mission Prince Street, who worshipped (CornerofPrince& Richmond Streets) in their large Mission House ”Himmwmfm in greater numbers. They too were stern advocates of God’s word. Although their beliefs were similar, there was one glaring difference that set them apart - baptism by immersion! And this difference, more than once, was cause for discord.

Even the Baptist Church Clerk, Brother William Pilcher, became the subject of a situation. A clerk’s note, in different handwriting on April 3, 1843, reads:

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...Regarding a complaint presented by a member of the ”Methodist connexion against brother Pilcher concerning letters which appeared in the newspaper. It is concluded that broth er Pilcher had ”walked disorderly”in respect to language and the spirit of the letter, and his fellowship is withdrawn until he manifests repentance.

The Methodist membei’ who complained was Mr. George Beer, a fiery Charlotte Town Methodist leader, who took great exception to a long letter written in the Colonial Herald regarding ’Apostolic Succession’. The letter brought to everyone's attention the fact that the Archbishop of Canterbury and royalty that included King Charles himself, had received nothing other than a ”Presbyterian baptism”, and Should have no authority at all unless totally immersed. A long search uncovered the letter in the Colonial Herald which was simply signed, ”A Correspondent”. The

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