exists there today. Whether this was the location of Charlottetown baptisms is sheer speculation, as no exact spot was ever recorded. Baptism is a meaningful religious experience, and enduring it in the cold outdoor waters of May and November must have made it a bit more memorable.

The YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) had recently been established in Charlottetown, with the first structure in North America built exclusively for YMCA purposes. It was a beautiful stone building on Richmond Street, just around the corner from the Baptist Church and next door to the Union Bank on the corner. The YMCA and the Baptist Church in

Charlottetown developed a close relationship, . ' :emm.m.. often helping each other with meeting rooms Charlottetown mm and facilities. The relationship had existed since (6- 7900) W'mm’m’“

James DesBrisay was appointed the Charlottetown Y’s first Vice-President, in 1856. A number of other Baptist officers and members served, from time to time, on the YMCA Board of Directors. One of the notable areas of cooperation was introduced in 1860, when regular bible study meetings were held alternately at the Baptist Chapel and the YMCA, every Thursday evening. Group bible study was an initiative of Pastor John Davis, and members of both the YMCA and the church became regular attendees. Pastor John Davis was very popular regionally and was often called by the Association to travel to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, to preach at special events. On one visit he spent a full WGEk doing special SEFViCES at FirstMethodistChurch Underfonstruction his former church in Yarmouth. Every (c1861)(TfinityU"it€d)PublichhivesofPEl trip out of province would be almost a week in duration because of slow travel conditions. The summer was not too bad because of steamer availability, but winter excursions required a trip on the legendary Northumberland Strait ice boats. Their perilous manned crossings sometimes took days to complete. It is no wonder they made an effort to keep their preacher at home.

Another change on the Charlottetown skyline was the construction of a new Methodist Church on Prince Street that would replace the old Methodist/ . Wesleyan Mission House beside it. The new

lceBoatEra Methodist edifice, which was completed in CrossingNorthumberlandstraitin Winter 1863, was the largest and most ornate in

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