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Methodism resulted mm. ’ .t 11 2 religious movement started in 1739 by John 311.51 ‘Charles Wesley, bolli Angli- can priests. It became 311.01"- ganized church in the Umtedii statesâ€"lure Methodist EPISCO'l ;pal Churchâ€"in .1784 but was‘ .not considered a regularlyy constituted church in England 1until after John WESIBYYS ideath in 1791. ~ ; Methodism in Canada 1‘8‘ ivceived its greatest impetus ,afte." the‘~.Américau Revolu- 1Lion. Many. American Method- lists fled 'to' _’Canada and among them were Barbara Heck, acknowledged as the ‘founder of Methodism in colo- ‘Iiial America, thewciiildren of 1her cousin If’hilip Elnb‘in'y. the ‘first Methodist preacher in lAmerica, and George Neal, 3 , ‘United Empire Loyalist who lsel‘tledi theNiagam-area. Neal later was ordained a l « .deacon in the Methodist Epis- ‘copal Church. The first Meth- udist church in Upper Calla "AMA“ ada. built in 1792 Ad 1. _ ' h ‘7 Old phustom, still staiilciesarin :e- 125 Years _. . stored condition, i i l l l Rednel'sville United Church became 125 yours oi. . ; . f church, originally Wesleyan Methodist Church7 held its do :Febi'uary‘l’l, 1350. church members reduced one cool; 400 pounds to 300 pounds by providing the com .the area. It became Rednersvilie United Church With METHODIST BEGINNINGS IN THE REDNERSVILLE AREA ‘ In 1791 William Losee became the first regular Methodist preacher in Upper Canada, spreading the Gospel among the U. E. Loyalist and other settlers along the. St. Lawrence river to Prince Edward ' County which was later organized as the Halluwell curcurt. Th? itl erant Methodist preachers travellz on horseback over rough roads. logpole bridges, through trallless swamp and gloomy forest withou blazed trees. summer and winter in all kinds of weather. All their worldly possessions were carried ll’l saddlebags and their sernions were prepared as they rode along the lonely way. In 1317' at a revival in the Brickman neighbourhood back of Rednersville, Peter Rednbr was com, vened and became their first “class leader". In.1822, another revwal took place and the first Class was organized among the Thomas Dempsey family on the Bay Shore of Amellasburgh (Albury) about 1 six miles east of (he “Carrying Place”. "The brothers ; Feier, Isaac and yvllllam ~ were all brought In," In 1823 Anson Green, (Rev. Anson Green. D.VD., a distinguished Methodist) a young Yankee school teacher with an “exhortefs license",.was prevailed upon to preach to a group of young Quakers in the Bloomfield settlement. The iollowmg year he supplied for the Rev. David Wright commencing at l German’s and Pleasant Bay, then Consecon, Dempsey’s and Redners. In 1825 after a year an the ‘ Smith’s Creek Circuit he returned to tho Hallowell Circuit. On S_undayi the 2nd of October. he com~ rnonced his work at Pleasant Bay taking Consecon in the evening. 0n_Monday he preached In Bro, Dempsey‘s house and on the 4th he rode to Mr. Redner’s and preached In his own house. On the 5th, in a school-house on "Mlssasauga Point": Thursday in Bro. Snider's house. On the 29th he Completed his circuit at Mr. German's house, in the seventh town (Ameliashurgh) which included Hillier Township. By 1848 the Methodistsjn Ameliasburgh had increased to the extent that those at Rednarsville and vicinity held a meeting In the village on the 23rd September and “resolved that a subscription be opened and circulated for the purpose of building a Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Rednersvmg immediately’fi A second meeting was held on tho 14th October In the school-house in the village with Rev. Richard Jones, Superintendant of the circuit In the chair at Wthl‘I Owen Roblln. James dener Marshal B. Roblin. Philip Roblln and Rphert N. Sheriff were appointed a budding commutes 1,; January a meeting was held in Rednerswlle and it was decided to purchase half an acre of land on lot 73 in the rear of the village and that "the building be of stone 36 x 43 feet and have a steeple and gallery ‘on three sides, two windows on each side and two In front or comic form". The cow“, was let “for the sum of four hundred pounds currency to be finished In a workmonlike manner according to a specification to be Immediately prepared." The subscribers were nearly all living in the whole township and on 2501 January 1350 the building was accepted from the contractor. On Sunday 17th of February 1850 the Church was dedicated to the service of Almighty God. The Rev. Enoch Wood, D.D., General Superintendent of Missions, preached at the 11 AM. Service and the Rev. Peter Jones (Kahkewaquaonaby), Indian Missionary preached the 6% PM. servlce with a collection being taken at the close of each. Mrs. Charles Elggar. of the Carrying Place" at whose home Anson Green was given a warm welcome on his first an second QII’CUItSy gave a large bible at the dedication service which is autographed by the Rev. Enoch Wood: It Is now kept ln 3 case at the church for all to see. Years later the steeple had to be replaced with the present tower and a chair-loft was added just behind the pulpit. The bid horse shod was taken down after the motor car replaced the horses some of whom would whinn If the parson went beyond his usual tlme. Gone also Is the old hickory tree out in front and the i’ampost. The farmer Demorestwile Presbyterlan church was moved in Sections and added on at rear for a hall and the original box stoves at the back of the churCI’i with their long string of pipes have been replaced by a hot air Iurnaca, W. Allan Dempsey. Esqulrd U. I3.Y BSA. Great grandson of William. convert in 1822