To the Editors of the Irish Evangelist.
Annapolis, Nova Scotia,
Aug. 17, 1862.
SIRS,- The "Irish Evangelist" has found its way into
this distant province, and, fortunately for me, being
an Irishman and a Wesleyan, affords the opportunity
of noticing your progress in the land of my fathers,
which gives me the greatest gratification. My cousin,
Mr. Henry Copeland, of Lisbellaw, sent me the June
number, containing an article on Wesleyan Methodism in
that town. To me this was a matter of no small moment,
for the characters therein mentioned were my nearest
kindred, although now among the sainted dead. Mr[s?].
Copeland and Mrs. Gould were my father's sisters; and
it was my grandfather, William Henderson, formerly of
Sydare, who took the episcopal clergyman to my aunt
Copeland to prevail on her to return to his fold. My
father, George Henderson - the youngest of the family -
was three years in the itinerant work in Mr. Wesley's
own times, and had the honour of preaching before the
latter in the city of Dublin; but preferring to reside
with his wife and young family on his freehold in Bara,
he foolishly abandoned his Master's work, greatly to
the injury of his own best interests and those of his
family. He died in Ballinamallard, happy in God, on
the 23rd February, 1814; his funeral sermon was
preached by the Rev. Charles McCord.
From early youth my lot, blessed be God, has been
with the Wesleyan Methodists; and when the division
was at its height in Ballinamallard, in the year 1817,
myself and my wife were the only members left in the
village, who "abode by the old ship".
On this old circuit, Methodism has gained a commanding
position. There are six large churches, and one smaller
one, supplied by the Rev. Messrs. Lockhart and Pickles.
Twenty years experience as circuit stewart, ought to
enable me to know something of what Methodism has done
on the Annapolis circuit, and, therefore, you will be
gratified to hear that it has done a noble work for the
people; nor has it lost a particle of its vitality or
efficiency.
Enclosed you will find a gold dollar, and you will
oblige me by forwarding the paper for one year to my
address, beginning with the July number.
Respectfully and truly your obedient servant,
ANDREW HENDERSON.
