In the early years the preacher was boarded at the home of a congregation member. The minutes of the , July 31, 1876, discuss these arrangements. In attend¬ ance at the meeting were superintendent Rev. Hamilton , Rev. Pemma , preacher on circuit, trustees William Gamble , Henry Enman , Rich Inman and John Yeo . They reached agreement that Rev. Pemma and his horse be "board" at William Gamble 's for a cost of $120. The salary paid to Rev. Pemma was $200. The home of Thomas H. Pope of Bideford was later purchased to serve as a par¬ sonage. Mr. Pope , a telegraph operator and accountant, had built the house in 1878 and lived in it for several years. However, he decided to undertake a new business in Northam and sold it to the Methodist church in 1884. Minutes of the December quarterly meeting of the held at Tyne Valley , December 18,1881 recorded the following financial returns. Collections: Fifteen Point ( Union Corner ) — 75 cents, Bideford — $7.65, Tyne Valley — $6.36, Victoria West — $2.23, Lot 16 - $2.95, Northam - $2.00, Lot 16 - $1.50, for a total of $31.44. Subscriptions were Fifteen Point - $25.00, Bideford - $6.00, Tyne Valley - $6.00, Victoria West - $16.00, Lot 16 -$12.00, Northam - $5.00, Lot 16 - $4.00 for a total of $75.00. The two added together gave the circuit $106.44 on which to oper¬ ate. It is not clear in the minutes if that is for one or more quarters nor does it explain why Lot 16 is listed twice. St . James Methodist Church In 1873, the year Prince Edward Island joined Confederation, Samuel Yeo donated land from his farm in Central Lot 16 for the building of a Methodist church and cemetery. Samuel, the first to own this section of land, came to the Island from Devonshire , England , with his wife Nancy Prowse . A cobbler by trade, Yeo died in 1874 never having seen the church completed. The St . James Methodist Church was under construction when it was blown down in 1874. The little information available suggests that services were already being held in the building. It took until 1881 to rebuild and the church was reopened August 13, 1882 with Rev . J.S. Allen of Summcr- 25 Origins of Our Faith