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CHAPTER FOUR

LEADERS OF THE CHURCH

organization. Both the Methodist and Presbyterian traditions depended upon strong lay leadership to work with the ordained ministers in the delivery of the

church mandate. Following is documentation of several of

the early leaders in St._]ames Methodist Church and the first four elders of Lot 16 Presbyterian Church.

: ; trong leaders are necessary for the success of any

METHODIST TRUSTEES

In the Methodist tradition, the trustee represented the voice of the congregation in church government. The trustees chiefly concerned themselves with the financial and organi- zational running of the church. Spiritual and moral direction was left in the hands of the ordained clergy. Trustees attend- ed to the needs of their own local church and appointed a representative to Circuit meetings.

TRUSTEES OF ST. JAMES John Thomas Best (1840—1923)

John T. Best, the son of Taylor and Mary Ann (Amett) Best,

was born in Crapaud in 1840. In the mid-nineteenth cen- tury,_]ohn T. moved to Belmont, and purchased a farm over- looking picturesque Bentick Cove of Malpeque Bay. He operated a blacksmith shop on his farm and, for many years, did the smithy work of the community, repaired machinery, and mended harness.

John T., at age eighty-one wrote,

I worked in the shop today and I also fitted shoes for Wills 2 or 3 horses and one set for Oliver and five shoes for Ned and done other jobs. It has rained today.

LEADERS OF THE CHURCH