The Three Elders Father, son, and grandson of one family had the honour of serving in the role of elder. The men, Roderick William , William James , and James G. MacLean , though small in stature, were large in their spirituality, faith, church, and community. The three men served as elders in the Presbyter¬ ian Church and United Church between 1863 and 1967. At one point, William James , and James C, father and son, were elders together. many years. Lottie ran a store from their home while she and her husband were coal merchants. The McFaddens also raised chinchillas and kept honey bees. Lottie was involved in teaching the community youth through the church and the 4-H program. In later years, the McFaddens' moved to Summerside and then to Wilmot. Clarence and Lottie remained active members of the Lot 16 congregation. After the death of her husband, Lottie relocated to Frederic- ton, New Brunswick to be near her family. No one today gives much thought to a woman being elder, but Lottie's election opened a new chapter in church history. In reflection, Mrs. McFadden stated, "I was a litde nervous the first time I served communion at a combined ser¬ vice in North Bedeque during my inau¬ guration but, by the end of my term, Helen Lyle had also been elected elder and I had the privilege, along with Helen, to interview Vera Forbes who was voted in as the third woman elder."24 Early Session Minutes The session minutes of Parish from 1821 to the late 1840s survived time. The original hand¬ written copy was found in the attic of the home of James MacGregor of Summerside and preserved in the Island Archives. While some people find the frankness of the min¬ utes disturbing and a negative reflection on family and church, they are in fact a part of Presbyterian Church history. The minutes give the present day reader an accurate view and first-hand account of the church's unfolding journey and its interpretation of Christianity. For that purpose, some 97 Leaders op the Church