This dream encouraged me to go on in this work, and in the space of twenty two days, I travelled three hundred and fifty miles, and preached seventy-six times; besides visiting some from house to house, and speaking to hundreds in class-meetings. In several other places, there was a good revival likewise. At the quarterly meeting, I obtained a CERTIFICATE, concerning my usefulness and conduct here, and as S. Hutchinson thought not proper to take all the preachers to conference, concluded to leave me to help the revivals, and that he would there transact my business for me, so I gave him my dismission from Rhode-Island, and my two last recommendations to carry into conference.

September 19th. Conference began in Wilbraham : my case was brought forward, to determine whether I should be admitted on trial to preach, or sent home, or expelled.

J. Lee and several others, of whom some were strangers to my person, took up hard against me, from say and hear-say; and only one at first espoused my cause (this was Joseph Mitchell with whom I had travelled these last few weeks,) after some time a second joined him. The debate was sharp and lasted for about three hours; when Mitchell and Bostwick could say no more, but sat down and wept; which seemed to touch the hearts of some: at length, it being put to the vote whether I should travel or not; about two-thirds of the conference were in my favour. All that saved me, in this conference, from an expulsion, was the blessing which had attended my labours-but still those who were against me would not suffer me to be admitted on trial, nor my name printed in the minutes. One said, if they acknowledged me fit to travel, why not my name be put on the minutes? if he be fit for one, why not for the other, &c. So I was given into the hands of S. Hutchinson, to employ me or send me home, as he should think fit. He sent me a message to meet him on Long-Island, which I never received in time to go; and the first preacher (Daniel Bromley) who came to me after conference, I asked, what hath the conference done with me? He replied, they have done by you, as they have done by me: what's that, said I; He replied, they have

stationed me on this circuit and that was all that I could get out of him concerning the matter; only he ordered me to take his appointments round the circuit, whilst he should go to see his friends, until he should meet me again. Accordingly I set out to go round the circuit I had been on my way but a day or two, before I came to places where the preachers, on their way from conference, had been, and told the accusations against me, and my rejection. Thus it was, day after day; people telling me the same story.

From this circumstance, as the conference had given me no station, and Hutchinson's message had not reached me, I concluded I should be sent home again; as I had no license according to discipline, which one must have, if his name is not printed in the minutes.

My trials were great; I was afraid I should become insane; and seeing no chance for my life, I publicly gave up the name of Methodist, and assigned the reasons why, viz. because the preachers would not receive me as a brother to travel with them, &c. and was resolved to set out for some distant part of America, out of sight and hearing of the methodists, and get societies formed, and the next year come and offer myself and them to the connexion; and take this method to get my character established; for J. Lee had said, if I attempted to travel in the name of a methodist, without their consent, he would advertise me in every paper on the continent, &c. for an impostor.

But now arose a difficulty from another quarter: I had lost my great coat on the road whilst travelling, and my coat was so worn out that I was forced to borrow one; my shoes were unfit for further service, and I had not a farthing of money to help myself with, and no particular friends to look to for assistance. Thus one day whilst riding along, facing a hard, cold northeast storm, very much chilled, I came to a wood; and alighting from my horse and falling upon my knees on the wet grass; I lifted up my voice and wept, and besought God either to release me from travelling and preaching, or else to raise me up friends. My soul was refreshed; my confidence was strengthened, and I did believe that God would do one or the other and true it was, people a few days af

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ter this, of their own accord, supplied all my necessities, and gave me a few shillings to bear my expenses.

Jeremiah Ballard, whom I had esteemed as a pious man, was expelled at the Wilbraham conference, and as he represented it to me, it was unjustly; he went with me to the north, and a number of places he saw, with me, the out-pouring of God's spirit: he was minded to form societies, and call ourselves by the name of Separate Methodists. I told him, no; for God did own the methodists, and of course I durst not do any thing to their injury. This caused a separation between him and me: he formed societies on his own plan, and afterwards I saw him no more; but by what I could learn, he and his people differed, and then he and some of them removed off to the western country. It appears that the conference were under the necessity of excluding him for a foolish thing; as he would shew no humility, but stubborn impenitence. O! how blessed is the spirit of

meekness.

I accordingly left the circuit and set off for the north I had not gone far till I came to Deerfield river; in riding through which the cakes of ice going down the stream, had like to have cost me my life; but this did not discourage me; I still went on my way, upwards of an hundred miles, till I came to the town of Windsor in Vermont; where God poured out his Spirit, and several were turned to him. I thought it not my duty to leave the young converts to the devouring wolves, but to tarry and strengthen them for a season; and whilst here wrote back to some of my old friends, who told the preachers where I was and what I was about; who wrote requesting me to come back to a quarterly meeting. At first I concluded not to go; thinking what should they want but to scold me; but feeling it impressed upon my mind in a powerful manner, one evening, after holding two meetings, I called for my horse, and set out from Claremont, and continued travelling twenty-five hours, excepting the times of baiting my horse, during which space, I rode about an hundred and seventeen miles, and got back to Conway on my old circuit from hence, I proceeded to Buckland, where

was held the quarterly meeting-and met the preachers, wishing to know what they wanted with me.

Hutchinson began to be very crabbed and cross, seemingly at first, in his questioning me why I went away? I assigned him as the reason, because that I had no chance for my life. Why, said he, did you not receive the message I sent you, to come to me? I replied, no; (not until it was too late, &c.) which I could hardly persuade him to believe, at the first.

L. Macombs asked, what I came back for? I told him, I was sent for, and I came to see what they wanted of me. Said he, what do you intend to? I replied, I expected to go back to the north; then he and Hutchinson went and talked together. I was sorry I had gone away, after I had found out the mistake, and Hutchinson's friendship for me: accordingly in answer to a query which was proposed, viz. what satisfaction can you make? I replied, that I was willing to acknowledge that I was sorry, but not guilty, as I did it in sincerity, not hearing soon enough of his message: which acknowledgment I made, first, in quarterly conference, before about thirty preachers, leaders, and stewards, with exhorters, and then he required it in a public assembly of about eight hundred people.

After which, I travelled several days, in company with S. Hutchinson, who was going to take me to Cambridge circuit; and on the way, said he," the conference have had a great deal of talk and trouble concerning you, and now you are under my care, and you shall live or die at the end of three months: if you are faithful and your labours blest, so that you can obtain a recommendation from the circuit, all shall be well; but if not, you shall die.

Accordingly, after reaching the circuit, a saying I remembered, viz. you had as good be hanged for stealing an old sheep as a lamb, and finding the people in a very low state of religion, I was convinced that nothing but a revival could save my life; I was therefore resolved to do my endeavours to get a revival or else to get the circuit broke up. So I went a visiting the people, from house to house, all denominations, that were in the neighbourhood, and where there was freedom, to exhort

them collectively or individually, as I felt in my mind, after joining in prayer.

Pittstown, New-York, was the first place I thus tried on this circuit, and preached at night. Thus I did here, for several days successively, and it caused a great deal of talk. Some said I was crazy; others, that I was possessed of the devil; some said one thing, and some thought another: many it brought out, to hear the strange man; and would go away cursing and swearing, saying, that I was saucy and deserved knocking down, and the uproar was so great among the people, that the half-hearted and lukewarm methodists were tried to the quick, and became my warm opposers; complaining of me to my travelling companion, TIMOTHY DEWEY, whose mind at first was prejudiced! however it was not long before I had the satisfaction to see some small fruit of my labour here; which gave me encouragement to strive to raise the inquiry of the people to consideration: though the devil should be raised round the circuit.

In this place, I visited about a hundred families, some of them twice or thrice over. In Ashgrove, I walked about four miles, and visited every family in the way, and generally met with a good reception, though the cross of visiting thus was the hardest and happiest that ever I took up. Wilson's hollow, which was surrounded by mountains, except one small entrance by which I set out to go to an appointment; and coming to a house, I felt impressed to go in and pay them a visit; but the cross being heavy, I strove to excuse myself and go by, saying the other preachers who are older in years and in experience and learning do not visit thus, and yet enjoy the comforts of religion, and I will take them for my pattern; thinking it impossible that God should call me to such a peculiarity, who was so weak and ignorant. Instantly, I felt distress in my mind: when I came to a second house I felt imprest as above; but still supported my mind against it with the same arguments-when I cast a look to the sky, and I felt as if God was about to revive religion there, and if I did not visit them, their souls would be required at my hand: it seemed as tho' the sun frowned upon me: accordingly, I resolved, if