e contending for the Methodist faith, some for
the Presbyterian, and some for the Baptist.

"For notwithstanding the great love which the converts to these
different faiths expressed at the time of their conversion, and
the great zeal manifested by the respective clergy, who were
active in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of
religious feeling, in order to have everybody converted, as they
were pleased to call it, let them join what sect they
pleased--yet when the converts began to file off, some to one
party and some to another, it was seen that the seemingly good
feelings of both the priests and the converts were more
pretended than real; for a scene of great confusion and bad
feeling ensued; priest contending against priest, and convert
against convert; so that all their good feelings one for
another, if they ever had any, were entirely lost in a strife of
words and a contest about opinions.

"I was at this time in my fifteenth year. My father's family was
proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined
that church, namely--my mother Lucy; my brothers Hyrum and
Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia.

"During this time of great excitement, my mind was called up to
serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings
were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all
these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often
as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became
somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire
to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and
strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible
for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and
things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who
was wrong.

"My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were
so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided
against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of
either reason or sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least,
to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand,
the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous
in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all
others.

"In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opin