hool house in Mackford. And after a time it
was taken down to Markesan, a mile west of Mackford.

If was at this place that I assumed the role of Chorister, the
occurrence transpiring in this wise. I announced my opening hymn,
supposing that some one present would be able to lead the singing, but
to my surprise not one was disposed to serve us. I had never attempted
such a thing in my life as to "raise a tune" in public, and the only
claim I had ever set up as a qualification was that I could put more
tunes to each line of a hymn than any one that I had ever known. But
something must be done, so I concluded to lead off. Hunting through the
garret of my memory, I brought out old Balerma for the occasion. To my
surprise, I went through the performance very much to my own
satisfaction and comfort. And more, when I got along to the third verse,
several persons in the congregation began to follow, with a manifest
purpose to learn my tune. I dispensed with further singing, and at the
close of the service a good brother came forward and remarked: "There
were several ladies in the congregation who are excellent singers, and
if you had sung a tune with which they were acquainted, they could have
helped you very much." Whereupon I concluded that if I were unable to
sing the most familiar tune in the book, so that a bevy of good singers
could discern what I was trying to render, I certainly could never
succeed as a chorister. I never became the owner of a tuning fork.

In the changes which followed in the boundaries of the charges, Markesan
was assigned first to one and then to another, but several years ago it
came to the surface as the head of a circuit. And it now has a
respectable standing as a charge with a good Church and Parsonage.

Resuming my search for new settlement, I next visited Lake Maria. Here I
first called at the house of Mr. Langdon. I was kindly received, and
when my errand was made known I was pressingly invited to remain for the
night, and hold a meeting before leaving the neighborhood. I consented,
and on the following evening we held service in Mr. Langdon's house.
Lake Maria was now taken into the list of appointments and was visited
regularly during the year. At my third visit, which occurred on the 30th
day of November, 1845, I formed a class, consisting of Lyman L. Austin,
Amanda M. Austin, Mrs. L. Martin, Mrs. Maria Langdon, David C. Jones and
Maryette Jones. A protracted meeting was held soon after a