leave of the brethren at Teignmouth,
calling on each of them. It has been a trying day. Much weeping on the
part of the saints. Were I not so fully persuaded that it is the will of
God we should go to Bristol, I should have been hardly able to bear it.

May 22. The brethren at Teignmouth say that they expect us soon back
again. _As far as I understand the way in which God deals with his
children, this seems very unlikely._ Towards the evening, the Lord,
after repeated prayer, gave me Col. i. 21-23 as a text for the last word
of exhortation. It seemed to me best to speak as little as possible
about myself, and as much as possible about Christ. I scarcely alluded
to our separation, and only commended myself and the brethren, in the
concluding prayer, to the Lord. The parting scenes are very trying, but
my full persuasion is that the separation is of the Lord. May 23. My
wife, Mr. Groves, my father-in-law, and I left this morning for Exeter.
Dear brother Craik intends to follow us to-morrow.

We had unexpectedly received, just before we left Teignmouth, about
fifteen pounds, else we should not have been able to defray all the
expenses connected with leaving, travelling, etc. By this, also, the
Lord showed his mind concerning our going to Bristol.

The following record will now show to the believing reader how far what
I have said concerning my persuasion that it was the will of God that we
should go to Bristol has been proved by facts.

May 25, 1832. This evening we arrived at Bristol. May 27. This morning
we received a sovereign, sent to us by a sister residing in
_Devonshire_, which we take as an earnest that the Lord will provide for
us here also. May 28. When we were going to speak to the brethren, who
manage the temporal affairs of Gideon Chapel, about giving up the
pew-rents, having all the seats free, and receiving the free-will
offerings through a box, a matter which was not quite settled on their
part, as brother Craik and I had thought, we found that the Lord had so
graciously ordered this matter for us that there was not the least
objection on the part of these brethren.

June 4. For several days we have been looking about for lodgings, but
finding none plain and cheap enough, we were led to make this also a
subject of earnest prayer; and now, immediately afterwards, the Lord has
given us such as are suitable. We pay only eighteen shillings a week for
two sitting-rooms and three bedrooms, coals, and attendan