out being urged to drink of either the
stronger or weaker kinds of intoxicating drinks. And he could hardly
refuse to drink without seeming to slight the kindness of the people,
and running the risk of giving offence. In the third place they were
very much addicted to extravagant social parties, pleasure jaunts, &c.
They were worse than the people of Leeds in this respect; unless they
were worse than usual while I was there. All the time that I was in
Chester, there was not a single week or day when they had not either
some dinner-party or tea-party, or both, or else some pleasure jaunt on
the water or on land. And those pleasure parties and feasts were always
occasions of extravagant eating and drinking. Besides abundance of flesh
and game, and other luxuries, there was always an overwhelming supply of
intoxicating drinks, and great quantities were consumed. I have seen men
on those occasions drink five, six, eight, or even ten glasses of wine
or spirits, besides drinking ale, or porter, or wine at meals. I
recollect very distinctly seeing a person, and that a preacher, drink,
in addition to what he consumed over his meal, ten glasses of Port wine
between dinner and tea, after which he went to preach.

Religious society was not quite so corrupt in the principal towns of the
Hanley circuit, where I was next stationed, as at Liverpool and Chester,
yet there was a fearful amount of respectable intemperance there. There
was no end to the feasting. And as I, though so young, was very popular,
I was always expected to be present. The luxuries in which I indulged
brought on indigestion. Indigestion, and close study, and hard work in
the pulpit, brought on a most wearisome languor and depression. To help
me, one rich friend sent me a bottle of Sherry wine. Another sent me
Elderberry wine. These made me worse. It was well this mistaken kindness
did not ruin me. But I was preserved, thank God, both from death and
drunkenness.

For two years more I was in the midst of these awful temptations to
intemperance, and a witness to their deadly effects on several of my
brethren. I felt that I was in danger. And I saw that the church was
suffering. I looked round for a remedy.

Just then there came rumors of a temperance society, and of attempts at
a temperance reformation. One of our young preachers had joined this
new society, and had labelled his whisky and brandy _medicine_. He left
his beer, and porter, and wine, unlabelled, and d