slander, and I had ceased to feel myself at liberty to give it my
countenance. With a small periodical of my own I could communicate with
my friends at pleasure, and I used my _Evangelical Reformer_ for this
purpose with great freedom. I published my views on temperance, on
marriage, on trade, on education, on dress, on diet, on religious
parties, on books and reading, on the use of money, on the duty of the
Church to support its poor members, on toleration and human creeds, and
on a multitude of other subjects, and urged on the churches a reform on
all these points. My freedom of expression soon brought me into fresh
trouble. An article which I published on "Toleration and Human Creeds,"
was considered by some of my brethren to be highly objectionable and
dangerous, and was brought before Conference. Conference was pressed by
many to condemn the article, and to show its disapprobation of it by
punishing the author. Others entreated that Conference should spare the
author, lest mischief should follow, and content itself with privately
expressing disapprobation of the article. The latter parties prevailed;
but their moderation was made of no effect by the editor of the magazine
who wickedly published the obnoxious resolution to the world, and so
rendered it necessary for me to write again on the subject, to defend
myself and my article. The result was a controversy between me and some
of my brethren, which led at length to the most serious consequences.

Another article was objected to by many of my brother ministers. A
draper, a leading member of the society at Ashton, published a circular,
announcing the winter fashions, and sent copies to members of my
congregation, pressing them to go and purchase his wares, many of which
were both costly and useless. I copied this circular into my periodical,
and advised my readers to disregard its counsels, and to spend their
money like Christians. I added some remarks on the inconsistency of
professing Christians urging people, even in the way of trade, to waste
their Master's money on things forbidden by His word. This article
created a great amount of excitement, and some would fain have had it
censured by Conference, along with the other article; but they were not
allowed to have their way.

Both my periodical and my other publications were favorably received,
and had a large circulation, and my opponents thought they gave me too
much power, and made me dangerous; and this bec