o seemed to think it a duty to
annoy their young minister. The worst, though in some respects the best,
of that class was Thomas Snowdon, an old local preacher, leader, and
trustee. The first interview that I had with this man he took occasion
to insult me respecting my marriage, and also gave me to understand that
he should expect me to be in perfect subjection to his will, if I wished
to enjoy much peace or comfort in the circuit. It fell to my lot to be
lodged and boarded for part of my time at his house, and to show his way
of proceeding I may give the following.

It was his custom to read a portion of the Scriptures to his family
every morning, and as he passed along he would make comments on what he
read. When I was there, he would frequently stop in his readings and
comments, to ask my opinion, and he seemed to expect that I must always
concur in what he said. At times however I was obliged to dissent from
his sayings, and then would follow a little controversy. Those
controversies were never very profitable, in consequence of his constant
desire to force his own opinions on me, and to extort from me assent to
his whimsical and foolish observations. Yet he still continued to force
those controversies.

He also took upon himself the office of perpetual censurer of my
discourses. And his censures were generally proportioned to the goodness
of the sermon. If I happened to be particularly at liberty in my
discourse, and preach better than usual, he would blame almost
everything. If I preached indifferently, he would censure less; and if I
preached poorly, if I was embarrassed in my discourse, and seemed
troubled or sad on that account, he would scarcely censure at all. Then
the things which he censured would be sure to be the best and truest
parts of my sermon. He appeared to think that he was out of his duty,
unless he was endeavoring to torture the mind of the young preacher, and
to force him, if possible, into subjection to his will.

On one occasion he and I had nearly quarrelled. He had tried me till I
could keep silence no longer, so I told him plainly what I thought about
his manner of proceeding. I spoke so plainly, that both he and his wife
were seriously put about. Soon after that, on my visiting the Newcastle
side of the circuit, I found that the people at whose house I was then
accustomed to sleep, had gone off, and closed the house, so that I was
obliged to look out for other lodgings. I went directly