ject was not profit,
but extended usefulness. 2. I had not declared myself opposed to the
Beneficent Fund, but had simply proposed the improvement of its rules,
and the extension of its operations. 3. I had not denied either the
divine appointment or present obligation of the Lord's supper. 4. Nor
had I denied the divine appointment of baptism, but only declared my
belief that _water baptism_, though a becoming rite under the Christian
dispensation, was the baptism of John, and absolutely binding only under
his intermediate dispensation.

The two latter charges were not pressed, and even the second was
speedily given up, the one on baptism only remaining. This was pressed,
and as my views on the subject were deemed intolerable, I was expelled.

There was a fearful display of bad feeling on the part of many of my
opponents. And no little pressure was brought to bear on those who were
opposed to extreme measures. It was a time of terrible trial to those
who showed themselves my friends. The height to which the excitement
against me rose can hardly be made intelligible to my readers of the
present day. I regarded the proceedings of my opponents from beginning
to end as dishonorable, unjust and cruel. "They have gone," said I, in
my account of the proceedings of the Conference, "they have gone in
opposition to every dictate both of equity and charity. The principles
on which they have acted are the low, the dark, and the tyrannical
principles of Popery. They have covered themselves with dishonor, and
earned for themselves a name for injustice, intolerance and cruelty,
beyond all the religious denominations in the land. Many a time, as I
sat in my place in Conference, hearing what was said, and observing what
was done, I asked myself, 'Is this like Christ? Can this be pleasing to
God? What must angels think to look upon a scene like this? Perpetual
talk about the authority of Conference and the majesty of the rules; but
not a word about the authority of Christ, or the majesty and supremacy
of the Gospel. And such overbearing, such harshness, such determined
unrelenting cruelty towards all who showed a determination to act
according to their own convictions of duty.' In the evenings, after the
sittings of Conference were adjourned, I and a friend frequently walked
out among the hills surrounding the town, conversing with each other,
and with our heavenly Father, and oh! what a contrast! What a boundless
contrast between the