day as well; and
every lecture was followed with discussion. When opponents did not rise
to assail me, friends rose to consult me, and our evening meetings often
continued till nearly midnight. And I preached three times on a Sunday.
And after every meeting there was a crowd of friends anxious to talk
with me, or have my counsel about the formation or management of
societies. Some had heard strange stories about me, and wanted to know
whether they were true or not. Others had had discussions with
opponents, and wished to tell me how they had fared. Some had been
puzzled with passages of Scripture quoted by opponents, and they wished
to know my views of their meaning. Some were sick, and wanted my
prayers. Some wanted prescriptions as well as prayers, and I was obliged
to be a physician as well as a preacher and reformer. Reports of cures
wrought by my means led many to believe I had the gift of healing, and
sufferers sought my aid wherever I made my appearance.

While one-half of each day was taken up with talking, another half was
taken up with writing. I had hundreds of letters to write, and hundreds
upon hundreds of all kinds of letters to read. I had, besides, a new
periodical on hand, for which I was expected to provide the principal
part of the articles. And special attacks on me or on my views required
a constant succession of pamphlets.

In addition to my press of work, I had no small share of anxiety. My
wife was greatly tried, and saw no prospect of a speedy end to her
trials. When expelled I was living in the preacher's house, and had the
preacher's furniture, and many in the circuit considered that I had a
right to them, and advised me to keep them, and set the Conference
partly at defiance. I however refused to retain possession of property
with a doubtful title, and gave all up. And now I had not a chair on
which to sit, nor a bed on which to sleep. And the little money I had
was wanted for the printers. My friends provided for me in a way, but
not in the way to satisfy an anxious mother. One child was taken by one
family, and another by another, while I and my wife were accommodated by
a third. And one of the children was unkindly treated, and the rest were
not content; and no house could be a home to my wife which was not her
own; and no condition could make her content while deprived of the
company of her children. And I saw her heart was the seat of fearful
conflicts.

For several months I went thro