aloof from all the
churches, but still retained their faith in Christianity, and their
attachment to the principles to which we had given prominence.

At one period I lectured frequently on Peace. The Quakers aided me in
obtaining rooms for my lectures, and supplied me with money to pay my
travelling expenses; and the Backhouses and Peases of Darlington, and
the Richardsons and others of Newcastle, contributed to the support of
my family. I met with some of the best and most agreeable people I ever
knew, among the Quakers. Many of them were remarkably liberal and
enlightened in their views, not only on religion, but on many other
subjects. I was astonished at the extent of their reading, and at the
amount of knowledge they possessed. And they had a wonderful amount of
charity towards other religious denominations. They believed the
churches were doing much good, and rejoiced in their usefulness, though
they could not always join them in their labors. I also found that in
their dealings with each other, they were exceedingly conscientious. One
Friend had recommended another, a lady, to invest her money in some
mining speculation, which he believed was likely to prove profitable.
She did so, and lost her money, or received no interest from it. The
Friend who had counselled the investment, took the shares, and returned
the lady her money. This, I believe, was not a thing by itself, but a
sample of Quaker dealings with each other. I learned some useful lessons
from the Quakers, and I received from them many favors. I retain many
pleasant recollections of my intercourse with them, and expect to think
of them with pleasure to my dying day.

After I ceased to receive a salary for preaching, I and my family were
often in straits, and at times we seemed on the very verge of
starvation. My printing business did not pay its own expenses at first,
and for several years after it began to yield a profit, the profit was
required for new presses, new type, or had to lie dead in the shape of
increased stock of publications. And I had no income from property. Yet
in every case when we seemed to be reduced to extremities, supplies came
from some quarter or other. Sometimes I knew the hand by which
assistance was sent, but at other times my benefactors remained unknown.
There was one good Christian, John Donaldson, who was always ready with
his help. He not only aided me by many gifts, but busied himself to
induce his friends to send mo a