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conversions increased and spread into counties still more remote.

Butterwood church, where you were wont to attend, had generally the most crowded audience, and soon became too small to hold one half the congregation. One large wing, and then another, were added to it but yet room was wanting. It gives me pleasure now to review those happy times, and the many precious and reviving seasons, when the spirit was poured out from on high, and such a number of souls was gathered into the fold of the Great Shepherd. Several such seasons took place, between the years 1764 and 1772. Something of this, at least towards the latter part, you can remember, and, I trust, will ever remember with joy, on your own account, as well as of others. In the course of these years, a great many souls were, in a judgment of charity, savingly converted to God, and obtained remission of sins, by faith in Jesus Christ.

As the subjects of this blessed change of heart and state were by no means confined to the county of Dinwiddie, those, who, from other counties, had tasted the goodness of God, were anxious that others also might be possest of the same grace, especially such as were nearly allied to them.

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They therefore wished them all to hear those truths preached, which had proved so beneficial to themselves. But as some would not ride so far, and others had not the conveniency, I was frequently and earnestly solicited, by one and another, from different quarters, to come over and help them, and give all their friends, &c. an opportunity of hearing. Thus commenced the enlargement of my bounds of preaching, which, in process of time, extended to a circle of five or six hundred miles east, west, north and south.

The clergy, in general, were opposed to me, and unwilling to open their church doors for me, and some absolutely refused me their pulpits-and, moreover, because few churches were large enough to contain the congregation which would attend-or, because, many times, it was more convenient to appoint the meeting, at a place where no church was-this combination of circumstances gave rise to my preaching in the open air, under trees, arbors or booths. On such occasions, my congregations have frequently been so numerous, that the extremities of the audience stood at the distance of fifty, sixty or eighty yards from me, on the right and left, and in front.But kind Providence had favored me with

such strength of constitution and soundness of lungs, that, without any disagreeable strain of voice, the farthest off could hear, as well as the nearest.

The boundaries of my labors had been enlarging from the year 1765; but from the year 177 6 to 1783, my circuit of preaching was considerably increased-but yet I could not comply with the many solicitations I had from different quarters still more remote. However, I complied so far, as to preach in many counties, both in North-Carolina and Virginia. In Caroli na, I visited the counties of Northampton, Halifax, Warren, Franklin and Granville. in Virginia, the counties of Brunswick, Greensville and Southampton, on the south; Lunenburg, Mecklenburgh, Charlotte, Bedford, Prince Edward, Nottoway and Amelia, on the west; Cumberland, Powhatan, Chesterfield, Henrico, Hanover, Caroline, King and Queen, and King William, on the north; and New Kent, James City, Charles City, Surrey and Sussex on the east.

During these years of traveling, in the places just mentioned, I regularly attended the three churches in my own parishhardly ever failing to be at one or another, in rotation, every Sunday; except,

perhaps, three or four sabbaths in the year, when the distance I had gone from home was too great, and the appointments made for preaching were too many to admit of my return in the course of one week. But for these few Sundays, I think I made ample satisfaction to my own parish, by preaching sometimes twice or thrice on the Lord's day, and frequently on week days, in various quarters of it. For several years I kept a journal of my labors and travels; and from this it appears, that I preached five sermons, one week with another throughout the year; or about two hundred and seventy sermons and lectures, one hundred and fifty of which were delivered in Bath. By the blessing of God, my efforts were crowned with some considerable success, and the Lord gave me many souls al to my ministry, both at home and abroad. But on this point I must be sparing, as you know I was never forward in speaking of the success of my own labors, lest it should have the appearance of boasting and self-importance. Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but God giveth the increase. It has been intimated already, that, at my first settlement in this parish, I knew of no minister of the then established church, who was like minded with myself, respect

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ing the doctrines I preached and the manner of preaching them. I stood alone for some considerable time; and I dare say no. man was ever more cordially abhorred, than I was by the clergy in general. By them, was I frequently threatened with writs and prosecutions, &c. for the breach of canonical order. But here But here my wonted fortitude stood my friend, so that I flinched not in the least. One of the most furious wrote me two angry and threatening letters, reminding me of irregularity, and: breach of the 71st canon, by preaching in private houses, &c. To his first letter I replied, in mild and inoffensive terms. wrote again, and insisted very strenuously on my great irregularities in breaking the canon above said. I also wrote again, and observed-That if to preach in a private house, or on any unconsecrated ground, was a breach of canonical order and regularity, then were we all involved in the same condemnation, for I knew not that any clergyman in Virginia, ever scrupled to transgress that canon, for the sake of forty shillings. This was the legal fee for a funeral sermon, under the establishment, and for the sake of which, all places were alike sacred, when any clergyman was called upon for such a service. I therefore

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