gaged myself to Brother John Lazell, then in Worcester,* and entered upon the business with full determination to lay aside all thoughts of preaching, until I should have learned my trade, when I hoped to be better prepared.

I succeeded in my determination for a few weeks, and then my impression of duty returned with still greater force, and rendered accuracy in my work utterly impracticable. One page was put where another should be, and a lot of Dictionaries nearly spoiled. I was about this time taken sick of the measles, and laid aside for ten or twelve days. On my recovery, Brother Lazell informed me, that during my sickness he had taken a young gentleman into co-partnership, whom he should be obliged to teach the art of binding, and that he must relinquish the design of taking an apprentice. Here ended my hope of acquiring knowledge from contact with books in a bindery!

I was now under the necessity of returning home: and the circumstances under which I returned, made an unfavourable impression on the minds of my parents. They were strangers to my feelings, and my conduct had evinced great instability. They attributed all this instability to religion, especially with my connection with the enthusiastic Baptists.

I was prepared, however, to receive all their rebukes and reproaches with meekness.

Impressed with the importance of religion, I convers

* He afterwards removed to Buffalo, N. Y., and some years after Mr. Davis's settlement in South Reading, called on him, and in behalf of his brethren, urged him to become his "pastor on the shores of lake Erie."

B2

ed with the family, and particularly with my brothers and sisters, freely upon the subject.

My eldest sister began to think and even to weep. This circumstance greatly alarmed my mother. She said I should contaminate the whole family-the children would all become Baptists, and, like me, be ruined. Her opposition arose so high, that she declared positively if I continued in the family, she would not ! The next day after this declaration was made, I departed from home, and embarked upon the wide world, scarcely knowing whither I should bend my course, but happy in the belief of an all-wise and superintending Providence.

Previous to my departure, my step-father gave me the following certificate:

Signed,

BARRE, Sept. 9, 1813. This certifies that Gustavus F. Davis has my free permission to depart and work for himself until he is free. ADIN AYRES. When I left the house I made some religious remarks to my mother which were blessed to her hopeful conversion. This she afterwards acknowledged to me with apparent humility. I immediately commenced a journey to Boston. All the spare garments I had were conveyed in a little bundle under my arm, and all the cash I possessed was twenty-five cents! Having previously formed an acquaintance with a few Baptists residing in the east part of the town of Barre, where I attended meeting, I tarried with them a few days, and cut corn-stalks to pay for some necessary repairs on my shoes, &c. and then pursued my journey on foot to Boston, distance seventy miles.

My grand parents and several other relatives resided here; but as they moved in the higher circles of society, and were also strangers to my peculiar trials, I found myself embarrassed among them. My clothing was so shabby, that, to prevent their mortification, I was obliged to retire from the parlour whenever I saw a gentleman or lady approaching the house.

ence.

My relatives, however, soon provided raiment for me so that I was "fit to be seen" in their parlours, and then sent me out to Dedham to labour for my subsistI wrought for a few weeks upon the farm of an old gentleman whose name I have forgotten, and then let myself to Messrs. Howard & Crehore, for four dollars per month and board, to labour at the occupation of making weavers' sleys.

I boarded in the family of Mr. Calvin Guild, and was treated with great kindness by him and the whole family. I now began to look around for Christians of ardent piety with whom I might associate, but I looked in vain. The professors of religion, in general, were cold and formal, and many of them evinced by their ungodly conduct that they were utter strangers to its power in their hearts.

One evening in conversation with Mrs. Guild, who, I believe, was a pious woman, she spoke of one Sylva, in nearly the following words: "Sylva, though a mulatto, is a respectable woman and a member of our church, but she has some strange notions. She says she once saw her heart; it looked as black as hell, an arrow pierced it, and the wound was at length healed by the blood of Christ."

From these and some other remarks I was led to think Sylva might be an experimental Christian. I took

the earliest opportunity (I think it was the samé èvening) to call on her, and my expectations were fully realized. She spoke the language of Canaan. The interview was remarkably pleasant, and closed by prayer. As she was unable to read, and as there were no lectures or conferences in the evening, I proposed reading to her on Sabbath evenings; my proposal was thankfully received, and I began the next Sabbath evening. At first, I read "Doddridge's Rise and Progress of religion in the Soul," but afterwards thought it would be for greater mutual advantage to have immediate recourse to the pure fountain of truth. My custom now was to sing, pray, read some portion of the Bible, and make a few explanatory remarks on what I had read. One day Sylva inquired of me if it would be agreeable to invite Miss H. L., a pious young woman, who used to read to her before I came into town, to be present on these occasions. I gave my consent, and she was accordingly invited. This young lady had one or two friends whom she wished to bring with her, and permission was granted. Thus one invited another, until a room of considerable size was filled to overflowing every Sabbath evening. The greater part of Rev. Mr. Bates' choir of singers, of the Congregational Church attended, and the meetings were conducted with regularity. No appointments of meetings were made; but the knowledge of the fact that I was accustomed to be at Sylva's house to read, &c. drew the people together.

A fruitful season in my religious exercises used to increase my impression of duty to preach; but a barren one nearly induced me to resolve never to go again, especially as I was under no obligation, by appointment, to attend these meetings. I never disappointed the peo

ple however, for before the time of service arrived, I considered it my duty to attend and do as well as I could. Occasionally I was invited to hold meetings at other houses in the neighborhood; and the Baptist brethren in the West Parish (where I heard the Rev. Mr. Gammell preach two Sabbaths in each month) becoming acquainted with me, requested me to hold conferences among them on Saturday evenings. In these meetings, I had some assistance from other brethren, a privilege that I did not enjoy at home.

Miss H. L., the young lady mentioned on the preceding page, a member of the Rev. Mr. Bates' church, one evening showed me several passages in the New Testament relating to baptism, which she had marked, and requested me to explain their meaning. I could do no otherwise. The result was, she became a Baptist and united with the church under the pastoral care of the Rev. William Gammell. This circumstance excited much opposition, and it was noised abroad that the little intruder intended to establish a Baptist church in the place. I was threatened to be borne through the streets on a rail if I did not desist from holding meetings in the village; accosted in the streets as the Rev. Negro preacher, &c.; but I was by no means intimidated, but rather encouraged by these things. They seemed to indicate that satan was disturbed. About this time some of my hearers were hopefully renewed, and dated their impressions from the services at Sylva's and other dwellings.

At length the business in which I was engaged failed, the gentlemen for whom I laboured dissolved partnership, and I was again without employment.

I now fully resolved to obtain an education with a