much painful deliberation, I discovered an unwillingness on my part to see a society rendered extinct, which, in all human probabilify depended upon my affirmative, or negative answer. In this

situation, wholly regardless of my own peace and comfort, I yielded to their request, and accepted of their call. But previously to my offering myself for examination, which was rendered necessary in order to give them an affirmative answer, I was pressingly called upon to accept of another invitation for settlement, in a place where such forbidding obstacles did not obtrude. The reflection that Ellsworth society must shortly cease to exist, should I accept the invitation, influenced me to reject all other calls.

About this time a church was organized in Ellsworth which was composed of 28 members. The salary which was proposed for my support was eighty-five pounds. It was the understanding also, that they were to furnish me with wood for twelve years, should I still continue their pastor; at the expiration of which time they were to give me a wood lot of twenty acres, within a given distance of the meeting-house, but were no longer to be holden to draw my wood. They were, furthermore, to give me a settlement of six hundred dollars; three hundred of which were to become mine on the day of my ordination; and the remaining three hundred, of which I was to receive the use, to become mine after the rate of twenty-five dollars a year: But should I not continue with them in the ministry for the period of twelve years, I was to refund, of the last sum of three hundred dollars, in the proportion of twenty-five dollars a year, for the deficiency of time, to complete the twelve years. Such was the understanding of the proposals made to me. These proposals, I remarked to their committee, would not be adequate to the support of my family, and would by no means render a comfortable subsistence; "that the labourer was worthy of his hire," and

"that those who preached the gospel, should live of the gospel;" that a clergyman was justly entitled to a decent and honourable maintenance; that having no patrimony, and being obliged to educate myself, in part, I should be wholly dependent on my salary for a support. They urged that their society was small and poor; and that it would be seemingly impossible to increase the sum proposed, which would even then be burdensome for them to discharge; and advocated the idea, frequently advanced by those who had never estimated the expense of supporting a family by the purchase of every article of consumption and use, viz. that two hundred and fifty or three hundred dollars a year, would decently support a family, with the probable saving of half or more of the same.

I had, previously to this, suggested to the society the necessity of their establishing a fund, to operate as a bond of union among them, and contribute to render the society permanent; the annual interest of which was to be appropriated to the support of preaching in the parish. Accordingly a fund of one thousand pounds had been raised by subscription, the annual interest of which would be two hundred dollars. As it was contemplated this interest would be promptly paid at the close of each year, and thus applied in part pay of my salary, it would, of course, be better than two hundred dollars raised by tax, which usually lingers in the collection, if it does not prove wholly evanescent. I finally acceded to the proposals on these conditions, viz. I would make the trial; and if it should furnish a support for my family, well; if not, they must either add to it, or grant me a dismission. I was accordingly ordained over the church and society of Ellsworth, on the 26th of May, 1802, by the North Consociation of Litchfield county; and the church over which I had now the pastoral charge, was at the same time consociated.

Being now inducted into the ministry, with an amazingly weighty and responsible charge resting

upon me, I entered upon its arduous duties with fear and trembling. The difficulties peculiar to a newly organized church and society, were to be encountered. These were greatly enhanced by the defection and dissention of many who lived within the local bounds of the society. For a number of years previous to the location of the society, preachers of almost every description had visited that region of territory: consequently but very few individuals appeared to possess any just and accurate ideas of the doctrines of the gospel. Added to this, great numbers had certificated themselves as belonging to other denominations; some, as was generally considered, to avoid expenses unavoidably incident to the support of regular society; and also to prevent the obtaining of it; and others, unquestionably, in a conscientious manner. Thus, from many of those "who were not of us," although they lived among us, we experienced many and severe trials. Although there was no stated preaching among these different denominations, to my knowledge, for some length of time, from my first acquaintance in the place, yet many of them appeared to be unwilling that the society should enjoy the regular and stated privileges of the gospel. By numbers, a hostility to the church and society was marked with a virulence distinguishingly characteristic of native depravity. The society itself, also, being composed of sections from two towns, discovered in some degree a competition. These various considerations rendered it difficult to organize and harmonize conflicting parties and interests. Yet as the society progressed in age, it apparently gained strength and union. The distinguishing doctrines of the gospel were willingly heard and received, by the generality of those who statedly attended on public worship.

My ministerial labours were not, however, confined to the limits of my own parish. In addition to my parochial duties, I was, for some length of time

after my ordination, called upon to supply, to a considerable extent, two neighbouring parishes. The old society in the town of Sharon, which had been supplied nearly half a century by the Rev. and pious Cotton M. Smith, was now for the most part destitute of a preached gospel, by reason of his infirmities of age. Also, the south society in Cornwall was then vacant. Situated between these two congregations, which were only occasionally supplied by candidates, I was very frequently called upon to afford them assistance. Often, for many weeks in succession, after delivering two discourses on the Sabbath in my own desk, I have immediately gone to one or the other of these destitute parishes, and delivered to them one and sometimes two discourses on the same day, and returned home in the evening. Also in cases of severe sickness in either place, I was often called to visit them, and likewise to officiate at their funerals, and occasional lectures. Nor is a solitary instance of refusal, to either of their calls, within my recollection. During this period, my itinerations in other places were, probably, as extensive as those of any other local preacher within the vicinity. Frequently was I reminded, by my fathers and brethren in the ministry, that I must forbear my labours, as my constitution could not sustain so much fatigue, and I should soon sink under the burden.

In the mean time, my domestic concerns engrossed much of my care and labour. About the time of my settlement I had purchased a small place for my residence, wholly out of repairs, and unfit for. Occupancy. Well aware my salary was incompetent to the support of my family and defraying any expenses in repairs, I laboured extensively with my own hands to render it comfortable. Consequently, after the labours and fatigues of the day, I was obliged to devote a very considerable proportion of the night to study. Often did I find not more than two or three hours for repose. As an additional

task, I was very shortly after my settlement, requested to take the charge and instruction of youth, in preparation for college, and in pursuing various branches of literature. Thus I was encumbered with the care of a few pupils, the compensation for which was by no means proportionate to the burden.

About three and a half years had now elapsed, when it pleased a merciful God to visit the place with the effusions of his Holy Spirit. The work began to manifest itself powerfully, in the month of November, 1805, and progressed during the following winter; and traces of it continued even until the ensuing summer. This shower of divine grace spread over a great part of the parish. Its effects were apparently deep and pungent. It was evidently the still small voice, which caused multitudes to exclaim with deep solicitude, "what shall we do to be saved?" This work was not generally accompanied with noise, or confusion; but the subjects of it seemed deeply to feel and realize their wretched and ruined condition as sinners. The involuntary sigh, the deeply depicted anguish, and the anxious look, visibly expressed more than volumes could describe. People of all ages and denominations, so far as the work had apparently extended, seemed more or less to share in the general solicitude and solemnity. As there had not, for a long period of time, been any stated preaching by any other denomination, all classes resorted to the meetings of my appointment. Indeed, the certificated people strenuously solicited my attendance with them in proportion to their numbers with the people of the society. I had gratified their request for several weeks, when the attention being noised abroad, a Baptist, and, soon after, Methodist preachers flocked around us. A line was almost instantaneously drawn. Every certificated person immediately resorted to Baptist or Methodist meetings, as they