HE church in Windham was formed Tuesday, May 27, 1828. On the Lord's day preceding, eleven members of the Braceville church requested, and obtained dismissal, to join in the new church. They came together under the wise counsels of Elder Thomas Campbell.

      They numbered twenty-eight. Brethren Samuel Robbins, Philander Robbins, and David T. Robbins, with their families, Dr. Thomas Wright, and Bro. Streator, were leading members. David Woolcott, and Samuel Robbins were the deacons. Reuben Ferguson was unanimously chosen overseer.

      The beginning and progress of the work which led to the establishment of the churches in Braceville and Windham is well told in the diary of Bro. Samuel Robbins, of Windham. I append some extracts from it.

      Lord's day, Sept. 16, 1827. Mr. Walter Scott preached in the school-house, at the center of Braceville, the first time; sent by the Mahoning Baptist Association, by the request of the Garrettsville and Braceville Baptist churches. Text: 1st Epistle of John, chap. iii: 1st verse. A good discourse.

      Nov. 25, 1827. Deacon Bosworth preached at the center of Braceville, the first time.

      Dec. 2, 1827. Mr. Adamson Bentley and Walter Scott preached in the school-house on Braceville Ridge. Mr. Bentley preached first to a house jammed full--got them [142] most all asleep--do not recollect his subject. Then Mr. Walter Scott preached, after reading the second chapter of Acts. Dwelt particularly on apostle Peter using the keys of the kingdom of heaven, delivered to him by the Savior, Matt. xvi: 19. Before he finished his discourse, a good part of the congregation were standing up gazing at the speaker. In his remarks respecting Peter opening the kingdom to the Gentiles, at the house of Cornelius, he said: "Having no more use for the keys, for aught I know, he threw them away."

      Dec. 23, 1827. Mr. Osborne preached on the Braceville Ridge. He was a good preacher, and a very devoted minister.

      Jan. 26, 1828. All the Baptist [church] went from Braceville Ridge to Warren, to hear Walter Scott preach; for they heard he was turning the world upside down.

      Feb. 23, 1828. Walter Scott preached on Braceville Ridge. First-rate attention; do not remember his subject. His main object was to convince the people that God meant what he said in his Word; which caused great excitement among the people in Braceville and Windham; many sitting up all night reading the Scriptures to see if they meant what they said; which resulted in many immersions. It was a common practice for him to illustrate the five items--viz: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Remission of Sins, and the Holy Spirit--by holding up his left hand and using his thumb for Faith, and so on; then contrast it with the five points of Calvinism; and thus he made the Scripture order of the gospel so plain, that little boys could carry it home. Great excitement wherever he went.

      Feb. 23, 1828. Went from the Ridge to Windham. In the evening he spoke in the school-room, near Dr. Thomas Wright's. Father Rudolph and his two sons, John and Zeb, were present. Spoke first-rate. Remarked he was like an eight-day clock--he would speak on Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Remission of Sins, and the gift of [143] the Holy Spirit, and wind up! Having a desire to hear him through, David T. Robbins and myself went with Mr. Scott to the hospitable families of the Rudolphs; staid all night.

      Next day, February 24, Lord's day, we all met at the house of Mr. Chapin, who was a Methodist. Mr. Scott spoke on faith to a room crowded full. Dr. Thomas Wright, myself, D. T. Robbins and others, came forward, which excited Mr. Chapin so he got up and opposed. In the evening met at Mr. Rudolph's: a good meeting.

      Feb. 25, 1828. Scott preached in the school-house in Garrettsville--more came forward. Agreed to meet the next Wednesday in the school-house near Dr. Wright's, when Scott would preach and immerse the candidates.

      On Wednesday, the 27th, almost the whole town came out. Bro. Scott spoke feelingly. Then Dr. Thomas Wright, myself, David T. Robbins and others, nine in all, were immersed. Ice a foot thick. Great excitement among the people, it being the first immersion in Windham. Very cold; though our hearts were warm and rejoicing.

      Tuesday, March 4, 1828. Scott again at the same place; immersed three more.

      March 5, 1828. Preached again; baptized Father Abraham Seymour and three others.

      March 10, 1828. Scott went to Braceville. Preached and baptized Philander Robbins and eight others.

      Wednesday, March 12, 1828. Bro. Marcus Bosworth preached and baptized three more at the same place. Bro. Scott went home, to Canfield.

      Saturday, March 22, 1828. Covenant meeting. It was the custom of the Baptists in those days to tell their experience, to maintain good fellowship with one another, and to be prepared to break the loaf on the Lord's day.

      Lord's day, March 23, 1828. We all met in the school-house on Braceville Ridge. Bro. Marcus Bosworth preached [144] and broke bread the first time after the preaching of baptism for the remission of sins. Joyful meeting.

      March 26, 1828. Bro. M. Bosworth preached--immersed one; next day, in Braceville, two more, between eleven and twelve o'clock at night.

      The diary continues, noting meetings in detail, with additions at nearly every discourse of two or three to ten persons:

      "Lord's day, April 27, 1828. Bro. Bosworth preached and immersed seven more, who were added to Braceville church. Bro. Bosworth administered the Lord's Supper the second time; glorious meeting."

      Old customs are slow to yield. Monthly communion was still retained.

      Elder Thomas Campbell came about this time to the Western Reserve to co-operate in the work. His visit is thus referred to in Bro. Robbin's journal:

      "May 1, 1828. Father Thomas Campbell preached in Braceville, and the next day near Dr. Wright's. One immersed by Bro. Bosworth."

      "May 8, 1828. Father Thomas Campbell preached in Windham. Baptized Bro. Reuben Ferguson and Bro. Baldwin, of Charleston. Same day, Bro. Bosworth immersed two."

      "May 9, 1828. Father Thomas Campbell preached on Braceville Ridge from Hebrews; subject: Land of Canaan."

      "May 17, 1828. I went to Warren. Met with them on Lord's day. Up to this date, one hundred and thirty had been immersed in Warren; one hundred and five added to the church."

      "Lord's day, May 25, 1828. Bro. M. Bosworth preached on the Ridge. Seven united to Braceville church. He administered the Lord's Supper the third time." [145]

      In this manner the work went on through all that region, extending into Nelson, Freedom, Charleston, Hiram, Mantua, and Shalersville.

      The church in Windham, like those in Braceville, Garrettsville, and Warren, was in transition. Expiring customs die hard. The "experience" and "covenant" meetings and monthly communion seasons, as occasions of special "fellowship," lingered for almost a year in Windham and Braceville. Robbins writes:

      "March 22, 1829. Commenced breaking bread every first day of the week. Fourteen added to the church, making in all sixty-five members."

      A wise forbearance ruled the church, and they eventually all came to the unity of the faith and practice of the apostolic order.

      For many years this church was a shining light. They built a good house at the center of the town, and continued there to worship as late as about the year 1855, when, weakened by removals and other causes, they yielded the ground and ceased to meet as a church. But their works remain. While with sadness they were compelled to abandon the organization, they count with joy on the good they achieved; and other regions are made strong by the causes which entailed weakness on the church in Windham.

      This church raised up and sent forth two able evangelists, Bro. L. P. Streator, long prominent and useful, especially in Pennsylvania; and Bro. Myron J. Streator, whose abundant labors will never be forgotten. Both arose in Windham, and by this church received their first encouragement and sanction as preachers of the gospel. [146]

      It is difficult, after the lapse of forty-five years, to realize the commotion consequent on the first work of Scott and his associates. So novel, so bold, and to the candid listeners, so plain and scriptural! The enthusiasm was unbounded. The "zeal," though usually guided by knowledge, sometimes overstepped the limits of prudence; yet it is surprising so few errors became incorporated in the teaching, and that the work was marred by so few cases of indiscretion. The interest in the public mind had swelled to a torrent, whose impetuous rush bore away all before it.

      News of all that was going on was constantly transmitted to Bethany, and Mr. Campbell, whose careful and sagacious eye surveyed the movement in all directions with the mind of a general, had some fear lest the impulsive zeal of his ardent and able friend Scott might, in this quarter, wreck the vessel of reformation. At his instance, his father, the venerable Thomas Campbell, saddled his favorite sorrel, and made an extensive tour of these battle-fields. He visited first, New Lisbon, then Fairfield, Warren, Braceville, Windham, Mantua, Mentor, and other places. Nothing could have been more opportune; just such a man was needed; and none who never saw him can well appreciate the great effect of the presence, counsels, and addresses of this noblest of men. Uniting the simplicity of a child with the dignity of a senator, agreeable almost to playfulness, with a piety so pure, sweet, and unostentatious as to command the respect and admiration of all around him, the newly forming churches felt in his presence [147] the timely aid, encouragement, and counsel which could be imparted by no other one so well. His fame and abilities as a scholar and as a speaker, drew large audiences. Seeing the work before him to be but an advance step in the great plea of the restoration which he had himself initiated and advocated twenty years before, after examining the ground with his usual caution and candor, he gave to it his full sanction, and entered upon its advocacy with all his great influence and powers. Soon after his arrival on the ground, he wrote to his son Alexander from New Lisbon; under date of April 9th, 1828, as follows:

      "I perceive that theory and practice in religion, as well as in other things, are matters of distinct consideration. We have spoken and published many things correctly concerning the ancient gospel--its simplicity and perfect adaptation to the present state of mankind, for the benign and gracious purposes of its immediate relief and complete salvation--but I must confess, that, in respect of the direct exhibition and application of it for that blessed purpose, I am at present, for the first time, upon the ground where the thing has appeared to be practically exhibited to the proper purpose. 'Compel them to come,' saith the Lord, 'that my house may be filled.'

      "Mr Scott has made a bold push to accomplish this object, by simply and boldly stating the ancient gospel and insisting upon it; and then by putting the question generally and particularly to males and females, old and young: Will you come to Christ and be baptized for the remission of your sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit? Do n't you believe this blessed gospel? Then come away, etc., etc. This elicits a personal conversation; some confess faith in the testimony--beg time to think; others consent--give their hands to be baptized as soon as convenient; [148] others debate the matter friendly; some go straight to the water, be it day or night; and, upon the whole, none appear offended."

      He spent the month of May, (1828), in Braceville, Windham, and that region, adding strength and members to the cause, and teaching piety and pure religion from house to house. He preached in Windham, Lord's day, the 8th of May, and baptized Rev. Reuben Ferguson, a Methodist preacher of great moral worth, who began immediately to preach the faith as proclaimed by the apostles at the beginning.

      The travels of elder Campbell were very extensive, and his labors abundant. He visited Chardon, Hamden, and Huntsburg; the latter of which were new and weak churches. He was among the infant churches like Barnabas of the apostolic days. No record can convey a proximate estimate of the blessings of his presence and labors at this juncture. There was probably no man within the reformation who possessed such authority of personal influence; of noble mien and manly form; grave and serene of countenance; courtly in manners, his discourses always religious and instructive, he impressed his hearers always favorably and permanently. The young disciples and inexperienced preachers, who were now springing up, needed such a model; and it was delightful to see the quiet and profound deference yielded to him wherever he came.

      It was during this period of his travels on the Western Reserve that he fell in with Aylett Raises. Bro. Raines may tell his impressions in his own words:

      "Not long after this period I made the acquaintance of Bro. Thomas Campbell. He interested himself in my [149] favor, and had me travel and preach with him several months. This I view as a merciful interposition of my Heavenly Father. By day and by night, publicly and from house to house, he was my teacher. I feel that I was greatly benefited, but how much I can never tell. Not only by word, but by example, he deeply impressed my warm and susceptible heart. He was, emphatically, a godly man. He was greatly addicted to private devotions. Often have I seen him, when he had no reason to believe that any eye saw him but that eye before which all things are naked and open, in his closet, prostrate on his face, pouring out his soul in prayer to God. I thank God that I ever made the acquaintance of that great and good man; and I look forward with bright and cheering anticipations when we may meet to part no more, in the brighter and better world."

      This gifted man, destined to rise to a conspicuous place in the advocacy of the gospel, was born near Fredericksburg, Spottsylvania County, Virginia, in the year 1797. At the age of four years, he was led up by his father to the altar, where Parson Boggs "christened" him after the forms of the Episcopal church. It was done amidst many tears from the young "convert," but they were neither tears of joy nor penitence, but of fear and apprehension of something awful about to be done to him, in opposition to which his whole nature was roused. But his pious parents, in fulfillment of obligations which they conceived were resting upon them from the vows assumed at his "baptism"--but which, with far more truth, they were under merely as parents--trained him in the principles and paths of strict morality. The pious culture thus obtained, especially from his most excellent Christian mother, was of immeasurable advantage to him. He ever bore toward them the profoundest gratitude for their [150] faithful guardianship. From Virginia his parents emigrated, when he was fourteen, to Jefferson County, Kentucky. Hearing different "orders" of preaching, often contradictory, and presuming, as many do, that the Bible sanctions all, he became skeptical. The reading of Paine's Age of Reason filled him with doubt, and flushed him with conceit. But his mother's pious instructions held him, and finally gained the mastery. He went into Indiana, and engaged in teaching, near Fredonia. His employers being Restorationists, he fell into discussions with them. He felt himself foiled in these contests. Winchester's "Dialogues on Universal Restoration"^a completed the work, and he came out a thorough and sincere convert to that speculative scheme.

      New emotions filled his breast. He obtained the common "evidence" of genuine conversion. He writes:

      "I got religion. The sky appeared to be bluer, the leaves looked greener, and the birds sang more sweetly than ever before. I underwent a great moral change. There was much of the love of God in it. Shrouded as I was in error, yet there were apertures through which the love of God passed into my heart, and made me inexpressibly happy."

      Persuaded that the numerous friends of Bro. Raines will be delighted with his own statement of his experiences, I continue the recital from his own graphic pen:

      "I now commenced the study of the Scriptures in good earnest, and after two years commenced preaching. This, of course, provoked great opposition, and I had a number of debates. In these, one sectarianism was arrayed against another; and those that came plunging and crashing against mine seemed so very frail, and made so feeble a defense, as rather to confirm me in my errors. I preached Restorationism five years. A part of the time I taught school, but the last two years of the five I traveled at large. The expiration of this term brought me to the [151] Western Reserve, where Bro. Scott and others were preaching the ancient gospel. Hundreds were being baptized. Much interest had been awakened in behalf of the gospel, and bitter was the opposition which had been enlisted against it. Misrepresentations--not to use a harsher term--were as numerous as blackbirds in August, and these too, very often by those who professed to be 'ambassadors for Christ,' and who said they were 'the called of God, as was Aaron.' 'Just say you believe, and let a preacher dip you, and there could be no scriptural doubt of reaching--no matter what the life might be subsequently--the heavenly inheritance.' It was strange to me then, and yet passing strange, that good people, when under the dominion of religious prejudice, falsify at a most alarming and extravagant rate. They say that they are 'new creatures;' but if they are, I can not perceive that the new creature is, in this respect, any better than the old!

      "After a few weeks I concluded to hear Bro. Scott for myself. He was to speak at night at Bro. Robbins', in the town of Windham, near where I was at that time sojourning. One object that I had in view was to bring Bro. Scott into a debate; for among other things that I had heard, I had been told that he was a very bold man, and at the close of his discourses he challenged objectors to make known their objections. Here, thought I, will be a good opportunity for me! and hence I let a number of my brethren know that I intended to oppose him. Well, we assembled, a compact congregation. Bro. Scott, after singing and prayer, read first Cor. first chapter. He preached it through, not forgetting to state and defend what he styled the six points, of the gospel. I was greatly surprised. But when he called for objections I was confounded. I could see the heads of my brethren moving to the right and left, in the crowd, expecting to see me rise to my feet. But they didn't see me rise! The reason was, I felt certain that if I opposed Bro. Scott I would [152] expose myself. His discourse appeared to me, at every point, invulnerable. And so, when we were dismissed, and out in the yard, my old brethren gathered around me and asked, 'Bro. Raines, what do you think of the discourse?' And let me say here that I think my first answer will be my last: 'I can do nothing against the gospel as preached by Bro. Scott; unless I should live to disgrace it; which may our gracious Lord forbid!' Hence I have no sympathy with those who say they can not understand the preachers of the reformation. I understood the first I ever heard a great deal better than I desired.

      "The next day I heard Bro. Scott again. His subject was the fifteenth chapter of first Corinthians--the resurrection. Here again I was exceedingly amazed. Germs of truth, and beauties and glories sprang from the bosom of that chapter under the handling of Bro Scott, of which before I had scarcely any conception. 'As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive,' I deemed a passage of cardinal importance, and the whole chapter very good in its place; but as I did not understand it, of course I saw none of its beauties, and was superlatively ignorant of the meaning of the scrap just referred to, which was one of the proof-texts by which I attempted to prove the ultimate holiness and happiness of all men. At the close of this discourse I felt profoundly interested in the ministrations of Bro. Scott, and resolved to follow him up for some days longer.

      "On the next day his subject was the two covenants; and here again I was amazed, not only in contemplation of the beauty and magnificence of gospel truth, but at my former ignorance, for although I had been a preacher five years, I certainly did not know the difference between the old covenant and the new. I obtained from them a sort of hotch-potch; or rather I made of them a chaos, and preached the darkness that was on the face of the deep!

      "In a few days I heard again. His subject was the [153] eleventh chapter of Hebrews. He still bore himself aloft in all the grandeur of the gospel, and in the captivating intelligence of the truth as it is in Jesus. Here I virtually surrendered--not that I was convinced that all men would not be finally saved. Bro. Scott said nothing on this subject, only that it was a philosophy, as was Calvinism, Arminianism, etc., and no part of Christianity. He convinced me that I ought to lay my philosophy aside, and preach the gospel as the apostles preached, making their discourses a model to be accurately copied by me in all my ministrations. This was, so far, a capital conquest, for it terminated in due time in the conviction, in my mind, that Restorationism itself, as much as I had formerly idolized it, is founded in error.

      "At this juncture it became necessary that I should part from Bro. Scott for a season, for I had a tour of preaching before me, and must fill my own appointments. I resolved that I would preach as Bro. Scott had done, and as I believed the apostles did, and that at the close of each discourse I would call for objections. And I told my old brethren that I threw myself on their mercy; in other words, that if they believed me to be going astray, in mercy to set me right. This attempt was often made within this tour, but it only served to convince me more satisfactorily that I was right. It terminated at the house of brother Ebenezer Williams, in Ravenna, a Restorationist preacher, a good man, and possessing excellent talents. I submitted to him, at his own house, my views of the gospel. He received them, and we were mutually immersed for the remission of sins. After this, I immediately retraced my steps, and within five weeks I immersed fifty persons, three of them, counting Bro. Williams, talented Restorationist preachers."¹ [154]

      Wishing to fortify himself thoroughly on so important a matter as the change in his religious position, and also desiring to keep clear his approaches to his Restorationist brethren, Raines deferred his baptism till he should confer farther with their leading men. He retraced his steps, preaching at points formerly visited, till he came to the residence of E. Williams, of Ravenna, who must now be introduced to the reader.

      Ebenezer Williams was born in Warwick, Hampshire County, Mass., March 14, 1793. He came to Ohio, in May, 1815, and settled in Ravenna. Falling in with the views of Winchester on universal restoration, he prepared himself for a life advocacy of that system. He was calm, dispassionate, a candid and sound reasoner, and very conscientious, and was one of the first advocates of that doctrine on the Western Reserve. He was earnest and fluent in speech and persuaded many, and planted communities of converts in Newburg, Bedford, Brimfield, Shalersville, and elsewhere. I will permit his own pen to relate the circumstances which led him to embrace the gospel:

      "I will give you a fraction of my history in Shalersville. I preached my first discourse there among the Universalists, at the request of Daniel Burroughs, Esq., who was instrumental in getting the first Universalist preacher on the Western Reserve. In 1828, I was employed in that town one-fourth of the time at one hundred dollars.

      "On a pleasant morning in the month of May, I rode from Ravenna to meet my appointment. When I came [155] in sight of the house I saw more people than usual gathered around it. While hitching my horse, two of my friends came up and informed me that Father Campbell and Sidney Rigdon had been holding a meeting there for several days; two young men had been baptized; the meeting had created great excitement; they had dwelt much on the second chapter of Acts; and they requested me to preach from the same, especially the thirty-eighth verse. I informed them I would do so. In my discourse I opened to the tenth chapter, and found that the Gentiles received the Holy Ghost before baptism, reasoning that baptism was but voluntary and quite unessential. I offered the same objections to an immersion in water that I have since so often heard, indulging in some witticisms about going to heaven by water, and succeeded in pleasing the congregation, except the two young men above referred to.

      "While going home I reviewed my discourse. Although I had spoken in all sincerity, I became quite dissatisfied with what I had done. My text, and the forty-sixth and forty-seventh verses of the last chapter of Luke, were constantly occupying my mind. I went home quite unhappy. I was familiar enough with the New Testament to recollect the substance of what it contained, and my mind was constantly engaged, day and night, to satisfy myself that immersion could be dispensed with. I had been sprinkled--I had sprinkled others, but in spite of all my efforts my convictions still fastened themselves upon me.

      "In the midst of my perplexity one morning, while in the field plowing, a child came and informed me that Bro. Raines was at the house. I went in immediately. We hardly passed the usual compliments, when Bro. Raines said he had been hearing Walter Scott; that he had got into trouble, and wanted me to help him out." [156]

      Raines remained with him several days, during which time they gave the subject a thorough examination in the light of the Holy Scriptures. The result is given in the language of Bro. Williams:

      "The next Lord's day my appointment was in Brimfield. Bro. Raines went with me. We both preached. After meeting, we walked out, when he inquired of me how I had made up my mind. I informed him I should be immersed. Next morning we notified the friends of our intention, and on our way back to Ravenna, we stopped at Sandy Lake, a beautiful pond in the corners of Brimfield and Rootstown, and taking hold of each other's hands, we walked into the water. I baptized him; he in turn baptized me. I think they were all Universalists who witnessed the scene. Some cried, some scolded. We exhorted them to come and do likewise.

      "When the four weeks came round, I went back to Shalersville, and again preached from the second chapter of Acts, but not so much to the satisfaction of the people. Some were angry; many said they would not pay their subscription for such preaching. I told them I did not expect it--the Lord would take care of me. Thus I turned my back on the four hundred a year. I have never since received over half that amount, but having obtained help of God, I continue until this day."

      These brethren being now fully emancipated from that useless and pernicious philosophy, went every-where preaching the word. They were anxious to recover the communities which they had instructed from these errors. There is a worldly and false pride of consistency, which is but the effigy of that true principle of "consistency" which is said to be a "jewel," a counterfeit mistaken by many for the genuine. Had Williams and Raines listened to the [157] voice of that false pride, they would never have encountered the reproaches unsparingly heaped upon them for changing their doctrinal base. But this was their cross, and joyfully for Christ were they willing to bear it.

      The news of their conversion spread every-where, causing much joy among the Disciples. But the feeling was mingled with a fear that they were not thoroughly instructed in the foundations of the gospel. It was feared that they were, after all, merely baptized Universalists. If this was all, it was nothing. Baptized Universalism is Universalism still; not the gospel. So baptized sectarianism, in any form, is but sectarianism at best, and not the gospel of Jesus Christ. This plea of reformation did not begin nor end in baptism. It saw as its end, and sought nothing less, than the de-organization of sect, and the re-organization of the saints on the new covenant, in the express terms and conditions divinely set forth in the Holy Scriptures. This was clear as a sunbeam in the preaching and writings of Scott and the Campbells, and all who were enlisted in the defense. No marvel then, that even thus early in our work, no one could be satisfied with the mere baptism of these men. They wanted proof of their abandonment of Universalism, and their confession of Christ and his gospel. They felt as the disciples of old concerning Saul, of whose conversion and baptism report quickly spread--"they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple." Acts ix: 26. These noble men, however, had learned and embraced the gospel as the "power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Salvation was [158] now with them, as with the original preachers, through faith and obedience; without which impenitent sinners are still in their sins, and obnoxious to the judgments of God.

      The first person baptized in Freedom, after the primitive order, was Daniel Brown. This was in 1828. Bro. Bosworth sowed the seed and reaped the fruit. Bro. Rufus Ranney was the next. Then John Bonney, who heard Scott in Nelson, and was baptized by him. This post was held by Bro. Ryder and the itinerant laborers till 1840, when they built and organized. The gospel had made inroads into Charleston also, and brethren Woolcut, Peebles, and Baldwin associated with the church at Freedom. Daniel Brown and John Bonney were chosen overseers, and Lewis Hamilton, Joseph Woolcut, and John James, deacons.

      The church prospered for several years. Two preachers--O. E. Brown and J. W. James--arose out of this church, who have been many years in the work, and proved themselves extensively useful. In June, 1848, they entertained the county yearly meeting; their number being about thirty. They afterward rose to fifty. After about twelve years of prosperity, dissensions grew up, and the tie of brotherhood was sundered. For several years the religious interest was nearly extinct; but there were a few names "who had not defiled their garments." The work has lately been revived and meetings are again held regularly.

      It is interesting to state that the first disciple in [159] Freedom still survives, and that the first overseer is elder still. Bro. Daniel Brown, who in his eighty-sixth year, writes me, "I do not expect to live much longer, but so long as the Lord lets me live, I am willing. When he calls me I am ready to go." [160]

[EHD 142-160]