Bro. Sherman:

In writing articles for your paper on the rise and progress of the "Ancient Gospel" as you requested me to do, I must of necessity write mostly from memory. From the commencement of my religious life I have kept no record of what I have said or done. I know not how many I have immersed, how many miles I have travelled, how many meetings I have held. All, that I left for the recording angel to do. And, now in going back over more than 50 years to call up facts and incidents, it will not be strange if I should neglect some, and make some mistakes as to dates &c., and leave out many interesting incidents. I ask the forbearance of my brethren in the task before me. I shall do the best I can. I do not look for captious critics, who only look for a chance to find some fault. And now, in writing upon the subject, I have necessarily to give some of my own experience, which I shall do as a sort of preface to what shall follow.

In 1820 I gave my whole heart to the Lord and obeyed Him as far as I knew. One whole year of deep anxiety and struggle after the Sectarian fashion to get religion, and the evidence of sins forgiven, expecting the Lord to work a miracle to give me that evidence. A little evidence from my blessed mother and much Bible reading, showed me that the form of baptism, as they called it, administered to me by an Episcopal Clergyman, was no baptism. So in September 1830, I was baptized (immersed) by a minister of the New Lights, or as they called themselves, Christians, and as a body, 'The Christian Connexion.' I had at this time never heard of the reformation, inaugerated [sic] by Thos. & A. Campbell. I was exceedingly anxious for more divine light. Eld. Thos. McIntyre called at my father's while on a preaching tour. I asked him if there were any religious publications I could get; Yes, said he, there are two that I know of, most excellent ones, one is called the Millennial Harbinger, published by Alex. Campbell, at Bethany, Brook Co., Va. The other is the Christian Messenger, published by Barton W. Stone of K'y, an excellent paper. The Harbinger, he said, will cost you $2.00 a year and you pay the postage. It is a large, nice, pamphlet. The Christian Messenger is not so large, and will cost you $1.00 a year. B.W. Stone is one of the founders of the Christian Connexion. Very well, said I, I will take both of them. On 1st Nov. 1830, I read the 1st 11 No's, of vol. 1, of Millennial Harbinger, and 11 No's of current vol. Christian Messenger. How eagerly I read them. This was the first intimation I had that there was such a people on earth as the Disciples of Christ or Christians. Plainly enough I saw that the Christian Connexion and Disciples of Christ were not in union. Letters were being published in both papers on the differences between them notably on the atonement then on spiritual influence and the design of baptism, all with a view of union between the two bodies. I became enthusiastic over the bright prospect of union supposing the union would embrace all America.

About this time I subscribed for the Christian Palladium, edited by Joseph Badger and David Millard, two of the most noted preachers of the Connexion in the State of New York, and published by Marshall & Dean, Quaker printers and book sellers of Rochester, New York. As time advanced and my knowledge increased, I had a deal of controversy with the editors, especially Joseph Badger, I was soon headed a Campbellite.

In 1883 [sic; it should be: 1833, HR] I attended a "Christian Conference," held in New Market, 39 miles north of Toronto, I was appointed assistant Clerk. This was my first experience in Conference and was much disappointed. I learned their body was composed of Ministers and delegates from churches, that they had a membership independant of the church and one could be a member of conference and not a member of any church, and that they claimed legislative powers, though not having any written creed they made by-laws and altered and amended them by a majority vote, they tried all hard cases of discipline or dispute between parties of any Church and their discussion was final.

I had learned a lesson through the Harbinger that I have not yet forgotten. It was this that the Church or Congregation of Christ, is the highest tribunal on earth, that every individual congregation or church is entirely independant of any other in the management of its own affairs of church order and discipline. That the Church of Christ properly set in order "is the pillar and support of the truth," that it is all that Christian men and women needs [sic] or can lawfully desire. It is a Missionary Society, a Bible Society, a Benevolent Society, a Benefit Society, a Protective Society &c. Seeing all this I could see no place for a Conference, or any other appendage to the church and spoke out boldly against it. Some were pleased with me and some were not. I had the Great Kentucky union in mind and working to extend it to Canada.

About this time a man of great oratorial powers, calling himself a "Disciple of Christ," by name Benjamin Howard, came to Canada from the State of New York, and began preaching in the streets of Cobourg. In the Christian Palladium I had the proceedings of a Christian Conference, in the State of New York, in the case of said B. Howard, who had been expelled from the Conference for bad and unmoral conduct. It was also stated that Howard had been on a similar occasion expelled from a Methodist Conference, for like offence. I felt that I could not be silent and see so righteous a cause propagated for the first time in our country by a bad man. I was not slow in my opposition to Mr. Howard, showing to many people the printed documents in the Palladium. I had other reasons for my opposition. His preaching was almost entirely on baptism for remission of sins. That was all right if he had given the antecedents and consequents of real baptism. Howard complained and challenged me to meet him before the public. I paid no attention to his challenge for I could not stand up and speak on any subject then. Howard returned to Rochester and brought with him another renegade preacher by the name of Z.F. Grun [Green, according to Butchart], who had also been expelled from a Christian Conference in New York, for drunkenness and other bad conduct. I had all his trial and expulsion in the Palladium. This Grun [Green] was an able speaker too. So then I had the two to fight. It was a hard fight, but the result was, that I held the ground and Howard left Canada never to return and Grun [Green] went east to Prince Edward County. Before leaving they baptised several in Baltimore and Brighton, got them together as churches, but knowing but baptism they soon vanished. I shall refer to Mr. Grun [Green] hereafter.

In 1834 I attended another Christian Conference in Whitby, I was then elected clerk. At this season of Conference I expected the matter of union or that the question would be finally settled, whether the whole body in Canada would come into the reformation, it was a full session. The whole body then in Canada numbered 20 churches, 20 ordained Elders, and 1200 members on their Church records. Those Elders were not Pastors in the popular sense. Most of them travelled on horseback from Burford in the west to Corsecon [sic] in the east. After quite a good deal of Conference business was done one of my friends framed and moved a resolution which was very promptly seconded, the purport of which was the disanualling [sic] of the Conference, and the adopting of yearly meetings as then was being held in Ohio, and giving the church all power over its own affairs. If this resolution had been carried others would have followed, until the whole change desired should have been completed. The resolution was put to a vote (majority vote) and when noses were counted there was a tie, many breathed long and hearts beat high. After a good deal of stir the chairman gave the casting vote against the resolution. There was great confusion for some time and the Conference broke up quite abruptly for that year. There was no division of churches following. The after consequences were individual conquests from their ranks. - Enough for this month.