The stranger, Mr. Wilson, hesitated, and then said; “People here seem to be dead in regard to anything of this kind. Whether we succeed or not, a general fight over the question will, if it can possibly stir them up, be of some use. Make the appointment, and I’ll stir them out.”
“When shall it be?” inquired the missionary.
“Put it on Friday night; there is spelling-school in our school-house to-morrow night, and I’ll go down and have it given out, and the whole neighborhood will know it,” said Mr. Wilson, with great animation.
“Providence permitting, I will be there,” said the missionary.
“And give us a speech, telling all about the Sunday-school,” suggested Mr. Wilson.
As the missionary was about to offer his hand and say good-bye, Mr. Wilson said:
“Won’t you go with me and stay until Friday? I can accommodate you.”
“I thank you, but I will not visit the neighborhood until Friday, and then I will come to your house and we will go to the meeting together,” replied the missionary.
“Well, perhaps that will be best,” rejoined Mr. Wilson, and passed on. Calling back, he said: “Take the road up the hill; it will lead you through the most thickly settled portion of this neighborhood.” The missionary nodded his head and took the road as directed. He met with various successes in his itinerancy until Thursday evening, when he was shamefully treated by a man known as ’Squire Hunt, one of the leading men of the settlement. The missionary bore the insults meekly, but upheld the cause of Christ manfully.