All the here-mentioned villages are within a very short distance of each other, and adjacent to Preston.
After my return from those places, I took a tour to the north-east of Preston in company with Elder Fielding, where we labored together a short time with considerable success, and raised up churches in Ribchester, Thomly, Soney Gate Lane and at Clitheroe, a very large market town, containing several thousand inhabitants.
At the latter place I baptized a preacher and six members of the Methodist church, immediately after I had preached the first time. We likewise baptized several in the town of Waddington and Downham.
The day after we preached in Downham, we received a very pressing invitation to preach in Chatburn, but having given out an appointment to preach in Clitheroe that evening, I informed those who had invited me that I would not be able to comply with their request. This did not satisfy them, and they continued to solicit me with the greatest importunity, until I was obliged to consent to go with them, after requesting Elder Fielding to attend to the other appointment.
On my arrival at the village I was cordially received by the inhabitants, who turned out in large numbers to hear me preach. I commenced my address to them in my usual manner, and the spirit of the Lord seemed to carry the word to the hearts of the congregation, who listened with great attention, and received the ingrafted word, which was able to make them wise unto salvation.
Being satisfied in my mind, from the witness of the spirit, that numbers were believing, I gave an opportunity to those who wished to obey the gospel to do so, and immediately repaired to the water, although it was late in the evening. Before I was done I baptized twenty-five for the remission of their sins, and was engaged in this pleasing duty until one o'clock, the next morning.
After being absent from Preston about seven days, in which time we had added eighty-three souls to the Church, we returned, praising God for all His mercies, and for visiting our labors with such abundant success.
"No harvest joy can equal theirs
Who see the fruit of all their cares."