we were unable to withstand.  Additional moral force was necessary, and, to secure it, we deemed it better to go into the lecture-room and rely upon the social meetings to develop the requisite spiritual power.  With this change there came to the membership the spirit of consecration and a remarkable baptism of the Holy Ghost.  Before the end of two weeks we were compelled to return to the audience room.  The place was again thronged with people, but the good work went forward.  I continued to preach nightly for four weeks.  One hundred persons were converted and added to the Church.

With this large increase of members and a corresponding increase of attendants, it was necessary to enlarge the Church edifice for their accommodation.  Accordingly the work was undertaken.  The rear end of the building was opened, and the edifice was lengthened so as to accommodate nearly one-third more people.  In doing this, it was thought advisable to still increase the length by adding twelve feet more for an orchestra, thereby providing for the removal of the organ from the gallery to the rear of the pulpit.

The enlargement, besides furnishing the necessary accommodations for the people, laid a broader financial basis to the charge, by bringing into the congregation a number of families who were able to take the new seats at a good rental.  The year passed very satisfactorily.

The Conference of 1856 was held September 17th, at Appleton, Bishop Simpson presiding.  As expected, we were returned to Racine.  We retained the same house, and found our social relations with the people of Racine exceedingly pleasant.  With not a few families a life-long friendship was established, and to the present hour the mention of Racine revives many pleasant recollections.  Judge Lyon, who came into the Church this year, and his good lady, and Messrs. Knight, Yout, Adams, Langlois, Jones, Lunn, Slauson, Bull, Lees, Conroe, Kidder, Orr, Jillson, Brewer, Lawrence, with their families, and many others, will never be forgotten.

The labors of the year would afford many pleasing incidents were they permitted to appear in these pages, but their recital would unreasonably swell the volume.

The usual protracted meeting was held, continuing five weeks.  The work was very satisfactory, strengthening the converts of the previous year, and swelling the list of accessions.  The revival was especially fruitful in the Sunday School, leading many of the young people to Christ.  But the labors of the year, as usual, came to a close when we were in the midst of our work, and we were compelled to sunder old associations and form new ones in other fields.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Conference of 1857.—­Janesville.—­Early History.—­First Sermon.—­The
Collection.—­First Class.—­First Church.—­First Donation.—­Rev. C.C. 
Mason.—­Missionary Anniversary.—­Rev. A. Hamilton.—­Rev. D.O. 
Jones.—­The Writer’s Pastorate.—­The Great Revival.—­The Recipe.—­Old
Union Circuit.—­First Class.—­Evansville.—­Rev. Henry Summers.—­New
Church.  Conference of 1858.—­Beloit.—­Early Pastorates.—­Church
Enterprise.—­Second Year at Janesville.