each line of a hymn than any one that I had ever known.  But something must be done, so I concluded to lead off.  Hunting through the garret of my memory, I brought out old Balerma for the occasion.  To my surprise, I went through the performance very much to my own satisfaction and comfort.  And more, when I got along to the third verse, several persons in the congregation began to follow, with a manifest purpose to learn my tune.  I dispensed with further singing, and at the close of the service a good brother came forward and remarked:  “There were several ladies in the congregation who are excellent singers, and if you had sung a tune with which they were acquainted, they could have helped you very much.”  Whereupon I concluded that if I were unable to sing the most familiar tune in the book, so that a bevy of good singers could discern what I was trying to render, I certainly could never succeed as a chorister.  I never became the owner of a tuning fork.

In the changes which followed in the boundaries of the charges, Markesan was assigned first to one and then to another, but several years ago it came to the surface as the head of a circuit.  And it now has a respectable standing as a charge with a good Church and Parsonage.

Resuming my search for new settlement, I next visited Lake Maria.  Here I first called at the house of Mr. Langdon.  I was kindly received, and when my errand was made known I was pressingly invited to remain for the night, and hold a meeting before leaving the neighborhood.  I consented, and on the following evening we held service in Mr. Langdon’s house.  Lake Maria was now taken into the list of appointments and was visited regularly during the year.  At my third visit, which occurred on the 30th day of November, 1845, I formed a class, consisting of Lyman L. Austin, Amanda M. Austin, Mrs. L. Martin, Mrs. Maria Langdon, David C. Jones and Maryette Jones.  A protracted meeting was held soon after and thirty persons were converted.  The fruit of this meeting carried the membership during the year up to twenty-five.  Among the additions were Lansing Martin, Wm. Hare, Mrs. Susan Woodworth, and others, who have been pillars in the church.

CHAPTER VI.

Green Lake Mission Continued.—­Quarterly Meeting at Oshkosh.—­Rev. G. N.
Hanson.—­Lake Apuckaway.—­Lost and Found.—­Salt and Potatoes.—­Mill
Creek.—­Rock River.—­Rev. J.M.S.  Maxson.—­Oakfield.—­Cold Bath.—­Fox
Lake.—­Gospel vs.  Whiskey.—­On Time.—­Badger Hill.—­S.A.L. 
Davis.—­Miller’s Mill.—­G.  W. Sexmith.—­Burnett.—­William
Willard.—­Grand River.—­David Wood.

It had been arranged at the Conference that Green Lake and Winnebago Lake Missions should hold their Quarterly Meetings together.  The first was now to be held at Oshkosh.  In going, I took the trail leading from Ceresco to Oshkosh, and traveled the whole distance without finding a house.  But at the intersection of the Fond du Lac and Ceresco trails I met Brother Sampson, the Presiding Elder.