Sam’s joy, I need scarcely say, was all about the master’s conversion, and the fact that I was to preach in their church on Sunday—­two circumstances he did not fail to announce to every one he met.

He put up his horse, and stayed for the service.  In the after-meeting, when he prayed, he sent up his prayer with a thanksgiving for these two things, which set the congregation praising God also.

Thus the revival, which began on one side of the river, passed over to the other, and brought out people from another town, and also villages beyond.  There was a great awakening in that part of the country.  The curate found peace on the Sunday, and many more; but not the rector’s wife.  She continued her opposition most vigorously.

The wisdom of the serpent is seen in capturing the wife first; but still I am sure in this case that the serpent’s wisdom was outwisdomed, for her persecution made her husband pray and work all the more earnestly.

People in these days did not regard “missions” so complacently as they do now.  The very idea of preaching night after night, not for some Missionary Society, or for collections, but simply for the conversion of souls and the salvation of sinners, seemed to cast a slur upon ordinary preachers, as if they did not aim at such a thing; and upon people generally, as if we meant to imply that they needed it.  Most certainly they did.

I believe ordinary preachers in the churches of that neighbourhood did not expect conversions; and most of the people were unconverted.  I could not help telling them so, which only roused their wrath so much the more.

From this place I returned home; for my prolonged absence, I found, was likely to bring me into trouble.  Other clergymen might go away for months, travelling or salmon fishing; but if I was absent for a few weeks, I was supposed to be neglecting my parish.  On my return, I had much to tell, and did not expect to be invited out again in a hurry; for very few clergymen would willingly desire to be drawn into such a whirlwind of storm and trouble, as my visits usually involved.

CHAPTER 23

A Mission in Staffordshire, 1854.

The work at Baldhu, which had been going on almost incessantly for three years, was now beginning to flag; that is to say, there was not that ardent and eager attendance at the services and meetings, to which we had been accustomed in the revival time.  We had had occasional lulls like this before, but they did not last more than a few weeks; and then the “swallows” returned, and the bright hot summer of work came again with its loud songs and pleasant fruits.  This dullness was continuing longer than usual; the crowded congregations were falling off; strangers did not come from a distance; the people at home were not so lively.  However, the classes were continued, as also the services at the church, and the number of communicants did not decrease.  Still any one could see that the revival was over.  It was rather discouraging to me, and a cause of triumph to some outsiders; but we were occasionally cheered by work amongst visitors, and with sick-bed cases.