www.GrandpaZoz.com

Rev. Joseph S. Stevenson

2nd Great Grandfather of Ronald E. Zoz

Handwritten during the winter of 1861 by Rev. Joseph S. Stevenson, D.D.

 retyped in 1900 by Eva Byers,

posted here in November of 2011 

I, Joseph Stevenson, now in the seventy-sixth year of my age, while lying in my bed last night, thinking over the past events of my life and the great goodness of God to me, regretting much that I had not kept a memorandum which would have been of great use to me in my old age. My recollection of many of the occurrences of early life is still good; and I consider that now in the evening of my life it might be profitable to me to commit to writing some of those events.

I was born on the 25th of March, 1779, in the state of Maryland.  In the same year the family moved to Washington Co. Pa., leaving my brother Samuel with Patrick Campbell.  He never lived with the family afterward.

My father died in Hagerstown, Maryland, with the smallpox, when I was about five years of age and left a widow and nine children to mourn their loss, which was very great.  I have been told frequently by persons not belonging to our family, that he was a devout, pious man.  God, who has said of the widows in the church: “Let their widows trust in me,” was kind to the widow and her children and provided a kind and pious father, in James Edgar, Esq. A man much esteemed by his fellows both in the councils of the state and of the church.  James Edgar is a family name with most of the stepchildren.

In 1794 I was bound an apprentice to Malcom McComb for four years and a half, and removed seventy miles from my friends and their religious influence, and was thrown into a large family, where there was much sin and little appearance of religion, except with Col John Shields, the head of the family.  Here the temptations to vice were numerous and strong.  I was a wayward and willful youth, and sometimes had serious thoughts.  My abiding conviction was, that I must be born again, and I loved to hear religious people talk about their experiences, but as I had none I did not like to be questioned on the subject of personal religion.  I was forgetful of God and my duty to Him, but He was not forgetful of me and I was not suffered to fall into open vice and that fact had gotten me the name of being a very pious young man.  An incident one-day occurred while I was working in the shop with Col. Shields which I have often thought of.  Mr. Shields spoke to me as if I was a very pious young man.  If an arrow had pierced my flesh I could not have been more pained than I was for a short season.  The thought of believing that I had piety when God knew I had none troubled me and greatly alarmed me.

My stepfather wrote to Mr. Porter whose meetings I attended, requesting him to have a watchful care over me.  This had a good effect by keeping before my mind the fact that pious friends took an interest in the welfare of my soul and prayed for me, for I, poor wretch, prayed but little for myself.

Strong temptations to the vice of intemperance were daily before me.  I was a favorite mechanic and it was customary in those days for pleased customers to treat, and my master became a drunkard, but the Lord had mercy upon me, and kept me from that soul-destroying vice.  I have often said to myself that it was God alone who kept me from becoming a drunkard, for my temptations were strong and I had acquired a taste for liquor.

I finished my apprenticeship and took my master’s shop for one year.  In 1800 I set up for myself in Beaver Co., Pa., near to Greensburg, now Darlington.  Here the temptations to drunkenness and every vice were peculiarly strong. Almost all my neighbors were young married families, fond of reveling, drinking and kindred vices.  Most of them became drunkards, and five of them have been sentenced to the penitentiary, and had it not been for the great mercy of God, I might have been with them.

The country was new and heavy timbered and the men had often to be together at house-raisings and log-rollings, and it was the habit of people to stay together until they drank up all the liquor provided for the occasion.  I felt that it was a bad habit, and was thinking how I could get away from the company one day without giving them offense, when one of my neighbors, John Saviours by name, took me aside, and we agreed that thereafter we would always leave when the work was done before supper and thus avoid the necessity of staying to see the jug emptied.  I have ever considered this as a king and gracious act of God to me, and it endeared John Saviours very much to me.

1. 1802.    At this time I had three apprentices (my sister was keeping house for me); my business was prosperous; was making money fast.

I began to feel my responsibility to my family all living without God and among a godless people.  True we were but a mile and a half from pious people.  The Rev. Thomas Hughes, a pious man whom I much esteemed, preached regularly where I attended meeting and pious students from his school often called and conversed with me, but neither their friendly visits nor his preaching seemed to produce and present effect on me.  God took another way of dealing with me and I was visited with a severe family trouble.  Oh! How it pained my heart.  But it waked me up to a sense of my condition as a sinner before God.  In looking over my life I then remembered that in two instances I had been saved from death by drowning and often had been snatched as a brand from the burning  and still the goodness of God had not led me to repentance.  But now the sentiment was deeply fixed in my mind, that the present was a crisis with me.  The kind dealings of God from my father’s death up to the present passed before me and seasons of mercies and corrections misimproved.  I verily believed that if this present affliction were to pass away and I became careless again, God would give me up, and I should be a lost man.  But what can I do?  It is God’s work to change the heart, and that is what I need and must have or be ruined forever.  I prayed much day and night, attendee meetings in deep anxiety of mind.

About this time (June 1803) I attended a communion at Slippery Rock.  Mr. Hughes preached from the text Zech.9;12.  Sabbath night all thro was a season of sore travail; hope and despair alternately filled my soul.  On Monday I hastened to preaching, and conversed with several individuals; had no doubt that the gospel is true; that whosoever believeth shall be saved.  I believed and yet had not peace.  What could be wanting?  Did I not believe every truth in the gospel so far as known to me?  Or was it my repentance that was deficient?  Surely I have attended to all the directions given to me and yet here I am without peace, my sins unforgiven I and such thots!

Next morning before it was light I went out to the wood and threw myself down on the ground, crying for mercy to God for Christ’s sake.  I felt my heart fixing on Jesus as a saviour suited to my wants, saying aloud: “My heart is fixed!  O Lord, my heart is fixed!  I will serve thee while I live.”  With unspeakable joy, gratitude and hope did I now contemplate the wonderful plan of salvation and the love of God which shines thro the whole.  And when my sins, which appeared to me now greater than ever before, passed before me, Oh! How I was overwhelmed when I thot of Christ dying for me.  Oh! What a Saviour, whose love and the merits of whose death can overcome and remove such sinfulness, both guilt and pollution.

When I had spent some time thus I began to inquire, what means this change of view and feelings?  Can this be the change that I have been praying for?  Is this the new heart that God has promised to give?  Truly God has done much for me, he has let me see a beauty and glory in his own character, and in the plan of salvation by the death of Christ, which I did not see before.  I can say; where I was blind, now I can see how God can be just and glorious in his justice while he pardons me a vile sinner.  If I know anything, if my heart does not deceive me in this, I do love God and can trust him for salvation, depending alone for justification before him on the mediation and death of Christ.  Oh!  Lord, I am thine, do with me as seemeth go to thee. Give me grace that I may be faithful unto death.

I had no disposition to work that day and kept out of the way of customers.  Next day I went to talk to Mr. Hughes.  He asked me to consider the question whether God might not be calling me to quit my trade and prepare to preach the gospel.

The question of preparing for the ministry was before me.  I thot it best to consult by stepfather and some other friends at Crosscreek about forty miles off.  Having paid a visit to my friends and heard their views, I concluded it was my duty to go home and dismiss my boys,  if that could be done honorably, and dispose of my property and go to school immediately.

Soon after God taught me a lesson which I wish never to forget:  that is never to neglect or turn aside from a plan of duty, deliberately formed, from any worldly motive whatsoever.  The case was this:  while I was traveling home from a sacramental meeting my thoughts turned upon the subject of using up all my means in acquiring an education and then beginning in the world penniless.  I cherished the thought of having some two or three hundred dollars to begin with, and this sum could easily be made the coming winter with the means I then had.  I was riding a noble horse worth $120 and I determined to take him next day and load him with iron and steel, to earn money not to pay my way at school, but to help me to set up when I was through my studies.  Shortly after I had come to this decision, my house took sick and could not travel, and died before midnight.  My first though was, God has done it, and why; second though, he is displeased with this money-making scheme.  Had I not determined to go to school immediately?  That was still my duty.  I was glad that my heavenly Father had checked me in my first step tho it cost me my horse.  And upon the whole I was glad my horse was dead.  I had been unwilling to trust God for means to start in the world as a preacher.  Now I must trust him for means to get an education.

When my friends and neighbors would express their regrets for my loss, I had to be silent, for I could not count it a loss and this sentiment that it was no loss was confirmed to me during the first six months of my ministry.  It is a great mercy to be corrected and reclaimed while our sin is in the embryo state, before it has shown itself to the world by overt acts, to our shame, and to the reproach of religion.

June, 1803.  I believed that God was calling me to go to school. I made haste to obey him and entered with Mr. Hughes.  Our schoolhouse was a little log cabin on Mr. Hughes’ farm.  Here I met with fourteen students preparing for the ministry.  Joshua Beer,  John Bruce, John Matthews,  William Mathewa, Robert Semple, Thomas Clark,  Robert and Edward Johnson,  James and Ben Boyd got into the ministry and have finished their labors and they Master has called them up higher.  Of the fourteen with whom I entered the study of Latin, all are gone except myself; and here I am of little use in the world, and not ready to go home, but the Lord has been my helper, therefore in the shadow of his wings will I repose.  He who did deliver me twice from the jaws of death by drowning and has protected me hitherto, knows best when and how to remove me.  I trust that matter in his hands.

The first of the cases of drowning occurred when I was about ten years old.  Three brothers of us went to the millpond to wash.  My brother next to me in age and I were exactly of one height.  Our oldest brother bantered us to see who could wade into the deepest water and we foolishly waded in until the water overwhelmed us.  In a moment the air was excluded by the flowing in of the water and I was seized with indescribable horror and excruciating pain.  I felt that I would never get home, and was distressed at the trouble my mother would be in when she would see my brother and me wanting, but had no thoughts of sin nor of the future state.  I soon became insensible and was taken out of that state.

The second case occurred when I was 17 years of age and I had become a good swimmer.  One day while swimming in deep water, I carelessly suffered my head to get under and was in a moment willed with alarm and confusion, and while I struggled hard, swimming one way and then another, I knew not where the surface was.  At last a happy thought occurred: to let myself sink to the bottom, and gather my feet under me and then spring to the surface.  This plan succeeded and thro the infinite mercy of God I was saved from death at this time also. O! the goodness of God!

In 1804, August 1^st, I married Sarah Marquis, daughter of Rev. Thos. Marquis.  I found her to be a helpmeet in very deed.  The Lord spared her with me until July 25^th 1849.  The mother was spared to take care of her children and raised up these whom God spared to us.  We had four little girls who died in infancy.  It is a great blessing when God spared a pious and industrious mother to train up her children until they are settled in life.  This blessing I and my children have enjoyed.

Soon after my marriage I moved to Cannonsburgh and there me a new class of fellow students preparing for the ministry.  Of these who have finished their course and gone home, I remember classmates Samuel Porter, James Culbertson, Stephen Boyer, James Wilson, Andrew Wylie, Gilbert McMasters, John Walker and Joseph Sevoggs. Our beloved president, Mr. Dunlap and Prof. Miller are long since dead.  I spent three years at college.  My health was good.  I got disappointed in my means of support.  My wife did all that woman could do in such a case to help me.  She took in boarders, did her own work, spun and knit, and in every way possible helped me along.  Truly a good wife is from the Lord, and for this I was and am still thankful.  I often feel lonely and think her presence would afford some relief.  All is right. God has done it.

1. 1806.      I had the promise of $100 and at the close of the session would need it.  Some three months before the session was out I received information that it would not be paid over.  I could not spare time from my studies without sustaining great loss.  It seemed to me that God had called me to this study, and hope that he would provide for me in some way encouraged me to go on.  The last day of the session came and having prepared my last exercise, I set off for home and now became very anxious for money to answer my present needs:  when a voice from a house close by called me in, where was $100 for me from a quarter from which I had not been expecting it.  But it was sent by God, who often, as in this case, withholds help until it is most needed.  I then thot I never would distrust him again.  But alas, how often have I disbelieved his word.

Having studied divinity two years with Mr. Marquis, I was licensed Oct. 15^th 1808, to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and immediately settled in Three Ridges and Forks of Wheeling.  In 1812 each of those churches became strong enough to support a pastor and I gave the whole of my time to the church at Three Ridges, until 1825.

During my pastorate here I spent six months in the service of the Washington County Bible Society I Green Co. Pa. Andon the headwaters of Kanawa in Va.  After I had supplied Morgantown and vicinity with Bibles and testaments and collected $135, a box of Bibles arrived from the Bible society in Princeton, N.J., directed to the Rev. Mr. Winter, who was expected to be in Morgantown at this time, charged $11.50 freight, with orders to open the box and sell as many Bibles as would pay the freight and then send the box on to Marietta.  When I heard of the arrival of the box, I paid the charges and sent the box on without it being opened.  I have been thus particular in mentioning this from the fact that altho I had before called on Mr. Rogers (the merchant to whom the books were send and to whom I now paid the charges) and asked for assistance in my labors, yet he ha thus far utterly refused to do anything, saying that those who wanted Bibles might buy for themselves.  But now, after receiving the money, he asked me if there was any connection between our society and that at Princeton, that I would be allowed by my society to pay this.  Not any said I, except that we both are in the same good cause.  Well, will they not censure you for this? No sir. But if they do, I can at any time easily raise it, by just stating the circumstances.  Mr. Rogers hesitated for a few moments and then fixing his eye on an old man, said “come, Daddy Carns, let us make up this money among us.”  “Agreed” said the old man; “you pay your part and I’ll pay mine.” “Well, Daddy, you pay $3.00 and John here $2.00 and I’ll pay $5.00.”  All agreed and the funds were at once made up to the society.  This the manifest benevolence of the society overcomes the covetousness of the men of the world.  I have met with some instances where the most bold enemies have been made to quail and at least for a season to profess friendship, as the following case.  I spent a day in Waynesburgh, collecting money for the Bible society, and also supplying the destitute with Bibles.  In the evening some 8 or 10 persons came into my lodging.  One of them introduced himself by the name of Joice.  “Sir,” said he, “ I hear you have been spending the day collecting money from our people to buy Bibles with, with the one hand and with the other giving our Bibles to the poor widows.  I hear that you have given a Bible to my sister, Mrs. Davis.”  “Yes sir,” said I, “that has been my day’s work. And I have done well, for I have collected about $130.”  “Well, sir,” said he, “ this beats me. I have thot the Bible a hard book and its friends hypocrites, but the friends of the Bible must be influenced by a spirit of which I am altogether ignorant.  Do, sir; do, sir, tell me what you know of the gospel.”  I cheerfully complied and talked to him and the company for three-quarters of an hour.  He thanked me and gave me a dollar for the cause as he bade me good night.  I have never heard from him since, but have sometimes hoped that he had impressions made on his mind that night he would never lose.

While I was preparing to go to rest, which I very much needed, a message came to me from a lady in town (by the name of  Hayze) requesting me to come to her immediately.  Her husband, who was an infidel, met me in an outer room and begged me to comfort his wife.  He was afraid she was going to die in despair, and said “I am sure she has never sinned.”  When I entered Mrs. Hayze’s room, she said “Sir, I am going to die and have sent for you to have you tell me whether I am prepared to die or not.”  In answer to my questions she give me a history of her manners in life, as well as she could between the paroxysms of pain. In her statement there was no sense of sin; no need of a change of heart, or of a Saviour.  She had not repented; she thot se had no sin to repent of.  I spent some time talking to her of the fall of man and of the love of God in providing a Saviour for man.  I repeated in her hearing some of the invitations of the gospel and reminded her of the case of the thief on the cross.  We kneeled down and prayed for her, during which she was quiet. When we arose from prayer, she said “Sir, do you think me fit to die?”  It occurred to me that her pressing me so to answer the question, was a suggestion of the Devil and I commenced talking to her again of the plan that God in mercy had laid for the salvation of the sinner.  She interrupted me and screamed aloud: “Tell me not of those things: do tell me whether I am fit to die; for if I am not now, I must die and go to hell.” Having made another fruitless attempt to have her listen to the invitation of the gospel, I left the house and retired to rest.

In an hour or two I was waked up with the request to go and see Mrs. Hayze again.  Mr. Hayze met me at the door and told me that if I had nothing comforting to say to his wife not to talk with her.  I commenced talking to her of the love of God in providing a way of salvation and of the love of Christ in dying for us and of the necessary preparation for dwelling with God in heaven.  “Now,” said I, “Mrs. Hayze, if you have repented of your sins and love God truly, you will get to heaven. But if not, you never can get there.”

She shrieked aloud, saying that then she must go to hell, for she never had believed in Christ and it was too late for her now.  And she continued thus to shriek until she died.

On the day following that most terrible night, more pleasant scenes occurred.  I entered a little hut, a sugar bailer’s shanty, tenanted by an old lady of seventy.  The following dialogue took place:  “Well, mother, do you live alone here?”  “Not altogether alone. I have sometimes my Saviour with me and He is good company.”  “Have you his word?” “No, not all and that grieves me much.”  I went to my horse and got a Bible and presented it to her, saying “here is his word, contained in the Old and New Testaments, which your Saviour has sent to you by me.”  “Please, sir, explain.”  I explained the origin of the Bible societies and the supplies now going on.  She was delighted to ecstasy and opened her Bible and read a text like one who felt that the word was good and then closed here Bible and asked some more questions about the origin of the Bible societies.  Having heard my statement she took a stool and climbed to the top shelf of her cupboard and brought down and old bowl, and having searched for some time among the buttons and buckles, which as a careful housewife she had preserved, she at length handed me two small bits of silver, sixpencees, saying “here are the widow’s two mites, for it is all the money I have.”  As I hesitated to take them, she said “You must allow me this pleasure.” I took them.  The report of the widow’s mites has gained in the estimation of the friend of the society some hundreds of dollars.  I have not doubt but that the spirit of that pious widow long since has gone to Paradise and will in due season receive the welcome plaudit:  Well done thou good and faithful servant.

An hour afterward I entered a decent looking house in the midst of a well improved farm and observed on the center table a family Bible and hymn book which appeared as if they were daily used.  Beside the lady of the house and old woman was sitting at the spinning wheel, whose dress indicated great poverty.  While I talked of the value of the Bible and of the supply of the destitute, the old lady at the wheel quit her work and was encouraged to ask if I would give her a Bible, saying that she was a poor woman and that she had to work in the houses of other people and sometimes in the homes of those who had no Bible.  I gave her one.  She opened and read: “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.”  She closed the book, saying “precious Bible, precious Bible.  Thank God I have one of my own.  How glad I would be if my son Dan had a Bible.  He loves the Bible, but poor fellow, he had his house burned, and his Bible burned in it.”  I asked her the name of her son.  She said “Daniel Smaley, on Whitely Creek.”  I looked in my journal and found that I had supplied him with a Bible.  In very deep emotion she said “Oh! How good is God to me and my poor family.”  And she wept freely.  The lady of the house and I mingled our tears of gratitude with hers.

The destitution in some parts was very great.  I will record one instance.  In the southwest corner of Pa., I found a very aged couple who had raised twelve children.  The whole family numbered one hundred and there were but five or seven who could read and they had not a single copy of the Holy Scriptures among them  I supplied some of the fmilies and left for other parts.

In 1808, when I commenced my ministry, it was my sincere desire to devote my whole time to the duties of my office and by close study to perfect what I had begun at school.  I was young and had good health, and was able to endure much labor.  The most of the members of our Presbytery were aged and infirm.  Our new settlements, north and west required much missionary labor and I was often sent abroad on missionary tours.  The experience of one or two years showed me that my salary was not sufficient to support my family, tho as careful and economical as possible. The salary was $320, but was not well paid.  My people advised me to buy a farm and derived part of my support form it.  As my avocations increased, my habit of study diminished and the power of close and profitable study was lost to me never to be regained.  For sixteen years I was pastor of the church at Three Ridges.  My people were chiefly Scotch, pious, orderly, willing to pay me half salary and complacently allow me to get the other half from my farm.  This way of ministers getting their support was not uncommon in those days.  I have reason to believe that my people were better pleased with my labors among them than I was myself.  My conviction was strong that the time had come when the Presbyterian church should be supplied with ministers entirely devoted to their work.  I honestly desired to be more useful among my people and labored to regain habits of study.  Failing in this, I became discouraged and finally concluded to leave my people for their good, hoping that the Head of the church would send them a pastor whose labors would be more blessed to them than mine had been.

The providence of God, without much desire or labor on my part, had put me in possession of twelve hundred acres of land in Logan Co., Ohio in a region where there was little or no Presbyterian influence.  Having means to support my family for some time I concluded to move to that land and become a voluntary missionary in LoganCounty and adjacent counties.

This removal was the occasion of painful feelings,  I was attached to my people and they to me.  We had no controversy, no alienation of affection, and in my occasional visits to that people, I have evidence of their continued affection and I am happy to know that my successor, Dr. McClusky, was a faithful pastor and that not less than ten of the children instructed by me in that church have since become preachers in our church.  I have sowed as I could and my successor has reaped and let God have all the glory. Amen.

In 1825 there were four or five counties in Ohio, having LoganCounty in the center, without a Presbyterian minister and very few church members.  In what is not the bounds of the Bellefontaine church (1855) Robt. Patterson and his wife were the only church members.  At this time our church had not funds to support missionaries.  I felt it my duty to spend my time in that region as a self-appointed and self-supported missionary.  I established a circuit for myself, having thirteen places of preaching which I supplied one in five weeks, for the space of two years.  In which time I organized the church of Sidney and Stoneycreek.  In 1828 I organized the First Presbyterian Church of Bellefontaine with 30 members.  In 1830 we had a work of grace in which 14 members were added to our number.  We had a gradual increas by immigration and examination and in 1833 we numbered 91.

I employed one half of my time in Bellefontaine, one fourth in Stonycreek and one fourth in Cherakee.

The controversy between Old and New school was waging warm.  Altho there were no new school among us yet, alienations arose from other causes.  Some of our members had been rulers in the church and they came together each tenacious of his way of doing things. Politics ran high at this time and two members of our session were candidates for office on opposite sides.  From this time until the church was divided we had no peace in the session or the congregation, nor even then, and never until the second church was dissolved, about 1843.

I will not place on record the rights and wrongs in that controversy as I am endeavoring to forget them all, except so far as I have done something or left something undone, calculated to bring reproach on the cause of Christ.  The relation in which I stood in relation to the Old and New school controversy was not understood or appreciated by many of my brethren.  My head and heart were with the Old school, yet I believed in some cases they did injustice to the New and therefore I could not vote with them.  I believe my motives have long since been appreciated by my Old School friends and at the time of this writing, so far as I know I am at peace with all men.

In 1844 Mrs. Stevenson’s health was failing fast and I felt it my duty from this fact and because my own health was failing to give up my charge at Bellefontaine and at the same time my arm and to cease housekeeping.  The last two years of Mrs. Stevenson’s life were spent in constant pain, but she endured her suffering with Christian fortitude and resignation, knowing that nothing short of death would relive her.  On the 25 of July her spirit left us for the rest that remaineth for the people of God and sure none needed that rest more than she.

For many years I had desired to have some system of benevolent contributions.  I devoted $1000 to benevolent objects, that being about one tenth of what I possessed and immediately began executing my own will.  And I am happy to know that this money is well employed in building up the cause and kingdom of Christ.  During the lifetime of Mrs. Stevenson, my (annual) income was $250 and I devoted 1/10 of that to benevolent objects, but I found the proportion too small to answer the demand of benevolence and on the 17^th of March, 1855, I determined to devote 1/5 of my income to benevolent causes.  When I receive any money for my own support, I charge myself with one fifth of the sum to the cause of benevolence and when I pay out money for any benevolent object, I credit this fund with the amount., so I can always tell if there is money in the benevolent fund. I consider the support of the widow Ann Clark a proper object of benevolence.  As I receive no pay for ministerial labors I consider my farm in going to and from the church judicatories proper subjects of benevolence.

In the spring of 1855 I greatly desired to have something to do for the welfare of my fellowman.  I engaged as an agent of the Logan Co. Bible Society to organize auxiliaries and supply the destitute throughout the County.  I organized 17 auxiliaries, delivered 47 lectures and collected and sent to the parent society $406 and paid the expenses of canvassing the county and supplying the destitute.  We delivered 1200 copies of the Scriptures.  In this service I spent 125 days for which the society paid me $125.  I donated $55 to the society, $50 to constitute my sons James E. and Joseph life members of the society, and $5 in part to constitute my son Robert a life member.

In the village of Newton, consisting of 12 families, in which were 8 church members, were only tow entire copies of the Bible and several fragments of the New Testament, and one German Bible in and English family where it was a sealed book.  I commenced to supply the village in a tavern in their midst. Sold four Bibles to the landlord.  While engaged in supplying the destitute a man under the influence of liquor, said:  “I don’t read the Bible myself, but my wife does when she can get it.  She used to borrow from a neighbor, but that neighbor is gone and I don’t know of another in the neighborhood.  If you will give me one for her, I will take it to her and I know she will thank you for it.”  The landlord remonstrated against my giving a Bible to that man, saying that he would pawn it for whiskey, or lose it on the way.  “No,” said he, “if the gentleman will give me a Bible, I will be faithful and take it home.”  I gave him one, with the earnest desire that the copy might be useful in the neighborhood.  About 3 or 4 months after, a Methodist brother told me that the next Sabbath after the man got the Bible it was taken to a neighboring school house and was read from ten o’clock in the morning till four in the afternoon. The people agreed to come together the next Sabbath.  The assembly was much larger than before and the reading commenced at an early hour and continued until late in the evening.  One of the company, deeply impressed, arose and exhorted.  They agreed to meet on the next Sabbath.  On the third Sabbath the Assembly was large and two Methodist preachers were present and conducted the exercises thro the day and agreed to meet on the next Sabbath.  On the next Sabbath the attendance was large and two Baptist ministers were present and a precious revival took place, as a result of that Bible.  The Methodists received about 40 into their communion and the Baptists about 20.  Eternity alone will disclose the blessed effects of the distribution of that copy of the Holy Scriptures.

In 1822 the Synod of Pittsburg determined to establish a mission among the Ottawas on the Maumee.  They directed the Rev. C. McCurdy and myself to go out and locate the mission.  We left home early in the month of September and called at Delaware, where  the land office was kept, ascertained what lands were still in the market on the Maumee, near the Wolf rapids.  Having arrived on the grounds and explored the region for some twelve miles above the rapids, we agreed to enter a fraction of one hundred acres, on which to place the buildings, and 180 acres of an island adjoining the fraction.  In reaching the island, with Deacon Cross our pilot, we were plunged into the water up to our armpits.  We spent about five hours in exploring the island under the burning sun and then in the evening had to take the same plunge in getting off the island, and then Mr. McCurdy and I had to ride four miles to lodging.  We found the family sick and were obliged to sleep with our clothes partially wet.  The next day we staked off the ground for the first mission house.  By this time Mr. McCurdy and Mr. Cross were sick from the wetting of the day before and were obliged to retire.  In the meantime I was engaged in grubbing the site and hiring hands and getting timber together.

It was now time for one of us to return by way of Delaware to enter the land and to report to the Synod, which was to meet in the town of Washington, Sept. 30^th.  Owing to the state of my family it had been agreed that I should report to Synod.  Accordingly I started, having 250 miles to travel.  I had gone but a few miles when I became sick and continued so all the way home.  I knew the Synod would desire my report, therefore I was unwilling to lie by, and so carried my ague and fever home without any effort to check it.  In three days, I reached the Delaware and found the receiver at the land office had entered the island for his own use since we had passed.  This entry was found to be illegal and the old gentleman was persuaded to give it up for the benefit of the mission.

I traveled home with extreme difficulty and in fifteen minutes after I entered my own house I shook with the ague, which visited me almost daily for three months.  My son Robert was born about a half-hour before my arrival, mother and child both doing well and this lightened by affliction greatly.

A member of the Synod of Ohio called and I dictated my report to him and he carried it on to the Synod.  The Synod established the mission and immediately sent a family to occupy the buildings that Mr. McCurdy erected.

I suffered greatly during the winter – was brought near the gates of death – but a kind and gracious God raised me up again.  Before harvest a considerable number of Indian youth were collected.  The Synod had determined to solicit donations from the people living in the Scioto valley, instock, to support the mission, and I was pressed to spend a month or six weeks in that service and tho I had not entirely recovered from the effects of the fever and ague, I finally consented and succeeded tolerably well, the most of the inhabitants of the valley were afflicted that fall.  In many cases stock was offered to me when there were not well people enough to get them in.  I drove in what I obtained as far as LoganCounty, and there I hired William Tinnis to take them in and I returned home in good health.  I made another visit to the Maumee Station.  In 1825 the Synod of Pittsburg directed Mr. Hughes and myself to go to the Station and look into its affairs.  We wend out in the last of December.  Very heavy rains had fallen, which raised the streams far above their banks.  We had to swim our horses over several branches and wade for miles in water sometime to midrib.  We should not have succeeded had not a kind Providence thrown into our company the mail carrier who was well acquainted with the road.  We arrived at the Station and remained eight days.  We found things in the house and on the farm much to our pleasing.  The school was going on well.

In the meantime a very severe freezing set in which checked the flow of the waters and made the traveling in some places perilous.  Entire bridges were swept away and logs on the causeways displaced.  The legs of the horses and the necks of the riders were in great danger of being broken.

The last Sabbath we spent at the Mission we were deeply interested in forming the acquaintance of two strange Indians, who had camped outside the Station on Saturday, and attended our religious services on the Sabbath. At the close of our second service we retired into the Superintendent’s room.  We soon learned that the strange Indians were conducting religious services in the hall. We joined the meeting tho we could not understand a word they said except the word Jehu.  When they closed their meeting we found one young man who could interpret for us and in answer to our questions we obtained the following statements.  The old man, about 55 years of age spoke, the younger on assenting.  They said they lived in Canada about 150 miles north of Detroit.  About tree years previous he had come to Detroit to sell furs and skins and there heard a missionary preach about the love of the great Spirit in sending his Son into the world to die for sinners and the loved Jenu in dying for Indians as well as white people.  He went home to hunt, but he was troubled every day at what the missionary had told him about sin.  He felt that he was a great sinner.  Often when he could go out to hunt, he would forget to hunt and kneel down beside a tree and spend a good while in praying to be freed from sin.  Sometimes when his family was in great need of meat he would go out and kill a deer and sin would blind his eyes so that he could not see the deer.  At last he determined to go back to Detroit, hoping that God would send somebody to tell him more about Jehu the Saviour.  He went praying and Oh! How glad he was he found the good Mr. Findlay there preaching to the people and while he pas preaching about the love of God in sending his Son to die for sinners and that he would pardon us for the sake of Jehu, he said in my heart this just suit poor Indian. Jehu shall be my Saviour, and I will be his servant forever.

Having spent considerable time in this delightful way we were about to retire, as we wished to leave the Station a little after midnight, when the old gentleman arose and addressed us as follows: “We know what you are here for.  The good people at home who love Jehu have sent you here to encourage the school.  When you go home tell your people not to be discouraged, tho you do ot find us doing as well as you wish.  What do you do with your children at home when they do not attend their books and play by tho way to school?  Do you send off the teachers and shut up the schoolhouse and tell them they shall not go to school?  No.  You love them and perhaps correct them and send them back to school.  We want you to love us and bear with us, for we Indians are children, the old people are children. We are slow to learn for we have not been used to books.  Don’t be discouraged, for there are Indians away back in the cold country praying that the schools may be kept up.  The Indians will become Christians, for God has given the heathen to his Son to be saved by Christ and Indians are Christians but we must believe in Jehu. We cannot believe unless we are taught.  It is your place to teach us. Be faithful and you shall receive a crown of glory.”

The Indian’s lecture was a pleasing close to our exercises and we retired to our rest for a short time.  Long before day we were on our way home,  where we arrived in safety, notwithstanding the peculiar difficulties and dangers of the first fifty miles from the Station.

1860, March 25^th.  This is my eight-first birthday.  I am free from pain and have no disease which threatens my life, but the infirmities of old age admonish me that this may be by last year on earth.  I have just heard of the death of two sister-in-law:  Jane Stevenson, widow of brother James, and Elizabeth Stevenson, widow of brother John.

If this be the year of my release, well, The will of God be done.  My life is in his hand.  He knows best when to end it.  My living here is infinitely better than I deserve.  To be with Jesus, whom I gave endeavored to serve for fifty seven years, would be far better.  It is my incessant desire to live without sin.  I hope thro the grace of God that when I lay down this body, which has been the intrument and incitement of sin, I shall, with the instrument lay aside and be done with sin forever and ever.  Oh! What a glorious hope!  Who would not die to realize it?  I would not live always in this sinning state.  I would love to be restored to the image of my Make, God, and live and serve Him perfectly forever.

1861, March  25th.  This is my eight second birthday.  The past year has been one of great mercy to me.  Truly God is Good.  His mercy endureth forever.  My life which is in great measure useless, has been spared, while some, Oh! How many in the prime of life and great usefulness, have been called home – taken out of the storm of wrath which is coming on a wicked world.